JP3194196B2 - How to specify the area of the composition - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for designating an area of an underprint original used in a printing underprint mask creating system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a plate making process of color printing, there is a retouching process for making a plate making film master.
During the retouching process, a cutout mask is created. These cutout masks are classified into picture masks for negative films obtained by color separation photographing of printing originals such as positive films, flat screen masks for flat screen portions, and character masks used for coloring characters. can do.

Conventionally, most of the cutting work in the retouching work is performed manually. FIG. 13 shows a general process of preparing a plate making film original from a print original. Composition 101 from manuscript 100
Is performed, and a color separation instruction 102
Specifies the color ratio for each color.

[0004] Next, a mask is created based on the composition and color separation instructions, and a plurality of masks of a picture mask 103, a flat screen mask 104, and a character mask 105 are created depending on the masking target. Further, a negative image 106 that has been halftone-decomposed by the scanner is pasted on the mask 103, or flat meshes 107 and 108 are pasted on the flat mask 104 and the character mask 105. The type of the flat screen is determined according to the color separation instruction. Finally, these masks 103 to 105
By repeating the exposure on the plate making film from step (1), a plate making film master 109 is prepared for each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) and black (K). Such an operation requires a great deal of labor and time.

[0005] Recently, a method has been proposed in which such a cutout mask making operation is performed mechanically without manual operation. According to this method, the disassembled negative is magnified and projected on a digitizer by a magnifying projector, and a desired cutout portion is input and processed by tracing a desired cutout portion using a pointing device such as a mouse. By outputting to a cutting plotter, a sheet or roll-shaped film is cut out to create a picture mask. In addition, the outline image drawn on the copy original is read by an image input device such as a scanner, and a mask area and a flat screen are specified based on the read image information, and a flat screen film for each color is directly created. Devices have been proposed (eg,
JP-A-62-284360). In such an apparatus, an operator can specify a mask area using input devices such as a mouse and a digitizer while looking at a display connected to a computer, and proceed with the operation.

[0006]

By the way, in the above-mentioned apparatus using a computer, the above-mentioned apparatus generally divides an image into a plurality of parts and displays each image on the display for each partial image due to the limitation of the resolution of the display. , A mask area designation operation and a flat screen designation operation are performed. For this reason,
As for the specification of a mask area over a wide range, it is necessary to specify the mask area by displaying each successive partial image. Such repetitive work is very inefficient, and in such a method, the work time is long, that is, the time for occupying the device is long, so that the efficiency of the retouch work using the device is reduced. Also, specify the mask area as CR
The operation on the image on T is performed using a keyboard, a mouse, or the like, which is troublesome and time-consuming, and it is not possible to specify a detailed mask area.

Therefore, for example, it is conceivable to designate a mask area by enclosing a line image of a composition original with a closed curve using a marker. In this case, when the line image of the composition original is read by a scanner, the mask image is completely removed. May not be read, and the closed curve of the line image of the composition original may be cut. If the closed curve of the line image of the composition original is cut, the mask area cannot be properly specified. In such a case, it is necessary to correct the line image of the read composition original, which causes a problem that quick work cannot be performed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a mask image can be easily designated for a line image of a composition original by using a marker, and the line image of the composition composition can be easily connected to the read line image of the composition original. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of designating an area of a copy manuscript in which a correction is made and a skill can be saved.

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the present invention has the following constitution.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising the steps of: "designating a mask area by enclosing a line image of a composition original with a closed curve by a color marker, reading the line image of the composition original and a marker closed curve by a scanner, Only the closed curve portion by the color marker is extracted from the mixed data of the line image of the lower document and the closed curve by the color marker to recognize the mask area, and when the mask area is recognized, the line break of the closed curve is detected and automatically detected. A region designation method for a manuscript original, wherein an end point is connected to a mask region. ].

According to the first aspect of the present invention, only the closed curve portion by the color marker is extracted from the mixed data of the line image of the underlay document and the closed curve by the color marker to recognize the mask area, and The mask image can be easily specified for the line image of the lower original with a marker. When the mask area is recognized, the end of the line of the closed curve is detected and the end point is automatically connected to form the mask area. The specification is simple and reliable, and the skill can be saved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising the steps of: "designating a mask area by enclosing a line image of a composition original with a closed curve by a color marker, reading the line image of the composition original and a marker closed curve by a scanner, If a closed curve by a marker is detected, the contour is traced, if detected, the result of the tracking is determined to be a closed area, the tracked data is recognized as a mask area, and if the closed area cannot be determined, the closed curve is broken. And automatically connecting the end points to form a mask area. ].

