JPH0564947U - Data processing system for plate making - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] To enable efficient operation of the entire system in a plate-making data processing system including a plurality of data processing devices and a plurality of disk devices. [Structure] A multiplexer 18 is provided between a plurality of data processing devices 11 to 16 and a plurality of disk devices 17, and
A job management station 19 is provided as a multiplexer control unit, and the job management station 19 uses the multiplexer 18 in accordance with the job file (FIG. 2B) in which the data processing content for each job is described and each data processing device 11 to 16 and It controls the connection with the disk device 17. [Effect] It is possible to simultaneously process a plurality of jobs in parallel. Further, the connection of each device is automatically switched by the multiplexer, and the connection can be made the most efficient as a whole system.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a plate-making data processing system for comprehensively controlling a plurality of plate-making data processing devices such as an input scanner and an editing station.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 While creating one plate in the plate making process, various data processing devices such as an input scanner, a character editing station, and an output plotter (scanner) are used step by step. Therefore, a device for temporarily storing the processed image data is required. Since the amount of image data handled by the plate-making data processing device is enormous, a hard disk device with a large capacity and a high transfer speed has been used as a data storage device than before. How to allocate the disk device is an important issue in considering the efficiency of the whole plate making process.

One of the conventional system configurations is as shown in FIG. 3, which is used in each data processing device such as an input station 31, an editing / arithmetic station 32, an output station 33, and an archive station 34. On the other hand, one or a plurality of disk devices 35 to 38 are allocated to each of them, and data is exchanged between the data processing devices via the network 30. However, since the amount of image data handled in plate making work is enormous, a single network 30 is not sufficient for parallel processing due to the data transfer speed becoming a bottleneck. A situation occurs in which some data processing devices are idle.

On the other hand, in the system shown in FIG. 4, the disk devices 35 to 38 are separated from the image processing devices 31 to 34 so as to be shared by the entire system, and both are connected by the multi-plexer 39. It is a thing. In this system, the use efficiency of the disk devices 35 to 38 is improved, and the data processing devices 31 to 34 and the disk devices 35 to 38 can perform data transfer in parallel by a plurality of nodes. Is improved.

[0005]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, in the system using the conventional multiplexer as shown in FIG. 4, the switching of the multiplexer 39, that is, the connection and the switching between the data processing devices 31 to 34 and the disk devices 35 to 38 are performed by the operator himself. However, as the number of data processing devices and disk devices included in the system increases, it becomes extremely difficult to manage the entire system. In particular, if one system includes multiple input stations, editing / computation stations, etc., and multiple plate making processes (jobs) can be performed in parallel, the progress of each job Since it is often disjointed, progress management becomes very complicated. In such a case, if the operator manages the entire system, not only the system cannot be operated efficiently, but also human error may occur.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and in a plate making data processing system including a plurality of data processing devices and a plurality of disk devices (generally a data storage device), It provides a system that can operate efficiently as a whole.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 A plate-making data processing system according to the present invention made to solve the above problems is a plate-making data processing system including a plurality of data processing devices and a plurality of data storage devices. A multiplexor provided between the data processing device and the plurality of data storage devices, and b) a job for sequentially operating the plurality of data processing devices and the plurality of data storage devices to perform a predetermined series of data processing. According to the job file describing the data processing contents for each, multiplexer control means for controlling the connection between the data processing device and the data storage device by using a multiplexer is provided.

[0008]

[Action]

 Since the contents of data processing relating to the job are described in the job file of each job, the multiplexer control means issues a command signal to the multiplexer according to the description of the job file, and the data to be processed next for the job. The data processing device and the disk device necessary for the processing are connected by a multiplexer. As a result, the data processing device can perform predetermined data processing including reading data from or writing data to the connected disk device according to the description of the same job file. During this time, for another job, data processing can be performed in parallel by connecting another data processing device and another disk device with a multiplexer.

[0009]

【Example】

 A plate making system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The plate making system 10 is provided with an input scanner 11, a block making station 12, an editing instruction station 13, a character editing station 14, a calculation station 15, and an output plotter (scanner) 16 as a data processing device, and an image etc. A plurality of disk devices 17 are provided as devices for storing data. An input instruction scanner (CRT) 20 is provided for the input scanner 11, an operation instruction monitor (CRT) 21 and an input digitizer 22 are provided for the block making station 12, and an edit instruction station 13 is provided. In addition to a monitor (CRT) 23 for operating instructions, a color monitor (CRT) 24 for displaying a sample screen is connected. Further, although one disk device 17 may include a plurality of hard disks, one device that is logically divided is treated as one disk device 17 here.

