JP2709851B2 - Layout system for printing plate making - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a layout system for printing plate making that improves the work efficiency of page makeup.

[Related Art] Conventionally, a layout system has been known as one that performs a layout operation for printing plate making, and is usually configured by combining a scanner and a layout computer. The schematic configuration is shown in FIGS. 7 (a) and (b). FIG. 7A shows a configuration in which image data is captured by a scanner and printed on a film, and FIG. 7B shows a configuration in which layout work is performed by a layout computer.

In the configuration of FIG. 7, the layout work is performed as follows. First, a document is pasted on the input scanner 101 of the scanner 100, the image data of the document is taken into the input computer 106 via the interface 105, and stored in the memory 107. The image data is fetched for an appropriate range of the document based on a layout sheet (not shown), and the layout computer 121 performs trimming later.

The memory 107 storing the image data is separated from the input computer 106 and connected to the layout computer 121. As a result, the image data written in the memory 107 is displayed on the display 123. Also, a mask according to the allocation data is displayed on the display 123, and the operator observes the image and the mask displayed on the display 123, operates the joystick 124 while referring to the allocation mount, and displays the image or the mask. It is moved to specify the trimming range or the position of hatching, etc., to perform positioning on the output film. The user also designates a scaling ratio, a printing surface color, and the like using the keyboard 122.

The layout can be performed by performing the above operation on all the originals. The image data whose layout has been completed is stored in the memory, but the memory 110 is thereafter disconnected from the layout computer 121 and connected to the output computer 109, and in that state, the image data is
It is output to the output scanner 102 via 108.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional layout system, since the scanner operator must perform the layout one by one based on the input of the document and the layout data, the layout requires a lot of time. there were.

That is, first, the operator sets data such as the magnification, density range, and input range of the first document in the input scanner, and rotates the input scanner to perform input. When the rotation of the input scanner is completed, the operator performs the same operation on the second document, and continues the third operation, the fourth operation, and so on. I had to do it for the manuscript.
Now, for example, assuming a scanner that moves 50 cm in 5 minutes, the rotation of the scanner is completed in about 20 seconds in the case of a 35 mm document, and other operations, such as the next necessary document, Cannot be performed in parallel with the scanner.

Also, when laying out, first, the image of the first point and the mask according to the allocation data are displayed on the display,
Move the image or mask on the display to position it with the mask, and then perform the same operation for the second, third, etc. images to determine the positions of all originals.
Had to do the layout.

As described above, the input operation and the layout operation of the conventional scanner have to be performed for each document point by point, which is not only troublesome, but also the operator is restrained by these operations, and can perform other operations in parallel. And the work efficiency was poor. Therefore, the operation rate of the expensive layout scanner is poor, and it has been difficult to improve the productivity.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a printing plate-making layout system capable of reducing the work of an operator, improving the operation rate of a layout scanner, and similarly improving productivity. Is what you do.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, a printing plate making layout system according to the present invention comprises: an image input unit for collectively inputting a plurality of originals as one image data; Storage means for storing one image data as a whole inputted collectively by means, display means for displaying one image as a whole inputted as a whole, and each original from one image data as a whole inputted as a whole Trimming processing means for cutting out an image; scaling processing means for scaling each cut-out original image based on scaling data; and arranging each of the scaled original images based on layout data. And positioning processing means for generating image data for a page.

[Functions and Effects of the Invention] The present invention collectively inputs originals attached to an input scanner, that is, stores images of a plurality of originals as one image as a whole. Then, image data for each document is automatically cut out based on the layout data, the scaling data, and the like.
Since the layout is performed according to the layout data, the operator does not need to perform the input operation for each point of the document as in the related art, and only needs to indicate the position of the origin on the display screen after the input of the document. So the work becomes very easy.

Further, since the originals are input collectively, the scanner is rotated for a relatively long time, and the operator can perform other operations during that time, so that the operation efficiency can be improved, and thus the cost can be increased. The operation rate of a simple layout scanner can be improved, and the productivity can be improved comprehensively.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a printing plate-making layout system according to the present invention, wherein 1 is an image input unit, 2 is an image output unit, 3 is a control unit, and 4 is a storage unit. Reference numeral 5 denotes display means, and 6 denotes input means.

In the configuration of FIG. 1, the image input means 1 is known as an input scanner or an input drum, and collectively performs color separation of an attached document. Although many originals can be attached to the image input unit 1, it is desirable to input the information for each page.

