JP2007036345A - Digital still camera and print preview image confirmation method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable the angle of a view and the color taste of an image after printing to be confirmed before printing at the display unit of a digital still camera. <P>SOLUTION: When the digital still camera 10 is connected to a printer 16 by a cable 14, a printer ID 32 and printer information 34 in the printer 16 are recorded at a printer information storage 38 in the camera 10. When a user selects the printer ID 32 stored at the printer information storage 38 by the operation of a preview setting section 52, an already-captured image and a print preview image where the printer information 34 of the printer 16 has been applied to the captured image are compared and displayed on an LCD 60. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a digital still camera and a method for confirming a print preview image predicted as a print result before printing an image photographed by the digital still camera.

  In recent years, as described in Patent Document 1, for example, a direct print system (DPS) has been widely used in which a digital still camera and a printer are directly connected and a photo can be printed without using a PC between them. I'm starting to do it.

  In Patent Document 1, when imaged image data is output to a printer, information such as resolution, paper size, paper orientation, etc. is sent to a digital still camera in advance in order to realize optimal printing, The problem of being unable to print is avoided.

In Patent Document 2, based on data such as the resolution of the printer and gradation characteristic data, data output from the digital still camera to the printer is optimally image-processed.
JP-A-8-32911 JP 2003-224793 A

  Images taken with a digital still camera can be received a print service in the same way as a photograph taken with a silver salt camera by bringing the media on which the image data is recorded to a store that provides the print service. When making such a print request, the user usually checks the angle of view and image quality displayed on, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) of the digital still camera, and selects an image to be printed. However, the angle of view / image quality in this case is displayed based on the recording size (aspect ratio) / recording image quality of the digital still camera itself, and is often different from the print image actually obtained by the user. This is because there is a difference between the recording angle of view of the digital still camera and the printing angle of view of the printer, or the entire image is processed by the printer and automatic correction (auto setup) is performed to obtain a better print image quality. Because it is done.

  In other words, in the case of the conventional technology, since DPS is adopted, it is possible to print the optimum image automatically corrected by the printer without using a computer or the like as long as there is a digital still camera and a printer. is there. However, it is impossible to know in advance in advance what color the print image will have and what range the print angle of view of the recorded image will be. In order to know these in advance, a process is required in which image data of a photographed image is once taken into a personal computer and a preview image to which correction by a printer is applied is displayed and confirmed on a personal computer monitor. However, this loses the advantage of DPS that does not use a PC.

  Moreover, the contents of the automatic correction to be performed differ for each printer that prints an image. Therefore, for example, the color, the angle of view, and the image quality may be different between a print image printed by a printer in a store and a print image printed by another type of printer in another store. Such a difference cannot be predicted before printing, and cannot be predicted unless a process such as checking a preview image on a personal computer is performed for each type of printer.

  The present invention eliminates such drawbacks of the prior art, and enables the confirmation of the print angle of view and color after printing on the display unit of a digital still camera for each type of printer, thereby enhancing the convenience of DPS. With the goal.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a digital still camera according to the present invention is generated from printer information storage means for storing printer information to be applied to image data when the printer performs printing, and image data to which the printer information is applied. Display means for displaying the printed preview image.

  The printer information storage unit may store printer information of a plurality of printers for each printer, and the display unit may display a plurality of print preview images corresponding to the plurality of printers. Further, the print preview image may be displayed on an uncaptured image captured by the digital still camera from the scene. In addition, the display means may display the image and the print preview image at the same time.

  According to the present invention, the display means of the digital still camera can display the recording image quality and the print image quality of the digital still camera by switching them or display them simultaneously, so that both image quality can be compared. Therefore, it is not necessary to once transmit image data to a device such as a personal computer to confirm the print image quality, and the advantages of DPS are not impaired.

  According to the present invention, since the printer information of a plurality of printers can be stored for each printer in the digital still camera, the print image quality of various printers can be compared. Therefore, not only whether or not an image is printed but also which printer is used for printing can be examined in advance. For example, it is possible to consider whether to print with a printer owned by the user or with a printer owned by a store that provides the print service. This increases the convenience of DPS.

  According to the present invention, an uncaptured image can be referred to the print preview image on the display unit of the digital still camera. Therefore, it is possible to assume a print image not only from shooting to printing, but also at a stage before shooting, thereby preventing shooting failure and accidental erasure of shooting data.

