JPH0774899B2 - Layout scanner graphic data input device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial application] The present invention is used for a layout scanner that exposes a read original image by allocating it to a predetermined position in one separation film, and is a rectangular data indicating an allocation range. The present invention relates to a graphic data input device for inputting a pattern into a layout scanner.

[Prior art]

To the layout scanner, various layout data such as the layout range of each document, the trimming range of the document, the specification of the flat screen and ruled lines, and the halftone dot% of the flat screen portion must be input. These layout data are written on the layout (layout) designated paper by the print orderer, and the layout designated paper is delivered to the printing operator together with each original. The printing operator reads the layout data from the layout designated paper and inputs it to the layout scanner from the keyboard of the terminal. Here, the coordinates of the layout range must be read from the specified paper by the printing operator using the scale, and it takes a very long time to read the coordinates.

Recently, a "layout scanner system" described in Japanese Patent Application No. 60-284737 by the applicant of the present application has been devised in order to save the trouble of reading this key input, particularly the coordinates of the allocation range. This is a method of inputting the coordinate data of the layout range described on the layout designation paper online or offline by using an automatic drafting machine or a magnification projector used in the previous process.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, even in this method, the operator must specify each vertex of the rectangle indicating the allocation range, and it cannot be said that an automatic input system for graphic data has been realized.

This invention has been made to deal with the above-mentioned circumstances,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a graphic data input device for a layout scanner, which can input coordinate data of each rectangle indicating a layout range drawn on a layout designation sheet by a simple operation.

[Means for solving problems]

A graphic data input device for a layout scanner according to the present invention includes a scanner for reading image data on a designated sheet of layout, and a first spatial filter for detecting vertices by relatively increasing data of rectangular vertices of the image data. , A second spatial filter that identifies the type of the vertex by making the image data of the vertex different according to the direction of two line segments connected by the vertex, and the coordinates of the vertex detected by the first spatial filter at a predetermined pitch. The means for correcting by the grid pattern having the grid points of, and the coordinates of the corrected vertices indicate that the x or y coordinates match, and that the direction of the line segment corresponds to each other. The layout scanner is provided with means for detecting and supplies the rectangular data of the four vertices forming these sets to the layout scanner.

[Action]

According to the layout scanner graphic data input device according to the present invention, the image data of the vertices extracted from the image data drawn on the layout-designating sheet is corrected by matching with the grid pattern, and the layout is performed from the corrected vertex data. Rectangle data corresponding to the range is obtained. In this way, since the allocation range can be automatically extracted,
Rectangular data indicating the allocation range can be input to the layout scanner with a simple operation.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of a graphic data input device for a layout scanner according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment. In this embodiment, a scanner 1 for reading image data of designated paper for layout
And a computer 2 for processing the image signal output from the scanner 1, and a communication device 6 for communicating the output signal of the computer 2 to the layout scanner 7 online.

An example of the designated layout sheet is shown in FIG. This is a rectangular area corresponding to the layout position of a photograph, a character, a flat screen, and the like, with a specified value of 10% halftone dot printed on a paper of the same size as the printed matter.

The scanner 1 reads such image data on the designated layout sheet. As the scanner 1, a flatbed scanner,
CCD cameras, video cameras, drum scanners, flying spot scanners, etc. can be used, but since the main purpose of the present invention is to read the coordinate data of a figure, as will be described later,
A flatbed scanner is preferable in consideration of distortion of the optical system. However, in the case of the large size designated sheet, it is limited to the camera type scanner.

The communication device 6 is an interface for actually inputting data to the layout scanner, and a general-purpose communication interface such as RS-232C or GPIB can be used.

The computer 2 has a color monitor 3 for displaying the read image data of the designated layout paper, a mouse 4 as a data input device for adding attribute data such as a document number to each layout range, and a magnetic disk device as a storage device. 5 is connected. Besides the mouse as an input device of attribute data,
You can use icons, digitizers, menus, dedicated consoles, etc. The storage device is not limited to the magnetic disk device, and there is no problem even if it is an IC memory or the like.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. The operator sets the designated layout sheet on the scanner 1 and starts reading the image data of the designated layout sheet. The image data of the designated layout paper is binarized in the flatbed scanner 1 or binarized in the computer 2 to form a line drawing image, which is temporarily stored in the magnetic disk device 5.

Here, since the designated layout paper is made of paper, it has expanded and contracted, and the regular size (finished size or plate-making size)
There are many errors compared with. Therefore, in order to improve the reading accuracy, it is necessary to correct the coordinate data of the line drawing image described above. Therefore, the actual dimension of the layout-designated sheet is obtained in advance, and the correction coefficient for converting this to the regular dimension is calculated. The coordinate data of the read line drawing image is linearly corrected by this correction coefficient.

