JP2008152624A - Information processing apparatus and printing apparatus control method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the delivery period and costs of variable jobs. <P>SOLUTION: An information processing apparatus has a data analysis means for data-analyzing a variable job to recognize reusable data defined in the variable job, which is data that can be referred to multiple times, and the data structure of each page, a job division means for dividing the variable job into a plurality of groups in accordance with the data analysis in the data analysis means, and a printing apparatus control means for deciding a printing apparatus that should execute a printing workflow for each group divided by the job division means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a printing apparatus control method.

  In recent years, with the market expansion of One To One Marketing, direct mail providing information tailored to individual customer needs has become widespread. A special page description language such as PPML / VIPP / VPS / FreeForm is employed for printing such variable jobs related to direct mail. Variable jobs define reusable data (common data that can be referenced multiple times) that is used repeatedly on each page, a large number of variable data (data that cannot be referenced multiple times) including customer information, and the actual state of document information. Page description language.

  Here, PPML is an abbreviation for Personalized Print Markup Language. VIPP is an abbreviation for Variable-data Intelligent PostScript Printware. VPS is an abbreviation for Variable Print Specifications.

JP 2004-078413 A

  Since variable customer printing has variable customer information in units of records, a workflow using only an offset printing machine with a high initial cost for creating a plate increases the cost and is not often applied. In terms of cost, digital print output is suitable for printing variable data. Moreover, in order to realize a short delivery time in digital printing, there is a limit to the engine speed of a single unit, and cooperation of a plurality of printing presses is necessary. Therefore, in order to realize a short delivery time and a low cost of the variable job, it is necessary to determine an optimal print workflow from the data configuration of the variable job.

In addition, when a variable job is simply designated as distributed / repetitive output in the number of copies or in units of pages by digital printing in cooperation with a plurality of printing presses, the following three problems arise due to the characteristics of the variable job.
1: All reusable data (PDL) must be developed into RIP, that is, data described in PostScript, into bitmap data that can be printed and displayed on all devices to output. 2: With common data expanded , It must be cached from the start of the job to the end of the job 3: When changing the scaling ratio of the common data, the PDL must be RIPed again

  The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object thereof is to realize a short delivery time and a low cost of a variable job.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention analyzes data of a variable job and recognizes reusable data that can be referred to a plurality of times defined in the variable job and the data configuration of each page. A data analysis unit, a job division unit that divides the variable job into a plurality of groups according to the data analysis by the data analysis unit, and a workflow related to printing for each group divided by the job division unit Printing apparatus control means for determining the printing apparatus.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a variable delivery time and cost reduction.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a personal computer (prepress server) which is an example of an information processing apparatus in which software for performing data conversion processing is installed. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU, that is, a central processing unit, which performs control and arithmetic processing of the entire apparatus. Reference numeral 2 denotes a RAM, that is, a random access memory, which is an area in which each program and data is loaded for each process and executed by the CPU 1.

  Reference numeral 3 denotes a ROM, that is, a read-only memory, which is a storage area for system control programs and font data. Reference numeral 4 denotes a KBC, that is, a keyboard control unit, which receives data by key input from the keyboard (KB) 5 and transmits it to the CPU 1. Reference numeral 6 denotes a PRTC, that is, a printer control unit, which controls a printer device (PRT) 7. The printer device 7 is a laser beam printer, an ink jet printer, or the like.

  Reference numeral 8 denotes a CRTC, that is, a display control unit, which controls display on the display device (CRT) 9. Reference numeral 10 denotes a DKC, that is, a disk control unit, which controls data transmission and the like. Reference numeral 11 denotes an external storage device such as an FD (Floppy (registered trademark) disk device), HD (hard disk device), or CD (CDROM). Programs and data are stored in the external storage device, and the CPU 1 refers to them or loads them into the RAM 2 as needed during execution. A system bus 12 serves as a data transfer path between the above-described components.

  This apparatus operates when the CPU 1 executes a basic I / O (input / output) program, an OS (operating system), and an application described below.

  The basic I / O program is stored in the ROM 3 and the OS is written in the HD 11. When the power of the apparatus is turned on, the OS is read from the HD 11 into the RAM 2 by the IPL (Initial Program Loading) function in the basic I / O program, and the operation of the OS is started.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a memory map of the ROM 3 when performing the prepress process of FIG. 4 to be described later. The basic I / O program is read into the RAM 2 by the system activation program in the ROM 3. The application program and related data are temporarily installed in the hard disk device from a floppy (registered trademark) disk device or CD-ROM as the external storage device 11. When the power is turned on in this state, the application program and related data are loaded from the hard disk device to the RAM 2 by the CPU 1. The CPU 1 can execute processing as shown in FIG. 4 to be described later based on the application program and related data.