  Next, embodiments of a digital still camera according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, illustration and description of portions not directly related to the present invention are omitted. Similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals. The signal is indicated by the reference number of the signal line on which it appears.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a digital still camera according to the present invention. The digital still camera 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 18 as shown in FIG. The CPU 18 is a device that controls various devices in the camera 10 in response to an operation signal 44 from the operation unit 42 described later. The camera 10 also has a printer interface 12. The printer interface 12 is a device that automatically reads information from the printer 16 and transmits the information to the CPU 18 via the signal line 20 by being detachably connected to the printer 16 via the cable 14. .

  The cable 14 may be a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable, for example, and both the printer interface 12 and the camera interface 22 on the printer side may be USB interfaces. In the present embodiment, the camera 10 and the printer 16 are connected by a wired system called a cable 14, but a wireless USB system or other types of wired / wireless systems may be used. The printer information may be read out by the method described in Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2, for example.

  The contents of the printer information read out from the printer 16 by the printer interface 12 as described above will be described below with the configuration of the printer 16. The printer 16 includes a control unit 24 and a memory 26. The camera interface 22 on the printer 16 side connects the printer 16 and the digital still camera 10 with the cable 14 and transmits the request 28 to the control unit 24 when printer information is requested from the printer interface 12. The control unit 24 accesses the memory 26 via the control line 30 and first reads out a printer ID (Identification) 32 stored in advance in the memory 26 and transmits it to the camera 10 via the cable 14.

  The printer ID 32 is information indicating the model of the printer 16. That is, it is information indicating which type of printer manufactured by which manufacturer. The printer ID 32 is first transferred to the camera 10 because, if the camera 10 already has information on the same type of printer as the printer 16, the printer information 34 of the printer 16 is transmitted to the camera 10. It is not necessary.

  When the camera 10 does not yet have the printer information of the type of printer indicated by the printer ID 32, a signal for requesting the printer information comes again from the camera 10. In that case, the control unit 24 accesses the memory 26 again, reads out the printer information 34, and transmits it to the camera 10. The printer information 34 includes parameters indicating the resolution, aspect ratio, and contents of automatic color correction processing when the printer 16 prints an image. The printer information 34 may include information other than these representative information. That is, when the printer 16 prints an image, any information indicating the processing content to be added to the image data may be included.

  The printer interface 12 obtains the printer information 34 from the printer 16 as described above, and supplies image data of the image captured by the camera 10 to the printer 16 via the signal line 14 in accordance with an instruction from the CPU 18. Also have. Needless to say, this is because the printer 16 prints an image. The image data 14 transmitted to the printer 16 is recorded in the image data storage area 36 of the memory 26 via the control unit 24 and subjected to image processing in accordance with the printer information 34, and is not shown in FIG. Printed by the printing unit of the printer 16.

  The digital still camera 10 has a printer information storage unit 38. The printer information storage unit 38 records the printer ID 32 of the printer 16 and the printer information 34 obtained from the CPU 18 via the signal line 40. The printer information storage unit 38 may be a nonvolatile storage memory. In the printer information storage unit 38, printer information of various printers used in general photo stores from the time of shipment of the camera 10 may be recorded. As will be described in detail later, by doing so, it becomes possible to compare the print result at a general photo store and the print result at a printer at home in advance of printing.

  When the printer information storage unit 38 is saturated, the printer information of the new printer may be overwritten on the printer information that is least frequently used. Alternatively, the printer information may be overwritten from the past printer information or the printer information selected by the user may be overwritten. Printer information corresponding to the printer ID already existing in the printer information storage unit 38 is not newly stored in the printer information storage unit 38. The reason for newly recording the existing printer information is that the storage capacity is wasted. Whether or not to record new printer information is determined by the CPU 18 referring to the printer information storage unit 38.

  The digital still camera 10 has an operation unit 42. The operation unit 42 is an apparatus for operating the digital still camera 10 by giving an operation signal 44 to the CPU 18 by various button operations. The operation unit 42 is not limited to a push button, but may be a cross key, a stick-type button, or a slide-type button. In some cases, any operation format such as a touch panel may be used.

  The operation unit 42 has a mode change button 46. The mode change button 46 is a device that sends a mode change signal 44 to the CPU 18 and switches the digital still camera 10 to an imaging mode or a display mode. The imaging mode is a mode for performing imaging, and the display mode is a mode for displaying a captured image on the LCD 60 described later.

  The operation unit 42 has a release shutter button 48. The release shutter button 48 has a two-stage stroke and is used for imaging in the imaging mode. That is, the trigger timing for setting the digital still camera 10 to the preliminary imaging stage with the first stroke and setting the main imaging stage with the second stroke is output to the CPU 18 as the instruction signal 44.

