Abstract:
In the prior art, the problem exists that even where an image displayed on a television screen is printed by a video printer, an image having different levels of brightness, tone, sharpness and the like than the image displayed on the television screen is printed. In order to resolve this problem, in the present invention, a television receiver is used that includes a display unit, a printer unit, an image adjustment unit that inputs image data, performs predetermined image quality level adjustment to the image data and outputs to the display unit the image data obtained as a result of the level adjustment, and an operation unit that is externally operated and receives at least specifications of the image quality levels and an instruction that the image displayed on the display unit is to be printed. Where the operation unit receives an external image quality level specifications, the image adjustment unit executes level adjustment to bring the image quality levels to the specified levels, and where the operation unit receives an external instruction to print the image displayed on the display unit, the image adjustment unit outputs to the printer unit image data identical to the image data output to the display unit and the printer unit prints the image expressed by the image data input from the image adjustment unit.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a television receiver that includes a printer, and more particularly to a technology by which, where an image displayed on a television screen is to be printed, the levels of brightness, tone, sharpness and the like of the printed image are made approximately equal to the levels for the image displayed on the television screen.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     The capability to print images displayed on a television screen has been sought. In response to this demand, video printers that perform printing by inputting video signals from the output terminal of a television receiver and capturing and printing the desired image have been commercialized.  
         [0005]     An example of this type of video printer is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazettes No. 10-181103, for example.  
         [0006]      FIG. 5  is an explanatory drawing showing the basic construction of a video printer and television receiver of the prior art described above. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the television receiver Tr comprises mainly an antenna ANT, a tuner unit  10 , a signal converter  11 , an image processor  12 , an image display unit  13 , an operation unit  14 , and an external output interface  15 . Here, the operation unit  14  includes adjust buttons not shown.  
         [0007]     The video printer Vp, on the other hand, comprises mainly a signal converter  20 , an image processor  21 , a printer engine  22  and an operation unit  23 . The operation unit  23  includes adjust buttons and a print button not shown.  
         [0008]     The signal converter  20  of the video printer Vp and the external output interface  15  of the television receiver Tr are connected to each other via a cable.  
         [0009]     In the television receiver Tr, the antenna ANT outputs received television broadcast signals to the tuner unit  10 . The tuner unit  10  tunes the input television broadcast signals and, following signal demodulation, distributes them to the external output interface  15  and the signal converter  11 . The external output interface  15  outputs the input signals to the signal converter  20  of the video printer Vp. At the same time, the signal converter  11  performs desired signal conversion of the input signals and outputs the converted signals to the image processor  12 . The image processor  12  adjusts the levels of the brightness, tone, sharpness and the like of the input broadcast signals and outputs the adjusted signals to the image display unit  13 . Based on the input signals, the image display unit  13  then displays the image expressed by these signals.  
         [0010]     Here, the user of the television receiver Tr can adjust the brightness, tone, sharpness and the like of the images displayed on the image display unit  13  to a desired level by operating the adjust buttons of the operation unit  14 . The operation unit  14  generates data indicating the levels of the user-adjusted brightness, tone, sharpness and similar parameters (hereinafter termed ‘level data’), and sends this data to the image processor  12 . The image processor  12  then carries out the level adjustment described above such that the corresponding levels match the levels expressed by the received level data.  
         [0011]     At the same time, in the video printer Vp, the signal converter  20  carries out desired signal conversion to the signals input from the external output interface  15  of the television receiver Tr and outputs the converted signals to the image processor  21 . When the print button of the operation unit  23  is then pressed by the user of the video printer Vp, the image processor  21  carries out level adjustment to the signals from the signal converter  20  for the brightness, tone, sharpness and the like, converts the adjusted signals into image data in a format that can be handled by the printer engine  22 , and transmits the image data to the printer engine  22 . The printer engine  22  then prints the image based on the received image data.  
         [0012]     The user of the video printer Vp can adjust the brightness, tone, sharpness and the like of an image to be printed by the printer engine  22  to the desired level by operating the adjust buttons of the operation unit  23 . The operation unit  23  generates level data regarding the user-adjusted brightness, tone, sharpness and the like and sends it to the image processor  21 . The image processor  21  then carries out the level adjustment described above to adjust the levels of the various parameters for the received level data.  
