JP5884311B2 - Print data generation device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a print data generation apparatus that generates a symbol to be added according to an unspecified symbol when the additional symbol is printed on a printed matter on which an unspecified symbol is printed.

  As one of the advertising means, it has already been widely performed to directly deliver advertisements to individuals in the form of direct mail. Recently, in order to further enhance the advertising effectiveness, it is not uncommon to change the contents of advertisements for each individual delivery destination and produce and deliver individually edited paper. For example, in direct mail for mail order advertising, customer preferences are analyzed from purchase histories for each customer, and advertisements of articles that meet the preferences are selectively combined and printed. In this way, non-uniform information (hereinafter referred to as variable information) can be freely edited and printed as a result of the fusion of computer technology and printer technology. In the printing field, this method is called “on-demand printing”. Call it.

On the other hand, even the above-mentioned on-demand printing advertisements are desired to be beautiful and elaborate, and even within a single page, some are high-quality color images, some are characters, etc. Therefore, it is necessary to use different image output devices (for example, printers) according to different grades or different characteristics.
In addition, if a plurality of image output devices can be selectively used for one sheet of paper in this way, it is convenient for achieving a decentralized process especially in a busy period.
In addition, when personal information is included in variable information, there is a need to completely separate processes depending on the presence or absence of personal information from the viewpoint of information management. There is a need to use different image output devices.

On-demand printing is also referred to as variable printing, which is characterized by the fact that the design and appearance can be freely configured. However, various problems arise when the above-described “reprinting” is performed. For example, in on-demand printing, since there is data to be printed, it is necessary to set the pattern and appearance used for printing in advance, but the creation of “complete data” is often a bottleneck in the actual process. Become. Also, as in the calendar example, the quality of printing differs between the calendar itself and the store name, so it is desirable that the image output device to be used can be used properly. is there.

Patent Document 1 is an invention related to a variable printing system that adds information such as advertisements according to customer information. When there is a print instruction, it is exemplified that variable data prepared in advance and additional data (for example, advertisement data) corresponding to the variable data are combined based on the form data and printed by the printing apparatus.
Patent Document 2 is also an invention related to a variable printing system, but as a measure for reducing the burden of variable printing during busy periods, only form data is printed on a sheet in advance before performing variable printing. A technique is disclosed in which data obtained by removing form data is printed on paper on which form data has been printed.
Patent Document 3 describes a technique of dividing an original image into a plurality of regions depending on the presence or absence of an image by a margin identifying means for identifying an image in the image region.

However, the invention of Patent Document 1 can freely combine additional information by taking advantage of the characteristics of variable printing. However, since it is output as a batch of data to the printing press, the data prepared in advance until output to the printing press "Complete data" is required that combines additional information. Further, in the invention of Patent Document 2, variable data (variable information) is matched to the appearance of fixed form data printed in advance, and therefore, the pattern is not arranged by recognizing the margin.
The invention of Patent Document 3 recognizes a margin portion, but is for avoiding the consumption of the image forming apparatus required for the margin portion, and does not arrange a pattern or the like in the margin portion, and also identifies the margin used here. The means does not extract the margin part from the actual printed matter.

JP 2008-33635 A JP 2008-65526 A JP-A-7-87300

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a print data generation apparatus that identifies a design or appearance of a printed material on which variable information is printed in advance, and enables additional printing according to the state of the printed material.

The print image data generation apparatus of the present invention that solves the above problems is as follows.
For on-demand printed material pattern is printed in advance unspecified area by the previous step the printer, the print data generating apparatus odor for forming further add another pattern by post-process printer Te, the print data generating apparatus , by imaging the printing product of printing by the pre-process printer, an image capturing unit that reads the pattern of the printed matter as image information from the image information captured by the image capture section, the free margin area of the symbol A margin area identification unit to be extracted, which is a printable area if the margin area is greater than or equal to a predetermined area, and a printable area is a margin area identification section that is a printable area and attribute information of a region, and attribute information of another pattern to be printed in the printable area to match, to generate additional print data that will fit in the printable area A data processing unit, when said further pattern is an image performs a process of enlarging or reducing to fit the printable area while maintaining the aspect ratio of the image, the specific symbols in the case of characters, keeping the number of characters While adjusting the character point, the data processing unit that performs the “flowing” process for enlarging or reducing the printable area according to the printable area , and the output conditions for outputting the additional print data to the post-process printer are set. And an output condition setting unit .

Et al is, the image output device comprises a laser processing apparatus, the output condition is characterized by a laser processing conditions.

According to the print data generation device of the present invention, a blank area without a pattern is extracted from image information captured from an on-demand printed material on which a pattern has been printed in advance by a pre- process printer, and the area is reduced from the extracted blank area. Is set as a printable area, so that it is possible to avoid interference between the pattern area on which the pattern has been printed in advance and the printable area.
This eliminates the need for adjustments in the appearance of the on-demand printed product with the design printed in advance by the pre-process printer and the design to be additionally printed on the on-demand printed product by the post-process printer . constraint is that a no.

