JP2000218921A - Method for forming assembling pattern for expressing continuous gradation and recording medium recording by programming the method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To form an image in a design desiring design properties by adding or rewriting screen shape data in digital image data, and constituting in combination of points and lines without altering an image format and resolution of manusript digital image data. SOLUTION: An input unit 4 inputs a parameter necessary to form a screen shape to a screen shape data superimposing unit 3 using a computer by an optional input means such as a keyboard or the like by an operator. An output unit 5 adds or rewrites an instruction for controlling screen shape data necessary for an assembling pattern for expressing a gradation by the unit 3 through an image processing unit 2 and then outputs the digital image data obtained from the unit 4 to a printer or a film output unit or the like in the state for obtaining a screen shape becoming the pattern for expressing the gradation. The unit 5 processes the page processed by the unit 2 according to a page description language.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention requires art printing of catalogs and pictorial books, and forgery prevention and falsification of banknotes, passports, securities, cards, valuable printed matter, and the like.
Also, the present invention relates to a method for creating an image in a pattern (pattern) composed of a symbolic line drawing formed body of a printed matter for which design is desired, and to the printed matter.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art To represent a continuous tone of a pattern on a printed matter, a printed color on the printed matter is constituted by a group of fine figures such as dots and lines, and the shape and size of the fine figure are represented by a continuous gradation of the pattern. It is controlled according to the tone density. For continuous tone expression, screen continuous tone expression consisting of a group of fine components consisting of regular polygons such as halftone dots, and outlines and patterns of motifs in patterns composed of pictorial points and fine lines There is a line drawing gradation expression method.

[0003] The line drawing gradation expression method composed of pictorial points and fine lines is based on the concept of drawing motifs (persons, landscapes, objects, patterns, etc.) using a drawing-like drawing method. ) And textures, the points and fine lines in the design may intersect or congest, such that the image shape and arrangement on the printed matter are complicated. Therefore, the line drawing gradation expressing method composed of pictorial points and lines is a continuous gradation expressing method that can reflect a design intention. As a main expression method, when the image is a “line”, the density of the pattern can be expressed by the image width or the density of the arrangement of the image.
When the image is a "point", the density of the symbol can be expressed by the size of the point, or the density of the symbol can be expressed by the density of the point.

As a typical technique of the line drawing gradation expression method composed of the pictorial points and the fine lines, a motif (person, landscape,
(Object, pattern, etc.).
For example, in a printed matter having an object in which an object composed of dots and fine lines is complicated by the line image gradation expression method, duplication from the printed matter can be made difficult by complicating the object. In addition, since it is a method by which ordinary people can identify whether or not the image shape is genuine by observing with a magnifying glass or the like in the market distribution process depending on the training, it is widely used worldwide in the design of securities prints and the like. At the same time, it has been used for a long time as a pattern of printed matter having a monetary value, and it is still an important pattern as a design that generally impresses a sense of luxury, such as securities such as banknotes, stock certificates, bonds, etc. In printed matter such as various certificates and important documents, a pattern by a line drawing gradation expression method is a pattern that is indispensable in design.

However, in the line drawing gradation expression method composed of pictorial points and fine lines, there is only a method of generating a drawing by manual drawing, and the manufacturing efficiency of a printing plate having the drawing is low. There is a disadvantage that. In addition, the quality of the object depends on the skill of a person in charge of manual drawing, and not only requires advanced skill for drawing the object,
It is impossible to draw the object of the same shape again from the object once drawn. Further, it is difficult to correct the image, and even if the correction can be made, only a small area can be corrected with respect to the entire area of the printing surface.

On the other hand, a screen continuous tone expression composed of a group of fine constituent elements composed of regular polygons such as halftone dots is generally called a screen. To apply an image of gradation (full-range continuous gradation with an image line area ratio of 0 to 100%) to a printed matter by a fine constituent element, a halftone dot (continuous circle, ellipse, rhombus, square, line, , Cross, grain, continuous lines (scanning lines), and the like. The screen using the halftone dots enables continuous gradation expression with the size of fine dots. The screen continuous tone expression can mechanically generate an image for tone expression, has less human uncertainty than the line image tone expression method, and redraws an image once drawn into the same shape. Is easy to draw. In addition, since the screen is used, it is possible to correct the image on the entire area of the printing surface.

