JP2000059568A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce adjusting time at which the optical scale factor of an optical system forming an image on an image pickup device according to an original size, a print size, etc., is adjusted and to improve read efficiency by providing an optical path guiding means which simultaneously and selectively guides transmitted light or reflected light against the original image of light outputted from a light source part to plural image picking up means. SOLUTION: A frame image recorded on photographic sensitive material (photographic film) is read by a film scanner 100 and is outputted as scan image data to an image processing part 200. The scan image data outputted by the film scanner 100 is inputted to the image processing part 200 and also image data obtained by photographing with a digital camera, image data obtain by reading originals (e.g. a reflection original) except a film image with a scanner, image data (file image data) produced by a computer, etc., can be externally inputted to the image processing part 200.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus for reading an original image based on transmitted light or reflected light of the light output from a light source unit with respect to the original image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An image recorded on a photographic photosensitive material is photoelectrically read by an image pickup device such as a line CCD sensor.
Image processing such as various corrections is performed on the read digital image data, and an image is formed on a recording material by a laser beam modulated based on the image-processed digital image data.

As described above, in the technique of digitally reading a frame image using a line CCD sensor, a frame image is preliminarily read at a high speed (so-called pre-scan) to realize accurate image reading. Reading conditions were determined according to the density and the like, and the frame image was read again under the determined reading conditions (so-called fine scan).

In a photographic photosensitive material in which the normal size and the panorama size are mixed, the normal size and the panorama size are recognized at the time of the prescan reading, and the image is formed on the line CCD sensor at the time of the fine scan based on the prescan result. Reading was performed by changing the optical magnification of the optical system for each frame image of the photographic material.

[0005] Alternatively, based on the pre-scan result, only a normal size frame image is read first, and then the optical magnification of an optical system for forming an image on a line CCD sensor is changed, and then a panorama size frame image is read. Had gone.

[0006]

As described above, in a photographic photosensitive material in which a frame image of a normal size and a panorama size are mixed, an optical image formed on an image pickup device such as a line CCD sensor in a normal size and a panorama size. In order to change the optical magnification of the system, a large amount of mechanical adjustment time is required, leading to deterioration in reading efficiency.

In the present invention, in consideration of the above, the document size,
An object of the present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus that improves reading efficiency by shortening an adjustment time for adjusting an optical magnification of an optical system that forms an image on an image sensor according to a print size or the like.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image reading apparatus for reading an original image based on transmitted light or reflected light of the light output from a light source unit with respect to the original image, A plurality of image pickup means for receiving transmitted light or reflected light from the light source and converting the light into an electric signal; and simultaneously or selectively selecting transmitted light or reflected light of the light output from the light source unit for the original image to the plurality of image pickup means. And optical path guiding means for guiding the optical path.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image reading apparatus for reading an original image based on transmitted light or reflected light of the light outputted from the light source unit with respect to the original image, wherein the light original outputted from the light source unit is provided. A document image can be read by a plurality of image pickup units that receive transmitted light or reflected light with respect to the image and convert the light into an electric signal. Further, the image pickup means can be selectively used according to the purpose by the optical path guide means for simultaneously or selectively guiding the transmitted light or the reflected light of the light output from the light source unit to the document image to the plurality of image pickup means. For example, when reading a photographic photosensitive material in which a frame image of a normal size and a panorama size are mixed, if a normal size frame reading imaging unit and a panorama size frame reading imaging unit are provided, the normal size and the panorama size can be read. Thus, the adjustment time for adjusting the optical magnification of the optical system can be omitted, and the reading efficiency can be improved.

The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the light path guiding means is a half mirror that transmits a part of the transmitted light or the reflected light and reflects another part.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the optical path guiding means for guiding transmitted light or reflected light of the light output from the light source section to the original image to the plurality of image pickup means is a half mirror, and By transmitting a part of the transmitted light or reflected light of the output light with respect to the original image and reflecting the other, the plurality of imaging units are irradiated with the transmitted light or reflected light of the light output from the light source unit with respect to the original image. can do.

