Method for labelling a printed product with a label, use of a label to assign a printed product labelled with the label and labelled printed product

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for labelling a printed product (20) with a label (14), comprising the following steps: a. capturing a printed product master (10); b. evaluating the printed product master (10) according to at least one characteristic property of the printed product master (10) to determine at least one suitable detail (11), wherein the at least one characteristic property has a type and a shape; c. selecting at least one suitable detail (11) and determining coordinates of the selected detail (12); d. creating a label (14) taking into account the shape of the at least one characteristic property in the selected detail (12) and storage of the type of the at least one characteristic property, the shape of the at least one characteristic property, the label (14) and / or the coordinates of the selected detail (12) in relation to a print order; e. producing a printed product template (13) by modulating the selected detailed (12) of the printed product master (10) depending on the label (14); and f. generating and receiving a printed product (20) according to the printed product template (13).

Description

[0001] 'Procedure for marking a printed product with a marking, use of a marking to assign a printed product marked with the marking and marked printed product'

[0002] The invention relates to a method for marking a printed product with a marking according to claim 1, a use of a marking for assigning a printed product marked with the marking according to claim 15 and a marked printed product according to claim 21.

[0003] The prior art involves marking printed products by incorporating a marking into the artwork. The simplest method is to overlay the artwork with the previously defined marking. However, this approach has the disadvantage that the marking remains visible to the naked eye and, at the same time, disrupts the visual appearance of the printed product's motif.

[0004] Another well-known method is the storage of unwanted printing errors that occur in the printed product during the printing process, in relation to the print job. The disadvantage of this method, however, is that the errors may not be mass-reproducible and must first be laboriously detected in the printed product and then stored. A further, time-consuming search of the printed product is required for comparison.

[0005] Another known method in the prior art is the variation of the printing dots forming the printed product by shifting their position or changing their shape. The disadvantage of this method, however, is that it requires a custom-made printing press or a complex reprogramming of the software used to operate the printing press.

[0006] There is therefore a great need for a method for marking printed products with a marking, wherein the marking does not disrupt the motif of the printed product, can be introduced simply and quickly, in particular without changing the printing press or the software controlling the printing press, and can also be found simply, quickly, and reliably. The object of the invention is to provide a method for creating such a marking, the use of such a marking, and a printed product with such a marking, which overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages.

[0007] This object is achieved in a surprisingly simple but effective manner by a method for marking a printed product with a marking according to the teaching of independent claim 1, a use of a marking for assigning a printed product marked with the marking to a print job according to the teaching of independent claim 15 and a marked printed product according to the teaching of independent claim 21.

[0008] According to the invention, a method for marking a printed product with a marking is proposed, comprising the following steps: a. detecting a raw printed product template; b. evaluating the raw printed product template according to at least one characteristic property of the raw printed product template to determine at least one suitable section, wherein the at least one characteristic property has a type and a characteristic feature; c. selecting at least one suitable section and determining coordinates of the selected section; d. creating a marking taking into account the characteristic of the at least one characteristic property in the selected section and storing the type of the at least one characteristic property, the characteristic of the at least one characteristic property, the marking and / or the coordinates of the selected section in relation to a print job; e.Creating a printed product template by modulating the selected section of the raw printed product template depending on the marking; and f. Creating and receiving a printed product according to the printed product template.

[0009] The basic idea of ​​the invention is to first select the most suitable section for a marking and then adapt the marking to the selected section. This makes it possible to adapt the marking to the section in such a way that, on the one hand, it does not disrupt the appearance of the print job by impairing the motif, but on the other hand, if necessary with aids, is easy to find and read. The difference between the proposed method and the prior art is specifically that a marking is not previously defined and then an attempt is made to accommodate it as optimally as possible in the motif, or to rely on randomly introduced markings, but that the motif is searched for suitable sections for a marking and then a marking is selected for the appropriate section.

[0010] Within the scope of the invention, it has further been recognized that the motifs generally have a large number of suitable locations. Furthermore, it has been recognized that the suitable sections for marking have individual coordinates for each motif in a sufficiently high number of cases according to the invention. The individual coordinates make it possible to introduce a marking that is small in size and to differentiate between the print jobs via the coordinates of the section with the marking or the sections with the markings. The markings can even be identical in the method according to the invention, since the print jobs can be differentiated from one another on the basis of the different coordinates of the selected section or the selected sections with marking, which result from the different positions of the suitable sections and / or the selected sections.Preferably, the sections have an extension of maximum 2000 m, maximum 1900 m, maximum 1800 gm, maximum 1700 gm, maximum 1600 pm, maximum 1500 gm, maximum 1400 gm, maximum 1300 gm, maximum 1200 gm, maximum 1 100 gm, maximum 1000 pm, maximum 900 pm, maximum 800 pm, maximum 700 pm, maximum 600 pm, maximum 500 pm, maximum 400 pm, maximum 300 pm or maximum 200 pm.

[0011] In step a., a raw print template is captured. Capture can occur by creating the raw print template, for example, by photographing it or compiling it in an image processing program. Capture can also occur by digitizing a motif, for example, by scanning or photographing a template. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the raw print template is downloaded, loaded from a data storage device, digitally transmitted, digitally sent, digitally copied, or made available digitally in some other way. It may also be conceivable that a digital format conversion is performed. However, the method according to the invention is not limited to execution on a computer system.It is also conceivable that the capture takes place through analogue provision, for example, by presenting a print, a screen print, a printing plate, or a negative showing the motif. Capturing the image may also involve enlarging the motif or sections of it.

