Cut-out scanning system
Methods and systems for identifying cut-out patterns from a scanned raw image file and arranging shapes within a document prior to printing cut-out patterns are described. A printing device may identify and group contents in a page of a print job as shapes to be cut out from the paper after they are printed. The printing device may then detect the grouped page contents as cut-out patterns. For each cut-out pattern, the printing device may detect the white spaces of content of the cut-out pattern and mark them as available for printing other cut-out patterns. Thus, the printing device may print multiple cut-out patterns on a same page based on using the white space within larger cut-out patterns.
1. A printing system comprising:
a printing device; and
a scanning service in communication with the printing device and adapted to:
receive a plurality of page description language (PDL)-formatted cut-out patterns;
receive a reference to a logical page;
detect white space in the plurality of PDL-formatted cut-out patterns by detecting areas with no color;
optimally position the PDL-formatted cut-out patterns on the logical page, wherein the optimal positioning includes locating a PDL-formatted cut-out pattern, that fits within interior white space of another a PDL-formatted cut-out pattern, within the interior white space of the other a PDL-formatted cut-out pattern; and
generate a PDL drawing command for each PDL-formatted cut-out pattern identifying an outline of the PDL-formatted cut-out pattern identifying where at least one of cutting and perforation will occur on the logical page.
2. The printing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a PDL generator configured to receive image-formatted cut-out pattern data, convert the cut-out pattern data to PDL-formatted cut-out patterns, and send the PDL-formatted cut-out patterns to the scanning service.
3. The printing system of claim 2 , further comprising:
an image processor configured to receive raw image data, identify cut-out patterns in the raw image data, create image-formatted cut-out pattern data from the raw image data, and send the image-formatted cut-out data to the PDL generator.
4. The printing system of claim 3 , further comprising:
a scanner configured to capture raw image data and send the raw image data to the image processor.
5. The printing system of claim 3 , the image processor further comprising:
a user-interactive preview and marking application configured to allow a user to view the raw image data and the identified cut-out patterns, and edit the identified cut-out patterns.
6. The printing system of claim 5 , the preview and marking application further configured to allow the user to group together a plurality of identified cut-out patterns to form a more complex cut-out pattern.
7. The printing system of claim 1 , the scanning service further configured to generate a PDL print job including the PDL-formatted cut-out patterns optimally positioned on the logical page, and the PDL drawing commands.
8. The printing system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a raster image processing (RIP) service configured to receive the PDL print job from the scanning service.
9. A method for printing by a printing system, comprising the steps of:
receiving a plurality of page description language (PDL)-formatted cut-out patterns;
detecting white space in the plurality of PDL-formatted cut-out patterns by detecting areas with no color;
optimally positioning the plurality of PDL-formatted cut-out patterns on a logical page, wherein the optimal positioning includes locating a PDL-formatted cut-out pattern, that fits within interior white space of another PDL-formatted cut-out pattern, within the white space of that PDL-formatted cut-out pattern; and
generating a PDL drawing command for each PDL-formatted cut-out pattern identifying an outline of the PDL-formatted cut-out pattern identifying where at least one of cutting and perforation will occur on the logical page.
10. The method for printing by the printing system of claim 9 , wherein receiving the plurality of PDL-formatted cut-out patterns further comprises:
receiving image-formatted cut-out pattern data; and
converting the image-formatted cut-out pattern data to PDL-formatted cut-out patterns.
11. The method for printing by the printing system of claim 10 , wherein receiving the plurality of PDL-formatted cut-out patterns further comprises:
receiving raw image data;
identifying cut-out patterns in the raw image data; and
creating the image-formatted cut-out pattern data from the raw image data.
12. The method for printing by the printing system of claim 11 , wherein receiving the plurality of PDL-formatted cut-out patterns further comprises:
capturing the raw image data.
13. The method for printing by the printing system of claim 11 , wherein identifying cut-out patterns in the raw image data further comprises:
identifying, by the printing system, of an initial set of identified cut-out patterns;
displaying the raw image data and the initial set of identified cut-out patterns; and
editing, by a user using an interactive application of the printing system, of the initial set of identified cut-out patterns.
14. The method for printing by the printing system of claim 9 , further comprising:
creating a PDL print job including the PDL-formatted cut-out patterns optimally positioned on the logical page, and the PDL drawing commands.
15. The method for printing by the printing system of claim 14 , further comprising:
receiving of the PDL print job by a raster image processing (RIP) service of the printing system.
16. A method for printing by a printing system, comprising the steps of:
receiving of raw image data;
identifying cut-out patterns in the raw image data;
creating image-formatted cut-out pattern data from the raw image data;
converting the image-formatted cut-out pattern data to a plurality of PDL-formatted cut-out patterns;
receiving a reference to a logical page;
detecting white space in the plurality of PDL-formatted cut-out patterns by detecting areas with no color;
optimally positioning the PDL-formatted cut-out patterns on the logical page, wherein the optimal positioning includes locating a PDL-formatted cut-out pattern, that fits within interior white space of another a PDL-formatted cut-out pattern, within the interior white space of the other a PDL-formatted cut-out pattern; and
generating a PDL drawing command for each PDL-formatted cut-out pattern identifying an outline of the PDL-formatted cut-out pattern identifying where at least one of cutting and perforation will occur on the logical page.
17. The method for printing by the printing system of claim 16 , further comprising the step of, prior to receiving the raw image data, capturing the raw image data.
18. The method for printing by the printing system of claim 16 , further comprising the step of generating a PDL print job including the PDL-formatted cut-out patterns optimally positioned on the logical page, and the PDL drawing commands.
19. The method for printing by the printing system of claim 18 , further comprising the step of generating graphics orders based on the PDL print job.
20. The method for printing by the printing system of claim 19 , wherein the graphics orders include orders for rendering of the cut-out patterns and for at least one of cutting and perforating, and further comprising the steps of:
sending the graphics orders to a printing device;
printing by the printing device of the graphics orders onto physical media;
relaying of the graphics orders for at least one of cutting and perforating to at least one of a cutter finisher and a perforation marking tool; and
performing at least one of cutting and perforating on the physical media.