JPH02253258A - Character/image composing device for layout scanner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To offer a character/image composing device for a layout scanner which unifies character data and image data and can output characters and color images that are completely page-made up to a film being a final output by making the resolution of image data identical to that of character data. CONSTITUTION:With the aid of integrated image data that is made up into one page by an existing layout scanner and character data automatically composed by a computer composing system, a half tone dot meshing bit map converting means S consisting of a process scanner half-tone dot meshing part 112 and a bit map image memory 113 applies half-tone dot meshing to image data, which is developed into a bit map. Character data and character code information are developed into bit map data by a laster image processor 105. At this time the resolution of the image data is the same as that of the character data, and the character data is divided into a solid character and a whitened character. These types of data are sent to a character/image composing device 114, which composes a character and a image, sends their output data to an output terminal 115 and outputs them to the film simultaneously.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) This invention is a character image for a layout scanner (also called a total scanner) that can simultaneously output characters and color images in a completely collected form and make a plate. This relates to a synthesis device.

(Prior Art) In current printing, characters and color images are treated as completely different data.

Color image data, that is, color originals such as photographs and illustrations, are color-separated by a plate-making scanner and output on film in a halftone form. The output film was compiled by hand to create a single page.

However, with the development of automatic computer-based compilation systems, or layout scanners, it has become possible to automatically compile image data and output it directly onto film in the form of a complete page.

Character data has been transitioned from conventional typesetting using manual phototypesetting machines to typesetting using computers. As a result, it is possible to create an output board in which character data is also completed on a page-by-page basis.

The images were then combined manually using a printer, etc., and the final output of each film was completed as a complete printing version.

Therefore, both color image data and text data are processed by computers.

In other words, automation and labor saving are progressing individually.

(Problem M that the invention attempts to solve) However, these color image data and character data are in completely different formats, and each is handled in completely different processing systems, such as making negative film plates, and is finally manually processed. has been synthesized by Therefore, there have been problems in that the plate making process takes a long time and that there is a lot of waste generated during composition.

Therefore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, this invention has developed a text for layout scanner that can integrate text data and image data and output text and color images in a completely compiled form on the final output film. The purpose is to provide an image synthesis device.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a method in which a character manuscript is inputted as character data by a manuscript input means, and - typesetting data for typesetting a page is converted into page description data by a typesetting data inputting means. A character data typesetting means is inputted to the character typesetting unit' as a character data typesetting unit, a color original is inputted to an image inputting means, and -
The image data collection means inputs the collection data for collection into the page format as bitmap data to the image collection unit by the collection information input means, and the characters typewritten by the character data typesetting means. A solid/blank character classification means in which the data is developed into a bitmap in a raster image creation section and input into a solid character memory and a blank character memory;
a shading bitmap converting means in which the image data collected by the image data collection means is shaded in a shaded area, developed into a bitmap to have the same resolution as character data, and inputted into a bitmap image memory; bitmap-expanded character data from the solid character memory and the blank character memory of the solid/blank character separating means;
and a character image compositing means in which the bitmap-developed image data from the shading bitmap converting means are composited, and character data and image data of the same resolution composited by the character image compositing means are transferred from the output device to the film. The present invention is a character image synthesis device for a layout scanner, which comprises a data output means for outputting data to and compiling the data.

(Operation) This invention utilizes the image data of one page collected by an existing layout scanner and the character data automatically typewritten by a computer typesetting system, and the image data is processed by the shaded portion of the prepress scanner. Further, character data and character code information are layered into bitmap data using a RIP (raster image processor). At this time, the image data and character data are made to have the same resolution, and the character data is divided into solid characters and blank characters. Then, each is stored in a dedicated storage device. These data are sent to a character image composition device, which combines the characters and images, and then sends the data to an output device, which outputs the characters and images onto film at the same time.

(Example) Next, the present invention will be explained based on the drawings.

1 to 6 are diagrams showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a functional block diagram of a character image synthesis device for a layout scanner. This character image synthesis device for a layout scanner is roughly divided into character data typesetting means P1, image data collection means Q, solid/blank character separation means R1, shading bitmap conversion means S, character image synthesis means T, and data output means. It is composed of υ. This character data typesetting means P consists of a manuscript input means 101, a typesetting data input means 1G2, and a character typesetting section 103.
A character manuscript is read as character data by a manuscript input means 101 and inputted to a character typesetting section 103. This character data is code data in which the necessary characters are expressed as codes, and is simply bar data arranged in the order that constitutes a sentence. Further, typesetting data for typesetting a page, such as information on series, typeface, vertical typesetting, horizontal typesetting, etc., and the position of characters within the page, etc., are inputted to the character typesetting unit 103 by the typesetting data input means 102.

