JP2685975B2 - How to check print photos - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for collating printed photographs, and more particularly to a photographic film in which an image is recorded in a photosensitive emulsion layer and film recording information is recorded in a magnetic recording layer, and The present invention relates to a method of collating a print photograph created by using.

[Conventional technology]

When the photographed film is sent to the DP agency, the DP agency fills in the DP bag with the customer's name and processing details, inserts the deposited film and sends it to the photo lab. At the photo lab, a check tape with the same identification code, for example, English letters and 4-digit number, is attached to the negative film and the DP bag. And with this check tape, a negative film
It corresponds to the DP bag to ensure that the negative film returns to the client. In addition, the collation of the negative film and the print photograph created thereby is performed as follows. First, check the design of the top print photo and the design of the top frame of the negative film, then confirm the next print pattern and the last frame of the negative film and the design,
When these match, it is determined that the print photograph corresponds to the negative film.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

As described above, since the patterns of the printed photograph and the negative film are confirmed and collated, there is a problem that the collation takes time. Further, in order to compare the negative film with the DP bag, it has conventionally been necessary to attach a check tape, which causes a problem that it takes time.

The present invention is to solve the above problems, and can reliably identify a negative film without attaching a check tape, and moreover, to collate a printed photograph and a photographic film without checking a pattern. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of collating printed photographs that enables the above.

[Means for solving the problem]

To achieve the above object, the present invention optically reads the customer identification information of the DP bag, magnetically records the customer identification information on the magnetic recording layer of the photographic film, and the customer who records on the magnetic recording layer at the time of printing. Read the identification information and record the customer identification information on the print photograph based on this so that the customer identification information of the DP bag and the print photograph is optically read, and at the same time, the customer identification information of the photo film is magnetically read. By reading and automatically collating the DP bag and the print photograph based on the customer identification information, the DP bag and the photo film are automatically collated.

[Action]

The customer identification information of the DP bag is optically read, and this customer identification information is magnetically recorded on the magnetic recording layer of the photographic film. At the time of printing, the customer identification information recorded on the magnetic recording layer of the photographic film is read out, and on the basis of this, the customer identification information is recorded on the printed photograph in an optically readable manner. DP
The customer identification information of the bag and the printed photograph is optically read, and the customer identification information of the photo film is magnetically read, and the DP bag and the printed photograph are automatically collated based on these customer identification information. The bag and the photo film are automatically collated.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 2, the negative film 11 that has been photographed,
The film is wound around a spool 12 in a film cartridge 10 and stored in a cartridge body 13. The photo film cartridge 10 rotates the spool 12 in the feeding direction, which is opposite to the film winding direction.
11a is provided with a film cueing function that comes out from the film entrance / exit 14 of the cartridge main body 13. For this reason, the film storage chamber 15 of the patrone main body 13 is formed so as to be substantially the same as or slightly larger than the film maximum winding diameter when the entire film 11 is wound around the spool 12. As a result, by rotating the spool 12 in the feeding direction, the rotation of the spool 12 is transmitted to the film tip 11a, and the film tip 11a exits from the film entrance / exit 14.

The film leading end 11a has a shape in which both side edges are cut off at an angle, so that the film feeding resistance at the time of cueing the film is reduced. Further, a perforation 11b for feeding the leading end of the film is formed at the leading end of the film. Further, in the image recording section 11c, one perforation 11d for positioning is formed for each frame 11e.
By detecting the perforation 11d mechanically or optically, each frame 11e of the film is set on an exposure frame of a camera or a printer. A transparent magnetic recording layer is provided on the surface of the film 11 opposite to the photosensitive emulsion surface.
Is formed over the entire surface. In this magnetic recording layer,
The film information is magnetically recorded at the time of manufacturing, the photographing information at the time of photographing, the identification information such as the customer ID number and the lab ID number, and the print instruction information at the time of receiving the DP.

In addition, the leading and trailing edges of the film 11 are
Magnetic recording area (indicated by hatching in the figure) 20 and non-recording area 2 of the magnetic recording layer formed over the entire surface of 11
A start mark 23 for identifying 1, 22 and an end mark 24 are formed. These marks 23 and 24 are formed in a rectangular shape by a light-shielding ink layer. And
Each mark 23, 24 is detected from the difference in light transmittance or light reflectance between the ink layer forming surface and the other surface, and based on this, each cutting line of the non-recording areas 21, 22 outside the magnetic recording area 20. 2
At the 5,25 position, the leading and trailing edges of the film are cut. In this embodiment, the start mark 23 and the end mark 24 are formed by arranging two rectangular marks at a predetermined interval, which prevents the perforations 11b and 11d from being erroneously detected. Each mark may use a small hole or a notch outside the ink layer.