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a closed curve by a color marker is detected, and when the closed curve is detected, the contour is traced. As a result of the tracking, if the closed area is determined, the tracked data is used as a mask area. If it cannot be recognized and judged as a closed area, the end of the line of the closed curve is detected and the end point is automatically connected to be a mask area, so that the mask image can be easily and reliably specified by the marker on the line image of the composition original. be able to.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising the steps of: "designating a mask image by enclosing a line image of a composition original with a closed curve using a color marker, reading the line image of the composition original and a marker closed curve with a scanner, A marker area recognized from the closed curve is called, a line drawing component is searched for in the range of the marker area, contour tracing is performed, and a mask area is extracted and recognized. When the mask area is recognized, a line break of the closed curve is detected and automatically detected. A method for designating an area of a copy original, wherein end points are connected to form a mask area. ].

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the marker area recognized from the marker closed curve is called, and a line area component is searched for in the range of the marker area, contour tracing is performed, a mask area is extracted, and the mask area is recognized. In this case, the end of the line of the closed curve is detected and the end point is automatically connected to form a mask area, so that the mask area can be easily and reliably specified by using the marker on the line image of the composition original.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising the steps of: "designating a mask image by surrounding a line image of a composition original with a closed curve by a color marker, reading the line image of the composition original and a marker closed curve by a scanner, A marker area recognized from the closed curve is called, a line drawing component is searched for in the range of the marker area, contour tracing is performed, it is recognized whether the tracked area is within the marker area, and a closed curve line is extracted when the closed curve is extracted. It is characterized in that a cut is detected, an end point is automatically connected, line image data within the marker area is searched, the outline of the line image is traced, the line image area is recognized, and the mask area is set. How to specify the area of the composition. ].

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a marker area recognized from a marker closed curve is called, a line drawing component is searched for in the range of the marker area, and contour tracing is performed. When extracting a closed curve, it detects line breaks in the closed curve and automatically connects the end points,
Since the line image data within the marker area is searched and the outline of the line image is traced and the line image area is recognized and set as a mask area, the line image of the composition original is easily and reliably masked with the marker. Can be specified, and when recognizing the mask area, the end of the closed curve is detected and the endpoints are automatically connected to form the mask area, which makes the area specification simple and reliable and saves skill. .

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printing block mask making system. Reference numeral 1 denotes a color scanner which reads and inputs an original 2 in which a mask area A, a mask area B, and a mask area C are designated by markers. Reference numeral 3 denotes a laser printer as an exposure unit, which exposes a designated mouse area to a predetermined film material. The laser printer 3 is connected with an automatic developing machine 4 as a developing processing means, and develops a mask by developing the exposed film material. Reference numeral 5 denotes a frame memory as storage means, which stores an image read by the color scanner 1 and displays the image on a CRT 6. The position of each image information on the frame memory 5 is determined by a screen instruction means, for example, a mouse 7 or a keyboard 8, and coloring is designated. Also,
Image information read from the color scanner 1 is transferred via an I / O bus 9 to a magnetic disk 10 serving as auxiliary storage means.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a CPU, which controls mask area recognition, mask creation, flat screen generation, and various peripheral devices. 1
Reference numeral 2 denotes a memory of a main storage unit of the CPU 11, which is used for executing programs for various functions. Reference numeral 13 denotes a system bus which accesses the CPU 11 and the memory 12 at high speed. Reference numeral 14 denotes an I / O module, which is an interface for connecting the system bus 13 and the I / O bus 9.

Next, the operation of the character mask creating apparatus for printing plate will be described. First, a desired mask area A, B, C is designated by a color marker, for example, a red marker in the original 2 under the line drawing plate, the mask area is set at a predetermined position of the color scanner 1, and line image information is taken.

As for this image information, underline image information is stored in the frame memory 5 via the I / O bus 9 and marker information is stored in the magnetic disk 10. The information stored in the frame memory 5 as needed is stored in an external storage device. The CPU 11 automatically identifies the closed area specified by the color marker. Since various methods are known for the closed region extraction processing, description thereof is omitted here. If the closed area cannot be identified, the marker information and the line image information are displayed at the same time, and a correction is made so that the marker designated area becomes the closed area. The reason why the line image information is displayed at the same time is to specify a position when specifying the mask closed area. When creating a character mask, confirm that the masked closed area specified by the marker is appropriate for the line image information,
Specify a color code from the color table.

