PRINTER AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING PRINTER

Abstract

The present invention is employed for self-service printing vending machines installed in various stores, for example. The present invention is provided for detecting an abnormality of an image and for displaying the abnormality with the corresponding image to be printed. The abnormality is corrected in accordance with an instruction by a user.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to printers and methods for controlling the printers and may be employed in self-service printing vending machines installed in various stores, for example. The present invention is used for detecting an abnormality of an image and informing a user of the abnormality to thereby appropriately correct the abnormality of the image.

2. Background Art

In general, various stores such as convenience stores provide self-service printing vending machines. Even users who do not have computers may use the printing vending machines to print images captured using electronic still cameras or cellular phones including cameras, for example.

Such a self-service printing vending machine is a printer used for printing image data recorded in a memory card as a recording medium. When a memory card used with an electronic still camera or a cellular phone including a camera is loaded in the self-service printing vending machine, captured images recorded in the memory card are displayed as a list of thumbnail images. The self-service printing vending machine allows a user to select images to be printed from the displayed list, the user pays a charge corresponding to the number of prints, and then the selected images are printed for the user.

Regarding printing of images, various techniques of correction of captured images have been proposed. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-186323 discloses a technique of correction of a captured image so that a color in the captured image considerably approximates to a color of actual skin in a photo printing system for an identification photograph.

In recent years, a self-service printing vending machine which automatically corrects the brightness of an entire image or corrects a grainy image, or which corrects the hue of an image in accordance with an instruction by a user has been proposed.

It is considered that, since the captured images are corrected in the printing vending machine as described above, a high level of convenience for the user is obtained. However, the user may capture an image of a subject in backlight or in excessive exposure on purpose. Accordingly, the user has to check the images before the printing vending machine corrects the captured images.

However, in the printing vending machines in the related art, since captured images are displayed as a list of small thumbnail images, it is difficult to find abnormalities of images which should be corrected. In the printing vending machines in the related art, even when an abnormality is not found in the displayed list of thumbnail images, an abnormality such as a red-eye portion, low brightness, or low saturation may be found after printing. Here, there arises a problem that the printing vending machines in the related art do not appropriately correct abnormalities of images.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of the above drawbacks, and the invention provides a printer capable of appropriately correcting abnormalities of images and a method for controlling the printer.

Accordingly, there is provided a printer including image data inputting means for inputting image data, abnormality detecting means for detecting an abnormality of an image input as the image data, displaying means for displaying a result detected by the abnormality detecting means, inputting means for inputting an instruction for printing the image, which is displayed by the displaying means, and printing means for printing the image which is instructed to be printed by the inputting means.

In this configuration of the present invention, since the printer includes image data inputting means for inputting image data, abnormality detecting means for detecting an abnormality of an image input as the image data, displaying means for displaying a result detected by the abnormality detecting means, inputting means for inputting an instruction for printing the image, which is displayed by the displaying means, and printing means for printing the image which is instructed to be printed by the inputting means, a user corrects the image displayed by the displaying means as needed in accordance with the result detected by the abnormality detection. Consequently, the user appropriately corrects the abnormality of the image.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling a printer including an image data inputting step of inputting image data, an abnormality detecting step of detecting an abnormality of an image corresponding the image data, a displaying step of displaying the abnormality of the image as a result of the detection, an inputting step of inputting an instruction for printing the image, which is displayed in the displaying step, and a printing step of printing the image which is instructed to be printed.

With this configuration of the present invention, a method for controlling a printer capable of appropriately correcting an abnormality of an image is provided.

According to the present invention, an abnormality of an image is appropriately corrected.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the printer shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a controller of the printer shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing display in accordance with the processing procedure of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure according to a correcting process in the processing procedure of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the controller of the printer according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing display in accordance with the processing procedure of FIG. 6.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings as needed.

(1) Configuration of First Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a printer as a self-service printing vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. A printer 1 is installed in amusement parks, sightseeing spots, or various stores and is used for printing images captured by electronic still cameras or cellular phones including cameras.

