JP2006091978A - Image output system and individual image data creation device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image output system capable of printing and outputting at high speeds a plurality of versions of images composed of master elements and variable elements, and an individual image data creation device. <P>SOLUTION: The image output system includes an element data creation device for creating master element data expressing the master elements positioned on a plurality of images among the plurality of versions of images, and variable element data expressing variable elements positioned on only one of the plurality of versions of images; the individual data creation device for creating according to the master element data and the variable element data a plurality of individual image data that individually express the plurality of versions of images; and an image output device for obtaining the plurality of individual image data from the individual image data creation device at speeds higher than those at which the individual image data creation device obtain the master element data and the variable element data, and for performing print output of a plurality of images based upon the plurality of individual image data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image output system that prints a plurality of images based on a plurality of image data images representing a plurality of versions of printed matter, and an individual image data generation device that generates a plurality of image data.

  In recent years, the printing field has also been digitized, and editors edit printed pages on an editing computer, and images of pages in which the placement positions of characters, photos, etc. on the pages have been determined. A form in which the represented image data is used as a document is widespread.

  A data format used when an editor edits a page is generally a page description language such as PS (PostScript: registered trademark) or PDF (Portable Document Format). In addition, when creating multiple versions of printed materials such as direct mail for multiple destinations, divert master element data describing master elements such as promotional articles commonly used among multiple printed materials. However, variable printing is often performed by replacing only variable element data in which variable elements such as different addresses are described in individual printed materials (see, for example, Patent Document 1), and the variable printing page is efficiently edited. A data description language called PPML (Personalized Print Markup Language) has been devised. By this variable printing, so-called on-demand printing, in which a necessary image can be printed immediately when necessary, is easily realized.

  By the way, since the page description data described in the data description language as described above cannot be output by an output device such as a printer as it is, the page description data can be output by an output device in a RIP (Raster Image Processor). The raster data is converted into raster data, and the output device outputs an image based on the raster data. As a technique for efficiently performing the above-described variable printing using this RIP, Patent Document 2 discloses an instruction for storing master element data in an output device in advance and using the master element data stored in the output device. Describes a technique for outputting variable element data from an RIP to an output device. According to the technique described in Patent Document 2, useless processing in which master element data common to a plurality of pages is repeatedly transmitted and received is omitted.

  Here, in order to effectively use memory resources and increase the communication speed, data is stored in a compressed state or transmitted / received. For this reason, according to the technique described in Patent Document 2, the output device decompresses the compressed variable element data and master element data, and based on the decompressed variable element data and master element data, a plurality of versions. A series of page data generation processing for generating a plurality of page data representing each page of the printed matter is performed in addition to the normal printing processing. The output device may be shared by a plurality of RIP devices. When print output is requested from a plurality of RIP devices, the load of page data generation processing is concentrated on the output device. There is a possibility that a series of processing time until a printed matter is created increases.

  With regard to such a problem, Patent Document 3 discloses that the processing load of the output device is executed between the RIP and the output device by executing preprocessing of print processing such as various data processing during reprinting and decompression of compressed data. A technology including a BEP (back-end processor) for distributing the data is described. Since this BEP is connected to the output device by a high-speed dedicated I / F line or the like, the influence on the data communication time due to the BEP is small. Hereinafter, a conventional method for executing the above-described variable printing using a printing system to which BEP is applied will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a workflow diagram for realizing variable printing in a printing system to which BEP is applied.

  In the RIP device 10, a master part data 41 in which a master element commonly used for a plurality of versions of printed material is described from an upstream editing device, and a plurality of variable elements in which a plurality of variable elements that are different for each printed material are described. Variable component data 51 is acquired. The master part data 41 and variable part data 51 are compressed and stored in the DB 11 for reuse.

  When printing is actually performed, the master part data 41 and the plurality of variable part data 51 stored in the DB 11 are decompressed, and the master page data 42 and the plurality of variable page data 52 are generated. Note that the master component data 41 and the master page data 42, and the variable component data 51 and the variable page data 52 are described in the same elements and are essentially the same, but include added headers and the like. Are different from each other.

  In the RIP device 10, based on the master page data 42 and the plurality of variable page data 52, a plurality of output page data 61 representing a master element and a page of an individual printed matter on which each variable element is arranged. Is generated.

  Since each output page data 61 includes master page data 42 and variable page data 52, the output page data 61 has a large data size. Therefore, the output page data 61 is compressed before being sent to the BEP 20, and the post-compression output page data 62 is generated.

  The plurality of post-compression output page data 62 generated as described above is sent to the BEP 20 via the general-purpose I / F line 31 such as SCSI.

  In the BEP 20, when a plurality of post-compression output page data 62 are sent, they are decompressed and a plurality of output page data 61 are generated. The generated output page data 61 is sent to the printer via the high-speed dedicated I / F line 32.

  In the printer, based on each of the plurality of output page data 61 sent from the BEP 20, a plurality of pages of printed matter are printed out.

As described above, according to a printing system using BEP, even when a plurality of RIP devices are connected to an output device such as a printer or a large amount of data is sent to the output device, pre-processing of printing processing is performed. Is performed by BEP, print processing is mainly executed in the output device.
JP 2004-86281 A JP 2004-78413 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-166688

  However, according to the workflow shown in FIG. 1, since the plurality of post-compression output page data 62 includes the master page data 42, the same master page data 42 is subjected to compression processing many times. The same master page data 42 is sent many times through the general-purpose I / F line 31 having a low communication speed, and there is a problem that it takes useless processing time.

  In view of the circumstances described above, an object of the present invention is to provide an image output system and an individual image data generation apparatus that can print out multiple versions of images composed of a master element and a variable element at high speed and efficiently. And

The image output system of the present invention that achieves the above object includes master element data representing master elements arranged in a plurality of images out of a plurality of versions of images in which at least one element is arranged, and a plurality of versions of images. An element data generation device that generates variable element data representing variable elements arranged in only one image,
An individual image data generation device that acquires master element data and variable element data from the element data generation device, and generates a plurality of individual image data individually representing a plurality of versions of images based on the master element data and the variable element data; ,
A plurality of individual image data is acquired from the individual image data generation device at a speed higher than a speed at which the individual image data generation device acquires master element data and variable element data, and a plurality of images based on each of the plurality of individual image data are obtained. And an image output device for printing out.

  According to the image output system of the present invention, master element data representing a master element is common to a plurality of versions of an image between an element data generation apparatus and an individual image data generation apparatus having a relatively low communication speed. A plurality of individual image data each including a portion corresponding to the master element data is transmitted / received between the individual image data generation device and the image output device, which are transmitted / received only by one and have a relatively high communication speed. For this reason, useless processing in which the same master element data is transmitted and received many times between the element data generation apparatus and the individual image data generation apparatus having a low communication speed is omitted, and the communication speed is increased. Furthermore, since the generation of the individual image data is performed by the individual image data generation device, not the element data generation device or the image output device, the element data generation device can concentrate on the generation of the element data and output the image. Even if the device is shared by many devices, the processing load is not concentrated on the image output device, and the series of processing until the image is printed out is efficiently shared, reducing the overall processing time. The

  Further, for example, a function as an element data generation device is executed by RIP, a function as an individual image data generation device is executed by BEP, RIP and BEP are connected by a general-purpose I / F, etc., BEP and printer, etc. By connecting such an image output device with a dedicated high-speed I / F or the like, the conventional print system can be used as it is, and the image output system of the present invention can be realized.

In the image output system of the present invention, the element data generation device performs data compression on the generated master element data.
It is preferable that the individual image data generation device is a device that acquires master element data subjected to data compression, decompresses it, and uses it to generate a plurality of individual image data.

  According to the image output system of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the communication time between the element data generation device and the individual image data generation device is further shortened, and a plurality of versions of images are printed out at a higher speed. Usually, since the master element has a small portion without a pattern (blank portion) and the master element data has a large data size, the effect of such data compression is large.

In the image output system of the present invention, the element data generation device performs data compression on the generated variable element data.
It is preferable that the individual image data generation apparatus is a device that acquires and decompresses variable element data subjected to data compression and uses it to generate a plurality of individual image data.

  The variable element has a large blank portion, and the data size of each variable element data is small. However, since variable element data is acquired for each of multiple versions of the image, the variable element data is large in number, Data size also increases. For this reason, by compressing the variable element data, the communication time between the element data generation apparatus and the individual image data generation apparatus is significantly reduced.

Further, the individual image data generation device of the present invention that achieves the above object includes master element data expressing master elements arranged in a plurality of images among a plurality of versions of images in which at least one element is arranged, An element data acquisition unit that acquires variable element data representing variable elements arranged in only one image among images of a plurality of versions;
An individual image data generation unit for generating a plurality of individual image data individually representing a plurality of versions of the image based on the master element data and the variable element data;
An image that outputs a plurality of individual image data to an image output device that prints a plurality of images based on each of the plurality of individual image data at a speed higher than the speed at which the element data acquisition unit acquires the master element data and the variable element data. And an output unit.

  According to the individual image data generation device of the present invention, a plurality of individual image data representing each of a plurality of versions of the image is generated based on the master element data and the variable element data, and the plurality of individual image data is output to the image output device. A series of processing time is increased.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image output system and an individual image data generation apparatus that can print out multiple versions of images composed of a master element and a variable element at high speed. it can.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an image output system in which an embodiment of the present invention is incorporated.

  FIG. 2 shows an image output system 2 including a RIP device 100, a BEP device 200, and a printer 300.

  The RIP device 100 receives image data representing an image of a page constituting a printed material from an upstream editing device or the like, and converts the image data into image data representing an image with a raster image for the printer 300. Further, the RIP device 100 compresses the image data and outputs it to the BEP device 200. Note that the image data may be generated by the RIP device 100 itself, in addition to being received from an upstream editing device via a communication network, and may be a CD-R (Compact Disc Recordable) or MO (Opto-Magnetic). A storage medium such as a disk may be used and received. The RIP device 100 corresponds to an example of an element data generation device according to the present invention.

  The BEP device 200 is provided between the RIP device 100 and the printer 300. The BEP device 200 acquires compressed image data from the RIP device 100, decompresses the image data, and sends the decompressed image data to the printer 300. The printer 300 also includes a memory, a CPU, and the like, but the processing capability of the BEP device 200 is higher than the processing capability of the printer 300, and the processing speed is also high. The BEP device 200 corresponds to an example of an individual image data generation device according to the present invention. The BEP device 200 and the RIP device 100 are connected by a general general-purpose I / F line 410 such as SCSI or Ethernet (registered trademark). The BEP device 200 and the printer 300 are dedicated I / F (interface). The line 420 is detachably connected.

  The printer 300 corresponds to an example of an image output device according to the present invention. When image data is sent from the BEP device 200, the printer 300 prints out an image represented by the image data.

  Next, the configuration of the RIP device 100 will be described in detail.

  A RIP device 100 shown in FIG. 2 includes a main body 101 incorporating a CPU, a main storage device, a hard disk, a communication board, and the like, and a CRT display 102 that displays an image and a character string on a display screen according to an instruction from the main body 101. By specifying an arbitrary position on the display screen of the CRT display 102 by inputting a keyboard 103 for inputting user instructions and character information to the computer, an instruction according to an icon or the like displayed at the position is given. A mouse 104 for inputting is provided.

  The main body 101 is loaded with a CD-ROM 105 (not shown in FIG. 2; see FIG. 3) and a CD-R so as to be freely removable, and information stored in the CD-ROM 105 and the CD-R loaded as such. A CD-ROM drive for reproducing is stored. Further, a magneto-optical disk (MO) 106 (not shown in FIG. 2; see FIG. 3) is detachably loaded in the main body 101, and an MO that records and reproduces information with respect to the MO 106 thus loaded. A drive is also built-in.

  FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of the RIP device 100.

  In this hardware configuration diagram, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 111, a RAM 112, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 113, an MO drive 114, a CD-ROM drive 115, and a communication board 116 are shown. 110 are mutually connected.

  The HDD 113 has a built-in hard disk 120 that is a kind of recording medium, and records and reproduces information on the hard disk 120.

  The communication board 116 is connected to a communication line such as a LAN. The RIP device 100 shown in FIG. 2 can send and receive data to and from other computer systems via the general-purpose I / F line 410 connected via the communication board 116, and is directed to the BEP device 200. Image data can also be output.

  3 shows the mouse 104, the keyboard 103, and the CRT display 102 shown in FIG. 2 connected to the bus 110 via a plurality of I / O interfaces (not shown).

  The RIP device 100 is basically configured as described above. Note that the image output system 2 shown in FIG. 2 includes a BEP device 200 that performs only processing by hardware or firmware for speeding up the processing. The BEP device 200 is the same as the RIP device 100. A user interface such as a mouse or a keyboard may be provided and processing by software may be performed.

  Here, it will be described below that image data representing a plurality of versions of printed matter is sent to the RIP device 100.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a plurality of versions of printed matter.

  FIG. 4 shows postcards 1000_1,..., 1000_n created for a plurality of destinations as an example of a plurality of versions of printed matter. Here, the postcard 1000_1 for the first destination will be described as a representative of the postcards 1000_1, ..., 1000_n. The postcard 1000_1 includes two master elements 1011 and 1012 for stamps and product guides commonly used in a plurality of postcards 1000_1,..., 1000_n, and a postal mail individually used in each of the plurality of postcards 1000_1,. Three variable elements 1021_1, 1022_1, and 1023_1 of number, address, and address are arranged. The master elements 1011 and 1012 are examples of the master element referred to in the present invention, and the variable elements 1021_1, 1022_1 and 1023_1 correspond to an example of the variable element referred to in the present invention.

  In the present embodiment, for example, the master element data representing the master elements 1011 and 1012 shown in FIG. 4 is shared by a plurality of postcards 1000_1,..., 1000_n in an editing apparatus further upstream than the RIP device 100 shown in FIG. , 1021_n; 1022_1,..., 1022_n; 1023_1,..., 1023_n are generated, and the master element data and the plurality of variable elements are generated. Element data is acquired by the RIP device 100.

  Actually, the image data acquired by the RIP device 100 includes, in addition to the master element data and a plurality of variable element data, arrangement data describing the arrangement of each element on the page. However, in this specification, only the master element data and the variable element data will be described. In addition, the master element data and the plurality of variable element data may be expressed as separate data or may be described together in one image data. Even if the description method is different, they express the same content essentially. In this specification, only the case where the master element data and the plurality of variable element data are expressed as separate data will be described.

  Here, the feature of the present invention in the image output system 2 shown in FIG. 2 lies in the processing contents executed in each of the RIP device 100, the BEP device 200, and the printer 300, and the processing executed in each of these devices will be described below. The contents will be described in detail.

  FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of the image output system 2 shown in FIG.

  The RIP device 100 includes functions as an element data acquisition unit 130, an element data compression unit 140, a compression element data output unit 150, and a DB 160.

  The element data acquisition unit 130 includes, from an editing device further upstream than the RIP device 100, element data expressing a master element commonly used for a plurality of versions of a page, and a plurality of variable variables that are different for each of the plurality of versions of the page. A plurality of element data expressing each element is acquired. When an editor edits a page using the RIP device 100, the element data acquisition unit 130 acquires various element data generated by the RIP device 100 itself. The acquired various element data is subjected to rasterization processing.

  In the element data compression unit 140, compression processing is performed on each of the various element data subjected to the rasterization process. Various compressed element data are stored in the DB 160 for reuse.

  The compressed element data output unit 150 sends various element data after compression to the BEP device 200 via the general-purpose I / F line 410 also shown in FIG.

  The BEP device 200 includes functions as a compression element data acquisition unit 210, an output page data generation unit 220, an output page data output unit 230, and a DB 240.

  The compressed element data acquisition unit 210 acquires various element data from the RIP device 100 via the general-purpose I / F line 410. The compressed element data acquisition unit 210 corresponds to an example of an element data acquisition unit in the individual image data generation apparatus of the present invention. In addition, element data in which a master element is expressed among various compressed element data is stored in the DB 240 for reuse.

  In the output page data generation unit 220, each element data after compression is decompressed to generate element data expressing the master element and a plurality of element data expressing each of the plurality of variable elements. Based on the data, a plurality of output page data in which each of the plurality of versions of pages is individually expressed is generated. The output page data generation unit 220 corresponds to an example of an individual image data generation unit in the individual image data generation device of the present invention.

  The output page data output unit 230 sends a plurality of output page data to the printer 300 via the dedicated I / F line 420. The output page data output unit 230 corresponds to an example of an image output unit in the individual image data generation apparatus of the present invention.

  FIG. 6 is a workflow diagram showing a series of printing processes in the image output system 2 shown in FIG. Hereinafter, a flow of a series of printing processes in the image output system 2 will be described with reference to FIG.

  For example, in a plurality of postcards 1000_1,..., 1000_n shown in FIG. 4, there are two types of master elements commonly used in the plurality of postcards 1000_1,. There are 3 types of variable elements (postal code variable element 1021_1, addressable variable element 1022_1, address variable element 1022_1) for each of the postcards 1000_1, ..., 1000_n. However, for convenience of explanation, for each postcard, a plurality of types of master elements are collectively expressed as one element data, and a plurality of types of variable elements are collectively expressed as one element data. It will be described as a thing.

  In the element data acquisition unit 130 of the RIP device 100 illustrated in FIG. 5, for example, a single master component data 510 in which master elements used in common for the plurality of postcards 1000_1,..., 1000_n illustrated in FIG. The variable component data 610, which is the same as the number of postcards 1000_1,..., 1000_n, in which variable elements individually used in the postcards 1000_1,. In the element data acquisition unit 130, the master component data 510 and the n variable component data 610 are subjected to rasterization processing.

  Various element data subjected to the rasterization process are compressed by the element data compression unit 140 and stored in the DB 160.

  When the printed matter is actually generated, the compressed master part data 510 and n variable part data 610 stored in the DB 160 are once decompressed and the header portion of the element data is rewritten. Master page data 520 and n variable page data 620 are generated. In the master part data 510 and the master page data 520, and in the variable part data 610 and the variable page data 620, the master part data 510 and the variable part data 610 represent the elements themselves. The master page data 520 and the variable page The data 620 is essentially the same although there is a difference that in addition to what the elements themselves are expressed, information such as the arrangement of these elements is also described.

  The master page data 520 and the n variable page data 620 are compressed and converted into the compressed master page data 530 and the n compressed variable page data 630, and the general-purpose I / F line 410 is connected by the compression element data output unit 150. To the BEP device 200.

  The general-purpose I / F line 410 has a lower communication speed than the dedicated I / F line 420, but various element data sent from the RIP device 100 are compressed and the compressed master page data 530 is duplicated. Since the data is sent only once, the element data is efficiently sent.

  In the compression element data acquisition unit 210 of the BEP device 200, the compression master page data 530 and n compression variable page data 630 are acquired, and the compression master page data 530 is stored in the DB 240. As described above, by registering the compressed master page data 530 in the DB 240, when reusing a master element that is frequently used, only an instruction to use the compressed master page data 530 registered in the DB 240 from the RIP device 100 is used. The master page data 520 is newly compressed to generate the compressed master page data 530, and the process of transmitting and receiving the compressed master page data 530 can be omitted.

  The acquired compressed master page data 530 and n compressed variable page data 630 are sent to the output page data generation unit 220. In the output page data generation unit 220, the compressed master page data 530 and the n compressed variable page data 630 are decompressed, and each includes the compressed master page data 530 and each compressed variable page data 630. , N pieces of output page data 700 in which each of n types of printed matter pages is individually expressed is generated.

  As described above, the output page data 700 is generated by the BEP device 200, so that the RIP device 100 and the printer 300 can concentrate on various element data generation processing and print output processing, and the processing burden is efficiently shared. And processing time is reduced. In addition, since the data decompression process and the data synthesis process performed by the BEP device 200 can be realized by hardware, the processing time is further shortened by being collectively executed by the BEP device 200.

  The generated n output page data 700 is sent to the output page data output unit 230 and sent to the printer 300 via the dedicated I / F line 420. The dedicated I / F line 420 has a higher communication speed than the general-purpose I / F line 410, and the communication time between the BEP device 200 and the printer 300 is considerably shorter than other processing times. Can be ignored for.

  The printer 300 prints out n versions of printed pages based on each of the n output page data 700 sent thereto.

  As described above, according to the image output system 2 of the present embodiment, a series of communication time until image data representing each of a plurality of versions of printed materials sent from the RIP device 100 is acquired by the printer 300 is shortened. The processing load on the RIP device 100 and the printer 300 is reduced, and multiple versions of images can be printed out efficiently at high speed.

  Here, the example in which the data conversion apparatus is applied to the RIP system has been described above, but the data conversion apparatus of the present invention may be applied to a data conversion system other than the RIP system.

  In the above description, the image output system 2 including the RIP device 100, the BEP device 200, and the printer 300 has been described. However, the image output system of the present invention may be a component data generation device other than a RIP device or a BEP device. The individual image data generating device or an image output device other than a printer may be used.

  Moreover, although the example which preserve | saves the element data after compression was demonstrated above, the image output system of this invention may not preserve | save element data, but preserve | saves the element data before compression It may be.

  In the above description, an example in which element data is compressed and transmitted / received between the RIP device 200 and the printer 300 has been described. However, the image output system according to the present invention is provided between an element data generation device and an individual image data generation device. Thus, the element data may be transmitted and received as it is without being compressed.

FIG. 9 is a workflow diagram when variable printing is realized in a printing system provided with a BEP. 1 is a diagram illustrating a printing system in which an embodiment of the present invention is incorporated. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of the RIP device 100. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the printed material of multiple versions. It is a functional block diagram of the image output system 2 shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a workflow diagram showing a series of printing processes in the image output system 2 shown in FIG. 5.

Explanation of symbols

10 RIP device 11 DB
20 BEP
31 General-purpose I / F line 32 Dedicated I / F line 41 Master part data 51 Variable part data 42 Master page data 52 Variable page data 61 Output page data 62 Output page data after compression 100 RIP device 101 Main body 102 CRT display 103 Keyboard 104 mouse 105 CD-ROM
106 magneto-optical disk 110 bus 111 CPU
112 RAM
113 HDD
114 MO drive 115 CD-ROM drive 116 Communication board 120 Hard disk 130 Element data acquisition unit 140 Element data compression unit 150 Compression element data output unit 160 DB
200 BEP device 210 Compression element data acquisition unit 220 Output page data generation unit 230 Output page data output unit 240 DB
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 300 Printer 510 Master part data 520 Master page data 530 Compression master page data 610 Variable part data 620 Variable page data 630 Compression variable page data 700 Output page data 1000_1, ..., 1000_n Postcard 1011, 1012 element

Claims (4)

Master element data expressing master elements arranged in a plurality of images among a plurality of versions of images each having at least one element arranged therein, and variable elements arranged in only one image among the images of the plurality of versions An element data generation device for generating variable element data expressing
The master element data and the variable element data are acquired from the element data generation device, and a plurality of individual image data individually representing the plurality of versions of the image is generated based on the master element data and the variable element data. An individual image data generation device;
The plurality of individual image data is acquired from the individual image data generation device at a speed higher than a speed at which the individual image data generation device acquires the master element data and the variable element data. An image output system comprising: an image output device that prints out a plurality of images based on the above. The element data generation device performs data compression on the generated master element data,
2. The image output system according to claim 1, wherein the individual image data generation device acquires master element data subjected to data compression, decompresses the master element data, and uses the master element data to generate the plurality of individual image data. . The element data generation device performs data compression on the generated variable element data,
2. The image output system according to claim 1, wherein the individual image data generation device acquires and decompresses variable element data subjected to data compression, and uses it to generate the plurality of individual image data. . Master element data expressing master elements arranged in a plurality of images among a plurality of versions of images each having at least one element arranged therein, and variable elements arranged in only one image among the images of the plurality of versions An element data acquisition unit for acquiring variable element data expressing
An individual image data generating unit that generates a plurality of individual image data individually representing the plurality of versions of the image based on the master element data and the variable element data;
Image output for printing out the plurality of individual image data at a speed higher than the speed at which the element data acquisition unit acquires the master element data and the variable element data, based on each of the plurality of individual image data An individual image data generation device comprising an image output unit for outputting to an apparatus.

Images