JP4535141B2 - Image processing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that performs image processing based on drawing commands or image data created by various applications.

  As digitalization in the field of print processing, DTP (Desktop Publishing) has become popular. DTP creates a page layout by creating, processing, and editing images on a processing device such as a personal computer or workstation, and creates a film for exposing the printing plate based on the page layout. Or printing directly on the printing plate to create a printing plate for printing (CTP: Computer to Plate).

  On the other hand, in DTP, when calibration is performed prior to printing using an actual printing plate, an image such as a page layout displayed on a monitor is displayed by a print output device such as a laser printer or a page printer using a WYSIWYG function. Can be printed out.

  By the way, in printing using a printing plate, color printing is performed by superimposing images separated into CMYK colors in each color, and in an application used for DTP, overprinting is performed by superimposing upper and lower images. Can be specified. The reason for performing such overprint designation is that when the images are overlapped, a white gap is generated around the boundary of the image due to the expansion and contraction of the paper and the misregistration of the printing. This is to prevent this.

  On the other hand, when an image is output from a printer, for example, when the images overlap each other, the upper image is generally printed by knocking out the lower image. For this reason, the printed material using the printing plate and the printed material output from the printer may have different finishes.

  For this reason, in order to confirm overprint designation on the application, a separation image of each color of CMYK must be created, and the separation image of each color component must be output in black and white printing and confirmed visually. In addition, skill is required, and the page layout proofreading work is complicated.

  On the other hand, there are printers that can simulate overprinting of each color image, such as printed matter using a printing plate. However, printers that can perform such processing are expensive and before printing is performed. There is a problem that it takes time.

  On the other hand, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-352813, overprint confirmation has been proposed, but in addition to being able to confirm only overprints due to overlapping of the black plate (K plate) and other colors, It is necessary to use an expensive printer.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described facts, and an object thereof is to propose an image processing apparatus that can easily and accurately confirm overprint designation.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a drawing command or image data used for producing a printing plate for color printing, and has an overprint setting in which each of the images superimposed vertically is printed out. When a drawing command or image data including the made image is input from the image processing terminal, the lower image corresponding to the upper image is knocked out and printed out from the print output device regardless of the overprint setting. An image processing apparatus that performs image processing in such a manner that a detection unit that detects an image for which the overprint setting is made from the drawing command or the image data, and the setting of the overprint by the detection unit. if the image has been made is detected, set so that the image is printed out is converted into a predetermined warning color A color conversion setting means for, when performing image processing based on the drawing command and the image data, characterized in that it comprises a, an image processing means for performing image processing based on the setting of the color conversion setting section .

The present invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the color conversion setting means sets the warning color of the image to a preset warning color.

Further, the present invention according to claim 3, wherein the color conversion setting means sets the warning color of the image to warning color designated by said image processing terminal, and wherein the.

The present invention according to claim 4, on the image processing terminal, comprising display means for displaying the processing specification of an input request for the image is set in said detected overprint has been made by the detecting means, that Features.

The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that the display control means can display an image corresponding to the image data obtained by processing by the image processing means on the image processing terminal .

Further, the invention according to claim 6 is a drawing command or image data used for producing a printing plate for color printing, and includes an image in which an overprint is set so that each of the vertically superimposed images is printed out. Image processing so that when a drawing command or image data is input from an image processing terminal, the lower image corresponding to the upper image is knocked out and printed out from the print output device regardless of the overprint setting. An image processing apparatus in which the overprint setting is detected from the drawing command or the image data, and the overprint is set by the detection unit. Is detected, the warning page only for the image or the warning that the image has been deleted Output setting means for setting a print output, and image processing means for performing image processing based on the setting of the output setting means when performing image processing based on the drawing command or the image data; It is characterized by including .

As described above, according to the first aspect, even when the overprint is set, even when the lower image is knocked out and printed out, the corresponding image is printed out with a warning color. Thus, it is possible to obtain an excellent effect that the presence or absence of an image for which overprinting is set and the corresponding image can be clarified.