The magnetic recording area 20 is divided into an overall information recording area 27 for recording information of the entire film, and an individual information recording area 28 for individually recording each frame. The entire information recording area 27 is located at a position from the leading end of the film to the position before the first frame, and the individual information recording area 28 is located at a position substantially corresponding to the image recording area of each frame.
In the overall information recording area 27, information such as a customer ID number and a lab ID number is also written in addition to the film information such as the film sensitivity, the film maker, the film type, and the number of film frames. Further, in the individual information recording area 28, the individual information at the time of shooting such as a shooting light source, stroboscopic shooting, subject position, shooting distance, etc., trimming instruction information, pseudo zooming information, etc. are written.

FIG. 3 shows a reception machine and a DP bag, and FIG. 4 shows a schematic configuration of the reception machine. A customer ID number 31 and a barcode 32 for the customer ID number are printed on the DP bag 30 in advance. The customer ID number is composed of an agency code and a reception code. Further, the DP bag 30 is provided with a reception content entry field 33 for filling in the DP acceptance machine at the DP agency. As is well known, the customer's name, contact information, and breakdown of the processing content are entered in the reception content entry field 33.

The reception machine is composed of a reception machine body 40 and a magnetic recording device 41. A well-known personal computer is used as the main body 40 of the reception machine, and the controller 42, the keyboard 43, and the display 44
Consists of The photographed film cartridge 10 that has been taken is set in the film drawer 45 of the magnetic recording device 41. The film drawer 45 includes a lid 46 and a cartridge holder 47.
, Spool rotation shaft 48, film pull-out roller pair 49, 5
0, a film leading edge sensor 51, and a winding shaft 52 are provided.

The lid 46 covers the cartridge 10 held by the holder 47 in a light-tight state when closed. The cartridge holder 47 is provided with a storage groove for holding the cartridge body 13, and holds the cartridge body 13 so as not to rotate when the film is cued. The spool rotation shaft 48 is connected to the drive shaft of the motor 53. The shift portion 54 has an engagement position where the tip of the spool rotation shaft 48 enters the engagement end portion 12a of the spool 12,
From this position, the cartridge 10 is displaced upward and the cartridge 10 is displaced from the cartridge holder 47 to the position where it is discharged upward.

In the magnetic recording area 20 of the film 11 pulled out from the cartridge 10 by the film pull-out unit 45, the magnetic recording unit 60
The acceptance data is written by. The reception data includes a customer ID number, a lab ID number, the number of prints, print size, face type, and the like. The customer ID number is input to the controller 42 by the bar code reader 63. In addition, the reception data other than that is filled in the DP bag 30 by the operator.
It is read from 33 and keyed into the controller 42.
The controller 42 displays the reception data on the display 44 according to the program stored in the ROM,
After this display, by operating the recording start key of the keyboard 43, the reception data is sent to the magnetic recording unit 60. The customer ID number may be input by key input instead of using the barcode reader 63.

The magnetic recording unit 60 drives the magnetic recording head 61 based on the reception data from the controller 42 to display the customer ID number, the lab ID number, the print size information, etc. in the reception data in the overall information recording area 27. Information is recorded in the individual information recording area 28 for each frame. The magnetic recording head 61 is
It is located on the film winding path and magnetically records the reception data during film feeding.

After magnetically recording the received data, the film 11 is rewound into the cartridge main body 13 by the rotation of the spool rotating shaft 48, and then the spool rotating shaft 48 is displaced upward to cause the cartridge 10 to move.
Is discharged from the cartridge holder 47.

The received photographic film cartridge 10 is subjected to development processing by a well-known film processor, and then printing processing is performed by a printer processor using this developed film. FIG. 5 shows a printer processor. The developed negative film 70 has a pair of feed rollers 71 and 72.
Is sent to the print opening 74 of the film carrier 73. During the transfer of the film, the magnetic recording head 75 reads the film recording information from the magnetic recording area 20,
This read signal is sent to the decoder 76. The decoder 76 converts the read signal into various recording information and sends it to the controller 77 and the exposure amount computing section 78.

Further, the film carrier 73 detects the frame positioning perforations 11d by the perforation sensor 82 during the transfer of the film 70, and after this detection, the film 70 is fed quantitatively to set the frame to be printed in the print opening 74.

