JPH0713541A - Method for processing image and its device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To change the color of a color display at a high speed and to make efficient color displaying possible by image-editing image data read at an input device and displaying the color display in fixed as well as changing colors. CONSTITUTION:This device is provided with a work station 300 having a storage part for image-editing image data read at an input device 1 using input operation and displaying means, an input controller 100, a file server 200 for storing edited data in a storage means an image setter for outlutting images. It also is provided with a function for displaying the color display in fixed and changing colors when the color display is carried out on the display means and a function for setting planes at every plural kinds of color allotments to be displayed within a page area, setting a table consisting of upper and lower parts of these planes being overlapped beforehand, alotting one fixed color to one plane as a flag for identifying the changing or the fixed color and displaying the changing color by selecting the table.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a color for a display device in an image processing system for reading a character image and an image of a design of a layout mount (blockboard mount, rough designation paper, etc.) and then laying it out and outputting it. The present invention relates to an image processing method and apparatus capable of displaying at high speed, and moreover, by using a plane table, it is possible to efficiently display fixed colors and variable colors.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an image processing system for a printing company requiring high quality, there is no system for comprehensively integrating and editing images such as characters and pictures, or even if it exists, it has low capability and is practically used. It was not the target. In particular, the desktop publishing field is becoming possible by the page description language such as Postscript, but
Performance is low. There are systems for printers, but they are not enough to handle large amounts of data at high speed. The reason for this is that there is too much data to be processed in order to support processing by a descriptive language for collectively processing characters and images, and processing by a CPU (software), resulting in lack of performance. is there.
To output only the code data in order to create a block for printing, it is necessary to convert each character to a bit map and also to expand it into a bit map every few rasters in advance. Stores all or part of the output image in a temporary buffer and sends it to the output device, and waits while the output device accumulates in the output image buffer to reduce the memory capacity of the buffer. It is supposed to do.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned device, characters and pictures cannot be laid out and output at the same time, and even if the character bitmap is laid out in advance on the buffer outputting the bitmap, the It had the drawback of taking a lot of time to implement. Alternatively, characters and pictures are output on different papers or films, and the operator cuts the papers or films. For this reason, a lot of repetitive work such as exposure and printing takes a lot of time, and intermediately generated photosensitive material is wasted.

Further, since a frame memory is used for color display on the display device, it takes time to change the display color. Therefore, it has been desired to develop a method and apparatus that can switch and display at high speed even when the display color is changed.

The present invention has been made under the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a display device in an image processing system for electronically interactively editing a large amount of character and picture image data at high speed. An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing method and apparatus capable of performing high-speed color display by using a table formed by superimposing a plurality of planes.

[0006]

According to the present invention, image data read by an input device and code information edited by an editing input device are screen-edited using an input operation means and a display means, and a storage section is provided. In the image processing method of the workstation having the above, the above-mentioned object of the present invention is achieved by displaying the color display in a fixed color and a variable color in the color display on the display means. The present invention also provides
A workstation having a storage unit for screen-editing the image data read by the input device and the code information edited by the editing input device using the input operation and display means,
A file server connected to the input controller and the workstation, for storing the image data, the code information, and the edit data screen-edited in the workstation in the storage means, and the edit data stored in the storage means The present invention relates to an image processing device having an image setter for reading out and outputting an image to an image output device. The above object of the present invention is to provide a fixed color and a variable color for the color display on the display means. With the function to display in, the plane is set for each of a plurality of types of color allocation to be displayed in the page area, and a table formed by superposing the planes above and below is set in advance,
This is achieved by assigning one of the planes as the variable color and one fixed color as a flag for determining the fixed color, and providing a function of displaying the variable color by selecting the table.

