JP2890521B2 - Layout simulation system - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a layout simulation apparatus in which character data obtained by a layout simulation can be diverted to a later plate-making process.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, at a design stage in a planning process, a designer has performed a layout design of a printed material such as a catalog on the basis of a photo manuscript, a character manuscript, and a basic layout plan (line drawings, the number of divisions, etc.). However, when producing a catalog or the like having a large number of pages, deciding the layout of the printed matter by the above-described method requires a great deal of fatigue and time.

Therefore, recently, a technique for simulating a layout design at a design stage on a display screen has been proposed. For example, “Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-
No. 148574 discloses a simulation system as follows. The simulation system described in this publication discloses a catalog layout based on composition information stored in advance, such as a display means such as a CRT. The image data stored in advance in a desired portion of the layout displayed on the display means is scaled, rotated, moved, and trimmed to a desired size, and then displayed to simulate the layout. If it is necessary to change the basic layout pattern, the layout pattern is changed to determine the final layout of characters and photos, and further, an output command is input from an input unit, and an image is output from an image output unit. It is to let.

After the layout design is determined in the planning process, the process proceeds to the plate making process. In the plate making process, data on the layout design determined in the planning process is required. Conventionally, character data and layout data required in the plate-making process from the data obtained in the planning process are input by means of a digitizer or keyboard, etc., into a CTS device for character plate making (computer typesetting machine) and a photo-engraving machine. The operator had input separately to the layout scanner device.

However, as described above, since the workability is poor if the worker inputs the layout data separately using input means such as a digitizer or a keyboard, data obtained by a layout simulation is used to improve workability. An apparatus for separately outputting character data and layout data from the above and diverting it to the next plate making process has already been filed by the present applicant as Japanese Patent Application No. 63-222479.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the layout simulation device that separately outputs the character data and the layout data described above, even if color characters are used in the determined layout design, the character prepress CTS device can only support solid characters, Among the character data obtained by the layout simulation, there is an inconvenience that the color character data cannot be used in the subsequent plate making process.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances,
The color character data included in the layout data obtained by the layout simulation can be used for the subsequent plate making process.
An object of the present invention is to provide a layout simulation system capable of reducing the number of workers and improving workability.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention provides a layout simulation system that captures at least character data of a character document, displays the character data on a monitor, simulates the layout, and determines a desired layout design. Character data separating means for separating the layout data relating to the solid character data and the color character data, and based on the color character data separated by the character data separating means, Flat-screen data creating means for creating flat-screen data for applying a flat screen of the same color as the color, and a first output for outputting the flat-screen data created by the flat-screen data creating means as data for a layout scanner Means for converting the solid character data and the color character data to character plate making data; A second output means for and outputs,
A third output means for outputting a flat-screen printing film with a flat screen corresponding to the flat-screen data output from the first output means; and a character-making data output from the second output means. Fourth output means for outputting a corresponding character plate making film, and a white character plate making film obtained by inverting the character plate making film output from the fourth output means and whitening out a portion corresponding to character data. A color character for producing a color character plate making film by combining and synthesizing a white plate making film output from the third output means and a white character plate making film produced by the white means. And a plate making film forming means.

[Action]

According to the present invention, by taking the above measures, the character data is displayed on the monitor, the layout design is simulated, and when a predetermined layout design is determined, the layout data relating to the character data is solidly printed by the character data separating means. It is separated into character data and color character data.

Then, based on the separated color character data, the halftone data generating means generates flat halftone data for applying a flat halftone of the same color as the color of the color character to the layout area of the color character. Is output as data for the layout scanner by the output means. The second output means outputs solid character data and color character data as character plate making data.

Therefore, in the plate making process, the third output unit outputs the first
Can output a flat plate making film having a flat screen having the same color as the color of the color character in the layout area of the color character by using the flat screen data output from the output means. The character making film corresponding to the character making data output from the second output means can be output, and the whitening means inverts the character making film to whiten out the color character portion to form the white character making film. A desired color character plate making film can be obtained by combining and synthesizing the flat character plate making film and the white character plate making film.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of a layout simulation apparatus according to the present invention. The layout simulation apparatus includes a storage unit, an operation unit, and the like, and includes a layout simulation unit, character data separation unit, and flat screen data creation unit. A flatbed scanner 2 for inputting, interactive input means 3 comprising a tablet, digitizer, mouse, keyboard and the like for inputting character data, graphic data and basic layout data to the apparatus main body 1; A CRT 4 to be displayed, a printer 5 for outputting a layout design displayed on the CRT 4 as a hard copy, and character data provided in the apparatus main body 1.
Data output means (not shown) for outputting to the layout scanner 7 layout data excluding layout data related to character data, which is output to the CTS device 6. FIG. 2 shows an external view of the layout simulation apparatus. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a keyboard, 12 denotes a tablet, and 13 denotes a mouse. These components constitute the interactive input means 3.

Here, the storage unit of the apparatus main body 1 stores data input from the flatbed scanner 2 and the interactive input unit 3. The layout simulation means of the apparatus main body 1 causes the CRT 4 to display the basic layout pattern stored in the storage unit in advance, and based on a command signal input from the interactive input means 3, displays the basic layout pattern at a desired location. It has a function of displaying image data, character data, and graphic data and controlling the display. The character data separating means has a function of separating layout data relating to character data determined by a layout simulation into solid character data (sumi characters) and color character data having an arbitrary density. Furthermore, the flat-screen data creating means has a function of creating flat-screen data for applying a flat screen having the same color as the color of the color character to the layout area of the color character in the layout design.