[0012] In step b . the recorded printed product raw template is evaluated for at least one characteristic property of the printed product raw template in order to determine at least one suitable section. The suitability of a section results from the characteristics of the at least one characteristic property. This means that a section is suitable if the characteristics of the characteristic property in this section fulfill one or more previously determined conditions. The term “characteristic property” refers to a property that is essential for the printed product raw template and has a type and a characteristic that allows a direct or indirect conclusion to be drawn about the printed product raw template. The term “type of the at least one characteristic property” refers to a general parameter, in particular a parameter that describes an image.The term "expression of at least one characteristic property" refers to the concrete value of a parameter. A manifestation can therefore always be assigned to at least one type of characteristic property. Characteristic properties can also be composed of other characteristic properties. Examples of types of at least one characteristic property, manifestations of at least one characteristic property, and conditions for the manifestation to determine the suitability of the characteristic property are given elsewhere.Preferably at least one characteristic property is recorded, even more preferably at least 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50 or more identically or differently configured characteristic properties are recorded. The evaluation of the raw print template is carried out by checking sections of the raw print template to determine whether the expression of the characteristic property in this area of ​​the section satisfies the previously determined condition(s). The determination of at least one suitable section is carried out by determining that the expression of the characteristic property in this area of ​​the suitable section satisfies the previously determined condition(s).It is conceivable to identify only one suitable section and then stop the evaluation. However, it is preferable to continue the evaluation and thus obtain at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, at least seven, at least eight, at least nine, at least ten, at least 15, at least 20, at least 25, at least 30, at least 35, at least 40, at least 45, at least 50, at least 55, at least 60, at least 65, at least 70, at least 75, at least 80, at least 85, at least 90, at least 95, or at least 100 suitable sections.

[0013] In step c., at least one of the suitable sections is selected, and the coordinates of the selected section are determined. The method of selection is arbitrary. Possible selection procedures are described elsewhere. The method of determination is also arbitrary, but preferably they are determined based on the overall size of the printed product raw template. This means that the x-coordinate is measured, and the measured value is then divided by the overall width in the x-direction of the printed product raw template, and the y-coordinate is measured, and this value is then divided by the overall height in the y-direction of the printed product raw template. This way, values ​​are obtained that are normalized to the extent of the printed product raw template. Normalized values ​​are advantageous because the coordinates are then independent of any enlargement of the printed product raw template.The reference point for the coordinates is preferably the lower left corner of the raw print template or the center point of the raw print template. The reference point of the selected section is preferably the location where the marking will be inserted in a selected section in a later step.

[0014] In the subsequent step d., a marking is created taking into account the extent of the at least one characteristic property in the selected section. Preferably, the marking is created in such a way that it stands out from the selected section. The marking can itself carry information, i.e., the marking has a readable value inherent in it. It is also conceivable for the marking to serve solely to mark the selected section and the coordinates associated with the selected section. In this way, as described elsewhere, the suitable section on a printed product can be identified as a selected section in a subsequent process, and the coordinates of the selected section can be determined.The type of at least one characteristic property, the expression of at least one characteristic property, the coordinates of the selected section and / or the marking are then stored in relation to a print job. Particularly preferably, at least the coordinates of the marking are stored. The storage is preferably in a database, but other methods of storage, such as a file collection, are also conceivable. The storage is carried out in such a way that if one searches for the type of at least one characteristic property, the expression of at least one characteristic property, the coordinates and / or the marking, the associated print job is produced. The storage of the marking concerns the storage of the type, i.e. the expression, the marking and / or the information contained in the marking.Within the scope of the invention, it has been recognized that the suitability of characteristic properties for the method according to the invention or for the application according to the invention depends heavily on the motif. Therefore, storing the type and / or characteristics of the at least one characteristic property can simplify later use, which is described elsewhere. This is made possible in particular by pre-selecting the print jobs based on the type and / or characteristics of the at least one characteristic property. It is also conceivable that the raw print product template is first evaluated for a large number of characteristic properties in step b . and from this at least one characteristic property, preferably several characteristic properties, is selected, and in step b . or in step d.the type and / or severity of the selected characteristic trait is stored. The selection is preferably based on suitability and / or a previously defined hierarchy of characteristic traits.

[0015] In step e., a raw print template is created by modulating the selected section of the raw print template depending on the marking. In other words, the expression of the characteristic property in the selected section is modulated, at least in sections, such that it now bears the marking. Preferably, the marking is introduced by modulation centrally in the selected section. Examples of modulation are described elsewhere. It is conceivable that the section is selected based on several characteristic properties, but the marking only refers to one of the characteristic expressions and consequently only one of the characteristic expressions is modulated. The printed product template is obtained by modulating the raw print template.

[0016] In step f., the printed product is created using the printed product template, and the printed product is then obtained. The printed product now shows the motif in which the marking is incorporated, since this was produced according to the modulated printed product raw template, which now serves as the printed product template. It should be noted that the suitability of a suitable section depends on the planned modulation process and the type of production of the printed product. This means that a section that is particularly suitable for a first modulation process and / or for a first production process is not necessarily suitable for a different modulation process and / or for a different production process.

[0017] The term “motif” refers to the artistic design of the raw print template or the print template.

[0018] The term “capture” refers to the provision of the raw print product template for further processing in a format suitable for the process.

[0019] The term "label information" refers to information stored in the label and readable from the label. The selection of this information is adapted to the characteristic properties of the section, but may also be influenced by other factors.

