PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM SCANNING AND PRINGTING APPARATUS AND METHOD

Abstract: A stand-alone printer (10) for transferring an image from photographic film (64) is provided with a scanning member (60) for producing a digital image captured on the film and a printing member (34) for printing the digital images on a print medium (26). Instruction for scanning and image processing may be provided to a controller (22) through a user interface (38) which has a plurality of activating buttons for initiating functions. A film developing unit is integrated within the printing member for developing film from a camera.

Description: PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM SCANNING AND PRINTING APPARATUS AND METHOD TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates generally to methods and systems for reproducing scanned images on output devices, and more particularly, to stand-alone printers having the capability of receiving scanned image data directly from a photographic film scanning source, converting the image data to print data, and reproducing the image on a print media using the print data. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The advent of computers has fundamentally changed the way images can be stored, manipulated, and printed. Images can now be captured by digital devices, such as digital cameras and scanners, and stored digitally. A digitally stored image can then be transmitted, enhanced, and manipulated through computer programs. Moreover, as digital technology has improved and associated costs fallen, the resolution of the images captured by these devices continues to improve, and in many cases approaches or exceeds the quality of traditional film photography. Traditionally, to use a digital image one needed a computer. The computer would be loaded with a variety of different programs to transmit, enhance and manipulate the digital images. To obtain a hard copy of the digital image, the user would direct the computer with an appropriate series of commands to send a print job from the computer to a traditional printer. While the traditional model works, it does have attendant shortcomings, such as being expensive, complicated, non-portable, etc. To combat such shortcomings, various manufacturers began offering stand-alone printers designed to print digital images. One example of a stand-alone printer is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application S/N 09/164,500, filed on October 1, 1998, which is incorporated herein by reference. As part of this advent of digital technology, various film scanners have been developed which provide for the conversion of an image from photographic film to a digital format. Such devices scan one or more developed film frames to produce digital image data files, each file representing the photographic image which appears on a frame. Once the film images have been converted to digital format, the digital image data can be manipulated using an image processing device. For example, software applications running on a personal computer can be utilized to modify, enhance, crop, or otherwise manipulate the image. While film scanning systems have provided advantages in the transfer of photographic images to paper media, they are not without disadvantages. For example, heretofore, photographic film scanners have required a separate intermediate processing apparatus, typically a personal computer, for controlling the conversion of the scanned data to printable data. In other words, neither photographic film scanners nor printers have heretofore provided hardware and/or software for directly connecting a film scanner to a printer. Thus, the added expense, space, and burden of a computer has been required to allow the two devices to interface. While it has been known to directly connect a printer to a digital camera, no capability has been provided for directly interfacing a printer with a photographic film scanner. Accordingly, it is desirable to have a stand-alone printing apparatus which can print images directly from a film scanner without the need for intermediate processing by a computer system. It is also desirable to have a stand-alone printing apparatus in which film developing, film scanning, image processing, and printing functions are incorporated into a single device. It is also desirable to provide such a stand-alone printing apparatus which may process digital image data from either a scanner, a computer readable medium, or a computer system. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus and method which can receive image data directly from a film scanner without the need for intermediate processing by a personal computer. In particular, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a stand-alone printing apparatus and method in which photographic film images may be scanned, processed and printed all within a single device. Another object of the present invention is to provide a stand-alone printing apparatus and method in which a film scanning member is integrated within a printer. Yet another object of the present invention is to alternatively provide a stand-alone printing apparatus and method in which a film scanning member is separate from but directly connected to a printer. A further object of the present invention is to provide a stand-alone printing apparatus and method having a controller within the printing apparatus for processing and formatting digital image data from a film scanner. In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a stand-alone printing apparatus and method in which photographic film may be developed, scanned, digitally processed and printed all within a single device, and without the burden and expense of a separate computer or controller unit. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a stand-alone photoprinting apparatus and method which can process and print images from a variety of sources, including directly from a film scanner, computer readable medium or personal computer. Additional objects, advantages and other novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows and, in part, will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. To achieve the foregoing and other objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention as described above, a stand-alone printing apparatus for transferring an image from photographic film to a print media is provided comprising a scanning member for producing a digital representation of the image captured on photographic film and a printing member for producing on the print media a pattern associated with the digital representation. The printing member receives and processes the digital image representation directly from the scanning member. The printing member preferably includes a controller for controlling the scanning member, processing the digital image data, and generating print commands for driving print heads to produce the associated pattern on the print media. The scanning member may be integrated within the printing member, or, alternatively, may be connected externally of the printing member by way of a suitable communications link. Instructions for scanning and image processing may be provided to the controller through a user interface which includes a plurality of activating buttons for initiating functions. The present invention also provides a method for printing an image captured on photographic film which includes the steps of providing a scanning member, inserting the photographic film media into the scanning member, and using the scanning member to produce a digital representation of the image on the photographic film media. A printing member is provided, and the digital representation of the image is transmitted directly from the scanning member to the printing member. The digital representation is processed in the printing member and a plurality of print commands are generated to drive one or more print heads to produce a pattern associated with the image on a print medium. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, also provided is a standalone printing apparatus for transferring a latent image on undeveloped photographic film to a print media. The apparatus comprises a developer member for developing the latent image on the photographic film, a scanning member for producing a digital representation of the image developed on the film and a printing member for producing on the print media a pattern associated with the digital representation. The printing member receives and processes the digital image representation directly from the scanning member. The printing member preferably includes a controller for controlling the scanning member, processing the digital image data, and generating print commands for driving print heads to produce the associated pattern on the print media. The stand-alone printing apparatus may also directly interface with a wide variety of digital devices, such as computers and digital cameras for example, as well as a variety of digital storage media, such as memory cards and disks for example. Still other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description wherein there is shown and described preferred embodiments of this invention, including a best mode currently contemplated for the invention, simply for the purposes of illustration. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other different aspects and embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the invention, it is believed that the same will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 depicts a photoprinter communicating with a variety of external components; Fig. 2 depicts an operational block diagram for the photoprinter of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of a photoprinting apparatus made in accordance with the principles of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a rear perspective view of the exemplary photoprinter of Fig. 3, wherein an external third drive is shown; Fig. 5 is a front perspective view of the exemplary photoprinter of Fig. 3, wherein the cover is raised to expose certain details thereunder; Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the user interface of the exemplary photoprinter of Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a schematic illustration of the exemplary photoprinter of Fig. 3; Fig. 8 is schematic illustration of an exemplary routine to detect the active drive; Fig. 9 is a schematic illustration of exemplary one-step functions and an exemplary menu routine; Fig. 10 is a more detailed schematic illustration of the exemplary storage options submenu illustrated in Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a more detailed schematic illustration of the exemplary scan options submenu illustrated in Fig. 9; Fig. 12 is a flowchart of the steps by which an exemplary method of the present invention is accomplished; Fig. 13 is a rear perspective view of a second embodiment of a photoprinting apparatus made in accordance with the principles of the present invention; Fig. 14 is a schematic illustration of the photoprinting apparatus embodiment of Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a schematic illustration of a third embodiment of a photoprinting apparatus, made in accordance with principles of the present invention; and Fig. 16 is a flow diagram illustrating the steps by which an exemplary method of the present invention is accomplished. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference will now be made to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals indicate the same elements throughout the views. As will be understood, the present invention relates to a stand-alone photoprinting apparatus which is capable of printing images directly from photographic film. Accordingly, the printing apparatus can operate independent of and without connection to a computer, although preferred embodiments can still have the capability of interfacing with a computer system as desired. Fig. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a photoprinter 10. As used herein, a "photoprinter" refers to a stand-alone appliance for printing digital photographs onto a printable medium. A "digital photograph" is a photographic image captured by a light sensing electronic device (e.g., CCD, CMOS, CID, or the like) and converted into a digital file capable of being stored on a computer readable medium. The term "stand-alone" means that the printer is capable of processing and printing digital files independent of an external host device, such as a computer, wherein processing means calculating a pixel pattern to be printed on the printable medium that represents the corresponding digital file (sometimes referred to as ripping or generating printing code). For instance, a printer is considered stand-alone if an external device merely passes a digital photograph to the printer and the printer contains the logic for processing and printing the digital photograph. The foregoing definitions are inclusive and open-ended. For example, a stand-alone printer may additionally be capable of receiving printing code from an external device. As a further example, a photoprinter may additionally be capable of processing and printing digital files other than digital photographs, such as text files, word processing files, HTML files, and the like. The photoprinter 10 is operative to print digital photographs on printable media (e.g., paper, glossy film or photo paper, index cards, labels, envelopes, transparencies, coated paper, cloth, etc.). In one preferred embodiment, the photoprinter 10 works by transferring an ink (e.g., toner, dye, pigment, wax, carbon, etc.) onto a printable medium. For instance, the photoprinter 10 can employ conventional thermal ink jet technology, however, it is contemplated that the present invention can be adapted for use with other types of ink jet technologies, such as piezo ink jet. In addition, the present invention can be adapted for use with other printer technologies, such as electrophotography, dye diffusion, thermal transfer, and the like. While the photoprinter 10 operates as a stand-alone printer, it can nevertheless communicate with a variety of external components, only a portion of which are illustrated in Fig. 1. In the present example, the photoprinter 10 can communicate with a computer 12 using any one of a variety of different communication links, such as parallel cables, serial cables, telephone lines, universal serial bus port AUSB, firewire, bluetooth, fiber optics, infrared AIR, radio frequency ARF, network interface cards (e.g., Ethernet, token ring, etc.), and the like. The computer 12 can be any conventional or special purpose computer, such as a desktop computer, a tower computer, a micro-computer, a minicomputer, server, workstation, palmtop computer, notebook computer, or the like. Through the communication link, the photoprinter 10 can receive digital photographs from the computer 12 for processing and printing. In one embodiment, the computer 12 is programmed to generate printing code (e.g., via locally loaded print drivers) and the photoprinter 10 is capable of receiving the externally processed printing code for direct printing. As such, the photoprinter 10 would have dual functionality: a stand-alone printer as well as a more conventional printer for receiving commands from an external device. In the present example, the photoprinter 10 can also communicate with an external display 14 (e.g., a television, monitor, LCD, or the like) using an appropriate communication link. In such a configuration, the photoprinter 10 can generate and send appropriate signals to present a user interface to operate the photoprinter 10 or preview digital photographs on the display 14. The photoprinter 10 also can communicate with a digital camera 16 using an appropriate communication link. Typically, a digital camera 16 includes one or more lenses that focus light into an image on a light sensing electronic device, and stores the image as a digital photograph. In one embodiment, the photoprinter 10 can retrieve, process and print digital photographs stored in the camera 16. The photoprinter 10 can also communicate with a computer readable medium 18, shown here as a floppy diskette. A computer readable medium stores information readable by a computer, such as programs, data files, etc. As one with ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate, a computer readable medium can take a variety of forms, including magnetic storage (such as hard drives, floppy diskettes, tape, etc.), optical storage (such as laser disks, compact disks, digital video disks DVD, etc.), electronic storage (such as random access memory RAM, read only memory "ROM", programmable read only memory PROM, flash memory, memory sticks, etc.), and the like. Some types of computer readable media, which are sometimes described as being non-volatile, can retain data in the absence of power so that the information is available when power is restored. The photoprinter 10 preferably interfaces with the computer readable medium 18 using an internal or external drive. As used herein, the term drive is intended to mean a structure which is capable of interfacing with (e.g., reading from and/or writing to) a computer readable medium. Naturally, suitable drives will vary depending upon the specific computer readable medium 18 being employed. In a preferred embodiment, the photoprinter includes first and second drives each adapted to receive a solid state flash memory card. The first and second drives are preferably both internal drives. Flash memory cards, due to their very small size and lightweight, are a highly portable computer readable medium which are electrically re-writable and are non- volatile. More preferably, the first and second drives are adapted to receive different types of flash memory cards, such as a NAND type of flash memory card (e.g., a SMART MEDIA™ card developed by Toshiba, Inc.) or a PCMCIA type of flash memory card (e.g., the COMPACTFLASH™ developed by SanDisk, Inc.). Fig. 2 depicts a preferred operational block diagram 20 for the photoprinter 10. One or more units of film 19 are scanned under the direction of a scan control 21 located internal to the photoprinter 10. The scan control 21 scans an image on the film 19 and transmits the resulting digital photograph to the image processing control 22. The image processing control 22 is responsible for calculating a pixel pattern to be printed on the printable medium 26 that represents the corresponding digital photograph sometimes referred to in the art as generating printing code. The image processing control 22 may optionally enhance the digital photographs. For instance, photo enhancement software, such as the PICTURE IQ software by Digital Intelligence, may be incorporated into the image processing control 22. Further, image processing control 22 may optionally include a variety of different resources to modify the printed rendition of the digital photographs, such as the addition of text, frames, templates, scaling, etc. Enhancements or resources may be implemented before and or after the digital photographs are converted to printing code. A user interface 23 is provided to allow a user to interact with and/or direct the image processing control 22 (e.g., controlling the enhancements and/or resources). The user interface 23 may be integral to the photoprinter 10 or located on an external component. Preferably, however, the photoprinter 10 includes an LCD display with one or more buttons or other input devices. Optionally, the user interface 23 may take the form of a series of instructions accompanying the digital photographs, such as a digital print order format DPOF. The print code generated during image processing is passed to the print control 24. In the cases where printing code is generated from an external source (e.g., computer 12), such printing code can be input 25 directly to the print control 24, thus bypassing the image processing. The print control 24 is responsible for directing the physical transference of the pixel pattern represented by the printing code to the printable medium 26. The photoprinter 10 is preferably in the form of a thermal ink jet printer having one or more conventional thermal ink jet print heads. During printing, the print control 24 directs one or more motors to move the printable medium 26 longitudinally relative to the photoprinter 10 so that it is properly positioned for deposition of an ink pattern or swath. Once the printable medium 26 is in position, the print control 24 directs the print head to move along a conventional print head carriage in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction while firing droplets of ink onto the surface of the printable medium 26. The print head may make one or more of these transverse passes to complete printing for the swath. After the swath is complete, the printable medium's 26 position is adjusted longitudinally for the printing of the next swath. Fig. 3 is a front perspective view of an exemplary first embodiment for the stand- alone photoprinting apparatus 10 made in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the photoprinter 10 includes a housing 27 having a rotatable cover 28, a sheet feeder 29 configured to store one or more sheets of printable medium 26, and an exit tray 30 configured to receive the sheets after they have been fed through the printer. The sheets 26 can be any of a number of suitable printable substrates, including conventional papers, glossy film or photo papers, card stock, labels, envelopes, transparencies, etc. In this embodiment, the photoprinter 10 includes an integrated film scanning member, generally designated by reference numeral 60, which is adapted to receive and process one or more units of photographic film media. This film media may comprise any type of photographic film having images developed thereon, such as, for example, slide film, print film, and professional film in any of a variety of desired speeds and formats, such as 35 mm film strips, 16 mm sleeve film, or an Advanced Photo System (APS) film cartridge. In the embodiment shown, the film media is an APS film cartridge 64. The scanning member 60 preferably includes a film scanning compartment 62 for receiving the film cartridge 64, and a slidable door 63 for opening and closing the compartment. As shown in Fig. 3, the photoprinter 10 also includes first and second drives 32 and 33 which are adapted to receive computer readable medium 18, as described above. Preferably, drives 32 and 33 are flash memory drives which are adapted to receive flash memory cards, as described above. However, while the invention is described herein as receiving flash memory cards, it is contemplated that new, compact and lightweight computer readable media which are suitable for use with digital devices may replace these flash memory cards. As such, it is contemplated that drives 32 and 33 may be adapted to receive other types of portable computer readable media without departing from the scope of the invention. As best seen in Fig. 4, the photoprinter 10 also has one or more input/output ports 36 on the rear face of housing 27 for connecting the printer to any of a variety of external components using any one of a variety of communication links, as described above. As shown in the figure, port 36 may be used to directly interconnect the photoprinter 10 with a third, external drive 37 for use with a high capacity computer readable medium 41 , and/or with a computer system (not shown). In the embodiment shown, the external drive 37 is interconnected with the photoprinter 10 by a cable 39. Preferred high capacity storage devices that may be utilized as drive 37 include magnetic disk drives or diskette drives, such as the ZIP parallel drive manufactured by Iomega, Inc. In an alternative embodiment, which will be described below, port 36 maybe utilized as an external scanner port through which a commercially available scanner may be directly connected to and controlled by the photoprinter 10. As shown in Fig. 5, rotating the cover 28 reveals a printing compartment which houses one or more ink jet print heads 34 (without their ink cartridges) and conventional means (not shown) for handling and advancing the sheets 26 past the print heads 34 through the photoprinter 10. During printing, a sheet 26 is moved longitudinally relative to the photoprinter 10 so that it is properly positioned within the printer for deposition of an ink pattern or swath across the sheet. Once the sheet 26 is in position, the print heads 34 move along a conventional print head carriage (not shown) in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction while firing droplets of ink onto the sheet's surface. The print heads 34 may make one or more of these transverse passes to complete printing for the swath. After the