JP4092604B2 - Digital photo processing system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a digital photo processing system that creates a visible image by printing out digital image data converted from a frame image formed on a photographic film using a film scanner or the like, such as photographic paper or plain paper.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a conventional photographic DP system, a photographic film captured by a camera or the like is developed by requesting a DP shop, and each frame image of the developed film is exposed on a photographic paper and visualized. It is finished as a print with, and the developed film is packed in a DP bag and delivered to the customer. Such a printing operation is called simultaneous printing. When the customer who has obtained the final finished print in this way orders a reprint of a specific frame image, the developed film having the frame image, generally a piece negative cut in units of 6 frames, is again DP. I had to bring it to the shop and specify the extra frame.
[0003]
Recently, a technique for converting a frame image into digital image data with a scanner or the like instead of projecting and exposing a frame image on a photographic film and converting the digital image data into a visible image with a digital printer has attracted attention. In this case, once converted digital image data is temporarily stored in the DP shop, it is possible to receive a reprint order from a customer without a film. In that case, the converted digital image data must be stored in a mass storage medium on a hard disk or the like in a searchable form. A digital photographic printer having such a function is disclosed in, for example, JP-A-9-55834.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the digital photographic printer according to the above-mentioned patent publication, a plurality of images formed on a photographic film are converted into digital image data, and the digital image data is uniquely identified. Image search information consisting of a code, film ID, frame number, etc. is assigned to each digital image data, stored in a storage medium, and digital image data corresponding to a desired image is retrieved and read based on the image search information. And a system that can respond to a reprint order at any time is constructed by outputting a finished print by a digital printer based on the image data.
[0005]
However, DP shops and lab centers equipped with such digital photo printers visit the same DP shop that owns only a single printer and that the customer requested for simultaneous printing for reprinting orders. In this case, it is practically possible to reproduce a reprint with the same quality as that of the simultaneous print based on the information for image search. If you request a reprint order from a different DP shop, it will not always be printed out by the same type of digital printer, so even if you use the same digital image data, a reprint of the same quality as the simultaneous print will be reproduced. Not necessarily. There are various types of digital printers, such as a light-modulated laser beam exposure method, a liquid crystal shutter method, a CRT exposure method, and a fluorescent beam exposure method, each of which corrects color balance and sharpness specific to the method. Therefore, if the exposure method is different, even if the original digital image data is the same, the impression of the print image may be slightly different.
In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a digital photo processing system for minimizing the difference between images generated by simultaneous printing and reprinting.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the present invention, there is provided an image processing unit for processing digital image data converted from a frame image formed on a photographic film based on predetermined print processing conditions to create print data, and the print data Assigned to a digital print unit that creates a visible image on an image recording medium using a code, a code generation unit that generates an image data identification code for identifying the digital image data, and a digital print unit that created the visible image A print processing information generating unit that generates print processing information from the unique model ID code and the print processing conditions, and a data storage unit that stores the digital image data and the print processing information using the image data specifying code as a search key with the door, the data storage unit is built in the server system, the de Tal printing unit the are more dispersedly arranged respectively as a client to the server system, the server system and the client is solved by a digital photographic processing system connected by a computer network.
[0007]
In this configuration, digital image data converted from a frame image, which is a source for creating a visible image in the digital print unit, is stored in the data storage unit using the image data identification code as a search key. It is also linked to print processing information including a model ID code that uniquely represents a digital print unit used for creating an image and print processing conditions in the digital print unit.
[0008]
By this, for example, the model of the digital printer used at the time of simultaneous printing and the conditions such as the image correction performed at that time can be obtained simultaneously with the extraction of the digital image data for the desired image frame. Depending on the print processing conditions, it is possible to respond to a reprint order, and as a result, the simultaneous print and the reprint can be made substantially the same.
Further, the data storage unit is constructed in a server system, and a plurality of the print units are distributed and arranged as clients for the server system, and the server system and the client are connected by a computer network. Such a configuration is advantageous in a DP shop that is made into a chain store. Since the server system in the headquarters is equipped with a data storage unit, images printed on the back of each index sheet or each print, etc. no matter which DP shop in the affiliated company makes a reprint order without a film By simply designating the data identification code, it can be output again with the corresponding digital image data and the model and processing conditions previously used for visualization. In addition, if there is no model applicable to the DP shop where the order was placed, output by the digital print unit at DP shops under other affiliates is also possible. It is easy because it is connected.
