JPH10148574A - Prediction system for ink or paint amount in specific color region - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a prediction system for ink or paint amount in a specific color region wherein, with having no well-trained worker, a required ink amount is accurately predicted based on a print sample by, image-inputting the print sample in a computer, and the applied paint amount can be calculated as well. SOLUTION: A print sample is image-inputted to a computer as digital signal to specify, in pixel unit, the region of specific color part in the image displayed on a monitor, and a parameter related to a specific color is inputted to calculate a scale of the image, so that the area of the specific color part and the ink amount for the area are calculated. Thereby, a required ink amount is accurately predicted, so wasteful use or shortage of ink is eliminated for improved manufacture efficiency of ink.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for predicting the amount of ink or paint in a specific color region by accurately predicting the required amount of ink or paint from a computer image or a file by inputting a print sample to a computer. About the system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when estimating a required amount of ink or paint from a print sample, it depends on the intuition of a skilled person. In consideration of such factors, the necessary amount of ink or paint is predicted, and orders or creations are made.

[0003]

However, in such a prediction method, if the expert's prediction deviates, the amount of ink will be excessive or insufficient.

In the case of the four process colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) used in normal printing, a commercially available product can be purchased if the amount of ink is insufficient. Can be used for printed matter.

However, in the case of a special color (such as specially prepared ink), if the amount of ink is predicted to be small, the color must be ordered again, resulting in an increase in cost, a reduction in work efficiency, and a delivery date. There is a problem that the delay is caused, and when a large amount of ink is predicted, the surplus ink is wasted and the production cost is increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem. By inputting a print sample to a computer as an image, it is possible to accurately predict the required amount of ink from the print sample without a skilled person. It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for predicting the amount of ink and the amount of paint in a specific color area, which can calculate the amount of paint by changing input parameters.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image input means for inputting an image of a print sample as a digital signal to a computer, a storage means for storing the input image and the scale of the image, and a computer monitor. Area specifying means for specifying a region of a specific color portion of a displayed image on a pixel basis; input means for inputting parameters relating to the specific color; scale of the image; area of the specific color portion; And an output means for outputting the ink amount calculated by the operation means. With this feature, a print sample is input as an image to a computer as a digital signal, the area of a specific color portion of the image displayed on the monitor is specified in pixel units, and parameters related to finger colors are input, and the scale of the image is reduced. By calculating the rate,
Since the area of the specific color portion and the amount of ink with respect to the area are calculated, the required amount of ink can be accurately predicted, so that there is no waste or shortage of ink, and the ink production efficiency can be improved. .

In the system for predicting an ink amount of a specific color region according to the present invention, the parameters include a remaining amount of the printing press and the number of waste sheets, a standard ink filling amount for each type of paper to be printed, and
The number of printing papers, the number of impositions imposed on the printing paper,
The present invention is characterized by comprising an ink filling amount adjusted with respect to the standard ink filling amount, and a dot ratio which is set only for a dot which partially covers pixels with certain dots of different sizes. With this feature, a parameter relating to the specific color area is input, so that the ink amount of the specific color area can be calculated more accurately.

In the system for predicting the ink amount of a specific color region according to the present invention, the parameters include a method of applying paint and the number of times of application, and calculate the area of the specific color portion and the amount of paint for the area. And With this feature, a parameter relating to the specific color area is input, so that a more accurate paint amount of the specific color area can be calculated.

In the system for estimating the ink amount of a specific color region according to the present invention, the total area of the specific color portion specified by the region specifying means is determined by the light 3 included in one pixel in the monitor image.
The number of dots of the primary colors (R, G, B) is searched for as the same area occupied by pixels of the same distribution, and the area of the searched area is totaled and obtained. With this feature, an area occupied by pixels having the same distribution as the number of dots of the three primary colors (R, G, B) included in one pixel in the CRT image can be found. The area of the color portion can be automatically obtained by a computer.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the embodiments and the drawings.

First, although the details of the system for predicting the ink amount and the paint amount of a specific color area according to the present invention will be described later, image input means for inputting a print sample as a digital signal to a computer, Storage means for storing a reduction ratio of an image; area designating means for specifying an area of a specific color portion of an image displayed on a CRT (monitor) of a computer in pixel units; input means for inputting parameters relating to the specific color Computing means for calculating the scale of the image, the area of the specific color portion and the ink amount for the area, and output means for outputting the required color ink amount calculated by the calculating means.