For example, as described above, when reading a photographic photosensitive material in which a normal size and a panorama size frame image are mixed, an imaging unit for reading a normal size frame and an imaging unit for reading a panorama size frame may be provided. For example, the half-mirror can simultaneously irradiate the normal-size frame reading imaging unit and the panorama-size frame reading imaging unit with the transmitted light or the reflected light of the light output from the light source unit with respect to the original image. A document image can be read by using the read data of the imaging means. Therefore, it is possible to omit the adjustment time for adjusting the optical magnification of the optical system between the normal size and the panorama size, and it is possible to improve the reading efficiency.

The invention according to a third aspect is characterized in that the optical path guiding means comprises a reflecting mirror and a switching means.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the optical path guiding means for guiding the transmitted light or reflected light of the light output from the light source unit to the original image to the plurality of image pickup means is constituted by the reflecting mirror and the switching means, It is possible to switch an optical path for irradiating a plurality of imaging units with light transmitted from or reflected by the light output from the light source unit with respect to the document image. In other words, a plurality of image pickup means can be selectively used according to the document image.

For example, when reading a photographic photosensitive material in which a normal size and a panorama size frame image are mixed, the normal size frame reading imaging unit and the panorama size frame reading imaging unit are selectively used by being switched by a reflection mirror and a switching unit. The adjustment time for adjusting the optical magnification of the optical system between the normal size and the panorama size can be omitted, and the reading efficiency can be improved.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the optical magnifications of the optical systems that form images on the plurality of image pickup means are respectively different fixed magnifications, and include at least one of a document type, a document size, and a print image size. It is characterized in that the plurality of imaging means are selectively used depending on the condition.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the document type, document size, print image size,
By properly using a plurality of imaging means depending on the condition including at least one of the above, it is possible to save the adjustment time for adjusting the optical magnification of the optical system, and to improve the reading efficiency.

[0018]

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a digital laboratory system 10 according to the present embodiment.

The digital lab system 10 includes a film scanner 100, an image processing unit 200, a laser printer unit 300, and a processor unit 400 as shown in FIG.

A frame image recorded on a photographic material (hereinafter simply referred to as a photographic film) is read by a film scanner 100 and output to the image processing section 200 as scan image data. The image processing unit 200 receives the scan image data output from the film scanner 100 and reads the image data obtained by photographing with the digital camera and the original (for example, a reflective original) other than the film image by the scanner. Obtained image data, computer generated image data, etc.
These are called file image data. ) Can be externally input (for example, input via a storage medium such as a memory card, or input from another information processing device via a communication line).

The image processing section 200 performs image processing such as various corrections on various kinds of input image data,
The data is output to the laser printer unit 300 as image data for recording. Further, the image processing unit 200 outputs the image data on which the image processing has been performed to an external device as an image file (for example, outputs the image data to a storage medium such as a memory card, or transmits the image data to another information processing device via a communication line). Etc.) are also possible.

The laser printer unit 300 includes R, G, and B laser light sources. The laser printer unit 300 irradiates a photographic paper with laser light modulated in accordance with recording image data input from the image processing unit 16 to perform scanning. An image is recorded on photographic paper by exposure. Further, the processor unit 400 includes the laser printer unit 3.
At 00, the photographic paper on which an image has been recorded by the scanning exposure is subjected to color development, bleach-fixing, washing and drying.
Thus, an image is formed on the printing paper.

Next, regarding the film scanner 100,
This will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the film scanner 100 includes a pre-scan photometry unit 14, a control unit 90, a loop unit 16, and a fine scan photometry unit 18.

The film scanner 100 is for reading a frame image recorded on a photographic film such as a negative film or a reversal film.
Frame images of 5 size photographic film, 110 size photographic film, 240 size photographic film (so-called APS film), 120 size and 220 size (Brownie size) photographic film can be read.

In this embodiment, the film scanner 1 in which a photographic film 12 of 135 size is applied.
It will be described as 00.

The pre-scan photometric section 14 includes a light source section 20, an acrylic block 22 for diffusing light irradiated on the photographic film 12, and a light diffusing plate 24 in this order.

The photographic film 12 is made of an acrylic block 2
2 and is conveyed toward the loop section 16 by the film carrier 26 so that the screen of the frame image is perpendicular to the optical axis.