The printer 1 substantially has a vertically long cubic shape as a whole and includes a display unit 3 having a touch panel 2 on a surface thereof. The display unit 3 is disposed so as to face obliquely upward and forward of the printer 1. The printer 1 displays images to be printed and various menus on the display unit 3 and allows a user to select images and menus through the touch panel 2.

The printer 1 has insertion slots 4 for loading various types of memory card. Each of the insertion slots 4 has a memory card reader disposed in the back of the interior thereof and compatible with an inserted memory card. The printer 1 has a charging apparatus 7 including a coin slot 5 and a coin return slot 6 disposed in a lower right portion of the printer 1 and below the insertion slots 4, and a picture dispensing slot 8 for dispensing prints as results of printing disposed in a substantially lower center portion of the printer 1 and below the insertion slots 4.

After a memory card, which is a recording medium used with an electronic still camera or a cellular phone including a camera, for example, is loaded in the insertion slot 4 compatible therewith, the display unit 3 is operated, and payment is made using the charging apparatus 7, prints which are results of printing captured images recorded in the memory card are dispensed through the picture dispensing slot 8.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the printer 1. In the printer 1, a memory card reader 11 successively reads pieces of image data from the memory card loaded in the corresponding insertion slot 4 under the control of an image reading unit 12 and outputs the pieces of image data to the image reading unit 12.

The image reading unit 12 detects the loaded memory card and controls an operation of the memory card reader 11 compatible with the loaded memory card, thereby successively acquiring the pieces of image data recorded in the memory card through the memory card reader 11 and outputting the acquired pieces of image data to a controller 13 and an image processor 14. Accordingly, the image reading unit 12 serves as image data input means for the memory card together with the memory card reader 11.

The image processor 14 stores and holds the pieces of image data supplied from the image reading unit 12. The image processor 14 also detects abnormalities of the pieces of image data as captured images and informs the controller 13 of the detection of the abnormalities. In the printer 1, a red-eye portion and a backlight image are set as abnormalities of the captured images. The image processor 14 detects a hue area which may correspond to the red-eye portion in each of the captured images and determines the shape of the area, to thereby determine whether the captured image includes the red-eye portion and inform the controller 13 of the determination result. If an area having a luminance level lower than other areas due to luminance distribution of the captured image is included in the center of the captured image and is larger than a predetermined area, the image processor 14 determines that the image is captured in backlight and informs the controller 13 of the determination. Note that various determination methods may be broadly used for the determination of abnormalities.

After informing the controller 13 of the abnormality, the image processor 14 receives an instruction for correcting the abnormality issued by the controller 13 and corrects the abnormality. When the abnormality is caused by a red-eye portion, the hue and the luminance of a specific area including the red-eye portion are corrected and thus red-eye prevention is performed. When the abnormality is caused by a backlight image, a gradation of the entire image is corrected and thus backlight prevention is performed. Accordingly, the image processor 14 serves as abnormality detecting means for detecting an abnormality caused by a red-eye portion or a backlight image of an image as image data input by means of the image data inputting means. The image processor 14 also serves as image correcting means for correcting such an abnormality in an image.

When receiving an instruction for printing the captured image from the controller 13, the image processor 14 outputs the image data corresponding to the captured image to be printed to a printing unit 15. The printing unit 15 prints and outputs the image corresponding to the image data. In this process, if the image processor 14 has corrected the abnormality of the captured image, the image data corresponding to the captured image subjected to the correction is output to the printing unit 15. Thus, the captured image, in which the abnormality thereof caused by a red-eye portion or a backlight image is corrected, is printed.

The controller 13 is a computer for controlling an entire operation of the printer 1. The controller 13 controls the display unit 3 to display operation guides and various menus and controls the touch panel 2 to detect selection of the displayed menus, thereby controlling the entire operation.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of control performed by the controller 13. The controller 13 controls the display unit 3 to display the operation guides. When a memory card inserted in the insertion slot 4 by a user in accordance with the operation guides is detected, the controller 13 performs the processing procedure. The controller 13 proceeds from step SP1 to step SP2 where the controller 13 controls the image reading unit 12 to read an image from the memory card. In step SP3, the controller 13 controls the image processor 14 to check for an abnormality of the read image and proceeds to step SP4 where the controller 13 determines whether the image includes an abnormality in accordance with a check result obtained in step SP3.

