JP2007028137A - Image editing device and method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable to enjoy arrangements of a plurality of images in photograph printing. <P>SOLUTION: A reducing unit 21 reduces a size of an input image Si'. An arrangement unit 22 arranges the reduced images Si in random so as to mutually adjoin, and creates an arranged image G0. An arrangement change unit 23 receives editing instruction by changing the arrangement of the arranged image G0, and changes arrangement of images included in the arranged image G0. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image editing apparatus and method for arranging a plurality of images for printing on a single photosensitive material and editing the arranged images, and a program for causing a computer to execute the image editing method. is there.

Traditionally, by bringing a photo film taken with a silver salt camera or a media recording an image obtained with a digital camera to a photo shop such as a lab, the image is printed on the photosensitive material using a print production device in the photo shop. There is a service to create prints. In addition, an image is inserted into a pre-designed template such as a postcard to generate a composite image, and this is printed out to create an album print with high creativity (for example, patents). Reference 1). Also, an index print is created by printing a plurality of images on one photosensitive material.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-124693

  The above-described index print is obtained by arranging a plurality of images, for example, in the order of file names, and confirming the contents of the plurality of images by viewing them. However, it is desired not only to confirm the contents by arranging a plurality of images, but also to add some value to the arrangement of the plurality of printed images.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to make it possible to enjoy the arrangement of a plurality of images in a photographic print.

An image editing apparatus according to the present invention includes an image placement unit that randomly places a plurality of reduced images obtained by reducing a plurality of images adjacent to each other to generate a placement image;
Display control means capable of displaying the arrangement image;
It is characterized by comprising arrangement changing means for changing the arrangement of the reduced images included in the arrangement image in response to an instruction to change the arrangement.

  “Making arrangement image displayable” means that arrangement image can be displayed on a display unit or a terminal device connected to the apparatus of the present invention regardless of cable, network, etc., wired or wireless. . Specifically, the arrangement image can be displayed by transmitting the arrangement image to the display means or the terminal device.

  In the image editing apparatus according to the present invention, the image arranging unit may be a unit that arranges the similar images at positions separated from each other when similar images are included in the plurality of images.

  The image editing apparatus according to the present invention may further include a printing unit that prints the layout image on a single photosensitive material to create a photographic print in response to a print output instruction.

The image editing method according to the present invention generates a layout image by randomly arranging a plurality of reduced images obtained by reducing a plurality of images adjacent to each other,
The arrangement image can be displayed,
The arrangement of the reduced image included in the arrangement image is changed in accordance with an instruction to change the arrangement.

  The image editing method according to the present invention may be provided as a program for causing a computer to execute the image editing method.

  According to the present invention, a plurality of reduced images are arranged adjacent to each other and randomly arranged to generate a placement image, and the placement image can be displayed. Furthermore, the arrangement of the reduced images included in the arrangement image is changed according to the instruction to change the arrangement. Here, when a plurality of images are randomly arranged adjacent to each other, an unexpected color or brightness change occurs in the arranged image due to the color and brightness of each image. Further, the contents of individual images included in the arrangement image can be confirmed. Therefore, it is possible to enjoy the unexpected design of the arrangement image and to confirm the contents of each image. Further, the design of the arrangement image can be changed by changing the arrangement of the reduced image included in the arrangement image in accordance with the instruction to change the arrangement.

  In addition, by disposing similar images at positions apart from each other, it is possible to prevent deterioration in design due to the arrangement of images having the same color and brightness.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a printing system to which an image editing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, a printing system 100 according to the present embodiment is connected to a network printing apparatus 1 having an image editing apparatus according to the present embodiment installed in a photo shop, and the network printing apparatus 1 via the Internet 2. And the user's personal computer 3.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the network printing apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the network printing apparatus 1 includes a user storage unit 11 that stores image data representing user images and user information transmitted via the Internet 2, and a print order reception unit 12 that receives a print order. The image editing unit 13, the printer 14, the communication unit 15 for connecting to the Internet 2, and the control unit 16 for controlling the operation of the network printing apparatus 1. To create.

  The control unit 16 includes a control board or a semiconductor device provided with a CPU and a memory. A print order program is stored in the memory of the control unit 16, and print order processing in the network printing apparatus 1 is controlled by this print order program.

