JPH06348578A - Data base managing device for printing and plate making - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a data base managing device for printing and plate making which can be increased in the access speed of a read of component data. CONSTITUTION:Each printing and plate making processor 10 processes and edits constituent components of ordered printed matter in specific job units. The data base managing device 30 stores component data sent from respective printing and plate making processing terminals 10 in a center storage device 40, retrieves and reads out specific component data in the center storage device 40, and sends them out to a specific printing and plate making processor 10. When the component data are sent from the printing and plate making processing terminal 10, the data base managing device 30 determines a storage area in the center storage device on the basis of the job that the component data belong to. Consequently, the component data of respective jobs are put together, job by job, and stored at positions which are as close to one another as possible. Consequently, the access speed at the time of the read of component data is made fast.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing / engraving database management apparatus, and more specifically, it is sent from a printing / engraving processing terminal that processes / edits constituent parts of a printed matter in predetermined job units. The present invention relates to a device that stores part data in a center storage device and retrieves and reads out predetermined part data from the center storage device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there has been a movement to form a LAN (Local Area Network) or the like by utilizing a small computer such as a personal computer or a workstation, which has a remarkably improved processing ability, in place of a conventional large general-purpose computer. It is becoming active. This shift to smaller machines is called "downsizing" and is mainly aimed at reducing costs and shortening the development period. In the field of printing and plate-making processing, downsizing is being promoted rapidly. For example, a plurality of printing / plate-making processing terminals that are arranged in a distributed manner operate in a network environment and share various data stored in the database while executing predetermined printing / plate-making processing in parallel. Plate-making processing systems are becoming popular.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional client / server type printing / platemaking processing system. In FIG. 15, a plurality of printing / plate-making processing terminals 1 as clients are coupled to a database management device 3 as a server via a wired or wireless communication path 2 so as to be capable of data communication. Database management device 3
A center storage device 4 that functions as a database is connected to the. The center storage device 4 is composed of a large-capacity storage device such as a magnetic disk device or an optical disk device, and stores various component data (images, graphics, characters, layout, etc.) that make up the ordered printed matter. ing. The database management device 3 controls writing of data to the center storage device 4 and retrieval and reading of data therefrom, and also controls data transfer between the center storage device 4 and each printing / plate-making processing terminal 1. . Thereby, each printing / plate-making processing terminal 1 can share the data accumulated in the center storage device 4.

Each operator who operates the printing / platemaking processing terminal 1 is assigned in advance a work for printing / platemaking according to a predetermined schedule. Before each operator starts one work, each operator reads the component data necessary for the work assigned to him / her from the center storage device 4 and stores it in the internal memory (for example, a magnetic disk) of each printing / plate-making processing terminal 1. . After that, each operator operates the printing / plate-making processing terminal 1 to perform various processing / editing on the component data stored in each internal memory. When one operation is completed, each operator reversely transfers the processed / edited part data from the printing / plate-making processing terminal 1 to the database management device 3, and the center storage device 4
Register again.

[0005]

In the conventional printing / plate-making processing system as described above, the database management device 3 stores the component data sent from each printing / plate-making processing terminal 1 in the center storage device 4. The data is sequentially stored in the empty area closest to the first address. However, since the parts data of each page of each printed matter is sent at random from each printing / plate-making processing terminal 1 to the database management device 3, the parts of the same printed matter or the same page are stored in the center storage device 4. The data will be scattered and stored. On the other hand, reading of the component data from the center storage device 4 is often performed in page units or printed matter units. However, in the center storage device 4, since the component data of the same printed matter or the same page are scattered and stored, it takes time to access each component data, and the reading speed becomes slow. .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a printing / prepressing database management device capable of increasing the access speed when reading component data.

