JPH06311343A - Data generation device for picture recording - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make distortion in a pattern unnoticeble by approximating a size of each pattern picture element as an integral number of multiple of micro pixels in the main scanning direction and in the subscanning direction and magnifying the pattern at a designated magnification from the standpoint of macroscopic vision. CONSTITUTION:When data representing an integrated picture CI are generated by a picture processing work station 200, the picture CI is interleaved and the result is displayed on a CRT 204. When a magnification M of pattern components PP1, PP2 having a size being a multiple of N of a line picture element is desired to be revised, a mouse 205b is used to select one pattern component and the magnification M is entered by using a key board 205a. A CPU 201 revises the size of the pattern picture element so that end positions of the pattern picture elements arranged in the main scanning/subscanning directions are coincident with positions represented by an integral number resulting from rounding MXNXi and MXNXj. Thus, the picture is recorded through magnification without causing excess distortion in the pattern.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing image recording data for recording an entire image including a line drawing and a pattern on an image recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a plate making process, an entire image of one page on which a pattern or a line drawing is laid out is recorded on a recording medium such as a photosensitive film. In recent years, it has become possible to perform layout of patterns and line drawings using a computer, and the layout result can be confirmed on a CRT. At this time, the operator may want to observe the laid out image to enlarge or reduce the design in the image.

[0003]

As a method of changing the magnification of a pattern, there are methods of interpolating and increasing the number of pattern pixels and enlarging or reducing the pattern by thinning out the pattern pixels. However, these methods increase or reduce the number of pattern pixels, so that there is a problem that the pattern is likely to be distorted when the magnification is not an integer. Therefore, conventionally, it is general to change the reading magnification in the scanner and read the pattern data again. However, there is a problem that it takes a considerable amount of time and effort to read the pattern data again with the scanner.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, and is an image recording data creating apparatus capable of scaling and recording a pattern without causing excessive distortion in the pattern. The purpose is to provide.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an image recording data creating apparatus according to the present invention includes line drawing data representing a line drawing for each line drawing pixel of a predetermined size,
Image recording for recording an entire image including a picture and a line drawing on an image recording medium based on picture data representing a picture for each picture pixel having a size N times as large as the line drawing pixel (N is an integer) A device for creating data, (A)
Magnification designating means for designating the magnification M of the design arranged in the entire image, and (B) the end position of the i-th design pixel arranged in the main scanning direction from a predetermined reference point of the design is M × N × i. The size of each picture element pixel in the main scanning direction is changed so as to match the position indicated by a rounded integer, and the end position of the j-th picture element pixel arranged in the sub scanning direction from the reference point is set to M × N × j. Change the size of each picture pixel in the sub-scanning direction to match the position indicated by the rounded integer,
Image recording data creating means for creating image recording data for recording the entire image on the image recording medium while assigning the pattern data to each of the size-changed pattern pixels.

Here, "an integer obtained by rounding M × N × i" is an integer obtained by cutting off the decimal point of the value of M × N × i, M × N.
It includes an integer obtained by rounding up the decimal point of the value of × i, an integer obtained by rounding off the decimal point of the value of M × N × i, and the like. "M x N
The same applies to "an integer obtained by rounding xj". The magnification M may include a decimal.

[0007]

"Adjustment of the size of each picture element pixel in the main scanning direction" so that the end position of the i-th picture element pixel arranged in the main scanning direction coincides with the position indicated by an integer obtained by rounding MxNxi " Means that the size of each picture pixel in the main scanning direction is adjusted in units of line drawing pixels. The same applies to the sub-scanning direction. In this way, since the size of each picture pixel is adjusted, the distortion of the picture is inconspicuous.

[0008]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described below in the following order. A. Pixel size adjustment due to enlargement and reduction of picture: B. Overall Configuration of Image Recording System: C. Image Processing Workstation Configuration: D. Editing the integrated image: E. Structure of image data: F. Designation of image magnification: G. Layout specification of color separation image: H. Relationship of different resolutions: I. Outline of Creation Process of Primary Data for Image Recording: J. Internal configuration and operation of image data synthesizer and halftone dot signal generator: K. Internal Configuration and Operation of Pixel Signal Generation Unit: L. Internal structure and operation of write controller: Modification:

A. Adjustment of Pixel Size Due to Enlargement and Reduction of Design: FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a change in pixel size of a design when the design is enlarged and reduced according to the present invention. FIG. 1 (B) shows a picture before scaling. The pattern is contained inside the elliptical contour C, and the contour C
Is included in the area of 5 × 3 picture pixels Pe. One picture pixel Pe is composed of 5 × 5 micro pixels Pμ. The micro pixel Pμ is a pixel of a line drawing.

FIG. 1 (A) shows the result of enlarging the pattern of FIG. 1 (B) around the center of gravity of the contour C, and FIG. 1 (C) shows the case of contraction. FIG. 1 (A),
The solid line lattice in (C) is the enlarged picture pixel Pee.
And the reduced picture pixel Per, respectively. Figure 1
The enlarged picture pixel Pee in (A) is 1.25 times the original picture pixel Pe (6.25 of the micro pixel Pμ).
Double) size. In addition, the reduced design pixel Per in FIG. 1C is 0.8 of the original design pixel Pe.
It has a size twice (4 times the size of the micro pixel Pμ).

According to the present invention, when the picture is scaled (enlarged or reduced) as shown in FIG. 1, the size of the picture pixel is changed according to the scale. However, the size of the picture pixel after scaling is set in the unit of the micro pixel Pμ which is a line drawing pixel. However, as in the case of FIG. 1 (A),
Generally, the size of a picture pixel after scaling cannot be represented by an integral multiple of the micro pixel Pμ. Therefore, in the present invention, the size (length of one side) of each pattern pixel is approximated by an integral multiple of the micropixel Pμ along the main scanning direction Y and the sub-scanning direction X, and the pattern is designated when viewed macroscopically. It is designed to be scaled by the scale ratio.

FIG. 2 is enlarged to show the micropixel P
It is explanatory drawing which shows the arrangement | sequence of the pattern pixel Pee adjusted to the size of the unit of (micro | micron | mu). The X0 axis and the Y0 axis are the original picture elements Pe.
The X coordinate and the Y coordinate of the boundary of the picture element pixel are respectively shown in the case where is accurately multiplied by 1.25. Also, the X and Y axes are
The X coordinate and the X coordinate of the boundary of the picture element pixel Pee when divided by an integral multiple of the micro pixel Pμ are shown respectively.
In the example of FIG. 2, when the scaling factor is M (= 1.25),
The end position of the i-th picture pixel Pee arranged in the main scanning direction Y from the reference point Ref of the picture is indicated by an integer obtained by cutting off the decimal part of the value of M × 5 × i (= Y0). Similarly, the reference point Ref
The end position of the j-th picture pixel lined up in the sub-scanning direction X is indicated by an integer obtained by rounding the value of M × 5 × j (= X0). As a result, the widths of the five picture element pixels Pee along the X axis are 6, 6, 6, 7, and 6 in order. The same applies to the Y axis.