[0007]

The image processing system of the present invention comprises an input controller, a file server, an imagesetter, and a workstation. Since each has an independent CPU (microprocessor, microcomputer, etc.), each part is independent. In addition to being able to operate simultaneously and in parallel, it is possible to realize high-speed and efficient image processing, and to interactively edit the information on the layout mount and the pictures and characters to minimize the memory capacity. A high-quality image can be obtained from the image output device as a hard copy or a printing block. In addition, the color image can be displayed on the display device of the workstation, and the color display is realized by selecting a table by predetermining the upper and lower overlapping of plural kinds of planes. , The display color can be changed at high speed. Moreover, since the display color is divided into a fixed color and a variable color, efficient color display is possible.

[0008]

1 to 3 are block diagrams showing an image processing system which is a premise of the present invention.
Further, the density data DD of an image obtained by reading an original such as a layout mount with the input device 1 such as a scanner is input to the input controller 100, and the input controller 100 screens the input density data DD via the built-in CPU 101. The dot conversion circuit 102 converts the data into halftone dots, the compression circuit 103 compresses the data, and the buffer 104 temporarily stores the data.
It is transferred via the SI bus and stored in the magnetic tape 210 or the hard disks 220, 221, ... Of the file server 200. The input controller 100 has a local disk (hard disk) 105 for temporarily storing data. The file server 200 has a CPU 201,
It is connected to other devices via the interfaces 202 to 205. Further, the code information CD such as characters obtained by the edit input device 2 such as a word processor or a typesetting machine is once stored in the floppy disk 3 and then read out and input to the workstation 300. Workstation 3
00 is a CRT 301 as a display unit, a keyboard 302, a mouse 306 and a digitizer 303 as an input operation unit, and a hard disk 30 as a storage unit.
4. The workstation 300 has a plurality of sets of terminal devices each having a floppy disk 305.
It is mutually connected to the file server 200 via ERNET. CRT obtained with the input controller 100
The image data thinned out for display, the frame data and the image data for contour display are stored in the magnetic tape 210 or the hard disks 220, 221, ... Together with the unthinned high density data for image output, and are thinned out. Data is read out via the SCSI bus and transferred to the workstation 300 via the interfaces 204 and 202. Control commands and the like with the input controller 100 are transmitted via the auxiliary data line 4 via the interface 200 of the file server 200. Transferred to the file server 200
An image setter 400 is further connected to the. The image setter 400 is provided with a CPU 401, and through the interface 402 the file server 20
0 connected to auxiliary data line 5 and interface 4
It is connected to the SCSI bus via 03. The image setter 400 further includes a sequencer 410 and a buffer 411 for storing necessary data, and the image setter 400 outputs a high quality image to the high image quality output device 1
A laser beam printer 11 for outputting 0 and a relatively low image quality is connected. In addition, hard disk 2
20, 221 ... Prestores fixed data (bitmap data) such as a logo, a coat of arms, and a net, and vector font data for character output.

In the input device 1, a pattern (halftone image), a line drawing, and a character image (binary image) are digitized by density data (8 bits / pixel). The signal input at 8 bits / pixel is converted into a dot pattern by the input controller 100,
Information of 4 bits / pixel is generated. The binary image is converted into 1-bit / pixel information. Further, although characters are input as codes from the workstation 300, they may be input as images from the input device 1. Therefore, when input as an image, even a character is treated as an image (bitmap data). Although all images are output by the imagesetter 400, the code set and vector information are all converted to bitmap data in the imagesetter 400. Therefore, use image output to mean that bitmap data is output. become.