Next, the operation of the layout simulation apparatus thus configured will be described with reference to FIG.

In this layout simulation apparatus, first, a layout simulation process is performed (step S
1). For this purpose, image data of a photographic original is input from the flatbed scanner 2, basic layout data, character data, and graphic data are input from the interactive input unit 3, and are stored in the storage unit of the apparatus main body 1. Then, the basic layout data is called by a command signal from the interactive input means 3, and a layout pattern corresponding to the called basic layout data is displayed on the CRT 4.

Next, for the layout pattern displayed on CRT4,
Using the interactive input means 3, the size, location, and color of the characters and photos to be displayed are specified, and the layout is simulated. By such a layout simulation, for example, a layout design 20 as shown in FIG.
To determine. In the figure, reference numeral 21 denotes a photograph image of a trimmed photo original, 22 denotes a solid character, and 23 denotes, for example, yellow.
Each of the 50% colored letters is shown. In this way,
When the layout design is determined, the position data, magnification data, angle data, ruled line data, flat screen and gradation data, color data,
Layout data such as trimming data of a photo original is obtained and stored in the storage unit of the apparatus main body 1. The ruled line data includes a color rule for coloring the edge 21a of the photographic image 21,
There is a rule around the edge of the area to be shaded.

When layout data is obtained by such a layout simulation process, character data is then separated (step S2). That is, the layout data related to the character data stored in the storage unit is separated into the solid character data and the color character data by the character data separating unit. When the color character data is separated from the character data by the character data separation means, the flat screen data creation means uses the color character data to apply a flat color having the same color as the color character 23 to the layout area of the color character 23. Network data is created (step S3). When the flat screen data is created, solid data and color character data are output from the data output means of the apparatus body 1 to the CTS apparatus 6, and are output to the layout scanner 7. , Ruled line data, etc. are output (step
S4).

After the above processing, the process proceeds to the plate making process. That is, the layout scanner 7 performs photoengraving of a photo image that has been color-separated in yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (Bk) based on the input photo layout data, ruled line data, and the like. The film is output. Further, the layout scanner 7 stores, for example, 50% of yellow in the layout area 31 of the color character 23 based on the input halftone data.
The flat plate making film 30 on which the flat screen 31 is applied is output. On the other hand, in the CTS device 6, based on the input solid character data and color character data, the character plate making films 32 and 33 of the solid character 22 and the color character 23 are output as solid characters.
Then, the character plate making film 33 for color characters is reversed, and the reversed character plate making film 34 and the flat plate plate making film 30 output from the layout scanner 7 are combined to obtain a color character plate making film 35.

According to such an embodiment, the layout design at the planning stage can be simulated, so that the layout design can be easily determined and the workability at the planning stage can be improved. Further, the layout data relating to the character data obtained by the layout simulation is separated into solid character data and color character data, and the halftone data to be applied to the color character layout area with the same color as the color character from the color character data. And layout data excluding the layout data relating to the character data and the halftone data are output to the layout scanner 7.
And the solid character data and the color character data are output to the CTS device 6. Therefore, even if the color character data is included in the data obtained by the layout simulation, the color character data is used in the subsequent plate making process. Can be diverted as it is. Therefore, the layout data obtained by the layout simulation can be used very effectively, and the work efficiency in the plate making process can be significantly improved.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, layout data relating to character data obtained by a layout simulation is separated into solid character data and color character data, and flat data relating to color characters is created. Outputs to a layout scanner, outputs solid character data and color character data as character plate making data, and uses the halftone data to apply a halftone of the same color as the color of the color character to the color character layout area. The plate making film is output, the character plate making film of the color character data is inverted, the color character part is blanked out, a blank character plate making film is created, and the flat net plate making film and the white character plate making film are combined and synthesized. Since color character plate making film is obtained, even if the character obtained by the layout simulation contains color character data, As it can be diverted to the plate-making process after the character data, can provide layout simulation system capable of improving the work efficiency in the plate-making process it is possible to significantly reduce the burden on workers.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an external view of the embodiment, FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the embodiment, and FIG. FIG. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Device main body, 2 ... Flatbed scanner, 3 ... Interactive input means, 4 ... CTR, 5 ... Printer, 6 ... CTS device, 7
... Layout scanner.

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Takeo Wakamoto 1-5-1, Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yutaka Hirano 1-1-5-1 Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-62-176368 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G03F 1/00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A layout simulation system for fetching at least character data of a character document, displaying the character data on a monitor, simulating the layout thereof, and determining a desired layout design. Character data separating means for separating character data and color character data; based on the color character data separated by the character data separating means, a flat area having the same color as the color of the color character is arranged in the layout area of the color character. Flat-screen data creating means for creating flat-screen data for shading; first output means for outputting the flat-screen data created by the flat-screen data creating means as data for a layout scanner; Data and color character data are output as data for character plate making. Output means; third output means for outputting a flat-plate printing film with a flat screen corresponding to the flat-screen data output from the first output means; and characters output from the second output means Fourth output means for outputting a character plate making film corresponding to the plate making data, and white character plate making in which a part corresponding to the character data is made white by inverting the character plate making film outputted from the fourth output means. A blank character making film, a flat character plate making film output from the third output means and a white character making film created by the white forming means are combined and synthesized to form a color character plate making film. A layout simulation system comprising: a color character plate making film creating means for creating.