For example, in today's printers or film output apparatuses, as shown in FIG.
In a bitmap continuous tone image (12) composed of digital image data composed of (n, n) pixels, density information is continuously provided with a highlight portion (G1), an intermediate portion (G2), and a shadow portion (G3). If you set a gradation that changes
The aggregate pattern (13) of the tone reproduction element group of the output product as shown in FIG. 12 is a halftone dot (1) generated in the square area of the cell (14).
It is common to output as 5). Further, the input resolution of the bitmap continuous tone image (12) and the resolution of the output tone reproduction element group (13) are irrelevant, and
The image shape of 5) depends on the resolution of the output device.

However, the screen shape itself is a set of simple elements, and there is no means for improving functionality.
As a matter of course, when printing securities using general printing means, these objects can be easily created by existing plate making technology or image processing technology, and thus cannot be used as a countermeasure for forgery.

The screen continuous tone expression and the line drawing tone expression method must have high printing stability and high continuous tone reproducibility. For example, in general, there is a phenomenon in which fine lines are difficult to be printed in all printing methods, and stable continuous tone reproduction cannot be performed. In the worst case, printing cannot be performed. Most of the reasons why a thin line cannot be printed are that the image for continuous tone reproduction is small (thin) and the transferability affected by the viscosity, yield value, and the like in the rheological properties of the printing ink does not work sufficiently. In addition, in the intaglio printing method, there is a phenomenon that the printing ink flows out of the concave portions of the intaglio printing plate due to the rheological characteristics of the printing ink, and stable continuous tone reproduction becomes impossible. In the worst case, printing cannot be performed. Most of the cause of the flow of the printing ink is because the image for continuous tone reproduction is large (thick), so that the printing ink exceeds the limit of resistance due to its own tension. Therefore, it is desirable to have an image shape such that the rheological properties of the printing ink effectively work for printing.

Therefore, a continuous tone expression method that can reflect the intention of the design and a tone reproduction element group composed of fine constituent elements having high printing stability and high continuous tone reproducibility are required. That is, it is necessary to provide a set pattern in which the unit tone reproduction element is a geometrical figure having a function while being a group of tone reproduction elements on a printed material such as a halftone dot and a line.

In other words, a set pattern in which the shape of the unit tone reproduction element is a geometrical figure having functionality, while being a group of tone reproduction elements on a printed material such as halftone dots and lines, is digitally generated. As a technique for realizing a forgery prevention screen as a method, there is Special Rasters, a digital image data processing technique commercialized by Barco Graphics. SpecialRa
sters uses digital image data processing technology to transform an arbitrary bitmap continuous tone image into an arbitrary shape figure formed by a draw curve (spline curve) based on the density information of the continuous bitmap image. A variable amount relating to the deformation of the figure is controlled according to the density information of the gradation image, and the drawing curve and the line width and the size of the figure on the position opposite to the original bitmap continuous gradation image are changed. There is a method of giving the continuity of the density of the original bitmap continuous tone image to the figure as an image element (image size, figure size) of the figure. However, in order to accurately represent full-scale continuous gradation, the image area ratio of a figure in a unit area is calculated, and then, for example, if the gradation is 100 gradations, the image area ratio in a unit area for each gradation is calculated. It is necessary to create a total of 100 figures having the following and assign the figure to each gradation. Further, in a product where tone reproducibility is regarded as important, in the current printing technology, tone adjustment is essential in the plate making process because many factors of tone variation are included. But,
In this method, the image as completed digital data is already pseudo-scaled using the visual illusion of a human due to the difference in the area ratio between the colored portion (image portion) and the non-colored portion (non-image portion). The tone is reproduced, and the information as the original continuous tone image is held as two tones. For this reason, it is impossible to adjust the gradation of the completed image, except to return to the digital image data before conversion, and the need for adjustment means that an inefficient process must be reversed.

