JP5186849B2 - Relief recording medium manufacturing method and concavo-convex structure data generation apparatus used therefor - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for producing a relief recording medium in which the features of a stereoscopic image composed of an arbitrary surface are recorded as a concavo-convex structure on the surface. The present invention also relates to an apparatus for generating concavo-convex structure data used for manufacturing such a relief recording medium.

  In various printed materials such as catalogs, brochures, posters, calendars, trading cards, packaging packages, books, etc., a method of forming a relief structure on the surface to raise a relief pattern has been used for a long time. In addition, foil stamping products in which a metal foil is attached to the surface of the concavo-convex structure are also used as various products. As such a relief recording medium, various materials other than paper are used. For example, there are various gifts, souvenirs, miscellaneous goods made of metal nameplates and resin molded products.

  A feature of such a relief recording medium is that a motif that becomes a pattern or a picture is expressed as a concavo-convex structure on the surface, so that a more three-dimensional expression can be achieved compared to a planar printed matter. Of course, it is possible to present an image with a certain degree of stereoscopic effect, even if it is a normal flat print, if a 3D solid is taken and printed in consideration of the lighting environment. The shadow information reproduced in the above is information obtained by photographing the subject in a specific lighting environment, and is merely a two-dimensional image. On the other hand, in the relief recording medium, an actual concavo-convex structure is formed on the surface, so that it is possible to express a pattern or a pattern with a more three-dimensional effect.

  As a method for recording a three-dimensional image on a two-dimensional recording medium, there is a hologram method, but the manufacturing cost is high, and it is not suitable for commercial use for general printed matter. In addition, the reproduced image of the hologram recording medium is a virtual image that can be grasped only visually. On the other hand, the pattern or pattern recorded on the relief recording medium is an actual concavo-convex structure and is tactile. The relief recording medium has an inherent advantage in that it can be grasped.

As a technique for manufacturing such a relief recording medium, for example, the following Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for creating a concavo-convex structure that becomes a relief pattern based on a binary image. A technique for creating a concavo-convex structure that becomes a relief pattern based on a gradation image is disclosed. Furthermore, Patent Documents 3 to 5 disclose methods for creating a concavo-convex structure that becomes a relief pattern based on a gradation image.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-120450 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-158207 JP-A-5-158208 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-158209 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-158210

  If the conventional techniques disclosed in the above-mentioned patent documents are used, a two-dimensional image is used as an original image, and a concavo-convex structure is formed on a relief recording medium using a pattern or a pattern expressed on the two-dimensional image as a motif. Can be formed. However, these conventional techniques cannot use a three-dimensional stereoscopic image as an original image.

  Recently, with the development of computer graphics technology, it has become possible to easily obtain stereoscopic image data of various three-dimensional objects. Therefore, if an arbitrary three-dimensional image is used as an original image, and a relief structure can be formed on the relief recording medium using the feature of this three-dimensional image as a motif, the degree of freedom of patterns and patterns that can be expressed as a relief is remarkably improved. To do. However, since the uneven structure formed on the surface of the relief recording medium has a limited height difference, a general stereoscopic image cannot be recorded on the relief recording medium as it is.

  For example, in order to record a stereoscopic image consisting of an object having a height of 5 cm as it is on a relief recording medium having a concavo-convex structure with a height difference of 1 mm, the conventional method reduces the height dimension to 1/50. However, with such a method, it is difficult to accurately represent the characteristics of the original object.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of forming an uneven structure on a relief recording medium using an arbitrary stereoscopic image as an original image and using the characteristics of the stereoscopic image as a motif.

(1) A first aspect of the present invention is a relief recording medium manufacturing method for manufacturing a relief recording medium in which features of a stereoscopic image composed of an arbitrary surface are recorded as a concavo-convex structure on a surface.
Defining a stereoscopic image on an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system;
Defining a two-dimensional pixel array configured by arranging a large number of pixels P each consisting of a closed region on the XY plane of the coordinate system;
Setting a predetermined adjustment parameter k (where 0 <k <1);
A representative point R (x, y) having a coordinate value (x, y) is defined at a predetermined position of each pixel P, and each pixel P passes through this representative point R (x, y) and is parallel to the Z axis. Obtaining an intersection point Q (x, y, z) between a simple reference line L and a plane constituting the stereoscopic image;
Obtaining a unit normal vector N for a plane constituting the stereoscopic image starting from the position of the intersection point Q (x, y, z);
Each unit normal vector N is translated along the reference straight line L until the starting point reaches the representative point R (x, y), and the parallel moving vector V starting from the representative point R (x, y). The stage of seeking
Obtaining an acute angle formed with respect to the reference straight line L for each translation vector V as a zenith angle φ of the translation vector V;
For each translation vector V, a plane including the translation vector V and the reference straight line L is defined as an adjustment plane, and in this adjustment plane, the zenith angle is k · obtaining a rotational movement vector W obtained by rotating to φ;
The individual pixels P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array are orthogonal to the rotational movement vector W starting from the representative point R (x, y) of the pixel P and pass through the representative point R (x, y). Defining the plane as a reference plane U for the pixel P;
For each pixel P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array, the contour line C is projected in the Z-axis direction, and an area inside the projected image D of the contour line C formed on the reference plane U of the pixel P is determined. Obtaining a relief unit surface S for the pixel P;
Forming on the surface of the medium an aggregate of relief unit surfaces S determined for individual pixels P constituting a two-dimensional pixel array;
Is to do.

(2) According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the method for manufacturing a relief recording medium according to the first aspect described above,
A stereoscopic image to be recorded is defined as a large number of polygons or parametric curved surfaces arranged on an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system, and an intersection Q (x, y, z) with a reference straight line L indicates a polygon or a parametric curved surface. It is obtained by an arithmetic process using data.

(3) According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the method for manufacturing a relief recording medium according to the first or second aspect described above,
Each pixel P is constituted by rectangular regions of the same size, and the rectangular regions are arranged without gaps in the vertical and horizontal directions to define a two-dimensional pixel array, and a representative point R (x, y) is placed at the center position of each pixel P. Is defined.

(4) A fourth aspect of the present invention is the relief recording medium manufacturing method according to the first to third aspects described above,
A selection rule for selecting either the intersection having the maximum Z coordinate value or the intersection having the minimum Z coordinate value in a unified manner is determined in advance.
When a plurality of intersections are obtained for a predetermined pixel P because there are a plurality of planes intersecting the reference straight line L, a single intersection selected based on the selection rule is determined as the intersection for the pixel P. Q (x, y, z).

(5) According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the method for manufacturing a relief recording medium according to the first to fourth aspects described above,
For each surface constituting the stereoscopic image, a vector arrangement surface on the side where the vector is arranged is determined in advance, and the unit normal vector N starting from each intersection Q (x, y, z) is set as the vector arrangement surface side. It is intended to be placed in.

(6) According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the method for manufacturing a relief recording medium according to the first to fifth aspects described above,
A step wall surface F perpendicular to the XY plane is defined at the step portion between the relief unit surfaces S generated at the boundary between adjacent pixels, and an aggregate of the relief unit surface S and the step wall surface F is formed on the surface of the medium. It is a thing.

(7) A seventh aspect of the present invention is the relief recording medium manufacturing method according to the first to sixth aspects described above,
After a medium serving as an original plate having an assembly of relief unit surfaces S formed on the surface, a large number of media are manufactured by press working using the original plate.

(8) An eighth aspect of the present invention is the relief recording medium manufacturing method according to the seventh aspect described above,
A concave / convex structure composed of an assembly of relief unit surfaces S is formed on the surface of a medium to be processed by cutting using an NC machine tool, thereby creating a medium serving as an original plate.

(9) A ninth aspect of the present invention is the relief recording medium manufacturing method according to the seventh aspect described above,
A rotating drum that is driven to rotate while a workpiece medium is wound around the surface; a laser beam irradiation unit that irradiates an intensity-modulated laser beam; and a scanning unit that scans the laser beam in the rotation axis direction of the rotating drum. An irregular structure composed of an assembly of relief unit surfaces S is formed on the surface of a medium to be processed by laser processing using a plate making apparatus, and a medium serving as an original plate is created.

(10) A tenth aspect of the present invention is the relief recording medium manufacturing method according to the first to ninth aspects described above,
A subpixel PP is defined by dividing each pixel P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array into a plurality of parts, and instead of a single relief unit surface S, a set of subpixels PP having a Z coordinate value as a pixel value is used. An alternative relief unit surface SS is defined as a “height field”, and an assembly of alternative relief unit surfaces SS having a step structure in units of subpixels is formed on the surface of the medium.

