IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO IMAGE FORMATION AND STORAGE

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for constructing complex pat­ terns and representations are described having particular application in the construction of a printing plate for printing security documents and/or banknotes. A large computer memory is employed to store in digital form signals which will reproduce in a high definition scanning display pictorial and linear patterns and the like. The display is typically a laser plotter Devices for converting pictorial information into digital signals for processing and storage comprise digitising tablets, image scanners and micro-densitometers. In the method of the invention a design is assembled part by part on the scanning display and the separate parts are stored in turn in the memory for subsequent recall and combination in the scanner to reproduce the overall design.

Description: Title: Improvements in and relating to image formation and storage Field of Invention This invention concerns image formation and storage and in particular to formations of a complex image such as the pattern for a bank note and to the storage of information relating to such an image. Background to the invention The creation of the complex patterns making up a design to be applied for example to bank notes or security documents has hitherto involved teams of artists in the preparation of a number of proofs for adjudication by a panel of experts and it is not unknown for the design of a new bank note to take many months from start to finish. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus whereby complex designs such as are normally required for banknotes and security documents and the like, to be compiled quickly and to a very high level of accuracy and to be capable of reproduction in a temporary manner for amendment and/or approval and/or for final selection, as between one possible design and another. Summary of the invention According to one aspect of the invention apparatus for compiling an image of a complex design comprises 1) a central processor unit responsive to plurality of input signals and adapted to produce a unique output signal for controlling an electronic display from each different input signal, each output signal being capable of producing in an electronic display an outline having a particular shape or pattern 2) a keyboard and switches operated by the keys thereof for generating input signals for the central processor unit, so that different patterns can be obtained in an electronic display by entering appropriate information via the keyboard, 3) a high definition electronic display device controllable by output signals from the central processor, for producing 2-dimensional displays of the patterns corresponding to the output signals, 4) a computer memory preferably a random access memory for storing information relating to the processor output signals, and 5) means for reading the contents of the memory or a portion thereof, to allow a pattern or portion thereof previously generated from input signals from the keyboard and stored as information in the memory, to be reconstructed in the electronic display. The high definition display device is preferably a laser plotter such as a Laser Scan type HRDI as produced by Laser Scan Ltd., of Cambridge, England. The central processor is preferably a digital computer such as a Type VAXll/750 or equivalent. he memory preferably has a capacity of 200 Megabytes or more, to allow a satisfactory quantity of digital information to be stored in -relation to a line pattern or to allow a complex line pattern to be reproduced to a very zigh level of accuracy. Preferably the positional accuracy of the system is such that the line display in the electronic display can be addressed with an accuracy of + 1 micron whilst the reproducibility of the system is of the order of + 5 microns. Preferably the beam (and therefore line width) in the display is of the order of 20 microns. Preferably the information relating to a line pattern or outline is stored as positional information for a scanning spot or the like and preferably such information is stored in digital form. According to a preferred feature of this first aspect of the invention at least one further input signal generating device (a second such device) is provided in the form of a digitising unit which is adapted to generate input signals for the central processor unit which after processing by the processor produce output signals which when employed to control an electronic scanning spot display device will produce in the display different basic patterns. This further input signal generating device may for example scan a pattern presented to it and produce from the scanning a plurality of electrical digital signals corresponding to the coordinates of the locus of the line making up the pattern. The coordinate information so generated can be stored and recalled to create the same pattern as has been secured. Preferably the central processor or the digitiser or both together, provide for the scaling of the coordinate information so that the scanned pattern can be reproduced to a larger or smaller (or the same) scale as that which was scanned to produce the coordinate signals. Preferably means is provided within the processor for combining in the electronic display of the output signals from the latter, information from the digitiser (or a memory associated therewith containing stored digitised information of a pattern) and information from the memory relating to a stored pattern which has been previously compiled by entering appropriate commands via the keyboard. Preferably the digitiser unit is a digitising tablet such as is produced by GTCO Corporation of the USA. According to a still further feature of this first aspect of the invention at least one other input signal generating device (a third such device) is provided in the form of an image scanner adapted to scan a complex, not necessarily regular pattern making up for example a portrait or pictorial scene or the like and produce therefrom electrical signals which on reproduction in the display will reproduce the original portrait or scene or the like. Preferably the said third device is a micro-densitometer and digitising means is provided for converting the image scanned signals into digital signals capable of being stored in a computer type memory Preferably the output signals relating to the portrait or scene are stored in the main memory and then are processed and re-processed as required via the central processor and re-stored in the main memory to permit scaling of the portrait or scene