Further, Sc commercialized by Andromeda Software, Inc.
reensFilter or PowerTone commercialized by Mode
Adobe Phot, an image processing software from Adobe Systems
oShop extension software (Plug-in)
There is a method of converting continuous tone of digital image data into a set pattern which is a geometric figure. However, both methods are methods of directly operating the density information of the pixels in the digital image data and converting them into completely different image formats.

That is, when an 8-bit 256-gradation image data file of the bitmap continuous gradation image (12) of FIG. 11 is represented by (t), as shown in FIG. ), Image format (t2) having 256 gradations of 8 bits, bitmap information (t3) of pixels P (0,0) to P (n, n) and other file information (t3)
If n), the image data file (t) is completely rewritten as the image data file (t ′) by the image conversion of the process B. Therefore,
In the output image C, starting from the file name (t1 '), the image format (t2') has two gradations of two bits, and the pixel P (0,0) to P (n,
The density information n) is changed to two gradations. In this case, since the resolution of the geometric figure depends on digital image data in the image processing software, the number of pixels P (0,0) to P (n, n) is also increased to increase the resolution of the geometric figure. Subject to change. Further, since the information as the original continuous tone image is held as two tones, it is impossible to adjust the tone for the completed image, except to return to the digital image data before conversion, and adjustment is required. This means that inefficient steps need to be reversed.

[0014]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has been made to prevent art printing of catalogs and pictorial books, and forgery and tampering of banknotes, passports, securities, cards, valuable printed matter, and the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for creating an image in a pattern (pattern) formed of a symbolic line drawing formed body of a printed matter which is necessary and whose design is desired, and to provide the printed matter.

[0015]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a set of geometric figures formed by a combination of points and lines generated based on screen shape data from density information extracted from digital image data. By adding or rewriting screen shape data in image data, a set of geometric figures composed of a combination of points and lines can be created without changing the image format and resolution of the original digital image data at all. This is a method of creating a set pattern for gradation expression.

According to the present invention, there is provided a set of geometric figures formed by a combination of points and lines generated based on screen shape data from density information extracted from digital image data. By adding or rewriting data, a set pattern of geometric figures formed by a combination of points and lines is created without changing the image format and resolution of the original digital image data at all. This is a computer-readable recording medium in which a method of creating a gradation expression collective pattern is programmed and recorded.

According to the present invention, a set of geometric figures formed by a combination of points and lines generates a horizontal parallel line which becomes thicker in the vertical direction from the center of the area in the area located at the center of the cell. Steps, a second stage in which vertical lines thickening rightward from the left end of the region are generated in regions located on the left and right of the central portion of the cell, and regions located up and down from the central portion of the cell,
2. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the pattern is a set pattern for continuous tone expression using a screen shape comprising a third step of generating a horizontal line which becomes thicker in the vertical direction from the center of the cell of the area. It is.

According to the present invention, there is provided the computer-readable recording medium according to the present invention, wherein a set pattern of geometric figures formed by a combination of points and lines is the set pattern for continuous tone expression.

According to the present invention, a set of geometric figures composed of a combination of points and lines is provided with a horizontal bar-shaped region located at the center of a cell, and a vertical line extending from the center of the region in the left-right direction. A first step of generating, and a second step of generating a horizontal parallel line which becomes thicker outward from the center side of the y-coordinate in an area vertically adjacent to the horizontal bar-shaped area located at the center of the cell; In the area located further up and down than the upper and lower areas adjacent to the center, thicker from the center of the area in the boundary direction with other areas,
And a third step of generating parallel lines parallel to the diagonal auxiliary lines of the cell and a set pattern for continuous tone expression using a screen shape.

3. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 2, wherein a set pattern of the geometric figures formed by a combination of points and lines is the set pattern for continuous tone expression. is there.

According to the present invention, a set of geometric figures composed of a combination of points and lines is provided with a horizontal bar-shaped region located at the center of a cell, and a vertical line extending from the center of the region in the horizontal direction. A first step of generating, and a second step of generating a horizontal parallel line which becomes thicker outward from the center side of the y-coordinate in an area vertically adjacent to the horizontal bar-shaped area located at the center of the cell; A third stage in which a line parallel to the diagonal auxiliary line of the cell is formed in the region located above and below the central portion and becomes thicker from the center of the region toward the boundary with the other region; A fourth stage in which a horizontal line that becomes thicker from the outside of the y-coordinate toward the center side is generated in a region located in parallel with the diagonally located auxiliary line from the outside vertical center portion, and a region including the entire cell Then, from the 5th stage where vertical vertical lines that become thicker outward from the center of the x coordinate are generated The image processing method which is a continuous tone representation for a set pattern using that screen.