As described above, if the size of each picture pixel is adjusted in the unit of the micro pixel Pμ which is a line drawing pixel,
You can change the magnification without distorting the design. In addition,
As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1C, when the size of the picture pixel is changed, the offset position of the whole picture (the position of the reference point Ref of the picture in the integrated image) is also recalculated and reset. Further, since one side of the picture pixel is set to an integral multiple of the micro pixel Pμ, the picture pixel Pe of FIGS. 1A and 1C is obtained.
The positions of e and Per will actually be slightly displaced from the positions in these figures.

An apparatus for creating recording image data for recording an entire image including an enlarged pattern as shown in FIG. 1A and its processing procedure will be sequentially described below.

B. Overall Configuration of Image Recording System: FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image recording system as an embodiment of the present invention. The image recording system 600 is
An image processing workstation 200, an image data synthesizing device 300, a halftone dot signal generating device 100, and a recording scanner 500 are provided. Image data synthesizer 300
The halftone dot signal generation device 100 and the recording scanner 500 function as an image recording device 700. A reading scanner 400 is connected to the image processing workstation 200. The reading scanner 400 is a device that reads an original image by optical means and converts it into image data.

C. Image Processing Workstation Configuration:
The image processing workstation 200 includes the reading scanner 4
00 is a device portion for editing the layout of each component image based on the image data (component image data) of a plurality of images transmitted from 00. Image processing workstation 20
Reference numeral 0 denotes a central processing unit (CPU) 201 having a microprocessor (not shown), a semiconductor memory 202, a hard disk 203, a color CRT 204, a keyboard 2
05a, mouse 205b and the like. The image processing workstation 200 further has a bus line 206 for transmitting image data and various control data, and various interfaces 207a are provided at the connection portions between the bus line 206 and the above-mentioned various device parts and the outside. ~ 20
7e is provided as appropriate. The CPU 201 has a function of controlling the operation of various device parts inside and outside the image processing workstation 200, and also has a raster conversion unit 201a that performs raster conversion processing and an image fitting processing unit 201b that performs image fitting processing, which will be described later. Also has a function as. The raster conversion unit 201a and the image embedding processing unit 201b are realized by the CPU 201 executing a program stored in the semiconductor memory 202.

D. Editing Integrated Image: FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an integrated image to be processed in this embodiment. This integrated image CI includes a first picture part PP1 cut out in a triangle, a second picture part PP2 cut out in a rectangle, and character parts CP1 to CP3 indicating three characters “A, B, C”, respectively. And an elliptical tint component TP1 that constitutes the background of the characters. Here, "tint" refers to a region of uniform color, and is also called "flat screen".

Among these component images, the pattern component PP
The image data representing the pictures 1 and PP2 are obtained by optically reading these original images by the reading scanner 400. Further, the image data of the character parts CP1 to CP3 is obtained by inputting with a character type device (not shown), and the tint part TP1 is a line drawing reading device (not shown).
It is obtained by reading at. Image data of each component image (hereinafter referred to as “component image data”) is stored in the hard disk 203. Note that these component image data may be external data stored separately.

The layout of each component image in the integrated image CI of FIG. 4 is determined by the operator's designation in the image processing workstation 200. For the picture parts PP1 and PP2, the operator sequentially specifies the starting point and the ending point of the contour vector forming the contour of the triangle or the rectangle. And the operator is the CRT 20
While observing the screen of No. 4, each component image is moved to a desired position to determine the layout. Further, when the laid-out component images partially or wholly overlap each other, the rendering priority order which expresses which is more preferentially displayed, that is, which one appears more in front, is set to each component. Specify for each image. The priority in FIG. 4 is
Character parts CP1 to CP3, tint parts TP in descending order
1, the first picture part PP1 and the second picture part PP2 are designated. Further, the dot shape, screen ruling, and dot angle are specified for each component image.

E. Image data structure: Image data representing the integrated image CI includes data representing the contents of each component image (contour vector data and pattern data described later),
Integrated image description data including data related to the entire integrated image CI.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing the structure of a set of component image data representing one component image. One set of component image data is the contour vector data PG shown in FIG.
And the part image data of the picture part is further shown in FIG.
The pattern data CT shown in (B) is included. FIG. 6 (A)
Shows the contents represented by the contour vector data PG, and FIGS. 6B and 6C show the contents represented by the pattern data CT. For example, the first pattern part PP1 includes the contour vector data PG representing the triangular closed loop contour vector CV1 shown in FIG. 6A and the pattern data CT representing the rectangular original pattern part OP1 shown in FIG. 6B. Composed. As shown in FIG. 6B, the original picture part OP1 represents a picture in a region larger than the contour vector CV1, and the original picture part OP1 is cut out into a triangle by the contour vector CV1.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the contour vector data PG includes a header area PGH and a vector data area P.
GV and. In the header area PGH, the part number and the type of image in the contour vector (pattern or tint)
And the priority of parts. If the part image is a character or a line drawing, 4 of the area in the contour vector
The header area PGH also includes density data indicating the densities of the various color plates, that is, the densities of the yellow plate (Y plate), the magenta plate (M plate), the cyan plate (C plate), and the black plate (K plate). There is. On the other hand, if the part image is a design,
A pointer indicating the address of the corresponding pattern data CT,
The magnification M of the design and the offset of the reference point of the design are also written. The magnification M of the design is 1 for the design (original design part) that is read by the scanner. The offset of the reference point of the design is the reference point Ref1 of the design part in the integrated image.
, Ref2 (see FIGS. 6B and 6C). In addition to the above, in the header area PGH, data indicating the shape of the halftone dot, the number of screen lines, the halftone dot angle, etc. is also written. In the vector data area PGV, the starting point coordinates and the ending point coordinates of each vector forming the contour vector are written.

The picture data CT has a header area CTH and a pixel data area CTP. Header area CTH
Is the size of the pattern (value in which the width Wy in the main scanning direction Y and the width Wx in the sub scanning direction X shown in FIG. 6B are represented by the number of pixels).
And are written. In the pixel data area CTP, the density of YMCK is written for each picture pixel forming the picture part.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing the contents of the integrated image description data TT. The integrated image description data TT includes the sizes Lx and Ly of the integrated image (see FIG. 4), the offset of each color separation image laid out on the photosensitive film (described later), and the file name of the contour vector data PG of each component image. Includes and. The integrated image description data TT is stored in the hard disk 203 together with the component image data of each component image. The offset of each color separated image is not created at the time when the above-described component image editing processing is completed, but is created as a result of the layout specification of the color separated image described below.

F. Designation of Image Magnification: When the data representing the integrated image CI of FIG. 4 is created by the image processing workstation 200 as described above, the integrated image CI is thinned and the color CRT 204 is checked for confirmation of image quality.
(See FIG. 3). To change the magnification M of the picture parts PP1 and PP2, the operator uses the mouse 20
5b is used to select one pattern component, and the magnification M is input using the keyboard 205a. This magnification M is shown in FIG.
Header area PG of contour vector data PG shown in (A)
Registered in H. Further, as described with reference to FIG. 1, the image parts are offset (see FIG. 6) by scaling the image parts.
Reference points Ref of the pattern parts OP1 and OP2 of (B) and (C)
Since the position coordinates 1 and Ref2) change, the offset is also recalculated and registered in the header area PGH.