(11) In an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in a program used in a process for manufacturing a relief recording medium in which features of a three-dimensional image composed of an arbitrary surface are recorded as a concavo-convex structure on a surface,
Inputting stereoscopic image data indicating a stereoscopic image defined on an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system;
Setting data indicating a two-dimensional pixel array configured by arranging a large number of pixels P each formed of a closed region on the XY plane of the coordinate system;
Setting a predetermined adjustment parameter k (where 0 <k <1);
A representative point R (x, y) having a coordinate value (x, y) is defined at a predetermined position of each pixel P, and each pixel P passes through this representative point R (x, y) and is parallel to the Z axis. Obtaining an intersection point Q (x, y, z) between a simple reference line L and a plane constituting the stereoscopic image;
Obtaining a unit normal vector N for a plane constituting the stereoscopic image starting from the position of the intersection point Q (x, y, z);
Each unit normal vector N is translated along the reference straight line L until the starting point reaches the representative point R (x, y), and the parallel moving vector V starting from the representative point R (x, y). The stage of seeking
Obtaining an acute angle formed with respect to the reference straight line L for each translation vector V as a zenith angle φ of the translation vector V;
For each translation vector V, a plane including the translation vector V and the reference straight line L is defined as an adjustment plane, and in this adjustment plane, the zenith angle is k · obtaining a rotational movement vector W obtained by rotating to φ;
The individual pixels P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array are orthogonal to the rotational movement vector W starting from the representative point R (x, y) of the pixel P and pass through the representative point R (x, y). Defining the plane as a reference plane U for the pixel P;
For each pixel P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array, the contour line C is projected in the Z-axis direction, and the region inside the projected image D of the contour line formed on the reference plane U of the pixel P is Obtaining a relief unit surface S for the pixel P;
Outputting data indicating an aggregate of relief unit surfaces S obtained for individual pixels P constituting a two-dimensional pixel array;
Is executed by a computer.

(12) A twelfth aspect of the present invention generates concavo-convex structure data used for manufacturing a relief recording medium in which features of a stereoscopic image composed of an arbitrary surface are recorded as a concavo-convex structure on a surface. In the concavo-convex structure data generation apparatus for relief recording media,
A stereoscopic image data storage unit for storing stereoscopic image data indicating a stereoscopic image defined on an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system;
On the XY plane of this coordinate system, pixel array data for defining a two-dimensional pixel array configured by arranging a large number of pixels P each consisting of a closed region is stored, and is defined at a predetermined position of each pixel P. A pixel array data providing unit that provides representative point position data indicating the position of the representative point R (x, y) and contour data indicating the contour C of each pixel P;
A parameter storage unit for storing a predetermined adjustment parameter k (where 0 <k <1);
Based on the representative point position data and the stereoscopic image data, for each pixel P, the intersection point Q () of the reference straight line L passing through the representative point R (x, y) and parallel to the Z axis and the plane constituting the stereoscopic image x, y, z) intersection calculation unit
On the surface constituting a stereoscopic image starting from the position of the intersection Q (x, y, z) based on the coordinate value of the intersection Q (x, y, z) obtained by the intersection calculation unit and the stereoscopic image data A unit normal vector calculation unit for obtaining a unit normal vector N of
Each unit normal vector N is translated along the reference straight line L until the starting point reaches the representative point R (x, y), and the parallel moving vector V starting from the representative point R (x, y). A translation vector calculation unit for obtaining
For each translation vector V, a zenith angle calculation unit for obtaining an acute angle formed with respect to the reference straight line L as a zenith angle φ of the translation vector V;
For each translation vector V, a plane including the translation vector V and the reference straight line L is defined as an adjustment plane, and the starting point of the translation vector V is fixed in the adjustment plane using the value of the adjustment parameter k. And a rotational movement vector computing unit for obtaining a rotational movement vector W obtained by rotating so that the zenith angle is k · φ,
The individual pixels P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array are orthogonal to the rotational movement vector W starting from the representative point R (x, y) of the pixel P and pass through the representative point R (x, y). A reference plane calculation unit for obtaining a plane as a reference plane U of the pixel P;
For each pixel P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array, the contour line C provided from the pixel array data providing unit is projected in the Z-axis direction, and the contour line formed on the reference plane U of the pixel P is projected. A relief unit surface calculation unit for obtaining a region inside the image D as a relief unit surface S for the pixel P;
A data output unit that outputs data indicating an assembly of relief unit surfaces S obtained for individual pixels P constituting a two-dimensional pixel array as uneven structure data to be formed on the surface of the relief recording medium;
Is provided.

(13) According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the relief structure data generating apparatus for a relief recording medium according to the twelfth aspect described above,
The stereoscopic image data storage unit stores data indicating a large number of polygons or parametric curved surfaces arranged on an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system as stereoscopic image data.

(14) According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the concavo-convex structure data generating apparatus for a relief recording medium according to the twelfth or thirteenth aspect described above,
The pixel array data providing unit stores the data indicating the vertical and horizontal sizes of the rectangles constituting the pixel P as pixel array data, and the two-dimensional pixel array is defined by arranging the pixels P vertically and horizontally without any gaps. The representative point position data indicating the position of the representative point R (x, y) defined at the center position of each pixel P and the contour line data indicating the rectangle constituting each pixel P are obtained by calculation. It is a thing.

(15) According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the relief structure data generating apparatus for a relief recording medium according to the twelfth to fourteenth aspects described above,
The intersection calculation unit holds a selection rule for selecting either the intersection with the maximum Z coordinate value or the intersection with the minimum Z coordinate value in a unified manner,
When a plurality of intersections are obtained for a predetermined pixel P because there are a plurality of planes intersecting the reference straight line L, a single intersection selected based on the selection rule is determined as the intersection for the pixel P. Q (x, y, z).

(16) According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the relief structure data generating apparatus for a relief recording medium according to the twelfth to fifteenth aspects described above,
The stereoscopic image data storage unit holds data indicating a vector arrangement plane on the side on which the vector is arranged for each plane constituting the stereoscopic image,
The unit normal vector computing unit arranges the unit normal vector N starting from each intersection Q (x, y, z) on the vector arrangement plane side.

(17) According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in the relief structure data generating apparatus for a relief recording medium according to the twelfth to sixteenth aspects described above,
The data output unit defines a step wall surface F perpendicular to the XY plane at the step portion between the relief unit surfaces S generated at the boundary between adjacent pixels, and data indicating an aggregate of the relief unit surface S and the step wall surface F. This is output as uneven structure data to be formed on the surface of the relief recording medium.

  According to the method for manufacturing a relief recording medium and the concavo-convex structure data generation apparatus used therefor according to the present invention, an arbitrary three-dimensional image is used as an original image, and the concavo-convex structure is formed on the relief recording medium using the feature of the three-dimensional image as a motif. It becomes possible to form.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on the illustrated embodiments.

<<< §1. Basic procedure of manufacturing method of relief recording medium according to the present invention >>
Here, first, the basic procedure of the method for manufacturing a relief recording medium according to the present invention will be described. By using this method, it is possible to record the feature of a stereoscopic image composed of an arbitrary surface as a concavo-convex structure on the surface of a relief recording medium.

  For example, consider recording a stereoscopic image A as shown in FIG. 1 on the surface of a relief recording medium. The illustrated three-dimensional image A is a three-dimensional image showing a “kettle” having a three-dimensional complex structure, and can actually be defined by the data of the surface forming the surface (data indicating the internal structure). Is not required). Here, it is assumed that the height dimension of the stereoscopic image A is H. Even if such a stereoscopic image A is recorded on the surface of the relief recording medium, the stereoscopic information cannot be recorded as it is. The relief recording medium is a three-dimensional object having a concavo-convex structure formed on the surface, but the height difference h of the concavo-convex structure is limited (in the case of general paper products such as catalogs, brochures, posters, calendars, The height information of the stereoscopic image A cannot be recorded as a concavo-convex structure as it is.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example in which the stereoscopic image A shown in FIG. 1 is reduced and recorded on the relief recording medium M in the height direction. That is, a three-dimensional structure obtained by reducing the three-dimensional image A by h / H times in the height direction is formed on the surface of the relief recording medium M as an uneven structure. Thus, if the height direction is reduced, the height difference of the concavo-convex structure on the surface of the relief recording medium M can be suppressed to h. However, as the reduction ratio h / H decreases, the distortion of the shape of the three-dimensional structure formed on the relief recording medium M with respect to the three-dimensional image A increases, and the observer grasps the shape of the original three-dimensional image A. Becomes difficult.

  The root of the present invention is to extract the feature of the three-dimensional shape of the original stereoscopic image A and record it on the medium instead of taking the method of reducing the original stereoscopic image A and recording it on the medium. The idea is to adopt this method. The inventor of the present application extracts information on the inclination of each part of the surface of the stereoscopic image A when the stereoscopic image A is observed from above as shown in FIG. It was thought that the characteristics when the stereoscopic image A was observed from above could be recorded by recording. The method described below is based on such a basic concept.

  Eventually, in the present invention, only the information on the inclination of the surface of the stereoscopic image A is recorded on the relief recording medium M, so that the overall shape of the original stereoscopic image A is given to the observer. Cannot be accurately communicated. However, since the role of relief recording media used for general purposes such as catalogs, brochures, posters, and calendars is to present some pattern or picture to the observer, the original stereoscopic image A It would be enough if any motif derived from the characteristics of was expressed. Therefore, the relief recording medium created by the method according to the present invention described below has sufficient industrial applicability.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the method for manufacturing a relief recording medium according to the present invention. The process for manufacturing a relief recording medium in which the features of a stereoscopic image composed of an arbitrary surface are recorded as a concavo-convex structure on the surface. It is shown. The procedure of steps S1 to S10 in the flowchart can be executed manually by a designer or using a computer, but in practice, a dedicated program for executing each of these procedures is prepared, and the program It will be executed by a computer with embedded. Therefore, the processes in steps S1 to S10 are actually processes executed by a computer. The final step S11 is a process of forming a concavo-convex structure on the surface of a physical medium using the concavo-convex structure data output from the computer, and is a process performed using some processing apparatus. The specific process of step S11 will be described in §3.