swath is complete, the paper's position is adjusted longitudinally for the printing of the next swath. These portions of the photoprinter 10 will not be described in greater detail herein, although additional details can be found in U.S. Patent No. 5,684,516 issued to Cseledy et al. on November 4, 1997; U.S. Patent No. 5,661,510 issued to Brandon et al. on August 26, 1997; and U.S. Patent No. 5,627,572 to Harrington, III et al., the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. Referring now to Figs. 3 and 6, the exemplary photoprinter 10 also includes a user interface 38 having a display 40, such as a liquid crystal display or LCD, and a plurality of input buttons 42 - 48 for controlling scanning and printing functions. The buttons may include a select button 42, an index button 44, a print button 46, and a print all button 48. Two menu scroll buttons 50 are also provided for moving through a series of menus depicted on the display 40 of the user interface 38, as more fully described below. An indicating light 56 is also preferably provided to indicate the status of the photoprinter 10 during usage The internal components and operation of the exemplary photoprinter 10 will now be described in more detail with reference to Fig. 7. As shown in Fig. 7, film media having one or more images developed thereon, such as APS cartridge 64, may be inserted into scanning member 60 through compartment 62. The film 64 may be placed in a suitable holder or carrier (not shown) prior to being placed in compartment 62 to facilitate the advancing of the film through the scanning member 60. The type of suitable holder or carrier depends upon the type of film being scanned, and may consist of conventional holders commonly used with commercially available film scanners, such as, for example, a glass or plastic flat holder for 35 mm film strip negatives or a plastic recessed holder for slides. An adaptor assembly (not shown) may also be provided to hold and advance sleeves or cartridges of film. After the film 64 and corresponding holder are placed in compartment 62, a film advancing assembly 72 is utilized to advance the film through the scanning member 60. As shown in Fig. 7, the scanning member 60 further includes a light source 74 which applies light 76 to illuminate the film 64 as it is advanced by assembly 72. Optical devices (not shown) may be positioned between the light source 74 and the film 64 in order to enhance and/or focus the illumination provided, such as to make the illumination more uniform. Preferably, the light source 74 applies visible light, such as white light, to the film 64. Any appropriate light source may be utilized for this purpose, such as fluorescent, incandescent, halogen, or direct gas discharge lamps, for example, or one or more light- emitting diodes (LED's). Filters, wavelength modifiers, or limiters (not shown) may also be included with the light source 74 to aid in the application of visible light 76 to the film 64. Light applied to the film 64 is attenuated by the image on each frame as it is transmitted through and/or reflected by the film. Sensors 77, 78, and 79 are provided in order to record the amount and/or type of light transmitted through the image. Optics, such as lenses 80, may also be provided in order to focus or otherwise direct the light transmitted through the image onto the sensors 77, 78, and 79. For each portion of the image, or pixel, sensors 77, 78, and 79 record the amount of red, green, and blue light transmitted, respectively. The sensors 77, 78, and 79 utilized in this embodiment could comprise any suitable light responsive sensor, such as a phototransistor, a photoresistor, a charge coupled device (CCD), a time delay integration array, or other light responsive device. Rather than scanning one pixel at a time, a plurality of individual sensor elements may be arranged in an array to scan a region, line or column of the image with one illumination. The film advance assembly 72 in conjunction with the film holder or carrier provides for movement of the film relative to the light source 74 and sensors 77-79. Depending upon the type of sensors utilized, processing circuitry, such as analog-to digital converters (A/D convertors) and or amplification circuitry may be used to convert the pixel data from the sensors 77, 78, and 79 into a digital data representation of the image on the film 64. As also shown in Fig. 7, the photoprinter 10 includes a first, scan controller 21 which is preferably configured with scanner driver software to control the scanning process. The scan controller 21 is programmed to control the application of light 76 from the light source 74, and the movement of the film 64 by the film advance assembly 72. In addition, the scan controller 21 receives the RGB digital image data created by the sensors 77, 78, and 79. The scan controller 21 could comprise a microprocessor, a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit, or other appropriate control circuitry, in combination with appropriate software, firmware, or microcode. In addition to the controller 21, the scanning member 60 may comprise additional hardware and software for facilitating the scanning operation, such as that described in U.S. Patent No. 4,638,371 issued to Milch on January 20, 1987, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. As shown in Fig. 7, the first controller 21 interfaces with a second, image processing controller 22 for transmitting digital image data from the sensors and receiving commands regarding scanner operation. The image processing controller 22 includes image processing capabilities for receiving the digital data and generating appropriate print commands. In particular, the controller 22 preferably includes image processing software 86 similar to that utilized with a personal computer to format digital images. As part of the image processing capabilities, the controller 22 also includes a menu routine 70 which will be described in more detail below. If the digital image data is provided to the controller 22 in an RGB format, the controller 22 converts the data into a CMY or CMYk format, using an appropriate conversion algorithm. Such conversion algorithms can be found, for example, in A Technical Introduction to Digital Video, Ch. 7, by Charles A. Poynton (John Wiley & Sons, 1996), which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. In addition to conversion algorithms, the image processing software 86 could include color correction algorithms, halftoning algorithms, and/or other processing algorithms for manipulating and refining the digital image. For example, suitable algorithms are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,973,803, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. The second, image processing controller 22 preferably interfaces with a third, print control 24, which controls movement and operation of the print heads 34 and associated mechanisms 92 for feeding sheets through the photoprinter 10. The second controller 22 transmits print commands to the print control 24, so that the print control may drive the printheads 34 to deposit ink on the sheets 26 in a pattern corresponding to the digital data image. As shown in Fig. 7, controller 22 also interfaces with user interface 38 to receive input from the activating buttons 42-50, as well as provide status through the indicator light 56 and the display 40. A user of the photoprinter 10 may input commands through the user interface 38 to direct the scanning and image processing functions of the photoprinter 10. These commands are processed by the image processing and menu routine portions of the second controller 22. Additionally, the second controller 22 interfaces with drives 32 and 33 which are adapted for receiving a computer readable medium, as described above. The controller 22 may query the drives 32 and 33 during operation to determine whether a memory card having digital image data files is inserted therein. In addition to processing digital photographs from scanning member 60, it is contemplated that the photoprinter 10 of the present invention may also process and print digital data files captured and stored on computer readable medium by other digital devices, such as a camera. These additional digital data files may be input to the photoprinter 