JP2005335068A - Image processing apparatus and image processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To speedily carry out sample printing of printing a thumbnail of a plurality of images when printing processing to the plurality of images selected by a user is to be performed. <P>SOLUTION: An image processing apparatus 1 is equipped with a photograph printing application 21 for printing what are selected from the plurality of images to a sheet, a sample printing application 22 for printing the thumbnail of what are selected from the plurality of images, a system control part 10 which generates a printing job on the basis of an indication from each application, a printer 14 which performs printing to the paper on the basis of the printing job, and a first unloading tray T1 and a second unloading tray T2 which discharge the printed sheets. The photograph printing application 21 gives the indication to discharge the printed sheet to the first unloading tray T1, and the sample printing application 22 gives the indication to discharge the sheet printed with the thumbnail to the second unloading tray T2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method for printing an image selected by a user as a photo print and printing a thumbnail of the selected image as a sample print.

  Usually, when printing an image taken by an imaging device such as a digital camera, the image quality and the like are checked with reference to a printed matter output after the printing is completed. In other words, if the desired image quality cannot be obtained, the user must again set the print output from the beginning. Further, when a large amount of unnecessary images are printed, not only the image printed for a long time is wasted, but also a wasteful investment is imposed.

  In order to solve this problem, it is conceivable to print an image to be printed as an index print before printing all printed matter. In addition, since the index print is for confirmation, it is better to output it as soon as possible, and it is not necessary to output an image with exactly the same quality as a photograph. Therefore, it is also possible to output the index print to a high-speed output destination different from the photo print. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-151867 is one that automatically switches the print image discharge destination.

JP 2002-37520 A

  However, the invention described in Patent Document 1 sorts the discharge destination based on additional information of an image such as a shooting date, a customer name, and a title stored in an image shot by a digital camera or the like. The discharging means are not sorted by the printing function such as. When sorting discharge destinations according to attribute information stored in an image as in the present invention, it is impossible to output an index print first from a discharge means different from a normal photograph.

  The present invention has been made to solve such problems. That is, the present invention relates to a photo print application for printing on a sheet a selection from a plurality of images, a sample print application for printing thumbnails of a selection from a plurality of images, a photo print application, and a sample. A system control unit that generates a print job based on an instruction from each of the print applications, a printer that executes printing on paper based on the print job generated by the system control unit, and a plurality of paper that discharges paper printed by the printer In the image processing apparatus including the discharge tray, the photo print application gives an instruction to discharge the sheet on which the selected one of the plurality of images is printed to the first discharge tray among the plurality of discharge trays, and the sample print application Sam Of the paper printed with yl plurality of ejection trays it is intended to provide an indication as to discharge the second discharge tray.

  The present invention also includes a step of performing a photo print application in which a selected image from a plurality of images is printed on paper and sequentially discharged to a first discharge tray, and the paper is sequentially discharged to the first discharge tray. And a sample print application for printing thumbnails of images selected from a plurality of images and discharging them to a second discharge tray before or in between.

  In the present invention, when performing a photo print application for printing a selected image from a plurality of images on a sheet, before or in the middle of sequentially discharging the sheet on which the image has been printed to the first discharge tray. Since the thumbnail of the image selected for performing the print application is printed by the sample print application and the sample printed paper is discharged to the second discharge tray, the sample is performed before or during the photo print application. The print can be discharged to another discharge tray, and the status of the image to be printed can be quickly confirmed.

  Therefore, according to the present invention, the print instruction and the number of prints can be output as a sample print before the photo print is finished, and whether a desired print instruction is given with reference to the sample print, such as when printing a large number of photographs. Can be quickly determined. For this reason, when it is determined that a desired print result cannot be obtained from the sample print, the user can immediately cancel the print job, and it is possible to eliminate waste of paper and billing.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an image processing apparatus according to this embodiment. That is, the image processing apparatus 1 provides a media drive D provided so as to handle a predetermined medium, a file system 11 that accesses the media drive D, and gives an instruction to the file system 11. , An application 20 for processing a file stored on a medium loaded in the media drive D, and a printer 14 for printing out the file processed by the application 20.