  First, in step S1, a step of defining a stereoscopic image A on the XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system is performed. This stereoscopic image A is a virtual object that becomes an original image, and the surface shape characteristics (information of the inclination of the surface of each part) of this virtual object are extracted and recorded as a concavo-convex structure on the surface of the recording medium M. become. Here, as shown in FIG. 4, it is assumed that a three-dimensional image A indicating “a kettle” is defined on the XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system. As described above, it is sufficient that the surface of the stereoscopic image A used in the present invention is defined, and the definition of the internal structure is unnecessary.

  The definition of the stereoscopic image A on the computer is performed by storing the three-dimensional shape data indicating the stereoscopic image A in a storage location in the computer. Usually, in the field of computer graphics, a three-dimensional stereoscopic image is defined as a large number of polygons or parametric curved surfaces arranged on an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system. Also in the present invention, the stereoscopic image A can be defined by data indicating such polygons or parametric curved surfaces.

  In the subsequent step S2, a step of defining a two-dimensional pixel array constituted by arranging a large number of pixels P each consisting of a closed region on the XY plane in the XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system is performed. Each pixel P may have any size and any shape as long as each pixel P forms a closed region. Of course, the size and shape of the individual pixels may be different from each other, and the two-dimensional pixel array may be defined by arranging these pixels. However, in order to reduce the calculation burden in the subsequent steps, in practice, each pixel P is composed of rectangular regions of the same size, and the rectangular regions are arranged vertically and horizontally without any gaps, thereby defining a two-dimensional pixel array. It is preferable to carry out.

  In the example shown in FIG. 4, an example is shown in which a two-dimensional pixel array is defined by arranging pixels P having a square shape on an XY plane in rows and columns with no gaps. A pixel P (i, j) shown in the figure is a pixel in the i-th row and j-th column in this two-dimensional pixel array. To define such a two-dimensional pixel array on a computer, data indicating the size of one pixel P (in the case of a square pixel, the length of one side thereof) is stored in a storage location in the computer. Just enough. If the size of the rectangular pixel P is defined, a large number of pixels can be arranged in a regular state in the coordinate system with reference to the origin O of the coordinate system as shown in the figure. The position of the pixel in the row j column can be uniquely determined.

  In step S3, a step of setting a predetermined adjustment parameter k is performed. The adjustment parameter k is a numerical value used in the calculation in step S8 described later. Theoretically, any numerical value may be set as long as it satisfies the condition 0 <k <1. . The role will be described in detail in the process of step S8. The adjustment parameter k is set on the computer by storing data indicating the value of k in a storage location in the computer. If the value of k is a fixed value, the fixed value may be stored in advance in a storage location in the computer. However, by changing this value of k, The uneven structure of this will also change. Therefore, in practice, it is preferable that a desired value within a range of 0 <k <1 can be set by an operator's setting operation.

  Each stage of steps S1 to S3 described above is a stage that should be called a preparation process. Each of steps S4 to S10 described below is a step of performing processing for generating concavo-convex structure data to be formed on the medium surface based on the data prepared in the preparation processing.

  First, in step S4, a representative point R (x, y) having a coordinate value (x, y) is defined at a predetermined position of each pixel P. For each pixel P, this representative point R (x, y) is defined. The step of obtaining the intersection point Q (x, y, z) between the reference straight line L that passes through and parallel to the Z axis and the plane that forms the stereoscopic image A is performed. The representative point R (x, y) is a point representing the pixel P, and any point may be determined as a representative point as long as it is an internal point including the outline of the pixel P. For example, the upper left corner point of each pixel may be determined as the representative point.

  Here, an example in which a representative point R (x, y) is defined at the center position of each pixel P will be described. A representative point R (x, y) shown in FIG. 4 is a center point of the pixel P (i, j) in the i-th row and j-th column, and is a point indicated by a coordinate value (x, y). Similarly, for all the pixels P, the center point is determined as the representative point R (x, y).

  Subsequently, a reference straight line L (a line orthogonal to the XY plane) passing through the representative point R (x, y) and parallel to the Z axis is defined. In FIG. 4, the reference straight line L defined for the pixel P (i, j) is indicated by a broken line. Then, as shown in the drawing, an intersection point Q (x, y, z) between the reference straight line L and the surface constituting the stereoscopic image A is obtained. As described above, since the stereoscopic image A is defined as a large number of polygons or parametric curved surfaces, the intersection point Q (x, y, z) with the reference straight line L is calculated using data indicating these polygons or parametric curved surfaces. It can be determined by processing. A specific calculation method for obtaining the intersection coordinates (x, y, z) between an arbitrary straight line and a polygon or a parametric curved surface is a method that has already been widely used in the field of computer graphics, and is detailed here. Description is omitted.

  Incidentally, in FIG. 4, only one intersection point Q (x, y, z) between the reference straight line L and the surface constituting the stereoscopic image A is shown, but the stereoscopic image having a complicated stereoscopic structure as shown in the figure. When A is used, there may be a plurality of intersections with the reference straight line L. Thus, when there are a plurality of intersections, it is necessary to select any one of the intersections. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of this intersection selection process. In the case of the illustrated example, four points Q1 to Q4 are shown as the intersections of the reference straight line L and the surface constituting the stereoscopic image A. This is because the reference straight line L intersects with four independent planes constituting the stereoscopic image A.

  Thus, when there are a plurality of intersections, a selection rule for selecting any one of the intersections may be determined in advance, and only one intersection may be selected according to the rule. Specifically, for example, a unified selection rule of “selecting an intersection having the maximum Z coordinate value” is determined in advance, and if there are a plurality of intersections for any pixel, the maximum One intersection point may be selected by applying a selection rule of “select an intersection point having a Z coordinate value”. In the case of the example shown in FIG. 5, the intersection point Q4 is selected.

  Of course, when a unified selection rule of “selecting an intersection having the minimum Z coordinate value” is determined in advance, the intersection Q1 is selected in the example shown in FIG. In short, when some kind of unified selection rule is determined in advance, and there are a plurality of intersections with respect to the reference straight line L with respect to the predetermined pixel P, a plurality of intersections are obtained. The selected single intersection point may be the intersection point Q (x, y, z) for the pixel P.

  Thus, predetermining a unified selection rule is nothing but selecting a specific surface of the stereoscopic image A after all. For example, when the selection rule of “selecting the intersection having the maximum Z coordinate value” is defined, in the example shown in FIG. 4, when the stereoscopic image A is viewed from above, the surface positioned at the forefront is displayed. This means that the concavo-convex structure data finally created in the steps described later is data obtained by extracting the foreground feature. Therefore, in this case, the feature information including the upper surface of the “kettle” handle is recorded on the relief recording medium.

  On the other hand, when the selection rule of “selecting the intersection having the minimum Z coordinate value” is defined, in the example shown in FIG. 4, when the stereoscopic image A is observed as viewed from above, the rearmost surface (in practice, This means that the surface located in the hidden surface is selected, and the concavo-convex structure data finally created in the steps described later is data obtained by extracting the feature of the back surface. Therefore, in this case, the feature information including the bottom surface of the “kettle” is recorded on the relief recording medium.

  Eventually, even if the data of the entire surface of the stereoscopic image A having a complicated three-dimensional structure such as “kettle” shown in FIG. 4 is prepared, only the data of the surface selected by the selection rule is used. Therefore, in practice, the stereoscopic image A defined in step S1 is sufficient if it has only a specific surface from which features are to be extracted. For example, in the case of “kettle” shown in FIG. 4, if the selection rule of “selecting an intersection having the maximum Z coordinate value” is defined, data indicating “bottom face of the kettle” is not necessary.

  FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an intersection determination process when a hemisphere convex upward is used as the stereoscopic image A. FIG. As the data indicating the stereoscopic image A, only the data indicating the surface of the hemisphere is sufficient, and the data indicating the bottom surface is not necessary. If the three-dimensional image A is shown by such data, the intersection point Q (x, y, z) is always a single point, so that it is not necessary to perform the selection process as described above.

  When the intersection point Q (x, y, z) for the pixel P (i, j) in the i-th row and j-th column is obtained in this way, the position of the intersection point Q (x, y, z) is determined in the subsequent step S5. As a starting point, a step of obtaining a unit normal vector N with respect to the surface constituting the stereoscopic image A is performed. A vector N shown as an arrow in FIG. 4 is a unit normal vector N starting from the position of the intersection Q (x, y, z) thus determined. Since the vector N is a normal vector, it is directed in a direction (normal direction with respect to the surface) orthogonal to the constituent surface of the stereoscopic image A in the vicinity of the intersection Q (x, y, z). Further, since the vector N is a unit vector, its length is a predetermined unit length.

  However, since there are two types of normal vectors for an arbitrary surface, a vector directed to the front side of the surface and a vector directed to the back side of the surface, a specific calculation for obtaining the unit normal vector N is performed. In performing, for each surface constituting the stereoscopic image A, a vector arrangement surface on the vector arrangement side is determined in advance, and a unit normal vector N starting from the intersection point Q (x, y, z) is defined as It may be arranged on the vector arrangement plane side.