  The operation unit 42 includes an image selection unit 50. The image selection unit 50 is a button used for selecting an image in the display mode. In the display mode, an image that has already been captured and recorded in a memory card 76 (described later) or a built-in memory 72 of the camera 10 is displayed on the LCD 60. By operating the image selection unit 50 and providing the image selection signal 44 to the CPU 18 in the display mode, the CPU 18 instructs an image processing system 58 described later to switch the image displayed on the LCD 60.

  The operation unit 42 has a preview setting unit 52. The preview setting unit 52 is used in a process of displaying a print preview image assumed as a result of printing an image already captured by the digital still camera 10 or an uncaptured image by the printer 16 on the LCD 60 in advance of printing. Button.

  The preview setting unit 52 can set ON / OFF of the preview independently of the mode set by the mode change button 46. If the preview is ON, the print preview image is displayed on the LCD 60 before printing, but if the preview is OFF, it is not displayed.

  The preview ON / OFF switching operation will be described below. By operating the preview setting unit 52, the CPU 18 refers to the printer IDs already stored in the printer information storage unit 38, and can display the printers indicated by these printer IDs on the LCD 60 as a list. The user can further select one of the printers displayed on the LCD 60 by operating the preview setting unit 52. When a printer is selected in this way, the operation signal 44 is sent to the printer information storage unit 38 via the CPU 18, and a flag is set, for example, in the printer ID of the selected printer. As a result, the preview is turned on. On the other hand, if the printer selection is canceled by operating the preview setting unit 52 and no printer is selected, the preview is turned off.

  As described above, the preview ON / OFF switching is performed independently of the mode of the camera 10. Therefore, whether the camera 10 is in the imaging mode or the display mode, the preview can be switched on and off freely.

  Although not shown, the operation unit 42 is preferably provided with a print button for executing printing. The present invention is characterized in that a print preview image predicted as a print result can be confirmed on the LCD 60 of the camera 10, and printing an image using the printer 16 is not directly related to the present invention. However, the present invention improves the convenience of DPS by applying it to a DPS that can print an image without using a personal computer as long as it has a digital camera and a printer. Therefore, as described above, it is ideal that a print button is provided on the operation unit 42 and a print command can be transmitted directly from the digital camera 10 to the printer 16.

  The digital still camera 10 further includes an optical system 56, an image sensor 56, an image processing system 58, and an LCD 60. Hereinafter, these will be described. The optical system 56 is a device that condenses incident light from the object scene onto the image sensor 56 as indicated by an arrow 62. Although not shown, the optical system 56 includes a mechanical shutter, an optical lens, a zoom mechanism for determining an angle of view to be cut out as an image from the field, an aperture adjustment mechanism having an AE (Automatic Exposure) function, and an automatic focus (Automatic Focus; AF) adjustment mechanism may be included. Elements included in these optical systems are operated and adjusted by a control signal 57 from the CPU 18 to execute adjustment of light amount, AE / AF during preliminary imaging, and the like.

  The image sensor 56 is a device that photoelectrically converts the light 62 supplied from the optical system 54 and converts the light 62 into an electrical signal corresponding to the amount of light. The imaging device 56 may be a solid-state imaging device using a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor). On the imaging surface of the imaging element 56, photoelectric conversion elements such as photodiodes that detect light and generate charges are arranged in the vertical and horizontal directions. As shown in FIG. 1, a drive signal 64 is supplied from the CPU 18 to the image sensor 56. The drive signal 64 includes a horizontal drive signal, a vertical drive signal, an OFD (Over Flow Drain) signal, and the like. In accordance with these drive signals 64, the image pickup device 56 field-shifts the charge from the photoelectric conversion element to a vertical transfer path constituted by a CCD or the like, and line-shifts the charge to the horizontal transfer path after the vertical transfer.

  At the time of actual imaging, that is, when the release shutter button 48 is pressed down to the second stroke, signals are read from all the photoelectric conversion elements arranged in the imaging element 56. However, at the time of monitoring before shooting, in order to enable quick framing to the LCD 60 and high-speed autofocus, the signal charge is only from, for example, a fraction of the effective horizontal lines of the photoelectric conversion element. Thinning-out reading is performed without reading out. As a result, the time for reading one frame is shortened, and even when the number of pixels is large, the object scene can be displayed on the LCD 60 at a timing closer to real time. However, the image displayed on the LCD 60 during monitoring is a coarse moving image because of the above-described thinning-out reading.

  The image processing system 58 performs various processes on the analog image signal 67 obtained from the image sensor 56 in accordance with a control signal 66 from the CPU 18, and performs A / D conversion (Analogue-to-Digital Conversion) to perform digital processing. It is an apparatus that performs image data processing as necessary and further performs digital image processing as necessary. Although illustration of devices and circuits that perform various processes is omitted, the analog stage image processing performed here may include correlated double sampling (CDS) for noise removal, gain adjustment, and the like. . The analog image signal is color-separated into R, G, and B color signals, the color signal levels are adjusted (pre-white balance processing), and the processed charges are A / D converted.