1 is a diagram illustrating an entire print system including a print data generation apparatus of the present invention. Diagram showing printed matter by pre-process printer Functional block diagram of print data generation apparatus of the present invention The figure which shows the process of a margin area | region identification part Diagram showing the process of the data processing unit

<Configuration of print data generation apparatus>
FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a print system including an image output apparatus and the like in addition to the print data generation apparatus of the present invention.

A printing system 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes at least two image output apparatuses (hereinafter simply referred to as printers) including a pre-process printer 15 for outputting a printed matter 17 printed in advance and a post-process printer 11 for additional printing. ), The pre-process printer 15 and the post-process printer 11 for additional printing are connected. The print data generation apparatus 10 of the present invention is responsible for generating print data to be output to the post-process printer 11.
Note that the control device 14 that generates print data for the pre-process printer 15 does not need to synchronize with the print data generation device 10, and a pre-printed printed material 17 is created in a completely separate process for additional printing. The form supplied to the post-process printer 11 may be sufficient.

FIG. 2 is an example of the printed matter 17 output from the pre-process printer 15. As can be seen from the printed materials 17a to 17c, since the character 21 and the image 22 are printed as variable symbols on the printed material 17 by the pre-process printer 15, the arrangement (designation) of the symbols varies. The position and area are different for each printed matter. That is, in the printed materials 17 a to 17 c, an area other than the printed pattern becomes a blank area 25 that can be printed by the post-process printer 11. Further, as shown in the printed material 17c, the number of the blank areas 25 may be plural. Further, the printed material 17d represents a form of the paper surface when there is no margin area 25.
In addition, the pattern in this application means the whole information printed on paper, such as a character and an image.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the print data generation apparatus of the present invention.
The print data generation apparatus 10 according to the present invention includes a data processing unit 36 that executes data processing relating to symbols and ancillary equipment. The data processing unit 36 includes an image capturing unit 31, a blank area identification unit 32, and a data processing unit 33. , An output condition setting unit 34, an output control unit 35, a storage unit 39, and the like, and an image capturing camera 37, an input / output device 38, and the like as auxiliary devices.

The image capture unit 31 captures image information of the printed surface of the printed matter 17 from the image capture camera 37 attached to the capture unit 31 and transmits the image information to the blank area identification unit 32.
The blank area identification unit 32 identifies the area where the design is printed (design area) and the area where the design is not printed (margin area) from the captured image information, and the blank area such as the position and size of the margin area. Is transmitted to the data processing unit 33 together with the attribute information related to.

The data processing unit 33 generates attribute information related to the same data as the additional print data from the attribute information related to the margin area and the pattern to be printed in the same area and the attribute information.
The output condition setting unit 34 generates an output condition from the additional print data and its attribute information, and outputs it from the output control unit 35 to the post-process printer 11. Here, the output condition includes, for example, position information and size information for the post-process printer 11 to print additional print data, and further includes the shape of the additional print data, character / image distinction, etc., if necessary. .

  Additional information (symbols and attribute information) for printing in the margin area is stored in advance in the storage unit 39, and further generated in the storage unit 39 in the process of generating a program for controlling the above steps and additional print data. Data, work history, etc. can be recorded. Further, the process management unit 30 executes the progress of the entire process related to the generation of the additional print data and the output to the post-process printer 11 and the exchange of information with the operator. The input / output device 38 has a display unit and an input unit, and is an incidental device for exchanging information with an operator.

<Description of processing>
4 and 5 are diagrams showing the processing steps of the print data generating apparatus of the present invention. In particular, the processing steps in the blank area identifying unit 32 are shown in FIGS.
(A) The captured image 40 is image information of a printed matter generated by the image capturing unit 31.
(B) The blank area identification unit 32 first identifies the area occupied by each symbol 43 from the printed character 41 and image 42.
(C) Further, a symbol region 44 is generated while measuring the position and interval of each region (for example, painting below a predetermined interval). In the symbol area 44, a margin may be provided on the periphery of the symbol area 44 as shown in the figure.
(D) An area other than the design area 44 becomes a margin area 45 for additional printing,
(E) If the margin area 45 is greater than or equal to a predetermined area, information relating to the position and size of the printable area 46 is transmitted to the data processing unit 33.