The image output means 2 is known as an output scanner or an output drum, and outputs an image for each color of Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black) on a film. Things.

The control unit 3 writes various data such as image data and coordinate data into the storage unit 4, reads out these data from the storage unit 4, displays the image data and the like on the display unit 5, and inputs the data from the input unit 6. The entire layout system is generally managed, such as receiving data based on instructions from the operator. In particular, in the present invention, the image of each document is converted from the image data input collectively by the image input unit 1. In order to perform the trimming process of extracting the original document image, the scaling process of converting each of the extracted original images into a predetermined size, and the positioning process of arranging the extracted original images based on the layout data, a conventional layout is used. Different from the system.

The storage means 4 can be constituted by a suitable storage medium such as a RAM or a disk memory, but is preferably a large-capacity storage medium in terms of handling image data. In the following embodiments, a magnetic disk (hereinafter referred to as DK)
The description is made assuming that is used. Although only one storage means 4 is shown in FIG. 1, it is apparent that a plurality of storage means 4 can be provided.

Since the display means 5 handles a color original, the color CR
It is desirable to use T.

As the input means 6, an appropriate input device such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a light pen can be used.

The above is the outline of the configuration of the embodiment. Next, the operation will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

To perform a layout using the present layout system, first, input layout data (step S1). This process is a process of obtaining information on the shape, coordinates on the layout sheet, and whether the figure uses a document or is shaded for all the figures to be laid out,
This can be performed using a well-known drawing machine. Fig. 3 (a)
Shows an example of allocation data. The layout data is composed of three data: a figure number, figure data indicating the shape of the figure and coordinates on the layout sheet, and attached data indicating what kind of figure is formed. According to the example of FIG. 3A, the figure having the figure number 1 is a rectangle, and its coordinates on the layout sheet are (x11, y11) to (x14, y
14), and that this figure uses the original having the original number of 1. The same applies to the graphic of the graphic number 2 except that the graphic of the graphic number 3 is a point (x31,
It is a circle with a radius r centered on y31), where it can be seen that a flat screen is applied with a color of 20% for cyan and 80% for yellow.

The allocation data thus obtained is stored in DK4.

When the layout data is obtained in step S1, next, in step S2, a document pasting sheet is created. For example, as shown in FIG.
1. A document attachment line 302 and a trimming line 303 of each document are drawn, and a document number 300N and a magnification value 300m are drawn near the document insertion line 302 and the trimming line 303. Further, as is apparent from FIG. 4, since the so-called original angle is also set in the original attaching sheet, each original can be attached to the layout sheet at the angle as instructed. Such a document pasting sheet can be easily prepared by using the scanner document pasting sheet preparation apparatus proposed by the present applicant in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-295758. Although a specific description of the scanner document sticking sheet creating apparatus is omitted,
According to this device, an original is projected on a layout sheet placed on a work table in which a digitizer is embedded, and an input magnification is obtained by matching a projected image of the document with a figure drawn on the layout sheet. The input range of each original to be input can be obtained from the data of the trimming line drawn on the original attachment sheet shown in FIG. Therefore, these data are stored in DK4. This is the input of the measurement data in step S2. An example of this data is shown in FIG.
According to this example, the original of document number 1 has an input magnification of 98%.
The sheet number is to be attached to the first document pasting sheet, and the input range is the coordinates of the first sheet pasting sheet having the sheet number of two points (X11, Y11), (X12, Y1
It can be seen that it is a rectangular range with 2) as the diagonal. The same applies to the document of document number 2. It should be noted that the coordinates of the layout sheet shown in FIG. 3 (a) are written in lowercase letters x and y, and the coordinates of the original sheet shown in FIG. 3 (b) are written in uppercase letters X and Y. . Hereinafter, the same applies.

Thus, the data shown in FIG. 3A and the data shown in FIG. 3B are stored in DK4.
By unifying the document numbers, the control means 3 can collectively store these data as shown in FIG. 3 (c).

Further, the control means 3 manages which document sticking sheet to use when laying out one page in a table as shown in FIG. 3 (d). According to the example shown in FIG. 3 (d), one page has two sheet numbers of 1 and 2.
The originals attached to the original attachment sheets are used, and the original attachment sheet with sheet number 1 is input collectively at 100% magnification, the input range is SX1 and SY1, and the density range for input is D1. You can see that there is. The same applies to the document attachment sheet of sheet number 2. On each manuscript affixing sheet,
Usually, a plurality of originals are attached, and the input magnification of each original is also different.However, it is not always possible to perform the input even if it is not the same as the input magnification obtained as a result of the measurement. It has been confirmed that there is no problem in image quality if the magnification change is in the range of about 70% to 130%.