Further, the light source unit 2 with the photographic film 12 interposed therebetween
On the side opposite to 0, a lens unit 28 for imaging light transmitted through the frame image and a line CCD sensor 30 are sequentially arranged along the optical axis. The lens unit 28
, A single lens is shown, but the lens unit 28 is actually a zoom lens composed of a plurality of lenses.

The line CCD sensor 30 includes a plurality of CCDs.
Any of the R, G, and B color separation filters is attached to the light incident side of the sensing unit in which the cells are arranged in a row along the width direction of the photographic film 12 to be conveyed, and the electronic shutter mechanism is provided. (A so-called 3-line color CCD). The line CCD sensor 30 is arranged so that the light receiving surface of each sensing unit coincides with the image forming point position of the lens unit 28.

An amplifier AMP 32 and an A / D converter 36 are connected to the line CCD sensor 30 in this order. The signal output from the line CCD sensor 30 is amplified by the amplifier AMP 32 and converted to digital data by the A / D converter 36. The A / D converter is
The converted digital data is connected to the control unit 90 and is input to the control unit 90.

The loop portion 16 includes four guide rollers 4
0, 42, 46, 48 and a guide plate 44.

The guide rollers 40 and 42 are disposed in contact with the prescanning photometering section 14 of the loop section 16 and guide the photographic film 12 conveyed from the prescanning section 14 to the guide plate 44 of the loop section 16. In addition, flapping of the photographic film 12 due to conveyance is prevented.
Similarly, the guide rollers 46 and 48 are disposed in contact with the fine scan photometry unit 18 side, and
Of the photographic film 12 conveyed from the outside.

The guide plate 44 creates a trigger for forming a loop in the photographic film 12 guided by the guide rollers 40 and 42 due to the height difference of the guide plate 44, and the stiffness of the photographic film 12 causes the loop portion 16 to form a loop. Is formed. That is, the photographic film 12 read by the pre-scan photometer 14
When the photographic film 12 is conveyed to the loop unit 16 by the film carrier 26, the photographic film 12 changes from the dotted line to the solid line in FIG. 2 according to the reading speed of the fine scan photometry unit 18 and is stocked in a loop. As a result, the difference between the reading speed of the prescan and the reading speed of the fine scan can be absorbed by the loop unit 16, and the prescan and the fine scan can be performed independently, so that the processing efficiency can be improved.

In order to detect the amount of stock of the photographic film 12 in the loop portion 16, a loop management sensor 38 is provided at a position close to the guide rollers 40 and 42 on the pre-scan photometry portion 14 side. The loop management sensor 50 is connected to the guide roller 4 on the fine scan photometry unit 18 side.
It is arranged at 6,48 adjacent positions.

The loop management sensors 38 and 50 are composed of a light projecting unit for irradiating light and a light receiving unit for receiving the projected light, and a frame image of the photographic film 12 is By detecting the base density portion between the frame images, the number of frame images of the photographic film 12 stored in the loop unit 16 is output to the control unit 90. The control unit 90 outputs a reading and conveying instruction of the fine scan photometry unit 18 based on the stock amount of the loop unit 16. This eliminates the need to stop the fine scan according to the stock amount even when the prescan has stopped, so that the prescan and the fine scan can be performed independently, and the processing efficiency of the film scanner 100 can be improved. Can be. If the pre-scan is not started even if the loop section 16 runs out of stock, the control section 90 instructs to stop reading the fine scan, and feeds the photographic film 12 by transporting the fine scan photometry section 18 to give it. Damage can be prevented.

The fine scan metering unit 18 includes a light source unit 60 and a photographic film 12 similarly to the prescan metering unit 14.
An acrylic block 62 and a light diffusing plate 64 are arranged in this order to make the light irradiating the light into diffused light.

The photographic film 12 conveyed from the loop section 16 is set on the light exit side of the acrylic block 62, and is set in a direction opposite to the loop section 16 so that the screen of the frame image is perpendicular to the optical axis. Film carrier 6
6 transported.