  In the example of FIG. 4, both the symbol 43 and the margin area 45 are handled as rectangular areas. In this case, information (attribute information) related to the position and size is, for example, the coordinates of four rectangular points or rectangular It can be expressed by the coordinates of two diagonal lines. Further, the margin area 45 is not limited to a rectangle, but may be a polygon area connecting rectangles. In this case, the margin area 45 can be expressed as a closed area connecting a plurality of coordinates. In order to avoid interference between the design area 44 and the printable area 46, the printable area 46 may be reduced from the margin area 45 as shown in the figure.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating processing in the data processing unit 33. In the illustrated example, the printable area 46 is one place, and the additional symbol information is a character.
Since the arrangement of the characters 41 and the images 42 preliminarily printed on the printed material 17 is various, the position and size of the printable area 46 change for each printed material. Accordingly, the output condition setting unit 3 4, additional design information stored in the storage unit 39 (symbol and attribute information) is processed to fit the printable area 46, and outputs the post-process the printer 11 as the additional print data.

  In order to process the design to be added in accordance with the size of the printable area 46, if the design is an image, enlargement or reduction processing may be performed according to the printable area 46 while maintaining the aspect ratio of the image. . Further, when the design is a character, it is performed by adjusting the point (size) of the character while maintaining the number of characters. In the printing field, such character processing is referred to as “flowing”.

The attribute information (referred to as attribute information A51) of the printable area 46 is obtained from the margin area identification unit 32, and character information 55 and its attribute information (attribute information B52) as additional symbol information to be printed in the printable area 46. Is obtained from the storage unit 39.
In the data processing unit 33, new attribute information (attribute information C53 and attribute information C53) including processing information 54 for processing the character information 55 and output information 58 necessary for controlling the post-process printer 11 is obtained from the attribute information A51 and the attribute information B52. Call).
Character information 55 is therefore design process 56 on the processing information 54 is performed. Since the attribute of the character information 55 is a character, in the pattern processing 56, pouring according to the printable area 46 is performed. The character information 57 processed in this way is finally printed by the post-process printer 11 via the output control unit 35.
In this way, a printed matter 50 in which the additional design 59 is printed in the printable area 46 is obtained.

  The output information 58 includes at least information regarding the position and size at which the character information 57 is to be printed. Further, the output information 58 includes information on the character information 57, for example, image / character classification, font type, character size, resolution, color. Information may be included.

  Further, when there is no blank area 45 or when there is no additional information to be printed by the post-process printer 11, the position information and the size information of the output condition are disabled from printing, or the additional print data is set as empty data. By doing so, additional printing can be omitted.

According to the print data generation device 10 of the present invention, the additional processing for the printed matter 17 is not limited to “printing” as described above, and information for other processing can be generated. One of these is perforation. Perforation is a process for facilitating crease and separation, and in many cases, it is processed using a metal blade, but laser processing is a method for processing the position and size of the perforation freely. is there. Therefore, a perforation suitable for on-demand printing can be realized by adding a laser processing device to the post-process printer 11 and setting the output conditions of the print data generation device 10 as position information and irradiation intensity information of laser irradiation.
If this is applied, processing such as printing a coupon in a margin with a printer for additional printing and cutting perforations around the periphery becomes possible.

  As described above, according to the print data generation device of the present invention, the variable print data and the additional print data are not synthesized in advance with respect to the printed matter on which the variable print data having various sizes and positions are printed. Additional printing can be performed in the margin area. For example, in form printing, a definition body (layout) in which an output position is defined in advance is usually created when designing a layout of a form. However, a definition body is created on a post-process printer by the print data generation apparatus of the present invention. Is no longer necessary.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Print system 10 Print data production | generation apparatus 11 Post-process printer 14 Control apparatus 15 Pre-process printer 17, 50 Printed material 21, 41 Character 22, 42 Image 25, 45 Blank area 36 Data processing part 37 Image capture camera 38 Input / output device 44 Design area 46 Printable area

Claims (1)

For on-demand printed material pattern is printed in advance unspecified area by the previous step the printer, the print data generating apparatus odor for forming further add another pattern by post-process printer Te, the print data generating apparatus ,
By imaging the printing product of printing by the pre-process printer, an image capturing unit that reads the pattern of the printed matter as image information,
A blank area identifying unit that extracts a blank area without a pattern from the image information captured by the image capturing unit , wherein the blank area is a printable area if the blank area is a predetermined area or more, and the blank area A margin area identification unit that makes a printable area the area reduced from
Wherein the attribute information of the printable area, collates the attribute information of the another symbol to be printed on the printable region, a data processing unit to generate additional print data that will fit in the printable region, said another symbol If the image is an image, enlargement or reduction processing is performed in accordance with the printable area while maintaining the aspect ratio of the image, and if the separate design is a character, the character point is adjusted while maintaining the number of characters. A data processing unit that performs a “pour” process that expands or contracts to fit the printable area ;
An output condition setting unit for setting an output condition for outputting the additional printing data to the post-process printer;
Print data generating apparatus characterized in that it comprises.

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