  The print order receiving unit 12 performs all processes necessary for a print order such as authentication of a user who has accessed the network printing apparatus 1, reception of a user image, input of a user's name, address, telephone number, and number of prints. It is.

  The printer 14 can be of any method such as a laser method or an ink jet method that can print a layout image G0 generated as described later on a photosensitive material to create a shuffle photo.

  The user information stored in the user storage unit 11 is information unique to the user such as the user's name, address, telephone number, gender, date of birth, and is stored in association with the user ID. The user information is stored in the user storage unit 11 when the user registers the user in the network print service system.

  When the user places a print order, the image data representing the user image may be transmitted from the personal computer 3 to the network printing apparatus 1 and stored in the user storage unit 11 of the network printing apparatus 1 in advance. In many cases, when the user desires to generate the layout image G0, it may be transmitted from the personal computer 3 to the network printing apparatus 1. Further, when placing a print order, the size of the photosensitive material on which the layout image G0 is printed may be designated.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the image editing unit 13. As shown in FIG. 3, the image editing unit 13 includes a reduction unit 21, an image arrangement unit 22, and an arrangement change unit 23. In this embodiment, the shuffle photo P0, which is a photographic print in which the reduced images Si of the input image Si ′ are randomly arranged, is created.

  The reduction unit 21 reduces the size of a plurality of input images Si ′ (i = 1 to n) and generates a reduced image Si. The image reduction ratio is determined by the number n of input images, the number of images included in the arrangement image G0, the size of the photosensitive material to be printed, and the like.

  The image placement unit 22 randomly places the images Si adjacent to each other to generate a placement image G0. The generated arrangement image G0 is included in the editing screen and transmitted from the communication unit 15 to the user's personal computer 3 via the Internet 2.

  In this embodiment, a plurality of images are included in the arrangement image G0. Since the personal computer 3 and the network printing apparatus 1 are connected via the Internet 2, in order to generate the arrangement image G0. The user image needs to be transmitted to the network printing apparatus 1, and the arrangement image G0 needs to be transmitted from the network printing apparatus 1 to the user personal computer 3. As a result, the network traffic may increase. In particular, when an image is transmitted when it is desired to generate the arrangement image G0, both transmission of the image and reception of the arrangement image G0 are performed, so that it takes a long time until the arrangement image G0 is displayed on the personal computer 3. It becomes.

  For this reason, software for executing a process for determining the layout of the arrangement image G0 is installed in the personal computer 3 and the arrangement image G0 is generated in the personal computer 3 in advance, and the user image is transmitted from the personal computer 3 to the network printing apparatus 1. When transmitting, it is preferable to transmit the arrangement image G0 together. Alternatively, the image included in the arrangement image G0 and the layout information indicating the arrangement position may be generated in the personal computer 3, and the layout information may be transmitted to the network printing apparatus 1 together with the user image.

In FIG. 3, 8 × 8 = 64 images Si are arranged for convenience, but the number of images to be arranged is not limited to this. Here, when the arrangement image G0 is generated, the images having similar colors and brightness are arranged so as not to be adjacent to each other at positions separated from each other. The images Si may be arranged so that the color and brightness are evenly distributed on the arrangement image G0. Here, the number n of input images Si is the number of images included in the arrangement image G0. When the number is smaller than m, images such as clip art and landscape prepared in advance may be arranged together with the image Si so that the number of arranged images G0 is m. Further, the randomly selected image Si or the image Si designated by the user may be arranged in an overlapping manner. In addition, a portion where the image Si is missing in the arrangement image G0 may be provided. Moreover, you may make it make a user input a character into a missing part.

  If the number n of input images Si is larger than the number m of images to be included in the arrangement image G0, m images to be arranged from the image Si are randomly selected, and the selected m images are mutually connected. The arrangement image G0 may be generated by arranging adjacently and randomly. In this case, the user may be allowed to select an image to be included in the arrangement image G0. Further, the number m of images to be arranged may be changed so that all the images Si are included in the arranged image G0. If the number m of images to be arranged is increased, there may be a case where the number of images Si is insufficient. In this case, the number n of input images Si described above is included in the arrangement image G0. The same processing as that when the number of images to be included is less than m may be performed. Further, the size of the image Si selected at random or selected by the user is made larger than the size of the other images Si, and the input n images Si are arranged in the arrangement image G0 without overlapping or missing. You may do it.