According to the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable recording medium characterized in that a set pattern of geometric figures constituted by a combination of points and lines is the set pattern for continuous tone expression.

According to the present invention, in a means for generating a set of geometric figures formed by a combination of points and lines, an input unit for inputting digital image data, an image processing unit for processing and editing the data, A screen shape data superimposing unit configured by an output unit for outputting data and connected by an image processing unit; and an input unit for inputting a parameter required for screen shape data to the screen shape data superimposing unit. Image processing method.

According to the present invention, there is provided an image processing method wherein the parameters of the screen shape data include the screen shape pattern.

According to the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon an image processing program, wherein the parameters of the screen shape data include the screen shape pattern.

[0026]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention relates to a digital image data set comprising a combination of points and lines generated based on screen shape data from density information extracted from digital image data. By adding or rewriting the screen shape data inside,
A method for creating a set pattern for gradation expression, wherein a set pattern of geometric figures formed by a combination of points and lines is created without changing the image format and resolution of the original digital image data at all. This is a computer-readable recording medium in which the creation method is programmed and recorded.

Further, according to the present invention, a set of geometric figures formed by a combination of points and lines is generated in a region located at the center of a cell, where a horizontal line is formed which becomes thicker in the vertical direction from the center of the region. A first stage, a second stage in which vertical lines extending to the right from the left end of the region are generated in regions located to the left and right of the center of the cell, and a region in the region located up and down from the center of the cell. And a third step in which horizontal lines that become thicker in the vertical direction from the center of the cell are generated.

In addition, a set of geometric figures formed by a combination of points and lines is generated in a horizontal bar-shaped area located at the center of the cell, and a vertical line is formed which becomes thicker in the left-right direction from the center of the area. A first stage, and a second stage in which horizontal lines that become thicker outward from the center side of the y-coordinate are generated in regions vertically adjacent to the horizontal bar-shaped region located in the center of the cell; A third step in which a line parallel to the auxiliary line positioned diagonally to the cell is generated in a region located further above and below the upper and lower regions adjacent to the region, from the center of the region to the boundary direction with other regions. And an image processing method for a continuous tone expression aggregate pattern using a screen shape comprising:

In addition, a set of geometric figures formed by a combination of points and lines is generated in a horizontal bar-shaped region located at the center of a cell, and a vertical line which becomes thicker in the left-right direction from the center of the region is generated. A first stage, and a second stage in which horizontal lines that become thicker outward from the center side of the y-coordinate are generated in regions vertically adjacent to the horizontal bar-shaped region located in the center of the cell; A third step in which a line parallel to the diagonal auxiliary line of the cell is generated in a region located above and below from the center of the region in the boundary direction with the other region, and a vertical line outside and above the cell From the center, to a region located parallel to the diagonal auxiliary line, to a fourth stage in which a horizontal line that becomes thicker from the outside of the y-coordinate toward the center, and to a region including the entire cell,
An image processing method for a continuous tone expression aggregate pattern using a spot function of a screen-shaped pattern C, which includes a fifth step of generating vertical lines extending outward from the center of the x coordinate.

According to the present invention, there is provided a means for generating a set of geometric figures constituted by a combination of points and lines.
An input unit for inputting digital image data, an image processing unit for processing and editing the data, an output unit for outputting the data, and a screen shape data superimposing unit connected by the image processing unit; An image processing method using an input unit for inputting a parameter required for screen shape data in a data superimposing unit is used.

Further, the screen shape data superimposing section and the input section are image processing programs to which instructions for controlling the screen shape data can be added or rewritten, and a computer-readable recording medium storing the image processing program. is there.