G. Designation of layout of color separation image: When the integrated image CI is completed in this way, the operator determines the layout on the photosensitive film for the four color separation images of the integrated image. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example of the color CRT 204 when laying out a color separation image. On the screen of the color CRT 204, the outer frame LPF of the photosensitive film and the outer frames LY, LM, L of the respective versions of the integrated image are displayed.
C and LK are displayed as a line drawing. The outer frame of each version of the integrated image has the same size, and the display for distinguishing YMCK (for example, each character of YMCK) is outside the vicinity of each outer frame LY, LM, LC, LK. Is displayed in. The operator uses the mouse 205b to individually move and arrange the outer frame of each plate. Therefore, the color separation image of each plate can be arranged at an arbitrary position on the photosensitive film according to the relationship between the size of the photosensitive film and the size of the integrated image, and the useless area of the photosensitive film is reduced as much as possible. Can be placed at. When the position of the color separation image of each plate is determined, the coordinates of the origins Oy, Om, Oc, Ok of each color separation image with the origin O of the photosensitive film as a reference are integrated image description data TT ( (Fig. 7)
Written in.

H. Relationship of various resolutions: Before describing the process of creating data for image recording in detail, here, the relationship of various resolutions related to image recording will be described with reference to FIG. The smallest square in FIG. 9 is one light spot (hereinafter, “spot”) of the exposure beam in the recording scanner 500.
It is St). FIG. 9A shows a micro pixel Pμ which is one pixel of a character or a line drawing. The micro pixel Pμ has a size of 2 × 2 dots. The contour vector data PG also indicates the contour in units of this micropixel Pμ.

FIG. 9B shows the picture pixel Pe when the magnification M is 1. The picture pixel Pe has a size of 5 × 5 micropixels (that is, 10 × 10 spots). The size of the picture pixel is changed according to the magnification M of the picture, as described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. When the magnification M is 1, the resolution of the design is ⅕ of the character or line drawing, and the resolution of the character or line drawing is 2000 dpi.
In the case of, the resolution of the pattern is 400 dpi. The boundary between the component images in the integrated image is represented by a boundary in units of micropixels Pμ as shown in FIG.
When the combined scanner image is recorded by the recording scanner 500, the exposure beam is on / off controlled for each spot St, and a halftone dot as shown in FIG. 9D is recorded. The resolution of the recording scanner 500 is the resolution of line drawing and characters, which is 2
It is double, and in the example of FIG. 9, it is 4000 dpi. In addition,
The area forming one halftone dot is not limited to 16 × 16 spots, and can be any size.

I. Outline of processing for creating primary data for image recording: When recording a color-separated image on a photosensitive film, FIG.
As shown in 0, the raster conversion unit 201a and the image embedding processing unit 201b use the integrated image description data TT, the contour vector data PG, and the pattern data CT to determine the intersection data Di, the normal image data Dp, and the high image data Dp. The resolution image data Dhp is created. These data Di, Dp,
Dhp is primary data for image recording, and at the time of image recording, these data are further combined to create final recording data.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the flow of processing for creating primary data for image recording. The raster conversion unit 201a performs so-called raster conversion on the coordinate values of the start point and the end point of the vector included in the contour vector data PG, so that the intersections Q1 to Q7 of the recording scanning line SL on the photosensitive film and the contour of the component image. 11 is converted into intersection point data Di indicating the position and attribute (described later) of FIG.
(C)). At this time, the main scanning direction coordinate of the intersection Q1 which is the starting point of the color separated image is the main scanning direction coordinate Y of the offset of each plate registered in the integrated image description data TT (FIG. 7).
It is set equal to y, Ym, Yc and Yk.

FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram showing the structure of the intersection data. One set of intersection data is composed of, for example, 32 bits, and when the value of the most significant bit is 1, the data shown in FIG.
The intersection code format shown in (A) is taken, and when it is 0, the intersection data format shown in FIG. 12 (B) is taken.

The intersection code format of FIG. 12A includes 3-bit attribute data and 18-bit intersection main scanning address. The attribute data is data indicating that it is the end point of the photosensitive film on the scanning line SL or the start point of the color separation image of each color plate. The intersection main scanning address is the intersection main scanning address indicating the main scanning coordinates of the point that changes to the attribute. The position of each intersection is the scanning line S
It is represented by an address in the storage area corresponding to the coordinates on L. In the example of FIG. 11C, the intersection code format is used to indicate the start point Q1 and the end point Q7 of the color separation image.

The intersection data format shown in FIG. 12B includes 3-bit attribute data, 8-bit halftone data, 2-bit SPM designation data, and 18-bit intersection main scanning address. The attribute data is data indicating the start point and the end point of a tint or a pattern in each color separation image. The halftone dot data is data indicating the density of the image portion when the attribute data indicates that the image portion of the tint or the character is the portion after the intersection. In one color separation image, only the density data of one color plate is unnecessary, and the density of one color plate is represented by 8 bits. The SPM designation data is data that designates one of a plurality of sets of screen pattern memories (SPM) provided in the halftone dot signal generator 100.
In the example of FIG. 11C, the intersection data format is used when indicating the intersections Q2 to Q6.

Returning to FIG. 11, the normal image data Dp and the high resolution image data Dhp are created by the image embedding processing unit 201b executing the so-called "embedding process" based on the intersection data Di and the pattern data CT. To be done. The fitting process is a process of combining a plurality of picture parts in the integrated image CI, and as a result, the normal image data Dp and the high resolution image data Dhp are obtained.
The normal image data Dp (FIG. 11 (C)) is data indicating the density of the picture part in the color separation image for each picture pixel.
The picture pixels at this time are those after scaling. The high-resolution image data Dhp (FIG. 11D) is data indicating the density of the color plate in units of micropixels Pμ for the picture pixels including the boundaries of the picture parts.

FIG. 13 is a conceptual diagram showing the structure of the normal image data Dp. The normal image data Dp includes the attribute data,
Y start address Yst, Y direction pixel size Yz,
X start address Xst, X direction pixel size Xz,
The normal image data Dp includes the number of dot% data in the main scanning direction (that is, the number of picture pixels) and the dot% data (pixel data) for each picture pixel. The attribute data indicates a change point (start point, end point, etc.) of the image data. Halftone dot data is the density of one color plate (Fig. 1
In the example of No. 3, Y version) is data indicating each picture pixel. One set of normal image data Dp having the configuration shown in FIG. 13 is created for one pattern scanning line of each pattern part. Here, the "pattern scanning line" refers to a scanning line having the width of the pattern pixel Pee after scaling.

The Y start address Yst and the X start address Xst are the coordinate values of the reference points (Rf1 to Rf5 in FIG. 2) of each picture scanning line of the picture part (this will be described later). The Y-direction pixel size Yz is the size of the picture pixel in the main scanning direction, and Yz = 6.25 in the example of FIG. 1 (A) and FIG. The X-direction pixel size Xz is the size of the picture pixel in the sub-scanning direction, and a different value is set for each picture scanning line. In the example of FIG. 2, the sub-scanning direction X
The widths of the pattern pixels Pee along the line are 6, 6, 6, 7, and 6 in order, and these values are X for each of the pattern scanning lines L1 to L5.
The direction pixel size is Xz. A different value is set for each pattern scanning line of the X start address Xst, which will be described later. On the other hand, Y start address Yst and Y
The directional pixel size Yz is a value common to each pattern scanning line for the same pattern part.