Further, in claim 2, it is easy to warning color settings in claim 3, it is possible to apply a desired color as a warning color.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, an appropriate process can be performed on a drawing command or image data or an image for which overprinting is set. In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the corresponding image can be clarified on the image processing terminal .

Further, the 請 Motomeko 6, with normal printout images can be obtained printout that clarifies the setting of overprint has been made.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a printing system 10 applied to the present embodiment. The printing system 10 includes, for example, a print server 12 configured by adding a PCI board having a predetermined function to a personal computer (PC) having a general configuration. Further, a printer 14 is connected to the print server 12 as a print output device so that an image processed by the print server 12 can be printed out.

  Furthermore, a personal computer, a workstation, and the like are connected to the print server 12 as a client terminal 16. The client terminal 16 is used for DTP that performs image processing such as image creation, processing, and editing using various applications. The print server 12 prints out an image corresponding to the print job by inputting a drawing command and image data from the client terminal 16 as a print job.

  The printing system 10 may be one in which a plurality of printers 14 are connected to the print server 12, and a plurality of client terminals 16 are connected to the print server 12 via a network such as a LAN or a WAN. You may connect.

  The print server 12 used in the present embodiment is provided with an external memory such as a ROM, a RAM, and an HD, operates by an operating program stored in the ROM, and is based on a program stored in the ROM or the external memory. It has a general configuration for executing processing on figures, images, characters or tables.

  The print server 12 includes an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse (both not shown) and a display device such as a CRT display. The print server 12 can also perform print processing on the display image of the display device (WYSIWYG function).

  The print server 12 is provided with a bidirectional interface 18 such as Ethernet (registered trademark) and a print controller 20. The print controller 20 is connected to the printer 14 via the bidirectional interface 18. Yes. The print server 12 is provided with a network interface 22, and a drawing command is input as a print job from the client terminal 16 through the network interface 22 together with an image file.

  On the other hand, an image processing device 36 to which the present invention is applied is formed in the print server 12. The image processing device 36 includes an image processing unit 24, and generates raster data based on a drawing command and image data input as a print job. The raster data is controlled by the print controller 20 and output to the printer 14 so that a printed matter based on the image data can be obtained.

  The client terminal 16 creates, processes, and edits images by using various DTP applications such as Photoshop, Illustrator (product names of Adobe Systems Inc.) and QuarkXPress (product names of Quark Corp., USA). Image data such as page layout is created (hereinafter described as “page layout”).

  In this embodiment, the page layout created by the client terminal 16 is used for creating a film used for printing plate exposure in the color electronic plate making system (CEPS) and for exposing the printing plate in direct plate making (CTP). . A printing process is performed by a printing plate created based on this page layout.

  In DTP, prior to the creation of a printing plate based on the page layout, a proof that creates a proof print (hereinafter referred to as “proof”) called color proof is performed. I do.

  When performing this proof printing, image data such as a page layout is output from the client terminal 16 to the print server 12 as a print job together with a drawing command. Note that the page layout input from the client terminal 16 may be in the YMCK format, may be in the RBG format, or may be a mixture of these. The image processing unit 24 generates raster data of each color of Y, M, C, and K from this page layout and outputs it to the printer 14.

  Incidentally, the image processing device 36 formed in the print server 12 is provided with a print function setting unit 26. The print function setting unit 26 reads the print function setting on the print job drawing command and sets the print function when performing image processing and print processing. The setting of the print function is not limited to the setting on the print job. For example, the print server 12 extracts the name of the application that created the print job, and is set and stored in advance based on the extraction result. May be used as a standard setting.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, in the page layout created by using the application on the client terminal 16, the lower image 54 is knocked out, and the upper image 56 is inserted in that portion. There is. At this time, in order to fill the gap between the images 54 and 56, the application can set a trapping process such as a spread process for expanding the outline of the image 56 or a choke process for narrowing the knockout area of the lower image. It has become. Some applications, such as QuarkXPress, do not actually draw a trap even if trapping is set.

  In the print function setting unit 26, when the lower image 54 is knocked out and the image 56 is fitted in this knockout portion, the line width of the outline 58 that fills the trap portion between the images 54 and 56 is set. In this case, the contour line 58 can be regarded as an overprint on the overprint warning function.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image processing device 36 includes an overprint detection unit 28. The overprint detection unit 28 detects whether or not an overprint is designated for any image from, for example, a drawing command or image data.