[0032]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention relates to a continuous tone expression method capable of reflecting a design intention, and a tone reproduction element group consisting of fine structural elements having high printing stability and high continuous tone reproducibility, that is, a net. Points, although being a group of tone reproduction elements on printed matter such as lines, the shape of a unit tone reproduction element is a set pattern of geometric figures constituted by a combination of points and lines. A computer-readable recording medium in which an image processing method for generating a collective pattern and an image processing program used are recorded. Hereinafter, an example will be described in detail.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a functional configuration diagram in generating a set pattern according to the present invention. First, the input unit 1 inputs digital image data obtained by obtaining a photograph or other image from a scanner, a digital camera, or the like. An image processing unit 2 using a computer processes and edits digital image data obtained from the input unit 1. The screen shape data superimposing unit 3 receives the digital image data obtained from the input unit 1 by the image processing unit 2 and adds the gradation expressing collective pattern data to the digital image data using the screen shape. The input unit 4 is used by an operator to input a parameter (hereinafter, referred to as a parameter) required for generating a screen shape to the screen shape data superimposing unit 3 using a computer by an arbitrary input means (for example, keyboard input). . The output unit 5 adds an instruction for controlling the screen shape data necessary for the aggregate pattern for gradation expression by the screen shape data superimposing unit 3 via the image processing unit 2 and the digital image data obtained from the input unit 1. Alternatively, after rewriting, digital image data is output to a printer, a film output device, or the like in a state where a screen shape that becomes a collective pattern for gradation expression is obtained.
It is assumed that the output unit 5 can execute the execution processing in the same page description language as the page description language of the digital image data processed and edited by the image processing unit 2.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an image processing program for generating a collective pattern according to the present invention. First, FIG.
First, an image for image processing is prepared using the digital image data obtained from the input unit 1 (f1). Next, parameters necessary for generating a screen shape in the screen shape data superimposing unit 3 in FIG. 1 are input (f2). Next, the input parameters are confirmed (f3), and if the input parameters are inappropriate, the process returns to the parameter input. Next, if the input parameters are appropriate, an instruction for controlling the screen shape data necessary for the gradation expression collective pattern is added or rewritten (f).
4). Thus, the image processing on the digital image data is completed.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of the screen generation parameters used in the input unit 4 of FIG. First, it is necessary to create screen shape data S for screen generation.
The screen shape data superimposing unit 3 of FIG. 1 that creates the screen shape data S has at least four or more parameters, and differs depending on the page description language used or the screen generation style S1 used by the language. Further, even in the case of the same page description language and screen generation format, there are cases where a plurality of specification formats that can be used for the screen definition are prepared.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the parameter S2 to be provided is a spot function (sometimes called a halftone function, a function defining a screen shape), and the parameter S3 is set to the screen by the sethalftone operator (command) of PostScript. The halftone type in which the angle and the parameter S4 are the screen ruling was used. Accordingly, the screen shape data superimposing unit 3 in FIG. 1 can create the screen shape data S by inputting the parameters S1, S2, S3, and S4 in FIG.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the digital image data of the input image A obtained from the input unit 1 shown in FIG. 1 is converted by the screen shape data superimposing unit 3 shown in FIG. Assuming that the image data file (t) describes various information, in the process B ′, the created screen shape data is added as a screen shape data description command (s) as a part of the description command of the image data file (t). As a result, an output image C ′ can be obtained without changing any other information such as the file name (t1) and the image format (t2) in the original digital image data,
Output can be performed in a state where a screen shape that becomes a collective pattern for gradation expression is obtained from the output unit 5 of FIG. In the process B ′, the screen shape data description command (s) already existing in a part of the image data file (t) is rewritten to another screen shape data description command, so that the screen shape can be easily changed and output. it can.

The shape of the screen introduced in the present embodiment is important, and the language, generation style, function, and any other screen definition method relating to generation of the screen shape are not limited in the present invention. Further, since the screen shape data superimposing unit 3 in FIG. 1 merely adds or rewrites an instruction for controlling the screen shape data to the digital image data obtained from the image processing unit 2, the image processing unit 2 is provided with image processing software. When the hardware is installed, a dedicated hardware is not indispensable for the screen shape data superimposing unit 3, but a computer-readable recording in which an image processing method and an image processing program for generating a collective pattern using a computer are recorded. Medium.
Further, the image processing method and the recording medium are provided with software (Plug-i
n).