[0009]
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the image data specifying code includes a customer ID, a film ID, and a frame ID. In this case, the customer ID can be the one used for the customer management of the DP shop, and the film ID is used for processing one film, which is also used in the conventional printing system. The film number assigned in advance and pasted to the leading end of the film can be used, and the film number originally recorded on the film as a bar code can be used as the frame ID. In any case, the image data identification code generated in this way is printed on the back side of the recording medium, for example, so that the customer can reliably recognize the correspondence with the visible image. Of course, this image data identification code may be created from continuous numbers and symbols. In this way, by using the ID numbers that have been conventionally used in each stage of the photo processing process, this image data This is advantageous because information other than the storage address of the digital image data can be obtained from the specific code situation.
For the same purpose, it is also preferable that the print processing information includes the model ID, print size, and correction conditions.
[0011]
Of course, in consideration of the case where the output has to be performed by different models due to various circumstances, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the server system or the client is provided with a conversion table for correcting the difference in the different digital print units. It has been. As a result, various corrections required for different models are tabulated in advance, so even if a digital print unit of a model different from the previous output is used, corrections such as color balance are automatically optimized. Therefore, an output that matches the previous output as much as possible can be easily obtained.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A silver salt photograph digital printer as an example of a digital photograph processing system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of this silver salt photographic digital printer. This silver salt photographic digital printer is obtained by a film scanner 3 for obtaining a frame image of a photographic film (hereinafter simply referred to as a film) 1 developed by a film developing machine (not shown) as digital image data. A controller 5 that processes digital image data to create print data, a digital print unit 4 that exposes an image corresponding to a frame image on the photographic paper 2 based on the print data, and a development process for the exposed photographic paper 2 And a development processing unit 6 for performing the above processing. The photographic paper 2 developed by the development processing unit 6 is discharged as a finished print through a drying process.
[0013]
The film scanner 3 includes an illumination optical system 31, an imaging optical system 32, and a photoelectric conversion unit 33 using a CCD sensor as main components. The controller 5 is connected to a monitor 5a for displaying various processing information and a console 5b for inputting various processing commands. As an engine of the digital print unit 4, a liquid crystal shutter system, a laser exposure system, a CRT system, a fluorescent beam system, and the like are known. Here, a line exposure type fluorescent print head 40 using a fluorescent beam system is used. ing. Reference numeral 30 is a film transport mechanism for transporting the film 1 to the film scanner 3, and reference numeral 40 is a photographic paper transport mechanism for pulling out the photographic paper 2 from the paper magazine 2 a and feeding it to the digital print section 4 and the development processing section 6. Yes, both transport mechanisms are controlled by the controller 5. The photographic paper 2 drawn out from the paper magazine 2a is cut by a cutter (not shown) before or after the development process, and is in the form of a finished print in which one frame image is output.
[0014]
Next, the configuration of the film scanner 3 and the digital print unit 4 will be described in detail using the block diagram of FIG.
First, the film scanner 3 is described. The illumination optical system 31 includes a halogen lamp 31a as a white light source, a dimming filter 31b, a mirror tunnel 31c, and the like, and adjusts the color distribution and intensity distribution of the light beam from the light source. The frame image of film 1 is irradiated. The imaging optical system 32 that processes the transmitted light beam from the film 2 includes a sub-scanning oscillating mirror 32a, a lens unit 32b, and a prism 32c that splits the light beam that has passed through the lens unit in three directions. Has been. The reflecting surface of the oscillating mirror 32a is supported so as to be tiltable, and when the reflecting surface is tilted by the oscillating motor 32d, the frame image of the film 1 is scanned at a predetermined scanning speed in the sub-scanning direction, that is, in the longitudinal direction of the film. Scanned. The photoelectric conversion unit 33 that photoelectrically converts the light beam guided by the imaging optical system 32 into a charge image as a slit image includes a CCD sensor unit 33a, a sample hold (S / H) circuit 33b, an A / D converter 33c, and a sensor. It is composed of a drive circuit 33d and the like. The CCD sensor unit 33a is composed of three CCD sensors for separately receiving the three light beams dispersed by the prism 32c. Each CCD sensor is a line sensor in which a large number (for example, 5000) of CCD elements are arranged in the main scanning direction, that is, in the width direction of the film 1, and the sensor drive circuit 33d controls the charge accumulation operation and the charge accumulation time. Is done. On the imaging surface of each CCD sensor, color filters that allow only the blue, red, and green components of the light beam to pass are provided, and only the blue, red, and green components are photoelectrically converted, respectively. The sample hold circuit 33b samples and holds each pixel signal output from each CCD sensor to generate an image signal in which each pixel signal is continuous, and the A / D converter 33c constitutes the image signal. Each pixel signal is converted into a digital signal having a predetermined number of bits (for example, 12 bits).