The batch input size is a value indicating the range in which the input is to be performed. Usually, when the operator sets, only the range in the X-axis direction and the range in the Y-axis direction are input. Only what is shown. The density range may be appropriately set by an operator based on experience when obtaining necessary data for preparing a document pasting sheet by the document pasting sheet device for a scanner.

When the processing of step S2 is completed as described above, the original is then attached to the original attachment sheet and set on the image input means 1 (step S3), and batch input is performed (step S3).
Four). In performing the batch input, the input magnification, the input range, the density range, and the like must be set in the image input means 1. These data sets are stored in the DK4 by performing a predetermined operation using the input means 6. The third
The data shown in FIG. 3D may be displayed on the display means 5 and the operator may manually perform the operation based on the data, or the data shown in FIG. It may be set.

As described above, the originals attached to the image input unit 1 are collectively input, that is, color-separated. The color-separated image data is not used as image data for each original but as a whole for one image. Stored in DK4 as data,
It is displayed on the display means 5 (step S5). It is desirable that the images displayed on the display means 5 in step S5 are all the images input collectively in step S4, but it is also possible to display only a part and scroll on the screen of the display means 5. Things.

By the way, when the manuscript is pasted on the manuscript pasting sheet, it is not always pasted in the layout indicated on the layout sheet, and since the manuscript is input collectively at the time of input,
In order to lay out the figures of each document at the positions indicated on the layout sheet, the images of each document must be cut out from the image data captured as one image, and further placed at the positions indicated on the layout sheet. Must. Therefore, first, in step S6, a position serving as a reference point is indicated on the screen of the display means 5 using a mouse, a light pen, or the like. In other words, in order to cut out an image of a document from a batch input image, it is necessary to know in which range the image is located in coordinates in the memory, but the coordinates of the batch input image stored in DK4 Is a pixel unit, whereas the coordinates of each document shown in FIG.
That is, since the unit of the input range is μm or mm, in order to cut out an image of a predetermined document in the memory, the coordinates of the document pasting sheet must be converted into the coordinates in the memory. It is necessary to indicate which coordinates on a document attachment sheet correspond to the coordinates of a point. This is the meaning of step S6.

The reference point may be an arbitrary point such as a characteristic point in the batch input image, but must be a point on which coordinates on the document pasting sheet have been input in advance. In this embodiment, the origin is designated as a reference point to simplify the calculation.

When the reference point is designated, the control unit 3 cuts out the image of the document with the document number 1 from the batch input image, performs a scaling process as necessary, and converts the image into a predetermined image designated by the layout sheet 10. Place in position. This is the makeup process in step S7.

Specifically, it is as follows. Now, the layout sheet 10 is the fifth
As shown in the figure (a), the picture of the car indicated by 11 has four points a (x11, y11), b (x12, y12), c (x13, y13), d (x14, y1).
4) The layout shall be laid out in a rectangular area defined by (the unit is μm, the same applies hereinafter), and the original of the picture of this car is attached on the original attachment sheet 15 at the position of FIG. 5 (b). And In FIG. 5 (a), Z
The mark in the shape indicates the range where the character is inserted. In addition, the fifth
As shown in FIG. 2B, the original has an original number of 1 and a magnification of α.
It turns out that it is 1. Also, two points A (X11, Y1
1) The rectangular range defined by B (X12, Y12) is the input range, that is, the trimming range. However, the input range is slightly larger than the trimming range measured by the scanner original pasting sheet forming apparatus. I have. In other words, when creating a document affixed sheet, the trimming range is set to the size specified on the layout sheet 10, but there may be a case where the trimming range is required to be slightly shifted, as shown in FIG. 5 (c). In addition, a margin m (μm) is automatically provided for each of the vertical and horizontal directions to provide a margin.

Now, the point (PX0, PY0) to be the origin on the memory on the screen on which the batch input image is displayed in step S6 of FIG.
Is given, the control means 3 calculates the position A '(TX11, TX11) in the memory corresponding to the diagonal vertices of the circumscribed rectangle of the rectangles a, b, c, d in FIG. TY11), B '(TX12,
TY12) (the unit is pixels), and cut out a rectangular range with these two points as diagonals.

