JP5163448B2 - Inspection data generation program, inspection data generation device, and printing system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an inspection data generation program, an inspection data generation device, and a printing system.

  2. Description of the Related Art There is known a printed matter inspection apparatus that inspects a printed matter in which variable information is printed on print layout data (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

This printed matter inspection apparatus includes circumscribing coordinate generation means for generating circumscribing coordinates of an area for printing variable information from print layout data, and an inspection outside setting area other than the area surrounded by the generated circumscribing coordinates. With area setting means. In other words, the printed matter inspection apparatus executes inspection of the printed matter for all areas where variable information is printed.
JP 2001-150648 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide an inspection data generation program, an inspection data generation apparatus, and a printing system capable of improving inspection efficiency as compared with the case where the characteristic information of variable data item data is not based on the degree of variation. It is in.

  In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention provides the following inspection data generation program, inspection data generation apparatus, and printing system.

[1] A reception step of receiving variable data including a plurality of records having item data of a plurality of items, and a feature of the item data of the plurality of records from the plurality of items of the variable data received by the reception step Based on the degree of variation in information, an extraction step for extracting the item having a large degree of variation in the feature information as an inspection target item according to a predetermined rule, and printing by applying the plurality of records to the format definition data An inspection data generation program for causing a computer to execute a generation step for generating inspection data for inspecting a plurality of printed materials based on the inspection object items extracted by the extraction step and the format definition data.

[2] The extraction step acquires processing capability information of an inspection unit that inspects a plurality of printed matter printed by applying the plurality of records to format definition data, and the acquired processing capability information The inspection data generation program according to [1], wherein the item in which the inspection process is within the processing capability of the inspection unit is extracted as the inspection object item based on the above.

[3] The extraction step acquires processing capability information of an inspection unit that inspects a plurality of printed matter printed by applying the plurality of records to format definition data, and the acquired processing capability information The inspection data generation program according to [1], wherein the item for which the inspection process ends within a predetermined time is extracted as the inspection target item based on the above.

[4] Characteristic of the item data of the plurality of records from the receiving unit that receives variable data including a plurality of records having item data of a plurality of items, and the plurality of items of the variable data received by the receiving unit Based on the degree of information variation, the extraction means for extracting the item having a large degree of variation in the feature information as an inspection target item according to a predetermined rule, and printing by applying the plurality of records to the format definition data An inspection data generation apparatus comprising: generation means for generating inspection data for inspecting a plurality of printed materials based on the inspection object items extracted by the extraction means and the format definition data.

[5] A feature of the item data of the plurality of records from a reception unit that receives variable data including a plurality of records having item data of a plurality of items, and the plurality of items of the variable data received by the reception unit Based on the degree of information variation, the extraction means for extracting the item having a large degree of variation in the feature information as an inspection target item according to a predetermined rule, and the plurality of records included in the variable record as format definition data A printing unit that prints a plurality of printed materials by applying, and an inspection that inspects the plurality of printed materials printed by the printing unit based on the inspection target item and the format definition data extracted by the extraction step. And a printing system.

  According to the first and fourth aspects of the present invention, inspection data with high inspection efficiency can be generated as compared with the case where the inspection target item is extracted without being based on the degree of variation in the feature information of the variable data item data.

  According to the invention which concerns on Claim 2, the test | inspection data which can be test | inspected within the range of the processing capability of a test | inspection means are generable.

  According to the invention which concerns on Claim 3, the test | inspection data which can be test | inspected by a test | inspection means within the predetermined time can be produced | generated.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to perform inspection with higher efficiency as compared with the case where the inspection target item is extracted without being based on the degree of variation in the feature information of the variable data item data.

