JP2006276337A - Photoprocessing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a photoprocessing system, capable of reading an image relating to photographing conditions printed outside the recording area of an image in each frame of a photographic film (eg., between an image in a frame and an image in a frame), and outputting the content in a suitable form. <P>SOLUTION: The photoprocessing system includes an additional information obtaining means for reading an image relating to additional information recorded outside the recording area of an image in each frame, and recognizing the image as letters, thereby obtaining additional information; and an output means for creating an Exif file, based on the additional information and image data relating to the read image in each frame, and recording the Exif file into a recording medium, such as a CD-R. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a photographic processing apparatus, and more particularly to a photographic processing apparatus configured to be able to read information relating to shooting conditions, which is copied between frame images of a photographic film.

  Conventionally, a camera that optically captures the shooting date and time on a photographic film when taking a picture is well known, but in recent years, information (shooting information) related to shooting conditions such as aperture value and shutter speed. There is also provided a camera having a function of copying the image outside the frame image formed on the photographic film (for example, between the frame images).

  There has also been proposed a film scanner (for example, Patent Document 1) that reads the additional information copied in such a manner and sets the frame image reading condition and the like based on the content.

JP 2000-261606 A

  By the way, the provision of the additional information is used on the user (photographer) side rather than being used at the time of photo processing such as reading of a photographed image, photographic print or output of an image file (for example, at the time of next photographing). The main purpose is to make it publicly available at the time of the exhibition of photographs).

  However, there is currently no service that reads the additional information copied on the photographic film and outputs it in a manner that can be confirmed by the user. Therefore, in order to be able to confirm additional information corresponding to a certain medium (photo print or image file) at any time, for example, the user must store the medium and the corresponding photographic film together. The fact is that there are many troublesome points to use additional information.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is capable of reading additional information copied on a photographic film and outputting the contents in a suitable manner so that the user can easily use the contents. An object is to provide an apparatus.

  The photographic processing apparatus according to the present invention is a photographic processing apparatus configured to read a frame image recorded on a photographic film as image data and to output a print and / or an image file related to the image data. The additional information acquisition means for acquiring the additional information by reading an image related to the additional information recorded outside the recording area and recognizing the image, and associating the image data with the corresponding additional information. Output means for outputting.

  According to the photographic processing apparatus having the above configuration, at the time of shooting, shooting conditions (additional information) such as “aperture value”, “shutter speed”, “exposure correction value”, etc., which are imprinted on the photographic film together with the shot image (frame image) ) And can be output in association with the frame image, the user can easily refer to the additional information related to the captured image, and the convenience in use is improved.

  The image related to the additional information is recorded (photographed) outside the recording area of the frame image. However, from the point of demand in the market and general image reading means (for example, a film scanner), etc. Such a region is preferably a region between frame images. In this case, the image related to the additional information corresponds to an adjacent frame image (any one).

  Also, as an “association” mode, when an image file is recorded on a recording medium (for example, a CD-R), it is well known based on the frame image (related image data) and the additional information corresponding thereto. It can be said that it is preferable to generate an image file in the Exif (Exchangeable Image File Format) format and record the image file on a recording medium.

  In the Exif format, image data (for example, JPEG) and additional information, which is character (text) information, can be stored together, so that it is easy for the user to manage and easy to use the additional information. Become.

  On the other hand, in the case of outputting an image file as a print, if the configuration in which the additional information is printed on the back side of the print related to the image data is adopted, the user can check the additional information at any time, and the use thereof is also possible. It becomes easy.

  In this case, the output means is a printing means (for example, an order number printed on the surface (non-emulsion surface) opposite to the surface on which the image of the photosensitive material is printed, which is generally provided in this type of photographic processing apparatus (for example, The additional information can be printed using a dot impact print unit or the like.

  Furthermore, it is preferable to provide a correction means for correcting the image data in accordance with the content of the read additional information, since correction can be automatically performed in consideration of fine adjustment information such as shooting conditions.

  As described above, according to the photographic processing apparatus of the present invention, information (additional information) related to the shooting conditions copied outside the recording area of the frame image when the print or image file is output for the shot image. Since the image can be output in association with the photographed image, the ease of use of the additional information by the user is significantly improved as compared with the conventional case.

  Hereinafter, a photographic processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an external view of a photographic processing apparatus according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the photographic processing apparatus. This photographic processing apparatus 1 reads image data from a photographic film F or media M, performs digital image processing such as color density correction or contrast correction on the image data, and generates image data for output. And a printing apparatus 2 that prints an image on the photosensitive material PA based on the image data output from the image processing apparatus 1.

  The photographic processing apparatus of the present embodiment is a small photographic processing apparatus called a “minilab”, and is installed in a print service store such as a DPE store, and images from an image source (photographic film F or media M) brought in by a customer. It is a device that reads data and outputs photographic prints (silver halide prints) and image files based on the data. Hereinafter, general functions of each component device and each component processing unit included in each component device will be described.