         [0013]     As described above, in the prior art, the images displayed on the television screen undergo level adjustment regarding the brightness, tone, sharpness and the like separately from the images printed by the video printer. Therefore, even where an image displayed on the television screen is printed using the video printer, the problem exists that the printed image has different levels of brightness, tone, sharpness and the like from the image displayed on the television screen.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     The present invention was devised in order to resolve the above problem with the prior art technique, and an object thereof is, where an image displayed on a television screen is to be printed, to enable the levels of brightness, tone, sharpness and the like of the printed image to be almost identical to the levels for the image displayed on the television screen.  
         [0015]     In order to attain at least part of the above and the other related objects, the present invention is directed to a first television receiver. The first television receiver includes: a display unit that displays at least images; a printer unit that prints at least images; an image adjustment unit that inputs image data expressing an image, performs predetermined image quality level adjustment to the image data and outputs to the display unit the image data obtained as a result of the level adjustment; and an operation unit that is externally operated and receives at least specifications of the image quality levels and an instruction that the image displayed on the display unit is to be printed, wherein where the operation unit receives an external image quality level specifications, the image adjustment unit executes level adjustment to bring the image quality levels to the specified levels, and where the operation unit receives an external instruction to print the image displayed on the display unit, the image adjustment unit outputs to the printer unit image data identical to the image data output to the display unit and the printer unit prints the image expressed by the image data input from the image adjustment unit.  
         [0016]     Using this construction, when the user operates the operation unit to specify desired image quality levels for an image displayed on the display unit, the image adjustment unit carries out level adjustment to the input image data so that the image quality levels will match the levels specified by the user, and outputs the level-adjusted image data to the display unit. Therefore, the quality of the image displayed on the display unit reflects the user&#39;s preferred levels.  
         [0017]     When the user operates the operation unit to instruct that the image displayed on the display unit be printed by the printer unit, because the image adjustment unit outputs to the printer unit image data identical to the image data output to the display unit, the printer unit can print an image identical to that displayed on the display unit such that the image quality levels are essentially the same.  
         [0018]     The present invention is also directed to a second television receiver. The second television receiver includes a display unit that displays at least images; a printer unit that prints at least images; a first image adjustment unit that inputs image data expressing an image, performs predetermined image quality level adjustment to the image data and outputs to the display unit the image data obtained as a result of the level adjustment; a second image adjustment unit that inputs the image data, executes the image quality level adjustment to the image data and outputs to the printer unit the image data obtained as a result of the level adjustment; and an operation unit that is externally operated and receives at least the image quality level specifications and an instruction that the image displayed on the display unit is to be printed, wherein where the operation unit receives the external image quality level specifications, the first image adjustment unit executes level adjustment to bring the image quality levels to the specified levels, and where the operation unit receives an external instruction to print the image displayed on the display unit, the second image adjustment unit executes level adjustment to bring the image quality levels to the levels attained via the adjustment by the first image adjustment unit and outputs to the printer unit the image data obtained as a result of the level adjustment, and the printer unit prints the image expressed by the image data input from the second image adjustment unit.  
         [0019]     By virtue of this construction, when the user operates the operation unit to specify predetermined image quality levels for an image displayed on the display unit, the image adjustment unit executes level adjustment to the input image data to bring the image quality levels to the levels specified by the user and outputs to the display unit the level-adjusted image data. Therefore, the quality of the image displayed on the display unit reflects the user&#39;s preferred levels.  
         [0020]     When the user then operates the operation unit to instruct that the image displayed on the display unit be printed by the printer unit, the second image adjustment unit executes level adjustment to the input image data to bring the image quality levels to the levels attained via the adjustment by the first image adjustment unit. Therefore, the image quality of the image expressed by the image data after this level adjustment reflects the same parameter levels as the image expressed by the image data output to the display unit by the first image adjustment unit. Because the second image adjustment unit then outputs to the printer unit this level-adjusted image data, the printer unit can print an image identical to that displayed on the display unit such that the image quality [parameter] levels are essentially the same.  
         [0021]     The above predetermined image quality may consist of at least one of brightness, tone and sharpness. Brightness, tone and sharpness are representative parameters of image quality that may be adjusted by the user.  
