JPH0774897B2 - Color electronic plate making system - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic plate making system for printing plate making, and more particularly to a color electronic plate making system capable of easily cutting out image data.

(Background of the Invention) In recent years, an electronic plate making system in which a computer is combined with various processing devices and input / output terminals for printing plate making has been used.

Such an electronic plate-making system performs layout processing of characters and figures, image editing, plate collection, etc., and outputs a printing plate to a printer. An example of such a system is shown in FIG. In the figure, 1 is a bus to which various processors are connected, 2 is an input processor to which externally created characters and image data are supplied, 3 is a layout processor for performing layout processing, and 4 is an image for editing image data. An editing processor, 5 is a stencil processor that creates data for final power collection based on the data that has undergone layout processing and editing, 6 is a memory processor that stores various data, and 7 is a printout of data for final output. It is a printer that creates a printing plate.

Characters or images created externally are read into the system as character data and image data by the input processor 2, the character data is supplied by the layout processor 3, and the image data is supplied to the image editing processor. After the image data is edited by the image editing processor,
It is supplied to the layout processor 3. In the layout processor 3, in addition to layout processing of characters and image data, drawing is performed using a keyboard and a digitizer (not shown). The data for which the layout processing has been completed is supplied as typesetting information to the typesetting processor, and data for final output is created. This final output data is output from the printer 7 to create a printing plate.

In such a plate-making system, an image input from the input processor 2 may be subjected to image editing by performing a cutting process in the image editing processor 4 to extract a part of the image and combining the image with another image. An example of such a cutting process is shown in FIG. FIG. 6A shows a circle included in one screen containing image data, and FIG. 6B shows an image obtained by cutting out the circle by the conventional cutting process.
Conventionally, many cutout points as shown in (b) are designated on the image to be cut out shown in (a), and a desired image is cut out by interpolating the cutout points with a straight line.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the image cutting processing in the conventional plate making apparatus, since the designated cutting points are interpolated by a straight line, the image cannot be cut accurately. Further, in order to cut out as accurately as possible, it is necessary to specify an extremely large number of cut points, and it takes a lot of time to specify the cut processing.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to realize a color electronic platemaking system having an image editing function capable of accurately and easily performing image cutting processing.

(Means for Solving Problems) According to the present invention for solving the above problems, an image input means to which color image data is externally supplied and a point corresponding to an outline of an image to be cut out for cutting processing are provided. Based on the instruction input means for instructing and the instruction from the previous term instruction input means,
An image editing means for cutting out color image data given from the image input means, the image editing means having an interpolation curve generating means for executing the curve interpolation of the contour line by a quadratic or higher order spline function, and the image editing means. And image display means for displaying the interpolation curve.