The rectangular data corresponding to the layout range of each original is obtained from the corrected line drawing image data, but in the conventional method, the operator ignores trimming lines etc. from the image data displayed on the monitor. Then, find the outline (rectangular figure) of the photograph or the flat screen. Next, the operator inputs an identification signal indicating that the figure to be input is a rectangle, then moves the cursor to two diagonal points of the target rectangle, and sequentially uses the mouse to draw a rectangle. Input the coordinate data of the vertex.

However, since such a manual coordinate data input operation is troublesome, the present invention automatically extracts vertices from the line drawing image, and extracts a set of four vertices included in the same rectangle from these. Identify and obtain rectangular data. First, the operator selects the automatic input mode as the input mode. In addition to the automatic input mode, there is the above-mentioned manual input mode.
This is because it is not always possible to input 100% of rectangular data in the automatic input mode, and when it cannot be automatically input, it is necessary to manually select a rectangular image and input that data.

The computer 2 applies the following spatial filter to the image data (binary data for each pixel) in order to extract the vertices at which one ends of the two line segments are connected to each other from the image data.

If the thinning processing on the image data is sufficiently performed, such filtering causes the image data at the vertices to have a relatively large value as compared with the data at other pixels. Therefore, the image data after filtering is compared with a certain threshold value, and when it is equal to or more than the threshold value, it can be determined that it is a vertex.
Here, the spatial filter is not limited to the filter having the above numerical values, and there is no problem as long as it has an equivalent vertex extraction effect. Furthermore, the filter order may be changed to the fifth order or the like.

Next, an identification code indicating which of the four types of vertices forming the rectangle each of the extracted vertices, that is, the directions of the two line segments related to the vertices, is added to each vertice. For example, An identification code such as is added. The direction of the line segment can be easily determined by applying the following spatial filter to the image data near the vertex.

Or As a result, the coordinate data of each vertex and the identification code of each vertex are determined. Here, the spatial filter for identifying the vertices can be variously changed.

However, the vertices detected here are not always related to the rectangle corresponding to the allocation range of the photograph. A rectangle indicating a character range other than the photograph is also drawn on the layout-designating sheet. Further, the rectangle drawn on the layout-designating paper may be slightly displaced from the correct position. Generally, the layout of one applied material can be classified into a limited number of types, and the allocation range of a photograph is limited to a specific range. Therefore, the position of the rectangle to be extracted is determined depending on the type of printed matter.

In consideration of these, the image data is matched with a grid pattern composed of a grid having a predetermined pitch in the vertical and horizontal directions, and the vertex is extracted as a rectangular vertex only when they match. As a result, only the vertices of the rectangle corresponding to the allocation range of the photograph to be extracted are extracted. Further, even when they do not match, each vertex coordinate is corrected according to the coordinate of the grid point of the grid pattern. That is, the distance between each vertex and the neighboring grid points is calculated, and if there is a grid point that is less than a certain criterion distance,
The coordinates of the grid point are the vertex coordinates. This compensates for an error when drawing a rectangle in the layout range on the layout-designated paper.

The computer 2 superimposes a grid pattern on the image data and displays it on the color monitor 3. Here, it is easier for the operator to display the image data and the grid pattern in different colors (for example, the image data is green and the grid pattern is blue).

Here, the shorter the pitch of the grid pattern, the higher the probability of matching with the image data, but the rectangular range other than the photograph is also detected. Therefore, the grid patterns are hierarchically classified according to their pitches, and the priorities are determined for the respective hierarchies so that matching is sequentially performed from the grid pattern having the longest pitch. Furthermore, if a large number of grid patterns are registered for each layer and the type of magazine or catalog is entered, a predetermined grid pattern is selected from each layer in accordance with that and used from the grid pattern of the layer with the highest priority. So that

As an example, FIG. 3 shows a grid pattern when the number of layers is 3. The grid pattern shown in Fig. 3 (a) is a grid grid pattern that is often used in CAD.
It consists of unit pitch grids such as mm, 2mm, 3mm, .... This is the pan of the lowest priority hierarchy.
Grid patterns of various unit pitches are registered as grid patterns of this hierarchy. The grid pattern shown in FIG. 3 (b) is a grid pattern mainly considering character typesetting, and the pitch is the size of the character (the number of points, the series), the number of characters, the number of lines, the number of columns, and the space (character spacing, Line spacing,
It changes depending on the settings such as the space between steps. As for the grid pattern of this layer, various grid patterns corresponding to the character pitch of each printed matter are registered. The grid pattern shown in FIG. 3 (c) is a grid pattern mainly focusing on photographs, and depending on the combination of sizes of basic photographs,
The idea is to decide the layout of a photograph, and likewise various types are registered according to the type of printed matter.
This is the highest priority layer pattern. The grid patterns may be classified into three or more layers, but a combination of the above three layers is practically sufficient. These grid patterns are stored in the magnetic disk device 5 in advance. Actually, the coordinate data of the grid points is stored in the magnetic disk device 5 as grid pattern data.