[0007]

The invention according to claim 1 is
The component data sent from the printing / plate-making processing terminal that processes / edits the component parts of the printed matter in predetermined job units is stored in the center storage device, and the predetermined component data is searched and read from the center storage device. A database management device for printing / platemaking, which is a center storage device for the component data based on a receiving unit that receives the component data sent from the printing / platemaking processing terminal and a job to which the component data received by the receiving unit belongs And a storage unit for storing the component data received by the reception unit in the storage location in the center storage device determined by the clustering unit, whereby component data belonging to the same job is provided. It is characterized in that they are stored at positions physically close to each other.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the clustering means determines whether or not the component data belonging to the same job as the received component data by the receiving means is already stored in the center storage device. If the judgment means and the judgment result of the judgment means indicate that part data belonging to the same job as the received part data is already stored in the center storage device, the empty area closest to the storage position of the part data is set. If the part data belonging to the same job as the received part data is not stored in the center storage device as a result of the judgment by the first deciding means for deciding the storage position of the received part data and the deciding means, A second position for determining a substantially central position between the component data having the largest arrangement interval in the storage device as the storage position of the received component data. And a determination means.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the storage position of the received component data in the center storage device is determined based on the job to which the component data received by the receiving means belongs,
By storing the received component data in the determined storage position, the component data belonging to the same job are stored in physically close positions.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is judged whether or not the component data belonging to the same job as the received component data by the receiving means is already stored in the center storage device, and the same job as the received component data is received. When the part data belonging to the part is already stored in the center storage device, the empty area closest to the storage position of the part data is determined as the storage position of the reception part data, and the same job as the reception part data is stored. When the belonging component data is not stored in the center storage device, the approximate center position between the component data having the largest arrangement interval in the center storage device is determined as the storage position of the received component data.

[0011]

1 is a block diagram showing the construction of a printing / platemaking processing system equipped with a database management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a plurality of printing / plate-making processing terminals 10 as clients are connected to a database management apparatus 30 as a server via a wired or wireless communication path 20 so as to be capable of data communication. A center storage device 40 is connected to the database management device 30. The center storage device 40 is composed of a large-capacity storage device such as a magnetic disk device or an optical disk device,
Data such as image files are stored therein. The database management device 30 controls writing of data to the center storage device 40 and reading of data from the center storage device 40, and also controls data transfer between the center storage device 40 and each printing / plate-making processing terminal 10. A JOB management device 50 is connected to the communication path 20. JOB
JOB management data is input from the management device 50.

FIG. 2 is a printing / plate-making processing terminal 1 shown in FIG.
It is a block diagram which shows an example of a structure of 0. In FIG. 2, a CPU 101, a main memory 102, a frame buffer 103, a magnetic disk device 105, an optical disk device 106, a keyboard 107 and a mouse 108 are connected to the system bus 100. The CPU 101 as a central processing unit executes a predetermined printing / platemaking process. R
The main memory 102 composed of AM is a CPU
It is used as a working memory 101. The frame buffer 103 is a display memory and stores image data for one frame projected on the CRT display 110. The image data stored in the frame buffer 103 is converted into an analog video signal by the D / A converter 109 and then given to the CRT display 110 and displayed there.

The magnetic disk device 105 stores OS data, a window system, a printing / platemaking processing program, and the like. The CPU 101 operates according to the OS data, the window system, and the printing / platemaking processing program stored in the magnetic disk device 105. The optical disk device 106 is used to store large-capacity print / plate-making data. The keyboard 107 and the mouse 108 are devices operated by an operator to input various commands and data. Further, a communication interface 111 is connected to the system bus 100 with the communication path 20. The communication interface 111 is a device that controls data communication between the CPU 101 and the database management device 30.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the database management device 30 shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, a CPU 301, a main memory 302, a frame buffer 303, a magnetic disk device 305, a keyboard 307, a mouse 308, and an input / output interface 312 are connected to the system bus 300. Of these, the CPU
301, main memory 302, frame buffer 30
3, the magnetic disk device 305, the keyboard 307, and the mouse 308 are respectively the CPU 101,
Main memory 102, frame buffer 103, magnetic disk device 105, keyboard 107 and mouse 10
It has almost the same function in 8 and the higher concept. The input / output interface 312 is a device for controlling input / output of data between the system bus 300 and the center storage device 40. Further, the system bus 300 has a communication path 2
A communication interface 311 is connected to the 0. This communication interface 311 prints with the CPU 301.
Controls data communication with the plate-making processing terminal 10.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the configuration of the center storage device 40 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the center storage device 40 includes a plurality of magnetic disks 4
, 42, ..., 4n are included. Each magnetic disk 41, 42,
As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of recording tracks T0, T1, ... Tm are concentrically arranged on 4n. Recording tracks corresponding to the respective magnetic disks 41, 42, ... 4n form a cylindrical cylinder as shown in FIG. For example, each recording track T0 on the magnetic disks 41, 42, ... 4n constitutes one cylinder, and each recording track T1 constitutes one cylinder. Therefore, the magnetic disks 41, 42, ...
4n will include the same number of cylinders as recording tracks.