(Operation) The curve interpolating means approximates the contour of the image by performing the curve interpolation by the spline function based on the point given by the instruction input instruction, and executes the image cutting processing.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 10 is a layout / image editing station having a plurality of processors for drawing, layout and image editing, 11 is an input processor to which externally created character or graphic data is input, and 12 is drawing and layout Layout processor for editing, changing and typesetting, 13
Is a digitizer for giving a drawing instruction to the layout processor 12, 14 is a keyboard for giving an instruction to the layout processor 12 during drawing or layout processing, 15 is a CRT for displaying the status of drawing or layout processing, 16 is an image editing function having an image editing function A processor, 17 is a digitizer which gives an instruction to the image editing processor 16, 18 is a keyboard which gives an instruction to the image editing processor 16, 19 is a CRT which displays an image at the time of image editing, and 20 is a data based on the instruction of the image editing processor 16. An image data processing processor 21 for processing, a compression / expansion processor 21 for compressing or expanding compressed data when transmitting data, and a bus 22 for connecting each of the above processors and performing data transmission. The processors 11 to 12 are connected to the bus 22 for exchanging data very frequently during layout or image editing.
The processor means a device having a CPU, and the same applies hereinafter. 23 is a font station that generates character fonts, 24 is a font processor that generates and transfers character fonts at the request of other stations, 25 is a font generator that creates fonts based on the instructions of the font processor, and 26 is a font as a vector. A stored memory, 27 is a bus line for connecting the above 24 to 26 and exchanging data. Font processor 24, font generator 25, font memory 26
Since data is frequently exchanged between the two, they are connected by the bus 27. 28 is a plate-collection station having a plurality of processors for plate-collection, 29 is a plate-collection arithmetic processor that creates character data for final output based on the composition information created by the layout station, and 30 is compression that expands and compresses data The decompression processor, 31 is a bus connecting the above 29 and 30. 32 is a scanner station for image input,
33 is a scanner processor for inputting an image from the outside by a scanner, 34 is a scanner connected to the scanner processor 33, 35 is a compression / expansion processor for compressing and expanding data, and 36 is a bus connecting the above 33 and 35. . 37 is a printer station for creating data to be output to a printer, 38 is a printer processor for creating printer output data, 39 is a printer connected to the printer processor 38, 40 is a dot pattern based on a command from the printer processor 38 A halftone dot generation processor that creates output data, 41 is a compression / expansion processor that performs compression / expansion of data,
A bus 42 connects the above 38 to 41. Since data is frequently exchanged between the printer processor 38 and the halftone dot generation processor 40, they are connected by a bus 42. 43
Numerals 48 to 48 are bus connecting means which are provided between the buses of the respective stations in order to connect the processors in which data exchange is relatively rare and which become conductive only when data exchange is performed. 49 is a shared file station for managing data of the entire system, 50 is a shared file processor for managing data, 51 is a shared memory, 52 is a fixed disk for backup, 53 is a bus connecting the above 50 and 51 Is. The shared memory 51 and shared file processor
Since data is frequently exchanged between 50, they are connected by a bus 53.

The operation will be described below with reference to FIG. The character data is created by an external word processor or the like, and the graphic data is created by an external drawing machine and read from the input processor 11. This character data is supplied to the layout processor 12 via the bus 22. As character information, character code, character size, transformation information, typeface code, set condition,
Color, blank information, etc. are required, but those not included in the externally created character information can be specified from the keyboard 14 connected to the layout processor 12. Further, the layout station 12 has a digitizer and can perform drawing and create graphic data. Since the data handled by this layout station 12 is vector information, it is converted to a raster and the CRT15
To display. While looking at the image displayed on this CRT 15,
Edit, change, and typeset the layout of characters, figures, and images. When these operations are completed, it is transferred to the shared file station 49 as typesetting information and stored in the shared memory 51 or the fixed disk 52. At this time, bus connection means
43 becomes a data passing state, and the layout processor 12 and the shared file station 49 transfer data at high speed in a state equivalent to being connected by one bus. When the transfer of the data between the layout processor 12 and the shared file station 49 is completed, the bus connecting means becomes non-passage state, the bus 22 and the bus 53 become independent, and each bus can be used independently for exchanging data.

By connecting the fixed disk 52 to the bus 53 via the memory 51, the memory functions as a buffer during the time when the head of the disk cannot be input / output such as the time when the disk head moves between tracks. It can be used effectively, and
The amount of input / output can be averaged.

The scanner 34 reads a color original image and supplies it as image data to the scanner processor. The image data is stored in the shared memory 51 or supplied to the image editing processor 16 as 8-bit data of each color. The image editing processor 16 converts the image data or graphic data read from the shared memory 51 or supplied from the scanner processor into a movie signal and displaying the movie signal on the CRT 60, while instructing the image data by the keyboard 18 and the digitizer 17. Or gradation change of graphic data, cutout processing, brushing, image sharpening, gradation, color correction,
Edit processing such as mask creation, composition, rotation, reduction and enlargement. When this editing process is completed, the image or graphic data is transferred from the image editing processor 16 to the image data processing processor 17 via the bus 22, and the image processing processor 17 updates the shared memory 51 in the shared file station 49.
At this time as well, as in the case described above, the bus connection means 43 is in the passing state, and the image data processor 20 and the shared file station 49 transfer data at high speed in the same state as when they are connected by a single bus. . When this data transfer is completed, the bus connection means becomes non-passing state, the bus 22 and the bus 53 are independent, and each bus can be independently used for data transfer. The compression / expansion processor 21 expands the data when reading the data compressed and stored in the shared memory, and also performs the data compression when storing the data for which layout or editing processing is completed in the shared memory. Is. This data compression reduces the amount of shared memory used and also reduces the time required for data exchange.