The character data is formatted according to the formatting data in the character formatting unit 103, and the characters are completed as one page. At this time, characters in which the characters themselves are printed, that is, solid characters, and blank characters in which unprinted portions of a certain color represent characters are selected according to the specification of information in the formatting data, and are separately formatted. As a result, page description data of solid characters and blank characters is created.

Conventional page description data has been formatted, but it actually describes the appearance of the page in a certain format, and characters are also expressed as codes.

Next, the solid/blank character sorting means R selects the characters that are these page description data formatted by the zero character data typesetting means P, which consists of a raster image creation unit 105, a memory for solid characters 106, and a memory for blank characters 107. The data is input to the raster image creation section 105. Here, the image data of each font stored in the font storage unit 104 is read out according to the character code data in the page description data, and developed as binary bitmap data into the format to be actually output according to the format description. This work is performed using the RIP installed in the raster image creation unit 105.
(raster image processor).

At this time, the resolution of the bitmap data is set to be the same as that of the output device 115, which will be described later.

The solid character data developed into bitmap data is temporarily stored in the solid character memory 106, and the blank character data is temporarily stored in the blank character memory 107.

Next, the image data collection means Q consists of an image input means 108 and a collection information input means 109, and data from an automatic collection device generally called a layout scanner is used as the image data. First, a color original is inputted by the image inputting means 108, and generally a plate-making scanner is used for this purpose.

A color original is inputted from this image input means 108 and converted into bitmap digital data having a color gradation of a certain resolution. Then, those images are sent to the image collection unit 110.6 Next, collection information input means 109
The collection data required to collect images into one page format, such as the layout and the magnification of the color manuscript, is input and sent to the image collection unit 110. In this image collection section 110, image data is inputted to the collection information input means 10.
According to the collection information input in step 9, the collection is automatically compiled into one format.

Then, the image data that has been completely compiled and completed in a certain format is temporarily stored in the image storage device 1111.

However, this data is in a format different from the character data described above, and the output device 115 which is the data output means U
This is a tone image with a resolution different from the output resolution of . Thereupon, the image is shaded and developed into a bitmap by a shading bitmap conversion means S consisting of a shading section 112 and a bitmap image memory 113.
Converted to bitmap data with the same resolution as character data. The image data collected by the image data collection unit Q is sent from the image storage device W1111 to the halftone section 112, where it is converted into binary bitmap data representing gradations as halftone dots. At this time, the resolution is set to be the same as that of the output device 115, which will be described later. This bitmap image is then temporarily stored in the bitmap image memory 113.

The character image synthesis means T (114) extracts the bitmap-developed character data from the solid character memory 106 and the blank character memory 107 of the solid/blank character separation means R, and the bitmap-developed character data from the halftone bitmap conversion means S. Combine the image data. Then, the character data and image data of the same resolution synthesized by the character image synthesizing means T are outputted to a film by the output device 115, which is the data outputting means U, and collected.

As shown in FIG. 2, the Li-Riki+15 forms an image by making certain squares black or white. The size of this mass opening becomes the resolution of the output device 115. The unit of output is every l line, and one line is formed by several pixels. That is, the first
Output starts from the first pixel of the line, and when the final pixel of the first line is output, the first pixel of the second line is output, and thereafter the output ends at the R1 pixel of the final line.

FIG. 3 shows an output time chart. At the time of output, the output device 115 outputs a line pulse 301 that is output immediately before the first pixel of each line is output, and a pixel pulse 302 that is output for each pixel. Data is sampled and output by this vixel pulse 302. This vixel pulse 302 is used as a read pulse. Solid character memory 106, blank character memory 107, and bitmap image memory 1
13 stores character data and image data of the same size and resolution, respectively. When the output starts, a read pulse 1.16, which is a pixel pulse 302, is sent from the output device 115 to each memory 106, 1.
07,113. Then each memory 108,1
The data of the first pixel of the first line of the image data or character data stored from 07, 113 is output and sent to the character image synthesis means 114.

The circuit of the character image synthesis means +14 is shown in Fig. 4. This circuit consists of an AND@ path connecting the output terminal of the OR circuit to one input terminal and the output terminal of the N07 circuit to the other input terminal. is input A, solid character data is input B
are respectively input to the input terminals of the OR circuit, and blank character data is input as input C to the input terminal of the N07 circuit. The truth table for this circuit is shown in Table 1.