  The image processing apparatus 1 includes a film scanner 3 that reads an image from a photographic film F, a media drive 4 that can read and write image data on a medium M (recording medium) such as a CD-R or a memory card, and the image processing apparatus 1. A main controller 5 for controlling the entire photographic processing apparatus including the above control, a monitor 6 for displaying an image read from the photographic film F and the medium M, and an input device 7 for receiving an operation command from the operator (a keyboard 7a and a mouse 7b). ). It is also possible to configure the monitor 6 so that touch panel input is possible, and to accept an operation command using a customer's finger, a dedicated input pen, or the like.

  The main control device 5 includes a CPU 8 that is the main body of the control and calculation, a ROM 9a that stores a software program for controlling the photographic processing device, a RAM 9b that is used as a work area for processing, and various external devices (film scanners). 3, an I / O processing unit 10 that performs I / O processing with the media drive 4, the monitor 6, and the input device 7).

  The printing apparatus 2 includes an exposure processing unit 11 that performs exposure processing on the photosensitive material PA based on image data that has been subjected to image processing by the image processing device 1, and a development processing unit 12 that performs development processing on the exposed photosensitive material PA. The drying processing unit 13 performs drying processing on the developed photosensitive material PA, and the sorting processing unit 14 performs sorting processing on the photosensitive material PA that has been dried and turned into a photograph.

  Further, the printing apparatus 2 includes a dot impact printing unit (printing means) (not shown), and the main controller 5 has a surface opposite to the surface on which the exposure processing of the photosensitive material PA is performed (that is, the back surface of the printing surface). An order number and additional information (described later) can be printed in accordance with the instruction.

  The exposure processing unit 11 pulls out the photosensitive material PA from the pair of magazines 15 a and 15 b and conveys it to the downstream side by the conveying roller pair 16. Then, the photosensitive material PA is exposed by a PLZT type exposure device 17 constituted by a light source 17a composed of a halogen lamp or the like and an optical shutter 17c connected to the light source 17a via an optical fiber bundle 17b. The exposure device 17 is not limited to the PLZT method, and may be a laser method, a CRT method, or the like.

  The development processing unit 12 performs processing such as development, bleaching, fixing, and stabilization on the photosensitive material PA.

  The drying processing unit 13 blows hot air from the hot air device 18 onto the photosensitive material PA sent from the development processing unit 12 and performs a process of drying the developer or the like attached to the photosensitive material PA.

  The sorting processing unit 14 sorts the photosensitive material PA that has been subjected to the exposure processing, the development processing, and the drying processing into sizes, and the small size photosensitive material PA sorted by the size sorting unit 19 for each order. An order sorting unit 20 for sorting is provided.

  The size sorting unit 19 discharges the photosensitive material PA having a large size to the tray 21 and conveys the photosensitive material PA having a small size to the conveyor 22. The order sorting unit 20 distributes the photosensitive material PA conveyed by the conveyor 22 to each tray 23 for each order.

  Next, image processing by the image processing apparatus 1 will be described. First, when the CPU 8 starts the image processing program installed in the ROM 9a of the main control device 5, a main operation screen (not shown) is displayed on the monitor 6. The operator selects whether image data to be processed is read from the photographic film F or the medium M on the main operation screen.

  Here, when reading from the photographic film F is selected, the image data is read from the set photographic film F by the film scanner 3 and temporarily stored in the RAM 9b. In this case, the photographic film F is a 135 film as shown in FIG. 3, and an image (additional information image 32) related to the additional information is imprinted between the frame images 31 formed on the photographic film F. In this case, the additional information image 32 is also read by the film scanner 3 together with the frame image 31. Here, the additional information refers to information indicating conditions when the frame image 31 is captured, such as “aperture value (F value)”, “shutter speed”, “exposure correction value”, and the like.

  The read additional information image 32 is character-recognized by the main control device 5 (specifically, the well-known OCR (Optical Character Reader) software (installed in the ROM 9a and controlled by the CPU 8) is used. The text data after character recognition is temporarily stored in the RAM 9b as additional information in association with the corresponding image data. Here, the additional information to be stored may be converted into text data of the result of character recognition as it is (however, a predetermined delimiter may be inserted between each character), or Processing (editing) such as adding an item name so that the contents related to each character become clear may be performed. Examples of the former are shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C, and examples of the latter are shown in FIGS. 4D and 4E. In the latter case (when processing), it is necessary to associate the recognized character with each item. This refers to an item correspondence table (table) or the like stored in advance in the ROM 9a or the like. This can be easily realized.

  In the present embodiment, the film scanner 3 and the main controller 5 constitute additional information acquisition means.

  The character recognition can be performed in two character recognition modes (normal and reverse) so as to cope with the case where the photographic film F is baked in reverse (so-called reverse printing). The mode switching is performed automatically (when the photographic film F is set on the film scanner 3, the front and back sides are automatically recognized so that such a signal can be used) or when the mode is switched manually by an operator's input operation. Any of the specifications can be adopted.