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a system for estimating the amount of ink and the amount of paint in a specific color area according to the present invention. In the figure, a design of a document as a print sample is a digital camera, a video camera or an image scanner. The image is input as a digital signal by means of, for example, and taken into an image data file. When a new symbol is created, an image created by CG software or CAD software or the like is edited and taken into an image data file as a digital signal.

Image data photographed by a video camera or the like is directly taken into a computer, or
It is taken into the computer by X communication or personal computer communication.

The image data captured by the computer is subjected to calculation processing in the computer as will be described later, and the result is output as a required color ink amount or paint amount by a CRT display or a file or a printer.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for inputting data to a computer. As described above, the design of a document as a print sample is taken into an image data file from a digital camera, a video camera, or an image scanner, or a computer graphics image, An image created by a CAD software image, a DTP software image, or the like is imported into an image data file.

Next, image editing software (CG software or the like), a scale factor, and a specific color are input, and an area occupied by a specific color described later is calculated.

Next, various conditions based on the parameters are input, the used ink amount or used paint amount of the specific color area is calculated, and the calculated result is output.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart in which information for determining the amount of ink used for a specific color area is processed in the computer. FIG. 4 is a diagram in which information for determining the amount of ink used for the specific color area is processed in the computer. FIG. 5 is a design diagram including a specific color area displayed on a CRT display, and FIG. 6 shows a state in which three primary colors of light in an image displayed on the CRT display are added and mixed. FIG.

That is, in FIGS. 3 and 4, in step 1 (ST1), as shown in FIG. 4, the pattern 2 photographed by the video camera 1 is displayed on the CRT display of the computer 3 and the input / output device (I / I / O) An image input through an image file or an image edited by image editing software such as CAD is input from an image file. The input image is stored in the storage means 6 via the data bus 5.

Next, in step 2 (ST2), parameters for calculating the amount of ink or paint described later are input.

Here, parameters for determining the ink amount for a specific color will be described. That is, the parameters include the remaining amount of the printing machine-specific ink (the minimum amount of ink adhered to the ink setting roller and the blanket) and the number of waste sheets (the number of sheets lost at the start of printing). Standard ink volume for each type of paper (the amount used varies depending on the type of paper), the number of printing papers, and the number of impositions to be imposed on the printing paper (the same pattern is printed on one sheet of paper). The number of pixels to be printed), the amount of ink filling (adjusting the filling amount within a range of ± 50% with respect to the standard ink filling amount determined by the type of paper to correspond to the change in density), and the pixels Halftone dot ratio (typically 100% as determined by a computer) set only for halftone dots partially covered by certain dots of different sizes.

The parameter for determining the amount of paint includes the application method (spraying, roll, brush, etc.) and the number of applications.

Next, in step 3 (ST3), when the symbol stored in the storage means of the computer is displayed on the CRT, a reading color, which is a specific color in the symbol, is visually selected.

As shown in FIG. 6, the color tone of the pattern displayed in color on the CRT is R (red), G (green), and B (blue), which are the three primary colors of light contained in one pixel. It is determined by the distribution of the number of dots.

Next, in step 4 (ST4), the scale of the image previously input to the storage means is taken out, or the scale is calculated and obtained from the image of the CPU input.

Next, in step 5 (ST5), in calculating the area of the selected color portion A, which is a region of a specific color visually confirmed, in the symbol 2 displayed on the CRT shown in FIG. FIG. 4 by a command from the device (CPU) 10
R (red), G (green), and B (blue) dots, which are three primary colors of light contained in one pixel of a specific color selected by applying a point P (x, y) with the mouse 7 shown in FIG. The comparison means 8 finds out whether or not there is a pixel having the same distribution as the number in the symbol, and calculates the area based on the coordinates of the area.

As described above, it is possible to find a region where the area of the specific color portion is occupied by pixels of the same distribution as the number of dots of each of the three primary colors (R, G, B) included in one pixel in the CRT image. Therefore, the area of the specific color portion can be automatically obtained by the computer.

Next, the calculated area is multiplied by the reduction ratio stored in the storage means 6, and the calculation means 8 calculates the area.

