JP2000250148A - Photo printing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide an apparatus for photoelectrically converting an image of a film, taking out the image, and printing it on a silver halide photographic paper, so that gray or black is favorably colored. SOLUTION: A print head 331 for exposing photographic paper 3 in four colors of red, green, blue and white is provided, and a frame image of a negative film 1 is decomposed into three colors of red, green and blue, and a sensor 28 is provided. When the three color image signals have the same color value, the controller 2 sets white information for causing the photographic paper 3 corresponding to the pixel to emit gray or black. By having, red, green,
The printing paper 3 is exposed using four colors of blue and white.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image sensor for separating the information of a frame image of a photographic film into colors, photoelectrically converting the color-separated information and extracting the information, and converting an image signal from the image sensor into optical information. And a printing means for converting and exposing to silver halide photographic paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A photographic printing apparatus having the above structure is called a digital printing apparatus. In this type of apparatus, information of a frame image of a photographic film photographed using a silver halide film of 135 size or the like is extracted by an optical lens or the like. , Red (R), green (G), blue (B), etc., and photoelectrically converted by a CCD image sensor or the like. Further, based on this electric signal, a liquid crystal shutter system, a laser exposure system, a CRT system, etc. The printing means is driven, and light rays of three colors of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) are guided to the photographic paper from the printing means to perform printing.

[0003]

Here, considering the principle of irradiating red (R), green (G), and blue (B) light on silver halide photographic paper to form a color, the red (R) ), Green (G), and cyan (C), which are complementary colors when irradiated with light beams of three colors, blue (B),
Colors magenta (M) and yellow (Y), and irradiates light of three colors, red (R), green (G), and blue (B), to a specific position on the photographic paper to change gray or black. It will develop color. However, when irradiating light beams of three colors to a specific position to generate gray or black, it is necessary to irradiate light beams of three colors with a light amount balance corresponding to the color development characteristics of photographic paper. There are some aspects that are difficult to adjust. Specifically, when obtaining a black color, three
Since the light beam of the color is almost radiated at the maximum light amount, when the light amount of one color is excessive, not only the black color is not obtained, but also unnecessary portions around the portion of the printed image which should be black. There is room for improvement because it may cause color bleeding.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to rationally configure a photographic printing apparatus which can take out an image of a photographic film by photoelectric conversion and print it on a silver halide photographic paper, and which can develop gray or black well. is there.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, as described at the beginning, information of a frame image of a photographic film is color-separated, and the color-separated information is photoelectrically converted. And a printing means for converting an image signal from the image sensor into optical information and exposing the same to silver halide photographic paper, wherein the printing means applies three times to the silver halide photographic paper. It is possible to freely transmit light of four colors, that is, light of three colors for producing primary colors and white light for producing black and gray on silver halide photographic paper, and it is possible to freely control the amount of light of the light of four colors. A light control unit is provided, and a gray level of a frame image is determined based on an image signal from the image sensor. Based on a result of the determination, a light amount of a white light beam from the light control unit is determined. In that it has gradation setting means for setting Ri, the action, and the effect is as follows.

A second feature of the present invention (claim 2) is that, in claim 1, the image sensor outputs image information obtained by color-separating photographic film information into three primary colors of red, green, and blue. And the processing mode of the gradation setting means is set so as to set the gray gradation at the same coordinates from the light quantity data of the same coordinates of the image information of each of red, green and blue. , Its actions, and
The effects are as follows.

A third feature (claim 3) of the present invention is that, in claim 2, when the light amount data of the same coordinates of the red, green, and blue image information has the same value for all three colors, the coordinates are set. Is provided with processing means for sending out only white light having a light amount corresponding to the gradation set by the gradation setting means with respect to the area of the silver halide photographic paper corresponding to the above, and its operation and effect are as follows. It is as follows.

According to the first feature, in addition to the conventional three-color light beam for producing cyan, magenta and yellow, a light control unit for transmitting a white light beam for producing black and gray is provided. Therefore, compared to the method of producing black or gray using three colors, there is no need to adjust the light amount balance of the three colors when producing black or gray.
Further, the gray level setting means controls the amount of white light based on an image signal from the image sensor, thereby obtaining a gray level.

According to the second feature, the gradation setting means sets the gray gradation at the same coordinates from the light amount data of the same coordinates of the red, green, and blue image information. No special sensor is required for measuring the gray level of the frame image.

According to the third feature, when the light amount data of the same coordinates of the red, green, and blue image information has the same value for all three colors, the coordinates are gray or black (achromatic). Therefore, by performing exposure using only the white light beam on the area of the coordinates, it is possible to generate only gray or black without causing color bleeding.

