EP1155845B1 - Communication system for the manufacture of print media - Google Patents

Abstract

In a communication system, which is used in particular in the production of print media, information coming from an output file is forwarded to a receiving unit. However, this information is not forwarded directly but via a filter unit which has access to the requirements of the receiving unit.

Description

The invention relates to a system for communication between an output unit, which can generate and / or forward information, in particular in the form of a file, and a terminal in the graphics industry, which can receive at least part of the information.

With the further development of the technologies in the area of the graphic arts industry, there is a great need to better combine the previously predominantly separated processes of prepress, printing and post-processing as well as possibly the order processing.

Many systems in the graphics industry are currently creating templates in a variety of ways in the area of prepress. For further processing of these documents, these are, if necessary, digitized and anschießend equipped with additional information about the later to be printed page. In this case, a so-called committee scheme is generated, which contains the information about the sheet to be printed, in particular on the arrangement of the pages of the future end product. This digitally available file can also provide additional information such. As the location and length of Schneideregistermarken, colorimeter or other additional information to be added, which are needed in the subsequent processing of the sheet.

From this file, the color separation file required for each color to be printed is usually created using a raster imaging processor (RIP). These color separation files are stored for reasons of the desired standardization in a fixed data format, currently in so-called print production formats (PPF) as pixel graphics. These PPF files are then in turn then the respective terminals such as the platesetter, the printing press, especially in the case of so-called direct imaging printing machines in which the printing plate exposed in the printing press is passed on. In addition, it is necessary in the printing process to calculate the areal coverage values of the individual colors from the respective color separation file, which can be done either in a separate operation on a separate machine or directly from the color separation file in the PPF.

With regard to the communication of an output device such as the RIP with individual terminals such as one or more printing machines or the device for calculating the color separations is from the EP 639 456 a communication system known. In this communication system, the data generated in the prepress stage are communicated to connected printing units by means of a file, this file containing all technically required parameters of the respective job such as color assignment, formats and paper thickness. In addition, the file may still be supplemented with additional data containing the required information about the machine couplings, turning device, finishing, powdering device, color, cut or fold registration. This file is then passed on to the respective terminals.

A communication system for transmitting information from a central processing device to a plurality of terminals, e.g. B. several printing presses, is from the EP 395 890 known. In this case, a central data transmission and data processing device monitors the production process, the printing machine available for a new print job being selected and the data required for the print job being transmitted to the printing press. This data can also contain current production data.

From the DE 197 24 066 A1 is a method for correcting Geometriefeliefelilem in the transfer of information to a substrate known. Before imaging of printing forms in the printing units of a printing press, the data of the printing template in the prepress stage must be prepared accordingly. The data of the artwork can also be delivered digitally, they must be in one Raster image processor be prepared accordingly. The data generated by the raster image processor serve to image printing plates on the printing cylinders of the printing press. When imaging, however, geomorphic errors can occur which reduce the quality of the printing process. That is why in DE 197 24 066 A1 created a way to correct geometry errors before imaging the printing plates. For this purpose, the digital matrices obtained from the raster image processor are subjected to corresponding correction transformations by means of a matrix manipulation device. The correction transformation on the digital matrices takes place in each case as a function of correction parameters which are stored in a database. The matrices thus corrected are then forwarded by the matrix manipulation device to the corresponding imaging devices in the printing units of the printing press.

From the DE 298 02 210 U1 a device for controlling a printing machine is known, which has a bus system which connects various display and operating devices of the printing press. Basically, all operating and display devices in the DE 298 02 210 U1 show the same contents and also use the same operating range. In order to make the operation clearer or to restrict it in a targeted manner, the display can be changed on certain display devices by means of upstream filters. By the upstream of such a filter can be prevented that unnecessary or unwanted values are displayed on a control and display device, so z. B. be avoided that on the control panel of the investor settings of the boom are displayed and vice versa. However, in principle, the same system is always transmitted via the bus system and these are only displayed or suppressed on site at the corresponding display and operating unit in accordance with the specifications of the respectively activated filter. However, the interconnecting the display and control device bus system transmits to each of Display and Bedieneinnchtungen in each case the complete amount of data, since the filtering is made only on site in the computer of the respective display and control device.

A disadvantage of the known data communication, however, is that the amount of data that is passed on to the individual terminals such as the printing press or the post-press machine is extremely large and partly contains redundant or redundant information for the respective terminal. Thus, for example, transmitted to the cutting device and image data that are not required by the cutting device. This leads to a considerable loss of time since a large amount of unnecessary data needs to be read from each device.

The object of the present invention is therefore to propose a system and a method for communication between an output unit and a terminal in the graphics industry, which is optimized in terms of time.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a system having the features according to claim 1 and by a method having the features according to claim 8.