  Subsequently, when the operator clicks a judgment screen switching button on the main operation screen (not shown) using the mouse 7b or the like, the main operation screen is switched to a correction operation screen (so-called judgment screen) (not shown). The judgment screen displays image data relating to a plurality of read frame images 31, and an operator performs digital image processing such as color density correction and contrast correction on a desired frame image (image data). It is a screen that provides an environment that can

  The image data displayed on the judge screen is the content of the additional information (for example, “F value”, “shutter speed”, and “of” previously acquired by the main controller 5 while the main operation screen is switched to the judge screen. The correction processing is automatically performed according to the exposure correction value “)”. As described above, the correction that takes into account fine adjustment information such as the shooting conditions is automatically performed, so that the efficiency of the correction operation by the operator via the judge screen for the image data is improved.

  After the image processing by the image processing apparatus 1 described above, when an operation for instructing print output of image data is performed by the operator, the printing apparatus 2 exposes the photosensitive material PA based on the image data as described above. In addition to processing, additional information is printed on the surface opposite to the surface of the photosensitive material PA on which exposure processing is performed using a dot impact print unit (see FIG. 5A).

  As described above, by printing the additional information on the photosensitive material PA, the user can easily confirm the additional information and use it easily.

  On the other hand, when the operator gives an operation command to output (record) the image data as an image file to the medium M, the main controller 5 makes an Exif format image file that combines both based on the image data and the additional information. (Exif file) is generated. The generated Exif file is recorded on the recording medium M inserted in the media drive 4 in accordance with an instruction from the main controller 5 (see FIG. 5B).

  In this way, image data (such as JPEG) and additional information (text data) are provided by an Exif file, so that a user can use a well-known Exif-compatible image management application or the like to add image data and additional information. Information can be easily browsed. Even an Exif file can be viewed using a general browser or viewer if it is only image data.

  In the present embodiment, the printing device 2, the media drive 4, and the main control device 5 constitute output means.

  As described above, according to the photographic processing apparatus of the present embodiment of the present invention, when outputting a print or an image file for a photographed image, additional information copied between the frame images of the photographic film is also included. In addition, since the data can be output in a manner in which both are associated, the usability of the additional information by the user is remarkably improved as compared with the conventional case.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various change is possible in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention.

  For example, in the above embodiment, when the output mode of the image data is recording on the medium M, an Exif file is generated and recorded on the medium M. However, the file format is a combination of the image data and the additional information. Is not limited to the Exif file format, and, for example, a DCF (Design Rule for Camera File system) format or a CIFF (Camera Image File Format) format can also be adopted.

  Further, the printing means for printing the additional information on the photosensitive material PA is not limited to the dot impact type but may be, for example, an ink jet type or a thermal transfer type.

  Further, the image related to the additional information to be read is not limited to the one recorded between the frame images, but is recorded in another recording area (for example, the area between the frame image and perforation). May be.

1 is an external view of a photographic processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the photographic processing apparatus which concerns on the same embodiment. In the same embodiment, it is a top view of the photographic film F read by the film scanner 3. FIG. In the embodiment, it is a figure which shows an example of a data structure of additional information. In the embodiment, it is a figure which shows an example about the output mode of additional information.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image processing apparatus, 2 ... Printing apparatus, 3 ... Film scanner, 4 ... Media drive, 5 ... Main controller, 6 ... Monitor, 7 ... Input device, 8 ... CPU, 9a ... ROM, 9b ... RAM, 10 ... I / O processing unit 11 ... exposure processing unit 12 ... development processing unit 13 ... drying processing unit 14 ... sorting processing unit 15a, 15b ... magazine 16 ... conveying roller pair 17 ... exposure device 17a ... Light source, 17b ... Optical fiber bundle, 17c ... Optical shutter, 18 ... Hot air device, 19 ... Size sorting unit, 20 ... Order sorting unit, 21 ... Tray, 22 ... Conveyor, 23 ... Receptacle, 31 ... Frame image, 32 ... Addition Information image

Claims (4)

In a photographic processing apparatus configured to read a frame image recorded on a photographic film as image data and to output a print and / or an image file related to the image data.
An additional information acquisition unit that reads an image related to the additional information recorded outside the recording area of the frame image, and acquires the additional information by recognizing the image;
A photographic processing apparatus comprising: an output unit that outputs the image data and the additional information corresponding to the image data in association with each other.   2. The photo processing according to claim 1, wherein the output means generates an Exif format image file based on the image data and the additional information corresponding to the image data, and records the image file on a recording medium. apparatus.   The photographic processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output unit prints the additional information on a back surface of a print related to the image data.   The photographic processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a correcting unit that corrects the image data in accordance with the content of the additional information.

Images