[Effects of the Invention] Accordingly, in an apparatus for photoelectrically converting and extracting an image of a photographic film and printing it on silver halide photographic paper, a photographic printing apparatus capable of favorably developing gray or black has been rationally constructed. It is. In addition, it was possible to easily develop gray tones by simple processing, and to develop gray and black well.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a photographic printing apparatus. The photographic printing apparatus includes a film scanner unit A for changing a frame image of a 135-size negative film 1 as a silver halide photographic film into a digital signal. The controller 2 to which the signal from the film scanner unit A is input (an example of a processing unit)
A digital printing unit B (an example of a printing unit) for printing an image on a printing paper 3 supplied from a paper magazine 3M based on a signal from the controller 2, and developing the printing paper 3 exposed in this manner. And a monitor 4 for displaying information for displaying various types of processing information, and a console 5 for inputting various processing instructions.

The film scanner unit A includes an illumination optical system A1 for irradiating the negative film 1 by adjusting the intensity distribution of light from the halogen lamp 6 as a white light source, and sandwiching the negative film 1 from above and below. A plurality of rollers 9 driven synchronously via a timing belt or the like to convey, a first motor 9A of a stepping motor type for driving the plurality of rollers 9, a negative mask 10 for determining a scan area of the negative film 1, Source 1
A negative carrier unit A2 comprising an information sensor 12 for receiving light beams transmitted through the negative film 1 through three color separations of red (R), green (G), and blue (B); The system includes a system A3 and a photoelectric conversion unit A4.

The photographic paper 3 developed in the developing section C is subjected to a drying process, cut into a size corresponding to one frame image by a cutter (not shown), and discharged as a finished print. Ori, paper magazine 3
A transport system is configured so that the photographic paper 3 from the M is continuously transported from the digital printing unit B to the development processing unit C by a plurality of rollers 14 that are driven synchronously, and a stepping motor that drives the plurality of rollers 14 Type second motor 1
4A.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the illumination optical system A
Reference numeral 1 denotes a fly-eye lens 17, a cold mirror 18, a pair of condenser lenses 19, 19 having a large number of convex lens portions formed on the surface thereof, and a ground glass surface on at least one surface. The light beam whose light intensity distribution has been adjusted is guided to each of the formed diffusion plates 20 made of a glass plate, and the light beam is adjusted to the negative carrier portion A1.
It is configured to send to

The imaging operation system A3 is provided with a sub-scanning oscillating mirror 23 for guiding a beam transmitted through the negative film 1.
A stepping motor type swing motor 24 for swinging the swing mirror 23 around an axis perpendicular to the transport direction of the negative film 1, and a single focus type reading lens 25. The photoelectric conversion unit A4 includes a prism 26 that splits the light beam from the reading lens 25 into three directions.
And three CCD line sensors 28r, 28g, 28b (which are arranged at positions where the respective light beams branched in three directions from the prism 26 are guided through the red filter 27r, the green filter 27g, and the blue filter 27b, respectively) And an example of the image sensor 28).
The D line sensors 28r, 28g, and 28b are configured to capture image information that has been color-separated into three primary colors of a red (R) component, a green (G) component, and a blue (B) component. The respective CCD line sensors 28r, 28g, 2
Reference numeral 8b denotes a large number (for example, 5000) of CCDs in the main scanning direction.
The CCD line sensors 28r, 28
After accumulating the electric charge of each pixel signal from g and 28b by exposure for a predetermined time, each pixel signal is extracted as a continuous image signal through a sample and hold circuit (not shown). The converted signal is converted into 8-bit digital signal luminance information by an A / D converter (not shown), and is taken into the controller 2.

The engine of the digital print section B includes a liquid crystal shutter system, a laser exposure system, and a CRT.
In this apparatus, a large number of openings are formed in four rows in the main scanning direction, and each of the openings is colored red,
Equipped with a liquid crystal shutter (an example of a light control unit) that covers with green, blue, and transparent filters and switches between blocking and passing of light from a white light source such as a fluorescent tube placed inside to each opening. A line exposure type print head 31 using a liquid crystal shutter (an example of a printing unit) is employed. A timing belt 34 wound around timing pulleys 33, 33 driven by a stepping motor type moving motor 32 is connected to the print head 31 to move the print head 31 in a direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction. The light beam from the print head 31 can be sent to the printing paper 3.

In this photo printing apparatus, an outline of an input / output system for the controller 2 is configured as shown in FIG. That is, the controller 2 includes an input / output interface I / O for inputting / outputting data and control signals, and a CCD of the photoelectric conversion unit A4 for the I / O.
A system for inputting A / D converted signals from the line sensors 28r, 28g, 28b, CCD line sensors 28r, 2
Red (R), green (G), blue (B) from 8g and 28b, an input / output signal system to / from a RAM type buffer memory for storing one line of data, a control program, table information, etc. Output system from the inserted memory ROM, input / output system from the microprocessor CPU, red (R), green (G), blue (B),
An input / output system with a RAM type frame memory for storing a plurality of image data separated into white (W) color, an output system to a print head 31, and a system for outputting a control signal of the moving motor 32 are formed. Have been. The memory ROM includes CCD line sensors 28r, 28g, 28
b, and a program for driving the print head 31 to print an image on the printing paper 3 based on the data in the frame memory is set. This will be described below.