The details of the input controller 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The input controller 100 converts the density data DD input from the input device 1 into high density data for the high image quality output machine 10 and a laser beam printer. 11
For CRT3 on workstation 300
Two sets of data for displaying 01 and five sets of rough image data enough to show the contour are simultaneously generated. Overall speed can be realized by performing parallel processing at the same time.
This is because the data generation calculation load of 101 can be reduced.
That is, the high-density data for the high-quality image output device 10 is converted into a halftone dot by the halftone dot conversion circuit 1021, compressed by the compression circuit 1031, and the compressed data is temporarily stored in the buffer 1041. Further, as data for outputting an image by the laser beam printer 11 having a relatively low image quality, the density data DD is thinned out (110) at a predetermined interval (for example, 1/3), and the rough data is halftone dot circuit 1022. Compression circuit 1
It is compressed in 032 and then temporarily stored in the buffer 1042. Further, two types of coarser data to be displayed on the CRT 301 are thinned out at predetermined intervals after density data DD is thinned, and halftoned by the halftoning circuits 1023 and 1024, respectively, and temporarily stored in buffers 1043 and 1044, respectively. Further, in the case of a line drawing for creating a cutout mask from a halftone image, the image data after the Laplacian processing or the unsharp mask processing showing the contour data is thinned out (113), and then the binarization circuit 1025.
Are binarized by and are temporarily stored in the buffer 1045.

In the structure 1, the CPU 101 communicates with the input device 1 via a data line (not shown), and the auxiliary data line 4 and the dual port RA.
It communicates with the file server 200 via M (not shown). Then, when there is a data transmission request from the input device 1, the CPU 101 sets necessary data in each circuit shown in FIG. 4, stores the setting data in the local disk 105, and further sets the setting values related to the sub-scanning. set. The density data DD from the input device 1 is input line by line, and the circuits shown in FIG.
It is stored in (1041 to 1045). CPU1 during this time
01 checks the SCSI bus switching, the data compression output buffer 1041 switching, and the presence or absence of error information from various circuits. The data once stored in the buffer 104 and the local disk 105 is sorted by a command from the CPU 101 and output to an external SCSI bus.

The configuration of the file server 200 is as shown in FIG. 2. The file server 200 has a common file management function such as file management and file sharing, and a communication control function for network communication and unit communication. is doing. That is, the file server 200
Via the SCSI bus to the hard disk (220, 2,
21 ...), manages files on the magnetic tape 210, and connects to the workstation 3 via ETHERNET.
00 and a software interface function, and further includes an input controller 100 and an image setter 400.
File management information service to the PC and utility function for file management via the SCSI bus. For example, font registration and garbage collection of SCSI disk (dust removal processing). There are two types of font registration here. One is registration of fonts possessed by the system. This registration stores vector fonts created by another font creation system in the form of magnetic tape in the hard disk of the image processing system. The other is the registration of external character fonts. Gaiji font is a character that does not exist in the system. In this case, the font created in another system is registered in this system from a floppy disk or magnetic tape.

The file server 200 stores services and data for transferring data between the workstation 300, the input controller 100 and the imagesetter 400, and the input controller 100 stores the auxiliary data line 4 and the dual port RAM. Then, necessary information is obtained from the file server 200 for securing and deleting areas of various files. Input controller 100
To register the data once stored in the internal buffer 104 as a file of the image processing system, information such as the file name and the file capacity is transferred to the file server 200, and S
Access the hard disks 220, 221, ... On the CSI bus. As a result, the file server 200 manages directory communication and disk area management. Further, the file server 200 transfers file data to the workstation 300 via ETHERNET,
Receive data from workstations. At this time, in accordance with the instruction from the workstation 300, the file server 200 causes the hard disk (2
20, ...) and the magnetic tape 210, and updates necessary information such as directories. Also, imagesetter 4
The command for 00 and the command for the magnetic tape 210 are obtained, and the service is performed according to the command. Further, a predetermined command is sent to the imagesetter 400 via the auxiliary data line 5 and the dual port RAM, file management information is sent in response to a request from the imagesetter 400, and disk data on the SCSI bus is sent. As a result, the imagesetter 400 is directly accessed. Furthermore, utility information related to the entire image processing system is managed by the hard disks 220, 221, ... on the SCSI bus, and font information,
Common files on the system correspond to such information.