to just the size required in the final image in the display. Long term storage means such as tape. or disc storage may be provided onto which the information relating to portrait or scene is stored after being fully processed using the central processor unit. Preferably the said third input size generating device comprises a microdensitometer such as that supplied by Optronics International Incorporated of the United States of America under the type number System P1000 Photoscan. According to a second aspect of the invention a complex image such as a design for a bank note or security document may be compiled by the steps of: (1) producing in an electronic display a series of line patterns, each forming a part of an overall complex pattern, (2) processing digital information relating to coordinates along the locus of a line making up each said line pattern to allow for change in inter alia the scale of the patterns so produced, (3) storing each said line pattern in turn for subsequent recall, (4) recalling some or all of the stored line patterns to the display to permit subsequent embellishment and/or amendment and/or combination with other line patterns, for subsequent storage, (5) scanning a complex picture such as a pictorial scene or portrait or- the like to produce therefrom a digital signal corresponding to at least a part of the whole scanned picture, processing the digital signals to produce a scaled version of the scanned picture, (6) storing the digital signals relating to the said at least part of the scanned picture, (7) recalling the stored pictorial signals and the stored line pattern signals and combining same in the said display, and (8) forming a printing plate of the assembled picture in the display. Preferably the last step involves the production of a diazo negative. Where one part of the assembled picture is to overlay another, the electrical signals corresponding to the picture content which will have other content overlaid, are employed as a gating signal to gate the signals corresponding to the overlaying signal content so that where the two signals would in fact coincide the signal corresponding to the overlaying picture content will take precedence over the signal of the underlying picture content. Preferably at least some of the signals corresponding to the line pattern which are stored in the memory, are employed, on recall, as gating signals to create a socalled electronic window for gating the scenic or portrait or other pictorial signals also recalled from memory. All the stored signals may be stored in the same memory, albeit in different separately addressable locations to permit separate recall. The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a block circuit design of a system for performing the invention. In the system shown control of the functioning of a computer 10 operating as a data processor is achieved via a standard terminal 12 including a keyboard 14 and visual display unit 16. The computer is programmed inter alia to produce pictorial and graphic outline displays on the screen by a process of pattern generation using appropriate algorithms and/or interactive processing. When a desired pattern or outline has been achieved, information relating thereto is stored in a main random access memory 18 associated with the computer. Typically a magnetic disc memory having a storage capacity of at least 200 Megabytes is employed. Alternatively the signals may be stored in different memories and re-called separately for composition and display as a composite picture or displayed using a display having a sufficiently long delay time as to permit the assembly therein of the images of the differently stored signals in combination, or a combinatiqn of such techniques may be employed. A second output device is employed on which large scale, high resolution presentations of the pictorial/outline information in the store 18 can be obtained. This comprises a laser plotter 20. This preferably has a writing accuracy of + 1 micron and a reproducability accuracy of + 5 microns and in order to achieve high resolution, a line width of 20 microns. However it is to be understood that these parameters are indicative of the levels of positional accuracy and reproducability required and the computer (using commands from the keyboard 14 or from information stored in the memory 18) controls the size of the writing beam in the laser plotter 29 to permit thicker lines to be drawn as required. The plotter 20 can therefore be set to display pictorial information derived from information stored in the memory 18. An image scanner 22 serves as a further graphics input device. This unit allows pictorial information such as pictures of portraits, landscapes and the like to be scanned and digitised to produce information signals suitable for storage in the memory 18 after processing by the computer 10. Thus for example known processing techniques may be employed to compress the information to reduce the amount of storage space required in the memory 18. Typically the scanner 22 breaks down a half tone or coloured picture into digital information with associated colour line and density information for storage therewith. A reconstruction of the original picture by the laser plotter 20 can therefore be achieved in black and white (or full colour if a suitable plotter is employed). The information stored in the memory 18 is arranged to be sufficient to enable a printing plate or series of plates (where different colours are to be employed) to be constructed therefrom. A digitiser tablet 24 allows patterns and outlines to be reduced to binary signals for storing as such in the computer memory 18 along with other digitised picture information. The tablet 24 converts a dot matrix picture or line pattern into a binary signal equating to a plurality of co-ordinates through the picture or pattern. Each of the output signals from the tablet 24 and scanner 22 can be supplied via the processor 10 for storage in the memory 18 as a complete picture or part of a picture or overlay or background. Patterns generated from programmes stored in the memory 18 or in an internal memory associated with the terminal 12 or date processor computer 10 can also be set up on the plotter 20 and can be used as infill or background material when compiling an overall display on the plotter 12. The quantity of storac required for full pixel storage from a scanned picture Ich as a portrait can be reduced by converting the pixel signals into a line pattern signal. When full pixel to line conversion is required as when a complete picture is to be assembled for checking and inspection, outline "line" information is recalled