[0020] The term “print order” refers to the commissioning of the production of one or more printed products which will be provided with a similar motif specified in a raw print product template.

[0021] The term "modulation" refers to the modification of a distinctive characteristic, at least in part. This can be done digitally, for example, using suitable image processing programs, or analogically, for example, by modifying a printing plate.

[0022] By selecting the marking based on the characteristics of at least one characteristic property of the selected sections, it is possible to incorporate the marking discreetly, invisibly, and / or without disrupting the aesthetics of the motif. At the same time, it is possible to assign the marking to a print job by storing the coordinates and / or the information of the marking. It has been recognized that even with identical information and design of the marking and identical coordinates, reducing a large number of print jobs to a few is already extremely helpful.

[0023] Advantageous further developments of the invention, which can be implemented individually or in combination, are presented in the subclaims.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment of the method, the type of at least one characteristic property is monochrome, hue, brightness, saturation, regularity, pixel density, potential pixel density, frequency domain, and / or contrast. In order to create a suitable marking that is easy to find and can be incorporated using simple means, the aforementioned types must satisfy certain conditions. These conditions may depend on the type of marking and the method of its introduction.

[0025] Monochromy refers to the single color of the appropriate section.

[0026] This means that the section preferably has a single color, if possible. A color can be described by three color characteristics, which represent hue, brightness, and saturation. These three color characteristics form the so-called HSV color space, where H stands for hue, S for saturation, and V for brightness. The characteristic property can therefore refer to one, two, or all of these color characteristics. From a practical point of view arising from four-color printing, the colors yellow, magenta, cyan, and black are of particular importance. If the basic color of the printed product is not white, an additional color, namely white, is required for printing. If a suitable section has one of these basic colors, it is produced using only one of the colors in four-color printing. This simplifies the inclusion of appropriate markings.The printing ink black corresponds to a brightness of 0%, and any printing ink white to a brightness of 100%. In four-color printing, brightness and saturation result from the mixing ratio of the individual colors, in particular the addition of black, and the size of the individual pixels. The larger the pixel, the more intense the color is later perceived by the viewer. Pixel density describes the number of pixels per unit length that make up a digital image. As a rule, the pixel density is between 70 ppi and 350 ppi. In order to make it practically possible to accommodate a marking in a suitable section, this section must have a sufficiently high number of pixels if the raw print template is available in digital form. This applies analogously to the printed pixels in four-color printing.Here too, the suitable section must have or be able to have a sufficient number of pixels. Printed products normally have a pixel density of 300 dpi. In a white section, no pixels are inserted if the printed product is white; however, the insertion of a colored marking in a purely white section is conceivable. It is also conceivable to insert a marking into a regularly structured section by deliberately disrupting the regularity. Regularly structured sections can be understood to mean, in particular but by no means exclusively, stenographic elements, whereby it is conceivable that the marking in step d. is created by changing the size, spacing and / or font of one or more stenographic elements.The frequency domain refers to the result of a frequency analysis, for example, a windowed Fourier transform. The label can then be created by influencing one or more frequencies. The advantage here is that the label is distributed across the entire section and is thus invisible. Furthermore, it is conceivable to partially or completely deposit the expression of at least one characteristic property in the frequency domain. With partial deposit, particularly characteristic subsets can be deposited. This leads to data reduction, which accelerates the process and the use described elsewhere. Sections that stand out from the rest of the printed product's raw template due to their contrast are particularly suitable sections, as they are easy to find.

[0027] It is conceivable that the suitability of the suitable sections in step b is reflected in a limitation of a maximum deviation of the expression of the at least one characteristic property from a mean value of the expression of the at least one characteristic property over the entire area of ​​the section. In other words, this means that the expression of the characteristic property is limited in the entire suitable section. This means that the expression of the at least one characteristic property does exhibit a certain deviation, but this is small according to the invention. The deviation can preferably be determined as a percentage based on the maximum value of the characteristic property.Particularly preferably, the maximum deviation is 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.7%, 0.8%, 0.9%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, 3%, 3.5%, 4%, 4.5%, 5%, 5.5%, 6%, 6.5%, 7%, 7.5%, 8%, 8.5%, 9%, 9.5% or 10% based on the maximum value of the characteristic property or properties. The maximum value of a characteristic property is the value with the numerically largest number. In terms of color tone, this is 100, for example, in the CMYK color model. The CMYK color model is the subtractive color model underlying four-color printing, consisting of the colors cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K). The values, which can range from 0 to 100, are directly related to the dimensions of the color dots that make up the motif in four-color printing.A value of 0 corresponds to a non-existent pixel and a value of 100 to the maximum size of this pixel. It must be noted that if the value is high enough, the pixels of a color will blend into one another. In the RGB-255 color model, the maximum value is 255 for each of the primary colors. The RGB color model is an additive color model comprising the three primary colors red, green and blue, particularly for the digital transmission of images to screens or monitors. In the HSV color space described elsewhere, which takes color characteristics into account, the maximum value for brightness and saturation is 100% each, and for hue it is 360°. With hue, it must be noted that it is possible to exceed 360° or 0°. The mean value could be 0°, for example, and the restriction is then between 355° and 5°.

[0028] For example, the mean value of the characteristic property in a section of the CMYK color model is (0, 0, 50, 0). The example value of (0, 0, 50, 0) corresponds to a medium-pale yellow. The restriction on the maximum deviation is 5 percentage points for the yellow hue. This section is therefore suitable if the section only contains pixels that have a Y value in the range of 45 and 55. It is conceivable that the other colors in the CMYK color model are arbitrary or are also subject to a restriction on the maximum deviation in their expression.