  An inspection data generation device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a receiving unit that receives variable data including a plurality of records having item data of a plurality of items; and the plurality of items of the variable data received by the receiving unit. Extraction means for extracting the item having a large variation degree of the feature information according to a predetermined rule as an inspection target item based on the variation degree of the feature information of the item data of the plurality of records; and the plurality of records And generating means for generating inspection data for inspecting a plurality of printed matter printed by applying to the form definition data based on the inspection object item extracted by the extraction means and the form definition data. .

  “Characteristic information” is information indicating the characteristics of the item data. For example, the character string of the item data, the number of character strings of the character string, the character type constituting the character string, the shape pattern representing the character, etc. It is. The character types are numbers, alphabets, kana, kanji, and the like.

  The “variation degree” is an index value that can take a large value when there is a difference in item data between records based on the feature information. Note that the degree of variation may be calculated as statistical values such as standard deviation and appearance frequency from the feature information.

  As the “predetermined rule”, for example, the degree of variation is compared between a plurality of items, and the item with the largest degree of variation and the top number of items are set as inspection target items, or the degree of variation is predetermined. The case where an item larger than the set threshold value is set as an inspection target item can be cited.

  In the above-described configuration, for example, an item having a large variation degree among the plurality of items of the variable record is extracted as the inspection target item by the extraction unit as the item having a large variation degree. Therefore, when the inspection related to the extracted items is performed on a plurality of printed materials to which a plurality of records are applied, the number of items is smaller than the inspection of all the items, for example, pages in a plurality of printed materials. It is possible to inspect the arrangement and gaps between them.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is an overall view showing an example of a schematic configuration of a printing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The printing system 1 includes a template generation device 2A, a print instruction device 3, a print data generation device 4, a printing device 5, an inspection data generation device 6A, an inspection device 7, and each of these devices 2-7. And a network 8 connected to the network.

(Template generator)
The template generation device 2A controls each part of the template generation device 2A, for example, a control unit realized by a CPU or the like, and stores various programs and data, for example, realized by a hard disk, RAM, ROM, or the like. A storage unit, a communication unit connected to the network 8, for example, realized by a network interface card, an operation unit that accepts data input operations, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, etc., and various screens, etc. For example, a display unit realized by a liquid crystal display or the like. Such a template generation device 2A is configured by, for example, a computer.

  The control unit of the template generating apparatus 2A operates according to the template design program stored in the storage unit, thereby displaying the sample variable data 10 on the display unit, and a template (style definition data) based on a user operation on the operation unit. 12 is generated. Details of the sample variable data 10 and the template 12 will be described later.

(Printing instruction device)
The print instruction apparatus 3 includes a control unit, a storage unit, a communication unit, an operation unit, and a display unit similar to the template generation device 2A. When the control unit of the printing instruction apparatus 3 receives an operation of a printing instruction in which variable data (variable data) 11 and a template 12 to which the variable data 11 is applied are designated by the operation unit, the designated variable data 11 and the template 12 are respectively transmitted to the print data generation device 4 and the inspection data generation device 6A by the communication unit. Details of the variable data 11 will be described later.

(Print data generator)
The print data generation device 4 includes the same control unit, storage unit, and communication unit as the template generation device 2A. The control unit of the print data generation device 4 embeds the data of the variable data 11 in the template 12 so that the print device 5 can interpret the print data described in, for example, a page description language (PDL: Printer Description Language). 13 is generated.

(Printer)
The printing device 5 outputs a printed matter 14 based on the print data 13 generated by the print data generation device 4. In addition to the control unit, storage unit, and communication unit similar to the template generation device 2A, the printing device 5 performs RIP (Raster Image Processor) processing on the print data 13 to obtain a raster format image such as bitmap data. An RIP processing unit that converts the data into data, and a printing unit (printing unit) that outputs a printed material 14 by forming a visible image based on the image data on a recording medium such as paper. Such a printing apparatus 5 is configured by, for example, a printer, a multifunction peripheral, or the like. The printing unit may be selected from various image forming methods such as an electrophotographic method, an ink jet method, and a thermal transfer method.