         [0022]     The present invention may also be realized as a method for outputting to a printer unit image data identical to the image displayed on a display unit in a television receiver that includes the display unit that displays at least images and the printer unit that prints at least images. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]      FIG. 1  is an explanatory drawing showing the basic construction of the television receiver of a first embodiment;  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart showing the sequence of operations for printing of an image displayed on the screen in the first embodiment;  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is an explanatory drawing showing the basic construction of the television receiver of a second embodiment;  
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart showing the sequence of operations for printing of an image displayed on the screen in the second embodiment; and  
         [0027]      FIG. 5  is an explanatory drawing showing the basic construction of the video printer and television receiver of the prior art. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0028]     The preferred embodiments by which the present invention is realized are described below in the following sequence.  
         [0000]     A. First Embodiment  
         [0029]     A1. Apparatus Construction and General Operation  
         [0030]     A2. Printing routine  
         [0031]     A3. Effect of first embodiment  
         [0000]     B. Second Embodiment  
         [0032]     B1. Apparatus construction and general operation  
         [0033]     B2. Printing routine  
         [0034]     B3. Effect of first embodiment  
         [0000]     C. Variations  
         [0035]     C1. Variation 1-C6. Variation 6  
         [0000]     A. First Embodiment  
         [0000]     A1. Apparatus Construction and General Operation  
         [0036]      FIG. 1  is an explanatory drawing showing the basic construction of the television receiver of a first embodiment of the present invention. This television receiver  100  is a rear-projection type television receiver, and as described below, it displays images by projecting light that expresses an image (hereinafter ‘image light’) onto a screen (not shown) disposed on the front surface of the television receiver  100 . In  FIG. 1 , the optical system of the rear projector is not shown.  
         [0037]     The television receiver  100  includes as components that function as television receiver components mainly an antenna ANT 1 , a tuner unit  101 , a video decoder  102 , an A/D converter  103 , a frame memory  104 , a scalar unit  110 , an operation unit  111 , a display frame memory  112 , and a liquid crystal light valve  120 , and includes as components that function as printer components mainly a printer controller  130 , a frame memory  131 , a printing frame memory  132  and a printer engine  133 . These constituent elements are controlled by a CPU (not shown). In this embodiment, the television receiver  100  is constructed such that the television receiver components and the printer components are integrated as a single unit.  
         [0038]     The operation unit  111  includes adjust buttons and a print button not shown. The printer engine  133  comprises a group of hardware components that carry out printing onto paper such as thermal heads (not shown). The frame memory  104 , the display frame memory  112 , the frame memory  131  and the printing frame memory  132  can each store frame image data for one frame.  
         [0039]     The liquid crystal light valve  120  is a transmissive liquid crystal light valve that incorporates a number of liquid crystal cells (not shown).  
         [0040]     The scalar unit  110  includes an internal RAM (not shown), and level data regarding the brightness, tone and sharpness of the image displayed on the screen is stored in this RAM. In the initial state, predetermined level data is stored in the RAM as default values.  
         [0041]     The general operation of the television receiver  100  will now be described.  
         [0042]     In the television receiver  100 , the antenna ANT 1  outputs received television broadcast signals to the tuner unit  101 . The tuner unit  101  tunes the input television broadcast signals and demodulates them, thereby obtaining CVBS signals comprising brightness signals, color signals (color subcarrier) and synchronization signals, and outputs these CVBS signals to the video decoder  102 . When a CVBS signal is input, the video decoder  102  separates the brightness signal and the color signal, converts the color signal to an analog RGB signal, and outputs the analog RGB signal to the A/D converter  103 . The A/D converter  103  converts the input analog RGB signal into a digital RGB signal and outputs it to the frame memory  104 . When this digital RGB signal is input, the frame memory  104  sequentially overwrites and stores the signal for one frame (frame image data).  
         [0043]     The scalar unit  110  sequentially retrieves the frame image data stored in the frame memory  104  and converts the resolution of the image expressed by the frame image data via interpolation in order to harmonize it with the resolution of the liquid crystal light valve  120 . The scalar unit  110  then adjusts the brightness, tone and sharpness levels for the resolution-converted frame image data. This level adjustment operation is described in detail below.  