When the font processor 24 receives a character code, a font, a size, deformation information, etc. from the layout station 10 or the plate collection station 28, it reads vector information corresponding to the character code from the font memory 21. This vector information is transformed according to the size and size information, and the points,
Obtains corner and non-corner information, and from this information the font generator
20 calculates the outline of the character and also fills the inside. or,
If there is clear information, create a clear mask. The data created in this way is either compressed to the run length, or is transferred as it is to the requested processor by the bit map via the bus connection means.

The plate collection arithmetic processor 29 of the plate collection station 28 reads from the shared memory 51 the typesetting information created by the layout processor 12 and stored in the shared memory 51. Since the character information in the typesetting information is stored as a character code, the typesetting arithmetic processor 29 requests the bit map information of the character from the font processor 24. At this time as well, the bus connection means 45 is in the passing state, and the data processing operation is carried out in the same state as that the plate-collecting arithmetic processor 24 and the font processor 19 are connected by one bus. When this transfer is complete,
The bus connecting means 45 becomes non-passing state, and each bus returns to an independent state. In addition, masking is placed in unnecessary parts of the image data, and the inside of the figure is filled or masked, and the operation of masking the image of the bitmap of the character and the figure is performed, and four colors (Yellow, Magenta, Cyan , Bl
image data, line drawing character graphic data for each color of
Create three types of output data such as valid data. An example of these three types of data is shown in Fig. 3 (a), (b), (c)
The results of the synthesis are shown in (d). In this case, the image data of “tree” and the character of “A” are combined. The composite image shown in (d) is divided into the image of “tree” shown in (a), the character shown in (b), and the valid data shown in (c). When this calculation is completed, the data is compressed by the compression / expansion processor, and then transferred to the shared file station 49 and stored in the shared memory 51. As in the case described above, the bus connection unit 39 is in the passing state only during this transfer, and the transfer is performed in the same state as when the bus is connected by one bus, but the buses are independent during the periods other than the transfer. , Each station is operating independently.

The printer processor 38 of the printer station 37 reads out the image data for each color, the line drawing character graphic data, and the valid data created by the plate collection station 32 from the shared memory 51 via the bus connection means 48. The dot generation processor 40 converts the 8-bit image data representing the shade of color into 1-bit halftone dots. In addition, the compressed line drawing, characters, graphic data and effective data are expanded to be bitmap data. The three pieces of data are combined by the printer processor 38 and output to the printer 39 as data for printer output to form a printing plate, and all processing is completed.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the bus connecting means 43 together with the buses 22 and 53. In the figure, 54 and 59 are bus interfaces that constantly monitor the bus, 55 and 58 are controllers that control the bus interface and buffer memory, and 56 and 57 are buffer memories that temporarily store the data to be transferred. The bus interface 54 and the controller 55 constantly monitor the status of the bus 22,
When there is a communication request to a processor on another bus, the data is received and stored in the buffer memory 56. The buffer memory 56 sends the data to the buffer memory 57, which stores the data. Bus interface 59 and controller 58 that bus 58 is free
Then, the data stored in the buffer memory 57 is transferred to the destination. Although the bus connecting means 43 between the bus 22 and the bus 58 has been described here, the bus connecting means arranged between other buses also have the same configuration and operation.

