JP2002031858A - Photo processing method and photo processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique capable of properly forming and distributing propaganda information in place of the conventional flyers and pamphlets by using a conventional photographic processing device. SOLUTION: This method has an advertisement and propaganda information input means which inputs the advertisement and propaganda information independent from the photographic image read from an input medium, such as a photographic film, by utilizing the photograph processing device and an advertisement print data forming means which forms the advertisement print data from the inputted advertisement and propaganda information. The method is so constituted that, when the print data for one order component formed from the photographic image is outputted, the advertisement print data for at least one frame formed from the advertisement and propaganda information may be added and outputted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photographic processing technique having a function of outputting a photographic image recorded on an input medium such as a photographic film to an output medium such as photographic paper, and more particularly to a publicity advertisement. The present invention relates to a technology capable of outputting information corresponding to a printed matter such as a flyer on which information is printed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a photographic process in which a photographic image recorded on an input medium such as a photographic film received from a client is printed on photographic paper as an output medium to finish the print, and the print is returned to the client. In a trader, for example, a lab on a street corner, a flyer or a pamphlet on which the above information is printed is often distributed to a client together with a finished print in order to guide information such as a sale of the lab. I have.

[0003]

As described above, in order to distribute flyers and pamphlets, it is necessary to prepare a manuscript, request a printing company, check the composition, and then print a designated number of copies. Since the procedure is required, it takes a great deal of time and effort, and there is a problem that the cost is high and a problem that it is not possible to respond quickly. Therefore, it has been difficult to quickly distribute a service sale guide or the like in a printed material such as a flyer. As described above, printing a flyer or the like is expensive, but color printing has a problem that the cost is further increased. Further, even when the print contents are slightly corrected, it takes time and costs. Further, with respect to the number of printed sheets, there is a problem that the number of printed sheets is excessively large or excessive or shortage is likely to occur, and problems such as waste of resources and insufficient advertisement often occur. And, even if the flyer is distributed with great care, the print quality is completely different from the finished print and the size is different, so the requesting client often discards it as unnecessary and immediately discards it, reducing the advertising effect. There was also.

An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for distributing advertisement information at any time in place of a conventional flyer or pamphlet using a conventional photographic processing apparatus in order to solve the above problems. It was done.

[0005]

According to a photographic processing method of the present invention, a photographic image read from an input medium on which a photographic image is recorded is processed by an image processing apparatus, and output to an output medium by an output means. In the photographic processing method including the step of outputting, the advertisement information which is different from the photographic image read from the input medium is input, the advertisement print data is generated from the input advertisement information, and the advertisement print data is generated from the photographic image. When outputting one order of print data, the method includes a step of adding and outputting at least one frame of advertisement print data generated from the advertisement information.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of types of advertisement information or advertisement print data are stored in advance, and when print data for one order generated from a photographic image is output, the print data is set according to the date. A step of selecting any one of the advertisement information or the advertisement print data from the plurality of types of advertisement information or the advertisement print data, and adding and outputting the selected advertisement print data of at least one frame. Features.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a photograph processing apparatus for processing a photographic image read from an input medium on which a photographic image is recorded to generate print data, and transmitting the generated print data to an output medium. A photographic processing apparatus provided with an output unit for outputting, the advertisement information input unit for inputting advertisement information different from the photographic image read from the input medium, and generating advertisement print data from the input advertisement information. Advertising print data generating means for outputting one-order print data generated from a photographic image, and adding and outputting at least one frame of advertisement print data generated from the advertisement information. It is characterized by being constituted so that it can be performed. The invention according to claim 4 is a storage means for storing a plurality of types of advertisement information or advertisement print data in advance, and outputting one-order print data generated from a photographic image in accordance with the date. Selecting means for selecting any of the advertisement information or advertisement print data from the plurality of types of advertisement information or advertisement print data, and when outputting print data for one order generated from a photographic image, The apparatus is characterized in that the advertisement print data of at least one selected frame can be added and output.

[0008]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a photographic processing apparatus according to the present invention. The photographic processing apparatus A includes a scanner unit 1 that reads a photographic image of each frame of a developed photographic film that has been separately developed by a film developing device (not shown) and outputs image data converted into digital data. A printing unit 2 for printing print data generated based on the read image data on photographic paper, and a developing unit 3 for developing and discharging the photographic paper on which the image has been printed.
And an image processing unit 4.