  That is, in the overprint detection unit 28, for example, as shown in FIG. 3A, when the upper image 50 and the lower image 52 overlap on the page layout, the upper and lower images 50, 52 overlap. Or whether the lower image 52 is designated to be fitted in the knocked-out portion.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, the image processing device 36 of the print server 12 includes a warning unit 30 and a warning image processing unit 32. When the overprint detection unit 28 detects an image with overprint designation, the warning unit 30 notifies the client terminal 16 that has output the print job that there is overprint designation.

  At this time, the warning unit 30 uses the display control unit 34 to display a predetermined warning message on a monitor (not shown) of the client terminal 16. The display control unit 34 displays a screen requesting selection of processing for overprint designation.

  The warning image processing unit 32 performs a predetermined process on the image for which the overprint designation detected by the overprint detection unit 28 is made. For example, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the upper image 50 of the images 50 and 52 that overlap each other is designated as an overprint, this processing is performed using a warning color such as magenta or an arbitrary color. The image is converted into an image 50A filled with the set color.

  The warning image processing unit 32 can set a print output in which the lower image 52 is printed around the upper image 50 and a print output in which the upper image 50 is deleted. That is, in addition to normal print output by the printer 14 based on the image data (for example, the image shown in FIG. 3A), as a warning page, as shown in FIG. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3D, the print output of the printed material from which the image 50 is extracted is set.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3E, the warning image processing unit 32 can be set so that the outline 60 along the outline of the image 50 is bordered by a warning color or a designated color. Note that the outline 58 in the trapping process is set so as to be converted into a warning color or an arbitrary set color as in the outline 60 of the image 50.

  The image processing unit 24 performs processing such as image conversion (raster data generation) based on the setting of the warning image processing unit 32. The image processing unit 24 can apply any conventionally known configuration, and detailed description thereof is omitted in the present embodiment.

  Here, processing for the overprint warning function in the print server 12 will be described. This flowchart shown in FIG. 4 starts when a print job output from the client terminal 16 is received and print processing is executed for this print job. In the first step 100, an overprint warning function is set. Check if it exists. At this time, if the overprint warning function is set, an affirmative determination is made in step 100, the process proceeds to step 120, and the print job is set by a specific application set in advance. It is confirmed whether or not the line width of the contour line 58 for trapping processing is set.

  Here, when the line width of the contour line 58 for the trapping process is designated, an affirmative determination is made in step 102 so that the contour line 58 added during the trapping process is detected as an overprint designated image. Set. That is, the contour line 58 is set to be detected as an overprinted image.

  When the overprint warning function is set in this manner, the process proceeds to step 106, where overprint detection and overprint image extraction are performed. At this time, when the line width of the contour line 58 at the time of the trapping process is set, this contour line 58 is also detected as an overprint-designated image. For this overprint detection and outline 58 detection, any conventionally known configuration such as a description on a drawing command can be used.

  In the next step 108, it is confirmed whether or not an image designated for overprinting has been detected. If an image for which overprinting is designated is detected, an affirmative determination is made at step 108 and steps 110 and 112 are executed.

  FIG. 5 shows an outline of warning processing and print setting (corresponding to steps 110 and 112 in FIG. 4) for overprint designation.

  In this flowchart, when an overprint-designated image is detected in the first step 120 with the overprint warning function set, an affirmative determination is made and the process proceeds to step 122.

  In this step 122, a warning message dialog is displayed on the monitor (not shown) of the client terminal 16 that has transmitted the print job, notifying that there is an overprint-designated image.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of the warning message dialog. In this dialog, a menu for selecting whether or not to continue the printing process is displayed together with a warning message, and a process designation input based on this selection menu is requested. Also, preview display can be specified from this dialog.

  When a process designation is input from the client terminal 16, in the flowchart shown in FIG. 5, the process proceeds to step 124, and the input process designation is read. Thereafter, in step 126, it is confirmed whether preview display of the corresponding page layout (print page) is designated.