[0029] Furthermore, it is advantageously conceivable that the selection of the at least one suitable section in step c. is random or occurs according to a rule. The advantage of random selection is in particular that the coordinates of the selected section differ with a very high probability from the coordinates of other selected sections from the print product raw templates of other print jobs and therefore the individual print jobs can be better distinguished based on the coordinates alone. The use of a rule when selecting the suitable sections facilitates the retrieval of the identifier for assigning the coordinates and / or the identifier to a print job, as described elsewhere, in the context of using the identifier to assign a print product identified with the identifier to a print job.The rule can concern both an initial selection, such as "First, select the suitable section that is closest to the center of the raw print template," and how subsequent suitable sections are selected if more than one suitable section is selected. The rule can contain a fixed or predetermined sequence of steps, or it can be relative to the sections already selected, such as "Select the suitable section that, in total, has the greatest distance from all previously selected sections."

[0030] In a preferred development, between 2 and 40 suitable sections are selected in step c. In principle, it is arbitrary how many suitable sections are selected in step c. The greater the number of selected sections, the more likely the constellation of all coordinates is to be unique. However, too many suitable sections that are marked can disrupt the appearance of the motif and slow down and / or complicate the method and the use of the marking for assignment, as described elsewhere. Within the scope of the invention, it has been shown that the selection of 2 to 40 suitable sections leads to a satisfactory result. Particular preference is given to selecting between 2 and 40 suitable sections in step c. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 or 40 suitable sections selected.

[0031] It is further advantageous if the marking in step d. is selected such that its extent on the printed product is a maximum of 200 μm, in particular a maximum of 100 μm. The human eye cannot detect a marking with such a small extent, so that the marking remains invisible without aids and does not disrupt the motif of the printed product. Disturbance can only arise from insufficient spacing between the individual markings, which, however, can be prevented by a suitable rule or a random selection of the sections, as described elsewhere, and / or by limiting the selection to 2 to 40 suitable sections.Particularly preferred is the extension on the printed product maximum 200 pm, maximum 190 pm, maximum 180 pm, maximum 170 pm, maximum 160 pm, maximum 150 pm, maximum 140 pm, maximum 130 pm, maximum 120 pm, maximum 110 pm, maximum 100 pm, maximum 90 pm, maximum 80 pm, maximum 70 pm, maximum 60 pm or maximum 50 pm.

[0032] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the method, the creation of the marking in step d. is the at least partial inversion of the expression of the at least one characteristic property. The term “inversion” refers to the reversal of the color. For individual colors, inversion means the mapping of the colors into their complementary colors known to the person skilled in the art. For the CMYK color model, this means that the individual values ​​of the colors are subtracted from the maximum value described elsewhere. However, it is also conceivable that the inversion affects only one, two or three of the four colors of the CMYK color model. In the RGB color space, this means that the individual values ​​of the colors are subtracted from the value 255. Here, too, the inversion of only one or two of the primary colors is conceivable.Since the color value in the HSV color space is represented as an angle, with the hue scale being closed, inversion involves rotating the color value by an angle of 180°. Color saturation and brightness are inverted by subtracting them from their maximum value of 100%.

[0033] The term “partially” refers to a partial, particularly smaller, area of ​​the selected section.

[0034] In an alternative, preferred embodiment, the identification in step d. is formed by at least partially assigning an extreme value of the at least one characteristic property. Extreme value is understood to mean the maximum and minimum values. In the CMYK color model, the extreme values ​​are 0 and 100. In the RGB color space, the extreme values ​​are 0 and 255. For the hue in the HSV color space, no extreme value assignment is possible due to the closed representation of the color value; however, the extreme values ​​0% and 100% can be assigned to the color saturation and the brightness. Assigning an extreme value to the at least one characteristic property is advantageous because it makes every section a suitable section if its color or hue is limited to a maximum deviation from a mean value.Depending on which side of the center of the value scale the mean value is located, an easily findable marking can be created by assigning the extreme value to the other side of the center of the value scale. In a further preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, it is conceivable that the marking in step b. is a suitable coding and that the marking and the coordinates of the suitable section are stored. This allows a further limitation of the possible print jobs to be achieved through the information contained in the coding. Particularly preferably, the coding is binary and has a parity bit or a parity block. In this way, errors can be detected and / or corrected during readout. The risk of finding a printing error and of confusing the printing error with a marking in a use described elsewhere is also minimized.The introduction of a binary coding is made possible in a particularly simple manner by assigning an extreme value for at least one characteristic property, as described elsewhere.

[0035] In an alternative embodiment of the method, the marking in step d. is selective. A selective marking is particularly unobtrusive and therefore disrupts the motif of the raw printed product template or the printed product template to a particularly small extent. Since the marking itself does not carry any significant information content, it is further particularly preferred that only the coordinates are stored when storing the marking and / or the coordinates in step d. Notwithstanding this, it is still conceivable to additionally store the type of the at least one characteristic property, the expression of the at least one characteristic property and / or the result of an analysis described elsewhere. By not depositing the marking, the deposit of the remaining data is simplified and the data to be stored is reduced.To further simplify the process, it is also conceivable, additionally or alternatively, that when creating the marking in step d., only the expression of at least one characteristic property of the section is taken into account. In particular, in contrast to the designation of the marking as a code, the marking does not carry any informational value. Assignment to the print job in the use described elsewhere is carried out solely via the coordinates of the marking and / or the type of marking or other parameters.