[0015]
The film transport mechanism 30 sends the frame image of the film 1 to be scanned to the scan position. For positioning at that time, a punch hole corresponding to the center of the screen provided in advance is usually used. When there is no punch hole, the screen center can be obtained using a screen detection sensor (not shown). Since such a screen detection technique is well known in the field of photographic printing, its description is omitted here. The film transport mechanism 30 is controlled by a film transport controller 51 (see FIG. 4) built in the controller.
[0016]
When the frame image of the film 1 is positioned at a predetermined scan position, the frame image reading process is started. The projected light image of the frame image is sequentially read by the CCD sensor unit 33a in the form of being divided into a plurality of slit images by changing the tilt angle of the swing mirror 32a at a predetermined timing from the start position by the swing motor 32d. It is done. That is, each CCD sensor is operated by the sensor drive circuit 33d based on the control signal from the CCD control unit 52 (see FIG. 4) built in the controller, and the imaging operation and the image signal are synchronized with the sub-scan timing. A readout operation is performed, whereby the frame image is photoelectrically converted into an image signal of R, G, and B color components and sent to the controller 5 as raw digital image data.
[0017]
Next, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the fluorescent print head 40 of the digital print unit 4 is a phosphor element in which a lens and a color filter are mounted on a phosphor whose light emission is controlled by adjusting a grid voltage. Are arranged in the main scanning direction (width direction of the photographic paper) to form a linear array, a red light emission block 41 (with a red filter), a green light emission block 42 (with a green filter), and a blue light emission block 43 (blue filter). It is made up of those equipped with. Further, a reciprocating mechanism 44 is also provided for scanning the fluorescent print head 40 in the conveying direction of the photographic paper 2.
[0018]
The reciprocating mechanism 44 is attached to a base 45 that is only partially shown in FIG. 3, and its basic components are guide members 44 a provided at both ends of the fluorescent print head 40, The guide rail 44b inserted into the guide hole provided in the guide member 44a, the wire fastener 44c provided in one guide member 44a, the wire 44d fixed to the wire fastener 44c at the end, and the wire 44d are wound around. And a sprocket 44e disposed at both ends of the base 45, and a pulse motor 44f that rotates one sprocket 44e under the control of the controller 5. The rotation of the pulse motor 44f moves the fluorescent print head 40 along the guide rail 44b through the movement of the wire 44d. The photographic paper 2 transported to the exposure position by the photographic paper transport mechanism 40 is exposed to an image by the linked control of the fluorescent print head 40 and the reciprocating mechanism 44. These controls are built in the controller 5. This is performed by the photographic paper conveyance control unit 53 and the digital print control unit 54 (see FIG. 4).
[0019]
The controller 5 is composed of a microcomputer system comprising a CPU, ROM, RAM, I / F circuit, etc. as a core member, and various functions necessary for this silver halide photographic printer are realized by hardware and / or software. Yes. In order to perform functions related to the present invention, the controller 5 includes, in addition to the film conveyance control unit 51, the CCD control unit 52, the photographic paper conveyance control unit 53, and the digital print control unit 54 described above, as shown in FIG. As shown, an image processing unit 55, a working memory 56, a code generation unit 57, a print processing condition determination unit 58, a print processing information generation unit 59, a data management unit 61, and a data storage unit 60 are constructed. Further, an optical sensor 7 for detecting a film number attached to the film 1 and a barcode reader 8 for detecting a barcode indicating a DX code or a frame number recorded on the film 1 are provided in the input / output interface 50. It is connected.
[0020]
The image processing unit 55 is suitable for the digital print unit 4 mounted on the digital image data sent from the photoelectric conversion unit 33 of the film scanner 3 under the conditions determined by the print processing condition determination unit 58, for example. Processing is performed based on an image processing algorithm so as to obtain a high density, gradation, color balance, and sharpness value, and print data to be provided to the digital print controller 54 is generated. The determination of the print processing conditions is usually performed automatically, but a simulated image of the print output is displayed on the monitor 5a from the acquired digital image data, and the operator manually performs various operations using the console 5b. Correction can be performed.
[0021]
The code generation unit 57 uses the detection signal sent from the optical sensor 7 and the barcode reader 8 and the customer number obtained via the accepting device 5c to specify an image data identification code consisting of customer ID + DP shop ID + film ID + frame ID. Is generated. As is apparent from the constituent elements, this image data specifying code is uniquely linked to digital image data based on the frame image of the film 1 acquired through the film scanner 3. The digital image data is stored in the data storage unit 60 under the management of the data management unit 61 using the image data identification code as a search key.