That is, in this photographic printing apparatus, the developed negative film 1 is set in the negative carrier section A1, and a frame image is designated by operating the keyboard of the console 5 (in the case of simultaneous printing). Indicates the entire frame image), while the negative film 1 is being conveyed by the driving force of the first motor 9A, the image information and density including the color information of the three primary colors of the image area of the negative film 1 are detected by the information sensor 12. The information and the center position of the frame image formed on the negative film 1 are obtained, and bar code information indicating the frame number formed on the side of the negative film 1 based on the signal from the information sensor 12; And pre-scan to read barcode information indicating sensitivity and
The image information obtained by this pre-scan (CC
Information which is coarser than the image information from the D line sensors 28r, 28g, 28b) is displayed on the monitor 4, and after this pre-scan, the image of the negative film 1 is captured by the CCD line sensors 28r, 28g, 28b and stored in the frame memory. Processing (reading routine) and printing processing (printing routine) based on the data in the frame memory
The processing mode is set to perform the following.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the reading routine, by specifying a frame image to be printed with the negative film 1 set in the negative carrier section A, the frame image of the frame image obtained by the above-described pre-scan is obtained. The first motor 9A is driven until the center coincides with the center of the negative mask 10, and a data area provided with a frame management number by the number corresponding to the number of frame images to be printed in the frame memory is secured (# 101). , # 102 steps).

Next, at the same time when the swinging mirror 23 starts swinging, the information of the frame image guided by the swinging mirror 23 is transferred to the CCD line sensors 28r, 28b, 28g at predetermined charge accumulation times. The data for three colors for one line thus input is temporarily stored in a buffer memory, and the color data is read based on the color information measured by the information sensor 12 while reading the data from the buffer memory. After correcting (adding or subtracting numerical values to the red, green, and blue data), one line of red (R), green (G), Equal offset address of blue (B) data (red, green,
The values of the red (R), green (G), and blue (B) data (Dr, Dg, Db) of the address and the same coordinate of the image separated by the same value from the head address of the blue data are compared. Only when the respective values are equal (when Dr = Dg = Db), the value of Dr (Dg, Db
FF (hex) and equal to the data of red (R), green (G) and blue (B)
(Dr = Dg = Db = FF (16
If the values of the red (R), green (G), and blue (B) data (Dr, Dg, Db) are not equal, FF (hexadecimal) is set to the white data Dw. Along with red (R), green (G) and blue (B) data and white D
w (Dr, Dg, Db, Dw). Next, the data for one line is written into each of the red (R), green (G), blue (B), and white (W) areas previously secured in the frame memory (steps # 103 to # 109). This processing is performed by the CCD line sensors 28r and 28r.
b, 28 g, until all the image data is written. By performing this processing, one frame of red (R) with a frame management number is stored in the frame memory.
The image data of green (G), blue (B), and white (W) is stored (steps # 110 and # 111).

That is, in this process, data of three colors of red, green, and blue from the CCD line sensors 28r, 28b, and 28g are read, and the data of these three colors are corrected based on a signal from the information sensor 12, Further, based on the data corrected in this way, the necessity of gray or black color development is determined, and if necessary, data for controlling white light is newly set and stored in the frame memory. It has become. Specifically, the CCD line sensor 28r,
The red (R), green (G), and blue (B) signals from 28b and 28g are converted to 8-bit luminance data by A / D conversion.
F] (hexadecimal) is set to the highest luminance and [00]
(Hexadecimal) is set to the lowest luminance, and when the print head 31 is controlled with the high luminance information, the exposure amount is low and a bright color is obtained. When the print head 31 is controlled with the low luminance information, the exposure is low. A large amount of dark color is obtained. If the values of the red (R), green (G), and blue (B) data (Dr, Dg, Db) match in the processing of steps # 105 and # 106, the color is developed into gray or black achromatic color. Data that should be
By setting the value as white data Dw, that is, white light luminance information, data corresponding to a gray scale (gray gradation) is set in the case of gray (when the value of Dw is [00 ], Exposure is performed with the maximum amount of white light to obtain a black color), and at the same time, the maximum luminance [FF] (16) is added to the red / green / blue data (Dr / Dg / Db). If the values of red, green, and blue data (Dr, Dg, Db) do not match, exposure with white light is not required, and the luminance information of the white light is set to [FF] ( Hexadecimal). The steps # 105 to # 107 constitute the gradation setting means.