The color table is constituted by color codes and halftone% data of Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black) constituting the colors. For example, for the color of color code 0, halftone% data 10, 20.0.0 of each color is defined as shown in FIG. When a flat halftone is not generated in the transparent portion of the mask, color separation information to be created is represented by a flag such as 1 (presence) or 0 (absence) instead of halftone information as shown in FIG.

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show an example of this color table. The color table shall be a table in which each halftone% entered in each area of the pattern of the color separation instruction attached when the manuscript 2 is submitted is sequentially numbered for those with different values. Created by The color code and the dot% information of the color table are input by the keyboard 8 and the mouse 7 connected to the system, and are stored on the magnetic disk 10. As described above, in order to specify the defined color code, the operator uses the keyboard 8 and the mouse 7 to give an instruction to color the closed area extracted from the specified marker with a desired color code.

According to this instruction, the color value corresponding to the color code is set for the pixel corresponding to the mask extraction area in the frame memory 5, whereby the operator can change the mask designation state and the color designation state designated by the operator. You can check it on the disc play. When all mask designating operations are completed, mask information is created for each color plate in accordance with the color code designated to cut out the inside or outside of the closed area designated by the marker, output to the laser printer 3, and output to the automatic developing machine 4. The mask plate or a mask plate 15-1 on which a desired halftone dot is formed for each corresponding color separation plate
8 is created.

A method of designating an area of a manuscript original used in the system for creating a mask of a printing manuscript will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a main flowchart for specifying the area of the composition original. In step A-1, an area to be masked in the line image portion of the composition original is surrounded by a closed curve by a color marker, and a mask area is designated. FIG. 5 shows an underlay document 20 in which a mask area is designated. For example, two underline curves 21 are formed on the underlay document 20, each of which is surrounded by a color marker, and a line drawing mask is defined by a marker closed curve 22. An area has been specified. Of this line drawing mask area,
For example, the line image curve 21 designated by the marker closed curve 22 in the upper left portion is partially cut off by dust or the like.

The underlay document 20 in which the mask area is designated
Is set on the color scanner 1, the original 20 is read by the color scanner 1 (step A-2), the closed curve data by the color marker is extracted, and the mask area is recognized (step A-3). At the time of extraction, a line break of the line image curve 21 is detected, and the connection is automatically corrected to obtain a line image closed region (step A-4).

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for mask area recognition. In step B-1, the line image curve 2
From the mixed data of 1 and the marker closed curve 22 by the color marker, only the marker closed curve 22 by the color marker is extracted. Generally, for example, when scanning is performed by the color scanner 1, three color components of red, green, and blue are read. Since the line image curve 21 is black, it is read in red, green, and blue, respectively. For example, a red marker is read only in red.
Therefore, the red marker and line image data are read in red, and only the line image data are read in green. When the green data is subtracted from the red data, only the color marker data is obtained. FIG.

At step B-2, a search is started from the upper left of the image, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, and a marker closed curve 22 by a color marker is detected. If detected, the contour of the marker closed curve 22 is traced. (Step B-
3). This contour tracking is performed by a known method.
The neighborhood method or the 8-neighbor method can be used. As a result of the tracking, in step B-4 and step B-5, if it is determined that the area is a closed area, the tracked data is recognized and stored as a marker area. If the area is not a closed area, the data is not stored. The marker closed curve 22 of the color marker is detected again from a point next to the detected detection point, and the already detected detection points are skipped as shown in FIG. 8 (step B-6). Steps B-3 to B-6 are repeated up to the last line point of the image data, and mask area recognition is performed by this (Step B).
-7).

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of line drawing closed area recognition. In step C-1, the mask area recognized in the marker area recognition flowchart of FIG. 6 is called, and a line drawing component is searched from the upper left area in the range of the mask area as shown in FIG. 10 (step C-2). When a line image is detected in this search, contour tracing is performed in the same manner as described above (step C-3).

It is recognized whether or not the tracked line image area is within the mask area (step C-4), and when extracting the marker closed curve 22, a line break of the line image curve 21 is detected and the connection is automatically corrected. (Step C-5, Step C-6). The detection of the line break of the line image curve 21 is performed by, for example, thinning the line image in the mask area as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 and closing the line image by connecting end points due to the line break, for example. Create an area. The correction of the line break of the line image curve 21 is performed, for example, as shown in FIG.
The end points 21a and 21b connecting the points a and 21b can be recognized from a place having a large curvature or a turning point.