[0022]
The print processing information generation unit 59 generates print processing information by combining the print processing conditions determined by the above-described print processing condition determination unit 58 with the model ID of the digital output unit 4 that performs the print output. By using the information, it is possible to know that the digital image data of the frame image has been converted into a visible image under what kind of model and under what printing condition. Therefore, this print processing information is also stored in the data storage unit 60 using the above-described image data identification code as a search key. A schematic diagram of the link relationship between digital image data and print processing information using such a data specifying code is shown in FIG.
[0023]
Accordingly, when the order processing for the first simultaneous printing is performed, the digital image data and the print processing information are stored in the data storage unit 60 constituted by the large-capacity storage medium using the image data identification code as a search key. Even when a reprint order for a desired film frame is received without film, an image data identification code is created immediately from the order form, and the corresponding digital image data and print processing information are extracted using this code. Can produce substantially the same print.
[0024]
No. 62 shows that when print processing information for a digital print unit 4 of a model not provided in the printer is given, the print processing conditions are optimized for the digital print unit 4 provided in the printer. It is a conversion table for doing.
[0025]
In this embodiment, the silver halide photographic digital printer as a digital photographic processing system according to the present invention has a configuration in which one digital print unit 4 is connected. In practice, however, a plurality of digital print units 4 are provided. A configuration in which the digital print unit 4 is selected in accordance with the customer's request and movable situation is suitable for the present invention.
[0026]
Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the silver salt photograph digital printer as described above is arranged at each DP shop that is made into a chain store, not the stand-alone form as described above, and is installed at the headquarters of the chain store. A form such as a server / client system is proposed in which a server is provided with a database for managing image data identification codes. A schematic diagram of this configuration is shown in FIG. In this system, it is assumed that a customer orders a simultaneous print at DP shop B and receives a finished print with an image data identification code printed on the back side. Accordingly, the corresponding digital image data and print processing information are stored in the data storage unit 60 of the DP shop B. When the customer hands a part of the print to a friend, the friend makes DP print A a reprint of the print. Since DP shop A is not a print handled at its own store, it makes an inquiry to the server system at the headquarters using an image data identification code (arrow (1)). The server system accesses the image data identification code database and determines the DP shop that issued this identification code. Request digital image data and print processing information corresponding to the determined DP shop B (arrow (2)). In response to the request, the controller 7 of the DP shop B sends the corresponding digital image data and print processing information from the data storage unit 60 to the server system of the headquarters (arrow (3)). Further, the digital image data and the print processing information are transferred to the DP shop A (arrow (4)). The DP shop A outputs a print using the received digital image data and print processing information. Of course, digital image data and print processing information may be exchanged directly from DP shop B to DP shop A. At this time, if the DP shop A does not include the digital print unit 4 of the model recorded in the print processing information, the optimized print data is stored in the digital print unit 4 of the own store using the conversion table 62. Create and print out.
[0027]
As described above, the digital photo processing system according to the present invention is particularly effective for sharing digital image data and print processing information between DP shops using a network. In the previous explanation, the overall image data identification code was managed by a higher-level system such as the headquarters server system, but the controller of the digital photo processing system of the DP shop was mutually connected without this server system. Data and information may be exchanged through communication.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a silver halide photographic digital printer as an example of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a film scanner and a digital print unit. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a fluorescent print head. Block diagram showing the functions of the controller. [Fig. 5] Schematic diagram showing the link between the image data identification code, print processing information and digital image data. [Fig. 6] Schematic diagram of the networked digital photo processing system. Explanation】
1 Film 2 Printing paper (image recording medium)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Film scanner 4 Digital printing part 5 Controller 5a Monitor 5b Scanning table 6 Development processing part 40 Fluorescence print head 31 Illumination optical system 32 Imaging optical system 33 Photoelectric conversion part 55 Image processing part 57 Code generation part 58 Print processing condition determination part 59 Print Processing information generation unit 60 Data storage unit 62 Conversion table

Claims (4)

An image processing unit for processing the digital image data converted from the frame image formed on the photographic film based on predetermined print processing conditions to create print data;
A digital print unit that creates a visible image on an image recording medium using the print data;
A code generator for generating an image data specifying code for specifying the digital image data;
A print processing information generating unit that generates print processing information from a unique model ID code assigned to the digital print unit that created the visible image and the print processing conditions;
A data storage unit for storing the digital image data and the print processing information using the image data identification code as a search key, the data storage unit being built in a server system, and the digital print unit being the server system A digital photo processing system in which a plurality of clients are distributed and arranged, and the server system and the client are connected by a computer network . 2. The digital photo processing system according to claim 1, wherein the image data specifying code includes a customer ID, a film ID, and a frame ID. The digital photo processing system according to claim 1, wherein the print processing information includes the model ID, a print size, and a correction condition. The server system or a client, a digital photographic processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the conversion table for correcting the difference in the digital printing unit of the heterologous is provided.

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