As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6, in the print routine, the photographic paper 2 is set at the print position,
In the frame memory, four data (Dr, Dg, Db, and D) of red (R), green (G), blue (B), and white (W) in a data area to which a frame management number to be printed is given.
Dw), the head address of the head line is set (steps # 201 and # 202), and the four-color data of one line in which the head address is set is read out, and the data corresponds to the four colors of the print head 31. The exposure of the photographic paper 2 is controlled by controlling the liquid crystal shutter which has been performed, and when the exposure for one line is completed, the print head 31 is moved by driving the moving motor 32, and the next line is exposed by the same processing as described above. This process is repeated until the exposure of the last line is completed (steps # 203 to # 206). After this process, the print head is set to the initial position and the process of transporting the photographic paper 2 is performed. (Steps # 207 and # 208).

In this processing, as described above, the red (R)
The smaller the value of the four 8-bit data (Dr, Dg, Db, Dw) of green (G), blue (B), and white (W) is ([0
The processing mode is set such that the light amount is controlled by the liquid crystal shutter of the print head 31 so that the light amount is increased as the value is closer to [0], and the light amount is reduced as the value is larger (as the value is closer to [FF]). At the time of this printing, the data written in the frame memory is sequentially read out line by line and the liquid crystal shutter of the print head 31 is controlled only, and the exposure with the light beams of the four colors is performed without performing any special processing such as calculation. An appropriately set gray tone is obtained by exposure with white light.

As described above, in the present invention, the conventional red (R), green (G), and blue (B) three-colored silver halide photographic paper are used.
In addition to using the print head 31 that can emit white (W) light in addition to the color light, the image of the negative film 1 is converted to red (R), green (G), and blue (B) images by using a conventional technique. The three primary colors are separated and taken in, and the data of the three primary colors is processed by software to specify a pixel for forming a black color and a gray color in each of the pixels forming an image, and to determine a white (W) light beam of the pixel. Since the luminance information is obtained, it is not necessary to provide special sensors for obtaining black and gray luminances. Further, by this processing, cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) In addition to color development, 3 colors of red (R), green (G) and blue (B)
Since black and gray are directly developed using white light without using any primary color light, it is possible to print pure black or gray well and print.

[Other Embodiments] In addition to the above-described embodiment, the present invention can be configured to print, for example, frame image information of a photographic film of a size other than 135 size or information of a frame image of a positive film. Is possible,
It is also possible to use a CCD image sensor used in a digital still camera as an image sensor.
In addition, a process for obtaining white luminance information from three color information is performed, for example, by writing data from a CCD line sensor directly to a frame memory and calculating data on the frame memory to newly generate white data. Therefore, it is possible to set a processing mode so as to overwrite the frame memory, and to use a print head having a form in which red, green, blue, and white laser beams are directly guided to photographic paper via a mirror, and the like. The type of the print head may be other than the configuration of the present embodiment.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a photographic printing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a path through which a light beam from a light source is guided.

FIG. 3 is a block circuit diagram showing a control system.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a data processing system;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a reading routine.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a print routine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 photographic film 2 processing means 3 silver halide photographic paper 28 image sensor 31 printing means

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2H106 AA85 AB04 BA91 BH00 2H110 AA18 AA25 AC14 BA07 BA18 CD05 5C079 HA11 HB01 KA09 KA18 LA02 LA23 NA05 PA03 PA08

Claims (3)

[Claims] An image sensor (28) for separating color information of a frame image of a photographic film (1), photoelectrically converting the color-separated information, and extracting an image signal from the image sensor (28). A photographic printing apparatus comprising: printing means (31) for converting light information into light information and exposing the film to a silver halide photographic paper (3), wherein the printing means (31) applies three primary colors to the silver halide photographic paper (3) And a white light beam that produces black and gray color on the silver halide photographic paper (3), and a light beam of four colors can be freely transmitted. A flexible light control unit is provided, and the image sensor (2
8) A photographic print comprising gradation setting means for discriminating the gray gradation of the frame image based on the image signal from 8) and setting the light quantity of the white light beam from the light control unit based on the discrimination result. apparatus. 2. The image sensor (28) is configured to output image information obtained by separating information of the photographic film (1) into three primary colors of red, green, and blue, and outputs the red, green, and blue. 2. The processing form of said gradation setting means is set so as to set a gray gradation at the same coordinates from the light quantity data of the same coordinates of each image information.
A photographic printing device as described. 3. When the light quantity data at the same coordinates of the red, green, and blue image information has the same value for all three colors, the area of the silver halide photographic paper (3) corresponding to the coordinates is determined. 3. A processing means (2) for sending out only white light having a light amount corresponding to the gradation set by the gradation setting means.
A photographic printing device as described.