JP2003260859A - Method for deciding target value of color information, system for deciding target value of color information, method for evaluating color quality of printed matter, method for controlling printer, device for evaluating color quality of printed part and printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To evaluate the color quality of printed matter by measuring color information on a pictorial pattern printed on a printing paper aboard a printer and performing a comparing operation with a reference color information using the measurements of the color information, or provide data for calculating a controlled variable which are required for controlling the printer or more desirably, perform both processes. <P>SOLUTION: The method for deciding the target value of color information is characterized in that the target value of color information at a device for the online measurement of color information is decided by processing image information based on appropriate data for the device for the online measurement of color information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention evaluates the color quality of printed matter by measuring color information of a pattern printed on a printing paper on a printing machine and comparing and calculating it with reference color information. Alternatively, a color information target value determination method, a color information target value determination system, a print color quality evaluation method, a printing machine, which provides data for calculating a control amount required to control the printing machine, or both Control method, printing part color quality evaluation device, and printing machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In printing, printing paper runs from a paper feed section toward a paper ejection section, and each color is printed by each printing unit in between. Particularly in rotary printing in which printing is performed on roll-up paper, the traveling speed of the printing paper may exceed 10 m / sec.

As a print quality control method in this case, a method of quantitatively managing color quality by measuring color information of a printed pattern using a measuring device is often used. There are a method of performing an offline measurement for measuring a printed matter discharged from a paper discharge section of a printing machine and a method of performing an online measurement for directly measuring a color bar or a pattern on a printing paper which is running. Since it is used to evaluate the color quality of printed matter based on this measurement result or to control the printing machine, online measurement is desired for the purpose of enhancing quality assurance by increasing the frequency of measurement and reducing the addition of print operators. It is rare.

The following two methods are used for measuring points. One is a method of arranging a color bar in the margin of printing paper perpendicular to the running method and measuring it. The other is a method in which a measurement point is arbitrarily selected in the printed pattern and the color of the measurement point is directly measured.

Depending on the amount of pictures to be printed and the state of the printing machine, it is rare that any part of one printed matter is printed under the same conditions. Therefore, in the former method of arranging the color bar in the margin of the printing paper in a direction perpendicular to the running method and measuring it, there is often a difference between the color change of the color bar and the color change of the pattern. Therefore, a method is desired in which a measurement point is arbitrarily selected in the printed pattern and the color of the measurement point is directly measured.

When arbitrarily selecting a measurement point in a pattern, there is no problem in capturing a printed matter created by a print operator as a reference and comparing it with the printed matter, but the color information to be the reference is set in advance before printing. However, it is very difficult to finish the printed matter according to it.

One of the reasons is that, in the case of online measurement for measuring color information of a picture on a printing machine, the device for measuring color information may be different from the device for measuring color information generally used on a table. In many cases, it is customary that the color information takes into account the characteristics of the device, and there is the problem that the color information data cannot be directly compared.

Another reason is that a color sample for printing, which is evaluated as one picture, and one picture that extends over pages when the book passes through the folding and binding processes after printing. Since the arrangement of the picture pattern is different from that of the printed matter, it is very difficult to convert the position of the reference color information data obtained by measuring an arbitrary point of the color sample to the same pattern portion in the printed matter. There is a point.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been devised in view of the above problems, and the problem to be solved by the present invention is to print color information of a pattern printed on a printing paper with a printing machine. Provide data to evaluate the color quality of printed matter by calculating above and compare with the reference color information, or to calculate the amount of control required to control the printing press, or both A color information target value determination method, a color information target value determination system, a printed material color quality evaluation method, a printing machine control method, and a print section color quality evaluation apparatus that perform the above.

[0010]

In order to solve the above problems, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application provides a color information target value in an online color information measuring apparatus, an image information in an online color information measuring apparatus. The present invention provides a color information target value determination method characterized by being determined by information processing based on correspondence data.

In the invention according to claim 2 of the present application, the online color information measuring device correspondence data is obtained by the image information creating device characteristic data, the printing machine characteristic data, and the online color information measuring device characteristic data. A color information target value determination method according to claim 1, wherein the color information target value determination method is provided.

In the invention according to claim 3 of the present application, the image information is the color separation typesetting data based on the ink characteristics, which is rasterized by the resolution of the online color information measuring device. A color information target value determination method according to claim 1 or 2 is provided.

Further, the invention according to claim 4 of the present application is characterized in that the color separation typesetting data based on the ink characteristics is composed of color separation data based on the ink characteristics and typesetting data. A color information target value determination method is provided.