  In particular, the application 20 of the present embodiment includes a photo print application 21 that sequentially prints out a plurality of files read from the media of the media drive D and selected by the user, and thumbnails the files selected by the user. And a sample print application 22 for printing out.

  In addition to the above configuration, the image processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment discharges a sheet printed by the image processing unit 12 that performs image processing on a file stored in the medium, the printer control unit 13 that controls the printer 14, and the printer 14. A first discharge tray T1 and a second discharge tray T2, an operation panel 15 serving as an interface with the user, and a system control unit 10 that controls each part. Here, the operation panel 15 has a display for displaying various information, file thumbnails, and the like, a key button for accepting an input operation from the user, and a touch panel.

  In the image processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the paper output from the printer 14 according to the instruction of the photo print application 21 is discharged to the first discharge tray T1, and the thumbnail printing output from the printer 14 according to the instruction of the sample print application 22 is performed. Is discharged to the second discharge tray T2. That is, according to an instruction from the photo print application 21, a plurality of files selected by the user are printed on paper one by one and discharged from the first discharge tray T1. The thumbnails of a plurality of files are printed on another sheet and discharged from the second discharge tray T2. Thus, the user can take out a thumbnail print (sample print) from another tray before all the selected files are printed, and continue the subsequent printing with reference to the sample print. You can decide whether to suspend, change settings, or not.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining a specific apparatus configuration, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining an internal configuration of the device. As shown in FIG. 2, the image processing apparatus 1 is provided with a device 140 that performs a printing process inside the main body, and feeds a predetermined size of paper in the paper feed tray KT to the device 140, where the image is printed and the center tray is printed. It is configured to discharge from the CT or side tray ST.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a photoconductor DR corresponding to, for example, four colors of C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and K (black) is arranged inside the device 141. As the sheets sequentially pass through the photoconductor DR, the four color images are superimposed and a color image can be printed. Of the paper on which the color image is printed, the paper on which printing for obtaining photographic image quality has been performed is sent to the photographic special controller 141, where, for example, gloss processing is performed, and then discharged to the center tray CT. In the present embodiment, the printed paper processed mainly by the instruction of the photo print application 21 is processed by the photo special controller 141 and discharged to the center tray CT. Here, the center tray CT corresponds to the first tray T1 shown in FIG.

  Further, the sample print processed mainly by the instruction of the sample print application 22 is discharged from the photoconductor DR to the side tray ST. Here, the side tray ST corresponds to the second tray T2 shown in FIG.

  In the sample print, the thumbnail of the file selected by the user is laid out and printed. Therefore, the sample print is printed on a sheet larger than the sheet used for printing by the photo print application 21. In the present embodiment, since the paper path differs between printing by the photo print application 21 and printing by the sample print application 22 as described above, it is possible to change the paper size and also change the discharge tray. The user can accurately grasp that the sample print has come out between the photographic prints, and can take out the sample print without being obstructed by the photographic print.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a sample print. On the sample print, thumbnails of files (images) selected by the user are printed in an appropriately laid out state. The thumbnail is an image process that can grasp the image quality of the actual photo print to some extent, and is smaller than the actual photo print. In the sample print of the present embodiment, information on the number of photos to be printed corresponding to the image selected by the user is attached, or the image selected by the user is printed as a thumbnail image that shows the image quality, An image not selected by the user may be printed so that it can be seen that the image is gray and not selected. In this case, the information on the number of printed sheets is 0.

  Next, the image processing method of this embodiment will be described. First, a photo print menu screen is displayed on the display of the operation panel 15 by the photo print application 21 shown in FIG. 1, a list of images stored in the media and an index display are displayed, and a file for photo print is selected. Accept.

  Next, after the user selects a file to be printed, a menu button (icon) for selecting whether to perform sample printing is displayed on the display of the operation panel 15. When it is designated to perform sample printing, the sample print application 22 is activated, and the system control unit 10 generates a print job of sample print prior to normal photo print, and executes processing. That is, the image processing unit 12 lays out the thumbnail of the file selected by the user on a sheet, and performs printing using the second discharge tray T2 as a discharge destination. The sample print may be printed during the time when the normal photographic print is discharged to the first discharge tray T1.