  For example, when a hemispherical stereoscopic image A as shown in FIG. 6 is used, if the side on which the Z coordinate value increases is defined as the vector arrangement plane, the unit normal vector N toward the outside of the spherical surface can be defined. On the other hand, if the side where the Z coordinate value becomes smaller is determined as the vector arrangement plane, the unit normal vector N toward the inside of the spherical surface can be defined. Further, as in the example shown in FIG. 4, when a stereoscopic image A having a complicated stereoscopic structure is used, attributes of the front surface and the back surface are defined for each surface, and the unit normal vector N is set to the front surface ( Alternatively, it may be determined to be defined on the back side.

  Of course, such a unit normal vector N is obtained independently for each individual pixel P, and therefore a corresponding unit normal vector N is obtained for each individual pixel P defined on the XY plane. Will be. The unit normal vector N obtained in this way indicates the direction of the minute surface of the stereoscopic image A located above each pixel P after all.

  Note that a specific calculation method for obtaining the unit normal vector N for one point on an arbitrary curved surface is a method already widely used in the field of computer graphics, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted here.

  Next, steps S6 to S8 will be described with reference to the perspective view of FIG. In FIG. 7, for convenience of explanation, the stereoscopic image A is shown as an aggregate of polygons T. In the illustrated example, the polygon T is composed of triangles, and is defined by the coordinate values of the three vertices thereof. On the other hand, on the XY plane, a pixel P (i, j) in the i-th row and j-th column is shown. The outline C (i, j) of the pixel P (i, j) is rectangular as shown in the figure, and a representative point R (x, y) is defined at the center point. As described above, the illustrated intersection point Q is obtained as a point where the reference line L passing through the representative point R (x, y) and parallel to the Z axis intersects with the polygon T. The unit normal vector N is a unit vector that faces the normal direction set at the position of the intersection point Q and is orthogonal to the polygon T.

  In the subsequent step S6, the unit normal vector N is translated in a direction parallel to the Z-axis to obtain a translation vector V having a starting point on the XY plane. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the unit normal vector N is translated downward along a reference straight line L indicated by a broken line in the drawing until the starting point reaches the representative point R (x, y). Then, the vector after the movement may be the translation vector V. Such a calculation for obtaining the translation vector V can be performed as simple addition / subtraction of coordinate values on the computer.

  The translation vector V thus obtained is a vector starting from the representative point R (x, y), and is a vector parallel to the unit normal vector N. Therefore, the translation vector V is located above the pixel P (i, j). The direction of the minute surface (polygon T in the illustrated example) of the stereoscopic image A to be displayed is shown.

  In the next step S7, a step of obtaining the zenith angle φ of the translation vector V is performed. That is, for the translation vector V, a process for obtaining the acute angle formed with respect to the reference straight line L as the zenith angle φ of the translation vector V is performed. Since the zenith angle φ is an acute angle, it takes a value of 0 ≦ φ ≦ 90 °. Such an operation for obtaining the zenith angle φ is a simple geometric operation.

  In the subsequent step S8, the translation vector V is rotated with its starting point fixed so that the zenith angle becomes k · φ, and a step of obtaining the rotational vector W is performed. Here, k is the adjustment parameter set in step S3. That is, for the translation vector V, a plane including the translation vector V and the reference straight line L is defined as an adjustment plane, and the zenith angle is k in the adjustment plane while the origin of the translation vector V is fixed. A process of rotating to φ and making the rotated vector a rotational movement vector W is performed. Such processing can also be performed as a simple geometric operation.

  As described above, since 0 ≦ φ ≦ 90 ° and 0 <k <1, the zenith angle “k · φ” of the rotational movement vector W is 0 ≦ k · φ <90 °. That is, while the zenith angle φ of the translation vector V may take 90 ° (when the polygon T shown in FIG. 7 is a plane parallel to the Z axis, φ = 90 °), the rotation vector The zenith angle “k · φ” of W never takes 90 °. For example, when k = 0.5, 0 ≦ k · φ ≦ 45 ° is satisfied with respect to 0 ≦ φ ≦ 90 °. Thus, the adjustment parameter k has a function of adjusting so that the zenith angle of the rotational movement vector W does not become too large. As will be described later, the value of the adjustment parameter k plays a role of suppressing the height difference h of the concavo-convex structure on the relief recording medium to be finally created within a predetermined range.

  Next, the procedure from step S9 to S10 will be described with reference to the perspective view of FIG. In FIG. 8, a pixel P (i, j) is a pixel in the i-th row and j-th column defined on the XY plane, and its outline C (i, j) has a rectangular shape. In this embodiment, the representative point R (x, y) is the center point of the pixel P (i, j), and the vector W (i, j) starting from this representative point R (x, y) is , The rotational movement vector W obtained in step S8.

  In step S9, the individual pixels P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array defined on the XY plane are orthogonal to the rotational movement vector W starting from the representative point R (x, y) of the pixel P, A step of defining a plane passing through the representative point R (x, y) as the reference plane U of the pixel P is executed. FIG. 8 shows the reference plane U (i, j) obtained for the pixel P (i, j). The reference plane U (i, j) is a plane that passes through the representative point R (x, y) and is a plane that is orthogonal to the rotational movement vector W (i, j). A straight line G indicated by a broken line in FIG. 8 is an intersection line of the reference plane U (i, j) and the XY plane, and the reference plane U (i, j) shown on the right side of the intersection line G is an XY plane. The reference plane U (i, j) shown on the left side of the intersection line G is located below the XY plane. The operation for obtaining such a reference plane U (i, j) is also a simple geometric operation.

  In subsequent step S10, for each pixel P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array defined on the XY plane, the contour C is projected in the Z-axis direction, and the pixel P is formed on the reference plane U of the pixel P. A step of obtaining an area inside the projected image D of the contour line C as a relief unit surface S for the pixel P is performed. In FIG. 8, the contour line C (i, j) of the pixel P (i, j) is projected in the Z-axis direction, so that it is shown on the reference plane U (i, j) by a one-dot chain line. An example is shown in which a projected image D (i, j) is obtained, and a region inside this projected image D (i, j) is used as a relief unit surface S (i, j) for the pixel P (i, j). Has been. Eventually, the relief unit surface S (i, j) passes through the representative point R (x, y), is orthogonal to the rotational movement vector W (i, j), and the contour line of the projected image on the XY plane is a pixel. This is a plane that matches the contour line C (i, j) of P (i, j).

  Now, since the procedure of steps S4 to S10 described above is performed for each individual pixel P, a relief unit surface is obtained for each of the individual pixels P when step S10 is completed. It will be. In the final step S11, a step of forming an aggregate of relief unit surfaces S obtained for the individual pixels P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array on the surface of the medium is performed. A relief recording medium is obtained.

<<< §2. Features of uneven structure formed on relief recording medium >>>
Here, the features of the concavo-convex structure formed on the relief recording medium by the procedure of steps S1 to S11 described in §1 will be described. As described above, the contour line of the projection image of the relief unit surface S (i, j) on the XY plane matches the contour line C (i, j) of the pixel P (i, j). Accordingly, when the aggregate of the relief unit surfaces S is observed from above (Z-axis direction), it is as shown in the top view of FIG. 9 (only 9 sheets near the unit surface S (i, j) are shown). This top view is the same as the two-dimensional pixel array defined on the XY plane, and the boundary line of each unit surface S coincides with the boundary line of each pixel P as long as it is observed from above. However, while each pixel P is a rectangle on the XY plane, each unit surface S is an inclined surface having a predetermined gradient.

  FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the relief unit surface determined by the procedure of step S10 in the flowchart shown in FIG. The Y axis in the figure indicates the position of the XY plane, and the section indicated by a broken line indicates the position of each pixel P. For example, the relief unit surface S (i, j) is a plane that passes through the representative point R (x, y), which is the center point of the pixel P (i, j), and its inclination is determined by the pixel P (i, j). ) Is determined by the rotational movement vector W (i, j) (the surface is orthogonal to the rotational movement vector W (i, j)). The direction of the rotational movement vector W (i, j) is determined according to the direction of the minute surface of the stereoscopic image A located above the pixel P (i, j). The inclination of (i, j) reflects the direction of the minute surface of the stereoscopic image A located above the pixel P (i, j).

  As described above, the translation vector V indicates the normal direction set up on the minute surface of the stereoscopic image A as it is, but the rotation vector W has the adjustment parameter k set to the zenith angle φ of the translation vector V. Direction correction is performed by multiplication. Such orientation correction is performed so that the zenith angle of the rotational movement vector W is adjusted so as not to become too large.

  For example, when k = 0.5 is set, the zenith angle φ of the translation vector V becomes a value in the range of 0 ≦ φ ≦ 90 °, whereas the zenith angle “k · “φ” is 0 ≦ k · φ ≦ 45 °. This means that the inclination of the relief unit surface S (i, j) shown in FIG. 10 with respect to the XY plane is suppressed within a range of 0 ≦ k · φ ≦ 45 °. As the inclination of the relief unit surface S (i, j) with respect to the XY plane increases, the height difference h of the concavo-convex structure on the relief recording medium increases. For example, if the inclination angle of the relief unit surface S (i, j) with respect to the XY plane is 90 °, the unit surface S becomes a surface orthogonal to the XY plane, and therefore the height difference of the concavo-convex structure h = infinite. It becomes big. Therefore, it is necessary to set the value of the adjustment parameter k to 0 <k <1, and at least avoid the height difference h = infinity.