The scanner section 1 is an input means for inputting image data from a photographic film as an input medium. By setting the developed photographic film in the scanner unit 11, the light from the light source unit 12 is transmitted to the scanner unit. The image of each frame is sequentially read by irradiating the photographic film held by the film mask 11 and output to the image processing unit 4. The film mask is replaced with a film mask having an appropriate structure according to the type of film to be processed, for example, 135 film or 240 film (so-called APS film). When processing an APS film, the magnetic data reader 13 arranged on the film mask for the APS film transmits front print data as additional data magnetically recorded corresponding to each frame of the photographic film. The image is read and output to the image processing unit 4. When the front print data is not recorded or cannot be read, data indicating that there is no front print data is output. In the following, a case in which an APS film is mainly processed will be described as an example. For photographic film other than APS film,
Even when it is determined that there is no front print data, a desired front print data can be created by operating a keyboard or the like and used for the front print.

The image processing section 4 receives the image data and the front print data from the scanner section 1, performs image processing, and performs image processing on the image data D1 and the front print data D2.
And print data D3 including advertisement print data D4 based on preset advertisement information.
Is an image processing means having functions as an advertisement information inputting means for creating the information and an advertisement print data generating means. The image processing unit 4 includes an image processing unit 45 composed of a computer on which image processing software is installed, and a memory 46 for temporarily storing image data.
, Full keyboard 42, mouse 43, monitor 4
4 and an input / output device 47 for recording media such as MO, MD, CD-ROM, and FD. The monitor 44 is a means for displaying image data processed by the image processing unit 4, and has a function of displaying a list of image data of a plurality of frames and displaying image data of each frame individually and sequentially. Have.

The recording medium of the input / output device 47 can be used as an input medium instead of photographic film or an output medium instead of photographic paper. In this case, these input / output devices 47 have a structure corresponding to the output means described in the claims and also correspond to the advertisement information input means.

The printing unit 2 uses the print data D3 created by the image processing unit 4 as a printing medium P as an output medium.
An output means for printing on the photographic paper P, for example, the photographic paper P supplied from one of the two paper magazines 21a and 21b is cut to a predetermined length by the cutter 22,
The cut photographic paper P is transported to the exposure mechanism 23. In the exposure mechanism 23, the input print data D3 is line-exposed to the photographic paper P transported line by line by the transport mechanism 25 using the exposure unit 24. The printing paper P on which the print data is printed in this manner
Is sent to the developing unit 3 and subjected to a developing process.

In the printing unit 2, after the print data for one order is printed on the photographic paper, the set advertisement print data is output from the image processing unit 4 to the printing unit 2, and the normal print data is output. Similarly, the photographic paper cut to a predetermined length is exposed by the exposure mechanism 23 and sent to the developing unit 3 for development processing.

In the developing section 3, the exposed photographic paper P
Are sequentially processed and developed by a predetermined chemical solution in a developing unit 31, dried in a drying unit 32, and later discharged as a finished print. Therefore,
At the end of the print of one order, the advertisement print on which the advertisement information is displayed is discharged. The printing unit 2 and the developing unit 3 constitute an output unit described in claims.

In the block diagram of FIG.
The image data read by the scanner unit 11 is temporarily stored in the memory 46 of the image processing unit 4, is subjected to appropriate image processing by the image processing unit 45, and is output to the printing unit 2 as print data. The image processing unit 45 performs image processing according to a predetermined processing program and information input from the full keyboard 42. The processed image data is displayed on the monitor 44 as needed.

Next, the function of setting advertisement information and generating advertisement print data, which are characteristic features of the present invention, will be described.
The advertisement information can be created by operating the full keyboard 42, the mouse 43, and the like provided in the image processing unit 4, and can also be created by processing image data read from the scanner unit. It is also possible to read from the memory 46 and obtain it. When the user operates the full keyboard 42 to set desired advertisement information to be output or automatically sets any advertisement information by a selection program described later, the image processing unit 45 The advertisement print data D4 can be generated based on the set advertisement information. In the normal processing, the set advertisement information is temporarily stored in the memory, and after one-order print data D3 is output to the printing unit 2, the advertisement is set based on the stored advertisement information. The print data D4 is generated, and the advertisement print data D4 is output to the printing unit 2.