Further, the invention according to claim 5 of the present application is characterized in that the image information is the color separation typesetting data based on the ink characteristics, which is subjected to the image correction processing by the resolution of the online color information measuring device. And claim 1 or 2
The color information target value determination method described above is provided.

Further, the invention according to claim 6 of the present application is characterized in that the color-separated typesetting data based on the ink characteristics is typeset data to which the color-separated type data based on the ink characteristics is imposed. The color information target value determination method described above is provided.

The invention according to claim 7 of the present application is a means for fetching image information, a means for fetching data corresponding to an online color information measuring device, a color information target value in the online color information measuring device, and an image information online. Provided is a color information target value determination system characterized by having means for processing information based on data corresponding to a formula color information measuring device and means for outputting a color information target value in an online color information measuring device. .

In the invention according to claim 8 of the present application, the means for fetching the data corresponding to the on-line type color information measuring device,
Image information creating device characteristic data capturing means, printing press characteristic data capturing means, online color information measuring device characteristic data capturing means, image information generating device characteristic data, printing press characteristic data, and online color information measuring device characteristic data 8. A means for obtaining data corresponding to an on-line type color information measuring device from the data.
It is intended to provide the described color information target value determination system.

In the invention according to claim 9 of the present application, the means for fetching image information is means for fetching color-separated typesetting data based on ink characteristics, and rasterization processing is performed according to the resolution of the online color information measuring device. 9. A color information target value determination system according to claim 7, further comprising means for determining image information according to the present invention.

Further, in the invention according to claim 10 of the present application, the means for taking in the color separation typesetting data based on the ink characteristics is
It is characterized by comprising means for capturing color separation data based on ink characteristics, means for capturing typesetting data, and means for determining color separation typesetting data based on ink characteristics from color separation data based on ink characteristics and typesetting data. A color information target value determination system according to claim 9 is provided.

Further, in the invention according to claim 11 of the present application, the means for taking in the image information is means for taking in the color separation typesetting data based on the ink characteristics, and the image correction processing is carried out according to the resolution of the online color information measuring device. 9. A color information target value determination system according to claim 7, further comprising means for determining image information.

Further, the invention according to claim 12 of the present application is characterized in that the typesetting data based on the ink characteristics is typeset data to which color separation data based on the ink characteristics is imposed. A color information target value determination system is provided.

In the invention according to claim 13 of the present application, the color information target value determined by the color information target value determining method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is compared with the reference color information and evaluated. A characteristic printed matter color quality evaluation method is provided.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, the result obtained by comparing the color information target value determined by the color information target value determining method according to any one of the first to sixth aspects with the reference color information is used in the printing machine. The present invention provides a method for controlling a printing press, which is characterized by feedback to

The invention according to claim 15 of the present application is the color information target value determination system according to any one of claims 7 to 12,
A color quality evaluation apparatus for printed matter, comprising: means for taking in reference color information; and means for comparing the output result of a color information target value determination system with reference color information to obtain an evaluation result. .

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing mechanism, a color information target value determination system according to any one of the seventh to twelfth aspects, a unit for taking in reference color information, and a color information target value determination system. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing machine characterized by comprising means for comparing output results with reference color information to obtain control data, and means for controlling the printing machine online by the control data.

[0026]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Color separation typesetting data based on ink characteristics, which is typesetting data for actual printing,
Raster image creation device (Raster Image) that rasterizes with the resolution of the measurement diameter of the color information measuring device used
The image information, which is the typesetting data, is created by performing rasterization processing using an e Processor (hereinafter referred to as RIP).

As a matter of course, when the image can be directly imaged as full-rasterized data at the resolution of the measuring diameter of the color information measuring device used, the above-mentioned processing is not necessary. .

Next, the profile of the input device (data group representing the color characteristics of various image devices) that inputs an image, which is a kind of image information creating device characteristic data, and a kind of printing press characteristic data used. A print profile suitable for the type of printing paper is input or made accessible in advance, and the data is processed by using a color management module to convert the raster data (vector data, character code data, The process of replacing various types of raster data with unified raster data, hereinafter referred to as rasterized) can calculate a color information target value that is a predicted value of color information after actual printing from image information that is typesetting data. it can.

In addition to the above method, for example, the typesetting data is corrected using image processing software in accordance with the resolution of the measurement diameter of the color information measuring machine to create a corrected image and the corrected image and the input device. It is also possible to calculate the predicted value of the color information after the actual printing by also performing data processing by using the profile, the print profile, and the color management module.

This method is particularly effective when the data forming the formatted data is all raster data, and the formatted data is constructed by combining them, or when it is originally composed of only one image. Is.

Similarly, regardless of what kind of measurement information or data obtained by processing, the image information relates to image information such as a picture to be printed. It is beneficial to apply the present invention to the present invention as long as the image information is taken into consideration.

In the above example, the online color information measuring device correspondence data of each image device is explained by using the profile of each device. However, each profile is not used as it is, and each profile is converted to a color management module. It is also possible to create data to be used and process the data using the data. Further, it is not necessary for all profiles to be profiles in the online state, and it is natural that the profile in the offline state may be used if the profile in the online state and the profile in the offline state can be identified.

Further, according to the present invention, the data corresponding to the on-line type color information measuring device does not need to be the data created from the profile of each device, and especially when the data processing is performed by using the device other than the color management module, As a matter of course, the present invention can be applied to any online color information measuring device-compatible data suitable for data processing instead of the profile.

The predicted value calculated in this way and position information for each unit (hereinafter referred to as pixel) of the rasterized image according to the resolution of the measurement diameter of the color information measuring device, or for each pixel of the corrected image By combining the position information, it is possible to calculate the position information and the color information of any location measured by the color information measuring device, and it is possible to use the combination of the position information and the color information as the color information predicted value. .

Of course, it is also possible to use the data obtained by calculating the color information for all the areas as the color information predicted value without specifying an arbitrary position measured by the color information measuring device.

When the measurement result of the color information measuring instrument used is less compatible with the measurement results of other color information measuring instruments, data such as a table for correction is prepared in advance, By applying the color information calculated by the color management module and obtained by a device that can determine various target values to this table, the color information can be predicted by converting it to the measurement result of the color information measuring machine used. You can also find the value.

The above correction is not necessarily performed with data, and it goes without saying that a conversion method such as a conversion equation may be used.

The data obtained by such processing is evaluated by comparing the color information target value determined by the color information target value determination method with the reference color information, and is fed back to the printing machine. It is possible to provide a method for controlling a printing machine, characterized by

This result is obtained, for example, by direct printing plate creation (Co
It can be used to control parameters such as a conversion curve for converting a rasterized image of a control device such as a computer to a dot size on a printing plate online. Is.

[0040]

The present invention will be described in more detail below.

FIG. 1 shows the data flow in this embodiment.

A profile of a device for inputting a document is created. The method of creation is not limited, but may be based on a generally used method of creating an input device for color management.

A print profile is created for each type of print paper so that the print reproduction characteristics can be understood. The method of creation is not limited, but may be based on a generally used method of creating an input device for color management. However, the chart (measurement target area in the print area) resolution is
It is important to match the resolution of the measurement diameter of the color information measuring machine.

The typesetting data arranged so as to be an actual printed matter is used by collecting the image data converted by the input device from the original document which is the original of the pattern to be printed and other elements constituting the printed matter. RIP which can be rasterized is used to perform rasterization according to the resolution of the measurement diameter of the color information measuring machine.

By using the profile of the input device, the print profile, and the color management module, the predicted value of the color information after actual printing is calculated from the rasterized typesetting data.

By using the profile of the input device, the print profile and the color management module, it is possible to calculate the predicted value of the color information after the actual printing from the rasterized typesetting data.

The predicted value calculated in this way and the position information for each unit (hereinafter referred to as a pixel) corresponding to the resolution of the measurement diameter of the color information measuring device of the rasterized image, or the pixel of the corrected image By combining the position information for each, the predicted value of the position information and the color information at an arbitrary position measured by the color information measuring machine, that is, the target value in printing was obtained.

FIG. 2 shows the flow of color information conversion in this embodiment.

In the case of a rasterized image, the input data, that is, the data before conversion is (C1, M
1, Y1, K1), and in the case of a modified image,
It was (R1, B1, G1) or (L1, a1, b1). Of course, other color information may be used.

The output data differs depending on the color information measuring machine used, but in the measuring machine of this embodiment, the CI
Since the optical density corresponding to E, LAB and each ink can be measured, (L2, a2, b2) and (V1, R1, G1, B
It was 1).

The input data is input to the color management module and the profile m of the input device is input.
x and the profile nx of the printing machine corresponding to the type of printing paper are used to calculate the predicted value (L2, a2, b2) or (V1, R1, G1, B) of the printing result.
1) is obtained.

The color management module used in this embodiment is developed so that the optical density corresponding to each ink can be calculated.

The color information measuring instrument used in this example is a commercially available color information measuring instrument such as a spectrophotometer or a reflection densitometer.
Since the measurement results did not match, a conversion table was created in advance. This conversion table is CIE
A conversion table 1 was prepared for LAB, and a conversion table 2 was prepared for optical density corresponding to each ink.

Calculation result in color management module (L2, a2, b2) or (V1, R1, G1,
By inputting B1) into each conversion table,
The target value (L'2, L'2 in the color information measuring machine used in this embodiment
a'2, b'2) or (V'1, R'1, G'1, B'1)
Got

[0055]

By using the present invention, the color quality of a printed matter is evaluated or the printing machine is controlled by measuring the inside of a pattern to be printed and performing a comparison calculation with reference color information. Even in an online measuring apparatus that provides data for calculating a control amount necessary for the printing, or both, it is possible to set the printing target value as a reference before starting printing.

Further, by using the printing color information measuring device according to the present invention, the printing operator or the control device of the printing machine can quantitatively judge the quality of the printed matter.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a data flow in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing color information conversion used in an example of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 modified data 12 rasterized data 13 Information processing

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 2C250 EA23 EB32 EB40                 2G020 AA08 DA05 DA43 DA65                 2H113 AA04 AA05 AA06 FA51 FA56                 5C077 LL11 MP08 PP32 PP33 PP36                       PQ20 SS02 TT08                 5C079 HA18 HA19 HB01 HB03 HB08                       KA15 LA02 MA10 PA07

Claims (16)

[Claims] 1. A method for determining a color information target value, characterized in that a color information target value in an online color information measuring device is determined by processing image information based on data corresponding to the online color information measuring device. . 2. The on-line type color information measuring device compatible data includes image information creating device characteristic data, printing machine characteristic data,
2. The method for determining a target color information value according to claim 1, which is obtained from characteristic data of an on-line type color information measuring device. 3. The image information is color separation typesetting data based on ink characteristics, which is rasterized into a raster data according to the resolution of the online color information measuring device. Method for determining target value of color information of. 4. Color separation typesetting data based on ink characteristics,
The color information target value determination method according to claim 3, comprising color separation data based on ink characteristics and typesetting data. 5. The image information is color separation typesetting data based on ink characteristics, which has been subjected to image correction processing according to the resolution of the online color information measuring device.
The color information target value determination method according to claim 1. 6. Color separation typesetting data based on ink characteristics,
6. The color information target value determination method according to claim 5, wherein the color information target value determination method is imprinted data on which color separation data based on ink characteristics is imposed. 7. A means for capturing image information, a means for capturing data corresponding to an on-line type color information measuring device, and a color information target value in the on-line type color information measuring device,
A color information target value determination system comprising: means for processing image information based on data corresponding to an online color information measurement apparatus; and means for outputting a color information target value in the online color information measurement apparatus. 8. An on-line type color information measuring device corresponding data fetching means, an image information generating device characteristic data fetching means, a printing press characteristic data fetching means, an on-line type color information measuring device characteristic data fetching means, image information 8. The color information target value determination system according to claim 7, further comprising means for obtaining data corresponding to the on-line type color information measuring device based on the created device characteristic data, the printing device characteristic data, and the on-line type color information measuring device characteristic data. . 9. The means for capturing image information comprises means for capturing color separation typesetting data based on ink characteristics, and means for determining image information by performing raster data conversion processing according to the resolution of the online color information measuring device. The color information target value determination system according to claim 7 or 8. 10. A means for fetching color separation typesetting data based on ink characteristics, a means for fetching color separation data based on ink characteristics, a means for fetching typesetting data, an ink from color separation data based on ink characteristics and typesetting data. 10. The color information target value determination system according to claim 9, further comprising means for determining color separation typesetting data based on characteristics. 11. The means for capturing image information comprises means for capturing color separation typesetting data based on ink characteristics, and means for determining image information by performing image correction processing according to the resolution of the online color information measuring device. 9. The color information target value determination system according to claim 7 or 8. 12. The color information target value determination system according to claim 11, wherein the typesetting data based on the ink characteristics is the typeset data to which the color separation data based on the ink characteristics is imposed. 13. A color quality evaluation method for a printed matter, which comprises comparing a color information target value determined by the color information target value determining method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 with reference color information. 14. A printing machine, wherein the result of comparing the color information target value determined by the color information target value determining method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 with reference color information is fed back to the printing machine. Control method. 15. A color information target value determination system according to any one of claims 7 to 12, a means for taking in reference color information, an output result of the color information target value determination system, and the reference color information are compared to obtain an evaluation result. A color quality evaluation device for printed matter, comprising: 16. A printing mechanism, a color information target value determination system according to any one of claims 7 to 12, a unit for taking in reference color information, an output result of the color information target value determination system, and the reference color information are compared. A printing machine comprising: a means for obtaining control data; and a means for controlling the printing machine online according to the control data.