A multiplexer 18 is provided between the plurality of data processing devices 11 to 16 and the plurality of disk devices 17. The multiplexer 18 is connected to a job management station 19 (multiplexer control means) that controls the connection of the multiplexer 18 and manages the work of the entire plate making system. The job management station 19 also includes a disk device 25 for storing job management data, an operation instruction monitor (CRT) 26, an archive magnetic tape device (MTD) 27, and a floppy disk driver for data input. (FDD) 28 etc. are connected.

The multiplexer 18 can connect the plurality of data processing devices 11 to 16 and the plurality of disk devices 17 in parallel (that is, the individual data processing devices and the disk devices are connected at a ratio of 1: 1). A plurality of nodes can be provided at the same time.) The device is connected according to a connection instruction signal from the job management station 19.

The job management station 19 has the following information and data in order to manage the entire plate making system. First, each of the data processing devices 11 to 16 included in the plate making system 10 (that is, connected to the multiplexer 18) has the following device-specific information.

Input scanner name, magnification range, connection node number (to multiplexer) Platemaking station name, maximum mount processing size, connection node number edit instruction station name, connection node number character editing station name, connection node number calculation Station name, connection node number Output plotter name, maximum output size for each output mode, connection node number

The disk device 17 is managed by a disk management file having the contents shown in FIG.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, for each job performed in the plate making system 10 (here, one job means a unit of a plate making process for making one plate). Create a job file. For each job, all processing in the plate making system 10 is performed based on this job file, and after some processing is performed, the result is recorded in this job file.

Since the plate-making system 10 can simultaneously process a plurality of jobs in parallel, the job management station 19 manages the progress of each job by managing the job progress as shown in FIG. It has a table inside. The job management station 19 constantly refers to this job progress management table to ensure that resources (data processing devices 11 to 16, disk device 17, etc.) included in the platemaking system 10 are used most effectively. Jobs are processed in parallel.

Next, a description will be given of the work performed in each of the data processing devices 11 to 16 while creating one plate, and the process performed by the job management station 19 to control the plate making system 10. ..

First, in the block making station 12, the block information is input from the rough layout. It is necessary to determine the job name when the first work for one job is performed. Therefore, for example, if the block copy creation here is the first work of a certain job, in addition to the block copy information, job-specific information such as the job name and the creator name is also input. The input job specific information and the block copy information are sent to the job management station 19 via the multiplexer 18, and the job file shown in FIG. 2B is generated there. On the other hand, for image originals, after highlighting the color and tone, the highlight part (brightest part) and shadow part (darkest part), and instructions such as color and gradation correction are used as setup data in the scanner body or general purpose. It is created by a setup device (not shown).

Next, the decomposed image name of the image original is notified to the job management station 19, and the angle and magnification of the original are determined from the rough layout by the magnification measuring machine. These data are automatically input to the job management station 19 by an operator using a floppy disk. The job management station 19 registers this data in the job file, determines the disk device 17 to save the image data, issues a connection instruction to the multiplexer 18, and connects the disk device 17 to the input scanner 11. To do. When the connection is completed, the job management station 19 sends a scan start permission signal to the input scanner 11.

The input scanner 11, which has received the scan start permission signal, scans the image original and transmits the obtained decomposed image data to the sequentially connected disk devices 17. When the scan is completed, a signal to that effect is automatically sent to the job management station 19, and the fact that the input of the decomposed image data has been completed and the number of the disk device 17 to save the decomposed image data is recorded in the job file. To be done.

On the other hand, the character editing station 14 inputs character data. This can be performed in parallel with the creation of the above-mentioned decomposed image data. When the input of character data is completed, the operator sends the job name to the job management station 19. The job management station 19 sets a flag in the job file to indicate that character editing has been completed, determines the disk device 17 in which the character data should be saved, and issues a connection instruction to the multiplexer 18 to save that disk device. Connect 17 to the character editing station 14. When the data storage permission is given from the job management station 19, the character editing station 14 transmits the input character data to the designated storage destination disk device 17. When the data storage is completed, an end signal is sent from the character editing station 14 to the job management station 19, and the job management station 19 writes the number of the character data storage destination disk unit 17 in the job file.