(Inspection data generator)
The inspection data generation device 6 </ b> A generates inspection data 15 for inspecting the printed matter 14 based on the variable data 11 and the template 12. Details of the inspection data generation device 6A and the inspection data 15 will be described later.

(Inspection equipment)
The inspection device 7 performs an inspection process on the printed matter 14 based on the inspection data 15 generated by the inspection data generation device 6A. In addition to the control unit, the storage unit, and the communication unit similar to the template generation device 2A, the inspection device 7 supplies an ADF (automatic paper feeder) that supplies the printed material 14 page by page, and the printed material supplied from the ADF one page. A reading unit that optically reads each of the read data to generate read data; an inspection content included in the inspection data 15; and a print content printed on the printed material 14 that has been extracted by performing image processing on the read data. An inspection unit (inspection means) that compares and performs an inspection process to determine whether or not there is an abnormality in the printed matter 14 is provided.

  The inspection unit of the inspection device 7 obtains a print character string printed on the printed material 14 by performing, for example, OCR (Optical Character Reader) processing on the read data, and inspects the print character string and the inspection data 15. Character string inspection method for comparing inspection character strings included as contents, image inspection method for comparing a cut-out image obtained by cutting out a region to be inspected from read data, and an inspection image based on inspection data 15 by pattern matching processing, etc. Is used. Note that the inspection unit may combine these inspection methods, or may use other inspection methods.

(network)
The network 8 is a communication network such as a LAN (local area network) that transmits and receives data by wired communication (electric cable, optical cable, etc.), wireless communication (radio waves, infrared rays, etc.), and the like.

(Data structure of variable data and sample variable data)
FIG. 2A shows an example of variable data. The variable data 11 as the variable data includes a plurality of records 110A to 110H. Each record 110A-110H includes item data 112A-112E for each of a plurality of items 111A-111E such as ID, name, address, billing amount, and sex. The variable data 11 is divided between the item data 112A to 112E by a delimiter such as a comma, and is generated, for example, in the CSV format.

  The sample variable data 10 is data configured in the same manner as the variable data 11, but among the multiple items, items relating to personal information such as name and address, and information that is uncertain at the time of generating the template 12 such as a billing amount. As for the item, temporary data (dummy data) is included as item data.

(Template data structure)
FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating an example of a template. The template 12 as the format definition data includes a plurality of definition information of the variable fields 120A to 120E in which the item data 112A to 112E of the variable data 11 are embedded and definition information of the fixed unit 121 that does not depend on the variable data 11. It consists of

  The definition information of the variable fields 120A to 120E includes, for example, the position and size of the area in the template 12, the output mode such as the color, font, and background when the item data 112A to 112E are embedded and output, and the item data 112A to 112E. Is associated information indicating which variable fields 120A to 120E are to be embedded. The definition information of the fixed part 121 includes, for example, the position and size of the area, the output mode, and designation information such as a character string or image data displayed on the fixed part.

(Printed matter)
FIG. 2C is a diagram illustrating an example of a printed material. The printed material 14 is printed by applying a plurality of records 110 </ b> A to 110 </ b> H included in the variable field to the template 12. The printed material 14 includes a plurality of pages of printed materials 14a to 14c. For example, one page or a plurality of pages are printed corresponding to the records 110A to 110H of the variable data 11. In addition, when the printed material 14 is printed on one side, when printed on both sides, the one side and both sides may be mixed and printed.

  In the printed matter 14a to 14c of each page, item data 112A to 112E associated with each variable field 120A to 120E of the template 12 are printed character strings 141A in the areas 140A to 140E defined by the variable fields 120A to 120E. ˜141E. Further, the image data designated by the fixed unit 121 is printed as a print image 143 in the area 142.

(Detailed configuration of inspection data generator)
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the inspection data generation apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The inspection data generation device 6A controls each part of the inspection data generation device 6A, for example, stores a control unit 60 realized by a CPU and the like, and various programs and data, for example, a hard disk, a RAM, a ROM, and the like And a communication unit 62 realized by, for example, a network interface card connected to the network 8.