With the filter unit according to the invention, it is now possible to significantly shorten the transmission time of the data between the output and the receiving unit.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the output unit is designed as a raster imaging processor, which transmits the information in the form of a so-called print production format file (PPF file) to a filter unit. In the filter unit, according to the invention, a large number of data is stored via the terminals connected to the filter unit, for example a cutting machine, a folding machine or a printing press. According to the invention, this information, which is stored in a memory area of the filter unit, consists of the type of information required by the respective terminal or of which communication standard is to be complied with in the communication with the respective terminal.

The use of the filter unit has a number of advantages, which consist in particular in that information that exists in the PPF file is passed on to the terminals only to the extent that they are required by the respective terminals. In addition, it is easily possible to filter out redundant information. The data format of the information transmitted by the output unit to the filter unit can also be easily modernized or redesigned, without it being necessary to modernize or exchange the terminals as well. Furthermore, the inventive use of the filter unit offers the Advantage that a communication between the output unit and a third-party device can be achieved solely by storing the data required and required for the foreign device in the filter unit.

Further advantages and advantageous developments of the invention are the subject of the following figures and their parts of the description, has been omitted in their representation in favor of clarity to a detailed reproduction.

Figur 1

eine schematisierte Darstellung eines einfachen Falls des erfindungsgemäßen Systems

Figur 2

eine schematisierte Darstellung des erfindungsgemäßen Systems anhand verschiedener Geräte der grafischen Industrie

Figur 3

eine schematische Darstellung des erfindungsgemäßen Systems mit mehreren Ausgangseinheiten

They show in detail:

FIG. 1

a schematic representation of a simple case of the system according to the invention

FIG. 2

a schematic representation of the system according to the invention with reference to various devices of the graphic arts industry

FIG. 3

a schematic representation of the system according to the invention with a plurality of output units

FIG. 1 shows a simple example of a communication system according to the invention. In this case, an output unit or station 10 is provided, which is able to generate and / or forward information. This output unit may be, for example, a raster imaging processor (RIP), a print production system (PPS), an imposition station, or an industry software package, each generating different data that is forwarded to a terminal 14 should. The terminal 14 according to the invention is a printing press, a folding machine, a cutting machine, a platesetter or other terminal used in the graphic arts industry. According to the outgoing from the output station 10 file 16 is now not directly transmitted to the terminal 14, but first supplied to a filter unit 12. It is essential for the invention that the filter unit 12 has access to data of the receiving unit assigned to it. For this purpose, the filter unit 12 is designed such that a storage area 13 is provided in the filter unit, in which the for the forwarding of the file 16 to the receiving unit 14 relevant data permanently or volatile can be stored. This data, which is held in or at least accessible to the filter unit 12, contains data of the connected receiving unit 14, which are directed to the requirements that the connected receiving unit 14 requires with regard to data reception. The filter unit 12 thus has data of the receiving unit 14 available, which relate to the type, quantity, the communication standard to be maintained or the version number of the communication standard.

In a specific embodiment of the invention, the output unit 10 can be, for example, a RIP, which has received a file from the prepress and converts this into a bitmap file and then supplies it as a file 16 to the filter unit 12. In the filter unit 12, the incoming bitmap file is analyzed and forwarded to a receiving unit, for example, a cutting machine. It is obvious that the cutting machine does not share all the information of the bitmap file 16, for example. B. must be supplied via the color separations. Accordingly, it is deposited in the filter unit 12 specifically for the cutting unit that the cutting unit requires data on the cutting marks. In addition, the filter unit 12 also stores in which data format the data 16 'is to be forwarded to the cutting unit 14.

In FIG. 2 a further embodiment of the communication system according to the invention is shown. In this case, a filter unit 12 is associated with a plurality of terminal ports 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, which may consist, for example, in a printing press, a platesetter, a folding machine, a cutting station or another terminal of the graphic arts industry. Of course, these terminals can also be provided several times. For each of the devices, the filter unit 12 has access to data corresponding to the requirements for communication with the terminals 14a to 14d. In particular, these data can be stored again in a non-volatile or volatile memory 13 of the filter unit 12, so that it can be used for the preparation of the incoming file 16.

It is also possible for the filter unit 12 to come into contact with each or one of the connected receiving units 14a to 14d and to request the relevant data by means of two-way communication and then store it in a nonvolatile or volatile memory 13 of the filter unit 12 at least for this communication process.