The light source unit 6 is sandwiched by the photographic film 12.
A half mirror 68 that transmits a part of the light transmitted through the frame image recorded on the photographic film 12 and reflects the other light is disposed along the optical axis on the side opposite to 0. The light transmitted through the half mirror 68 is applied to the line CCD sensor 76 via a lens unit 74 arranged along the optical axis of the light transmitted through the half mirror 68. Further, the light reflected by the half mirror 68 passes through a lens unit 70 arranged along the optical axis to a line CCD.
The light is emitted to the sensor 72. Thus, the half mirror 6
8, the photographic film 1 is output from the light source unit 60.
The light transmitted through the line 2 is transmitted to two line CCD sensors 72 and 76.
Can be irradiated.

The line CCD sensor 72 includes an amplifier AMP
80 and the A / D converter 81 are connected in this order.
8 is connected to the control unit 90. Similarly, the line CCD sensor 76 is connected to an amplifier AMP 82 and an A / D converter 84 in this order, and is connected to a control unit 90 via an input / output bus 78.

The line CCD sensors 72 and 76 are
A plurality of CCD cells are arranged in a line along the width direction of the photographic film 12 to be conveyed, and one of R, G, and B color separation filters is provided on the light incident side of a sensing unit provided with an electronic shutter mechanism. Each is mounted (so-called 3-line CCD).

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the lens unit 70 for forming an image on the line CCD sensor 72 has a frame width of a normal size frame of the photographic film 12 via a half mirror 68. The magnification is set so that an image is formed on the line CCD sensor 72, and similarly, FIG.
As shown in (D), the lens unit 74 for forming an image on the line CCD sensor 76 has a magnification such that the frame width of the panorama size frame of the photographic film 12 is formed on the line CCD sensor 76 via the half mirror 68. Is set.

Also, the frame size (normal size, panorama size, etc.) or print size (L size, KG size, panorama size, etc.) of the photographic film 12 recognized by the control unit 90 by reading the prescan is read.
The line CCD sensor to be read is set according to the above.

As described above, by fixing the lens magnification of each lens unit and selectively using the normal size frame and the panorama size frame, the time for adjusting the magnification and the focus of the lens unit can be reduced, and the reading efficiency can be reduced. Can be improved.

The control unit 90 sets the fine scan reading conditions based on the prescan result,
A command to convey the photographic film 12 is output to the film carrier 66, and reading is performed by the fine scan photometry unit 18.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
Will be described with reference to the schematic configuration diagram of the film scanner.

When the operator inserts the photographic film 12 into the film carrier 26 and gives a start instruction using a keyboard (not shown), the film carrier 26 starts transporting the photographic film 12. With this conveyance, the prescan in the prescan photometry unit 14 is started. That is, while conveying the photographic film 12 at a relatively high speed,
The line CCD sensor 30 reads not only image frames but also various data other than the image recording area of the photographic film 12. At this time, the size recognition of the frame image, the frame position detection, and the image state (for example, the photographed image aspect ratio, the photographing state such as under, normal, over, super over, and the presence or absence of strobe photographing) are recognized, and the auto setup calculation is performed. Thus, parameters that define processing conditions for various types of image processing are calculated.

Subsequently, the signal read by the pre-scan is amplified by the amplifier AMP32, converted into digital data by the A / D converter 36, and converted into digital data by the control unit 90.
Is output to.

On the other hand, the photographic film 12 for which the pre-scan has been completed is transported to the loop section 16. Loop part 16
Then, the number of frame images of the photographic film 12 conveyed to the loop unit 16 is detected by the loop management sensor 38, and the detected number of frame images of the photographic film 12 is output to the control unit 90. The photographic film 12 passes between the abutting guide rollers 40 and 42 and is conveyed to the guide plate 44. The photographic film 12 conveyed to the guide plate 44 forms a loop due to the height difference of the guide plate 44 and the rigidity of the photographic film 12. As a result, the reading speed difference between the prescan and the fine scan is absorbed.

The photographic film 1 conveyed to the loop section 16
Subsequently, 2 is conveyed to the fine scan photometry unit 18 via the guide rollers 46 and 48. At this time, the number of frame images of the photographic film 12 conveyed to the fine scan photometry unit 18 is detected by the loop management sensor 50 disposed at a position close to the guide rollers 46 and 48, and the detected photographic film 12 The number of frame images is determined by the control unit 90.
Output to In the control unit 90, the loop management sensor 38
Is stored in the loop unit 16 based on the number of frame images of the photographic film 12 transported to the loop unit 16 and the number of frame images of the photographic film 12 transported to the fine scan photometry unit 18 detected by the loop management sensor 50. The number of frame images of the photographic film 12 calculated is calculated, and the transport instruction of the fine scan photometry unit 18 is performed based on the calculated number of frame images.