  Such an inspection data generation device 6A may be configured by, for example, a computer, a server, a workstation, or the like.

  The storage unit 61 stores an inspection data generation program 610A for executing each step shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  The control unit 60 functions as the receiving unit 600, the inspection item extraction unit 601A, the inspection data generation unit 602, and the like by operating according to the inspection data generation program 610A. The accepting unit 600 and the inspection item extracting unit 601A constitute an item extracting device.

  The accepting unit 600 accepts the variable data 11 and the template 12 transmitted from the print instruction apparatus 3.

  The inspection item extraction unit 601A acquires feature information included in the item data 112A to 112E of the plurality of records 110A to 110H from the variable data 11 received by the reception unit 600, respectively. Then, the inspection item extraction unit 601A selects an item having a large variation degree of the feature information according to a predetermined rule from the plurality of items 111A to 111E based on the obtained variation degree of the feature information. Extract as target item).

  When the character string of the item data is “01”, the feature information acquired by the inspection item extraction unit 601A is, for example, “2” as the number of character strings and “numeric” as the character type. The inspection item extraction unit 601A also includes item data “01”, “02”, “03” for three records for the item “ID”, and item data “male”, “male” for three records for the item “gender”. ”And“ female ”, when character strings are acquired as feature information, there are three character strings in the item“ ID ”, but in the item“ gender ”, two values of“ male ”and“ female ”are obtained. Therefore, the item “ID” is determined to have a larger degree of variation than the item “sex”. In the present embodiment, the inspection item extraction unit 601A extracts, as a predetermined rule, an item having the largest degree of variation as an inspection item.

  In addition, the inspection item extraction unit 601A may weight the variation degree according to the amount of inspection processing performed by the inspection device 5, for example, an item with a small number of character strings that is an item with a relatively small amount of inspection processing. Alternatively, weighting may be performed so that items or the like whose character types are composed of numerals and alphabets are extracted as inspection items. In addition, when the priority of inspection is designated in advance for the items 111A to 111E by the user, the inspection item extraction unit 601A may weight the degree of variation with the priority reflected. .

  The inspection data generation unit 602 generates inspection data 15 for inspecting the print contents of the printed matter 14 based on the inspection item extracted by the inspection item extraction unit 601A and the template 12.

(Operation of the first embodiment)
Next, an example of the operation of the printing system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, it is assumed that the variable data 11 and the template 12 to which the variable data 11 is applied have been prepared.

  First, the user operates the print instruction device 3 to give a print instruction by designating the template 12 generated by the template generation device 2A and the variable data 11 applied to the template 12.

  When receiving the print instruction operation, the print instruction apparatus 3 transmits the variable data 11 and the template 12 to the print data generation apparatus 4 and the inspection data generation apparatus 6A via the network 8, respectively.

  Next, when the print data generation device 4 receives the variable data 11 and the template 12 from the print instruction device 3, the print data generation device 4 generates the print data 13 based on the variable data 11 and the template 12. Specifically, the print data generation device 4 repeatedly executes the process of embedding the item data 112A to 112E of the record of the variable data 11 in each of the variable fields 120A to 120E of the template 12 for the records included in the variable data 11. As a result, the print data 13 is generated. Then, the print data generation device 4 transmits the print data 13 to the printing device 5 via the network 8.

  Next, when receiving the print data 13, the printing apparatus 5 performs RIP processing on the print data 13 to develop it into image data, prints the image data on a recording medium by the printing unit, and FIG. The printed matter 14 exemplified in c) is output.

  Then, the user places the output printed matter 14 on the ADF of the inspection apparatus 7.

  On the other hand, the accepting unit 600 of the inspection data generating device 6A accepts the variable data 11 and the template 12 from the print instruction device 3 (S1).