[0036] Furthermore, it is advantageous if the raw print product template is analyzed in step a. for at least one characteristic property and the result of the analysis, in particular in step a. or in step d., is stored in relation to the print job. Preferably, the printed product raw template is analyzed according to at least 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50 characteristic properties. It is also conceivable that in the printed product raw template in step a. first, a plurality of characteristic properties is analyzed and, based on the analysis, at least one characteristic property, preferably several characteristic properties, are selected for the further course of the method according to the invention, and in step a. or in step d.the type and / or the extent of the selected characteristic property is stored. It is also conceivable to use the result of the analysis to make a pre-selection in the manner described elsewhere. The analysis can comprise a frequency analysis, a statistical evaluation of at least one characteristic property, in particular the calculation of at least one mean, a mode, a median, a standard deviation, an absolute deviation, a skewness, a kurtosis, and / or an interquartile range, the formation of quantiles, the evaluation of the frequency of occurrence and / or the distribution, the calculation of at least one center of gravity, the evaluation, in particular the recognition, of motifs, objects, edges, shapes and / or patterns and / or the mapping from two-dimensional space to one-dimensional space.Furthermore, it is conceivable that the analysis includes the calculation of at least one key figure from the results of one or more analysis methods, whereby the key figure is the result of the analysis.

[0037] It is to be assumed that the definitions and explanations of the above terms apply to all aspects described below in this description, unless otherwise stated.

[0038] According to the invention, a use of a marking for assigning a printed product marked with the marking to a print job is further proposed, wherein the marking is produced by the method according to the invention, which comprises the steps listed elsewhere.

[0039] Within the scope of the invention, it has been recognized that a marking produced by means of this method on the one hand does not visually impair the motif of the printed product raw template or only does so to a slight extent and at the same time enables easy assignment of the printed product to a print job with the printed product raw template.

[0040] In a preferred further development of the use, the use comprises the following steps: i. capturing the printed product and / or creating a copy of the printed product; ii. analyzing and / or evaluating the printed product and / or the copy of the printed product according to the at least one characteristic property and making a preselection by retrieving at least one print job; iii. checking the printed product or the copy of the printed product according to the marking and iv. selecting a desired print job from the preselection; and v. assigning the printed product marked with the marking to the desired print job.

[0041] In principle, the method of assignment using the label is up to you. However, the method described above is a simple, fast, and effective way to reliably assign a printed product to a print job.

[0042] Capturing the printed product and / or creating the printed product copy in step i. serves to provide or process the printed product in a way that enables evaluation and / or analysis in step ii. Particularly preferably, the printed product copy is a high-resolution digital copy. This digital copy can preferably be created by scanning the printed product with a suitable scanner or by photographing the printed product with a suitable digital camera. When creating the printed product copy, it is also possible to enlarge it to facilitate the recognition of possible markings.

[0043] The evaluation and / or analysis of the printed product and / or the printed product copy according to the at least one characteristic property in step ii. can be carried out by optical inspection by a person, optionally supported by aids such as a magnifying glass. The evaluation is particularly simple and advantageous if a printed product copy is first created which enlarges the motif of the printed product formed by the printed product template or enables enlargement. If the printed product copy is created as a digital copy, it is conceivable, in addition to or as an alternative to evaluation and / or analysis by a person, to have the evaluation and / or analysis carried out by a computer system using suitable software, preferably automatically. The evaluation is carried out analogously to the evaluation in step b.of the inventive method described elsewhere, the analysis is carried out analogously to the analysis of the method described elsewhere. This is logical since the aim of the use is to find the print job according to which the present printed product was produced. Preferably, with the help of the result of the evaluation and / or the analysis, a preselection of print jobs is made by retrieving all print jobs that are stored with reference to the result. The preselection accelerates the use because in the further course of use, not all stored print jobs have to be checked, but only those in the preselection. This applies in particular if the preselection only contains a small number of print jobs (hits). It is also conceivable that the preselection contains only a single hit. The use can then serve to validate the single hit.The type of retrieval depends on where the print jobs are stored. If the print jobs are stored in a database, retrieval involves formulating a corresponding search query. It should be noted that certain deviations may occur when determining the retrieval parameters. These are due to technical and / or manual processes. Therefore, print jobs whose stored parameters are similar to the retrieval parameters should also be considered during retrieval. Similar parameters are particularly those that lie within the tolerance range determined by the technical and / or manual process. This is known to a person skilled in the art, as are methods and procedures for determining the tolerance range.

[0044] In step iii . the printed product or the printed product copy is checked for the marking. This means that a check is carried out to determine the coordinates at which a marking is present. If the marking is present, the coordinates and / or the marking itself are determined and / or recorded. The check can, as in step ii . , be carried out by a person, assisted if necessary by aids, and / or by a suitable computer system which runs suitable software. A print job is then selected from the preselection. Logically, this is the print job for which the marking and / or the coordinates stored in relation to the print job match the marking and / or the coordinates of the printed product or the printed product copy.In addition, additional information, such as the client, the type of print product, the degree of deviation of the coordinates and / or the marking, and / or stored keywords for the print job that describe the motif, can also be taken into account during the selection process. Even if multiple print products have the same marking and / or coordinates, selecting from a significantly reduced number of retrieved print jobs for assignment is considerably easier.