By the way, the magnetic disks 41, 42, ... 4
Magnetic heads are arranged on the respective n. At the time of reading the component data, switching of the cylinder to be accessed involves mechanical movement of each magnetic head, that is, movement of each magnetic disk 41, 42, ... 4n in the radial direction, which greatly reduces the access speed. Influence.
On the other hand, switching of recording tracks in the same cylinder is
Since each magnetic head should be electrically switched,
It can be performed at high speed and has little effect on access speed. Therefore, it is preferable that the component data belonging to the same page or the same printed matter, which are often read at the same time, be stored in the same cylinder or a cylinder in the vicinity as much as possible. In this embodiment, the access speed at the time of data reading is increased by performing the clustering processing that satisfies such a request when storing the component data.

FIG. 7 shows the hierarchical structure of the ordered work. As shown in FIG. 7, the printed products ordered from each customer are classified by company, and the printed products of each company are classified by JOB. Here, each JOB represents a unit of one printed matter such as a catalog or a leaflet. Each JO
B is further classified by page. Each page is composed of one or more component data (including character data, line drawing data, image (picture) data, layout data, etc.). The printing / plate-making processing system shown in FIG. 1 manages each component data file under the hierarchical structure shown in FIG.

Next, the operation of each printing / platemaking processing terminal 10 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The CPU 101 of the printing / plate-making processing terminal 10 reads the component data from the magnetic disk device 105 and processes / edits it (step S1). When the processing / editing work of the part data is completed, the CPU 101 sends JOB information (information such as company name, JOB name, page number, part type and number) of the part data to the database management device 30 (step S2). ). Next, the CPU 101 sends the processed / edited component data to the database management device 30 (step S3).

Next, the operation of the database management device 30 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the communication interface 311 receives the JOB information from the printing / plate-making processing terminal 10, the CPU 301 starts an interrupt process (step S101). Next, the CPU 301
Import JOB information from the communication interface 311,
It is loaded into the main memory 302 together with the JOB & cylinder table read from the magnetic disk device 305 (steps S102 and S103). Here, in the JOB & cylinder table, as shown in FIG.
Cylinder No. And are stored. Each cylinder No.
Indicates the No. of the cylinder in which the parts data of the corresponding JOB is initially stored. Is shown. Next, CPU3
01 determines whether the center storage device 40 is in an empty state, that is, a state in which no component data is stored (step S104). When the center storage device 40 is empty, the CPU 301 stores the component data received from the printing / plate-making processing terminal 10 in the leading cylinder in the center storage device 40, and the JOB and the leading cylinder No. corresponding to the component data are stored. Is registered in the JOB & cylinder table (step S105), and the operation ends.