  The inspection item extraction unit 601A pays attention to one item among the plurality of items 111A to 111E included in the variable data 11, acquires the feature information of the item data 112A to 112E in the focused item of interest, and the feature information A variation degree calculation process is performed to calculate the variation degree. Then, the inspection item extraction unit 601A sequentially changes the item of interest, and performs a variation degree calculation process for all items (S10).

  Then, the inspection item extraction unit 601A extracts, as inspection items, items having the largest degree of variation among the plurality of items 111A to 111E (S20).

  Next, the inspection data generation unit 602 generates inspection data 15 for the inspection item extracted by the inspection item extraction unit 601A based on the variable data 11 and the template 12 (S30). That is, the inspection data generation means 602 uses the variable field region associated with the inspection item in the template 12 as the inspection region, and the item data of the inspection item in the variable data 11 as the inspection character string. Is generated.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of inspection data. The inspection data 15 is composed of a plurality of inspection records each including inspection contents. The inspection record includes, as inspection contents, a page (page) of the printed matter 14, an x coordinate (x), a y coordinate (y), a width (width), and a height (height) that specify an inspection area, and an inspection character string. (Value).

  In FIG. 2C, the x coordinate and the y coordinate indicate the position coordinates of the upper left vertex 145 of the inspection area, for example, with the upper left of the printed material 14 as the origin 144. The width and the height indicate the size of the inspection area in the x direction and the y direction from the upper left vertex 145 thereof. The inspection content is information to be compared with the printed content printed in the area corresponding to the inspection area in the printed matter 14. That is, the inspection record in the first line illustrated in FIG. 4 inspects the inspection area having the width “50” and the height “5” from the coordinates (10, 20) of the upper left vertex 145 in the printed matter 14a of the first page. Indicates that it is checked whether or not the character string “01” is printed. The inspection data 15 may include a plurality of inspection records for one page of printed matter.

  Then, the inspection data generation device 6A transmits the inspection data 15 generated by the inspection data generation means 602 to the inspection device 7 via the network 8 by the communication unit 62.

  Next, when the inspection device 7 receives the inspection data 15 from the inspection data generation device 6A, the inspection device 7 supplies the printed matter 14 placed on the ADF by the user to the reading unit page by page, and the reading unit generates read data in units of pages. To do.

  Next, the inspection device 7 extracts the print content printed on the printed material portion 14 from each page of the read data according to the inspection content included in the received inspection data 15. The inspection device 7 inspects whether the printed matter 14 is abnormal by comparing the extracted print content with the inspection content included in the inspection data 15.

  And the test | inspection apparatus 7 notifies a user by displaying on the display part that the test | inspection pass or the test | inspection failure which is the test | inspection result inspected.

[Second Embodiment]
The printing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes an inspection data generation device 6B that extracts inspection items based on the processing capability information of the inspection device 7, and a template generation device 2A similar to the first embodiment. , A print instruction device 3, a print data generation device 4, a printing device 5, an inspection device 7, and a network 8.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of an inspection data generation apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The inspection data generation device 6B includes a control unit 60, a storage unit 61, and a communication unit 62, as in the first embodiment.

  The storage unit 61 stores an inspection data generation program 610B for executing each step shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  The control unit 60 operates in accordance with the inspection data generation program 610B, thereby functioning as the inspection item extraction unit 601B, the acquisition unit 603, and the like in addition to the reception unit 600 and the inspection data generation unit 602 similar to those in the first embodiment. To do.

  The acquisition unit 603 acquires processing capability information indicating the processing capability of the inspection processing for the printed matter 14 by the inspection device 7. In the present embodiment, the acquisition unit 603 acquires the processing capability information from the inspection device 7. However, for example, the processing capability information stored in advance in the storage unit 61 may be read.