10 through drives 32 and 33. Further, controller 22 may interface with external port 36 to receive digital image data files from a high capacity computer readable medium 41 in external drive 37, or optionally from a computer. Accordingly, the present invention will have the capacity to function as a standalone printer for image files from a number of different sources. The second controller 22 may comprise a microprocessor, a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit, or other appropriate control circuitry in combination with appropriate software, firmware, or microcode. Further, while the photoprinter 10 is illustrated as comprising three separate controllers, it is contemplated that fewer or more control devices could be provided for control of the scanning, image processing, and printing operations of the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. As shown in Fig. 8, at power on 202, or according to a designated time schedule or upon detecting a change in the drives 32, 33 or 37 or in scanning member 60, the scanning member 60 is queried by the image processing control 22 to determine if a film media is inserted therein. For purposes of discussion, the scanning member or drive having a medium disposed therein which is detected by the image processing control 22 will be referred to as the active drive. If a film media is detected in scanning member 60, execution passes to block 206 where the scan control 21 determines the number of images on the film. The images are then indexed and each assigned a photo number, as shown at block 208. If a film media is not detected in scanning member 60, then the image processing control 22 queries the first drive 32, as shown at block 210, to determine if a flash memory card or other computer readable medium is disposed therein. If a card is detected in the first drive, then execution passes to block 212 where the memory card is inventoried to determine the number and type of digital image files thereon. If more than one digital image file is located on the active drive, execution passes to block 208 where the digital files or photographs are indexed and assigned photo numbers, as described more fully in U.S. Patent Application S/N 09/164,500, filed on October 1, 1998. If a card is not detected in the first drive, then execution passes to block 214 where the second drive 33 is queried to determine whether a flash memory card or other computer readable medium is disposed therein. If a flash memory card is located in the second drive 33, execution again passes to block 212, as previously described. If a card is not detected, then execution passes to block 216 where the port 36 is queried to determine if a third, external drive having a high capacity computer readable disk 41 is connected to the port. If such a drive and disk is detected, execution again passes to block 212 where the digital image files are inventoried and read from the disk; otherwise, execution returns to block 204, as shown, preferably either immediately or after a predetermined delay. Alternatively, an error code or textual message can be displayed on the display 40 of the user interface 38 indicating that neither a film media, card, nor disk can be found. After the active drive has been determined and the images indexed, execution passes to block 126 of Fig. 9. At block 126, a user can input commands through the user interface 38 directing operation of the photoprinter 10 (e.g. selection of images, printing of images, formatting of images, etc.). For instance, once execution passes to block 126, the buttons 42-48 become active so that a user of the photoprinter 10 can perform certain operations by activation of a single button. The index button 44 preferably scans each image on the film and prints a thumbnail size image (i.e. an image of substantially reduced size) for each of the images on the film media, or each image input from the computer readable medium 18. This set of thumbnail images can be printed on one or more of the sheets 26 depending upon the number of thumbnail images. Preferably, printed next to each thumbnail image is its associated photo number to identify the photo according to the order in which it was scanned or read. Thus, activation of the index function 128 allows the user of the photoprinter 10 to quickly identify each image stored on the film or card, and to select certain images for manipulation and printing, based upon its assigned photo number. Activation of the print all button 48 initiates the printing of a snapshot sized (e.g., 4 X 6 inches) print for each photo image scanned from the film 64, as shown at block 130. The select button 42 enables the selection of specific images based upon the assigned photo numbers as shown at block 132, while activation of the print button 46 causes the selected images to be scanned from the film media and printed on print media 26 using the currently active format parameters, as shown at block 134. As illustrated in block 126 of Fig. 9, in addition to selecting one or more of the one- button functions 128, 130, 132 or 134, a user of the printer 10 can also select from a number of submenus using a menu routine 70, in order to control the scanning, formatting, and printing of images. The buttons 50 on the user interface 38 may be used to scroll through and select these menus. A menu can be selected by an appropriate selection method, such as, for instance, pressing the select button 42. In particular, the print options submenu illustrated in block 138 provides selectable options for the size of the sheet 26 on which the images are to be printed (e.g., A4, A6, 8.5 X 11 inches, 4 X 6 inches, etc), the number of images per sheet, the number of copies to be printed, the type of sheets that will be used, the quality and resolution of the printing, etc. The cartridge submenu of block 140 can be used for initiating installation, alignment, and cleaning of the ink cartridges used by the printheads. In addition, the setup options submenu of block 142 can be used to configure general operational parameters, such as the language of the text displayed on the display 40 of the user interface 38. The select photos submenu of block 144 can be used to select one or more of the images from the film 64. For example, the thumbnail images previously described can be used to correlate each image with a photo number, and the photos of interest can be selected by their photo number. This option is similar to the one-touch select function 132. Moreover, the storage options submenu shown in block 148 can be used to copy and store scanned images onto a computer readable medium in drives 32, 33 or 37. This option is depicted in greater detail in Fig. 10. hi block 222, the user of photoprinter 10 is prompted whether to copy files from scanning member 60 (or files read from another computer readable medium) to a storage disk in a drive. Preferably, the storage disk will be in the third, external drive 37. If the copy option is selected, the images on the film are scanned and copied to the computer readable medium, as indicted by block 224. Following the copy operation, execution returns to the menu selection block 148 of Fig. 9, as depicted in block 230. If the copy option is not selected, execution returns directly to the menu selection block 148. The special formats submenu of block 146 provides for the formatting of scanned images which are to be printed. For example, predefined borders and texts can be selected so that they are printed with the image. In addition, one of a plurality of areas of the image can be selected and enlarged to fill the entire printed image area. For example, each scanned image can be divided into approximately nine equally sized quadrants. The special formats submenu 146 can be used to select one of these areas for enlargement. This feature provides a simple means for implementing image enlargement or a zooming function using the buttons of the user interface 38. The special formats submenu 146 could also be used to select one of five predefined panorama views, such as a top panorama, an upper center panorama, a center panorama, a lower center panorama, or a lower panorama. The menu routine 70 of Fig. 9 also includes a scan options submenu shown in block 141 for defining parameters for the scanning process. An