Abstract:
A method for selecting a resource for processing a job in a pre-press workflow system. The method includes obtaining a processing parameter for processing the job; checking a rule related to the processing parameter; and automatically selecting the resource for processing the job. The automatic selection is based on the rule.

Description:
[0001]    The application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/373,679 filed Apr. 18, 2002. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The invention relates to the field of pre-press workflow systems, and in particular to resources used in such systems.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    In a pre-press workflow system, as disclosed e.g. in patent application WO 01/25907, jobs are processed. A job involves the processing of a specific set of document pages according to specified instructions. In processing a job, resources are used, which are objects that are required to produce the final result. Examples of resources are the output profiles for the press and for the proofing apparatus, calibration curves, etc. (see patent application EP-A-1 083 739 for more information on profiles, proofing, calibration and related terms).  
           [0004]    In presently available pre-press workflow systems, the resources that are used for a job have to be specified by the user of the pre-press workflow system.  
           [0005]    There is still a need for an improved method for selecting a resource in a pre-press workflow system.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention is a method for selecting a resource for processing a job in a pre-press workflow system as claimed in independent claims 1 and 10. The invention also includes a system and a computer program product implementing the method. Preferred embodiments of the invention are set out in the dependent claims.  
           [0007]    A method in accordance with the invention involves obtaining one or more processing parameters for processing a job. One or more rules are checked that are related to these processing parameters. Based on these rules, a resource for processing the job is selected automatically.  
           [0008]    A “processing parameter” is a basic parameter that is used in the pre-press workflow. Examples of processing parameters are the type of receiving substrate on which the job will be output (such as film, printing plate, paper), the ink that will be used in printing, the used devices (such as film/plate setter, press), etc. The processing parameters are typically settings associated with a job that is to be processed. A “resource” is an object that is required to produce the final result of the pre-press workflow system. Preferably, the pre-press workflow system includes a number of “task processors” which are software components that perform one or more tasks to process the job. Such a task processor has a number of resources attached to it. Examples of resources are output profiles for the press and for the proofing apparatus, calibration curves for the press and for the proofing apparatus, linearization curves for the film/plate setter, etc. We again refer to patent application EP-A-1 083 739, which is included herein by reference, for more information on profiles, proofing, calibration and related terms.  
           [0009]    The invention has several advantages. A pre-press workflow system in accordance with the invention is user-friendly because the user does not have to specify the resources any more. Further, the creation and processing of jobs is much faster than with prior art systems. The risk of making errors is greatly reduced.  
           [0010]    In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the user can override (i.e. replace) the automatically selected resource by another resource he or she specifies.  
           [0011]    Further advantages and embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and drawing. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    The invention is described with reference to the following drawing without the intention to limit the invention thereto, and in which:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a system in accordance with the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 shows a plurality of job settings  10  that include processing parameters  11 ,  12 ,  13 . Each processing parameter includes a designation and a value, e.g. ‘resolution=2400’, ‘lpi=133’, ‘polarity=positive’.  
         [0015]    A set  20  of rules  21 ,  22 ,  23  are related to the processing parameters  11 ,  12 ,  13 . The relation is indicated in FIG. 1 by arrow  41 . Some examples of rules  21 ,  22 ,  23 , related to processing parameters,  11 ,  12 ,  13 , are: a specific screen has to be used for all text, while a stochastic screen will be used for all images; a certain calibration curve is to be used in particular circumstances; a particular profile is to be used for a given type of receiving substrate, or for a given type of ink, or for a given output device, or for a given combination of two or more of these processing parameters; a specific compensation curve has to be used for a specific device.  
         [0016]    Preferably, the rules are drawn up by a system administrator of the company or department that uses the pre-press workflow system. An advantage of the invention is its flexibility: any rules may be drawn up. Some rules may be tailored especially to the needs of the company or department using the system.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 further shows a resource pool  30  with resources  31 ,  32 ,  33 . Resources may either be created, edited or both by the pre-press workflow system, such as e.g. linearization and calibration curves, or they may be imported by the pre-press workflow system, such as e.g. output profiles.  
         [0018]    The outcome of a rule  21 ,  22 ,  23  is a resource  31 ,  32 ,  33 . There is thus a relation between the rules  21 ,  22 ,  23  and the resources  31 ,  32 ,  33 ; this relation is indicated in FIG. 1 by arrows such as arrow  51 . Thus, via one or more rules  21 ,  22 ,  23 , resources  31 ,  32 ,  33  are linked to processing parameters  11 ,  12 ,  13 . The link is indicated in FIG. 1 by arrows  41 ,  51 . A simple example of a rule is: use profile ‘r900_satin’ for the following processing parameters: press: ‘glossy wet’; receiving substrate: ‘coated glossy’; ink set: ‘warmer swop’; screen type: ‘Agfa Balanced Screening™’, frequency: 110, dotshape: round. However, the rules  21 ,  22 ,  23  may also be complex, as illustrated by the other examples mentioned above.  
         [0019]    In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a first compensation curve is associated with a first device and a second compensation curve is associated with a second device. A compensation curve is a curve that corrects for a behavior of the concerned device; the compensation curve may e.g. be a calibration curve. As an example, the first device is a film or a plate setter and the second device is a printing press. In this example, the first compensation curve is a resource and the first device and the receiving substrate are relevant processing parameters; analogously the second compensation curve is another resource and the second device, the receiving substrate and the ink set used on the printing press are relevant processing parameters for this other resource.  
         [0020]    The first and second compensation curves may be combined into a global compensation curve that corrects for the behavior of both the first and second devices at the same time. Moreover, since the first and second compensation curves are linked  41 ,  51  to the relevant processing parameters via one or more rules, the global compensation curve may be applied automatically. When a job is processed, the processing parameters of the job may be verified and, if the processing parameters satisfy the conditions laid down by the rules, the global compensation curve is automatically applied to the job.  
         [0021]    In a specific embodiment of the invention, out of a plurality of profiles a particular profile is selected based on the type of receiving substrate that will be used; the particular profile is then applied to an image to obtain the desired colors on the output device on which the image will be output. The invention also includes a system comprising a storage device for this plurality of profiles, an input device to provide the type of receiving substrate, a device to select out of the plurality of profiles a particular profile based on the type of receiving substrate, and a device to apply the particular profile to image data.  
         [0022]    The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. In a specific embodiment, the same resource may be designated by two or more rules. In a particular embodiment, if no rule is applicable, a default resource may automatically be selected.  
         [0023]    Having described in detail preferred embodiments of the current invention, it will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appending claims.  
                                             List of reference signs                                    10   job settings           11   processing parameter           12   processing parameter           13   processing parameter           20   set of rules           21   rule           22   rule           23   rule           30   resource pool           31   resource           32   resource           33   resource           41   arrow           51   arrow