  Practically, it is preferable to set it in the vicinity of the adjustment parameter k = 0.5. For example, if the adjustment parameter k is set to 0.5, the inclination angle of the relief unit surface S (i, j) with respect to the XY plane can be suppressed to 45 ° at the maximum, so the pixel width (shown in FIG. 10). If b is the distance between the broken lines, the height difference of the concavo-convex structure is at most h = b.

  As described above, the value of the adjustment parameter k is a parameter that determines the maximum value of the height difference h of the uneven structure on the relief recording medium to be finally created, and the higher the value of k, the higher the value. The maximum value of the difference h increases, and the smaller the value of k, the smaller the maximum value of the height difference h. Of course, the maximum value of the height difference h does not depend on only the value of the adjustment parameter k, but also depends on the width of the pixel. Therefore, the designer can determine the maximum value of the pixel width and the height difference h. In consideration of both, an appropriate value of the adjustment parameter k may be set.

  When the width of the pixels is increased, when the relief recording medium is observed, each pixel can be observed with the naked eye, so that a mosaic uneven structure is visually grasped. If you do not want to reveal such a mosaic-like uneven structure, it is preferable to set the pixel width smaller, but the smaller the pixel width, the more the physical uneven structure is formed on the medium. Processing becomes difficult. In the case of a relief recording medium used for general purposes, it is sufficient to set the pixel width to about 1 mm to 100 μm.

  In FIG. 10, the relief unit surfaces S obtained for each pixel are shown discretely. In order to form such an assembly of relief unit surfaces S on the surface of a physical medium, FIG. It is necessary to embody the aggregate of these relief unit surfaces S as some continuous surface. FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing a state in which the assembly of the relief unit surfaces S shown in FIG. 10 is embodied as a continuous surface on the surface of the physical relief recording medium M. The hatched portions in the figure are physical portions of the physical relief recording medium M, and each relief unit surface S shown in FIG. 10 is constituted by a part of the surface of the relief recording medium M. As shown in the figure, a stepped wall surface F perpendicular to the XY plane is defined at the stepped portion between the relief unit surfaces S generated at the boundary of adjacent pixels (position indicated by a broken line in the drawing). After all, the upper surface of the relief recording medium M is constituted by an assembly of the relief unit surface S and the stepped wall surface F.

  The position of the Y axis shown in FIG. 11 is the position of the XY plane in the XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system, and the bottom surface B of the relief recording medium M is a plane represented by the expression “Z = −d” in the XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system. (A plane parallel to the XY plane). Here, d is an average thickness of the relief recording medium M.

  FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a part of the relief recording medium M shown in FIG. Here, for example, the surface labeled S (i, j) is the relief unit surface obtained for the pixel P (i, j) in the i-th row and j-th column. For example, the relief unit surface S (i, j-1) obtained for the pixel P (i, j-1) in the i-th row and j-1th column is arranged on the left side, and the step between the two is located. A stepped wall surface F is formed in the part. In FIG. 12, the hatched surface is a stepped wall surface F defined between adjacent relief unit surfaces. The step wall surface F is a surface orthogonal to the XY plane, and the intersection line with the XY plane coincides with the contour line C of each pixel.

  Thus, a large number of relief unit surfaces S are formed on the surface of the relief recording medium M produced by the method according to the present invention, and the inclination directions of the individual relief unit surfaces S are the same as the original image. The direction of the minute surface at the corresponding position of the stereoscopic image A is reflected. For this reason, when the entire relief recording medium is observed, anisotropic reflection reflecting the shape of the stereoscopic image A that is the original image is generated in each part, and a pattern or a pattern corresponding to the motif of the stereoscopic image A can be grasped. . Of course, the anisotropic reflection mode on each relief unit surface S changes when the illumination conditions and the observation position are changed, but the inclination direction of each relief unit surface S is information on the surface of the stereoscopic image A that is the original image. Therefore, the feature relating to the shape of the stereoscopic image A can be visually grasped from the aspect of change in anisotropic reflection.

  However, since the information on the concavo-convex structure formed on the surface of the relief recording medium is not information on the hologram, the three-dimensional shape of the stereoscopic image A that is the original image is not recorded as it is. Therefore, for example, even if the “kettle” stereoscopic image A as shown in FIG. 1 is recorded on the relief recording medium, the “kettle” stereoscopic image as shown in FIG. 2 is not reproduced. However, since information indicating the inclination direction of the surface of each part of the “kettle” is recorded, the observer can visually grasp the characteristic unique to the motif “kettle”. Eventually, the concavo-convex structure on the relief recording medium M becomes a structure that generates anisotropic reflection with the motif of an arbitrary stereoscopic image A.

  FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a concavo-convex structure of an assembly of relief unit surfaces created by the method according to the present invention as a gray pattern based on a stereoscopic image including a hemisphere as shown in FIG. That is, this shading pattern shows the inclination of each relief unit surface when the XY plane is looked down from above, and each square is one pixel (that is, one relief unit surface). Is shown. And, the white part shows a high swelled part (the part where the Z coordinate value takes the maximum value), the black part shows the part where the low part is depressed (the part where the Z coordinate value takes the minimum value), and the gray part shows the intermediate part. Show.

  Such a relief recording medium composed of a large number of inclined surfaces (relief unit surfaces) does not present the original hemisphere itself as a reproduced image, but uses the characteristics of the original hemisphere as a motif. Thus, it is possible to present a pattern reminiscent of the characteristics of the hemisphere that is the original image.

<<< §3. Projection device for concavo-convex structure data according to the present invention >>
Next, the configuration and operation of the relief structure data generating apparatus for relief recording media according to the present invention will be described. This data generation device is a device for generating concavo-convex structure data used for manufacturing a relief recording medium in which features of a stereoscopic image composed of an arbitrary surface are recorded as a concavo-convex structure on a surface. It has the function to perform the procedure from step S1 to S10 shown in the flowchart of FIG. Actually, the apparatus is configured by incorporating a dedicated program into a computer. Such a program is composed of the following processing steps.

  (1) A step of inputting stereoscopic image data representing the stereoscopic image A defined on the XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system (corresponding to the processing step of step S1 in FIG. 3).

  (2) A step of setting data indicating a two-dimensional pixel arrangement formed by arranging a large number of pixels P each formed of a closed region on the XY plane of the coordinate system (corresponding to the processing step of step S2 in FIG. 3) ).

  (3) A step of setting a predetermined adjustment parameter k (where 0 <k <1) (corresponding to the processing step of step S3 in FIG. 3).

  (4) A representative point R (x, y) having a coordinate value (x, y) is defined at a predetermined position of each pixel P, and each pixel P passes through this representative point R (x, y) and Z A step of obtaining an intersection point Q (x, y, z) between a reference straight line L parallel to the axis and a plane constituting the stereoscopic image A (corresponding to the processing step of step S4 in FIG. 3).

  (5) A step of obtaining a unit normal vector N for a surface constituting the stereoscopic image A, starting from the position of the obtained intersection point Q (x, y, z) (corresponding to the processing step of step S5 in FIG. 3).

  (6) The obtained unit normal vectors N are translated along the reference straight line L until the starting point reaches the representative point R (x, y), and the representative point R (x, y) is set as the starting point. The step of obtaining the translation vector V to be performed (corresponding to the processing step of step S6 in FIG. 3).

  (7) For each translation vector V, a step of obtaining an acute angle with respect to the reference straight line L as a zenith angle φ of the translation vector V (corresponding to the processing step of step S7 in FIG. 3).

  (8) For each translation vector V, a plane including the translation vector V and the reference straight line L is defined as an adjustment plane, and the zenith angle of the translation vector V is fixed in the adjustment plane with its starting point fixed. A step of obtaining a rotational movement vector W obtained by rotating so that becomes k · φ (corresponding to the processing step of step S8 in FIG. 3).

  (9) The individual pixels P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array are orthogonal to the rotational movement vector W starting from the representative point R (x, y) of the pixel P, and the representative point R (x, y ) Is defined as the reference plane U of the pixel P (corresponding to the processing step of step S9 in FIG. 3).

  (10) For each pixel P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array, the contour C is projected in the Z-axis direction, and the inside of the projected image D of the contour formed on the reference plane U of the pixel P A step of obtaining a region as a relief unit surface S for the pixel P (corresponding to the processing step of step S10 in FIG. 3).

  (11) A step of outputting data indicating the aggregate of relief unit surfaces S obtained for each pixel P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array.

  The concavo-convex structure data generating apparatus for a relief recording medium according to the present invention is realized by a computer in which a program for executing each of the above steps is incorporated. The basic configuration thereof is shown in the block diagram of FIG. It can be understood as a set of elements. Hereinafter, the function of each component shown in FIG. 14 will be described.

“Stereoscopic image data storage unit 110”
It is a component that stores stereoscopic image data indicating a stereoscopic image A defined on an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system. As described above, the stereoscopic image A can be prepared as data indicating a large number of polygons or parametric curved surfaces arranged on the XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system. If necessary, the stereoscopic image data includes data indicating a vector arrangement plane on the side where the unit normal vector N is arranged for each plane constituting the stereoscopic image A.