Fourth modification of grid pattern when the number of steps changes
Shown in the figure. FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b) are a modification of the grid pattern mainly focusing on letter composition and a modification of the grid pattern focusing mainly on photographs.

Then, the other three vertices that form a pair with each vertex are searched. This is the first vertex with the shortest distance among the vertices whose x-coordinates coincide with each other and whose line segment directions face each other. The second vertex at the shortest distance among them, and the third vertex at the shortest distance among the vertices whose y-coordinates match the first vertex and the direction of the line segment is opposite to the first vertex, or The third vertex having the shortest distance among the vertices whose x-coordinates coincide with those of the second vertex and the direction of the line segment faces the second vertex is determined. A rectangle formed by these four vertices is determined to be a photo allocation range. This operation is repeated to detect the coordinate data of all allocation ranges.

However, this automatic rectangle extraction method cannot support rectangles that are partially covered by other rectangles, so an auxiliary algorithm may be used for such figures, or the operator may manually enter them. You may.

In addition, 80-90% of the figures that are targeted by the layout scanner
Is a rectangle, but the remaining figures can be entered manually. In this case, it is necessary to add a code according to the type of figure.

As a result, the coordinate data of the layout range necessary for the layout scanner is automatically detected, and the operator only needs to make correction input for the erroneously detected graphic, and the input of all graphic data is completed.

Next, after the automatic extraction of each figure is completed, the operator specifies the number of the document to be assigned to each range, the designation of the flat screen, the ruled line, etc., and the attribute data peculiar to the allocation range such as halftone dot% by the mouse 4 Add to each figure data using. At present, these operations have no choice but to rely on manual input, and data addition, correction,
Good operability in functions such as confirmation is required.

When all the data input is completed, these figure codes, coordinate data, and
The attribute data is rewritten in a fixed format and sequentially, and these data are transmitted as a batch file to the layout scanner 7 online via the communication device 6. As a result, the graphic data described on the layout designation sheet is input to the layout scanner 7.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the operator simply sets the layout designation sheet on the scanner 1, and when the graphic data input device extracts the rectangular data, all that is required is to add the attribute data, and the work efficiency is improved. Greatly improved.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the automatic rectangle extraction method is not limited to the above method, and there is no problem as long as the rectangle can be accurately extracted by other methods. Although the graphic data has been described as being communicated online to the layout scanner 7 via the communication device 6, it may be supplied offline via a recording medium such as a floppy disk.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, it is possible to easily input the coordinate data of a figure in a layout scanner that has conventionally depended on human labor, and it is possible to improve the operation efficiency of the layout scanner and reduce the load on the operator.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a graphic data input device for a layout scanner according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic view of layout designation paper used in the embodiment, FIG. 3 (a),
(B), (c) is a figure which shows the grid pattern used for one Example, and FIG. 4 (a), (b) is a figure which shows the modification of this grid pattern. 1 ... Scanner, 2 ... Computer, 3 ... Color monitor, 4 ... Mouse, 5 ... Magnetic disk device, 6 ...
Communication device, 7 ... Layout scanner system.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location G06T 1/00 H04N 1/04 107 A

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A layout scanner graphic data input device for inputting graphic data showing a layout range of each original document to a layout scanner, and image reading means for reading image data of layout specified paper and the image data are supplied.
First spatial filter means for detecting the vertices by relatively increasing the data of the vertices of the rectangle, and the image data is supplied, and the image data is obtained in accordance with the directions of two line segments connected to each other at the vertices. A second spatial filter means for identifying the type of the vertex by making it different, a means for correcting the coordinates of the vertex detected by the first spatial filter means with a grid pattern having lattice points of a predetermined pitch, and the correcting means. It is provided with means for detecting four vertices forming a set, which is connected to the output, and which corresponds to the coincidence of the x or y coordinates and the direction of the line segment, and detects the set detected by the detecting means. A layout scanner graphic data input device that supplies rectangular data of four vertices to a layout scanner.