Further, the provision of the set pattern data for gradation expression according to the present invention is performed by adding only a few lines for controlling the screen shape data to a part of the digital description information of the digital image data obtained from the input unit 1 in FIG. Is only added or rewritten, and the image format and resolution of the original digital image data do not change at all even after the screen shape data is added. Therefore, the data capacity hardly changes with respect to the original digital image data.
It is not necessary to secure a dedicated data capacity for digital image data.

Further, since the set pattern for continuous tone expression of the present invention adds or rewrites an instruction for controlling the screen shape data to a part of the digital description information of the digital image data, Regardless of the resolution of the image data, it depends on the resolution of the output device used for the output unit 5 in FIG. Therefore, no matter what resolution the original digital image data has, if a high-resolution output device is used, a high-density and high-quality set pattern for gradation expression can always be expressed.

(Embodiment 2) Based on the above description, a set pattern for continuous tone expression obtained by a screen generation method using a spot function in a postscript language will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, digital image data in which density information (density) changes continuously is used. The digital image data is added to a bitmap continuous tone image (12) shown in FIG.
A gradation in which density information continuously changes in the middle portion (G2) and the shadow portion (G3) is provided. In appearance, the left side is light (highlight) and the right side is dark (shadow).

First, in the screen generation method using the spot function of the screen shape pattern A shown in FIG. 5, a parallel line is generated in three stages. In the first stage, a horizontal line which becomes thicker in the vertical direction from the center of the region is generated in the region (a) located at the center of the cell, and in the second stage, the region (b) located on the left and right of the center of the cell is generated. A vertical line is generated which becomes thicker rightward from the left end of the area. The screen generation in the first and second stages means that a dotted line having a constant thickness becomes a line that narrows the interval. Further, in the third stage, a horizontal line which is thicker in the vertical direction from the center of the cell in the region is generated in the region (c) located vertically from the center of the cell. That is, the first line drawing (7) in which the highlight portion (G1) has a dotted line shape and the shadow portion (G1 ') has a continuous line shape, like the collective pattern (6) shown in FIG. Becomes

Next, in the screen generation method using the spot function of the screen shape pattern B shown in FIG. 6, a parallel line is generated in three stages. In the first stage, a horizontal bar-shaped region (d) located in the center of the cell is formed with vertical lines extending in the left-right direction from the center of the region. In the second stage, the horizontal bar-shaped region located in the center of the cell is generated. In the area (e) adjacent above and below the area, y
A horizontal line which becomes thicker outward from the center of the coordinates is generated. The screen generation in the first and second stages means that a dotted line having a constant thickness becomes a line that narrows the interval. Third
In the stage, the area (f) located further above and below the upper and lower areas adjacent to the center of the cell becomes thicker from the center of the area toward the boundary with other areas, and the diagonal shape of the cell located diagonally to the cell Are generated in parallel with the auxiliary line (L) located at. That is, the screen shape is such that the highlight portion (G1) is a dotted line and the shadow portion (G) is like the collective pattern (8) shown in FIG.
1 ′) is a continuous line-shaped second line drawing (9) that intersects the first line drawing (7) composed of a continuous line at an angle of 45 degrees.

Next, in the screen generation method using the spot function of the screen shape pattern C shown in FIG. 7, a parallel line is generated in five stages. In the first step, a horizontal bar-shaped region (g) located in the center of the cell is formed with vertical lines extending in the left-right direction from the center of the region, and in the second stage, a horizontal bar-shaped line located in the center of the cell is generated. In the area (h) adjacent above and below the area, y
A horizontal line which becomes thicker outward from the center of the coordinates is generated. The screen generation in the first and second stages means that a dotted line having a constant thickness becomes a line that narrows the interval. Third
At the stage, a line parallel to the diagonal auxiliary line (L) is formed in the region (i) located above and below the center of the cell, which becomes thicker from the center of the region toward the boundary with the other region. I do. The screen generation at this stage is the first line drawing (7)
And a second line drawing (9) intersecting at an angle of 45 degrees. In the fourth stage, the area (j) positioned in parallel with the auxiliary line (L) positioned diagonally from the vertical center of the upper and lower outer sides of the cell.
A horizontal line is created that becomes thicker from the outside of the y coordinate toward the center. That is, the screen shape obtained at this stage is a line drawing (7) in which the highlight part (G1) is a dotted line and the shadow part (G3) is a continuous line like the aggregate pattern (10) shown in FIG. ), A continuous line drawing (9) in which the middle part (G2) intersects at an angle of 45 degrees, and a shadow part (G3) fills a non-drawing part caused by the intersection of the line drawing (7) (9). This is a line drawing composed of a third line drawing (11) parallel to the line drawing (9).