         [0044]     The scalar unit then sequentially overwrites the level-adjusted frame image data and stores it in the display frame memory  112  and thereafter sequentially retrieves the frame image data stored in this display frame memory  112  and outputs it to the liquid crystal light valve  120 .  
         [0045]     When the frame image data is input from the scalar unit  110 , the liquid crystal light valve  120  emits the image light for the image expressed by the frame image data toward the projection optical system (not shown) by changing the arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules contained in the liquid crystal cells (not shown) to either pass through or block the incident light introduced via the illumination optical system (not shown). When the image light is received from the liquid crystal light valve, this projection optical system projects the image light toward the screen (not shown).  
         [0046]     In this way, images expressing the frame image data are sequentially displayed on the screen.  
         [0047]     The operation of the television receiver  100  when the user adjusts the brightness, tone and sharpness levels for the images displayed on the screen will now be described.  
         [0048]     When the user operates the adjust buttons of the operation unit  111  to adjust the brightness, tone and sharpness of the images displayed on the screen to desired levels, the operation unit  111  generates new level data indicating the user adjusted levels and transmits this data to the scalar unit  110 .  
         [0049]     When the newly-generated level data is received, the scalar unit  110  stores it in its internal RAM. Also stored in this RAM are the initial level values or old level data generated during the previous level adjustment. The scalar unit  110  overwrites the initial values or the old level data by storing the newly-generated level data in the RAM.  
         [0050]     Because the scalar unit  110  then retrieves the newly-generated level data from the RAM and adjusts the brightness, tone and sharpness levels of the image data to match the levels expressed by the level data, the brightness, tone and sharpness levels for the image displayed on the screen are adjusted to the levels desired by the user.  
         [0000]     A2. Printing Routine  
         [0051]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart showing the sequence of operations of the routine by which an image displayed on the screen is printed in the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0052]     Here, it is assumed that images are displayed on the screen of the television receiver  100  and the user of the television receiver  100  has pressed the print button of the operation unit  111  to instruct the television receiver  100  to commence printing in order to print a certain displayed image.  
         [0053]     First, the operation unit  111  notifies the scalar unit  110  that the print button has been pressed (step S 200 ). When the notification that the print button was pressed is received, the scalar unit  110  sends a print instruction to the printer controller  130 , retrieves the frame image data Fa stored in the display frame memory  112  and forwards this data to the frame memory and stores it therein (step S 202 ).  
         [0054]     When the print instruction is received from the scalar unit  110 , the printer controller  130  retrieves the frame image data Fa stored by the scalar unit  110  in the frame memory  131 , converts this data into frame image data comprising the colors CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) that can be processed by the printer engine  133 , and stores the converted data in the printing frame memory  132  (step S 204 ).  
         [0055]     Next, the printer controller  130  retrieves the frame image data stored in the printing frame memory  132  and sends it to the printer engine  133 , and the printer engine  133  prints the image based on this fame image data (step S 206 ).  
         [0000]     A3. Effect of First Embodiment  
         [0056]     As described above, the scalar unit  110  outputs to the liquid crystal light valve  120  the level-adjusted frame image data stored in the display frame memory  112  and when printing is instructed by the user of the television receiver  100 , the scalar unit  110  forwards the level-adjusted frame data that had been output to the liquid crystal light valve  120  to the frame memory  131  as well. The image expressed by the frame image data output to the liquid crystal light valve  120  is displayed on the screen, while the image expressed by the frame image data forwarded to the frame memory  131  is printed by the printer engine  133 .  
         [0057]     Therefore, where the image displayed on the screen is to be printed by the printer engine  133 , the levels of brightness, tone, sharpness and the like of the printed image can be made essentially identical to the levels for the image displayed on the screen.  
         [0000]     B. Second Embodiment  
         [0000]     B1. Apparatus Construction and General Operation  
         [0058]      FIG. 3  is an explanatory drawing showing the basic construction of the television receiver of a second embodiment of the present invention. This television receiver  300 , like the television receiver  100  shown in  FIG. 1 , is a rear-projection type television receiver, and displays images by projecting image light onto a screen (not shown) disposed on the front surface of the television receiver  300 . In  FIG. 3  as well, the rear-projection optical system is omitted from the drawing.  