  The digital image data processed by the image processing system 58 in this way can be recorded in the built-in memory 72 controlled by the memory control unit 70 via the signal line 68. Alternatively, recording can be performed on a memory card 76 that can be attached to and detached from the camera 10 via the card interface 74. The memory card 76 may be a recording medium such as a semiconductor memory.

  The image processing system 58 further serves to display an image on the LCD 60 in response to a control signal 66 from the CPU 18. The image display process performed here is a process of performing RGB conversion on the generated digital image data and converting the RGB-converted image data to the number of pixels that can be displayed on the LCD 60. The number of pixels and the display size in image display are determined by pixel thinning processing, and image data 78 without failure is generated.

  The image processing system 58 plays an important role in the present invention in that when displaying an image on the LCD 60, the printer information is applied to the image data in accordance with the control signal 66 from the CPU 18. That is, when the print preview is in the ON state by the operation of the preview setting unit 52, the preview image is displayed on the LCD 60 regardless of which mode the camera 10 is in the imaging mode or the display mode. Hereinafter, these preview operations will be described.

  When the camera 10 is in the imaging mode, when the user presses the release shutter button 48 halfway, that is, until the first stroke, the print ID stored in the printer information storage unit 38 corresponds to the flagged ID. The printer information of the printer to be read is read by the CPU 18. The CPU 18 sends this printer information to the image processing system 58 via the control line 66. The image processing system 58 displays a print preview image in which this printer information is applied to a rough moving image that is thinned and read out from the image sensor 56 and displayed on the LCD 60. Note that “application” of the printer information means that various image processing is performed or correction is performed on the image data in accordance with the printer information.

  FIG. 2 is a view showing an example of a print preview image displayed on the LCD 60 of the digital still camera 10. The image processing system 58 applies the printer information obtained from the CPU 18 to the image data of the uncaptured moving image. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, the recording angle of view of the image data recorded when an uncaptured rough moving image is temporarily captured is displayed in accordance with the display frame of the LCD 60. On the other hand, the angle of view 80 of the print preview image 82 assumed as a result of printing the image is shown as a boundary line inside the LCD 60. The image processing system 58 applies the printer information only for the range of the print preview image 82. Then, the preview image 82 displayed at the angle of view 80 is displayed with a color different from that of the recording image 84 outside. Therefore, the angle of view of the recorded image that matches the display frame of the LCD 60 and the angle of view 80 of the image to be printed can be compared in advance of printing, and the difference in color between the two is also examined in advance. Is possible.

  In the imaging mode, only rough images that have not been imaged can be obtained. Therefore, even if you press the shutter release button 48 halfway and perform a print preview, the color of the print result will be examined accurately in advance of printing. It is not always possible. However, it is possible to roughly assume the print result, and it is needless to say that the print angle of view 80 can be accurately determined.

  In FIG. 2, the recorded image 60 and the print preview image 82 are displayed in a superimposed manner, but the display method of the preview image may be variously changed. That is, only the preview image 82 may be displayed on the LCD 60, or when both are overlapped and displayed, only the angle of view 80 may be displayed and the printed range may be confirmed without changing the color. . If the LCD 60 is larger, the recorded image 60 and the print preview image 82 may be displayed separately at the same time. Further, the recorded image 60 and a plurality of print preview images to be printed by a plurality of printers may be displayed separately and simultaneously. Such a display method changing function may be provided in the preview setting unit 52 of FIG.

  When the camera 10 is in the display mode, a print preview is performed on an image that has already been captured, but the preview method is the same as that shown in FIG. The difference from the preview in the imaging mode is that, in the imaging mode, an uncaptured coarse moving image was divided into a recording field angle 60 and a printing field angle 80, whereas in the display mode, it is already This is the point that the captured still image is divided into a recording field angle 60 and a print field angle 80 and displayed. In this case, since the recorded image data has already been obtained, it is expected that not only the recorded image 60 but also the color of the print preview image 82 can be accurately examined before printing.

  Although the LCD 60 is used in this embodiment, the display device used in the present invention is not limited to such a liquid crystal monitor. That is, it is needless to say that other types of display devices can be sufficiently used as long as they are small in size and can reduce image confirmation and power consumption.

  The operation of the embodiment of the present invention having the above configuration will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process of transmitting the printer ID 32 and the printer information 34 from the printer 16 shown in FIG. 1 to the digital still camera 10. A block surrounded by a dotted line 100 is a process performed by the digital still camera 10, and a block surrounded by a dotted line 102 is a process performed by the printer 16.