In this embodiment, as described above, the pixel size Yz in the Y direction in the normal image data Dp is the product of the magnification M (= 1.25) of the picture pattern and the width N (= 5) of the original picture pixel Pe. It is set equal to (= 6.25). In the X-direction pixel size Xz, the end position of the j-th picture pixel Pee arranged in the sub-scanning direction from the picture reference point Ref (FIG. 2) is M ×.
It is set so as to match the position indicated by an integer obtained by cutting off the fractional part of N × j (the value represented by the coordinate X0 in FIG. 2). The size of the picture pixel in the main scanning direction is rounded to an integer in the image data synthesizing device 300 (FIG. 1), as will be described later.

FIG. 14 is a conceptual diagram showing the structure of the high resolution image data Dhp. The high-resolution image data Dhp includes attribute data, a main scanning address of the intersection, and halftone dot% data of micro pixels after the intersection. The attribute data indicates a change point (start point, end point, or the like) of the high-resolution image data. Note that the data indicating the position to which the high resolution image data is applied at the boundary between the two patterns is not included in the intersection point data Di as shown in FIG. 11C. The position where the high resolution image data is applied is
This is indicated by the intersection main scanning address of the high resolution image data Dhp shown in FIG. When at least one of the two adjacent picture components is scaled, the region represented by the high resolution image data Dhp is also transformed. Figure 1
Reference numeral 5 denotes an area represented by the high resolution image data Dhp when the picture pixels Pee and Per that have been scaled by different magnifications are adjacent to each other. In such a case, the picture pixel Pee,
An area in which parts of Per are overlapped with each other (area indicated by diagonal lines in the drawing) is represented by the high resolution image data Dhp.

Primary data D for recording the above three types of images
Among i, Dp, and Dhp, the intersection data Di and the high-resolution image data Dhp are created for each recording scanning line having a width of 5 micropixels. Further, the normal image data Dp is created for each pattern scanning line having the width of the scaled pattern pixel.
FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a layout of color separation images of four colors on the photosensitive film PF and a structure of image recording data representing an image on the recording scanning line SL. As shown in FIG. 16A, the color separation images Iy, Im, I of the YMCK plates are obtained.
c and Ik are arranged at the offset positions designated by the layout process shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 16B, the image recording 1
The first data file of the next data includes the header including the sub-scanning direction address of the scanning line SL and the intersection point data Di. Further, the second data file includes a header including an address in the sub-scanning direction, normal image data Dp1, and high resolution image data Dhp1. The intersection point data Di indicates the intersection point data regarding the recording scanning line SL on the photosensitive film PF. This recording scanning line SL
Has a width of 5 micropixels. Ordinary image data Dp1, Dp representing an image on the recording scanning line SL
Reference numeral 2 is data representing the two pattern parts of the color separation image Im of the M plate. High resolution image data Dhp1,
Dhp2 is data representing the boundary between the patterns of the M color separation image Im. Similarly, for the K plate, a data file including the normal image data Dp and the high resolution image data Dhp is created. The intersection data Di indicates different intersection positions for the scanning lines of five micropixels. In addition, the normal image data Dp
1 and Dp2 represent the densities of the patterns having a width corresponding to one pixel of the scaled image, and the high resolution image data Dhp1 and DhP2 are
The density of the pattern on the recording scanning line SL for 5 micropixels is shown. These image recording primary data are temporarily stored in the hard disk 203 (FIG. 3).

Image recording device 1 prepared as described above
As described below, the next data is converted into a halftone dot signal in real time by the image data synthesizing device 300 and the halftone dot signal generating device 100 (FIG. 3), and the recording scanner 500 is exposed in accordance with this halftone dot signal. 4 on the film PF
Plate color separation images Iy, Im, Ic, Ik (FIG. 16A)
Record).

J. Internal configurations and operations of the image data synthesizer and the halftone dot signal generator: In the image data synthesizer 300,
Pixels expressing the density of each plate in units of micropixels based on the primary data for image recording (that is, the intersection data Di, the normal image data Dp, and the high resolution image data Dhp) created by the image processing workstation 200. The signal is created. The data processing in the image data synthesizing apparatus 300 is executed at high speed in real time when the recording scanner 500 records the dots on the plate-making photosensitive film or the like.

The recording scanner 500 is 10 in this example.
Equipped with individual exposure beams. The width of the exposure beam is the width of one spot St shown in FIG. 9D, and ten exposure beams correspond to five micropixels Pμ (one scanning line for recording). That is, since the printing scanner 500 prints halftone dots along one printing scanning line, the image data synthesizing apparatus 300 also performs processing along one printing scanning line correspondingly.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing the internal structure of the image recording apparatus 700. The image recording primary data (intersection data Di, high resolution image data Dhp, and normal image data Dp) stored in the hard disk 203 of the image processing workstation 200 is transferred to the image data combining device via the bus expansion interface 207e. 300
And is held in the buffer 310 at regular intervals.
The buffer 310 is provided to absorb fluctuations in the transfer speed from the hard disk 203. The synthesis processing unit 320 has a pixel signal generation unit 321 and two decoders 322 and 323. Pixel signal generator 3
Reference numeral 21 executes a combining process described later based on the intersection data Di and the image data Dp and Dhp to generate a pixel signal DS indicating the density of each micropixel. The internal configuration and operation of the pixel signal generator 321 will be described later. The decoder 322 decodes the intersection data Di to generate a version designation signal PES and a pattern select signal PPS. The plate designation signal PES is a signal indicating which color plate the pixel signal DS is, and the pattern select signal PPS is a signal indicating which of a plurality of sets of screen pattern memories (SPM) is used. Pattern select signal P
The PS, the plate designating signal PES, and the pixel signal DS are once held in the buffer 330 of the next stage and then supplied to the halftone dot signal generator 100, respectively.

The halftone dot signal generating apparatus 100 sequentially executes signal processing on a spot-by-spot basis in synchronization with the recording scanner 500 recording the halftone dots on a recording medium such as a photosensitive film for plate making. The halftone dot signal generation device 100 first determines the pixel signal D
The density value indicated by S is adjusted according to the relationship preset in the SGD (screen gradation table memory) 101, and at the same time, the SPM (screen pattern memory) is adjusted.
Screen pattern data (SP
D) is read by the SPM controller 102. The screen pattern data is a threshold value assigned to each spot, which is the minimum unit of halftone dots, and is assigned a value in the range of 0 to 255 expressed by an 8-digit binary number, for example. A plurality of types (for example, four types) of screen pattern data are stored in advance in the SPM 103 for each color plate, and the SPM controller 102 selects one type among them in accordance with the plate designation signal PES and the pattern select signal PPS. The comparison unit 104 compares the selected screen pattern data with the pixel signal DS for each spot, and outputs a binary halftone dot signal according to the comparison result.