  Note that the CPU 1 can be directly loaded into the RAM 2 from a floppy (registered trademark) disk device or CD-ROM without installing the application program and related data in the hard disk device and executed. In a file server FS (File System), electronic document data and device information of an output printer are formed in an area (area) of related data.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the workflow in the present embodiment. In the domain of DTP (Digital To Plate), the submitted data to be printed is created using a DTP application on the host PC. The DTP application creates a variable job while taking variable data from a database or a local disk. The DTP application or the printer driver uses this variable job to convert digital data to be printed into PDL corresponding to the variable data.

  In the next prepress process, the PDL created by DTP is analyzed to determine the printing method. Then, layout editing is performed while looking at the data structure. Also, the PDL is RIPed as necessary from the determined printing method, and the image is developed. When RIP is not performed, the PDL data subjected to layout editing is submitted to the press. These processes are performed by, for example, a prepress server shown in FIG.

  The press is composed of an offset printer or a digital printer, which are controlled by each controller. The media printed in the pressing process is subjected to post-processing such as cutting and bookbinding by a post press, and a final product is generated.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a series of processes in which a variable job according to the present embodiment is input, a print flow is determined by data analysis, and printing is performed.

  In step S401, the variable job created by the DTP application is input to prepress (prepress server). In step S402, the prepress server receives PPML (Personalized Print Markup Language), which is a PDL representing a variable job, performs data parsing processing, and then proceeds to step S403. In step S403, the prepress server detects reusable data defined in the parsed PPML data (or reusable data defined in the variable job that can be referenced multiple times). That is, in step S402 and step S403, the prepress server analyzes the page description language (page description language analysis), performs variable job data analysis, and recognizes the data configuration. Note that reusable data is data that can be referenced multiple times, whereas variable data is data that cannot be referenced multiple times. The page description language defines the actual state of document information.

  In step S404, the prepress server counts the number of reusable data references from each page. That is, the prepress server counts the number of times each reusable data included in the variable data is referenced. In step S405, the prepress server groups the reusable data arranged at the same position (that is, defines the group as a group or divides it into groups). In step S406, the prepress server adds these pieces of information (that is, information on the number of references and grouping) to the job.

  In step S407, the prepress server reads an information table of reusable data. In step S408, the prepress server determines whether there is one reusable data defined in the PPML data. If there is one, the prepress server proceeds to step S409, and if not, the prepress server proceeds to step S426.

  In step S409, the prepress server determines whether there is one reusable data and the reference count matches the number of pages. If this condition is satisfied, the prepress server proceeds to step S410. If not satisfied, the prepress server proceeds to step S418. In step S410, the prepress server determines whether the number of lots ordered is greater than or equal to a threshold value. If it is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the prepress server proceeds to step S411. If the threshold value is not met, the prepress server proceeds to step S427.

  In step S411, the prepress server separates reusable data and variable data from PPML data. In step S412, the prepress server lays out a reusable job composed only of reusable data for offset output. In step S413, the prepress server inputs a job.

  In step S414, reusable data is output by the offset machine. Next, it progresses to step S415, for example, a user cuts an output material. In step S416, for example, the user sets the printed material of the cut reusable job in the paper feed port of the digital print. In step S417, the offset machine outputs variable data by digital printing, and ends the output workflow in which offset and digital printing are linked.

  On the other hand, in step S418, the prepress server selects a group of reusable data that maximizes the drawing area. Next, proceeding to step S419, the prepress server submits the reusable data and all the variable data in the selected group in the descending order of the number of references to the device with the fast output number. In step S420, the prepress server determines whether job submission has been completed for all available devices. If not completed, the prepress server returns to step S419 and repeats the process until it is submitted to all devices.

  If completed, each device digitally prints the page referring to the target reusable in step S421. In step S422, each device caches reusable data with scalable intermediate data (Display List). In step S423, each device determines whether reusable data that has not been transmitted is necessary. If not, each device proceeds to step S425, and if necessary, each device proceeds to step S424. In step S424, each device requests and acquires necessary reusable data from the prepress server. Next, the process proceeds to step S425, and the device that has finished early requests the prepress server to print unusable reusable data, thereby ending distributed printing based on the reusable data by digital printing.

  On the other hand, in step S426, the prepress server determines whether or not the total number of reusable data is equal to or less than a threshold depending on the device. If it is the threshold value, the prepress server proceeds to step S418, and if it is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the prepress server proceeds to step S427. In step S427, the prepress server designates an output page for the available digital print. In step S428, RIP of all reusable data is performed in each device. In step S429, the pages designated by each device are output in a distributed manner, thereby completing the distributed printing between the digital printing devices.