[0045] In step vi ., the print job being searched for is assigned to the print product marked with the identifier. In this way, it is now clear to the user carrying out the use which print job the print product in question belongs to. The reason for the assignment is arbitrary; it is conceivable that the use takes place as part of a (routine) check, a new order, a repeat order, an order from another agent with reference to the print product, or as part of a recall campaign for damaged, faulty, or missing print products. During use, it was also recognized that reducing all stored print jobs to the retrieved print jobs by means of the identifier is already very advantageous.

[0046] In principle, the method used for pre-selection is arbitrary. However, practice has shown that some particularly preferred methods, which can be performed individually or in combination, achieve particularly good results. This means that the print job sought is included in the pre-selection with a sufficiently high probability, and the pre-selection has a sufficiently small number of hits. In a first preferred embodiment, the pre-selection is made in step ii. by retrieving all print jobs related to raw print product templates and / or print product templates that are sufficiently similar, in particular identical, to the print product or the print product copy.The similarity and / or equality can be determined by comparing the printed product or the copy of the printed product with the raw print template stored in relation to the print job and / or with the print product template stored in relation to the print job. This is a very quick and reliable way of obtaining a suitable pre-selection. The comparison can be carried out by a computer system with suitable software. The similarity takes into account any differences that may have occurred elsewhere due to technical reasons and / or the manual process. Furthermore, retrieval can be accelerated by expanding the similarity. This means that the broader the definition of “similar” is, the faster the comparison is, but the greater the number of pre-selection hits.

[0047] In a second preferred embodiment, in step ii. the analysis and / or evaluation of the printed product and / or the copy of the printed product takes place according to at least two characteristic properties, with at least one of the characteristic properties being selected, and the preselection is then made by retrieving all print jobs relating to the type and / or characteristic of the selected characteristic property. It is logical that the type and / or characteristic of the selected characteristic property has been stored accordingly in the method according to the invention, as described elsewhere. It is also logical that for the use according to the invention the same rule for selecting at least one characteristic property is used as in the method described elsewhere.

[0048] In a third preferred embodiment, the preselection is made in step ii by retrieving all print jobs with reference to the result of the analysis. It is logical that the analysis is carried out accordingly in the method according to the invention according to the at least one characteristic property and that the result is stored in relation to the print job, as described elsewhere. It is also logical that the same analysis is carried out for the use according to the invention as in the method described elsewhere in order to obtain the same result. The analysis can also be carried out according to a large number of characteristic properties and, on the basis of the analysis, at least one characteristic property, preferably several characteristic properties, can be selected for the further course of the use according to the invention.

[0049] Furthermore, it is conceivable that in step iii the check for the presence of the marking is carried out by evaluating the section with the coordinates stored in relation to the pre-selection print job, whereby the selection relates to the print job for which the marking is present. It has been shown that the pre-selection is generally limited to so few print jobs that it is faster to check all those sections whose coordinates are stored in one of the pre-selection print jobs than to determine the suitable sections, check them for the marking, determine the coordinates of the sections with the marking and then compare these coordinates with the coordinates stored in relation to the pre-selection print jobs. This is because the evaluation of all sections of the printed product and / or the copy of the printed product is not necessary.According to the invention, a marked printed product is further proposed which is obtained by the method according to the invention, which comprises the steps listed elsewhere.

[0050] In particular, the printed product is a paper product, an advertising medium, a promotional item, a textile, a sticker and / or packaging.

[0051] Paper goods are understood to mean goods made of paper. The term "paper goods" includes, in particular but by no means exclusively, a newspaper, a magazine, a (writing) pad, stationery, an envelope, a brochure, a book, a leaflet, a flyer, a card (in particular a menu), a greeting card, and a postcard, a map, a calendar, a catalog, a poster, a banner, a brochure, a hang tag, a tag (in particular a door hanger, a luggage tag, and a bottle tag), and / or a business card.

[0052] Advertising materials are understood to mean goods that serve the purpose of advertising, decoration, and / or information. The term "advertising material" includes, in particular but by no means exclusively, a flag, a banner, an adhesive film, an illuminated sign, an exhibition stand, a pavilion, a parasol, a tarpaulin, a brochure holder, a frame system, a sign, a partition wall, a deck chair, an advertising banner, an advertising display, in particular a customer stopper, barrier tape, and an advertising column.

[0053] Promotional items are small objects that are usually given to people, especially customers, for advertising purposes. The term "promotional item" includes, in particular, but by no means exclusively, an ice scraper, a license plate holder, a parking disc, a magnet, a mark clip, a mouse pad, a speaker, a power bank, a USB stick, a bottle, a balloon, a bicycle saddle cover, sunglasses, a mask, a mug, a glass, a cup, a can, a pen, a pen holder, an eraser, an umbrella, a button, a key ring, a bag, a pouch, a tape measure, a spirit level, a pocket knife, and a folding rule.

[0054] Textiles are understood to mean goods made from a material. The term “textiles” includes in particular, but by no means exclusively, workwear, a cape, a cloth, in particular a shawl, a scarf, a hand towel, a bath towel and a cleaning cloth, trousers, a skirt, a dress, underwear, swimwear, a shirt, a blouse, a jacket, a vest such as a high-visibility vest, headgear such as a hat and a cap, in particular a beanie and a peaked cap, a polo shirt, a T-shirt, an apron, sportswear such as a jersey, a sweatshirt, a sweater, a badge, a patch and a scarf.

[0055] Stickers include, in particular, a sticker, a label, an adhesive tape and a sticky note.