On the other hand, when the component data is already stored in the center storage device 40, the CPU 301 executes printing / printing.
It is determined whether the same JOB as the JOB received from the plate-making processing terminal 10 (reception JOB) is registered in the JOB & cylinder table (step S106). When the same JOB as the receiving JOB is registered in the JOB & cylinder table, the component data belonging to the same JOB as the receiving JOB is already stored in the center storage device 40, and the corresponding cylinder number. (No. of the cylinder in which the part data of the JOB is initially stored) is registered in the JOB & cylinder table. In this case, the CPU 30
1 is the cylinder No. corresponding to the received JOB registered in the JOB & cylinder table. The component data received from the printing / plate-making processing terminal 10 is stored in the empty area closest to (step S107). For example, the cylinder No. corresponding to JOB2. If “5” is registered as, the CPU 301 determines that the cylinder number. The empty area in 5 is searched, and the part data of JOB2 received from the printing / plate-making processing terminal 10 is stored in the empty area. At this time,
Cylinder No. If 5 is already full of JOB2 parts data, the adjacent cylinder No. 4 or No. 4 The received part data of JOB2 is stored in the empty area in 6. Further, the cylinder No. 4 and No. If 6 is already full with JOB2 parts data, cylinder number.
3 or No. The received JOB2 component data is stored in an empty area in 7. The same applies hereinafter.

On the other hand, the same JOB as the receiving JOB is the above J
If not registered in the OB & cylinder table, CP
U301 is a new cylinder No. for the JOB.
Is calculated and registered in the JOB & cylinder table (step S108). After that, the CPU 301 determines the cylinder number newly registered in the JOB & cylinder table. The component data received from the printing / engraving processing terminal 10 is stored in the cylinder (step S107).

FIG. 14 shows the detailed operation of the subroutine step S108 of FIG. In the following, referring to FIG. 14, the new cylinder No. which is executed in this subroutine step S108. The calculation / registration operation will be described in more detail.

First, the CPU 301 sets the JOB & cylinder data stored in the JOB & cylinder table to the cylinder number. Sort or rearrange in order (step S20)
1). Assuming that the JOB & cylinder data shown in FIG. 8 is stored in the JOB & cylinder table, the sorted JOB & cylinder data is as shown in FIG. Note that each cylinder after sorting has N
o. Identification numbers P ₁ , P ₂ , ... Next, the CPU 301 calculates the distance D _i (= P _{i + 1} −P _i ) between the sorted cylinders (step S202). For example, each cylinder P ₁ to
When the cylinder spacing D _i is calculated for P ₅ , the result is as shown in FIG.

Next, the CPU 301 controls the center storage device 4
Distance Emi between the innermost cylinder Smin of 0 and the smallest cylinder Pmin stored in the JOB & cylinder table
n (= Pmin-Smin), and the interval Emax between the outermost cylinder Smax of the center storage device 40 and the largest cylinder Pmax stored in the JOB & cylinder table.
(= Pmax-Smax) is calculated (step S20)
3). Now, suppose that the center storage device 40 is 0 to 99 of 100.
Assuming that there are two cylinders and Pmin = 5 and Pmax = 99 as shown in FIG. 9, Emin = Pmin-Smin = 5-0 = 5 Emax = Pmax-Smax = 99-99 = 0 Become. Next, the CPU 301 performs the above step S202.
The maximum cylinder interval Dx is calculated from the cylinder intervals calculated in step S204 (step S204). For example, in the case of FIG. 10, the maximum cylinder spacing Dx is D ₄ = 49.

Next, the CPU 301 compares the cylinder intervals Emin, Emax, Dx to determine which cylinder interval is the maximum (steps S205, S20).
6). When Emin is the maximum, the CPU 301 receives the innermost cylinder Smin of the center storage device 40 and receives JOB.
Is determined as a new storage cylinder Pmax + 1 (step S
207). On the other hand, when Emax is the maximum, the CPU 30
1 determines the outermost cylinder Smax of the center storage device 40 as a new storage cylinder Pmax + 1 of the receiving JOB (step S208). When neither Emin nor Emax is the maximum, that is, when Dx is the maximum, the CPU 301
The calculation of Px + (Dx / 2) is performed, and the calculation result is determined as a new storage cylinder Pmax + 1 of the reception JOB (step S209). Next, the CPU 301 determines the new storage cylinder Pmax + 1 (cylinder No.) determined in steps S207, S208, and S209 and the JOB of the reception JOB.
The name B is registered in the JOB & cylinder table (step S210).