On the basis of the data relating to the receiving units stored in the filter unit 12, a file supplied to the filter unit or a protocol supplied to the filter unit is modified. In this process, it is of course also possible that in the filter unit 12 algorithms or conditions are deposited, based on which the treatment or modification of the file 16 is possible with special consideration of the information stored for the respective terminal. Thus, for example, an incoming file 16 can be transmitted in a certain standard to the filter unit 12 such as the so-called CIP3 standard or the PJTF (portable job ticket formats). If certain information from this file is to be forwarded to one of the terminals 14a to 14d, it is checked which communication standard is to be observed in the communication with the respective terminal. Accordingly, the file is modified before the communication of the filter unit 12 with the terminal, so that this standard can be met.

In addition, if required, certain information can also be filtered out of the file 16 in order to transmit only the information to the receiving device, which also requires it. In particular, it can be thought of for printing relevant data, such as the position of the pixels in the color separation, weed out of the file when it is transmitted to a cutting device, or merely to transmit the position of the cutting marks to the cutting device directly. In addition to this, so-called data filter function, it can also be provided that the data filter unit 12 assumes a so-called "routing function", that is to say that the data filter unit 12 decides on the basis of the incoming data 16 for which of the connected terminals this data is suitable and intended.

In FIG. 3 a further embodiment of the invention is shown, in which two output units 10, 11 are provided which each forward information, in particular in the form of a file or a protocol 16, 17 to a filter unit 12.

In this case, it is possible for the output units 10 and 11 to transmit redundant data to the filter unit 12, so that at least some of the data transmitted to the filter unit 12 is duplicated. The output unit 10 could be z. Example, the data job name, job number, cutting and folding marks and values for the ink zone include setting, while the output unit 11 job name, job number, appointments and the name of what operation is to submit to the filter unit 12. Of particular importance is the fact that the output unit 10 and the output unit 11 can transmit data of different origin, so that, for example, essentially technical data are forwarded from the output unit 10 and data relating to the order in the output unit 11 to the filter unit 12. Of course, the data coming from the different output units can also be transmitted to the filter unit 12 in various standards. In the filter unit 12, this data can either be stored unchanged or in a suitable data format. In addition, it is also possible to link the individual files 16 and 17 with one another in an appropriate manner after the input of these data, in particular eliminating redundant information.

The forwarding of the information to one of the connected terminals can be done by various techniques. In this case, temporal or event-related control is particularly taken into consideration, so that when a certain point in time arrives or when a specific event occurs, the respectively required data are forwarded to the terminal in the correct format.

This forwarding can also be made dependent on various conditions. Especially in the event that not only two but several Output units are present, each forwarding files to the filter unit, the forwarding of the appropriate information from the filter unit 12 to the respective terminal, for example, be made dependent on whether it is possible to make the forwarding of information to a terminal dependent on whether from certain source units all information on an order has been received.

Because of the abundance of possible control mechanisms, reference is merely made here generally to the push and pull techniques generally known in data processing.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

output unit

11

output unit

12

filter unit

14

terminal

14a to d

Receiving unit terminal

13

storage area

16

File log

16 '

file

17

file

Claims (8)

1. A system for communication between an output unit (10, 11), which is intended for generating and/or forwarding an information (16), and a final device in the graphics industry (14), which is intended for receiving at least some of the information (16'), characterized in that a filter unit (12) connected between said output unit (10, 11) and said final device in the graphics industry (14)is intended to forward the information coming from said output unit (10, 11) to said final device in the graphics industry (14) in accordance with information that is stored in a storage area of said filter unit (12) and which describes the type of information needed by said final device in the graphics industry (14), or which describes which communication standard has to be complied with in communicating with said final device in the graphics industry (14).
2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of final devices in the graphics industry (14a ... 14d) are connected to said filter unit (12).
3. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that the data of said final devices in the graphics industry (14, 14a ... 14d) is a required standard, a required standard version, a communication version or information about the type or volume of data needed by the final device in the graphics industry.
4. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that said filter unit (12) is intended to interrogate the data of said final device in the graphics industry (14) and subsequently store it in a volatile manner or a non-volatile manner.
5. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that said filter unit (12) includes an arithmetic processor, which is intended to convert information coming in from said output unit (10, 11) in accordance with the receiver-related data stored in the storage area.
6. The system according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each final device in the graphics industry (14, 14a ... 14d) has a dedicated output channel.
7. The System according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said filter unit (12) includes an arithmetic unit, which is intended for checking the plausibility of data coming in from said output unit.
8. A method for communication between an output unit (10, 11) and a final device in the graphics industry (14), characterized in that said output unit (10, 11) transmits an information (16) to said final device in the graphics industry (14), wherein this information is forwarded via a filter unit (12) having access to receiving requirements of said final device in the graphics industry (14) in accordance with information that is stored in a storage area of said filter unit (12) and which describes the type of information needed by said final device in the graphics industry (14), or which describes which communication standard has to be complied with in communicating with said final device in the graphics industry (14).

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