  At this time, if preview display is designated, an affirmative determination is made in step 126, the process proceeds to step 128, image conversion for preview is performed, and the preview image is displayed on the monitor of the client terminal 16 (step 130). ). It should be noted that when this preview display is performed, the overprinted image is displayed so as to be clear.

  On the other hand, when the preview display is not designated or when the preview display ends and the input process designation is read, a negative determination is made at step 126 and the routine proceeds to step 132. In this step 132, first, it is confirmed whether or not to cancel the printing process.

  Here, when the cancellation of the printing process is set, an affirmative determination is made in step 132 and the process proceeds to step 134 to set the cancellation of the printing process. Thus, it is possible to accurately determine the presence or absence of an image that is overprinted on the page layout without printing out.

  On the other hand, when continuation of the printing process is designated, a negative determination is made at step 132, and the routine proceeds to step 136. In step 136, a dialog requesting input of detailed processing settings is displayed on the monitor of the client terminal 16.

  FIG. 7 shows an example of this dialog. Processing for an image for which overprinting is designated can be performed, for example, by color conversion of an image, addition of a contour line 60 (hereinafter, “contour line 60” includes “contour line 58”), and printout of a warning message. It requests input of any processing designation. When the color conversion of the image or the application of the outline 60 is selected, a preset warning color (for example, magenta) can be used, or an arbitrary color can be designated.

  Here, when a print process designation is input based on the dialog, in the flowchart of FIG. 5, the process designation is read in step 138, and it is confirmed in the next step 140 whether or not image color conversion is designated. To do. In step 142, it is confirmed whether the addition of the outline 60 is designated.

  Thereby, when color conversion of the image is designated, an affirmative determination is made in step 140 and the process proceeds to step 144. In this step 144, the color to be converted is set from the read processing designation, and the corresponding image is set to be converted to the set color and printed out.

  As a result, the image overprint-designated from the printer 14 is converted into a predetermined color so as to be clear and printed out (see FIG. 3B).

  When the application of the contour line 60 is designated (negative determination at step 140 and affirmative determination at step 142), the process proceeds to step 146, the color of the contour line 60 is set from the read processing specification, and The contour line 60 having a predetermined width and color is printed around the image to be printed.

  As a result, the printed matter output from the printer 14 is bordered by the contour line 60 so that the overprint-designated image is clear (see FIG. 3E). Since the same setting is made in step 144 and step 146 for the outline 58 of the trapping process, the color conversion designation of the image may be deleted in the dialog.

  On the other hand, when printing of a warning page is designated, a negative determination is made in steps 140 and 142 and the process proceeds to step 148. In this step 148, it is confirmed whether an overprint image is set to be extracted and printed out as a warning page, or whether an overprint image is deleted and printed out.

  Here, when extraction of an image designated for overprinting is designated, the process proceeds to step 150, where an image designated for overprinting is extracted as a warning page, and only the corresponding image is printed out. Set as follows.

  As a result, a warning page (see FIG. 3D) in which an image for which overprinting is designated is extracted from the printer 14 is printed out. At this time, normal print output based on the print job is also performed.

  On the other hand, when erasure of an image for which overprint is designated is designated, the routine proceeds to step 152. In step 152, a page layout in which an image designated as overprint is deleted is set to be printed as a warning page.

  As a result, a normal print page based on the page layout and a warning page from which an overprint-designated image is deleted can be printed out.

  When an overprint-designated image is detected in this way, a warning is issued so that the corresponding image is clear, or printing is performed so that the image is clear. Accordingly, it is not necessary to use an expensive printer capable of simulating the output of the printing press, and it is possible to easily output a printed matter in which an image to be overprinted is clear, so that appropriate calibration can be easily performed. .

  In the present embodiment, the warning message and the processing designation are displayed separately. However, the warning message and the processing designation may be performed in one dialog. In this case, for example, the display of the dialog shown in FIG. 8 can be used. In this dialog, a selection menu for processing designation is displayed together with a warning message. In this process designation, it is possible to designate any of color conversion and color of the corresponding image, addition and color of the outline 60, and printing of a warning message on the assumption that the printing process is continued. Yes. Also, when specifying the printout of a warning message, it is possible to specify whether the corresponding image has been deleted or extracted as a warning page.