However, it is unthinkable that solid characters and blank characters are output at the same time, so Table 2 shows the data state that actually occurs.As you can see from Table 2, the image or blank character is 1, that is, black If it is crushed, the output will always be "1" and it will be crushed to black. Further, when the null character is "1", that is, when the blank state must be achieved, the output is always 0. Then, the data is sent to the output device 115 and output is performed.
Next, the second read pulse 116 is outputted by the output device 115, and the second pixel of the first line is sent from each memory to the character image synthesis means 114, and outputted after undergoing the same operation as the first pixel. Repeat this until the final line and final pixel.

Table 2 Table 1 This process is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The image data stored in the bitmap image memory 113 is shown in FIG. 5(b), the character data stored in the solid character memory 106 is read from the first pixel of the first line of these data as shown in FIG. 5(c), and the bitmap image data is 4, solid character data is input to input A, solid character data is input to input B, and blank character data is input to input C of the character image synthesis means 114 shown in FIG. This is repeated until the final line. As an example, if the image and character data of the nth line are extracted and represented in a time chart, the result will be as shown in FIG. That is, only the blank character data is subtracted, and the other data is added to form the final data at the bottom. Finally, as shown in FIG. 5(d), data in which images and characters are combined is sent to the output device 115, making it possible to simultaneously output the characters and images onto a film or the like.

(Effects of the Invention) As detailed above, the present invention utilizes the image data of one page compiled by an existing layout scanner and the character data automatically typewritten by a computer typesetting system, and the image data is The character data is developed into bitmap data by RIP using the shaded area of the scanner, separated into blank characters and solid character data, stored in image data memory, blank character data memory, and solid character data memory, and then output to the output device. A character image synthesis system for layout scanners that reads each data pixel by pixel using the readout pulses issued by the system, feeds it to the character image synthesis means, synthesizes each data, and outputs a completely synthesized text and image. equipment can be provided. By using this device, character data and color image data can be integrated, and plate making can be automated and labor saved. Therefore, specifically, there is no longer a need for a film that outputs each of the image data and character data as in the past, which saves on the film used during compositing, significantly shortens the compilation time, and reduces the workload. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 6 show one embodiment of this invention. FIG. 1 shows a functional block diagram of a character image synthesis device for a layout scanner. FIG. 2 shows the data format of the output device of the character image synthesis device for the layout scanner. FIG. 3 shows an output time chart of timing pulses of the output device of the character image synthesis device for a layout scanner. FIG. 4 shows the circuit of the character image synthesizing means. Image data is input to input A, solid character data is input to input B, and blank character data is input to input C. FIG. 5 shows each data of the character image synthesis means, (1k) is image data, (b) is blank character data, (1k) is image data, (1k) is blank character data, (
C) is solid character data, and (d) is final data. FIG. 6 shows a timing chart of output data of the character image synthesizing means. P...Character data typesetting means Q...Image data compilation means R...Solid/blank character separation means S...Hatting bitmap conversion means T...Character image composition means U...Data Output means 101... Manuscript input means 102... Format data input means 103... Character composition unit 104... Font storage unit 105... Raster image creation unit 106... Solid character memory 107...・Memory for blank characters 108...Image input means +09...Collection information input means 110...Image collection section 111...Image storage device 112...Shaded section 113...Bitmap image memory 114...Character image synthesis means 115...Output device 116...Reading pulse OL Plate ---- No. T-7 "Shoulder 1 Koshi-Yu"

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] Character data typesetting means in which a character manuscript is input as character data by a manuscript input means, and typesetting data for typesetting one page is inputted to a character typesetting unit as page description data by a typesetting data inputting means; An image data collection unit in which a color manuscript is inputted as bitmap data to an image collection unit by an image input means and collection data for collection into one page format is inputted to an image collection unit as bitmap data by a collection information input means; and the character data. The character data typewritten by the typesetting means is bit map developed in a raster image creation section, and is inputted into a solid character memory and a blank character memory. a shading bitmap converting means in which the image data is shaded in a shading section, developed into a bitmap to have the same resolution as character data, and input into a bitmap image memory; and the solid/blank character separation means. character image synthesis means for synthesizing bitmap-developed character data from the solid character memory and blank character memory and bitmap-developed image data from the shading bitmap conversion means; and the character image. A character image composition device for a layout scanner, comprising a data output means for outputting character data and image data of the same resolution synthesized by a composition means from an output device onto a film and compiling the data.