Next, the operation of the workstation 300 will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 5. The document data edited by the edit input device 2 and stored is read from the floppy disk 3 (step S310).
The code information CD of the document data is converted in data format (step S311). And CRT
One page of document contents is displayed on 301 (step S3
12) The image data output position of the image read from the layout mount or the like is designated by the mouse 306, the keyboard 302, and the digitizer 303 (step S313), and page description data for each page is created together with the frame of the layout mount (step S314). ). Such data creation is performed for all pages (step S315), and then an imposition instruction for creating a printing block is issued using the keyboard 302 (step S316) to create impositioned page description data (step S317). ). Then, the file server 20
The created data is transferred to 0 (step S318).
The image setter 400 is instructed to output an image, and the operation ends (step S319).

Next, with reference to FIG. 6, an operation example at the time of imposition will be described. The workstation 300 reads the image data thinned out from the hard disks 220, 221, ... Of the file server 200 (step S33).
0), read the document data from the floppy disk 3 (step S331), C of the workstation 300
Display necessary information on RT301 and mouse 30
6, the keyboard 302 and the digitizer 303 are operated to lay out images, documents and frames page by page (step S332). Then, the type of imposition registered in advance is designated by the keyboard 302 (step S33).
3) Each page is laid out and displayed on the CRT 301 together with the number of pages in the instructed imposition state (for example, A to D in the figure) (step S334). Here, the imposition registration is stored with the number of pages attached in advance in consideration of folding at the time of bookbinding of a plurality of pages, for example, 4 pages of A4 version or 8 pages of A5 version. 6A to 6D, the imposition state is determined by the number of pages (“1”, “8”, “5” in B,
It is displayed together with "4". As described above, the contents such as images and characters are not displayed, and the image setter 400 generates and outputs a bitmap according to the page description data (step S335).

FIG. 7 shows an example of the configuration of the imagesetter 400. The sequencer 410 is connected to a CPU bus 412 and an image data bus 413, and is also connected to a logical operation circuit 420 and a first memory 421. Further, the main memory 430 for the CPU 401 is connected to the CPU bus 412, the common memory 424 is connected between the common memory 424 and the image data bus 413, and the interface 4
The outputs of 02 and 403 are input to the CPU bus 412. CPU bus 412 and image data bus 413
A buffer 433, a decompressor 440, and a third memory 423 are connected between the two, and a buffer 434, a raster image converter 431, and a second memory 422 are connected.
The buffer 435 and the output control circuit 436 are connected. The CPU bus 412 has a vector font memory 43.
2 is connected to the output control circuit 436 and the output buffer 4
The high image quality output device 10 and the laser beam printer 11 are connected via 36A. Vector font memory 4
In 32, a vector font required for generating a character bitmap by the raster image converter 431 is stored. Usually vector font is disk (22
0,221, ...), but it is inefficient to read the vector font via the SCSI bus every time the character bitmap is generated, so all the necessary vector fonts are stored in the vector font memory 432 in advance. By reading it in, the speed of character bitmap generation is improved.

In such a structure, the operation is as shown in FIG.
First, an output instruction request is output from the file server 200 to the imagesetter 400 via the auxiliary data line 5 using the file name in the hard disks 220, 221, ... As a parameter. Specifications to be output from that file are written in that file. The specifications are sequentially decoded, code data and compressed data are subjected to address calculation for each unit image, and overlay processing by logical operation is repeated for that address, The processing result is stored in the first memory 421. The imagesetter 400 calls the parameter file via the SCSI bus and repeats this operation. For example, for code data, character code and instruction information such as position, typeface, size, etc. are input via the SCSI interface 403 (step S400), and converted into a raster image by the raster image converter 431 via the buffer 434 (step S401). ), The raster image data is stored in the second memory 422 (step S402). The image data that has been compressed is input via the interface 403 via the SCSI bus (step S403), decompressed by the decompressor 440 via the buffer 433 and restored (step S40).
4) The restored image data is stored in the third memory 423 (step S405). Further, the bitmap data such as logos stored in the hard disks 220, 221, ... Is input via the interface 403 (step S406) and stored in the common memory 424 (step S407). The data stored in the second memory 422 to the common memory 424 are all bitmap data, and these stored data are logically operated by the logical operation circuit 420 via the CPU 401 (step S41).
0), the data logically operated so as to synthesize, edit, or image-process a picture or a document is stored in the first memory 421 (step S411). After the data is stored in the first memory 421, it is judged whether or not it is finished, that is, whether there is no correction or addition (step S412), and the above operation is continued until the logical operation such as correction is finished. This logical operation circuit 420 performs logical operations such as sum, product, difference and exclusive OR of bit map data generated from code data such as characters, bit map data obtained by expanding compressed image data and bit map data with the CPU 401. Work together,
The image information to be output to the high image quality output device 10 or the laser beam printer 11 is generated.