Then, the line image data within the range of the mask area is searched, the outline of the line image is traced, the line image area is recognized and stored as a mask area (step C-7), and designated by a color marker. Steps C-1 to C-7 are repeated for all the masked areas (Steps C-8, C-8).
9).

[0032]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, only the closed curve portion by the color marker is extracted from the mixed data of the line image of the copy original and the closed curve by the color marker to recognize the mask area. By doing so, it is possible to easily specify the mask area of the line image of the composition original with a marker, and when recognizing the mask area, detect the broken line of the closed curve and automatically connect the end point to the mask area By doing so, the area designation can be made simple and reliable, and the skill can be saved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a closed curve by a color marker is detected, and when the closed curve is detected, the contour is traced. As a result of the tracking, if the closed area is determined, the tracked data is recognized as a mask area. If the closed area cannot be determined, the end of the line of the closed curve is detected and the end point is automatically connected to be a mask area, so that the line image of the composition original can be easily and reliably specified by the marker. it can.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when a marker area recognized from a marker closed curve is called, a line drawing component is searched in the range of the marker area, an outline is traced, a mask area is extracted, and a mask area is recognized. By detecting the line break of the closed curve and automatically connecting the end points to the mask area,
The mask area can be easily and reliably specified for the line image of the composition original by the marker.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a marker area recognized from a marker closed curve is called, a line drawing component is searched for in the range of the marker area, contour tracing is performed, and it is determined whether or not the tracked area is within the marker area. Recognize and detect the line break of the closed curve when extracting the closed curve, automatically connect the end points, search the line image data within the marker area, trace the outline of the line image and trace the line image area Since the mask area is recognized by recognition, the mask image can be easily and reliably specified by the marker on the line image of the composition document. When the mask area is recognized, the end point of the closed curve is detected and the end point is automatically connected. By using the mask area as described above, the area can be easily and reliably specified, and the skill can be saved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printing block character mask creating system.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a color table.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating another example of a color table.

FIG. 4 is a main flowchart of area designation of a composition original.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an area designation of a composition original;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of marker area recognition.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a marker area.

FIG. 8 is a search diagram for marker area recognition.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of line drawing area recognition.

FIG. 10 is a search diagram for line drawing area recognition.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing detection of a broken curve line;

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating correction of line breakage of a closed curve.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a general process up to creation of a plate making film original from a printed document.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Color scanner 2, 20 Under-print original 3 Laser printer 4 Automatic developing machine 5 Frame memory 6 CRT 10 Magnetic disk 11 CPU 12 Memory 21 Line image curve 21a, 21b End 22 Marker closed curve

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-4-153886 (JP, A) JP-A-2-253377 (JP, A) JP-A-1-72280 (JP, A) JP-A-4-170864 (JP) , A) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03F 1/00-1/16

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A line image of a composition original is surrounded by a closed curve by a color marker, and a mask area is designated. A line image of the composition original and a marker closed curve are read by a scanner. Only the closed curve part by the color marker is extracted from the data mixed with the closed curve by the color marker to recognize the mask area. When the mask area is recognized, the end of the closed curve is detected and the end point is automatically connected to the mask area. A method for designating an area of a copy original. 2. A line image of a composition original is surrounded by a closed curve by a color marker, a mask area is designated, a line image of the composition original and a marker closed curve are read by a scanner, and a closed curve by the color marker is detected and detected. In the case where the contour is traced and the result of the tracking is determined to be a closed area, the tracked data is recognized as a mask area, and when the closed area cannot be determined, the end of the closed curve is detected and the end point is automatically detected. A method for designating an area of a copy original, wherein the area is connected to form a mask area. 3. A line image of a composition original is surrounded by a closed curve by a color marker to specify a mask area, the line image of the composition original and a marker closed curve are read by a scanner, and a marker area recognized from the marker closed curve is called. ,
In the range of the marker area, a line drawing component is searched and contour tracing is performed to extract and recognize a mask area. When recognizing the mask area, a line break of a closed curve is detected and an end point is automatically connected to connect the mask area. A method for designating an area of a copy original. 4. A line image of a composition original is surrounded by a closed curve by a color marker to specify a mask area, the line image of the composition original and a marker closed curve are read by a scanner, and a marker area recognized from the marker closed curve is called. ,
In the range of the marker area, a line drawing component is searched and contour tracing is performed, it is recognized whether the tracked area is within the marker area, and when a closed curve is extracted, a line break of the closed curve is detected and an end point is automatically detected. A method for designating an area of a manuscript original, comprising: connecting a line image data within a range of a marker area; tracking a contour of the line image; recognizing the line image area;