Method of executing a reproduction process and apparatus used therefor

Claim 2

A reproduction process apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of process means for individually executing said variety of reproduction-related processes; process specification means for specifying a certain process; and selection means for selecting specific process means for executing said certain process from said plurality of process means and activating said specific process means to execute said certain process according to data stored in said working memory.

Claim 3

A reproduction process apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said plurality of process means comprises process information specification means for setting desirable process information, said process information including first, second and third process titles, said first process title indicating a process of producing an overlapping area between two image parts, said second process title indicating a process of making a margin of a predetermined width around a contour of an image part, said third process title indicating a process of printing a black character over a background.

Claim 4

A reproduction process apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: picture image scanning means for scanning at least one picture image in an original to capture picture data; linework image scanning means for scanning at least one linework to capture linework data; and layout data input means for tracing a line in a mechanical layout sheet to input said page layout data.

Claim 5

A reproduction process apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: icon display means for displaying each of said plurality of page numbers as an icon; and wherein said page number specification means further comprises icon movement monitoring means for monitoring a movement of said icon moved by operator.

Claim 6

A reproduction process apparatus for executing a variety of reproduction-related processes, comprising: a memory for storing page construction data including page layout data and image part data, said page layout data representing positions of a plurality of image parts laid on one page, said image part data representing said plurality of image parts; a working memory for storing data used in execution of each of said variety of reproduction-related processes; said apparatus characterized by comprising: a hierarchical memory for storing first hierarchy data including a plurality of job names each representing a print, second hierarchy data including a plurality of page numbers, and third hierarchy data including a plurality of names of said page construction data, each of said plurality of job names having at least one page number as said second hierarchy data, each of said plurality of page numbers having at least one name of said page construction data as said third hierarchy data; job name specification means for selecting a specific job name out of said plurality of job names; and data transfer means for comparing said specific job name with said first hierarchy data to extract all names of said page construction data corresponding to said specific job name from said second hierarchy data, and said third hierarchy data and transferring said page construction data specified by said all names of said page construction data from said memory to said working memory.

Claim 7

A reproduction process apparatus in accordance with claim 6, further comprising: a plurality of process means for individually executing said variety of reproduction-related processes; process specification means for specifying a certain process; and selection means for selecting specific process means for executing said certain process from said plurality of process means and activating said specific process means to execute said certain process according to data stored in said working memory.

Claim 8

A reproduction process apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said plurality of process means comprises process information specification means for setting desirable process information, said process information including first, second and third process titles, said first process title indicating a process of producing an overlapping area between two image parts, said second process title indicating a process of making a margin of a predetermined width around a contour of an image part, said third process title indicating a process of printing a black character over a background.

Claim 9

A reproduction process apparatus in accordance with claim 7, further comprising: pattern memory for storing a signature pattern representing a page signature pattern on each printing plate; and wherein said plurality of process means comprises output means for outputting said page construction data according to signature data; said output means further comprising signature data layout means for allocating said page construction data corresponding to said all names transferred to said working memory to said signature data for each page according to said signature pattern.

Claim 10

A reproduction process apparatus in accordance with claim 6, further comprising: picture image scanning means for scanning at least one picture image in an original to capture picture data; linework image scanning means for scanning at least one linework to capture linework data; and layout data input means for tracing a line in a mechanical layout sheet to input said page layout data.

Claim 11

A reproduction process apparatus in accordance with claim 6, further comprising: icon display means for displaying each of said plurality of job names as an icon; and wherein said job name specification means further comprises icon movement monitoring means for monitoring a movement of said icon moved by the operator.

Claim 13

A method in accordance with claim 12, further comprising: step (f) of preparing a plurality of process units for individually executing said variety of reproduction-related processes; step (g) of specifying a certain process; and step (h) of selecting a specific process unit for executing said certain process out of said plurality of process units and activating said specific process unit to execute said certain process according to data stored in said working memory.

Claim 14

A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein said step (f) further comprises: step (f-1) of preparing a process information specification unit for setting desirable process information, said process information including first through third process titles, said first process title indicating a process of producing an overlapping area between two image parts, said second process title indicating a process of making a margin of a predetermined width around a contour of an image part, said third process title indicating a process of printing a black character over a background.

Claim 15

A method in accordance with claim 12, further comprising: step (i) of scanning at least one picture images in an original to capture picture data; step (j) of scanning at least one linework to capture linework data; and step (k) of tracing a line in a mechanical layout sheet to input said page layout data.

Claim 16

A method in accordance with claim 12, further comprising: step (l) of displaying each of said plurality of page numbers as an icon; wherein said step (d) further comprises: step (d-1) of monitoring a movement of said icon moved by the operator.

Claim 18

A method in accordance with claim 17, further comprising: step (f) of preparing a plurality of process units for individually executing said variety of reproduction-related processes; step (g) specifying a certain process; and step (h) selecting a specific process unit for executing said certain process out of said plurality of process units and activating said specific process unit to execute said certain process according to data stored in said working memory.

Claim 19

A method in accordance with claim 18, wherein said step (f) further comprises: step (f-1) of preparing a process information specification unit for setting desirable process information, said process information including first, second and third process titles, said first process title indicating a process of producing an overlapping area between two image parts, said second process title indicating a process of making a margin of a predetermined width around a contour of an image part, said third process title indicating a process of printing a black character over a background.

Claim 20

A method in accordance with claim 18, further comprising: step (i) storing a signature pattern representing a page signature pattern on each printing plate; wherein said step (f) further comprises the step of: step (j) preparing an output unit for outputting said page construction data according to signature data; said step (j) further comprising the step of: step (j-1) of allocating all page construction data corresponding to said all names transferred to said working memory to said signature data for each page according to said signature pattern.

Claim 21

A method in accordance with claim 17, said method further comprising: step (k) of scanning at least one picture images in an original to capture picture data; step (l) of scanning at least one linework to capture linework data; and step (m) of tracing a line in a mechanical layout sheet to input said page layout data.

Claim 22

A method in accordance with claim 17, further comprising: step (n) of displaying each of said plurality of job names as an icon; wherein said step (d) further comprises: step (d-1) of monitoring a movement of said icon moved by the operator.