In the control unit 90, a line CCD sensor to be used at the time of fine scan is set based on the prescan result, and a line CCD sensor to be used via the input / output bus is set.
A reading instruction is issued to the D sensor.

Subsequently, a fine scan is started, and a line CCD having an optical magnification of the lens unit corresponding to the frame image.
The frame image recorded on the photographic film 12 is read by the sensor.

The normal-size frame read data read by the line CCD sensor 72 and the panorama-size read data read by the line CCD sensor 76 are amplified by amplifiers AMP 80 and 82, respectively. The data is converted into digital data by 84 and output to the control unit 90 via the input / output bus 78. In the control unit 90, the input digital data is converted from the transmittance into a corresponding density value.

As described above, even when the normal size frame and the panorama size frame are mixed on the photographic film 12, fine scanning can be performed without changing the lens magnification and focusing, so that the reading efficiency can be improved. .

On the other hand, the control unit 90 outputs image data read by the line CCD sensors 72 and 76 and converted into digital data to the image processing unit 200 as scan image data in accordance with the frame size determined by the prescan. . That is, for normal size,
If the data read by the line CCD sensor 72 is of panoramic size, the data read by the line CCD sensor 76 is output to the image processing unit 200 as scan image data. The scanned image data input to the image processing unit 200 is subjected to image processing such as various corrections and output to the laser printer unit 300 as recording image data. The laser printer unit 300 irradiates the printing paper with laser light modulated in accordance with the input recording image data, records the image on the printing paper by scanning exposure, and prints the image on the processor unit 400. Convey paper. Processor unit 40
0 indicates that the photographic paper on which the image has been recorded is subjected to color development,
Each process of bleach-fixing, washing with water, and impression is performed, and an image is formed on photographic paper. In the present embodiment, the line CCD sensors 72 and 76 are selectively used by using the half mirror 68. However, the line CCD sensors 72 and 76 are selectively used by using a reflection mirror, a prism, and the like. You may do so.

In the present embodiment, the normal size and the panorama size are read separately using two line CCD sensors and one half mirror, but are read separately using three or more line CCD sensors. You may do so. In this case, a dichroic mirror or the like can be used as the optical path guiding means.

In the present embodiment, the pre-scan photometer 14 and the fine scan photometer 18 are implemented on separate stages. However, the use of a plurality of line CCD sensors and half mirrors allows the pre-scan photometer and half mirror to be used. And fine scan may be performed on the same stage.
In this case, if one line CCD sensor is read for pre-scan and the other line CCD sensor is read for fine scan and for panorama frame size or normal frame size, the lens magnification of the lens unit is changed. Since the reading can be performed without any error, the reading efficiency can be improved.

[0058]

According to the present invention, as described above, the document size,
Since there is no need to mechanically adjust the optical magnification of the optical system that forms an image on the image sensor according to the print size or the like, there is an excellent effect that reading efficiency can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a digital laboratory system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a film scanner provided in the digital laboratory system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an example showing a lens magnification in a film scanner provided in the digital laboratory system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 digital laboratory system 60 light source unit 68 half mirror 70 lens unit 72 line CCD sensor 74 lens unit 76 line CCD sensor

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image reading apparatus for reading an original image based on transmitted light or reflected light of the light output from a light source unit for the original image, the transmitted light or reflected light from the original image being received, A plurality of image pickup means for converting into electric signals; and an optical path guide means for simultaneously or selectively guiding transmitted light or reflected light of the light output from the light source unit to the document image to the plurality of image pickup means. An image reading apparatus comprising: 2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light path guiding unit is a half mirror that transmits a part of the transmitted light or the reflected light and reflects another part. 3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said optical path guiding means comprises a reflecting mirror and a switching means. 4. An optical system for forming an image on the plurality of image pickup units, wherein the optical magnifications are different fixed magnifications, and the plurality of image pickups are performed according to a condition including at least one of a document type, a document size, and a print image size. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein different means are used.