When the operation shown in FIG. 14 is executed for the JOB & cylinder table of FIG. 8, the maximum cylinder spacing D ₄ = 49 in FIG. 10 is larger than Emin = 5, Emax = 0, so that a new storage cylinder Pmax + is obtained. Cylinder No. 1 = P ₆ Will be determined in step S209. In other words, the _{P 6 = P 4 + (D} 4/2) = 50 + (49/2) = 50 + 24 = 74. When the received JOB at this time is JOB6, the JOB & cylinder table is rewritten as shown in FIG.

As is clear from the above description, when the JOB parts data which is not stored in the center storage device 40 is received, the CPU 301 causes the center position between the cylinders having the maximum interval in the center storage device 40. Allocate a storage cylinder for the received component data to. As a result, even when the component data of the same JOB overflows the assigned storage cylinder and is stored in the adjacent cylinder, it is possible to prevent the storage unit from easily contacting the storage cylinders of other JOBs.

In the above embodiment, the JOB is made to match the unit of printed matter, but it may be made to match the company or page unit. Further, in the above embodiment, the center storage device 40 is constituted by the magnetic disk, but it may be constituted by another large capacity recording medium (such as a magneto-optical disc). Further, in the above embodiment, the center storage device 40 stores each component data in a cylinder format, but may store each component data in a two-dimensional address space.

[0029]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the center storage device, the component data belonging to the same job are stored at positions physically close to each other. Can be speeded up.

According to the second aspect of the invention, when the component data belonging to the job which is not stored in the center storage device is received, it is moved to the position farthest from the storage position of the component data of the already stored job. Since the storage area for receiving component data is set, the space between the storage areas for each job can be maximized. As a result, it is less likely that the storage areas of the respective jobs, which spread out centering on the storage area of the first component data, will contact each other, and component data belonging to the same job can be stored together in closer positions.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a printing / platemaking processing system including a database management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a printing / plate-making processing terminal 10 shown in FIG.

3 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a database management device 30 shown in FIG.

4 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a configuration of a center storage device 40 shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing recording tracks on a magnetic disk.

6 is a schematic diagram showing a concept of a cylinder in the center storage device 40. FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a management structure of printed matter in the printing / platemaking processing system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a JOB & cylinder table.

FIG. 9 shows the JOB & cylinder data stored in the JOB & cylinder table of FIG. It is a figure which shows the state sorted in order.

10 is a diagram showing the intervals between the cylinders obtained from the JOB & cylinder data after sorting shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 shows a new cylinder No. for a receiving JOB. It is a figure which shows the JOB & cylinder table in which was registered.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an operation of each printing / plate-making processing terminal 10.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of the database management device 30 which is of interest to the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a subroutine step S108 shown in FIG.
5 is a flowchart showing a more detailed operation of FIG.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional client / server type print / plate-making processing system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10: Printing / plate-making processing terminal 20: Communication path 30: Database management device 40: Center storage device 50: JOB management device

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A center storage device stores part data sent from a printing / plate-making processing terminal that processes / edits constituent parts of a printed matter in predetermined job units, and stores predetermined part data from the center storage device. Is a database management device for printing / plate-making, which retrieves and reads, based on a job to which the component data received by the receiving unit belongs, which receives the component data sent from the printing / plate-making processing terminal, Clustering means for determining a storage position of the component data in the center storage device, and storage means for storing the component data received by the reception means in the storage position in the center storage device determined by the clustering means. It is characterized in that parts data belonging to the same job are stored at positions physically close to each other. That, printing and prepress for database management device. 2. The clustering means determines whether or not the component data belonging to the same job as the received component data by the receiving means is already stored in the center storage device, and the clustering means includes: As a result of the judgment, when the component data belonging to the same job as the received component data is already stored in the center storage device, the empty area closest to the storage position of the relevant component data is stored in the center storage device. If the part data belonging to the same job as the received part data is not stored in the center storage device as a result of the determination made by the first determining device for determining the position and the determination device, In the second decision to determine the approximate center position between the component data having the largest arrangement interval in the above as the storage position of the received component data. The database management apparatus for printing and plate making according to claim 1, further comprising a setting means.