“Pixel array data provider 120”
Stores pixel array data for defining a two-dimensional pixel array configured by arranging a large number of pixels P each formed of a closed region on the XY plane of the XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system, and stores each pixel P at a predetermined position. This is a component that provides representative point position data indicating the position of the defined representative point R (x, y) and contour data indicating the contour C of each pixel P. In practical use, as described in §1, each pixel P is configured by rectangular regions of the same size, and the two-dimensional pixel array is defined by arranging the rectangular regions vertically and horizontally without any gaps. preferable. In this case, the pixel array data providing unit 120 may store data indicating the vertical size and the horizontal size of the rectangle constituting the pixel P as pixel array data. For example, if data of vertical size = a and horizontal size = b is stored, as shown in FIG. 15, pixels P1 to P8 made of a rectangle of a × b size are spaced vertically and horizontally with reference to the origin O. The two-dimensional pixel array can be defined by arranging them without any arrangement, and the representative point position data indicating the positions of the representative points R1 to R8 defined at the center positions of the pixels P1 to P8 and the pixels P1 to P8 are configured. The contour line data indicating the rectangle to be obtained can be obtained by calculation.

“Intersection calculator 130”
Based on the representative point position data provided from the pixel array data providing unit 120 and the stereoscopic image data stored in the stereoscopic image data storage unit 110, the representative point R (x, y) for each pixel P is displayed. Is a component for obtaining an intersection point Q (x, y, z) between a reference straight line L that passes through and parallel to the Z axis and a plane that forms the stereoscopic image A. The coordinate value (x, y, z) of the intersection can be obtained by a geometric operation. As shown in FIG. 5, there are cases where a plurality of intersections are obtained because there are a plurality of planes intersecting the reference straight line L. Therefore, a selection rule for selecting one intersection in the intersection calculation unit 130. Is stored. For example, a selection rule for uniformly selecting an intersection having the maximum Z coordinate value is stored (or a selection rule for uniformly selecting an intersection having the minimum Z coordinate value may be stored). When a plurality of intersections are obtained for a predetermined pixel P, a single intersection selected based on this selection rule may be set as the intersection Q (x, y, z) for the pixel P.

“Unit Normal Vector Operation Unit 140”
Based on the coordinate value (x, y, z) of the intersection Q (x, y, z) obtained by the intersection calculation unit 130 and the stereoscopic image data stored in the stereoscopic image data storage unit 110, the intersection Q This is a constituent element for obtaining a unit normal vector N for a surface constituting the stereoscopic image A, starting from the position (x, y, z). The unit length that defines the length of the unit normal vector N may be set to an arbitrary value in advance. Such a unit normal vector N is defined by, for example, a combination of the coordinate value of the starting point position (the base position of the vector indicated by the arrow) and the coordinate value of the end point position (the tip position of the vector indicated by the arrow). Can do. Here, the coordinate value of the end point position is information on the surface near the intersection Q (x, y, z) indicated by the stereoscopic image data read from the stereoscopic image data storage unit 110, and the side on which the unit normal vector N is arranged. Can be obtained by geometric calculation using information indicating the vector arrangement plane.

“Translation vector calculation unit 150”
Each unit normal vector N obtained by the unit normal vector calculation unit 140 is changed to the reference straight line L until the starting point (intersection point Q (x, y, z)) reaches the representative point R (x, y). This is a component for obtaining a translation vector V starting from the representative point R (x, y). As an actual calculation process, from the Z coordinate values of the start point and end point of the unit normal vector N, the Z coordinate value of the start point (intersection point Q (x, y, z)) of the unit normal vector N becomes 0. An operation for subtracting the value “z” may be performed.

“Zenith angle calculator 160”
For each translation vector V obtained by the translation vector calculation unit 150, the acute angle formed with respect to the reference straight line L is a component for obtaining the zenith angle φ of the translation vector V. This zenith angle φ can be obtained by a simple geometric operation.

“Parameter storage unit 170”
It is a component that stores a predetermined adjustment parameter k (where 0 <k <1). If the adjustment parameter k is a fixed value, for example, a value such as k = 0.5 may be stored in advance. If the adjustment parameter k is a variable value, a value within the range of 0 <k <1 may be arbitrarily set according to an input operation from the operator.

"Rotational movement vector calculation unit 180"
For each translation vector V obtained by translation vector calculation unit 150, a plane including translation vector V and reference straight line L is defined as an adjustment plane, and the value of adjustment parameter k in parameter storage unit 170 is used. This is a component for obtaining a rotational movement vector W obtained by rotating the parallel movement vector V so that the zenith angle is k · φ while fixing the starting point in the adjustment plane. Such a rotational movement vector W is defined by, for example, a combination of the coordinate value of the starting point position (the position of the representative point R (x, y)) and the coordinate value of the end point position (the tip position of the vector indicated by the arrow). can do. Here, the coordinate value of the end point position can be obtained by geometric calculation using the data indicating the translation vector V and the value of the zenith angle “k · φ”.

"Reference plane calculation unit 190"
The individual pixels P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array are orthogonal to the rotational movement vector W starting from the representative point R (x, y) of the pixel P and pass through the representative point R (x, y). This is a component for obtaining a plane as a reference plane U of the pixel P. Specifically, an expression indicating the reference plane U can be determined by a geometric calculation based on data indicating the rotation movement vector W obtained by the rotation movement vector calculation unit 180.

"Relief unit surface calculation unit 200"
For each pixel P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array, the contour line C provided from the pixel array data providing unit 120 is projected in the Z-axis direction, and the contour line formed on the reference plane U of the pixel P This is a component for obtaining the area inside the projection image D as the relief unit surface S for the pixel P. The straight line constituting the projection image D can be obtained by geometric calculation.

“Data Output Unit 210”
This is a component that outputs data indicating the aggregate of relief unit surfaces S obtained for each pixel P by the relief unit surface calculation unit 200 as concavo-convex structure data to be formed on the surface of the relief recording medium. As shown in FIG. 10, the aggregate of the relief unit surfaces S becomes a discontinuous surface in which a step is generated at the boundary between adjacent pixels. Therefore, as shown in FIG. The stepped wall surface F perpendicular to the XY plane is defined at the stepped portion between the relief unit surfaces S generated on the surface, and data indicating the aggregate of the relief unit surface S and the stepped wall surface F should be formed on the surface of the relief recording medium. Output as uneven structure data.

  Thus, the concavo-convex structure data finally output from the data output unit 210 is data indicating the surface of the concavo-convex structure as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 12, for example. Specifically, the uneven structure data can be expressed by two-dimensional image data called “height field” (data defining height (Z coordinate value) for each position on the XY plane). it can. This “height field” defines the subpixel PP by further finely dividing the pixel P defined by the pixel array data providing unit 120, and the position of the subpixel PP is set as the pixel value of each of the subpixels PP. It can be said that the image defines the height (Z coordinate value).

  For example, each of the pixels P1 to P8 shown in FIG. 15 is a pixel having a rectangle of vertical size = a and horizontal size = b, and has a meaning as a region corresponding to one relief unit surface S. Here, for example, as shown in the example shown in FIG. 16, this one pixel P is divided into 10 parts vertically and horizontally, and sub-pixels PP each having a rectangle of vertical size = a / 10 and horizontal size = b / 10 are obtained. Let's define it. Then, since one relief unit surface S can be expressed as a pixel value (Z coordinate value) of 100 subpixels, the concavo-convex structure data output from the data output unit 210 is such as A “height field” composed of a set of sub-pixels PP can be used. In this case, data indicating the step wall surface F itself is not necessary.

  Of course, when the concavo-convex structure data is configured as such a “height field”, one relief unit surface S cannot be accurately expressed as a geometric plane, and a pseudo-structure having a step structure in sub-pixel units. It will be expressed as a typical plane. Here, the relief unit surface S that is artificially expressed as such a step structure is referred to as an “alternative relief unit surface SS”.

  FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view showing an example in which an alternative relief unit surface SS is defined as a “height field” using subpixels PP. A section between broken lines having a width b indicates a region of one pixel P. As shown in the figure, this one-pixel region is divided into ten, and a sub-pixel PP having a width b / 10 is defined. The relief unit surface S indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in the figure is originally a geometrically perfect plane. However, when expressed as “height field”, it is expressed as an alternative relief unit surface SS having a step structure as indicated by a solid line in the figure. An alternative relief unit surface SS used in place of one relief unit surface S is expressed by pixel values (Z coordinate values) of 100 sub-pixels PP.

  In this way, even if the alternative relief unit surface SS having a step structure is used instead of the single relief unit surface S, if the vertical and horizontal sizes of the sub-pixels are set to be small to some extent, visual observation is performed. There is no significant difference in the aspect. 16 and 17 show an example in which one pixel is divided into 10 parts vertically and horizontally, and one alternative relief unit surface SS is expressed by pixel values (Z coordinate values) of 100 sub-pixels PP. However, in practice, it is preferable to increase the number of divisions (for example, 50 divisions vertically and horizontally) and use a larger number of subpixels.

  In this way, the subpixel PP is defined by dividing the individual pixels P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array into a plurality of subpixels, and the subpixel having a Z coordinate value as a pixel value instead of one relief unit surface S When an alternative relief unit surface SS is defined as a “height field” consisting of a set of PPs, and an assembly of alternative relief unit surfaces SS having a step structure in units of subpixels is formed on the surface of the medium, §4 The benefits of facilitating the process of manufacturing the physical medium described are obtained.

<<< §4. Manufacturing method of physical medium >>>
Finally, a specific method for manufacturing a physical medium (process of step S11 in the flowchart of FIG. 3) based on the concavo-convex structure data output from the concavo-convex structure data generation apparatus described in §3 will be described. .

