Automatic compliance-testing system for desktop designed consumer packaging

Abstract

An automatic compliance testing system for evaluating the compliance of a graphic element with one or more conditions within desktop designed consumer packaging. The automatic compliance testing system includes an Encapsulated PostScript™ file that has an executable module which tests the commands geometrically defining the graphic element. The results of the self-checking operation are communicated to a checklist module. The checklist module is an executable module which generates a checklist that displays the test results. The checklist module may also test the compliance of the graphic element with predefined criteria, such as percentage of available display surface occupied, wherein the available display surface is defined using one or more Encapsulated PostScript™ files having a sizing module for calculating the area of the shape defined by the file. The checklist may be placed at any location, scaled, mirrored or rotated within the design document but in most cases adjacent to or outside the boundaries of the consumer packaging being designed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method, for use in a packaging design system, for evaluating compliance of a graphic element within a packaging image, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (i) generating a digital file defining the packaging image, said digital file including commands geometrically defining the graphic element;    (ii) testing said commands to determine the compliance of said graphic element with at least one geometric condition, thereby producing test results; and    (iii) writing said test results to said digital file.    
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said step of testing includes calculating a copy safe area, calculating the area of said graphic element, determining a proportion of said copy safe area occupied by said graphic element, and comparing said proportion with a value, said value being said geometric condition.  
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said step of generating includes placing at least one shape within said packaging image and adjusting the geometry of said at least one shape to define a copy safe area within said packaging image.  
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said step of testing includes calculating the area of said at least one shape, calculating the area of said graphic element, and comparing a ratio of said areas with a limit condition.  
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said at least one shape includes at least one positive display surface shape and at least one negative cutout shape, and said step of calculating the area includes totaling the area of said at least one positive display surface shape and subtracting the area of said at least one negative cutout shape.  
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said commands alter a transformation matrix, and wherein said step of testing includes testing said transformation matrix.  
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said graphic element includes a nutrition facts table image.  
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said graphic element includes a barcode image.  
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said step of writing includes incorporating said results into a checklist image, said checklist image being included in said packaging image.  
     
     
         10 . A self-checking module, for use in a packaging design system, for evaluating compliance of a graphic element within a packaging image, the packaging design system including a digital file defining the packaging image, the digital file including commands geometrically defining the graphic element, the self-checking module comprising: 
 (i) code means defining at least one geometric condition;    (ii) code means for testing said commands to determine the compliance of said graphic element with said at least one geometric condition, thereby producing test results; and    (iii) code means for writing said test results to said digital file.    
     
     
         11 . The module as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said code means for testing includes code means for calculating a copy safe area, code means for calculating the area of said graphic element, code means for determining a proportion of said copy safe area occupied by said graphic element, and code means for comparing said proportion with a value, said value being said geometric condition.  
     
     
         12 . The module as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said digital file includes at least one shape within said packaging image geometrically arranged to define a copy safe area within said packaging image, and wherein said code means for testing includes codes means for calculating the area of said at least one shape, code means for calculating the area of said graphic element, and code means for comparing a ratio of said areas with a value, said value being said geometric condition.  
     
     
         13 . The module as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said at least one shape includes at least one positive display surface shape and at least one negative cutout shape, and said code means for calculating the area includes code means for totaling the area of said at least one positive display surface shape and subtracting the area of said at least one negative cutout shape.  
     
     
         14 . The module as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said system includes a transformation matrix, said transformation matrix being responsive to said commands, and wherein said code means for testing includes code means for testing said transformation matrix.  
     
     
         15 . The module as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said graphic element includes a nutrition facts table.  
     
     
         16 . The module as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said graphic element includes a barcode.  
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said code means for writing includes code means for incorporating said results into a checklist image, said checklist image being included in said packaging image.  
     
     
         18 . A packaging design system for evaluating compliance of a graphic element within a packaging image, said system comprising: 
 (b) a raster image processor;    (c) a digital file including commands geometrically defining the graphic element; and    (b) a self-checking module for execution by said raster image processor, the self-checking module including: 
 code means defining at least one geometric condition;  
 code means for testing said commands to determine the compliance of said graphic element with said at least one geometric condition, thereby producing test results; and  
 code means for writing said test results to said digital file.  
   
     
     
         19 . The system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said code means for testing includes code means for calculating a copy safe area, code means for calculating the area of said graphic element, code means for determining a proportion of said copy safe area occupied by said graphic element, and code means for comparing said proportion with a value, said value being said geometric condition.  
     
     
         20 . The system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said raster image processor includes a transformation matrix, said transformation matrix being responsive to said commands, and wherein said code means for testing includes code means for testing said transformation matrix.