Further, in the fifth stage, a vertical line is generated in the region (k) including the entire cell, which becomes thicker from the center of the x coordinate toward the outer side. The screen generation at this stage is performed by a fourth image orthogonal to the line image (7) (not shown in this embodiment).
Means generation of However, the fourth object is a wiring necessary for the screen generation program, and the basic components of the collective pattern of the present invention are the first object (7), the second object (9), and the third object (9). Since this is a line drawing (11), it is merely added for convenience in order to secure a density region that reaches the highest density (solid) in expressing continuous tone. Therefore, even if the fourth object is present in the gradation expressing collective pattern for the offset printing method, the density area is not used for the tone expressing collective pattern for the printing method such as intaglio printing.

Using the screen, digital image data having a continuous tone image can be output as an aggregate pattern for continuous tone expression for printing at the output unit 5 in FIG. A laser exposure film output device or the like compatible with a postscript language was used to output the continuous tone expression aggregate pattern of this embodiment. The output film may be adjusted to a form according to various printing methods such as an offset printing method and an intaglio printing method.

Further, in this embodiment, the collective pattern for gradation reproduction is generated as a print screen by the above-mentioned mathematical method using a digital method. However, it is possible to express the shape of the collective pattern of the present invention. For example, the formulas and variables are not limited. Further, in this embodiment, a printing plate making film is used as an output medium of an image to which a screen is to be adapted. However, the output medium is different depending on a printing method to be used or a system configuration of a plate making process. is not.

[0048]

According to the present invention, a computer-readable recording medium storing an image processing method and an image processing program for generating a collective pattern using a computer according to the present invention can add an instruction for controlling screen shape data to digital image data. Since only rewriting is performed, for example, extended function addition software (Plug-in) used for existing image processing software may be used.

Further, the provision of the set pattern data for gradation expression according to the present invention is achieved by adding or rewriting only a few lines of instructions for controlling the screen shape data to a part of the digital description information of the digital image data. There is no change in the image format and resolution of the original digital image data even after the screen shape data is provided. Therefore, since the data capacity hardly changes with respect to the original digital image data, it is not necessary to secure a dedicated data capacity for the digital image data after the application of the gradation expressing aggregate pattern data.

Further, since the set pattern for continuous tone expression of the present invention has a command for controlling the screen shape data added or rewritten to a part of the digital description information of the digital image data, Regardless of the resolution of the image data, it depends on the resolution of the output device.
Therefore, no matter what resolution the original digital image data has, if a high-resolution output device is used, a high-density and high-quality set pattern for gradation expression can always be expressed.

[0051]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional configuration diagram of a collective pattern generation according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an image processing program.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of screen generation parameters.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of an image data file.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a spot function of a screen shape pattern A.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a spot function of a screen-shaped pattern B;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a spot function of a screen shape pattern C;

FIG. 8 is a view showing a set pattern of a screen shape pattern A;

FIG. 9 is a view showing a set pattern of a screen shape pattern B;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an aggregate pattern of a screen shape pattern C;

FIG. 11 shows a bitmap continuous tone image.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a set pattern of general halftone dots;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Input part 2 Image processing part 3 Screen shape data superposition part 4 Input part 5 Output part 6 Collective pattern 7 First line drawing 8 Collective pattern 9 Second line drawing 10 Collective pattern 11 Third line drawing 12 Third line drawing 13 Collection Pattern 14 Cell 15 Halftone dot A Input image B, B 'processing C, C' Output image f1 to f4 Processing of flowchart of image processing program a to j Cell area G1 Highlight area G2 Intermediate area G3 Shadow area L Auxiliary Line S Screen shape data S1 to S4 Parameter s Screen shape data description command t Image data file

