Printing Device Thumbnail Display for Motion Image Frame Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printing devices struggle to allow users to visually confirm detailed frame images from motion image files before printing, as all frame images are fitted into a small display region, making them appear small and difficult to view.
Innovation Solution
A printing device with an input unit, generating unit, displaying unit, and printing unit that extracts multiple frame images from a motion image file, displays them as thumbnail images in the same order they will be laid out on a page, with larger thumbnail images for each frame image to facilitate user confirmation, and prints the output image.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If all frame images are fitted into a prescribed display region, then the layout image can be displayed on a single page, but each frame image becomes too small to visually confirm in detail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the display process into two distinct phases: a layout display phase where the entire layout image is shown at small size to confirm overall structure, and a thumbnail display phase where individual frame images are extracted and displayed at enlarged size for detailed viewing. This segmentation allows the system to address both the need for compact layout representation and detailed frame image visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary extraction of frame images from the motion image file before displaying them. By pre-extracting and pre-processing the frame images, the system can then display enlarged thumbnails that provide detailed viewability without requiring the entire layout image to be displayed at large size, thus resolving the contradiction between display region constraints and detail visibility.
2Productivity
If multiple frame images are extracted and laid out on a single page, then the motion image can be represented compactly, but the display region becomes too small for detailed viewing of each frame
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the confirmation process into two stages: first displaying the layout image to confirm the overall structure and selection, then extracting and displaying individual frame images as thumbnails for detailed confirmation. This segmentation improves user confirmation efficiency by allowing focused viewing of individual frames without requiring all frames to be visible simultaneously at large size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the layout image that contains enlarged thumbnail representations of individual frame images. This copy serves as an intermediate representation that provides detailed viewability of each frame without requiring the actual large-resolution frame images to be displayed simultaneously, thus maintaining compact representation while improving detail visibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A printing device having a retrieving unit to retrieve an image file representing a motion image, a generating unit to extract a plurality of frame images from the image file and generate a first output image in which the plurality of extracted frame images are laid out on a single page. A displaying unit displays the first output image having the plurality of extracted frame images. The plurality of extracted frame images are displayed each at a size larger than a size of the frame image laid out in the first output image and each at a time different from one another and different from a time when the displaying unit displays the first output image. A printing unit prints the first output image having the plurality of extracted frame images.