When an abnormality is detected in step SP4, the controller 13 proceeds from step SP4 to SP5 where guidance for informing the user of the detection of the abnormality is generated and the guidance is displayed with a thumbnail image of the image having the abnormality in step SP6. On the other hand, when such an abnormality is not detected in step SP4, the controller 13 directly proceeds from step SP4 to step SP6 where the read image is displayed as a thumbnail image.

When the single image is displayed as described above, it is determined whether all the images recorded in the memory card are processed in step SP7. When the determination is negative, the controller 13 returns to step SP2 where another image is read from the memory card. Thus, the controller 13 repeats the processing procedure of SP2-SP3-SP4-SP6-SP7-SP2 or SP2-SP3-SP4-SP5-SP6-SP7-SP2. As shown in FIG. 4, the images recorded in the memory card are displayed as a list of thumbnail images on the display unit 3 and, in this displayed list, each of the images which are detected as images having abnormalities is displayed with the guidance. In this embodiment, the guidance is displayed by characters in a circle, such as a “red eye” or a “backlight” illustrating a content of the abnormality, in the vicinity of and below the corresponding image. Such guidance may be displayed by means of an icon, a character, or text. When the guidance is displayed by means of an icon, a mark indicating a red-eye prevention mode or backlight correction provided in an electronic still camera, for example, may be used as the icon. This ensures that the printer 1 detects an abnormality of an image by means of such guidance displayed as described above, even when the abnormality of the image is difficult to find because of the display manner of the image.

Furthermore, a correction menu is displayed in the displayed list under the control of the controller 13. When the correction menu is selected, the controller 13 accepts the selection of the image to be corrected and controls the image processor 14 to correct the abnormality of the image. Accordingly, when the image including the abnormality which is neither intended nor desired by the user is detected, the user corrects the abnormality by means of an operation through the touch panel 2 and obtains a desired print. Thus, the printer 1 appropriately corrects the abnormality of the image.

Specifically, after displaying the list of the images, the controller 13 proceeds from step SP7 to step SP8 to receive an instruction regarding a correcting process issued by the user and to correct the abnormality. Furthermore, the controller 13 allows the user to select images to be printed. Then, in step SP9, the controller 13 controls the display unit 3 to display a price for printing the images to be printed and receives payment made by the user. In step SP10, the images selected by the user are printed, and the controller 13 proceeds to step SP11 to terminate the processing procedure.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the correcting process performed in step SP8 of FIG. 3 in detail. When the user selects an image, the controller 13 proceeds from step SP21 to step SP22 where guidance indicating necessity of correction of an abnormality is displayed. In step SP23, it is determined whether the user selected the correction menu. If it is determined that the user did not select the correction menu, the controller 13 proceeds from step SP23 to step SP24 and returns to the main processing procedure.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the user selected the correction menu, the controller 13 proceeds from step SP23 to step SP25 to control the image processor 14 to correct the abnormality of the image. In step SP26, the guidance indicating the abnormality displayed in the vicinity of the corresponding thumbnail image is removed, and guidance indicating that the image is corrected is displayed. In step SP27, the controller 13 controls display of the thumbnail image to be changed to a thumbnail image of the corrected image, and then proceeds to step SP24 to return to the main processing procedure.

(2) Operation of First Embodiment

With the configuration described above, in the printer 1, when a user inserts a memory card in the insertion slot 4 (refer to FIGS. 1 and 2), the memory card reader 11 and the image reading unit 12 successively acquire images recorded in the memory card and the images are displayed as a list of thumbnail images on the display unit 3. When the user selects images to be printed from the displayed list and pays a charge for printing the images, the images selected by the user are printed by the printing unit 15 and dispensed from the picture dispensing slot 8. Accordingly, users who do not have a computer may use the printer 1 to print images captured by electronic still cameras or cellular phones including cameras.