[0056] Packaging refers to means for packaging goods, especially for transport. The term "packaging" includes, in particular but by no means exclusively, a parcel, a shipping bag, a hinged-lid box, tissue paper, a packaging bag, a folding box, gift wrap, a box, and a basket.

[0057] Further details, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments in conjunction with the subclaims. For this purpose, the respective features can be implemented individually or in combination with one another. The invention is not limited to the embodiments. The embodiments are illustrated schematically in the figures. The same reference numerals in the individual figures denote identical or functionally identical elements, or elements that correspond to one another in terms of their function.

[0058] In detail:

[0059] Fig. 1 shows an embodiment according to the invention with markings in selected sections of a printed product template;

[0060] Fig. 2A to 2F show an embodiment of the method according to the invention;

[0061] Fig. 3A to 3E an embodiment for use according to the invention.

[0062] Fig. 1 shows an inventive design of four markings 14, each of which has been introduced into four selected sections 12 by modulation. It should be noted that the selected sections 12 and the markings 14 in Fig. 1 are shown greatly enlarged. The black dots pronounced in the three right-hand selected sections 12 represent any desired color, for example the color yellow. The monochrome color yellow is the characteristic property that fundamentally distinguishes the selected sections 12 as suitable sections. The larger the dots, the more intense the color appears. As can be seen, the suitable sections are characterized in that the dots are approximately the same size and are approximately equally spaced. This means that the dots are limited in their maximum deviation from a mean value. This corresponds to a monochrome design.The characteristic property of the suitable sections is therefore distinguished by their monochrome appearance. The markings 14 were created taking into account the expression of the characteristic property. Thus, the three markings 14 on the left, for which the selected sections 12 each have a yellow value in the CYMK color model of less than 50, were created by assigning them the extreme value of 100. In the suitable section 12 on the far right, however, the yellow value is over 50, so that the marking 14 was created by assigning the extreme value of 0. It is therefore clearly visible that the markings 14 clearly stand out from the respective expression of the characteristic property.

[0063] The sequence of figures 2A to 2F shows an embodiment of the method according to the invention. Fig. 2A shows a printed product raw template 10. The motif of the printed product raw template 10 is a sun and a cloud against a sky. In a color representation of the printed product raw template, the sun would be yellow and the background of the motif blue. The cloud does not have a uniform color design, but rather components of yellow and white. Fig. 2B shows the result of an evaluation according to at least one characteristic property, the characteristic property in this case being monochrome. During the evaluation according to the characteristic property, a total of ten suitable sections 11 were found in the printed product raw template 10. The suitable sections 11 are marked with rectangles, although for the sake of clarity only one rectangle has been marked with the reference number.The suitable sections 11 are distinguished by their expression of the characteristic property, which is monochrome. In the suitable sections 11, the deviation from a mean value is therefore limited across the entire range of the suitable section 11. This means that in the suitable sections 11, a mean color value can be calculated across both the hue and the saturation and brightness, and the deviation at no pixel is greater than a previously set limit. It should be noted that the suitable sections 11 are generally significantly smaller in relation to the printed product raw template 10 than shown in Fig. 2B. The greatly enlarged illustration merely serves to illustrate the method according to the invention. Preferably, the suitable section 11 is approximately 500 pm in size. In Fig. 2C, three of the ten suitable sections 11 were selected and form the selected sections 12.The three selected sections 12 are marked with a dashed circle, whereby for the sake of clarity only one selected section 12 has been marked with a reference symbol. The selected sections 12 were selected randomly. In Fig. 2D, a marking 14 was introduced taking into account the expression of the characteristic property in the selected sections 12. The marking 14 is an assignment of an extreme value of the expression of the characteristic property. It should also be noted that the marking 14 is also shown greatly enlarged and for the sake of clarity only one marking 14 has been marked with a reference symbol. Preferably, the marking 14 has a dimension of at most 100 pm. Furthermore, the coordinates of the selected sections 12 are stored in a database.It is also conceivable to store the type of characteristic property, in this case a monochrome color, and the expression of the characteristic property, in this case the color blue. As a result of the modulation to introduce the marking 14, the printed product template 13 is now shown in Fig. 2D. Fig. 2E shows the finished printed product template 13 with the three markings 14. Rectangles and circles which marked the suitable sections 11 and the selected sections 12 have been removed. Fig. 2F shows the printed product 20 on which the printed product template 13 with the markings 14 has been applied. In the present example, the printed product 20 is an eraser.