         [0059]     In addition to an antenna ANT 2 , a tuner unit  301 , a video decoder  303  and an A/D converter  304 , the television receiver  300  includes as components that function as television receiver components mainly a frame memory  305 , a scalar unit  340 , an operation unit  342 , a display frame memory  343  and a liquid crystal light valve  320 , and includes as components that function as printer components mainly a frame memory  332 , a printer controller  330 , a printing frame memory  332  and a printer engine  333 . These constituent elements are controlled by a CPU (not shown). In this embodiment, the television receiver  300  is constructed such that the television receiver components and the printer components are integrated as a single unit.  
         [0060]     The scalar unit  340  of this embodiment, like the scalar unit  110  of the first embodiment described above, includes an internal RAM (not shown) and stores level data. At the same time, the printer controller  330  of this embodiment, unlike the printer controller  130  of the first embodiment, includes an internal RAM  331  that stores level data, and as described below, performs level adjustment to the brightness, tone and sharpness so that such levels match the levels expressed by the level data stored in this RAM  331 .  
         [0061]     In the initial state, identical sets of predetermined level data are stored as default values in the RAM  341  and the RAM  331 .  
         [0062]     Because the frame memories  305  and  315 , the display frame memory  343 , the printing frame memory  332 , the operation unit  342 , the liquid crystal light valve  320  and the printer engine  333  have the same construction as the frame memory  104 , the display frame memory  112 , the printing frame memory  132 , the operation unit  111 , the liquid crystal light valve  120  and the printer engine  133  of the first embodiment described above, respectively, further description thereof will be omitted.  
         [0063]     The general operation of the television receiver  300  will now be described.  
         [0064]     The operations executed by the television receiver  300  from the time that the antenna ANT 2  receives a television broadcast signal to the time that an image is displayed on the screen (not shown) are identical to the corresponding operations carried out by the television receiver  100  of the first embodiment described above, and will therefore not be described herein.  
         [0065]     However, the A/D converter  304  shown in  FIG. 3  differs from the A/D converter  103  shown in  FIG. 1  in that after it converts the analog RGB signal into a digital RGB signal, it outputs the converted digital RGB signal to the frame memory  305  and also outputs it to the frame memory  315  as well. When the digital RGB signal is input, the frame memory  315 , like the frame memory  305 , stores it until signals for one frame (frame image data) are stored via sequential overwriting. The frame image data stored by this frame memory  315  is not input to the printer controller  330  unless it is retrieved by the printer controller  330 , as described below.  
         [0066]     Because the operations of the television receiver  300  where the user of the television receiver  300  adjusts the levels of brightness, tone and sharpness of the image displayed on the screen are identical to the operations of the television receiver  100  described above, they are not described here. However, as a result of the level adjustment, the operation unit  342  generates new level data LD 1  and the scalar unit  340  is caused to store this level data LD 1  in the RAM  341  incorporated therein.  
         [0000]     B2. Printing Routine  
         [0067]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart showing the sequence of operations of the routine by which an image displayed on the screen is printed in the second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0068]     Here, it is assumed that images are displayed on the screen of the television receiver  300  and the user of the television receiver  300  has pressed the print button of the operation unit  342  to instruct the television receiver  100  to commence printing in order to print a certain displayed image.  
         [0069]     First, the operation unit  342  notifies the scalar unit  340  that the print button has been pressed (step S 400 ). When the print button notification is received, the scalar unit  340  sends a print instruction to the printer controller  330  together with the level data LD 1  stored in the RAM  341  (step S 402 ).  
         [0070]     When the above print instruction and level data LD 1  are received, the printer controller  330  first stores the level data LD 1  in the RAM  331  incorporated therein (step S 404 ). Initial values or previously received level data are stored in this RAM  331 , and are overwritten by the level data LD 1  stored by the printer controller  330  in the RAM  331 .  
         [0071]     Next, the printer controller  330  retrieves the frame image data stored in the frame memory  315  and the level data LD 1  stored in the RAM  331 , and adjusts the levels of brightness, tone and sharpness of the retrieved frame image data to match the levels in the level data LD 1  (step S 406 ).  