  FIG. 5A is a diagram (part 1) illustrating a result example of a processing flow in the present embodiment. In FIG. 5A, the number of groups of common data is one, the number of references matches the number of copies, and the number of copies is large. With respect to such a job, in the flowchart of FIG. 4, the print workflow performs offset printing of common data and digital printing of variable data.

  FIG. 5B is a diagram (part 2) illustrating a result example of the processing flow in the present embodiment. In FIG. 5B, there are two groups of common data, and the number of data in each group is small. For such a job, a print workflow for performing distributed printing based on common data by digital printing is used.

  FIG. 5C is a diagram (part 3) illustrating a result example of the processing flow according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 5C, there is a common data group of 5 and a plurality of data in the group. Such a job is a print workflow for performing simple distributed printing based on the number of copies by digital printing and page standards.

  As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to realize a short delivery time and a low cost of a variable job.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, but the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims.・ Change is possible.

  An object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium (recording medium) recording software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and a computer (CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus stores the software. It is also achieved by executing. In this case, the software itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the software constitutes the present invention.

  Further, not only the above functions are realized by the execution of the software, but also an operating system (OS) or the like running on a computer performs part or all of the actual processing according to instructions of the software, thereby This includes the case where is realized.

  In addition, the software is written in a function expansion card or unit memory connected to a computer, and the CPU of the card or unit performs part or all of the actual processing according to instructions of the software, thereby This includes the case where is realized.

  When the present invention is applied to the storage medium, the storage medium stores software corresponding to the flowchart described above.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the personal computer (prepress server) which is an example of the information processing apparatus with which the software which performs a data conversion process was installed. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a memory map of a ROM 3 when performing a prepress process of FIG. 4 to be described later. It is the figure which showed an example of the structure of the workflow in this embodiment. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a series of processes in which a variable job is input, a print flow is determined by data analysis, and printing is performed. It is a figure (the 1) which shows the example of a result of the processing flow in this embodiment. It is FIG. (2) which shows the example of a result of the processing flow in this embodiment. It is FIG. (3) which shows the example of a result of the processing flow in this embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1 CPU
2 RAM
3 ROM
4 KBC
5 KB
6 PRTC
7 PRT
8 CRTC
9 CRT
10 DKC
11 External storage device 12 System bus

Claims (8)

A data analysis unit that performs data analysis of the variable job and recognizes reusable data that can be referred to a plurality of times defined in the variable job and a data configuration of each page;
Job dividing means for dividing the variable job into a plurality of groups in accordance with data analysis in the data analyzing means;
Printing apparatus control means for determining a printing apparatus that executes a workflow related to printing for each group divided by the job dividing means;
An information processing apparatus comprising: The variable job is electronic data including reusable data that can be referred to a plurality of times, variable data that cannot be referred to a plurality of times, and a page description language that defines the actual state of document information,
The data analysis means includes
A page description language analyzing means for analyzing the page description language;
Counting means for counting the number of times each reusable data included in the variable data is referenced in the page description language,
The job dividing means includes
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising group definition means for defining reusable data arranged at the same position in the page description language as one group.   The workflow selection unit according to claim 2, further comprising: a workflow selection unit that selects a workflow for printing according to the number of times counted by the counting unit and the number of groups grouped by the group definition unit. Information processing device. A printing apparatus control method in an information processing apparatus,
A data analysis step for performing data analysis of the variable job and recognizing reusable data defined in the variable job that can be referred to a plurality of times and a data configuration of each page;
In accordance with the data analysis in the data analysis step, a job dividing step for dividing the variable job into a plurality of groups;
A printing device control step for determining a printing device that executes a workflow related to printing for each group divided by the job dividing step;
A printing apparatus control method characterized by comprising: The variable job is electronic data including reusable data that can be referred to a plurality of times, variable data that cannot be referred to a plurality of times, and a page description language that defines the actual state of document information,
The data analysis step includes
A page description language analyzing step for analyzing the page description language;
Counting the number of times each reusable data included in the variable data is referenced in the page description language,
The job dividing step includes:
5. The printing apparatus control method according to claim 4, further comprising a group definition step for defining reusable data arranged at the same position in the page description language as one group.   6. The workflow selecting step of selecting a workflow for printing according to the number of times counted in the counting step and the number of groups grouped in the group defining step. Printer control method.   A program for causing a computer to execute the printing apparatus control method according to any one of claims 4 to 6.   A computer-readable storage medium storing the program according to claim 7.

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