In such a series of processes of the printer 1, when the images are read from the memory card, the image processor 14 detects abnormalities such as a red-eye portion and a backlight image, and the abnormalities of the images are displayed together with the list of the images. This ensures that the user realizes the abnormalities of the images by means of the guidance displayed as described above, even when the abnormalities of the images are difficult to find because of the display manner of the images. Since the abnormalities of the images are corrected as needed, prints of the images in which the abnormalities thereof are appropriately corrected are obtained with desired image qualities. Specifically, in the correction of the images, if an electronic still camera or a cellular phone including a camera has such a function of correcting abnormalities, the function may be utilized for the correction of the images. Alternatively, a computer may be used for the correction.

In the printer 1, since the abnormalities of the images are successively detected when the images are read from the memory card and the detected abnormalities are displayed as a list of thumbnail images on the display unit 3, the user selects images to be printed with reference to the display of the abnormalities of the images. For example, when similar images are displayed, the user may select an image which does not include an abnormality. Accordingly, this improves usability for the user.

In the printer 1, when an abnormality is detected and the user selects the correction menu, a correcting process menu is displayed. The image processor 14 corrects the abnormality of the image in response to the user's operation of the menu. The corrected image is printed in accordance with an instruction by the user. Accordingly, in this embodiment, when an abnormality is detected and it is determined that the abnormality should be corrected, the printer 1 corrects the abnormality and prints a corrected image. This further improves usability for the user.

(3) Advantages of First Embodiment

With the configuration described above, since abnormalities of images are detected and displayed, the abnormalities of the images are appropriately corrected.

Since the image correcting means corrects abnormalities of images in accordance with instructions given by a user, when each of the abnormalities is detected and it is determined that the abnormality should be corrected, the printer corrects the abnormality and prints a corrected image. This further improves usability for the user.

Furthermore, determination as to whether an image includes an abnormality is made for all images which are successively input and the abnormality is indicated in the vicinity of the corresponding image in a list of the images. Accordingly, the user easily selects images to be printed.

(4) Second Embodiment

The configuration of the first embodiment has the following drawback. All images input from the memory card are successively subjected to detection of an abnormality, resulting in an excessively high processing load. Accordingly, in this embodiment, only abnormalities of images which are instructed to be corrected by the user are displayed and are corrected in response to the user's instruction. Note that the printer of this embodiment has the same configuration as the printer 1 shown in FIG. 1 except for processing of abnormalities of images controlled by the controller 13. Accordingly, FIG. 1 is used for explanation of a configuration of the controller 13 in this embodiment hereinafter.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the controller 13. The controller 13 controls the display unit 3 to display operation guides. When a memory card inserted in the insertion slot 4 by a user is detected, the controller 13 starts performing the processing procedure. The controller 13 proceeds from step SP31 to step SP32 to control the image reading unit 12 to read all images recorded in the memory card. In step SP33, the read images are displayed as a list of thumbnail images on the display unit 3.

In step SP34, the controller 13 accepts selection of an image to be printed, and in step SP35, the controller 13 controls the image processor 14 to check an abnormality of the selected image. In step SP36, the controller 13 determines whether the image includes an abnormality on the basis of a check result. When it is determined that the image does not include an abnormality, the controller 13 proceeds from step SP36 to SP37 where the thumbnail image corresponding to the image selected by the user is changed on the display so as to indicate that the image has been selected. On the other hand, when it is determined that the image includes an abnormality, the controller 13 proceeds from step SP36 to step SP38 where guidance for informing the user of the abnormality is generated. In step SP37, a thumbnail image corresponding to the image selected by the user is changed on the display so as to indicate that the image has been selected and the guidance regarding the abnormality is displayed along with the image.

As shown in FIG. 7, in this embodiment, a window is separately shown on a display screen in the display unit 3 and guidance regarding the abnormality is displayed in the window. In this case, the selected thumbnail image is displayed in an upper portion of the window, details of the detected abnormalities (red eye and backlight) are displayed below the thumbnail image, and a correction menu is displayed below the details of the detected abnormalities. The thumbnail image which has already been selected is displayed by being surrounded by a frame.

In step SP39, the controller 13 determines whether the user selected the correction menu. When the determination is affirmative, the controller 13 proceeds from step SP39 to step SP40 to correct the abnormality of the image, and then, further proceeds to step SP41. On the other hand, when the determination is negative, the controller 13 proceeds directly from step SP39 to step SP41.