Next, the clipping process of the image editing work performed by the image editing processor 16 will be described. Image editing processor 16 is CRT1
It is assumed that the image is being edited while displaying the image shown in FIG. Here, when the cutout processing is instructed from the keyboard 18, the image editing processor 16 is in a state of waiting for the cutout point input from the digitizer 17. When you want to cut out only the apple part of the displayed apple and plate shown in (a), “□” is displayed at the corner of the image as shown in FIG. 4 (b).
Is designated as a cutout point from the digitizer for a non-corner portion such as a curve. That is, the digitizer 17 moves the cursor on the display screen to the image to be cut out. And
"□" is designated as a corner point of the contour of the image, and "○" is designated as a cutout point of the non-corner portion. The cutout points may be colored or blinked so that they can be distinguished from the image. Further, since the curve between the cutout points is interpolated by the curve, as will be described later, the number of points to be designated is smaller than in the case of the conventional linear interpolation. It should be noted that this device can change, add, move, delete, etc. the attribute of a point (corner or non-corner). By the instruction of this cutout point,
The image editing processor 16 obtains a curve that approximates the contour of the image as a contour line according to a two-dimensional or higher dimensional spline function. This contour line is displayed on the CRT 19 so as to overlap with the display image. The obtained contour line may be colored or blinked so that it can be distinguished from the image. When the contour line is obtained, the position of the clipping point and the attribute (corner or non-corner) data are saved in a memory, a floppy disk, or the like, and the clipping process ends. Since the spline function is used in the present invention, compared to the conventional method of linearly interpolating between a large number of points, the number of designated points can be extremely small, and accurate cutting processing can be executed.

Although the present invention is characterized by using a spline function of quadratic or higher as an approximate curve for approximating a contour line, before explaining a specific example, sample points (X _i , y _i ,) (i = 0,1 , ...
A cubic spline function S (x) having N) will be described.

First, the cubic spline function S (x) has the following two properties.

(A) In each section (X _i , X _{i + 1} ), S (x) is a polynomial of third degree or less.

(B) S (x) and its first and second derivatives are designated
It is continuous in the section from □ to □, or when there is no □.

In the present invention, since the data is interpolated as a plane, the parameter Using, the spline function becomes the following formula.

First, the calculation formula of the x coordinate of the approximate curve is as follows.

Where h _j = t _j −t _j-1 where mj is Meet

Next, the formula for calculating the y coordinate of the approximate curve is as follows.

Where n _j is Meet

(X ₀ , y ₀ ) and (x _N , y _N ) correspond to the end points (corresponding to □ to □) of the block.

How to actually calculate the x-coordinates and the y-coordinates using these equations is to find all m _j , n _j (j = 0, 1, ... N), and then use equations (1) and (4 ) Substituting into the equation, each coordinate is obtained.

m _j , n _j can be obtained by solving the following equation.

Here, M _j means m _j , n _j .

C _j is the value on the right side of the equations (2) and (5).

And, when there is no end point (when there is only ◯ and there is no □), the following formula is obtained.

In the above example, the end point conditions are set as shown in equations (3) and (6). This corresponds to a P-spline, but other endpoint conditions may be used.

As described above, according to the present invention, the contour of an image can be approximated by the spline function, and the designation of the corner and the non-corner can be performed. Therefore, the number of designated points can be reduced, and the input operation is easy. In addition, accurate cutting processing can be realized.

Although the specific example has been described using the cubic spline function, the same effect can be obtained as long as it is a secondary spline function of the second or higher order. However, the third-order spline function is most desirable as it satisfies both the calculation amount and the approximation accuracy.

(Effect of the Invention) As described in detail above, according to the present invention, since the contour is approximated by using the spline function at the time of image clipping, the instruction can be made easily and the clipping processing can be performed accurately. A color electronic platemaking system having an image editing function can be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining composition of various data, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining the bus connecting means of the present invention, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the clipping processing of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a conventional example, and FIG. 6 is a conventional device. It is an explanatory view for explaining the cutting processing by. 10 …… Layout / Image station 23 …… Font station 28 …… Collection station 32 …… Scanner station 37 …… Printer station 49 …… Shared file station

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Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image report inputting means to which color image data is supplied from the outside, an instruction inputting means for indicating a point corresponding to a contour line of an image to be cut out for cutting processing, and an instruction from the instruction inputting means. An image editing means for clipping the color image data given from the image input means, the image editing means having an interpolation curve generating means for executing the curve interpolation of the contour line by a quadratic or higher order spline function; An electronic plate making system characterized by having image display means for displaying the image data to be cut out by the means and the interpolation curve. 2. The instruction input means includes an angular point instruction input means for instructing an angular point portion of an image and a non-angular point instruction input means for instructing a non-angular point portion of the image. The means approximates the contour of the image by curve-interpolating between the corner point designated by the corner point designation input means and the non-angle point designated by the non-angle point designation input means according to a spline function of quadratic or higher order. The color electronic platemaking system according to claim 1, wherein: