Photoprinter that utilizes stored templates to create a template-treated image

• US 8,059,302 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hori, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu; Benny
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRYAR, JEREMIAH A
• Application Number:
  US11/342,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20060171004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,114 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.9, 358/518, 358/500, 348/207.1
• US Class Current: 358/1.18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3875 combined with enlarging or reducing enlarging or reducing per se H04N1/393

Abstract

A photoprinter includes an image input unit through which an original image is configured to be inputted; a display unit configured to display an image; a printing unit configured to print the image displayed on the display unit; an operation input unit adapted to receive an instruction from a user; a template storage unit configured to store a template including an outer guide and an inner guide; and a control unit operatively connected to the image input unit, the display unit, the printing unit, the operation input unit, and the template storage unit. The control unit is configured to create a template-treated image from the original image by displaying a template over the original image on the display unit, and trimming an area of the original image outside the outer guide of the template and performing segmentation around the inner guide.

Claims

1. A photoprinter, comprising:

an image input unit through which an original image is configured to be inputted;

an image storage unit configured to store the original image;

a display unit configured to display an image;

a printing unit configured to print the image displayed on the display unit;

an operation input unit adapted to receive an instruction from a user;

a template storage unit configured to store a template including an outer guide and an inner guide, the template being stored separately from the original image; and

a control unit operatively connected to the image input unit, the display unit, the printing unit, the operation input unit, and the template storage unit, the control unit being configured to create a template-treated image from the original image by displaying the template over the original image on the display unit with the outer guide of the template being displayed within the original image as an area smaller than the original image and the inner guide of the template being displayed within the outer guide of the template as an area smaller than the outer guide of the template, and trimming an area of the original image outside the outer guide of the template and performing segmentation around the inner guide of the template,

the inner guide of the template having an upper circular portion and a lower curved portion, the inner guide of the template being displayed over the original image on the display unit such that the upper circular portion of the inner guide is superposed on a contour of a head portion of a person in the original image on the display unit and the lower curved portion of the inner guide is superposed on a contour of an upper body portion of the person in the original image on the display unit.

2. The photoprinter recited in claim 1, wherein

the operation input unit has a key, an operation of which results in at least one of an instruction to move the template displayed on the display unit and an instruction to change a size of the template displayed on the display unit.

3. The photoprinter recited in claim 1, wherein

the template storage unit is configured to store a plurality of different templates, each template including an outer guide and an inner guide,

the operation input unit is configured to receive a selection of a template by the user from among the plurality of templates stored in the template storage unit, and

the control unit is further configured to create the template-treated image from the original image by trimming an area of the original image outside an outer guide of the selected template and performing segmentation around its inner guide.

4. The photoprinter recited in claim 1, wherein

the template storage unit is further configured to store a face template, and

the control unit is further configured to extract a face image from the original image displayed on the display unit based on the face template, and display the template over the extracted face image.

5. The photoprinter recited in claim 4, wherein

the control unit is further configured to adjust a size of the template such that the extracted face image fits inside the inner guide of the template.

6. The photoprinter recited in claim 1, wherein

the outer guide of the template has a rectangular shape, and

the inner guide of the template has a curved shape.

7. A photoprinter, comprising:

an image input unit through which an original image is configured to be inputted;

an image storage unit configured to store the original image;

a display unit configured to display an image;

a printing unit configured to print the image displayed on the display unit;

a manual operation input unit adapted to receive an instruction from a user;

a template storage unit configured to store a plurality of different templates, each template including a rectangular outer guide and a curved inner guide, the templates being stored separately from the original image; and

a control unit operatively connected to the image input unit, the display unit, the printing unit, the manual operation input unit, and the template storage unit, the control unit being configured to display one of the templates over the original image on the display unit with the outer guide of the one of the templates being displayed within the original image as an area smaller than the original image and the inner guide of the one of templates being displayed within the outer guide of the one of the templates as an area smaller than the outer guide of the one of the templates,

the manual operation input unit having a key, an operation of which results in at least one of an instruction to move the one of the templates displayed on the display unit and an instruction to change a size of the one of the templates displayed on the display unit,

the manual operation input unit being further configured to receive a selection by the user of the one of the templates,

the control unit being further configured to create a template-treated image from the original image by trimming an area of the original image outside the outer guide of the one of the templates and performing a segmentation around the inner guide of the one of the templates,

the inner guide of the one of the templates having an upper circular portion and a lower curved portion, the inner guide of the one of the templates being displayed over the original image on the display unit such that the upper circular portion of the inner guide is superposed on a contour of a head portion of a person in the original image on the display unit and the lower curved portion of the inner guide is superposed on a contour of an upper body portion of the person in the original image on the display unit.

8. A photoprinter, comprising:

an image input unit through which an original image is configured to be inputted;

an image storage unit configured to store the original image;

a display unit configured to display an image;

a printing unit configured to print the image displayed on the display unit;

an operation input unit adapted to receive an instruction from a user;

a template storage unit configured to store a template including an outer guide and an inner guide, the template being stored separately from the original image; and

a control unit operatively connected to the image input unit, the display unit, the printing unit, the operation input unit, and the template storage unit, the control unit being configured to create a template-treated image from the original image by displaying the template over the original image on the display unit with the outer guide of the template being displayed within the original image as an area smaller than the original image and the inner guide of the template being displayed within the outer guide of the template as an area smaller than the outer guide of the template, and trimming an area of the original image outside the outer guide of the template and performing segmentation around the inner guide of the template,

the control unit being configured to perform the segmentation around the inner guide of the template by replacing an area of the original image located between the outer guide of the template and the inner guide of the template with a predetermined color,

the inner guide of the template having an upper circular portion and a lower curved portion, the inner guide of the template being displayed over the original image on the display unit such that the upper circular portion of the inner guide is superposed on a contour of a head portion of a person in the original image on the display unit and the lower curved portion of the inner guide is superposed on a contour of an upper body portion of the person in the original image on the display unit.