In step SP41, the controller 13 determines whether the user further selected an image to be printed. When the determination is affirmative, the controller 13 returns from step SP41 to step SP35. On the other hand, when the determination is negative in step SP41, the controller 13 proceeds from step SP41 to step SP42 where a charging process is performed. In step SP43, the images selected by the user are printed and the controller 13 proceeds to step SP44 where the processing procedure is terminated.

According to this embodiment, since only abnormalities of images which are instructed to be corrected by the user are displayed, a processing load is reduced and advantages the same as those in the first embodiment are obtained.

Since only abnormalities of images which are instructed to be corrected by the user are displayed and are corrected in response to the user's instruction, the user selects images to be printed while checking an abnormality of each of the images. Accordingly, operation errors are prevented and prints having desired qualities are reliably obtained.

(5) Other Embodiments

In the foregoing embodiments, although a case where abnormalities of images such as a red-eye portion and a backlight image are detected, the present invention is not limited to this. Other various abnormalities may be detected and displayed. The other abnormalities include overexposure or underexposure, that is, a blank white portion or a shaded black portion, respectively. The abnormalities are detected on the basis of the distribution of brightness levels or an average brightness level. The abnormalities are corrected relative to correction of gradations. The abnormalities further include a blur. In this case, the abnormalities are detected on the basis of the distribution of frequencies or signal levels of edge components. The abnormalities are corrected by edge enhancement. The abnormalities may include an abnormality at the time of cropping, distortion of an image, an abnormality of white balance, and color degradation.

In the foregoing embodiments, although a case where a memory card is used as a recording medium is described, the present invention is not limited to this. Various recording media such as an optical disc and a magnetic disc may be used.

In the foregoing embodiments, although a case where image data is read from a recording medium is described, the present invention is not limited to this. The image data may be read through a network or infrared communication. In this case, abnormalities may be displayed by means of a computer or a cellular phone by inputting image data from the computer or the cellular phone through a network or infrared communication.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention relates to a printer and a method for controlling the printer and may be applied to self-service printing vending machines installed in various stores.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

• 1 . . . PRINTER, 2 . . . TOUCH PANEL, 3 . . . DISPLAY UNIT, 4 . . . INSERTION SLOT, 5 . . . COIN SLOT, 6 . . . COIN RETURN SLOT, 7 . . . CHARGING APPARATUS, 8 . . . PICTURE DISPENSING SLOT, 11 . . . MEMORY CARD READER, 12 . . . IMAGE READING UNIT, 13 . . . CONTROLLER, 14 . . . IMAGE PROCESSOR, 15 . . . PRINTING UNIT

Claims

1. A printer comprising:

image data inputting means for inputting image data;

abnormality detecting means for detecting an abnormality of an image input as the image data;

displaying means for displaying a result detected by the abnormality detecting means;

inputting means for inputting an instruction for printing the image, which is displayed by the displaying means; and

printing means for printing the image which is instructed to be printed by the inputting means.

2. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising:

image correcting means for correcting an abnormality of the image in accordance with an instruction by a user.

3. The printer according to claim 1,

wherein the image data inputting means successively inputs a plurality of pieces of image data corresponding to a plurality of images,

the abnormality detecting means detects an abnormality of each of the plurality of images input by the image data inputting means, and

the display means displays the plurality of images together with corresponding detection results detected by the abnormality detecting means as a list.

4. The printer according to claim 1,

wherein the image data inputting means successively inputs a plurality of pieces of image data corresponding to a plurality of images,

the display means displays the plurality of images as a list, and

the abnormality detecting means detects an abnormality of an image which is instructed to be printed by the image data inputting means.

5. A method for controlling a printer, comprising:

an image data inputting step of inputting image data;

an abnormality detecting step of detecting an abnormality of an image corresponding the image data;

a displaying step of displaying a result detected in the abnormality detecting step;

an inputting step of inputting an instruction for printing the image, which is displayed in the displaying step; and

a printing step of printing the image which is instructed to be printed in the inputting step.