In the present invention, the CRT 301, which is the display means of the workstation 300, is color-displayed, and fixed colors and variable colors are provided as the types of colors to be displayed.
The fixed color is displayed in a fixed color without changing the display color in any case, and up to 32 colors can be displayed at the same time. The variable color dynamically changes the display color in response to an instruction from the user (operator) or an instruction from the software, and can display up to 128 colors at the same time. In the present invention, the color display is # 0
~ 8 planes # 7 are used, plane # 7 is used as a variable / fixed color discrimination flag, and 128 colors are expressed in the combination table of the remaining 7 planes # 0 to # 6. It has become. Plane # 0 is the layout mount color (dark blue), plane # 1 is the image color displayed in the first edition (C edition), plane # 2 is the image color displayed in the second edition (M edition), plane # 3 is the image color displayed in the 3rd edition (Y version), plane # 4 is the auxiliary line, the color of the structure display such as the dotted line of the page frame (dark blue), plane # 5 is the guide displayed in the auxiliary line display , Closed line color (green), and plane # 6 are assigned a temporary tracking point, an emphasis point, an action point, and a size display color (red). Therefore, the allocation and display colors are as shown in Table 1.

[Table 1]

The fixed color is displayed in a constant color without changing the display color in any case, and rewriting in another color is required to change the display color. Further, the fixed color is applied to all of the layout area outside the page area, and the case where the flag of the plane # 7 is "0" is the fixed color. One fixed color is assigned to each pixel value of planes # 5 and # 6 of "00", 32 types of fixed colors are assigned to pixel values "0" to "31", and pixel values "32" to "32" are assigned. 32 types of fixed color inversion colors are assigned to 63 ″. Therefore, the fixed color map according to how the plane is used is shown in Table 2.

[Table 2]

Variable colors are applied in the page area,
Does not include sheets, menus, loupe windows and cursors. Variable colors use planes # 0 to # 6 one by one,
The vertical relationship and display color are controlled on a plane basis. As shown in Table 1, what is displayed in the page area is divided into 7 types, and the plane to be written is assigned for each type and the color is assigned to each plane based on the external specifications. Is defined. The vertical relationship of planes is 10 in plane positions 1 to 10 in FIG.
Although represented by stages, plane positions 1 to 10 are places of the seven planes # 0 to # 6 assigned to the variable colors. The display state is determined depending on which position the plane is placed, and any number of planes can be placed in one plane position. In that case, the overlap is displayed in the intermediate color or the background color. Then, the one with the higher plane position is given priority and is displayed as an overwritten image. Planes # 0 to # 7 and plane positions 1 to 10
For example, Table 3 shows the relationship between and by external specifications.

[Table 3] The mask blocks the planes, and planes below the mask are not displayed.

When a plurality of planes are in the same plane position, it is considered that the planes are overlapped, and the display color of the overlapping portion LP in which "1" is drawn in the plurality of planes PL1 and PL2 as shown in FIG. Control colors by type. Considering the types of intermediate color and background color, the background color has a higher priority than the intermediate color. The intermediate color is, for example, a type in which the portion LP displayed in red and the portion LP displayed in blue are displayed in purple when the red and blue planes overlap each other, and the background color is, for example, in red and blue. This is a type in which, when the planes are overlapped, the portion displayed in red and the portion LP displayed in blue are displayed in the background color. Table 4 below shows how to use the color map of the variable color depending on how the plane is used.