When the materials such as the image data and the character data are prepared, the job management station 19 sends a message signal “JOB READY” to the edit instruction station 13 indicating that the job can be edited. .. This message is displayed on the screen of the color monitor 24 of the editing instruction station 13 or the operation instruction monitor 23 to prompt the operator to perform editing operation. At this time, if another job is being edited by the editing instruction station 13, the message can be displayed on a part of the editing screen. When the operator starts editing the job in response to this message, the editing instruction station 13 first receives the job file from the job management station 19. At this time, the job management station 19 sends the job file to the edit instruction station 13 and also connects the disk device 17 in which the decomposed image data and character data of the job are stored to the edit instruction station 13. The operator performs editing work based on the scan information, character editing information (see FIG. 2B), etc. included in the job file. At that time, the decomposed image data and character data are sent from the connected disk device 17. Etc. are output to the color monitor 24 via the multiplexer 18. When the editing operation in the editing instruction station 13 is completed, the job file is returned from the editing instruction station 13 to the job management station 19, and the job management station 19 disconnects the disk device 17 used at the time of editing.

Next, the job management station 19 sends the job file of the job for which the editing work is completed to the arithmetic station 15. At this time, the disk device 17 that stores the material and the disk device 17 that stores the calculation result file are connected to the calculation station 15. Upon receiving the job file from the job management station 19, the processing station 15 reads the decomposed image data (CT) and the character data (LW) from the disk device 17 in which the material is stored according to the contents of the job file and performs a composite operation. , Create a pasted CT file and LW file. When the calculation is completed, these files are saved in the designated disk device 17, and the job files are returned to the job management station 19. Upon receiving this job file, the job management station 19 disconnects each disk device 17 from the computing station 15.

Finally, the job management station 19 sends the job file of the job for which the calculation is completed to the output plotter 16. The output plotter 16 having received this job file places the job file at the end of the queuing buffer. The output plotter 16 normally performs output work from the job file at the top of the queuing buffer. However, output priority data is provided in the job file and the output work order is set according to the priority within the output plotter. You may change it. When the output plotter 16 starts the output work of a job, first, the number of the disk device 17 in which the pasted CT file and LW file are stored is read from the job file, and the job management station 19 is read. And issues a connection request to those disk devices 17. Upon receiving this, the job management station 19 issues a command instruction to the multi-plexer 18 to connect the disk device 17 and the output plotter 16 to each other. When the output work in the output plotter 16 is completed, the job file is returned to the job management station 19, and the job management station 19 disconnects each disk device 17.

This completes the processing for one job. At this time, the job management station 19 stores the job file and all materials in the magnetic tape device (MTD) 27 for archiving in preparation for later correction. Save it. As the archive storage device, a general-purpose external storage device such as an optical disk may be used.

In each of the above steps, the job management station 19 always makes a determination work of selecting the job with the highest priority (with respect to the step) among a plurality of jobs currently belonging to the system. Also, the status of each station 11-16 is constantly monitored, and when a certain station becomes available, a prompt message is sent so that the processing for the next job can be started immediately or the start can be started. A signal is sent to automatically start processing in the device.

[0027]

[Effect of the device]

 In the plate-making data processing system according to the present invention, a multiplexer is provided between all the data processing devices included in the system and all the data storage devices (disk devices), and each multiplexer processes the data processing device and the data storage device. By connecting the above, it is possible to perform parallel processing by a plurality of data processing devices. Since the switching of the connection by the multiplexer is automatically and centrally performed by the multiplexer control means, switching mistakes can be prevented and all resources included in the system can be operated most efficiently at all times. The connection method can be taken.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a plate making system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the contents of a connected disk management file (a), a job file (b), and a job progress management table (c) used in the plate making system of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional network type plate making system.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional plate making system using a multiplexer.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Plate-making system 11-16 ... Data processing device 11 ... Input scanner 12 ... Block making station 13 ... Editing instruction station 14 ... Character editing station 15 ... Calculation station 16 ... Output plotter 17 ... Disk device (data storage device) 18 ... Multiplexer 19 ... Job management station (multiplexer control means)

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A plate-making data processing system including a plurality of data processing devices and a plurality of data storage devices, comprising: a) a multiplexer provided between the plurality of data processing devices and the plurality of data storage devices. And b) a plurality of data processing devices and a plurality of data storage devices are sequentially operated, and a data processing device using a multiplexer according to a job file that describes data processing contents for each job that performs a predetermined series of data processing. A plate-making data processing system, comprising: a multiplexer control means for controlling a connection between the data storage device and the data storage device.