  As already mentioned, the relief recording medium according to the present invention includes various printed materials such as catalogs, brochures, posters, calendars, trading cards, packaging packages, books, gifts made from metal nameplates and resin molded products, souvenirs, Used for various goods such as sundries. Normally, these products will be mass-produced. First, create a medium that will be the original plate with the relief unit surface S (actually, as described above, the alternative relief unit surface SS) formed on the surface. After that, it is a general technique to produce a large number of media by press working using the original plate.

  An example of a specific method for producing such a medium serving as an original plate includes an assembly of relief unit surfaces S (alternative relief unit surfaces SS) on the surface of a medium to be processed by cutting using an NC machine tool. This is a method for forming an uneven structure. When the uneven structure data output as data indicating “height field” from the data output unit 210 is given to the NC machine tool and the surface of the processing medium made of metal is cut, for example, as shown in FIG. As described above, an assembly of alternative relief unit surfaces SS having a step structure in units of subpixels can be formed. However, since the machining accuracy of a general NC machine tool is at most about 0.1 mm, the size of the subpixel is limited to this size.

  As a processing device with higher dimensional accuracy, a flexographic plate making machine can be used. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a basic configuration of a general flexographic plate making machine. As shown in the figure, this plate making machine includes a rotating drum 320 that rotates around a rotation axis α in a state where a medium 310 is wound around a surface, and a laser beam irradiation unit 330 that emits an intensity-modulated laser beam β1. The scanning unit 340 scans the laser beam β1 in the direction of the rotation axis α of the rotary drum 320 and irradiates the surface of the processing medium 310 with the scanned laser beam β2. By controlling the rotation drive by the rotating drum 320 and the scanning by the scanning unit 340, the laser beam β2 can be irradiated to an arbitrary position on the surface of the processing medium 310. Further, since the intensity of the laser beam can be modulated, the irradiation energy can be controlled for each position.

  If such control is performed based on the concavo-convex structure data output as data indicating the “height field” from the data output unit 210, the relief unit surface S (alternative relief unit surface SS) is formed on the surface of the medium 310 to be processed. A concavo-convex structure made of an aggregate can be formed by laser processing. A general flexographic plate making machine can process with a resolution of about 10 μm. Therefore, for example, even if the vertical and horizontal sizes of one pixel P are set to 500 μm and each pixel P is divided into 50 vertical and horizontal portions to form a total of 2500 subpixels PP, the vertical and horizontal sizes of the subpixels are 10 μm. Therefore, processing using a general flexographic plate making machine is sufficiently possible.

  If the vertical and horizontal sizes of each pixel P are set to 500 μm, the pixel configuration is not grasped as a mosaic even when observed with the naked eye. Further, if one pixel P is divided into 2500 to form a sub-pixel PP, even if an alternative relief unit surface SS having a step structure is used instead of the relief unit surface S composed of one plane, the visual There is no change in the observation mode. Therefore, at the present time, in carrying out the present invention, it is most preferable to form the concavo-convex structure by laser processing using a flexographic plate making machine.

  Of course, the method for producing a physical medium used in carrying out the present invention is not limited to the cutting using the NC machine tool described above or the laser processing using the flexographic plate making machine. In short, since it is only necessary to form a concavo-convex structure on some medium, it is also possible to form the concavo-convex structure using, for example, a printing technique in which ink or resin is raised and adhered onto the medium.

It is a perspective view which shows an example of the arbitrary three-dimensional images A utilized as an original image. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example in which the stereoscopic image A shown in FIG. 1 is reduced and recorded on a relief recording medium M in the height direction. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a method for manufacturing a relief recording medium according to the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the procedure to step S1-S5 in the flowchart shown in FIG. 3 according to a specific example. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the intersection selection process in step S4 shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the intersection determination process at the time of using the stereo image A which consists of a hemisphere. It is a perspective view which shows the procedure to step S6-S8 in the flowchart shown in FIG. 3 according to a specific example. It is a perspective view which shows the procedure to step S9-S10 in the flowchart shown in FIG. 3 according to a specific example. It is a top view which shows the state which observed the aggregate | assembly of the relief unit surface S from upper direction (Z-axis direction). It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the relief unit surface determined by the procedure of step S10 in the flowchart shown in FIG. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the assembly of relief unit surfaces illustrated in FIG. 10 is embodied as a continuous surface on the surface of a physical relief recording medium M. It is a perspective view which shows a part of relief recording medium shown in FIG. It is a top view which shows the uneven structure of the aggregate | assembly of the relief unit surface produced based on the stereo image which consists of a hemisphere as a light / dark pattern. It is a block diagram which shows the basic composition of the uneven | corrugated structure data generation apparatus for relief recording media based on this invention. It is a top view which shows an example of the two-dimensional pixel arrangement | sequence defined in the pixel arrangement | sequence data provision part 120 shown in FIG. It is a top view which shows an example which divided | segmented 1 pixel P into plurality and defined subpixel PP. It is sectional drawing which shows an example which defined alternative relief unit surface SS as "height field" using a subpixel. It is a figure which shows the basic composition of the flexographic plate-making machine which forms an uneven | corrugated structure on a medium.

Explanation of symbols

110: stereoscopic image data storage unit 120: pixel array data providing unit 130: intersection calculation unit 140: unit normal vector calculation unit 150: parallel movement vector calculation unit 160: zenith angle calculation unit 170: parameter storage unit 180: rotational movement vector Calculation unit 190: Reference plane calculation unit 200: Relief unit plane calculation unit 210: Data output unit 310: Processing medium 320: Rotating drum 330: Laser beam irradiation unit 340: Scanning unit A: Stereo image a: Pixel vertical size B : Bottom surface of relief recording medium M: Horizontal size C (i, j) of pixel: Contour line D (i, j) of pixel P (i, j): Projected image of contour line of pixel P (i, j) d: standard thickness F of relief recording medium M: stepped wall G: intersection line of reference plane U (i, j) and XY plane H: height of stereoscopic image A dimension h: height of relief structure on relief recording medium surface Difference i Row number j of a two-dimensional pixel array: column number k of a two-dimensional pixel array: adjustment parameter (0 <k <1)
L: Reference straight line M: Relief recording medium N: Unit normal vector at the position of intersection Q (x, y, z) O: Origin P1 to P8 of XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system: Pixel P (i, j): XY plane Pixel PP in the i-th row and j-th column defined above: Sub-pixel Q: Intersection Q (x, y, z) between reference line L and surface of stereoscopic image A: Reference line L and surface of stereoscopic image A Intersection (with coordinate values (x, y, z))
Q1 to Q4: intersections R, R1 to R8 of the reference straight line L and each surface of the stereoscopic image A: pixel representative points R (x, y): pixel representative points (having coordinate values (x, y))
S: Relief unit surface S (i, j): Relief unit surface SS for pixel P (i, j): Alternative relief unit surfaces S1 to S11: Steps in flowchart T: Polygon U (i , J): Reference plane V for the pixel P (i, j) V: Translation vector W, W (i, j): Rotation vector X, Y, Z: Each coordinate axis α: Rotation drum of the XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system Rotation axis β1: Intensity modulated laser beam β2: Scanned laser beam φ: Zenith angle of translation vector V (acute angle formed with respect to reference straight line L)

Claims (17)