  The processing capability information includes, for example, an inspection method such as a character string inspection method and an image inspection method that can be executed by the inspection device 6, an inspection speed indicating the speed of the inspection process, and the like. For example, in the case of a character string inspection method, the inspection speed is the inspection speed per character of the OCR process, and in the case of the image inspection method, it is the inspection speed per unit area of the pattern matching process.

  Based on the processing capability information acquired by the acquiring unit 603, the inspection item extraction unit 601B extracts items whose inspection processing is within the processing capability range of the inspection apparatus 7 as inspection items.

  For example, when the inspection speed is acquired as the processing capability information, the inspection item extraction unit 601B selects an item for which the inspection processing is completed within a predetermined request time when the inspection processing is performed at the inspection speed. Extract as inspection items. The required time is, for example, a printing cycle time from when the printing apparatus 5 outputs a printed material to when the next printed material 14 is output, or a delivery time until the printed material 14 is delivered. Therefore, the inspection item extraction unit 601B may extract a plurality of items as inspection items if the inspection process is completed within the required time.

  When an inspection method is acquired as the processing capability information, the inspection item extraction unit 601B extracts items suitable for the inspection method as inspection items. For example, in the case of the character string inspection method, the inspection item extraction unit 601B extracts items including alphabets and numbers whose OCR processing amount is smaller than kanji characters as inspection items, and in the case of the image inspection method. Extracts an item having a narrow variable field area in which item data is embedded as an inspection item.

(Operation of Second Embodiment)
Next, an example of the operation of the printing system 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The transmission process of the variable data 11 and the template 12 by the print instruction apparatus 3, the generation process of the print data 13 by the print data generation apparatus 4, and the print process of the printed matter 14 by the printing apparatus 5 are the same as those in the first embodiment. Therefore, the description is omitted.

  First, when the receiving unit 600 of the inspection data generation device 6A receives the variable data 11 and the template 12 from the print instruction device 3 (S1), the acquisition unit 603 transmits the processing capability information to the inspection device 7. The processing capability information is acquired from the inspection device 7 as a response to the request (S2).

  The inspection item extraction unit 601B performs a variation degree calculation process on the plurality of items 111A to 111E included in the variable data 11 (S10).

  Then, the inspection item extraction unit 601B determines, based on the processing capability information acquired by the acquisition unit 603, the items in the range of the processing capability of the inspection device 7 in order from the item with the largest degree of variation, and as a result processing Items determined to be within the capability range are extracted as inspection items (S21).

  Next, the inspection data generation unit 602 generates inspection data 15 for the inspection item extracted by the inspection item extraction unit 601B (S30), and the inspection data generation device 6A transmits the inspection data 15 to the inspection device 7. .

  Then, when receiving the inspection data 15 from the inspection data generation device 6A, the inspection device 7 reads the printed matter 14 page by page and generates read data in units of pages, as in the first embodiment. The image processing is performed on the image data, and the inspection processing is performed based on the received inspection data 15.

  As described above, since the inspection process is performed within the range of the processing capability of the inspection device 7, when the inspection data is extracted by the inspection data generation device 6A based on the inspection speed, for example, the required time By the time, the inspection process for the printed matter 14 is completed.

[Third Embodiment]
FIG. 8 is an overall view showing an example of a schematic configuration of a printing system according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The printing system 1 includes a template generation device 2B that extracts inspection items based on the sample variable data 10, an inspection data generation device 6C that generates inspection data 15 for the inspection items extracted by the template generation device 2B, and a first The printing instruction device 3, the print data generation device 4, the printing device 5, the inspection device 7, and the network 8 are the same as those in the embodiment.

  FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a template generation apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. This template generation device 2B includes a control unit 20, a storage unit 21, an operation unit 22, a display unit 23, and a communication unit 24, as in the first embodiment.

  The storage unit 21 stores an item extraction program 210, a template design program 211, and the like.

  The control unit 20 operates according to the item extraction program 210 to acquire the feature information included in the item data of each record from the accepting unit 200 that receives the sample variable data 10 and the sample variable data 10. Accordingly, it functions as an inspection item extraction unit 201 or the like that extracts items having a large degree of variation in the feature information as inspection items.