  Unlike normal photo prints, sample prints use inexpensive paper and use paper larger than photo prints. As a result, a large number of thumbnails can be laid out on a single sheet of paper, and can be printed out in a short time, and an economic effect can be enhanced.

  In parallel with the sample print, the system control unit 10 generates a print job for performing photo printing, and sequentially executes normal photo printing using the image processing unit 12, the printer control unit 13, and the printer 14. The photographic prints are sequentially discharged from the CMYK photoreceptor DR of the device 141 shown in FIG. 3 to the center tray CT via the photographic special controller 141.

  In addition, the user can instruct interruption of printing when it is determined that printing is not necessary with reference to thumbnails from which the photographic printing is scheduled among sample prints that have been ejected earlier.

  In order to suspend printing, for example, a suspend (cancel) button displayed on the display of the operation panel 15 is selected. As a result, it is possible to interrupt a photographic print scheduled thereafter, and avoid unnecessary print output.

  When charging for photo printing is performed, if the charging information is changed at the stage of accepting the print interruption instruction and charging is not performed after the interruption, useless expenses can be reduced.

  In addition, the user can change the image quality setting of an image that is scheduled to be printed from now on with reference to the sample print. In order to change the image quality, for example, an image quality change button displayed on the display of the operation panel 15 is selected, and image quality adjustment is performed according to the displayed image quality adjustment menu. This makes it possible to change the image quality of a photographic print scheduled thereafter.

  Note that the image quality can be changed only for a specific file (image). In this case, referring to the sample print, a file whose image quality is to be changed is selected from the display menu, and an image quality change button is selected from the file to adjust the image quality.

  As described above, the user can refer to the sample print before the photographic prints are sequentially discharged or between the photographic prints, and can quickly continue, interrupt, or change the settings for the subsequent photographic prints.

It is a block diagram explaining the image processing apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a schematic diagram explaining a specific apparatus structure. It is a schematic diagram explaining the internal structure of a device. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example of a sample print.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image processing apparatus, 10 ... System control part, 11 ... File system, 12 ... Image processing part, 13 ... Printer control part, 14 ... Printer, 15 ... Operation panel, 20 ... Application, 21 ... Photo printing application, 22 ... Sample print application

Claims (7)

A photo print application for printing on a sheet of paper selected from a plurality of images;
A sample print application for printing a thumbnail of a selection of the plurality of images;
A system control unit for generating a print job based on instructions from each of the photo print application and the sample print application;
A printer that performs printing on paper based on a print job generated by the system control unit;
In an image processing apparatus comprising a plurality of discharge trays for discharging paper printed by the printer,
The photo print application gives an instruction to discharge a sheet on which a selected one of the plurality of images is printed to a first discharge tray among the plurality of discharge trays,
The image processing apparatus, wherein the sample print application gives an instruction to discharge the sheet on which the thumbnail is printed to a second discharge tray among the plurality of discharge trays. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sample print application gives an instruction to print the thumbnail on a sheet larger than a sheet on which printing is performed in accordance with an instruction of the photo print application. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printer executes printing based on an instruction of the sample print application before or after sequentially performing printing based on an instruction of the photo print application. Printing a selected image from a plurality of images on paper and sequentially discharging to a first discharge tray; and
Performing a sample print application that prints thumbnails of the images selected from the plurality of images and discharges them to the second discharge tray before or during the sequential discharge of the sheets to the first discharge tray. An image processing method characterized by the above. 5. The image processing method according to claim 4, wherein, in the step of performing the sample print application, the thumbnail is printed on a sheet larger than a sheet to be printed by the photo print application. The image processing method according to claim 4, wherein after the thumbnail print is performed by the sample print application, a print setting scheduled to be performed by the photo print application is changed. 5. The charging for the photo print application is changed when the print setting scheduled to be performed by the photo print application is changed after the thumbnail print by the sample print application. The image processing method as described.

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