[0064] The sequence of figures 3A to 3E shows an inventive use of a marking 14 which has been produced using a method according to the invention. In Fig. 3A, the printed product can be seen as it has already been shown in Fig. 2F. The printed product template 13 with the marking 14 is also printed on the printed product 20. In Fig. 3B, a printed product copy 15 of the printed product template 13, which has been printed on the printed product 20, can be seen. The printed product copy 15 is preferably enlarged so that the markings 14 are easier to find during use. In the sequence of figures 3A to 3E, the markings 14 are also shown greatly enlarged. In the next step of use, the printed product copy 15 is evaluated for at least one characteristic property. The evaluation shows that a monochrome color tone is particularly suitable as a characteristic property.A preselection of print jobs is therefore made for which the type of characteristic property has been stored as "monochrome" or "hue". It is then conceivable that an evaluation analogous to the evaluation of the method according to the invention, as shown in the sequence of Figures 2A to 2F, is carried out, in which the same suitable sections 11 are also found in order to compare the coordinates with those of the preselection print jobs. However, in practice it is simpler and faster to check all suitable sections 11 for the marking 14 in the next step, the coordinates of which have been stored in relation to a preselection print job. Fig. 3D shows that a marking 14 was found in three of the suitable sections 11 and these were identified as the selected sections 12.In the next step, all print jobs from the preselection that have been stored in relation to these or similar coordinates of the selected sections 12 are retrieved. Depending on the number of markings, it is conceivable that the same or similar coordinates have been stored for several print jobs. In this case, two matching print jobs from the preselection are found and retrieved, which have the print product templates 13 shown in Fig. 3E and stored in relation to the print jobs. Thus, with this use, the number of possible print jobs has been reduced from a large number to two. The desired print job is then further selected. This can be done, for example, by comparing the print product templates 13 with the print product copy 15 or the print product 20.Such a comparison would show that the print job saved with reference to the left-hand print product template 13 is the print job being sought. Another conceivable possibility for comparison would be a comparison of the marking 14. In the left-hand print product template 13, the markings 14 are all an extreme value of the color blue. It is conceivable that the background of the right-hand print product template 13 is magenta. The marking 14 would then be an extreme value of the color magenta. If the design of the marking 14 is also stored, a comparison of the marking 14 would identify the print job as the print job being sought, which was stored with reference to the left-hand print product template 13. In the sequence of figures 3A to 3E, for the sake of clarity, one example each of the marking 14, the selected section 12 and the suitable section 11 has been provided with a reference symbol.

Claims

Patent claims Method for marking a printed product (20) with a marking (14), comprising the following steps: a. detecting a raw printed product template (10); b. evaluating the raw printed product template (10) according to at least one characteristic property of the raw printed product template (10) to determine at least one suitable section (11), wherein the at least one characteristic property has a type and a characteristic; c. selecting at least one suitable section (11) and determining coordinates of the selected section (12); d.Creating an identifier (14) taking into account the expression of the at least one characteristic property in the selected section (12) and storing the type of the at least one characteristic property, the expression of the at least one characteristic property, the identifier (14) and / or the coordinates of the selected section (12) in relation to a print job; e. Producing a printed product template (13) by modulating the selected section (12) of the printed product raw template (10) depending on the identifier (14); and f. Generating and obtaining a printed product (20) based on the printed product template (13). The method according to claim 1, wherein the type of the at least one characteristic property is monochrome, hue, brightness, saturation, regularity, pixel density, potential pixel density, frequency space and / or contrast. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the suitability of the suitable section (11) in step b. is reflected in a limitation of a maximum deviation of the expression of the at least one characteristic property from a mean value of the expression of the at least one characteristic property over the entire area of ​​the suitable section (11). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the selection in step c. is random or occurs according to a rule. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in step c. 2 to 40 suitable sections (11) are selected. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the marking (14) in step d. is selected such that its extent on the printed product (20) is a maximum of 200 μm, in particular a maximum of 100 μm. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the creation of the marking (14) in step d.the at least partial inversion of the expression of the at least one characteristic property. The method according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the creation of the marking (14) in step d. is the at least partial assignment of an extreme value of the at least one characteristic property. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the marking (14) in step d. is a suitable coding, and wherein the marking (14) and the coordinates are stored when the marking (14) and / or the coordinates are stored in step d. . Method according to claim 9, wherein the coding is binary and comprises a parity bit or a parity block. Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the marking (14) in step d. is punctual. Method according to claim 11, wherein when the marking (14) and / or the coordinates are stored in step d. , only the coordinates are stored. Method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein when the marking (14) is created in step d., only the expression of the at least one characteristic property of the selected section (12) is taken into account. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the printed product raw template (10) in step a.is analyzed for at least one characteristic property and the result of the analysis, in particular in step a. or in step d., is stored in relation to the print job. Use of an identifier (14) for assigning a printed product identified by the identifier (14) to a print job, wherein the identifier (14) is created by the method according to one of claims 1 to 14. Use of an identifier (14) according to claim 15, wherein the use comprises the following steps: i. detecting the printed product (20) and / or creating a printed product copy (15); ii. analyzing and / or evaluating the printed product (20) and / or the printed product copy (15) according to the at least one characteristic property and making a preselection by retrieving at least one print job; iii. checking the printed product (20) or the printed product copy (15) according to the identifier (14) and selecting a desired print job from the preselection; and iv. assigning the printed product (20) identified by the identifier (14) to the desired print job.Use of an identification (14) according to claim 16; wherein in step ii. the preselection is made by retrieving all print jobs relating to raw printed product templates (10) and / or printed product templates which are similar, in particular identical, to the printed product (20) or the printed product copy (15). Use of an identification (14) according to claim 16 or 17; wherein in step ii. the analysis and / or evaluation of the printed product (20) and / or the printed product copy (15) takes place according to at least two characteristic properties, wherein at least one of the characteristic properties is selected, and wherein in step ii. the preselection is made by retrieving all print jobs relating to the type and / or characteristic of the selected property. Use of an identification (14) according to one of claims 16 to 18; wherein in step ii. the preselection is made by retrieving all print jobs relating to the result of the analysis. Use of an identification (14) according to one of claims 16 to 19; wherein in step iii.The check is carried out by evaluating the section with the coordinates stored in relation to the preselected print job or print jobs for the presence of the marking, and wherein in step iii. the selection relates to the print job in which the marking is present. A marked printed product (20) obtained by the method according to one of claims 1 to 14.

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