  Further, the control unit 20 operates according to the template design program 211 to generate the template 12 based on the user's operation on the design screen, and the inspection item indicating the inspection item extracted by the inspection item extraction unit 201 It functions as a template generation unit 202 that adds the information 122 to the template 12. The inspection item information 122 may be handled as other information without being added to the template 12.

  FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of an inspection data generation apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The inspection data generation device 6C includes a control unit 60, a storage unit 61, and a communication unit 62 as in the first embodiment.

  The control unit 60 operates in accordance with the inspection data generation program 610C stored in the storage unit 61, so that the inspection data 15 for inspecting the printed matter 14 based on the inspection item information 122 and the template 12 added to the template 12 is obtained. It functions as inspection data generation means 602 to generate.

(Operation of the third embodiment)
Next, an example of the operation of the printing system 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  First, the user operates the template generation device 2B to set variable field definition information and the like on the design screen of the template 12 on which the sample variable data 10 is displayed in an auxiliary manner, and issue a template 12 generation instruction.

  Next, the accepting means 200 of the template generation device 2B accepts the sample variable data 10 in response to the operation of the generation instruction. Then, the inspection item extraction unit 201 performs a variation degree calculation process on a plurality of items included in the sample variable data 10, and extracts an item having the largest variation degree as an inspection item.

  Next, the template generation unit 202 generates the template 12 based on the variable field definition information set on the design screen, and the inspection item indicating the inspection item extracted by the inspection item extraction unit 201 in the template 12. Information 122 is added. Then, the template generation device 2B transmits the template 12 with the inspection item information 122 added thereto to the print instruction device 3.

  Next, after receiving the template 12, the print instruction apparatus 3 accepts a print instruction operation in which the variable data 11 applied to the template 12 is designated, and prints the variable data 11 and the template 12. The data is transmitted to the data generation device 4 and the inspection data generation device 6C.

  Note that the generation processing of the print data 13 after the variable data 11 and the template 12 are received by the print data generation device 4 and the printing processing of the printed matter 14 by the printing device 5 are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore will be described. Is omitted.

  On the other hand, when the inspection data generation device 6C receives the variable data 11 and the template 12 from the print instruction device 3, the inspection data generation means 602 is based on the inspection item information 122 added to the template 12 and the variable data 11. Thus, the inspection data 15 is generated. Then, the inspection data generation device 6 </ b> C transmits the inspection data 15 generated by the inspection data generation unit 602 to the inspection device 7.

  Thereafter, the inspection process performed by the inspection apparatus 7 that has received the inspection data 15 is the same as that in the first embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

[Other embodiments]
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, the reception unit, the inspection item extraction unit, the inspection data generation unit, and the acquisition unit included in the inspection data generation device and the template generation device are realized by the control unit and the program. Alternatively, all may be realized by hardware.

  The program used in each of the above embodiments may be read from a recording medium such as a CD-ROM into a storage unit in the apparatus, or from a server or the like connected to a network such as the Internet to the storage unit in the apparatus. You may download it.

  In addition, the printing system according to each of the above embodiments only needs to include the functions of the template generation device, the print instruction device, the print data generation device, the printing device, the inspection data generation device, and the inspection device as a whole system. The device may be configured as one device. For example, the print data generation device and the printing device may be configured as one device, or the inspection data generation device and the inspection device may be configured as one device, but are not limited thereto.

  In the printing system of each of the above embodiments, the inspection result for the printed matter is displayed on the display unit of the inspection device. For example, the inspection device 7 displays the inspection result information indicating the inspection result in addition to the print instruction device or the like. May be transmitted via the network, may be written in the storage unit, or may be instructed to print to the printing apparatus.