In the printing unit 2, an image processing unit 4
Print data output from the exposure processing unit 26
Is converted into exposure data, and is output to the exposure mechanism 23 in accordance with an operation of the exposure unit keyboard 27 to be described later, for example, an operation such as pressing a “start key”. Exposure mechanism 2
In 3, exposure data for line exposure is generated based on the print data and output to the exposure unit 24. In the exposure unit 24, line exposure is performed on the photographic paper P sequentially conveyed line by line by the conveyance mechanism 25 in FIG. 1 using a laser exposure mechanism including a laser light source and a polygon mirror (not shown). The exposure processing unit 26 controls the transport timing of the transport mechanism 25 and the line exposure timing of the exposure unit 24 in synchronization. In this way, the print data is printed on the photographic paper P.

It should be noted that a small exposure section monitor 28 for displaying information corresponding to the exposure processing step and a small exposure section keyboard 27 for giving instructions necessary for the exposure processing step.
It has.

The processing in the scanner unit 1, the image processing unit 4, and the printing unit 2 will be described in further detail with reference to the configuration diagram of FIG. 1, the block diagram of FIG. 2, and the flowcharts of FIGS. First, in step S1, the operator determines whether or not to output an advertisement print from now on, and if not, performs the processing according to the normal processing program shown in FIG. In step S2, the time of the programmable timer used for the function of automatically selecting the advertisement information from the date / time of the processing day, and whether or not to perform the date change processing or the correction processing are determined and performed. If not, press "No".

If "Yes" is pressed, the process proceeds to step S3, where the time and date of the program timer are changed and corrected using the full keyboard 42. In step S4, the operator determines whether to newly create or change the content of the advertisement information, and presses "No" if not "Yes" when creating or changing the content. "Y
Pressing "es" advances to step S5, and pressing "No" advances to step S7. In step S5, a plurality of advertisement information is newly created or changed. At this time,
The information on when to use the created advertising information is also set. In step S6, the plurality of created advertisement information is stored at a predetermined address of the memory 46 constituting the storage means of the claims.

In step S7, it is checked whether or not the print data currently being processed is the last of the order by monitoring the change in the order number. Each frame image is sequentially processed in step S8 until the last print data. Is done. In step S8, print data is generated by sequentially taking in each frame image by a processing program described later, and when the printing unit 2 is selected as an output unit, the print data is printed on photographic paper to develop and print. The print is dried and discharged, and when the input / output device 47 is selected as the output means, the print data is output to various exchangeable recording media such as a flexible magnetic disk, CD-ROM, MO, and ZIP. .

In this manner, each frame image is processed,
When the processing of the print data of the last frame image is completed and the order number changes, the process proceeds to step S9. In step S9, date information of the current day is obtained from the program timer. In step S10, any one of a plurality of pieces of advertisement information is automatically selected according to the obtained date information.・ It is set. Here, as a method of automatically selecting and setting the advertisement information, for example, according to a preset schedule, a pattern Pa from date A to date B, a pattern Pb from date B to date C,. , A pattern is changed according to the day of the week, a pattern selected at random according to the date, or various methods can be adopted. Image processing unit 4
Steps S9 and S10 above are equivalent to the selecting means described in the claims.

In step S11, what is selected as the output means is determined. If the input / output device 47 is selected, in step S12 a flexible magnetic disk, CD-ROM, MO, ZIP or the like is selected. The advertisement print data corresponding to the set advertisement information is output to the various exchangeable recording media together with the print data. If the printing device 2 has been selected, the process proceeds to step S13. In step S13, a predetermined length of photographic paper is drawn from a paper magazine registered in advance, cut in step S14, and transported to an exposure start position in step S15. The size of the photographic paper serving as the advertisement print may be the same size as the prints of the other frame images, or may be slightly larger. However, if it is too conspicuous, it is easy to dispose of it, so an appropriate size is good. Step S1
In step 6, the photographic paper conveyed one dot line at a time is exposed to advertisement print data using an exposure unit. In step S17, the photographic paper on which the advertisement print data has been exposed is developed with a predetermined chemical solution in the developing unit 31 of the developing unit 3, dried in the drying unit 32, and discharged in step S18 as an advertisement print.

In the above procedure, the case where the advertisement information is processed after the output of the print data of the one-order frame image to the output medium such as the photographic paper has been described. After generating the print data of the image and before outputting the print data to the output medium, the print data of the advertisement is generated. You may make it output to an output medium. Further, although the advertisement print is added at the end of the one-order print, the advertisement print may be output first, or a plurality of advertisement prints may be randomly mixed in the one-order print.