exemplary scan options submenu 141 is illustrated in greater detail in Fig. 11. Preferably, the scan options submenu 141 is accessed and the preferences selected prior to a scanning operation so that the scanner has the appropriate setup for the film type and image format desired. Alternatively, the scan options submenu maybe placed under the setup options submenu of block 142, in which case the parameters may be set once at startup, and remain the same for subsequent scanning operations. In the exemplary scan options submenu, the following options are provided for controlling the scan operations of the printer: A select resolution option 150, a select focus option 152, a select film format option 154, a select film type option 156, an image adjustment option 158, and an image orientation option 160. More specifically, the select resolution option 150, if selected, displays a choice of available resolutions for conducting the scan operation. In the example of Fig. 11, a 2800 dpi (dots per inch) option 162 or a 1200 dpi option 164 can be selected. If the user selects the select focus option 152, the user can choose between an auto- focus option 166 or a manual focus option 168. These options control optics in the scanner 60, which in turn determine the sharpness of the scanned image. Choosing the auto-focus option 166 causes the scanner 60 to focus on the center of each frame of the film 64. Choosing the manual focus option 168 allows the user to select a different part of each frame to be focused in on. For example, the user could be prompted to select from the following focusing options: a top option 170, a bottom option 172, a left option 174, and a right option 176. Selecting the select film format option 154 of Fig. 11 allows the user to scroll through and choose one of the available formats which can be scanned by the scanner member 60. For instance, the user could choose between an APS film option 178 and a 35mm film option 180. Other options can be displayed according to the capability provided by the scanner. In addition, a select film type option 156 can be selected from the scan options submenu for controlling the scanning conducted. The user may choose between a slide≤ option 182 and a color negative option 184. The scanner can adjust its optics and lenses to obtain maximum resolution, depending on the film chosen from options 154 and 156. The final two scanning options shown in the exemplary menus of Fig. 11 are the image adjustment option 158 and the image orientation option 160. The image adjustment option 158 allows the user to adjust the contrast 186 and/or the brightness 188 of the scan to one of a plurality of discrete levels shown at 189. The image orientation option 160 allows the user to manipulate the scanned image data as desired. For example, a number of image manipulation options can be provided, to change the way the image appears. In the example of Fig. 11, a rotate left option 190 is provided to rotate the image 90 degrees counterclockwise, a rotate right option 192 is provided to rotate the scanned image 90 degrees clockwise, a flip horizontal option 194 is provided to flip the image about its central horizontal axis, a flip vertical option 196 is provided to flip the image about its central vertical axis, and a fill paper option 198 is provided to enlarge the printed image so that it fills the entire paper size selected. Various algorithms are known in the art for conducting image manipulation with a film scanner, and any of these algorithms may be incorporated with the present invention to achieve the desired results without departing from the scope of the invention. Fig. 12 is a flow diagram depicting an exemplary method for operating the printer 10 of the present invention. Starting at block 100, a film cartridge, such as that identified by reference numeral 64, is inserted into the scanning compartment 62 of the printer 20. As noted above, the film is preferably placed in a suitable holder, carrier, or adapter in order to maintain the film in an appropriate position as it is advanced in the scanner. When queried by the image processing control 22 and designated the active drive, the film drive assembly 72 moves the film relative to a light source 74 for scanning, as shown at block 102. At block 104, a frame on the film 64 is illuminated by the light source 74. At block 106, RGB intensity signals for the various pixels which make up the scanned framed are produced by the sensors 77-79 in response to the light transmitted through and/or reflected from the film image. The RGB signals for the various pixels are converted to digital signals, such as by an A/D converter, to produce a digital data representation of the image, which is then passed to controller 22 at step 108. A number of different formatting options may be applied to the digital representation of the image based upon criteria selected through the menu routine 70, as depicted by block 110. For example, suitable color correction, image rotation, image enlargement, or image enhancement routines can be applied to the digital data. Once ready for printing, the digital image data can be converted to an appropriate format for driving one or more printheads 34. For instance, in the case of a color ink-jet printer, the digital data might be converted to a CMY or CMYk format. This step is shown at block 112. The print format can then be used to cause print control 24 to drive printheads 34 to deposit ink, or another print substance, to a paper sheet or other print medium. This step is shown at block 114. For instance, if binary ink jet printing is used, the C, M, and Y values can be converted to biliary l's and 0's by using a suitable halftoning algorithm. The resulting 1 's and 0's determine whether a C, M, or Y dot will be placed at the corresponding pixel. Fig.13 depicts an alternative embodiment of the present invention, in which a scanning member 260 is separate from but directly connected to a photoprinter 220. In this embodiment, scanning member 260 could be any commercially available film scanner such as, for example, the Kodak Advantix film drive FD300 or the Fujifilm AS-1 Filmscan-it. The scanning member 260 is attached to the printer 220 by cable 39 which extends from the scanner to the external printer port 36. Attachment to the printer may be via a parallel cable as in the exemplary embodiment, a universal system bus (USB) port, or by any of the other communication links described above. The scanning member 260 and cable 39 may be attached to the printer 220 in the same manner as scanners have traditionally been attached to a personal computer. Once attached to the printer 220, film media, such as cartridge 64, may be loaded into the scanner 260 in a conventional manner. Fig.14 illustrates the major components of printer 220 for the alternative embodiment in which the scanning member 260 is attached externally of the printer housing 27. As shown in Fig. 14, the scanning member 260 interfaces with controller 22 through cable 39 and port 36. As in the first embodiment, controller 22 includes image processing software 86, a menu routine 70 and other hardware, software and microcode for controlling the scanning member 260, as well as processing the digital image data from the scanning member. In particular, controller 22 preferably includes scanner driver software for operating the attached scanner 260. The particular driver software will depend upon the film scanner being utilized, and the driver software may be loaded into the controller 22 by selecting the scanner type from a menu routine. Alternatively, the controller 22 may include the processing capability to query the port 36 to determine whether a scanning member is attached thereto and, if so, to determine the particular type of attached scanner. The controller 22 may then upload from a memory storage or a computer readable medium in drives 32 or 33 the appropriate driver software for the scanner. Controller 22 initiates commands to scanner 260 upon receipt of appropriate instructions from the user interface 38. During the query loop for the active drive, the controller 22 will query port 36 to determine if a scanner is attached, and if so, whether a film media is present in the scanner. The controller 22 will instruct the scanner 260 to scan each of the images