The recording scanner 500 records halftone dots on the photosensitive film PF installed on the rotary drum 501 based on the halftone dot signals sent from the halftone dot signal generator 100. A plurality of exposure heads 502 (not shown), for example, 10
The present invention is provided with an exposure beam irradiating device, and these exposure beam irradiating devices modulate the exposure beam according to the values "1" and "0" of the halftone dot signal. A photosensitive film PF is attached to the rotary drum 501, and the color separation image of four plates is recorded on the photosensitive film PF as a mesh plate image. Each time the rotary drum 501 makes one rotation, the exposure head moves the rotary drum 5 by an interval corresponding to 10 spots.
01 is moved in the direction along the rotation axis (sub-scanning direction).
As a result, halftone dots are recorded on the photosensitive film PF along both the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction.

The controller 503 adjusts the rotation speed of the rotary drum 501 and the scanning position of the exposure head 502 based on the control signal transmitted from the CPU 201 of the image processing workstation 200. As a result,
As shown in FIG. 6A, the color separation image of the fourth plate is recorded on the photosensitive film PF according to the arrangement instruction of the operator. It is also possible that the image recording apparatus 700 independently executes the image recording processing based on the image recording primary data stored in the buffer 310 without receiving a control signal from the image processing workstation 200.

K. Internal Configuration and Operation of Pixel Signal Generation Unit: FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the pixel signal generation unit 321 in the synthesis processing unit 320 (FIG. 17). The pixel signal generation unit 321 includes a write controller unit 802, an address selector 804, a read controller 806,
Two image data buffers 808 and 809, a latch unit 812, and a selector unit 814 are provided. The normal image data Dp given from the buffer 310 in the previous stage is given to the write controller unit 802. Further, the intersection data Di and the high resolution image data Dhp are decoded by the decoders 322 and 323, respectively, and given to the selector section 814. The write controller unit 802 and the buffer 310 at the preceding stage transfer the normal image data Dp while communicating with the handshake signal Shs.

The write controller section 802, as will be described later in detail, the normal image data Dp (see FIG. 13).
Of the image data buffers 808 and 809, the 8-bit pixel data PD, the 1-bit writing position flag Fw, and the 5-bit channel valid flags F1 to F.
Write 5 and 5, respectively. Here, one channel corresponds to the width of one micropixel Pμ. The channel valid flags F1 to F5 indicate whether or not the pixel data PD is applied to each channel in one recording scanning line. The pixel data PD written in the image data buffers 808 and 809 is passed through the latch unit 812 and the selector unit 814 as described later, and the pixel signal D for five channels is supplied.
It is transferred to the buffer 330 (FIG. 17) in the subsequent stage as S1 to DS5. That is, the pixel signal generator 321 generates the pixel signal DS for one recording scanning line.

It is also possible to prepare two sets of two image data buffers and configure a double buffer capable of toggle switching between the two sets. In this way, it is possible to write data in the image data buffer of one set and read the data from the image data buffer of the other set.

FIG. 19 shows a picture part and ordinary image data Dp.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a correspondence relationship between data written in and image data buffers 808 and 809. In FIG. 19 (A), the pattern scanning line L1 of the original pattern component OP1 has the width of the enlarged pattern pixel Pee. The recording scan line SL1 to be processed has a width of 5 micropixels. The position of the reference point Rf1 of the pattern scanning line L1 is
The Y start address Yst and the X start address X registered in the header area of the normal image data Dp in FIG.
indicated by st. The Y start address Yst and the X start address Xst are values representing the deviation amount from the upper left end point R0 of the original picture pixel Pe (shown by the broken line) including the reference point Rf1 to the reference point Rf1 in units of micropixels Pμ. Is. The symbol "h" added to the numerical values of the addresses Yst and Xst indicates that it is in hexadecimal notation. The width of the picture pixel Pee on the picture scanning line L1 in the sub scanning direction X is indicated by the X direction pixel size Xz, and the width in the main scanning direction Y is indicated by the Y direction pixel size Yz. The pixel size Yz in the Y direction is a value (=
6.25), the actual width of the picture pixel Pee in the main scanning direction Y is set to an integer value of 6, 6, 6, 7, 6 as shown in FIG. The configuration and operation of the circuit that determines the width of the picture pixel Pee in the main scanning direction will be described later.

19C and 19D show image data buffers 808 and 809 in which pixel data is registered for the recording scanning line SL1 of FIG. 19A. The recording scanning line SL1 is divided into 5 channels. The address Arw of the image data buffers 808 and 809 corresponds to the main scanning coordinates along the recording scanning line SL1.

The data registered in the second image data buffer 809 shown in FIG. 19 (D) has the following relationship with the image in FIG. 19 (A). Since the leftmost two channels on the recording scanning line SL1 have no picture, the channel valid flags F1 and F2 for these channels are shown in FIG.
It is 0 at all addresses Arw in (D). In the remaining three channels on the recording scanning line SL1, the picture portion represented by the first pixel data D1 starts from the fourth coordinate position. Corresponding to this, the pixel data D1 is written to the fourth address “03h” of the first image data buffer 809, and the write position flag Fw is written.
And channel valid flag F3 of the third to fifth channels
F5 is set to 1. Address "04h" following this
The data of "09h" are all 0. And the third
~ The pattern portion represented by the second pixel data D2 starts from the 10th coordinate position of the fifth channel, so 10
The pixel data D2 is written to the th address "09h", and the write position flag Fw and the channel valid flags F3 to F5 of the third to fifth channels are set to "1". In this way, the pixel data PD is registered in the image data buffer 809 at the address corresponding to the start position of each picture pixel Pee. At the address, the write position flag Fw is set to 1 and
The channel valid flag for a valid channel is set to 1.

The two image data buffers 808,
809 is used to register data for each of two pattern scanning lines when two pattern scanning lines exist in one recording scanning line. In the example of FIG. 19, since the recording scanning line SL1 includes only one picture scanning line, the data is registered only in the second image data buffer 809.

In the normal image data Dp shown in FIG. 19B, the pixel size XZ in the X direction is 6, but the data for three channels is registered in the second image data buffer 809 of FIG. 19D. It has only been done. The remaining 3
The normal image data for the channel is the second recording scanning line SL2 as the carry-over image data Dpp shown in FIG.
Applied to.

FIG. 20 shows the contents of the image data buffers 808 and 809 registered along the second recording scanning line SL2. When registering the data of the second recording scanning line SL2 in the image data buffers 808 and 809, as shown in FIG. 20B, the carry-over normal image data Dpp for the first pattern scanning line L1 and The normal image data Dp for the second pattern scanning line L2 is referred to. The carried-over normal image data Dpp is obtained by rewriting the X start address Xst and the X-direction pixel size Xz of the normal image data Dp in FIG. This carried-over normal image data Dpp represents a picture for three channels from the point Rf1a shown in FIG. On the other hand, the normal image data Dp for the second pattern scanning line L2 represents a pattern for 6 channels from the point Rf2.

The contents of the carried-over normal image data Dpp for the first pattern scanning line L1 are registered in the first image data buffer 808, and the normal image data D for the second pattern scanning line L2 are registered.
The content of p is registered in the second image data buffer 809. That is, the data for the first three channels of the recording scanning line SL2 is registered in the first image data buffer 808, and the data for the remaining two channels is registered in the second image data buffer 809.