to act as an electrical gating signal to allow full picture information to be reproduced. The full pictorial picture information may be stored on a tape or the like so that it can be inserted into the memory when required to assemble a complete picture. The laser plotter 20 stores the plot/scan temporarily on photochromic sheet material which can be switched to clear a trace and permit a re-write. When the final picture has been assembled the photochromic sheet can be replaced with a photograpic plate from which a microfiche photograph transparency can be formed. The final stage involves the production of a Diazonegative. If one picture is to be overlaid on another then the boundary of the one picuture has to be defined and this is achieved by placing the document containing the one picture on the digitiser tablet and plotting the outline of the portion of the document picture to be overlaid and using this to gate a window in the other picture signal. In a method involving the apparatus shown, for assembling a security document different portions of the overall pattern to be printed on the document are derived either by digitising or scanning or from programmes or algorithms and are assembled on the laser plotter and a Diazonegative is formed of the overall pattern.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Apparatus for compiling an image of a complex design comprising:1) a central processor unit responsive to plurality of input signals and adapted to produce a unique output signal for controlling an electronic display from each different input signal, each output signal being capable of producing in an electronic display an outline having a particular shape or pattern 2) a keyboard and switches operated by the keys thereof for generating input signals for the central processor unit, so that different patterns can be obtained in an electronic display by entering appropriate information via the keyboard, 3) a high definition electronic display device controllable by output signals from the central processor, for producing 2-dimensional displays of the patterns corresponding to the output signals, 4) a computer memory for storing information relating to the processor output signals, and 5) means for reading the contents of the memory or a portion thereof, to allow a pattern or portion thereof previously generated from input signals from the keyboard and stored as information in the memory, to be reconstructed in the electronic display. 2. Apparatus as claimed n Claim 1 wherein at least on further input signal generating device is provided in 5te form of a digitising unit which is adapted to generate input signals for the central processor unlit whicn after processing by the processor produce output signals which when employed to control an electronic scanning spot display device * produce in the display different basic patterns. 3. Apparatus as claimed in either of the preceding claims wherein the central processor or the digitiser or both together, provide for the scaling of the coordinate information so that a scanned pattern can be reproduced to a larger or smaller (or the same) scale as that which was scanned, to produce coordinate signals. 4. Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein means is provided within the processor for combining in the electronic display of the output signals from the latter, information from the digitiser (or a memory associated therewith containing stored digitised information of a pattern) and information from the memory relating to a stored pattern which has been previously compiled by entering appropriate commands via the keyboard. 5. Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims 2 to 4 wherein at least one other input signal generating device is provided in the form of an image scanner adapted to scan a complex, not necessarily regular pattern, making up for example a portrait or pictorial scene or the liske and produce therefrom electrical signals which on reproduction in the said display will reproduce the original portrait or scene or the like. 6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the said third device is a micro-densitom#ter and digitising means is provided for converting the image scanned signals into digital signals capable of being stored in a computer memory 7. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 or 6 wherein the output signals relating to a portrait or scene are stored in the main memory and are then processed and re-processed as required via the central processor and re-stored in the main memory to permit scaling of the portrait or scene to just the size required in the final image in the display. 8. A method of forming a complex image such as a design for a banknote or security document by the steps of: (1) producing in an electronic display a series of line patterns, each forming a part of an overall complex pattern, (2) processing digital information relating to coordinates along the locus of a line making up each said line pattern to allow for change in inter alia the scale of the patterns so produced, (3) storing each said line pattern in turn for subsequent recall, (4) recalling some or all of the stored line patterns to the display to permit subsequent embellishment and/or amendment and/or combination with other line patterns, for subsequent storage, (5) scanning a complex picture such as a pictorial scene or portrait or the like to produce therefrom a digital signal corresponding to at least a part of the whole scanned picture, processing the digital signals to produce a scaled version of the scanned picture, (6) storing the digital signals relating to the said at least part of the scanned picture, (7) recalling the stored pictorial signals and the stored line pattern signals and combining same in the said display, and (8) forming a printing plate of the assembled picture in the display. 9. A method as claimed in Claim 8 wherein one part of an assembled picture is to overlay another in which the electrical signals corresponding to the picture content which is to have other content overlaid, are employed as a gating signal to gate the signals corresponding to the overlaying signal content so that where the two signals coincide the signal corresponding to the overlaying picture content will take precedence over the signal of the underlying picture content. 10. A method and apparatus as aforesaid substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

Inventors: ECCLESTON, HARRY NORMAN, SCOTT, RAYMOND WILLIAM
Applicants: THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF THE BANK OF ENGLAND
Application year: 1984
Main classification: G06F15
IPC codes: H04N1, G06T17