Next, the details of the procedure for creating and changing the advertisement information in steps S5 and S6 will be described with reference to the flowchart of the creation program shown in FIG. Step S51
, Document processing software having an image processing function is started. In step S52, whether or not to input external data is selected. When external data is input, in step S53, a file is input through the input / output device 47 or an image is input through the scanner unit. You can choose to do it.

In step S54, documents such as guidance for a special sale, guidance for a photo contest, and guidance for a fair are created using the input external data. Alternatively, a service ticket such as a discount ticket may be created.
In addition, a number ticket or a lottery ticket for a service such as providing a present when a series of numbers are prepared may be created. By attaching such a service ticket or the like for each one order, the requester becomes more willing to make a request again, and continuously requests a lab having the photo processing apparatus of the present invention without requesting another lab. There is an effect that it becomes. In step S55, it is input whether or not to make a change. If it becomes unnecessary to make the change, in step S56, it is recorded in the memory 46 (including the input / output device 47) as the advertisement information of one completed pattern. .
In step S57, it is input whether or not to create another type of advertising information. If another type of advertising information is to be created, the process is repeated from step S53. If not, the process ends.

In the following, a processing procedure of a general frame image will be described with reference to a flowchart of a processing program shown in FIG. 6, taking an APS film as an example.
First, in step S61, the film to be processed is A
Set to PS. In step S62, a negative mask for APS is set on the scanner unit 11. Then, a print channel for APS film processing in which conditions such as the color, character size, and exposure position of the front print are set in advance is selected, and A to be processed is selected.
The PS film is set on the negative mask for APS.

In step S63, the APS film set in the scanner unit 11 is automatically scanned to read the image data D1 and magnetic data of each frame. The image data D1 is read by an optical sensor provided in the scanner unit 11, and the magnetic data is read by a magnetic data reader 13 provided in the scanner unit 11. These read data are input to the image processing unit 4. In step S64, it is checked whether or not the magnetic data has been read in step S63. If the magnetic data has not been recorded or read, the process proceeds to step S68 to display only the image data.

In step S65, it is checked whether or not the read magnetic data includes front print data D2. If there is no front print data D2, the flow advances to step S68.
Only the image data D1 is displayed. If there is, the process proceeds to step S66. In step S66, the read front print data D2 is combined with the image data D1 of the frame, and it is checked whether or not the combined image is set to be displayed. Proceeding to S68, only image data is displayed. If the combination is set, the process proceeds to step S67. In step S67, the image of the front print data D2 is combined with the frame image data D1 to generate an image to be displayed on the monitor 44.

In step S68, only the frame image data D1 or the image data obtained by synthesizing the image data of the front print data D2 is displayed. In the image processing section 4, the image data D1 and the image image of the front print data D2 are temporarily stored in a memory, and coarse image data for monitor display generated from the image data D1 is displayed on the monitor 44. Good. The monitor 44 displays, for example, image data of six frames each. The image data displayed here is image data that has been subjected to processing including automatic image correction in advance, and it is also possible to display only image data of a specific frame on the screen.

In step S69, the monitor 44
Key operation for rotating the image data displayed in (for example, pressing the F1 key of the full keyboard 42)
Is checked by the operator, and if a key operation is performed in the case of a landscape image, the process proceeds to step S70.
In step S70, only the image data D1 is rotated and displayed, and the image image of the front print D2 is not rotated but only the image data D1 is rotated 90 degrees and displayed in an upright state. Even if the image data D1 is rotated in this manner, the image of the front print data D2 is displayed horizontally without being rotated.

In step S71, the operator checks the displayed image data and, if image correction is necessary, operates a dedicated keyboard (not shown) to change the correction contents, thereby obtaining an image of the front print data D2. If the display position, size, color, etc. of the image is inconvenient, the mouse 43 or the like is operated to change the image to a desired position, size, color, or the like. It is also possible to operate the full keyboard 42 to edit the contents of the front print data D2. The contents of the front print data may include image processing data such as image correction contents, identification data such as original image data contents and order contents, and message character data, in addition to the photographing date and time data. it can. Then, when the correction of the image data and the front print data becomes unnecessary, the content of the image correction and the position of the front print data D2 are determined by, for example, pressing a “start key”.
The exposure process in the printing unit 2 after step S72 is started. In the image processing unit 4, image data D1 corrected based on the determined correction content;
The determined front print data D2 and the image image are combined and output as print data D3 to the printing unit 2. The dedicated keyboard is buried in a recess provided on the upper surface of the console 14 so as not to hinder the placement of the full keyboard 42.