When the pattern is reduced, there is a possibility that three or more pattern scanning lines are included on one recording scanning line. In order to deal with such a case, one set may include three or more image data buffers. 5
By including a sheet of image data buffer, data can be registered for each channel.

As shown in FIG. 19 or 20, the data for one recording scanning line is the image data buffer 808,
When registered in 809, the pixel data PD and the channel valid flags F1 to F5 are read from the image data buffers 808 and 809 by the read controller 806 and latched in the latch unit 812 (FIG. 18). At this time, the read clock CK synchronized with the write operation of the buffer 330
The read controller 806 outputs the read address Ar in response to r, and the read address Ar is selected by the address selector 804 and the image data buffers 808, 8 are output.
09. Image data buffers 808 and 809
Of the data PD, Fw, F1 to F5 output from
The write position flag Fw is given to the read controller 806, and in response to this, the read controller 806 outputs the clock signal CK to the latch unit 812. Latch section 8
12 latches the pixel data PD and the channel valid flags F1 to F5 in response to the rising edge of the clock signal CK, and outputs them to the selector unit 814.

The selector section 814 receives the pixel data PD,
Channel valid flags F1 to F5 and intersection point data Di
And pixel signals DS1 to DS5 of 5 channels based on the high resolution image data Dhp are output to the buffer 330 in the subsequent stage.

FIG. 21 shows a latch section 812 and a selector section 81.
4 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of FIG. Latch part 812
Has four latches 902, 904, 906, 908. The channel valid flag F output from the first image data buffer 808 is stored in the first latch 902.
1 to F5 are latched, and the pixel data P output from the first image data buffer 808 is stored in the second latch 904.
D1 is latched. Similarly, the third and fourth latches 90
Channel valid flags F1 to F5 and pixel data PD2 output from the second image data buffer 809 are respectively latched at 6 and 908.

The selector section 814 has five selectors respectively corresponding to five channels. The input terminals of the selector 910 for the first channel are connected to the second and fourth channels.
Of the pixel data PD1 and PD2 respectively output from the latches 904 and 908, and the high resolution pixel data PDh obtained by decoding the high resolution image data Dhp by the decoder 323 (FIG. 17) and the intersection point data Di.
2 and the tint value data Dti obtained by decoding. Further, the select terminal of the selector 910 is obtained by decoding the two channel valid flags F1 for the first channel output from the first and second latches 902 and 904 and the high resolution image data Dhp. The high resolution effective signal Sha and the image / tint switching signal Spc obtained by decoding the intersection data Di are given.

FIG. 22 shows the selector 91 for the first channel.
The relationship between 0 select input and output is shown. “X” in the figure indicates that it is an arbitrary value. As shown in FIG. 22, one of the tint value Dti, the pixel data PD1 and PD2 of the normal image, and the high resolution pixel data PDh is selected and output according to four select inputs. The same applies to other channels. The output of the selector of each channel is output as the pixel signal DS to the buffer 3 in the next stage.
30 (FIG. 17).

L. Internal structure and operation of write controller: FIG. 23 shows a write controller unit 80 shown in FIG.
2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of No. 2; FIG. The write controller unit 802 includes a controller 820, a FIFO memory 830, and three registers 8 for creating a write address.
42, 844, 846, an adder 848, and a down counter 850.

The controller 820 has two carry-over counters 822 and 824, and an internal register 826 which holds the contents of the control signal Scn. The first carry-over number counter 822 is a counter indicating how many sets of carry-over normal image data Dpp for the recording scanning line being processed are stored in the FIFO memory 830. The second carry-over counter 824 is a counter indicating how many sets of carry-over normal image data Dpp for the next recording scanning line are stored in the FIFO memory 830. The controller 820 normally has two input ports A1 and A2 for receiving image data. The normal image data Dp output from the buffer 310 (FIG. 17) in the preceding stage is input to the first input port A1, and the second input port A1 is input.
In 2, the carry-over normal image data Dpp output from the FIFO memory 830 is input.

Adder 848 and three registers 842, 8
Reference numerals 44 and 846 form a circuit for generating a write address Aw to be supplied to the image data buffers 808 and 809. Each of the three registers 842, 844 and 846 is divided into an integer part and a decimal part. The down counter 850 is a counter that counts the number of pixel data included in the normal image data Dp and Dpp.

24 and 25 show the controller section 8
It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of 02. The processing corresponding to FIGS. 19 and 20 will be described below. In step S1, the carry-over counters 822 and 824 and the image data buffers 808 and 809 are cleared to zero.

In step S2, it is determined based on the count value of the first carry-over number counter 822 whether the carry-over normal image data Dpp for the recording scan line to be processed is stored in the FIFO memory 830. Since the counter 822 is cleared at the first time point, the determination in step S2 is “No”, and the process proceeds to step S3.

In step S3, the controller 820 activates the first port A1 and receives the normal image data Dp (FIG. 19A) from the buffer 310 at the preceding stage. In step S4, the input normal image data D
The attribute data in the header of p is decoded, and if it is all end (indicating the end of the picture part), the process ends. If the attribute data is the line end (indicating the end of the pattern scanning line), the process proceeds to step S5. If it is neither the all end nor the line end, the process proceeds to step S9 in FIG. At the start of the process, since the attribute data is neither all end nor line end, the processes after step S9 in FIG. 25 are executed.

In step S9, the header of the normal image data Dp of FIG. 19B is further decoded, the Y start address Yst (= 03h) is set as the initial data in the first register 842, and the Y-direction pixel Size Y
z (= 6.25) is set in the third register 846. Further, the pixel number Np (= 100) is the pixel number counter 8
It is set as an initial value of 50. The initial value Yst of the first register 842 is latched in the second register 844, and the integer part thereof is output as the write address Aw.

In step S9, the values of the valid flags F1 to F5 of each channel are determined based on the X start address Xst and the pixel size Xz in the X direction, and those values are set in the internal register 826. In the data of FIG. 19B, since Xst = 02h and Xz = 6, the flags F3 to F5 of the third to fifth channels are set to 1 and the flags F1 and F2 of the first and second channels are set to 0. To be done.

In step S10, it is determined whether or not data is carried over based on the X start address Xst and the X direction pixel size Xz. If the value of Xst + Xz is 6 or more, there is a carryover, and if it is 5 or less, there is no carryover. In the case of FIG. 19B, since Xst + Xz = 8, data is carried over.

If data is carried forward, step S1
1, the controller 820 sends the control signal Scn
The second image data buffer 809 is selected by setting the middle buffer selection signal Sb to the L level. Then, in step S12, the carried forward ordinary image data D
A header of pp (FIG. 20 (B)) is created and output to the FIFO memory 830. In the header of the carried-over normal image data Dpp shown in FIG. 20 (B), the X start address Xst of the header of the normal image data Dp shown in FIG. 19 (B) is changed to 0, and the X-direction pixel size Xz is changed to 3. It is a thing. Pixel size Xz in the X direction of the carried forward normal image data Dpp
The value of is Xst + Xz (= 8) of the original normal image data Dp.
It is obtained by subtracting the number of channels (= 5) from.