A light source unit 83 is arranged below the film carrier 73. The light source unit 83 includes a light source 84, a light quality adjusting unit 85, and a diffusion box.
It is composed of 86 and. The light quality adjusting unit 85 inserts the color filters 87 to 89 into the printing optical path to adjust the light quality of the printing light according to the printing exposure amount. The diffusion box 86 uniformly diffuses the light whose quality has been adjusted, and illuminates the frame to be printed. Above the film carrier 73, a printing lens 91 for forming an image of a frame to be printed on the photosensitive emulsion surface of the color paper 90.
And a shutter 92 are arranged.

In addition, the scanner is located diagonally above the film carrier 73.
95 is arranged, and each point of the image of the frame to be printed is measured by three-color separation. This photometric data is sent to the characteristic value calculation unit 96, where the characteristic value required to determine the printing exposure amount is calculated, and this is sent to the exposure amount calculation unit 78. The exposure amount calculation unit 78 uses a well-known exposure amount calculation formula to calculate the printing exposure amount from the characteristic value, the photographing information, and the negative verification data input as necessary, and sends it to the controller 77.

The color paper 90 is stored in a roll in a magazine 97, and is set at a print position by a pair of paper feed rollers 98 and 99. A printing machine 100 and a punch unit 101 are arranged near the paper exit at the printing position. The printer 100 prints the customer ID number and the bar code of the customer ID number on the back surface of the color paper 90 on which the image of the first frame of the negative film 70 is printed. Punch unit 101
Forms a small hole-shaped sort mark on one side edge of the paper 90 and a small hole-shaped cut mark on the other side edge at a margin position between the frames.

The controller 77 is composed of a well-known microcomputer, and includes a keyboard 77a for inputting various commands and the like, and a display 77b for displaying these commands and the like. The controller 77 obtains the set positions of the filters 87 to 89 of the respective colors from the printing exposure amount using a well-known filter calibration curve, controls the light quality adjusting unit 85 based on this, and also controls the shutter 92 to perform printing. The image of the target frame is printed and exposed on the color paver 90.

Further, the controller 77 controls the customer ID number from the magnetic read head 75 in addition to the exposure control for printing.
The customer ID number and the bar code are stored in the internal memory 77c, and the printing machine 100 prints the customer ID number and the bar code on the back surface of the top frame of the color paper 90. Printing machine
100 also prints the frame number in addition to the customer ID number and bar code. As is well known, the frame number can be printed by reading the frame number bar code recorded on the negative film, or by reading the magnetically recorded frame number information. The customer ID number and the bar code may be printed not only on the top frame but also on all the frames, or only on the top frame and the end frame.
Further, the controller 77 operates the punch unit 101 based on the sort mark signal to record the sort mark on the color paper 90. Further, cut marks are recorded on the color paper 90 after printing exposure of each frame. The customer ID number data in the memory 77c is cleared when the sort mark is recorded.

The processor unit 103 is a color paper 90 that has been baked and exposed.
Is developed. At the paper exit of the processor 103,
A paper feed roller pair 104, a mark sensor 105 for detecting sort marks and cut marks, and a cutter 106 are arranged. The cutter 106 cuts the paper 90 frame by frame at the cut mark forming position based on the cut mark detection signal. The sorter unit 107 moves each shelf 107a by one shelf based on the sort mark detection signal of the mark sensor 105,
Printed photographs 108 are collected for each order.

FIG. 6 shows a collation device for the print-exposed film 110. This collating device consists of a film 110 and a printed photograph 108.
The film 110 is wound into an empty patrone 113 in addition to the automatic collation with the DP bag 30. In the cartridge holder 112, an empty cartridge 113 for winding and storing the film 110 which has been exposed by printing is set. Empty Patrone 113 spool
One end of the leader tape 115 is fixed to 114,
The other end is in a state of protruding from the cartridge body 116 to the outside. The tip of the leader tape 115 is set at the joining position of the splicer 117. The splicer 117 joins the front end of the leader tape 115 and the rear end of the print-exposed film 110 with a splice tape 118. Spool rotary shaft 119
Engages the shaft end of the spool 114 to rotate the spool 114 in the winding direction. A magnetic recording / reproducing head 120 is arranged on the transfer path of the film 110 and reads out the customer ID number in the entire information recording area. The decoder 121 converts the read signal into an ID number and sends it to the controller 123. The controller 123 displays this ID number on the display 124, and the magnetic recording / reproducing head 120 causes the recording date information and the development date information and the laboratory information among the film recording information.
The ID number information is read out, and the date, customer ID, and lab ID number are printed by the printing machine 126 in the data entry field 127 of the cartridge 113. In order to secure the flatness of the data entry field 127, the cartridge body 116 is preferably formed in a rectangular tube shape.