In step S72, a specified length of paper is drawn from the specified paper magazines 12a and 12b, cut in step S73 by the cutter 22, and in step S74 the cut photographic paper is moved to the exposure start position. set. In step S75, the printing unit 2 exposes the print data D3 in dot units by controlling the exposure unit 24 and the transport mechanism 25, and sends the photographic paper to the developing unit 3. In step S76, the exposed photographic paper is transferred to the developing unit 31 of the developing unit 3.
Develop with a predetermined chemical solution in the drying unit 32
, And is discharged as a finished print in step S77. Thus, the output of the normal frame image to the output medium is performed.

As the digital exposure system used for the exposure unit 24, a PLZT shutter system, a fluorescent beam system, a liquid crystal shutter system, or the like may be used in addition to the laser exposure system described above. The input medium is not limited to a photographic film, but may be a network, a magnetic storage medium, an optical storage medium, or a magneto-optical storage medium.
The output medium is not limited to photographic paper, but may be a network, a magnetic storage medium, an optical storage medium, or a magneto-optical storage medium.

[0035]

According to the photographic processing method of the first aspect of the present invention, when one-order print data generated from a photographic image is output, at least one frame of advertisement generated from advertisement information is output. Since the print data is added and output, a significant cost saving effect and a labor and time saving effect can be obtained as compared with the conventional production of a flyer or the like. Further, since a photo processing device having a color output function is used, it is easy to output the advertisement print data in color. Further, since the advertisement print data is mixed with the print data, it is difficult to easily dispose of the advertisement print data, and the advertisement effect is high.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when one-order print data generated from a photographic image is output, any one of the plurality of types of advertisement information or advertisement print data is output in accordance with the date. Since the advertisement information or the advertisement print data is selected and output, it is not necessary for the operator to select the advertisement information, and the appropriate advertisement print data according to the date can be output.
According to the third and fourth aspects, it is possible to provide a photographic processing apparatus capable of obtaining the above effects.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a photographic processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a main part of the photographic processing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the photo processing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the photo processing apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the photo processing apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the photo processing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 scanner unit 11 scanner unit 2 printing unit, output unit 21 paper magazine 23 exposure mechanism 24 exposure unit 26 exposure processing unit 3 developing unit, output unit 4 image processing unit, image processing unit, advertising information input unit, advertisement print data generation Means, selection means 42 full keyboard 44 monitor 45 image processing unit 46 memory, storage means 47 input / output device, output means D1 image data D2 front print data D3 print data D4 advertisement print data

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A photographic image read from an input medium on which a photographic image is recorded is processed by an image processing device and output to an output medium by an output means. When inputting separate advertisement information, generating advertisement print data from the input advertisement information, and outputting one-order print data generated from a photographic image, the print data generated from the advertisement information is output. A method for adding and outputting at least one frame of advertisement print data. 2. A method for storing a plurality of types of advertising information or advertising print data in advance and outputting one-order print data generated from a photographic image,
Any one of the advertisement information or the advertisement print data is selected from the plurality of types of advertisement information or the advertisement print data in accordance with the date, and at least one of the selected advertisement information or the advertisement print data is selected.
2. The photographic processing method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of adding and outputting the advertisement print data for the frames. 3. A photograph comprising: an image processing means for processing a photographic image read from an input medium on which a photographic image is recorded to generate print data; and an output means for outputting the generated print data to an output medium. In the processing device, advertising information input means for inputting advertising information independent of the photographic image read from the input medium, and advertising print data generating means for generating advertising print data from the input advertising information, When outputting print data for one order generated from photo images,
A photograph processing apparatus characterized in that at least one frame of advertisement print data generated from the advertisement information can be added and output. 4. A storage means for storing a plurality of types of advertisement information or advertisement print data in advance, and when outputting one-order print data generated from a photographic image, the storage means stores the plurality of types of advertisement data in accordance with the date. Selecting means for selecting any kind of advertisement information or advertisement print data from the type of advertisement information or advertisement print data;
Wherein when outputting one order of print data generated from a photographic image, it is configured to be able to add and output the selected advertisement print data of at least one frame. The photographic processing apparatus according to claim 3.