In step S13, 1 is added to the count value of the second carry-over counter 824. The count value of the second carry-over counter 824 is the next recording scan line SL2.
It shows how many sets of the carried-over ordinary image data Dpp for. Here, "one set" refers to ordinary image data representing one picture scanning line of one picture part. When there are a plurality of picture parts on one recording scanning line in the integrated image, a plurality of sets of carry-over normal image data Dpp may be stored in the FIFO memory 830.

In step S14, the controller 820
Writes the pixel data D1 in the second image data buffer 809 (FIG. 19D). The address Arw of the pixel data D1 is the value Yst (=
It is the integer part of 3). At the time of this writing, the pixel data D
At the address where 1 is written, the write position flag Fw is set to 1 and the values of the channel valid flags F1 to F5 are also written.

In step S15, the pixel data PD of the normal image data Dp shown in FIG.
Written to zero. Since the header of the carry-over normal image data Dpp was stored in the FIFO memory 830 in step S12 described above, the carry-over image data Dpp shown in FIG. 20B is written by writing the pixel data PD in the FIFO memory 830 in step S15. Is F
It will be stored in the IFO memory 830.

In step S16, the value Yst (that is, the main scanning address) of the second register and the third register 84
The value Yz of 6 is added by the adder 848, and the addition result is written in the first register 842. The rewritten integer part of the first register 842 is the second pixel data D.
It becomes the write address Aw for 2. Here, the first
Since the value of the register 842 of (Yst + Yz) = 9.25, the write address Aw for the second pixel data D2
Is "09h". Generally, the write address Aw for the kth pixel data is {Yst + Yz × (k−
1)}.

In step S17, the pixel number counter 850
1 is subtracted from the count value of. If the number of pixels is not 0 in step S18, the pixel data remains, so the process returns to step S14 and the processes of steps S14 to S18 are repeated. In this way, the pixel data D1, D2, ... Of the normal image data Dp shown in FIG. 19B is registered in the second image data buffer 809, and the data shown in FIG. 19D is created.

If the number of pixels is 0 in step S18, there is no pixel data remaining, and therefore step S of FIG.
Move to 2. In step S2, the count value of the first carry-over number counter 822 is checked to determine the first recording scan line SL.
It is determined whether or not the carried-over normal image data for 1 remains. The first recording scanning line SL1 in FIG.
, There is no ordinary image data carried over from the previous scanning line for recording, so the process proceeds to step S3,
The first input port A1 is set to active.

At this point, steps S14-
Since the processing of the first recording scanning line SL1 is completed by the processing of S18, the normal image data whose attribute data has become the line end is read into the controller 820 in step S4, and as a result, the steps from step S4 to step S4 are performed. The processing shifts to S5. In step S5, it is determined whether the image data buffer 808 of the two image data buffers 808 and 809, which has not written data until now, is outputting data, and the data of this image data buffer 808 Wait for the output to finish.

In step S6, the selection of the image data buffer is switched. Then, in step S7, the count value of the second carry-over number counter 824 for the next line is set as the initial value of the first carry-over number counter 822 for the processing line. After that, the process returns to step S2, and the process for the next recording scanning line SL2 is started. At the start of the processing of the recording scanning line SL2, the FIFO memory 830 stores the carry-over normal image data Dpp shown in FIG.

In step S2, it is determined whether or not the carry-over normal image data is stored in the FIFO memory 830 based on the count value of the first carry-over number counter 822 for the processing line. FIG. 20 shows the FIFO memory 830.
Since one set of carry-over normal image data Dpp shown in (B) is stored, the count value of the first carry-over number counter 822 is 1. Therefore, the process moves from step S2 to step S8, and the second input port A2 of the controller 820 is set to active.

In step S9 of FIG. 25, the header of the carried-over normal image data Dpp is decoded and the register 84
2, 846 and counter 850 have Yst (= 03h), Yz
(= 6.25) and Np (= 100) are set, respectively. In addition, the channel valid flag F1, for the number of channels specified by the X-direction pixel size Xz (= 3), starting from the channel (00h corresponds to channel 1) indicated by the X start address Xst (= 00h)
The values of F2 and F3 are set to 1.

In step S10, the value of (Xst + Xz) in the carry-over normal image data Dpp shown in FIG. 20B is 3, which is 5 or less.
It is determined that it is not necessary to carry p over to the next recording scan line. Therefore, the processing shifts from step S10 to step S19.

In step S19, it is determined whether or not the value of the channel validity flag F5 of the fifth channel is 1.
If the value of the channel valid flag F5 is 1, step S
At 21, the second image data buffer 809 is selected. The reason for this is that in this embodiment, the data relating to the fifth channel is always the second image data buffer 8
This is because it has been decided to register in 09. on the other hand,
If the flag F5 of the fifth channel is 0, the normal image data being processed does not include the data related to the fifth channel, so the first image data buffer 808 is selected in step S20. Since F5 = 0 for the carried-over normal image data Dpp in FIG. 20B, step S2 is performed.
0 is executed and the first image data buffer 808 is selected. The normal image data being processed in step S19 may be the carried-over normal image data Dpp or the non-carried-out normal image data Dp. Since the controller 820 does not determine whether or not the normal image data being processed is the carried over data, the controller 820 looks at the value of the channel valid flag F5 of the fifth channel to determine which of the two image data buffers 808 and 809 is being used. It decides whether to choose.

Steps S22 to S25 are the same as steps S14 and S16 to S18 described above. That is, in steps S22 to S25, the FIFO memory 83
Step S1 for storing carry-on ordinary image data in 0
The process of steps S14 to S18 is the same except that 5 is not included. As a result, as shown in FIG. 20C, the carried-over normal image data Dpp is converted into the first image data buffer 80.
Registered in 8.

The second recording scanning line SL2 shown in FIG.
24, the process further returns from step S25 to step S2 in FIG. Then, in step S3, the first input port A1 is set to active and the second input port A1 shown in FIG.
The processing of the normal image data Dp of the picture scanning line L2 is started. For this normal image data Dp, step S
4, S9 to S18 are executed.

As described above, the two recording scanning lines SL
As for the pattern scanning line L1 extending over 1 and SL2, the data for each recording scanning line is registered in the image data buffers 808 and 809 while carrying over normal image data. Then, as described above, the image data buffers 808, 80
The pixel data PD registered in 9 and the channel valid flags F1 to F5 are S, and the selector unit 8 is connected via the latch unit 812.
14 and is output from the selector section 814 as 5-channel pixel signals DS1 to DS5. The halftone dot signal generator 100 generates a halftone dot signal in accordance with the pixel signals DS1 to DS5, and the recording scanner 500 records a color separated image on the photosensitive film.

In the above-described embodiment, the image recording 1
In the normal image data Dp of the next data, the size Xz of the picture pixel in the sub-scanning direction X is set for each picture scanning line,
The size of the picture element pixel in the main scanning direction Y is determined while being calculated in real time when the image is recorded.
There is an advantage that the data amount of p is not excessively increased. Further, in the image processing workstation 200, the calculation of the picture pixel size may be performed for each picture scanning line, and it is not necessary to perform it for all the picture pixels in the picture part. Therefore, the normal image data Dp of the picture processing workstation 200 can be calculated. It can be created in a short time. Further, as shown in FIG. 23, the circuit for calculating the size of the picture element pixel in the main scanning direction has a plurality of registers 842 and 842.
It can be realized with a simple configuration composed of the 844, 846 and the adder 848, and has the advantage that it can be executed at high speed because the operation is only addition.