Next, in step 6 (ST6), the calculation means 8 calculates the amount of ink required for the specific color area by multiplying the area obtained in step 5 (ST5) by a value set by a parameter.

Finally, in step 7 (ST7), the amount of ink calculated in step 6 (ST6) is
On a CRT display, or by file or printer.

As described above, a more accurate specific color is obtained by multiplying the area obtained by calculation and automatically calculating the specific color area of the image displayed on the CRT display by the parameter relating to the specific color area. The amount of ink in the area can be calculated.

On the other hand, the case of calculating the predicted amount of paint will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the figure, the same steps as those described above will not be described.

In the flowchart shown in FIG.
Steps 2 to (ST2) are the same.
In, the paint application method set in the parameters,
The number of times of application is input.

Next, steps 3 to 5 are the same, and in step 6 (ST6), step 5 (ST
By multiplying the area determined in 5) by the value set by the parameter, the amount of paint required for the specific color area is calculated by the calculating means 8.

Finally, in step 7 (ST7), the paint amount calculated in step 6 (ST6) is
On a CRT display, or by file or printer.

As described above, a more accurate specific color can be obtained by multiplying the area obtained by calculation and automatically calculating the specific color area of the image displayed on the CRT display by the parameter relating to the specific color area. The paint amount of the area can be easily calculated.

[0038]

The present invention has the following effects.

(A) According to the first aspect of the present invention, a print sample is input as an image to a computer as a digital signal, and a region of a specific color portion of the image displayed on the monitor is specified in pixel units, and a finger color is specified. By inputting parameters related to the above and calculating the scale of the image, the area of the specific color portion and the amount of ink with respect to the area are calculated, so that the required amount of ink can be accurately predicted. Costs can be reduced and work efficiency can be improved.

(B) According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the parameters relating to the specific color area are input, it is possible to calculate the ink amount of the specific color area more accurately.

(C) According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the parameters relating to the specific color area are input, it is possible to calculate the paint amount of the specific color area more accurately.

(D) According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the area of the specific color portion is the same as the number of dots of each of the three primary colors (R, G, B) included in one pixel in the CRT image. Can be searched for, so that the area of a specific color portion can be automatically obtained by a computer.

[0043]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a system for predicting an ink amount and a paint amount of a specific color area according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an input to a computer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart in which information for calculating an ink amount used for a specific color area is processed in a computer.

FIG. 4 is a book diagram in which information for calculating an amount of ink used for a specific color area is processed in a computer, and FIG. 5 is a CRT.
FIG. 4 is a symbol diagram including a specific color region displayed on a display.

FIG. 5 is a pattern diagram including a specific color area displayed on a CRT display.

FIG. 6 shows an image light 3 displayed on a CRT display.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which primary colors are added and mixed.

[Description of Signs] 1 Video camera 2 Symbol 3 Computer 4 Input / output device 5 Data bus 6 Storage means 7 Mouse 8 Comparison means 9 Computing means 10 Central processing unit A Specific color area P Point for each pixel

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image input means for inputting an image of a printed sample as a digital signal to a computer, a storage means for storing the input image and a scale of the image, and a specific color portion of the image displayed on a monitor of the computer. Area specifying means for specifying the area in units of pixels, input means for inputting parameters relating to the specific color, and calculating means for calculating the scale of the image, the area of the specific color portion, and the ink amount for the area And an output unit for outputting the amount of ink calculated by the calculation unit. A system for predicting the amount of ink or paint in a specific color area. 2. The parameters include the remaining amount of the printing press and the number of waste sheets, the standard amount of ink for each type of paper to be printed, the number of printing papers, and the surface imposed on the printing paper. The number of dots, the amount of ink that is adjusted with respect to the standard amount of ink, and the dot ratio that is set only for dots that partially cover pixels with certain dots of different sizes. The system for predicting the amount of ink or paint in a specific color area according to claim 1. 3. The specific color area according to claim 1, wherein the parameters include a paint application method and the number of times of application, and calculate an area of the specific color portion and an amount of paint with respect to the area. Ink or paint volume prediction system. 4. The total area of the specific color portion designated by the region designation means is equal to the number of dots of each of the three primary colors (R, G, B) included in one pixel in the monitor image. 4. The system for predicting the amount of ink or paint in a specific color area according to claim 1, wherein the same area occupied by the area is sought, and the area of the sought area is totaled and obtained.