  In the printing system according to each of the embodiments described above, the printed material is described as being placed on the ADF of the inspection apparatus by the user. For example, an automatic conveyance path for conveying the printed material from the printing apparatus to the inspection apparatus is provided. Also good.

FIG. 1 is an overall view showing an example of a schematic configuration of a printing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A shows an example of variable data. FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating an example of a template. FIG. 2C is a diagram illustrating an example of a printed material. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the inspection data generation apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of inspection data. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the inspection data generation apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of an inspection data generation apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the inspection data generation apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is an overall view showing an example of a schematic configuration of a printing system according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a template generation apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of an inspection data generation apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Printing system, 2A, 2B ... Template generation apparatus, 3 ... Print instruction | indication apparatus, 4 ... Print data generation apparatus, 5 ... Printing apparatus, 6A-6C ... Inspection data generation apparatus, 7 ... Inspection apparatus, 8 ... Network, 10 ... Sample variable data, 11 ... Variable data, 12 ... Template, 13 ... Print data, 14 ... Printed matter, 14a-14c ... Paged printed matter, 15 ... Inspection data, 20 ... Control unit, 21 ... Storage unit, 22 ... Operation , 23 ... display unit, 24 ... communication unit, 60 ... control unit, 61 ... storage unit, 62 ... communication unit, 110A to 110H ... record, 111A to 111E ... item, 112A to 112E ... item data, 120A to 120E ... Variable field, 121 ... fixed part, 122 ... inspection item information, 140A to 140E ... area, 141A to 141E ... printed text ,..., Printed image, 144... Origin, 145... Upper left vertex, 200... Accepting means, 201... Inspection item extracting means, 202. 600 ... Accepting means, 601A, 601B ... Inspection item extracting means, 602 ... Inspection data generating means, 603 ... Acquiring means, 610A to 610C ... Inspection data generating program

Claims (5)

An accepting step of accepting variable data including a plurality of records having item data of a plurality of items;
The item having a large variation degree of the feature information according to a predetermined rule based on the variation degree of the feature information of the item data of the plurality of records from the plurality of items of the variable data received by the reception step. An extraction step for extracting as an inspection target item;
Generation for generating inspection data for inspecting a plurality of printed matter printed by applying the plurality of records to the format definition data based on the inspection target item extracted by the extraction step and the format definition data An inspection data generation program for causing a computer to execute steps.   The extracting step acquires processing capability information of an inspection unit that performs an inspection process on a plurality of printed matter printed by applying the plurality of records to format definition data, and based on the acquired processing capability information The inspection data generation program according to claim 1, wherein the item in which the inspection process is within the processing capability of the inspection unit is extracted as the inspection target item.   The extracting step acquires processing capability information of an inspection unit that performs an inspection process on a plurality of printed matter printed by applying the plurality of records to format definition data, and based on the acquired processing capability information The inspection data generation program according to claim 1, wherein the item for which the inspection process is completed within a predetermined time is extracted as the inspection target item. Receiving means for receiving variable data including a plurality of records having item data of a plurality of items;
The item having a large variation degree of the feature information according to a predetermined rule based on the variation degree of the feature information of the item data of the plurality of records from the plurality of items of the variable data received by the reception unit. Extraction means for extracting as an inspection target item,
Generation for generating inspection data for inspecting a plurality of printed matter printed by applying the plurality of records to form definition data based on the inspection object item extracted by the extraction unit and the form definition data And an inspection data generation device. Receiving means for receiving variable data including a plurality of records having item data of a plurality of items;
The item having a large variation degree of the feature information according to a predetermined rule based on the variation degree of the feature information of the item data of the plurality of records from the plurality of items of the variable data received by the reception unit. Extraction means for extracting as an inspection target item,
Printing means for printing a plurality of printed materials by applying the plurality of records included in the variable record to format definition data;
A printing system comprising: an inspection unit that inspects the plurality of printed matter printed by the printing unit based on the inspection object item extracted by the extraction step and the format definition data.

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