on the film media in the scanner and to transmit the RGB digital image data to the controller. The controller 22 will then index and assign photo numbers to the digital images in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Particular format options for the images may be selected through menu routine 70. Similarly, the controller 22 formats print commands for the print control 24 to direct the print heads 34 to produce the image on a print media. The RGB signals from scanner 260 may also be stored on a computer readable medium in drives 32, 33 or 37 for later processing and printing in the same manner described above for the first embodiment. Accordingly, in the second embodiment of the invention a film scanner is directly connected to a printer apparatus such that the printer controls the operation of the scanner. The printer can instruct the scanner to upload digitized images directly to the printer, where the images maybe formatted using the menus and image processing capability of the printer in the same manner as if the images had been input from a memory card or data storage disk. Accordingly, the present invention provides the user with the choice of printing images either from a film media source through scanner 260, or from a memory card through drives 32 or 33. Likewise, the present invention enables images scanned through member 260 to be stored on a computer readable medium in drives 32, 33 or 37. FIG. 15 illustrates a further embodiment of a standalone printer apparatus 10, made according to principles of the present invention. In this embodiment, an automatic film developer unit 302 is provided, so that the user can digitally print exposed film directly from a camera, rather than having to take or send the film to be developed. In particular, in the embodiment shown, the film 64 may be removed from the camera and inserted in a film compartment 304. A film advance or transportation system can be provided to move the film 64 through the developer unit 302. Such a system could include drive rollers 306 which are driven by a motor or other actuator. Preferably, the automatic film developer unit 302 includes a developer tank 308, a fix tank 310, and a rinse tank 312. A developer solution or chemical 309 is provided in the development tank 308 and the film 64 is immersed in the developer 309 to make the latent image visible. In this embodiment, electrons in the developer 309 join with exposed silver ions to make the latent image visible. The film 64 may then travel to the fix tank 310 which contains a fixing solution 311 to remove remaining silver from the film. Finally, the film is immersed in a rinse solution 313 held in the rinse tank 312, in order to remove chemicals. After moving through the three tanks 308, 310, and 312, the film 64 is dried. A dryer blower 315 may be used to direct a flow of air at the film 64, in order to facilitate the drying process. After being developed, the film 64 may then be scanned to produce a digital or electronic representation of the developed image on the film 64. The digital representation can then be used to control a print head 34 to apply a print substance to a print medium 26. Accordingly, a print image representing the developed image on the film 64 can be created on the print medium 26. Preferred methods and components for obtaining a digital image from developed film and driving a printhead using the digital image have been described above, and reference is made to the previous discussion for details regarding such methods and components which can be utilized with the apparatus of FIG. 15. In general, the standalone printer apparatus 10 of FIG. 15 preferably includes a film scanner unit 60 which receives the developed film 64 and applies radiation, such as light 76, to the film, using a source 74. Sensors 77, 78, and 79 are provided in order to record the amount and/or type of light transmitted through the film. Optics, such as lenses 80, may also be provided in order to focus or otherwise direct the light transmitted through the image onto the sensors 77, 78, and 79. A first, scan controller 21 is preferably configured with scanner driver software to control the scanning process, and may also be used to control the automatic developer unit 302. The scan controller 21 receives the digital image data created by the sensors 77, 78, and 79, and interfaces with a second, image processing controller 22. The image processing controller 22 includes image processing capabilities for receiving the digital data and generating appropriate print commands. In particular, the controller 22 preferably includes image processing software 86 similar to that utilized with a personal computer to format digital images. The second, image processing controller 22 preferably interfaces with a third, print controller 24, which controls movement and operation of the print heads 34 and associated mechanisms 92 for feeding sheets 26 through the photoprinter 10. The second controller 22 transmits print commands to the print controller 24, so that the print controller may drive the printheads 34 to deposit ink, or other print substance, on the sheets 26 in a pattern corresponding to the digital data image. Preferably, the printer apparatus 10 uses ink-jet printing technology and printhead 34 is an ink-jet printhead, although other printing technologies and associated components may be utilized. As shown in Fig. 15, second controller 22 preferably interfaces with a user interface 38 to receive input and commands from the user, such as described above. Additionally, the second controller 22 may interface with drives 32 and 33 which are adapted for receiving a computer readable medium, such as a memory card for example, or for connecting with a digital device, such a digital camera for example, as described above. Further, controller 22 may interface with external port 36 to receive digital image data files from an external drive or from a computer. While the photoprinter 10 is illustrated in FIG. 15 as comprising three separate controllers, it is contemplated that fewer or more control devices could be provided for control of the developing, scanning, image processing, and printing operations of the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. Other technologies and components can be utilized in the exemplary standalone printer apparatus 10 of FIG. 15. In particular, other film development techniques and components could be utilized in the film development module 302, in addition to or as alternatives to those shown, and any suitable method and apparatus for developing the film 64 can be utilized. Moreover, although separate units 302 and 60 are shown for developing and scanning the film 64, these units may be combined, and digital images may be obtained while the film is developing. Accordingly, any technology and components for producing digital images from undeveloped film can be utilized as alternatives to the units 302 and 60. FIG. 16 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method of developing film, creating a digital image from the developed film, and printing the digital image using a single standalone printer device. At block 350, film having a latent image exposed thereon is inserted into the standalone printer. The film is then moved and developed within the standalone printer, as shown at blocks 352 and 354, to make the latent image visible. The manner of film development is not critical to the present invention. For example, the film may be developed by wet or dry techniques, as is known in the art. The developed film is scanned using film scanning equipment, as indicated at block 356, to produce a digital representation of the image on the developed film. The digital image is then passed to a controller within the standalone printer, where image processing is applied to the digital image. These steps are shown at blocks 358 and 360. Finally, a printhead, such as an ink- jet printhead for example, is driven using the image-processed digital image, as shown at block 362. The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive nor to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the above teaching. Accordingly, this invention is intended to embrace all alternatives, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the amended claims.