[Table 4]

In the present invention, the color display is performed with the fixed color and the variable color, and the color expressed by the combination of the plane and the plane position is made into a table in advance, and the table is selected when the color display is changed. As a result, color display and its switching can be easily performed. In the above description, there are seven types of planes and ten types of plane positions, but these types are arbitrary.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to edit a large amount of character and picture image data at high speed and output a high-quality printing image with a layout-designated appearance. An image processing system capable of easily converting vector information into bit map by hardware, image processing, processing, and editing, and laying out and outputting characters and pictures, and a color image on a display device of a workstation. It is possible to change the display color at a high speed because the color display can be displayed and the table is created by predetermining the upper and lower overlapping of multiple planes and selecting the table. it can. Also, because the display color is divided into fixed color and variable color,
Efficient color display is possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram (workstation, input controller) showing a configuration example of an image processing system.

FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram (file server) showing an example configuration of an image processing system.

FIG. 3 is a block configuration diagram (image setter) showing a configuration example of an image processing system.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an input controller.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation example of a workstation.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an imposition operation.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of an imagesetter.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a plane position on which a plane is placed and a mask.

FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining overlapping of planes.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Input Device 2 Editing Input Device 3 Floppy Disk 10 High Quality Output Device 100 Input Controller 200 File Server 300 Workstation 301 CRT 302 Keyboard 303 Digitizer 306 Mouse 400 Imagesetter 101 CPU 201 CPU 401 CPU

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] September 22, 1992

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Claim 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Claim 3

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0006

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image processing method for a workstation having a storage unit for editing a screen of image data read by an input device by using an input operation unit and a display unit. The above-mentioned object is achieved by displaying the color display in a fixed color and a variable color in the color display on the display means.
Further, according to the present invention, the image data read by the input device is screen-edited using the input operation and display means, and is connected to the workstation having the storage unit, the input controller and the workstation, and the image data, A file server for storing code information and edit data screen-edited by the workstation in a storage means, and an image setter for reading the edit data stored in the storage means and outputting an image to an image output device. The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus having the above-mentioned object, and the above-mentioned object of the present invention is to display in the page area a function of displaying the color display in a fixed color and a variable color in the color display on the display means. A plane is set for each of multiple types of color allocation, and a table composed of the upper and lower planes is set in advance. ; Then, the changing color of one of the planes, assign one fixed color as discrimination flag of the fixed color, is achieved by providing a function of displaying the change color by the selection of the table.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A display device in a workstation having a storage unit for screen-editing image data read by an input device and code information edited by an editing input device using an input operation unit and a display unit. The image processing method is characterized in that the color display is performed with a fixed color and a variable color when the color display is performed. 2. The workstation according to claim 1, further comprising: setting a plane for each of a plurality of types of color allocation to be displayed in a page area, and presetting a table formed by superposing the planes above and below the plane. One of the planes
An image processing method, wherein one fixed color is assigned as one of the variable colors and a flag for determining the fixed color, and the variable color is displayed by selecting the table. 3. A workstation having a storage unit for screen-editing image data read by an input device and code information edited by an editing input device by using input operation means and display means, and the input controller. And a file server connected to the workstation for storing the image data, the code information, and the edited data screen-edited in the workstation in a storage means,
In an image processing device comprising an image setter for reading the edited data stored in the storage means and outputting an image to an image output device, in the color display on the display means, the color display is a fixed color and a variable color. And a plane is set for each of a plurality of types of color allocation to be displayed in the page area, and a table formed by superposing the planes above and below is set in advance.
An image processing apparatus having a function of allocating one fixed color as one of the variable colors and a fixed color discrimination flab and displaying the variable color by selecting the table.