  First, as shown in step S150, the camera 10 is connected to the printer 16 by the cable 14. Then, as shown in step S152, the printer interface 12 of the camera 10 automatically requests the printer ID 32 stored in advance in the memory 26. In response to this request, when the printer 16 transmits the printer ID 32 as shown in step S154, the printer interface 12 transmits the printer ID 32 to the CPU 18. As shown in step S156, the CPU 18 checks whether the printer ID 32 is new, that is, whether it is already stored in the printer information storage unit 38. If the printer ID 32 is not a new ID, it is not necessary to acquire printer information again, and the process is immediately terminated. If the printer ID 32 is a new ID, after storing the printer ID 32 in the printer information storage unit 38, the CPU 18 requests printer information as shown in step S158. In response to this, the printer 16 transmits the printer information 34 to the camera 10 as shown in step S160. As shown in step S162, the CPU 18 stores the obtained printer information in the printer information storage unit 38 in association with the printer ID.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a process of displaying a print preview image in the digital still camera 10 shown in FIG. First, as shown in step S200, the user operates the preview setting unit 52 to turn on the preview. In other words, since the printer information is already recorded in the printer information storage unit 38, the preview setting unit 52 may select any printer from the list of printers that the CPU 18 can display on the LCD 60.

  Next, as shown in step S202, the camera 10 is set to the imaging mode and the release shutter button 48 is half-pressed, or the camera 10 is set to the display mode, so that the print preview is displayed on the LCD 60 as shown in step S204. An image is displayed. Needless to say, in the display mode, by operating the image selection unit 50, a recorded image already recorded in the built-in memory 72 or the memory card 76 can be freely selected and displayed on the LCD 60. Further, a preview image of the selected recorded image is displayed. At this time, the print preview image is displayed by the display method that has been initially set. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the recorded image 60 and the print preview image 82 are displayed in an overlapping manner, or only the preview image 82 is displayed on the LCD 60. Further, when the recorded image 60 and the print preview image 82 are displayed in an overlapping manner as shown in FIG. 2, only the preview image 82 is displayed as an image having a different color to which the printer information is applied, or the color is not changed. Only the angle of view 80 is displayed.

  After referring to the print preview image by the various display methods described above, the user determines whether or not to end the setting of the display method, as shown in step S206. That is, if the display method of the print preview image is not desirable, the display method can be set (changed) as shown in step S208. Such a change in the display method is performed by the preview setting unit 52 in FIG.

  In step S208, it goes without saying that the printer can be reselected. In other words, if the preview image itself is not satisfactory even when the preview image is displayed by various display methods, it is possible to consider printing with a printer other than the currently selected printer. Therefore, in step S208, it is possible to select another printer using the preview setting unit 52.

  As described above, according to the embodiments of the present invention, print preview images from various printers can be displayed by various display methods, and the print results can be examined before printing. If a favorite preview image can be found, the printer that provides it and the camera 10 can be connected to execute printing, and if not found, it can be decided not to execute printing.

It is a block diagram which shows the Example of the digital still camera by this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the print preview image displayed on LCD of the digital still camera shown in FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a process of transmitting a printer ID and printer information from the printer shown in FIG. 1 to a digital still camera. 3 is a flowchart showing a process of displaying a print preview image in the digital still camera shown in FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols

10 Digital still camera
16 Printer
32 Printer ID
34 Printer information
38 Printer information storage
42 Operation unit
58 Image processing system
60 LCD

Claims (7)

Printer information storage means for storing printer information to be applied to image data when the printer performs printing;
And a display means for displaying a print preview image generated from the image data to which the printer information is applied. The digital still camera according to claim 1.
The printer information storage means stores printer information of a plurality of printers for each printer,
The digital still camera, wherein the display means displays a plurality of print preview images corresponding to the plurality of printers.   3. The digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein the print preview image is generated from an image captured by the digital still camera from an object scene.   4. The digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein the display unit simultaneously displays an image and a print preview image generated from the image. Transmitting printer information to be applied to image data when the printer performs printing from the printer to a digital still camera;
A first display step of displaying an image on display means of the digital still camera;
A second display step of displaying on the display means a print preview image obtained by applying the printer information to the image data of the image,
Thus, the print preview image checking method can compare the image and the print preview image.   6. The print preview image checking method according to claim 5, wherein the image displayed in the first display step is an image captured by the digital still camera from an object scene.   7. The print preview image checking method according to claim 5, wherein the first and second display steps are performed simultaneously.