Claims: What is claimed is: 1. A stand-alone printing apparatus for transferring an image from photographic film to a print media, said printing apparatus comprising: a scanning member for producing a digital representation of said image captured on said photographic film media; a printing member for receiving said digital representation of said image directly from said scanning member and producing on said print media a pattern associated with said image; a drive member for receiving a computer readable medium; and at least one controller in said printing member for formatting said digital representation according to one or more user instructions and for generating a plurality of print commands corresponding to said formatted digital representation, said controller driving one or more print heads in said printing member, according to said print commands, to produce said pattern on said print media. 2. The stand-alone printing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said at least one controller controls storage of said digital representation of said image on a computer readable medium in said drive member. 3. The stand-alone printing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface for initiating instructions to said controller for operating said scanning member and said printing member. 4. The stand-alone printing apparatus of claim 3, wherein said controller includes image processing software for formatting said digital representation of said image prior to generating said print commands, and wherein said digital representation may be formatted in response to user selections in said interface. 5. The stand-alone printing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said scanning member is integrated with said printing member within a printing apparatus housing. 6. The stand-alone printing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said printing member is enclosed in a housing and said scanning member is external of said housing and directly connected to said printing member through a communication link. 7. The stand-alone printing apparatus of claim 6, wherein said communication link is a wireless link. 8. The stand-alone printing apparatus of claim 6, wherein said communication link is a universal system bus. 9. The stand-alone printing apparatus of claim 6, wherein said scanning member is controlled by said printing member. 10. The stand-alone printing apparatus of claim 9, wherein said at least one controller in said printing member comprises processing capability to determine whether a scanning member is attached to said printing member. 11. The stand-alone printing apparatus of claim 10, wherein said at least one controller further comprises processing capability to determine a particular type of scanning member attached to said printing member, and to configure said at least one controller to control said attached scanning member type. 12. The stand-alone printing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller interfaces with said drive member, and is capable of receiving and formatting a digital representation of an image from either said scanning member or a computer readable medium disposed in said drive member. 13. The stand-alone printing apparatus of claim 3, wherein said user interface further comprises a first activating member, and wherein activation of said first activating member instructs said scanning member to scan each image on said photographic film media to produce a digital representation of each image, and instructs said printing member to print a pattern associated with said digital representation of each image on said print media. 14. A stand-alone photo scanning and printing system comprising: a scanning member for receiving photographic film media and producing a digital data representation of an image on said film media; a drive member for receiving a computer readable medium; a printing member for receiving said digital data representation of an image directly from said scanning member and for producing on a print media a pattern associated with said image; a user interface associated with said printing member and said scanning member; and one or more controllers for controlling said scanning member and said printing member and for processing said digital data representation in response to selections entered through said user interface, said one or more controllers generating a plurality of print commands from said processed digital data representation for driving one or more print heads to produce said pattern on said print media. 15. The stand-alone photo scanning and printing system of claim 14, wherein said scanning member, said drive member, said user interface and said one or more controllers are integrated with said printing member into a single device. 16. The stand-alone photo scanning and printing system of claim 14, wherein said scanning member is external of and directly connected to said printing member. 17. The stand-alone photo scanning and printing system of claim 15, wherein at least one controller interfaces with said drive member, and is capable of receiving and formatting a digital representation of an image from either said scanning member or a computer readable medium disposed in said drive member. 18. The stand-alone photo scanning and printing system of claim 14, wherein said user interface further comprises a plurality of activating buttons for initiating instructions to said scanning member and said printing member. 19. The stand-alone photo scanning and printing system of claim 18, further comprising a series of menu routines, accessible through said user interface, for defining parameters for said scanning member and said printing member. 20. A method for printing an image captured on a photographic film media, said method comprising the steps of: providing a scanning member; inserting said photographic film media into said scanning member; using said scanning member to produce a digital representation of said image on said photographic film; providing a printing member; transmitting said digital representation of said image directly from said scanning member to said printing member; processing said digital representation of said image and generating a plurality of print commands; and using said print commands to drive one or more print heads to produce a pattern associated with said image on a print medium. 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of providing one or more controllers in said printing member for directing production of said digital representation by said scanning member, for formatting said digital representation produced by said scanning member, and for generating said print commands. 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of receiving one or more instructions from a user interface for directing said processing of said digital representation. 23. A stand-alone film developing and printing apparatus for transferring an image from photographic film to a print media, said printing apparatus comprising: a developing member for receiving photographic film media and developing an image on said photographic film media; a scanning member for producing a digital representation of said image developed on said photographic film media; a printing member for receiving said digital representation of said image directly from said scanning member and producing on said print media a pattern associated with said image; a drive member for receiving a computer readable medium; and at least one controller in said printing member for formatting said digital representation according to one or more user instructions and for generating a plurality of print commands corresponding to said formatted digital representation, said controller driving one or more print heads in said printing member, according to said print commands, to produce said pattern on said print media. 24. The stand-alone printing apparatus of claim 23, wherein said at least one controller controls storage of said digital representation of said image on a computer readable medium in said drive member. 25. The stand-alone printing apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a user interface for initiating instructions to said controller for operating said scanning member and said printing member. 26. The stand-alone printing apparatus of claim 25, wherein said controller includes image processing software for formatting said digital representation of said image prior to generating said print commands, and wherein said digital representation may be formatted in response to user selections in said interface. 27. The stand-alone printing apparatus of claim 23, wherein said developing member, said scanning member, and said printing member are integrated within a printing apparatus housing. 28. The stand-alone printing apparatus of claim 23, wherein said developing member and said scanning member are controlled by said printing member. 29. The stand-alone printing apparatus of claim 23, wherein said controller interfaces with said drive member, and is capable of receiving and formatting a digital representation of an image from either said scanning member or a computer readable medium disposed in said drive member.

Inventors: LOWE TOMMY OTIS, LUCIANO JOSEPH WADE, REED WILLIAM HENRY, LOWE, TOMMY, OTIS, LUCIANO, JOSEPH, WADE, REED, WILLIAM, HENRY
Applicants: LEXMARK INT INC, LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: G03B
IPC codes: H04N1