M. Modifications The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be implemented in various modes without departing from the scope of the invention, and the following modifications are possible, for example.

(1) In the above embodiment, the image recording primary data is composed of the intersection data Di, the normal image data Dp, and the high resolution image data Dhp, but the image recording primary data has another structure. May have. For example, when one picture part is the entire image, only the normal image data Dp need be created.

(2) Without preparing the primary data for image recording, recording image data representing a pattern is directly created for each scaled pattern pixel as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20. Good. However, if the primary data for image recording is prepared, the image can be combined at high speed in the scanning line sequence for recording by using the image data combining device 300 configured by the dedicated hardware for combining. Therefore, there is an advantage that the image can be recorded by the recording scanner 500 while the image data synthesizing apparatus 300 executes the image synthesizing in real time.

(3) In the above embodiment, the size of the picture element pixel in the main scanning direction Y is also calculated in the unit of micro pixel Pμ (pixel of line drawing) for each picture element pixel similarly to the sub scanning direction X, and the normal image data is obtained. You may make it register into Dp. This has the advantage that the size of the picture pixel in the main scanning direction does not have to be calculated for each picture pixel when recording an image. If the data indicating the size of each picture pixel in the main scanning direction in units of micropixels is put together in a data file separate from the pixel data, the total amount of data representing one picture part can be reduced. Is.

[0094]

As described above, according to the image data creating apparatus of the present invention, there is an effect that a picture can be scaled and recorded without causing excessive distortion in the picture.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing how the pixel size of a pattern changes when the pattern is enlarged and reduced according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an array of picture pixels of which sizes are adjusted.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image recording system including an image processing workstation as an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an integrated image to be processed in this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing a structure of a set of image data representing one component image.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents represented by pattern vector data as contour vector data.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing the contents of integrated image description data TT.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an image display example in a layout process of a color separation image.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the sizes of various pixels related to image recording.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing processing contents of a raster conversion unit and an image fitting processing unit.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the flow of raster conversion and image fitting processing.

FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram showing the structure of intersection data.

FIG. 13 is a conceptual diagram showing the structure of normal image data.

FIG. 14 is a conceptual diagram showing the structure of high resolution image data.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a region represented by high-resolution image data when picture pixels scaled by different magnifications are adjacent to each other.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a layout of color separated images of four colors on a photosensitive film and a structure of image recording data.

17 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the image recording device 700. FIG.

FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a pixel signal generation unit 321.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing a correspondence relationship between a picture part, normal image data Dp, and data written in an image data buffer.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents of the image data buffer registered along the second recording scanning line SL2.

FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing internal configurations of a latch section 812 and a selector section 814.

FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between select input and output of the selector 910 for the first channel.

FIG. 23 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a write controller unit 802.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart showing the operation of the controller unit 802.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing the operation of the controller unit 802.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100 ... Halftone dot signal generation device 102 ... SPM controller 103 ... SPM 104 ... Comparison unit 200 ... Image processing workstation 201 ... CPU 201a ... Raster conversion unit 201b ... Processing unit 202 ... Semiconductor memory 203 ... Hard disk 204 ... Color CRT 205a ... Keyboard 205b ... Mouse 206 ... Bus lines 207a to 207e ... Various interfaces 300 ... Image data synthesizing device 310 ... Buffer 320 ... Synthesis processing unit 321 ... Pixel signal generating unit 322, 323 ... Decoder 330 ... Buffer 400 ... Read scanner 500 ... Recording scanner 501 Rotating drum 502 ... Exposure head 503 ... Controller 600 ... Image recording system 700 ... Image recording device 802 ... Controller section 804 ... Address selector 806 ... Controller 808, 809 ... Image data buffer 812 ... Latch section 814 ... Selector section 820 ... Controller 822, 824 ... Carry-over number counter 826 ... Internal register 830 ... FIFO memory 842, 844, 846 ... Register 848 ... Adder 850 ... Pixel number counter 902 , 904, 906, 908 ... Latch 910 ... Selector Arw ... Image data buffer address Ar ... Read address Aw ... Write address A1, A2 ... Input port C ... Contour CI ... Integrated image CKr, CK ... Clock signals CP1 to CP3 ... Characters Parts CT ... Design data CTH ... Header area CTP ... Pixel data area CV1 ... Closed loop contour vector DS ... Pixel signal Dhp ... High resolution image data Di ... Intersection data Dp ... Normal image data Dpp ... Carried forward normal image data Dti ... Tint Data Fw ... Writing position flag F1-F5 ... Channel effective flag Im, Im, Ic, Ik ... Color separation image L1-L5 ... Pattern scanning line LPF ... Outer frame LY, LM, LC, LK ... Outer frame Lx of color separation image , Ly ... Size of integrated image M ... Magnification Np ... Number of pixels included in pixel data N ... Width of picture element pixel (micropixel unit) O ... Origin of photosensitive film OP1, OP2 ... Original picture part Oy, Om, Occ, Ok ... Origin of color separation image PD ... Pixel data of normal image PDh ... High resolution pixel data PES ... Plate designation signal Pe, Pee, Per ... Picture pixel PF ... Photosensitive film PG ... Contour vector data PGH ... Header area PGV ... Vector data area PP1, PP2 ... Design parts PPS ... Pattern select signal P.mu .... Micro pixels Q1 to Q7 ... Intersections Ref, Rf1 to Rf5 Reference point Scn ... Control signal SL, SL1, SL2 ... Scanning line for recording Sb ... Buffer selection signal Sha ... High resolution effective signal Shs ... Handshake signal Spc ... Image / tint switching signal TP1 ... Tint part TT ... Integrated image description data Wx , Wy ... Width of original pattern component X ... Sub scanning direction Xst ... X start address Xz ... X direction pixel size Y ... Main scanning direction Yst ... Y start address Yz ... Y direction pixel size

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pattern based on line drawing data representing a line drawing for each line drawing pixel of a predetermined size, and pattern data representing a pattern for each pattern pixel having a size N times (N is an integer) the line drawing pixel. An apparatus for creating image recording data for recording an entire image including an image and a line drawing on an image recording medium, comprising: (A) magnification specifying means for specifying a magnification M of a pattern arranged in the entire image. (B) i arranged in the main scanning direction from a predetermined reference point of the pattern
The size of each picture element pixel in the main scanning direction is changed so that the end position of the th picture pixel coincides with the position indicated by an integer obtained by rounding M × N × i, and j is arranged in the sub scanning direction from the reference point. The end position of the th picture pixel is M × N ×
While changing the size of each picture element pixel in the sub-scanning direction so as to match the position indicated by an integer obtained by rounding j, while assigning the picture data to each picture element pixel whose size has been changed,
An image-recording-data creating device comprising: an image-recording-data creating unit that creates image-recording data for recording the entire image on an image recording medium.