In addition, the verification device has a bar code of the customer ID number of the DP bag 30.
A bar code reader 130 for reading 32 is connected.
The barcode reader 130 is arranged in the storage box of the DP bag 30, and reads the barcode 32 of the DP bag 30 at the top. Further, a bar code reader 131 for reading the order identifying bar code of the print photograph 108 sent from the sorter unit 107 is connected to the collation device. Then, the customer ID number from each of the readers 130 and 131 and the film 110
The customer ID number read from the magnetic recording layer is collated, and when they match, a collation signal is issued. In response to this collation signal, the operator inserts the cartridge 113 wound with the negative film 110 and the print photograph 108 into the DP bag 30.

Further, the collation device is provided with a gee board 132, and when the finished print photographs 108 are viewed and they are not in a satisfactory finish, designation of a reprint frame and its exposure condition are keyed in. . The controller 123 is
The reprint information input from the keyboard 132 is recorded in the individual information recording area 28 of the negative film 110 via the magnetic recording / reproducing head 120.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. The film cartridge 10 that has been taken is submitted to the DP agency. At the DP agency, after filling in the customer's name, contact information, processing details, etc. in the entry box 33 of the DP bag 30, the cartridge 10 is put in this and sent to the photo lab. At the photo lab, the cartridge 10 is taken out from the DP bag 30 and set in the film drawer 45 of the receiving machine. After that, the customer ID number printed on the DP bag 30 is read by the barcode reader 63, other reception data is checked, and these reception data are input by the keyboard 43. The input reception data is displayed on the display 44, whereby the reception data key-input can be confirmed. After confirmation, by operating the recording start key,
Reception data such as a customer ID number is recorded on the magnetic recording layer of the film 11.

Thereafter, the negative film 11 developed by the film processor is set on the film carrier 73 of the printer processor. The film carrier 73 feeds the negative film 70 frame by frame by operating the frame feed key of the keyboard 77a. During the frame feeding, the film recording information such as the customer identification information and the film type information is read from the whole information recording area 27 of the negative film 70 and is sent to the controller 77. Further, individual information of the frame to be printed (photographing information such as light source type information and main subject position information) is read from the individual information recording area 28, and this is sent to the controller 77 and the exposure amount calculation unit 78.

Also, for the frame to be printed that has been positioned, the scanner 95 measures the three-color density of each point of the frame and the characteristic value calculation unit
After the characteristic value is extracted in 96, the exposure amount calculation unit is based on this.
At 78, the exposure amount is calculated. At the time of calculating the exposure amount, the negative exposure data, the photographing information and the like input as necessary are used to determine the optimum exposure amount. Next, the light quality adjusting unit 85 is controlled based on the exposure amount, and the negative image is printed and exposed on the color paper 90 with a predetermined exposure amount. Then, on the back side of the top frame of the color paper 90, the customer ID is printed by the printing machine 100.
The number and barcode are printed. Further, as is well known, the punch unit 101 records cut marks and sort marks at corresponding positions.

Thereafter, by repeating the same process, each frame of the negative film 70 is printed and exposed. When the printing exposure for one film is completed, a new negative film 70 is added to the film carrier 73.
Is set and the next order is printed. The baking-exposed paper 90 is developed by the processor unit 103, cut into each frame by the cutter 106, and sent into the shelf 107a of the sorter unit 107. When the sort mark on the paper 90 is detected by the mark sensor 105,
Based on this, the sorter unit 107 moves each shelf 107a by one shelf. This will give you a print photo 108 for each order.
Are sorted.

After printing, as shown in FIG. 6, the print-exposed film 110 is wound and stored in an empty cartridge 113. At the time of this winding, the customer ID number of the negative film 110 is read out and displayed on the display 124 of the winding device. In addition, the bar code readers 130 and 131 are used to print the ID number bar code 32 of the DP bag 30 and the print photograph 108.
ID number and is read, and these ID numbers are displayed.
Displayed on 124. Further, it is determined whether or not the read ID numbers match, and when they match, a collation signal is issued. After this collation, the finished state of each print photograph 108 is checked, and for the print photograph with poor finish, the frame number and the exposure correction condition of the print photograph are keyed in, and sent to the reprinting step. Further, in the case of the printed photograph 108 with a good finish, the film cartridge 113 with the negative film 110 wound thereon is inserted into the DP bag 30, and the printing operation is completed. A summary of the above processing procedure is shown in FIG.

