Photoprinter

• US 20060171004A1
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hori, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,059,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/540
• 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;

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 being 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.

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 device and an instruction to change a size of the template displayed on the display device.

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 device 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;

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; 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 a template over the original image on the display unit,

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

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

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 an outer guide of the selected template and performing a segmentation around its inner guide.