  In the above description, input of processing designation for an image for which overprinting is designated is requested. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when an image for which overprinting is designated is detected, Whether color conversion, outline 60 or warning page printing is set in advance, and when an overprint-designated image is detected, the client terminal 16 is only notified by a dialog or the like. Also good.

  Further, the dialogs shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 show an example, and the display of an arbitrary configuration can be used for the warning display and the process designation input request. Note that the warning when an image designated as overprinting is detected is not limited to the display on the monitor of the client terminal 16, and any warning may be used as long as the corresponding image becomes clear on the printed matter. The method can be applied.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the image processing apparatus of the present invention is applied to the print server 12, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the image processing apparatus of the present invention includes, for example, a plurality of client terminals. 16 may be provided as an image processing apparatus that performs processing based on image data input from a client terminal, or provided on a network together with the client terminal 16. You may use as an image processing apparatus which performs a predetermined process with respect to the image data input from a client terminal.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a main part of a print server provided with an image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. It is the schematic which shows the trapping process as an example of the image by which overprint designation | designated. (B) is a schematic diagram showing color conversion of an overprint-designated image, (C) is a schematic diagram showing erasing of an overprint-designated image, D) is a schematic diagram showing extraction of an image designated for overprinting, and (E) is a schematic diagram obtained by adding an outline to the image designated for overprinting. 5 is a flowchart showing an outline of a printing process using an overprint warning function in the present embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows an example of an overprint warning process. It is the schematic which shows an example of a warning message. It is the schematic which shows an example of the display of the process designation | designated with respect to the image with which overprint designation | designated. It is the schematic which shows another example of a warning message.

Explanation of symbols

10 Printing System 12 Print Server (Image Processing Device)
14 Printer (Printing output device)
16 Client terminal (image processing terminal)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 Print controller 24 Image processing part 26 Print function setting part 28 Overprint detection part (detection means)
30 warning section 32 warning image processing section (outline setting means, color conversion setting means)
34 Display Control Unit 36 Image Processing Device (Image Processing Unit)
50, 56 Image 52, 54 Image 58, 60 Outline

Claims (6)

A drawing command or image data used for producing a printing plate for color printing, and a drawing command or image data including an image for which overprinting is set so that each of the upper and lower superimposed images is printed out is an image processing terminal. An image processing device that performs image processing so that the lower image corresponding to the upper image is knocked out and printed out from the print output device, regardless of the overprint setting,
Detecting means for detecting an image in which the overprint is set from the drawing command or the image data;
If the image settings of the overprint is made it is detected by said detecting means, and the color conversion setting means for setting so that the image is printed out is converted into a predetermined warning color,
Image processing means for performing image processing based on settings of the color conversion setting means when performing image processing based on the drawing command or the image data;
An image processing apparatus comprising: The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the color conversion setting unit sets the warning color of the image as a preset warning color. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the color conversion setting means sets the warning color of the image to warning color designated by said image processing terminal, and wherein the. On the image processing terminal, according to claim claim 1, wherein a display means for displaying the processing specification of an input request for the image is set in said detected overprint has been made by the detection means, it is characterized by 4. The image processing device according to any one of items 3 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the display control unit can display an image corresponding to image data obtained by processing by the image processing unit on the image processing terminal . A drawing command or image data used for producing a printing plate for color printing, and a drawing command or image data including an image for which overprinting is set so that each of the upper and lower superimposed images is printed out is an image processing terminal. An image processing device that performs image processing so that the lower image corresponding to the upper image is knocked out and printed out from the print output device, regardless of the overprint setting,
Detecting means for detecting an image in which the overprint is set from the drawing command or the image data;
When the image for which the overprint is set is detected by the detection means, in addition to the normal print output, a warning page for only the image or a warning page for deleting the image is printed out. Output setting means to set;
Image processing means for performing image processing based on the setting of the output setting means when performing image processing based on the drawing command or the image data;
Images processor you comprising a.

Images