Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Detail of image placement or content
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-23
2001-02-06
Mancuso, Joseph (Department: 2723)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Detail of image placement or content
C396S310000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185000
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for printing digital picture image data obtained by picture image recording, a picture printer used for carrying out the method, and a recording medium recorded with a program used for the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, in the APS (Advanced Photo System), photographing information such as the date of photographing has been recorded magnetically on a film upon photographing a picture image. The magnetically recorded photographing information has been read and added to digital image data as tag information upon obtaining the digital image data of the picture image by reading the film. Furthermore, in the case of a digital camera, photographing information (hereinafter referred to as “recording information”) has been added to digital image data and stored in a memory of the digital camera upon recording the digital image data obtained by picture image recording.
The above recording information has been printed on the back of a picture print for example, and used for managing or ordering prints. However, what kind of recording information is printed, and on which part of a picture print the printing takes places, has been determined rigidly by a function of a camera or a laboratory system, or by giving a detailed oral instruction upon ordering a picture print.
A variety of needs must be considered regarding the format of recording information print. For example, in the case of a picture for us in a photo contest, recording information printing is generally not desired on the surface of the picture print. In another case, printing of not only the date of recording and a title, but also recording conditions such as lens data or exposure may be desired. For such reasons, it is obviously inconvenient that items to be printed on a picture print or positions thereof are fixed, or desired printing format is not obtained unless a detailed instruction for each frame is provided. Therefore, a method to easily instruct a printing format is needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Based on consideration of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a picture image printing method which can easily instruct a format for printing recording information on a picture print.
The picture image printing method of the present invention comprises the steps of obtaining digital image data to which recording information of picture image recording is added upon recording the picture image, displaying the recording information which has been added to the digital image data as well as the digital image data on a printing instruction screen, instructing a printing format of the recording information on the printing instruction screen, adding printing information which represents the instructed printing format as well as the recording information to the digital image data, and printing the recording information on a picture print based on the printing information which has been added to the digital image data upon reproducing the digital image data as the picture print.
“The recording information” refers to information such as the date of recording, the title of a picture, the lens focal length, the lens F value, the content of AE processing carried out by a camera, the focusing length, the focusing position, a lighting condition, whether or not flash has been used, and weather if the picture image has been recorded outside. Since what kind of recording information is added to digital image data depends on a function of a camera or the like, it is not limited specifically.
Furthermore, display of the recording information on the printing instruction screen is carried out to enable a user to provide a printing instruction. Therefore, only item name display such as “the date of recording” may be sufficient without displaying the actual content of the recording information such as “December 24th”.
“The printing format of the recording information” means whether or not the recording information should be printed, a position on a picture print at which the recording information is printed, a method of printing, direction of printing (vertical or horizontal), the size or font of characters or the like. In this specification, as one form of the “printing format instruction”, “no printing” instruction is intended to be included.
It is preferable to instruct the printing format for each item when the recording information is composed of a plurality of items among the above recording information items.
A picture printer of the present invention is a picture printer used in the above printing method, whereby the digital image data, to which the printing information and the recording information is added, is reproduced as a picture print and the recording information is printed on the picture print based on the printing information, that is, the printing format a user has instructed.
A recording medium in which a program of the present invention is recorded is a recording medium in which a program used for instructing the printing format in the above printing method is stored. By distributing these recording media to users who request prints, the users can easily instruct printing by using their computer. The program makes a computer display the printing instruction screen on a display apparatus which is connected to the computer, enable an instruction of the printing format on the printing instruction screen by using a variety of input devices of the computer, and add the printing information representing the instructed printing format as well as the recording information to the digital image data, and store them in a predetermined recording medium.
The printing information which a user has generated by using a personal computer or the like may be handed to a DPE Development Print and Enlargement or the like (including any shop or place which develops film, prints images, or enlarges images or prints such as a DPE, as they are known in Japan, and a mini-photolab as they are known in the U.S.) by storing the printing information in a floppy disc or the like, or may be transferred via a network.
According to the picture image printing method of the present invention, a user takes in digital image data and the recording information which has been added thereto into his/her personal compute or the like, and instructs, on the printing instruction screen, a printing format such as whether or not the recording information should be printed and positions of the recording information print. The content of the instruction is added to the digital image data as the printing information, and handed to a picture printer via a recording medium for example. The picture printer carries out printing of the recording information on a picture print based on the printing information when a picture print is generated. In other words, according to the present method, a picture printer can print the recording information in a format in accordance with the intention of a user.
In the case of the recording information composed of a plurality of items such as the date of recording and a title, if a position at which the item is printed on a picture print or whether or not the item should be printed is specified for each item, printing of the recording information can be carried out reflecting a user's need in a more desirable manner.
The picture printer used for generating a picture print by using the above method prints the recording information on a picture print based on the printing information representing the printing format instructed by a user. Therefore, a user only has to hand in a medium in which the printing information is recorded to a DPE when he/she instructs the printing format. In this manner, not only a user but also a service provider can improve efficiency when ordering a print.
According to the recording medium in which the program used for instructing the printing format in the above method is recorded, by installing the program into a personal computer or the like of a user, the user
Fukada Shigekazu
Haneda Norihisa
Shiota Kazuo
Cooperrider F. E.
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Mancuso Joseph
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