  Further, the image placement unit 22 may perform image processing for improving image quality such as gradation processing, density conversion processing, color correction processing, and sharpness processing on the placement image G0 or the image Si.

  The arrangement changing unit 23 variously changes the arrangement of the images Si included in the arrangement image G0 by giving an instruction to change the arrangement using the editing screen displayed on the personal computer 3.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the editing screen. As shown in FIG. 4, the editing screen 30 displays an image display area 30A for displaying the arrangement image G0 and a button display area 30B for displaying various buttons for editing.

  In the button display area 30B, a rearrangement button, an area selection button, a combination button, a character insertion button, and a confirmation button are displayed. The user can perform an editing operation by clicking various buttons displayed in the button display area 30 </ b> B by using an input unit including a keyboard and a mouse of the personal computer 3.

  For example, when the rearrangement button is clicked, the arrangement changing unit 23 redoes the random arrangement of the plurality of images Si. When the area selection button is clicked, the arrangement changing unit 23 displays a thick selection cursor 31 on the arrangement image G0 as shown in FIG. The user can select an image area in which one desired image Si is displayed by moving the selection cursor 31 on the arrangement image G0. Also, by dragging and dropping the corner of the selection cursor 31, the selection cursor 31 can be enlarged to select a plurality of image areas. When the rearrangement button is clicked after the selection cursor 31 is enlarged and a plurality of image areas are selected, the arrangement changing unit 23 rearranges the image Si only within the enlarged selection cursor 31.

  When the user clicks the join button after enlarging the selection cursor 31, the arrangement changing unit 23 joins the image areas in the selection cursor 31. At this time, the selection cursor 31 is expanded so that the same number of vertical and horizontal image areas are included in the selection cursor 31. The arrangement changing unit 23 enlarges and displays the first selected image Si in the combined image area.

  Also, by selecting an enlarged or non-enlarged image area and clicking the character insertion button, the image in the image area is deleted, and characters are input using the input unit as shown in FIG. Can do. Here, FIG. 6 shows a state in which the characters “2005” are input in the enlarged image area. When characters are inserted, the vertical and horizontal numbers of image areas to be combined need not be equal.

  In order to include the image Si that is no longer included in the layout image G0 by combining the image areas into the layout image G0 again, click the rearrange button or use the selection cursor 31 to select the combined image areas. You can reduce it.

  The user can instruct the network printing apparatus 1 to confirm the arrangement of the arrangement image G0 by clicking the confirmation button.

  Note that each time the rearrangement button is clicked, the random arrangement of the plurality of images Si is redone, so that the user can redo the arrangement until satisfactory. Thereby, the user can enjoy rearrangement like a game. In this case, the characters “a”, “ta”, “ri” are added to the plurality of images Si, and when the characters “a”, “ta”, “ri” are arranged on the arrangement image G0, some privilege is given. You may make it provide to a user, and you may make it display images, such as a clip art which shows "around".

  Further, the arrangement image G0 generated each time the arrangement is redone is temporarily stored, and a list of a plurality of arrangement images G0 can be displayed so that the user can select one arrangement image G0 desired by the user from the list. It may be.

  Next, processing performed in the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing processing performed in the present embodiment. A user accesses the network printing apparatus 1 from the personal computer 3 via the Internet 2 and starts user authentication. First, the user's image Si included in the shuffle photo is received, and the user storage unit 11 is received. (Step ST1). Next, the reduction unit 21 of the image editing unit 13 reduces the image Si ′ (step ST2), and the image arrangement unit 22 randomly arranges the reduced images Si so as to be adjacent to each other to generate the arrangement image G0 (FIG. Step ST3). The arrangement image G0 is included in the editing screen and displayed on the user's personal computer 3 (step ST4).