         [0072]     The printer controller  330  then converts the level-adjusted frame data to frame image data composed of the colors CMYK that can be processed by the printer engine  333  and stores the converted data in the printing frame memory  332  (step S 408 ).  
         [0073]     The printer controller  330  then retrieves the frame image data stored in the printing frame memory  332  and sends it to the printer engine  333 , which prints the image based on this frame image data (step S 410 ).  
         [0000]     B3. Effect of Second Embodiment  
         [0074]     As described above, when a print instruction is received from the scalar unit  340 , the printer controller  330  retrieves from the frame memory  315  frame image data identical to that retrieved from the frame memory  305  by the scalar unit  340  and retrieves from the RAM  331  level data LD 1  identical to that retrieved from the RAM  341  by the scalar unit  340 , and adjusts the brightness, tone and sharpness levels for the above retrieved frame image data to match the levels of the level data LD 1 .  
         [0075]     Therefore, the image expressed by the frame image data sent to the printer engine  333  by the printer controller  330  following level adjustment has the same brightness, tone and sharpness as the image expressed by the frame image data output by the scalar unit  340  to the liquid crystal light valve  120  following level adjustment.  
         [0076]     Consequently, where an image displayed on the screen is to be printed by the printer engine  333 , the brightness, tone and sharpness levels for the image to be printed can be matched to the levels for the image displayed on the screen.  
         [0000]     B3. Variations  
         [0077]     The above embodiments and their applications are to be considered in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive. There may be many modifications, changes, and alterations without departing from the scope or spirit of the main characteristics of the present invention. All changes within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.  
         [0000]     C1. Variation 1  
         [0078]     In the second embodiment described above, after the user presses the print button of the operation unit  342  and the operation unit  342  notifies the scalar unit  340  that the print button was pressed, the scalar unit  340  sends the level data LD 1  stored in the RAM  341  to the printer controller  330 . The present invention is not limited to this implementation, however, and it is acceptable if after the user operates the adjust buttons of the operation unit  342  to adjust the brightness, tone and sharpness of the image displayed on the screen and the operation unit  342  sends newly-generated level data to the scalar unit  340 , the scalar unit  340  sends this level data to the printer controller  330 .  
         [0000]     C2. Variation 2  
         [0079]     The television receiver  100  of the first embodiment and the television receiver  300  of the second embodiment are both rear-projection type television receivers, but a liquid crystal display or a CRT display may be used instead.  
         [0080]     Furthermore, the printer engine  133  of the first embodiment and the printer engine  333  of the second embodiment each comprise a group of hardware components such as thermal heads, but they may instead comprise a group of other hardware components used for printing onto paper, such as a photoreceptor drum, inkjet heads or ink ribbons.  
         [0000]     C3. Variation 3  
         [0081]     In the first embodiment described above, the video decoder  102  converted the CVBS signal into an analog RGB signal and the A/D converter  103  then converted this analog RGB signal into a digital RGB signal, but it is acceptable if (1) the order of operations carried out by the video decoder  102  and the A/D converter  103  is reversed, (2) the video decoder decodes digital signals instead of CVBS signals, and (3) the A/D converter  103  converts the CVBS signal into a digital CVBS signal and the video decoder then outputs a digital RGB signal based on this digital CVBS signal. Because this variation can be applied to the second embodiment in the same manner, such application will not be further described herein.  
         [0000]     C4. Variation 4  
         [0082]     In the first embodiment, the adjustment unit  111  generated level data, but it may alternatively generate, instead of level data, information indicating the amounts by which the brightness, tone and sharpness levels are to be adjusted (i.e., pre- and post-adjustment level differences). In this case, the scalar unit  110  may change the level data stored in the RAM based on the information indicating these level adjustment amounts received from the operation unit  111 . Because this variation can be applied to the second embodiment in the same manner, such application will not be further described herein.  
         [0000]     C5. Variation 5  
         [0083]     In the first embodiment, the television receiver  100  integrated as a single unit components that collectively functioned as a television receiver and components that collectively functioned as a printer, but a construction in which these components are separate rather than integrated as a single unit may be adopted.  
         [0000]     C6. Variation 6  
         [0084]     In the above embodiments, an image obtained via the receipt of television broadcast signals was printed, but it is acceptable if an image obtained from image signals output from a video player or DVD player, for example, is printed.