Method and apparatus for the capture of scanning positions in printed images

• US 20030222230A1
• Filed: 04/08/2003
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eltromat Polygraph GmbH
• Original Assignee: Eltromat Polygraph GmbH
• Inventors: Krause, Thomas, Becker, Rene, Brauner, Ralf, Nikolai, Matthias, Morgenstern, Bernd
• Application Number:
  US10/410,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20030222230A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/559.29
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 33/0036 Devices for scanning or checking the printed matter for quality control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/04 Scanning arrangements , i.e. arrangements for the displacement of active reading or reproducing elements relative to the original or reproducing medium, or vice versaH04N1/387 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus for capturing scanning positions in printed images avoids waste. The apparatus has a substantially plane working face for at least one master copy or part of the master copy of the printed image. The apparatus includes further a measuring device coupled to the working face for generating coordinates of positions to be marked in the master copy in accordance with a relevant point of the working face corresponding to the marked position. Further, the apparatus includes a stop device for the defined alignment of the master copy relative to the measuring device, and a computer unit for processing the data of the obtained coordinates.

Claims

1. A method of capturing scanning positions in printed images, comprising:

generating a master copy of a printed image;

placing the master copy in a predetermined alignment on a grid of coordinates;

manually marking at least one scanning position;

automatically capturing coordinates of the marked scanning position; and

storing said coordinates.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising communicating the stored coordinates to a monitoring unit.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising manually marking an image section of the master copy by circling the at least one marked scanning position.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising activating a positioning of the monitoring unit during a printing process.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising positioning the monitoring unit prior to a printing process.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising placing the center of the master copy in the center of the coordinate grid.

7. The method according to claim 3, further comprising using the coordinates obtained through the circling of the marked scanning positions for a calculation and actuation of a zoom function of the monitoring unit.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising assigning evaluation functions to the image generated by the determined coordinates.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the evaluation functions include a bar code evaluation, a measurement of register marks, a color measurement, and a comparison of image samples.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein data obtained prior to the capture of coordinates are interpreted as wrong data and separated.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising executing a calibration procedure through defining a zero position in the coordinate grid, wherein the coordinate grid for the master copy is brought into congruence with the coordinate grid for the printing press.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising performing a calibration operation including placing the master copy on the coordinate grid, entering coordinate values of a left side lower corner and a right side upper corner of the master copy, comparing the entered values with format data and a corresponding assignment of a position and, as a function of said comparing, converting a scale of the master copy being affected.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the master copy is one of the following:

a master sheet, a reference sheet, a printing plate, a film, a projection of the printed image, an electronic copy of the printed image, and at least part of the aforementioned master copies.

14. An apparatus for capturing scanning positions in printed images, comprising:

a substantially plane working face for at least one master copy or part of the master copy of the printed image;

a measuring device coupled to the working face for generating coordinates of positions to be marked in the master copy in accordance with a predetermined point of the working face corresponding to said marked position;

a stop device for a predetermined alignment of the master copy relative to the measuring device; and

a computer unit for processing the data of the obtained coordinates.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the working face is part of a table and the table is provided with a coordinate measuring area.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the table is provided with a frame surrounding the coordinate measuring area with the measuring device located below a plane of said frame.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the table comprises at least one of an operating panel and a display field.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the operating panel is configured as a touch-screen device.

19. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the measuring device is located in a plane of the working face or above the plane of the working face.

20. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the stop device is configured as a movable stop bar.

21. The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a scale for ink control information.

22. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the computer unit comprises a personal computer, a micro processor or a single-board computer.

23. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the computer unit is interactively connected with a monitoring device of the printing press producing the printed image.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the monitoring device comprises a video camera.