  Then, the arrangement changing unit 23 receives an instruction to edit the arrangement image G0 using the editing screen 30, and edits the arrangement image G0 (step ST5). Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the confirm button has been clicked (step ST6). If step ST6 is negative, the process returns to step ST5. If step ST6 is affirmed, the arrangement is confirmed (step ST7), and a print order for a shuffle photo in which the arrangement image G0 having the decided arrangement is printed on the photosensitive material is received (step ST8). Specifically, it accepts editing of the user's name, address, etc., setting of the number of prints and delivery date, and the like. Subsequently, based on the print order, the determined arrangement image G0 is printed out on the photosensitive material to generate a shuffle photo P0 (step ST9), and the process is terminated.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the plurality of images Si are arranged adjacent to each other and randomly arranged to generate the arrangement image G0, and the arrangement image G0 is printed on the photosensitive material to generate the shuffle photo P0. It is a thing. Here, when a plurality of images Si are randomly arranged adjacent to each other, an unexpected color or brightness change occurs in the arrangement image G0 due to the color and brightness of each image. The contents of individual images included in the arrangement image G0 can be confirmed. Therefore, it is possible to enjoy the unexpected design of the arrangement image G0 and to confirm the contents of the individual images. In addition, by changing the arrangement of the images included in the arrangement image G0 according to the instruction to change the arrangement, the design of the arrangement image G0 and thus the shuffle photo P0 can be changed.

  In addition, by disposing similar images at positions apart from each other, it is possible to prevent deterioration in design due to the arrangement of images having the same color and brightness.

  In addition, the plurality of images Si may include images that have failed to be photographed, such as images that are out of focus, but if the images that have failed to be photographed are also part of the arrangement image G0, the failure will not be noticeable. It can be used.

  In the above embodiment, an image is transmitted from the user's personal computer 3 to the network printing apparatus 1 to generate the layout image G0. However, as shown in FIG. The present invention can also be applied in the same way as in the above-described embodiment when a print order for the shuffle photo P0 is made using the print order receiving terminal 40 installed at the store. The print order receiving terminal 40 includes a monitor 41 that can be input with a touch panel and a card slot 42 into which various memory cards are loaded. A user loads a memory card into the card slot 42 and displays an image recorded on the memory card. The print order of the used shuffle photo P0 is made using the display on the monitor 41 and the input by the touch panel.

  Here, the print order receiving terminal 40 is not only connected to the network print apparatus 1 as shown in FIG. 8 and performs print output, but also has the same function as the network print apparatus 1 as shown in FIG. Needless to say, the print order receiving terminal 40 alone may output the shuffle photo P0.

  As described above, the apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described. However, the computer functions as a unit corresponding to the reduction unit 21, the image arrangement unit 22, and the arrangement change unit 23, and performs processing as illustrated in FIG. 7. The program to be executed is also one embodiment of the present invention. A computer-readable recording medium that records such a program is also one embodiment of the present invention.

1 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a print system to which an image editing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. Schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the network printing device Schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the image editing unit Figure showing the edit screen The figure for demonstrating the edit of a layout image (the 1) The figure for demonstrating the edit of a layout image (the 1) A flowchart showing processing performed in the present embodiment Schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a print system to which an image editing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention is applied. Schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a printing system to which an image editing apparatus according to still another embodiment of the present invention is applied.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Network printer 2 Internet 3 Personal computer 11 User storage part 12 Print order reception part 13 Image editing part 14 Printer 15 Communication part 16 Control part 21 Reduction part 22 Image arrangement part 23 Arrangement change part 30 Edit screen 40 Print order reception terminal

Claims (5)

Image placement means for randomly placing a plurality of reduced images obtained by reducing a plurality of images adjacent to each other to generate a placement image;
Display control means capable of displaying the arrangement image;
An image editing apparatus comprising: an arrangement changing unit that changes an arrangement of a reduced image included in the arrangement image in response to an instruction to change the arrangement.   2. The image editing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image arranging unit is a unit that arranges the similar images at positions separated from each other when similar images are included in the plurality of images.   3. The image editing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a printing unit that prints the arrangement image on a single photosensitive material to create a photographic print in response to a print output instruction. A plurality of reduced images obtained by reducing a plurality of images are randomly arranged adjacent to each other to generate an arrangement image,
The arrangement image can be displayed,
An image editing method comprising: changing the arrangement of reduced images included in the arrangement image in accordance with an instruction to change arrangement. A procedure for generating a placement image by randomly placing a plurality of reduced images obtained by reducing a plurality of images adjacent to each other;
A procedure for enabling display of the arrangement image;
A program for causing a computer to execute an image editing method, comprising: a procedure for changing the arrangement of reduced images included in the arrangement image in response to an instruction to change the arrangement.

Images