TX11 = F1 (X11 + m) + PX0 TY11 = F2 (Y11 + m) + PY0 TX12 = F1 (X12-m) + PX0 TY12 = F2 (X12-m) + PY0 where F1 and F2 are conversion functions that convert μm to pixels, PX0, PY0 Are the points corresponding to the origin of the document pasting sheet 10 on the batch input image, that is, the X and Y coordinates of the point designated in step S6.

In this manner, the image of each document can be cut out from the batch input image.

Next, scaling is performed as needed. That is, step S4
Is not always performed at the magnification measured when creating the original pasting sheet, so it is indispensable to perform processing to make the picture of the original to the size specified on the layout sheet. . This is the scaling process. If the measured magnification is α1 and the batch input magnification is β1, the control unit 3 performs the scaling process by multiplying the cut-out document image by α1 / β1. This process is a process widely known to those skilled in the art as an enlargement / reduction process, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

When the scaling process is completed, the control means 3 arranges the image of each document at a predetermined position on the memory according to the graphic data shown in FIG. 3 (c).

If the above processing is performed for all the originals, the makeup in step S7 is completed. The image data for one page for which the makeup has been completed is stored in DK4.

Page makeup is performed as described above,
Due to the batch input, all the documents attached to the image input means are input with the same setup, and it is necessary to correct the color tone depending on the document. In that case, for documents that require color correction,
A color tone correction instruction may be given together with the number of the lookup table (LUT) to be used, and the color tone may be corrected through the LUT designated when the cut-out document image is arranged at a predetermined position.

The image data for which the makeup processing in step S7 has been completed as described above is output to the image output means 2 by performing a predetermined operation using the input means 6 (step S7).
S8).

When two or more original sheets are used to make up one page, after step S6 is completed for the first original sheet, step S1 is performed for the second original sheet. It is clear that the make-up (step S7) and output (step S8) for one page may be performed at the stage where the processing up to S6 has been performed.

The above is one embodiment of the printing plate making layout system according to the present invention. As is clear from the above description, the operator attaches the original to the original attaching sheet and operates the image input unit 1 after the operation. Since it is only necessary to indicate the reference point on the screen of the display means 5, the operation is very easy and the load is small, so that other operations can be performed in parallel.

Next, another embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Sixth
The figure is a flowchart of the processing of another embodiment, which is the same as the flowchart shown in FIG. 2 up to the reference point designation in step S6, but the subsequent processing is different. That is,
In the above-described embodiment, the cut-out range of each document, that is, the trimming range is obtained, and the layout is performed at the same time as the cut-out. In this embodiment, each document image is cut out and temporarily stored in the DK4 for each document image. ing. This is the original image decomposition in step S9. The advantages of decomposing the original image into the original images are as follows. That is, the image processing technology has made tremendous progress, and various software for image processing are currently being developed. Although such image processing software functions effectively for each image, it is not always effective for image data input collectively as in the present invention. This is because even if a certain process is effective for a certain document image, it may be disadvantageous for another document image. Therefore, if the batch input image is decomposed into each document image as in the present embodiment, all of the image processing software developed so far can be used. Various image processing such as desired special effects can be arbitrarily performed.

The image decomposed for each original in step S9 is referred to as step S1
At 0, the desired image processing is performed, the makeup is made in the same manner as in the above embodiment (step S11), and the image is output (step S12).

As described above, according to the present embodiment, since various types of image processing software that have already been developed can be used, it is possible to perform more varied image processing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing of the first embodiment, FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the structure of data, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining layout processing, and FIG.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a process of the second embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional layout system. 1 image input means, 2 image output means, 3 control means, 4 storage means, 5 display means, 6 input means.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Haruo Sato, Inventor 1-1-1, Ichigaya-Kagacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Inside Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (72) Kenichi Omori 1-1-1, Ichigaga-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. 1 Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-62-250452 (JP, A) JP-A-62-247373 (JP, A) JP-A-64-17059 (JP, A) 57-63534 (JP, A) JP-A-59-116658 (JP, A) JP-A-61-148574 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An image input means for collectively inputting a plurality of originals as one image data as a whole; a storage means for storing one image data as a whole input by the image input means; Display means for displaying one image as a whole; trimming processing means for cutting out each original image from the one image data as a whole inputted collectively; and changing each cut-out original image based on scaling data. Printing plate making, comprising: magnification processing means for multiplying; and positioning processing means for creating image data for one page by arranging the scaled original images based on layout data. Layout system