In the above embodiment, since the customer ID number is composed of the agency code and the reception code, the number of digits of the ID number becomes large, and if this is simply used for verification, the efficiency becomes poor. Therefore, for example, only the last four digits of this ID number (a part of the acceptance code) may be used for the verification.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the print photograph 108 and the negative film 110 are loaded into the DP bag 30 manually, but in addition to these, the DP bags 30 may be loaded automatically. Good. In this case, at the insertion position in the DP bag,
A negative film inserting device and a print photograph inserting device are provided, and the bar code reader is attached to these inserting devices.
130 and 131 are provided. Then, the DP bag and the negative film are first collated based on the ID number, and the negative film is stored in the DP bag according to the collation result. Next, collate the negative film with the printed photo based on the ID number, and
Insert the print picture in the DP bag. Also, like this,
Instead of individually inserting the negative film and the print photograph into the DP bag, they may be inserted into the DP bag all at once.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to the mini-lab type print system, but the present invention may be applied to a system for a large lab. In this case, the reception process is performed in the same manner as in the above embodiment, and then,
A large number of films are joined with a film processor, made long, and wound into a roll. Next, the film is developed through a film processor. Then, the film after the development processing is set in the roll type printer. A magnetic recording head and a printer are arranged in the printer as in the above embodiment, and the customer ID number read by the magnetic recording head and the bar code of the customer ID number are printed on color paper.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the reception data is input by the keyboard, but in addition to this, the mark sheet reader is connected to the reception machine, and the reception sheet is the mark sheet method, and the customer ID number, the lab ID number, the print size, The print surface type information may be read and recorded in the magnetic recording area of the film. In this case, it suffices to mark the processing content, customer ID number, etc. on the mark sheet, which simplifies the operation.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the customer ID number is recorded at the photo lab, but it may be recorded at the camera side or at the DP agency in addition to this. Also the customer ID
Record numbers and barcodes on color paper with a printing machine
I did it by 100, but in addition to this, there is a white edge on the print, in the case of a bordered print, the customer ID is on this edge part
The latent image may be recorded by a burning head composed of a liquid crystal panel or the like.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the customer identification information of the DP bag is optically read, this customer identification information is recorded in the magnetic recording layer of the photographic film, and recorded in the magnetic recording layer at the time of printing. The customer identification information is read and the customer identification information is recorded in the print photograph based on the information so that the customer identification information can be optically read. Therefore, the customer identification information can be obtained from the photo film each time. Can be recorded. Moreover, the information corresponding to each process can be used as the information input in different forms at the time of printing and at the time of collation.
Information can be smoothly written and read in each step without impairing the flow of photographic processing.

Optically read the customer identification information between the DP bag and the printed photo, magnetically read the customer identification information of the photo film, and automatically collate the DP bag with the printed photo based on these customer identification information. Since the photo film is automatically collated, it is possible to efficiently collate the DP bag, the printed photograph and the photo film without human labor, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of collation errors.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to use a check tape on which an identification number is recorded as in the conventional case, and the printing process can be easily performed. Further, unlike the conventional case, it is not necessary to perform the collation by observing the pattern of the photographic film and the finished printed photograph, and the collation can be performed reliably in a short time and automatically.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the gist of the method of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view showing a photographic film cartridge used in the method of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a reception machine and a DP bag. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the reception machine. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a printer processor used in the method of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a film collating device. 10 …… Photo film Patrone 11 …… Negative film 12 …… Spool 20 …… Magnetic recording area 29 …… Customer ID number 30 …… DP bag 32 …… Customer ID number Bar code 40 …… Receiver unit 41 …… Magnetic Recording device 61 …… Magnetic recording head 110 …… Printed and exposed film 113 …… Empty patrone 117 …… Splicer 126 …… Printer 130,131 …… Bar code reader.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A photographic film in which an image is recorded on a light-sensitive emulsion layer and film recording information is magnetically recorded on a magnetic recording layer, a print photograph prepared by using this photographic film, and customer identification information can be optically read beforehand. For storing the recorded photo film and the printed photo.
In the method of collating with the DP bag, the customer identification information of the DP bag is optically read, the customer identification information is magnetically recorded on the magnetic recording layer of the photographic film, and the customer identification information recorded on the magnetic recording layer at the time of printing. Based on this, the customer identification information is recorded on the print photograph in an optically readable manner, the customer identification information of the DP bag and the print photograph is optically read, and the customer identification information of the photo film is magnetically read, A method for collating printed photographs characterized by automatically collating the DP bag with the printed photograph based on the customer identification information and automatically collating the DP bag with the photograph film.