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. In a set of geometric figures formed by a combination of points and lines generated based on screen shape data from density information extracted from digital image data, screen shape data in the digital image data is By adding or rewriting, without changing the image format and resolution of the original digital image data at all, a set pattern of geometric figures formed by a combination of points and lines is created. How to create a collective pattern. 2. In a set pattern of geometric figures formed by a combination of points and lines generated based on screen shape data from density information extracted from digital image data, screen shape data in the digital image data is By adding or rewriting, without changing the image format and resolution of the original digital image data at all, a set pattern of geometric figures formed by a combination of points and lines is created. A recording medium in which a method of creating a collective pattern is programmed and recorded. 3. A collective pattern of geometric figures constituted by a combination of points and lines is generated in a first region a located at the center of a cell, in which a horizontal line which becomes thicker in the vertical direction from the center of the region is generated. A first step, a second step in which a vertical line thickening rightward from the left end of the area is generated in a second area b adjacent to the left and right of the first area; Adjacent third
3. A continuous tone expression aggregate pattern using a screen shape, comprising: a third step in which a horizontal line which becomes thicker in the vertical direction from the center of a cell of the area is generated in the area c. The image processing method described in the above. 4. The recording medium according to claim 2, wherein the set pattern of the geometric figures formed by the combination of points and lines is the set pattern for continuous tone expression according to claim 3. 5. A collection of geometric figures formed by a combination of points and lines, wherein the first pattern is a horizontally elongated first pattern located at the center of the cell.
A first stage in which a vertical line extending in the left-right direction from the center of the region is generated in a region d of the region, and a second region e vertically adjacent to the first region in an outward direction from the center side of the y coordinate. A second step in which a horizontal parallel line is generated, and a third area f adjacent to the second area further above and below the second area, and a cell pair thicker from the center of the area toward the boundary with another area. 2. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the image is a set pattern for continuous tone expression using a screen shape including a third step of generating parallel lines parallel to the auxiliary lines located in a corner shape. 6. The recording medium according to claim 2, wherein the set pattern of the geometric figures formed by the combination of points and lines is the set pattern for continuous tone expression according to claim 5. 7. A collection of geometric figures formed by a combination of points and lines is provided in a horizontally elongated first position located at the center of the cell.
A first stage in which vertical lines extending in the left-right direction from the center of the region are generated in the region g, and a second region h vertically above and below the first region are directed outward from the center of the y coordinate. A second step in which a horizontal line that is thicker is generated, and a third area adjacent to the upper and lower sides of the second area, and another area existing in the third area as a fourth area i. The third step in which a line parallel to the auxiliary line L which is a diagonal line of the cell becomes thicker in the boundary direction of the third region, and from the vertical center of the upper and lower outer sides of the third area, A fourth stage in which a horizontal line extending from the outside of the y coordinate to the center side is generated in a fifth region j located therein, and a sixth region k including the whole cell
5. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein a fifth step of generating vertical lines extending outward from the center of the x-coordinate to the outside is a set pattern for continuous tone expression using a screen. Method. 8. The recording medium according to claim 2, wherein the set pattern of the geometric figures formed by the combination of points and lines is the set pattern for continuous tone expression according to claim 7. 9. A means for generating a set of geometric figures constituted by a combination of points and lines, comprising: an input unit for inputting digital image data; an image processing unit for processing and editing the data; A screen shape data superimposing unit configured by an output unit for outputting and connected by an image processing unit; and an input unit for inputting a parameter required for the screen shape data to the screen shape data superimposing unit. The image processing method according to claim 1. 10. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the parameters of the screen shape data according to claim 9 include the screen shape pattern according to claim 3, 5, or 7. 11. The image processing program according to claim 3, wherein the parameter of the screen shape data according to claim 9 includes the screen shape pattern according to claim 3, 5, or 7. recoding media.