A method for producing a relief recording medium in which features of a stereoscopic image composed of an arbitrary surface are recorded as a concavo-convex structure on a surface,
Defining the stereoscopic image on an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system;
Defining a two-dimensional pixel array configured by arranging a large number of pixels P each formed of a closed region on the XY plane of the coordinate system;
Setting a predetermined adjustment parameter k (where 0 <k <1);
A representative point R (x, y) having a coordinate value (x, y) is defined at a predetermined position of each pixel P, and each pixel P passes through this representative point R (x, y) and is parallel to the Z axis. Obtaining an intersection point Q (x, y, z) between a straight reference line L and a plane constituting the stereoscopic image;
Obtaining a unit normal vector N for a plane constituting the stereoscopic image, starting from the position of the intersection point Q (x, y, z);
Each unit normal vector N is translated along the reference straight line L until the starting point reaches the representative point R (x, y), and the parallel starting from the representative point R (x, y). Obtaining a movement vector V;
Obtaining an acute angle formed with respect to the reference straight line L for each translation vector V as a zenith angle φ of the translation vector V;
For each translation vector V, a plane including the translation vector V and the reference straight line L is defined as an adjustment plane, and the zenith angle is k in the adjustment plane while the origin of the translation vector V is fixed. Obtaining a rotational movement vector W obtained by rotating to φ;
The individual pixels P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array are orthogonal to the rotational movement vector W starting from the representative point R (x, y) of the pixel P, and the representative point R (x, y) is Defining a plane that passes through as a reference plane U of the pixel P;
For each pixel P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array, the contour C is projected in the Z-axis direction, and the region inside the projected image D of the contour C formed on the reference plane U of the pixel P As a relief unit surface S for the pixel P;
Forming an aggregate of relief unit surfaces S obtained for individual pixels P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array on the surface of the medium;
A method for producing a relief recording medium, comprising: The manufacturing method according to claim 1,
A stereoscopic image to be recorded is defined as a large number of polygons or parametric curved surfaces arranged on an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system, and an intersection Q (x, y, z) with a reference straight line L is defined as the polygon or parametric curved surface. A method for manufacturing a relief recording medium, characterized in that it is obtained by a calculation process using the indicated data. In the manufacturing method of Claim 1 or 2,
Each pixel P is constituted by rectangular regions of the same size, and the rectangular regions are arranged without gaps in the vertical and horizontal directions to define a two-dimensional pixel array, and a representative point R (x, y) is placed at the center position of each pixel P. A method for manufacturing a relief recording medium, characterized in that In the manufacturing method in any one of Claims 1-3,
A selection rule for selecting either the intersection having the maximum Z coordinate value or the intersection having the minimum Z coordinate value in a unified manner is determined in advance.
When a plurality of intersections are obtained for a predetermined pixel P because there are a plurality of planes intersecting the reference straight line L, a single intersection selected based on the selection rule is determined as the intersection for the pixel P. A method for manufacturing a relief recording medium, wherein Q (x, y, z) is used. In the manufacturing method in any one of Claims 1-4,
For each surface constituting the stereoscopic image, a vector arrangement surface on the side where the vector is arranged is determined in advance, and the unit normal vector N starting from each intersection Q (x, y, z) is defined as the vector arrangement surface. A method for producing a relief recording medium, characterized in that the relief recording medium is arranged on the side. In the manufacturing method in any one of Claims 1-5,
A step wall surface F perpendicular to the XY plane is defined at a step portion between the relief unit surfaces S generated at the boundary of adjacent pixels, and an aggregate of the relief unit surface S and the step wall surface F is formed on the surface of the medium. A method for producing a relief recording medium, which is characterized. In the manufacturing method in any one of Claims 1-6,
A method for producing a relief recording medium, comprising producing a medium as an original plate having an assembly of relief unit surfaces S formed on a surface thereof, and then producing a large number of media by pressing using the original plate. In the manufacturing method of Claim 7,
A method for producing a relief recording medium, comprising forming an uneven structure comprising an assembly of relief unit surfaces S on a surface of a medium to be processed by cutting using an NC machine tool, and producing a medium as an original plate. In the manufacturing method of Claim 7,
A rotating drum that is rotationally driven in a state in which a medium to be processed is wound around a surface; a laser beam irradiation unit that irradiates an intensity-modulated laser beam; A method for producing a relief recording medium, comprising forming a concave-convex structure comprising an assembly of relief unit surfaces S on the surface of the medium to be processed by laser processing using a plate making apparatus, and producing a medium serving as an original plate . In the manufacturing method in any one of Claims 1-9,
A subpixel PP is defined by dividing each pixel P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array into a plurality of parts, and instead of a single relief unit surface S, a set of subpixels PP having a Z coordinate value as a pixel value is used. A method for manufacturing a relief recording medium, comprising defining an alternative relief unit surface SS as a “height field” and forming an aggregate of alternative relief unit surfaces SS having a step structure in units of subpixels on the surface of the medium . A program used in a process for manufacturing a relief recording medium in which features of a stereoscopic image composed of an arbitrary surface are recorded as a concavo-convex structure on a surface,
Inputting stereoscopic image data indicating a stereoscopic image defined on an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system;
Setting data indicating a two-dimensional pixel array configured by arranging a large number of pixels P each formed of a closed region on the XY plane of the coordinate system;
Setting a predetermined adjustment parameter k (where 0 <k <1);
A representative point R (x, y) having a coordinate value (x, y) is defined at a predetermined position of each pixel P, and each pixel P passes through this representative point R (x, y) and is parallel to the Z axis. Obtaining an intersection point Q (x, y, z) between a straight reference line L and a plane constituting the stereoscopic image;
Obtaining a unit normal vector N for a plane constituting the stereoscopic image, starting from the position of the intersection point Q (x, y, z);
Each unit normal vector N is translated along the reference straight line L until the starting point reaches the representative point R (x, y), and the parallel starting from the representative point R (x, y). Obtaining a movement vector V;
Obtaining an acute angle formed with respect to the reference straight line L for each translation vector V as a zenith angle φ of the translation vector V;
For each translation vector V, a plane including the translation vector V and the reference straight line L is defined as an adjustment plane, and the zenith angle is k in the adjustment plane while the origin of the translation vector V is fixed. Obtaining a rotational movement vector W obtained by rotating to φ;
The individual pixels P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array are orthogonal to the rotational movement vector W starting from the representative point R (x, y) of the pixel P, and the representative point R (x, y) is Defining a plane that passes through as a reference plane U of the pixel P;
For each pixel P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array, the contour C is projected in the Z-axis direction, and an area inside the projected image D of the contour formed on the reference plane U of the pixel P is determined. Obtaining a relief unit surface S for the pixel P;
Outputting data indicating an aggregate of relief unit surfaces S obtained for each pixel P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array;
A program that causes a computer to execute. An apparatus for generating concavo-convex structure data used for manufacturing a relief recording medium in which features of a stereoscopic image composed of an arbitrary surface are recorded as an uneven structure on a surface,
A stereoscopic image data storage unit for storing stereoscopic image data indicating a stereoscopic image defined on an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system;
Stores pixel array data for defining a two-dimensional pixel array configured by arraying a large number of pixels P each formed of a closed region on the XY plane of the coordinate system, and is defined at a predetermined position of each pixel P. A pixel array data providing unit that provides representative point position data indicating the position of the representative point R (x, y) and contour data indicating the contour C of each pixel P;
A parameter storage unit for storing a predetermined adjustment parameter k (where 0 <k <1);
Based on the representative point position data and the stereoscopic image data, for each pixel P, a reference straight line L that passes through the representative point R (x, y) and is parallel to the Z axis, and a plane that forms the stereoscopic image. An intersection calculation unit for obtaining an intersection Q (x, y, z);
Based on the coordinate value of the intersection point Q (x, y, z) obtained by the intersection point calculation unit and the stereoscopic image data, the position of the intersection point Q (x, y, z) is used as a starting point to convert the stereoscopic image. A unit normal vector calculation unit for obtaining a unit normal vector N for the surface to be constructed;
Each unit normal vector N is translated along the reference straight line L until the starting point reaches the representative point R (x, y), and the parallel starting from the representative point R (x, y). A translation vector calculation unit for obtaining the translation vector V;
For each translation vector V, a zenith angle calculation unit that determines an acute angle formed with respect to the reference straight line L as a zenith angle φ of the translation vector V;
For each translation vector V, a plane including the translation vector V and the reference straight line L is defined as an adjustment plane, and the translation vector V is determined in the adjustment plane using the value of the adjustment parameter k. A rotational movement vector computing unit for obtaining a rotational movement vector W obtained by rotating so that the zenith angle becomes k · φ while fixing the starting point;
The individual pixels P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array are orthogonal to the rotational movement vector W starting from the representative point R (x, y) of the pixel P, and the representative point R (x, y) is A reference plane calculation unit for obtaining a plane passing therethrough as a reference plane U of the pixel P;
For each pixel P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array, the contour line C provided from the pixel array data providing unit is projected in the Z-axis direction, and the contour line formed on the reference plane U of the pixel P A relief unit surface calculation unit for obtaining a region inside the projection image D as a relief unit surface S for the pixel P;
A data output unit for outputting data indicating an assembly of relief unit surfaces S obtained for each pixel P constituting the two-dimensional pixel array as concavo-convex structure data to be formed on the surface of the relief recording medium;
A relief structure data generating apparatus for a relief recording medium, comprising: The generating device according to claim 12, wherein
A relief structure data generating apparatus for a relief recording medium, wherein the stereoscopic image data storage unit stores data indicating a large number of polygons or parametric curved surfaces arranged on an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system as stereoscopic image data. The generation apparatus according to claim 12 or 13,
The pixel array data providing unit stores the data indicating the vertical and horizontal sizes of the rectangles constituting the pixel P as pixel array data, and the two-dimensional pixel array is defined by arranging the pixels P vertically and horizontally without any gaps. To obtain representative point position data indicating the position of the representative point R (x, y) defined at the center position of each pixel P and contour line data indicating a rectangle constituting each pixel P by calculation. A relief structure data generating apparatus for a relief recording medium, which is characterized. In the production | generation apparatus in any one of Claims 12-14,
The intersection calculation unit holds a selection rule for selecting either the intersection with the maximum Z coordinate value or the intersection with the minimum Z coordinate value in a unified manner,
When a plurality of intersections are obtained for a predetermined pixel P because there are a plurality of planes intersecting the reference straight line L, a single intersection selected based on the selection rule is determined as the intersection for the pixel P. A relief structure data generating apparatus for relief recording media, characterized in that Q (x, y, z). In the production | generation apparatus in any one of Claims 12-15,
The stereoscopic image data storage unit holds data indicating a vector arrangement plane on the side on which the vector is arranged for each plane constituting the stereoscopic image,
Relief structure data for relief recording medium, wherein unit normal vector calculation unit arranges unit normal vector N starting from each intersection Q (x, y, z) on the vector arrangement plane side Generator. In the production | generation apparatus in any one of Claims 12-16,
The data output unit defines a step wall surface F perpendicular to the XY plane at the step portion between the relief unit surfaces S generated at the boundary between adjacent pixels, and data indicating an aggregate of the relief unit surface S and the step wall surface F. A concavo-convex structure data generation apparatus for a relief recording medium, wherein the concavo-convex structure data to be formed on the surface of the relief recording medium is output.