Color Adjustment Profiles for Multi-Printer Sample Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional color adjustment techniques for printers require significant time and labor for color sample matching, especially when multiple printers are involved, necessitating the creation and circulation of print samples for each site, which is inefficient.

Innovation Solution

A color adjustment system that includes a first registration unit for job data, a second registration unit for color sample data, a print control for printing, a reading control for acquiring read image data, and a generation unit for creating an input profile to facilitate color matching across multiple printers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If color sample matching is performed for each printer at each site using conventional methods, then color accuracy for individual printers is improved, but time and labor consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor accuracyVSAvoidtime and labor consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses read image data from a reference printed matter as a digital copy to represent the actual printer output characteristics. Instead of requiring physical print samples to be circulated, the system creates virtual copies of printer responses through digital image reading, enabling remote color profile generation without physical sample exchange between sites and printers

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces a central management server as an intermediary that coordinates between multiple printers and sites. The server collects read image data, manages reference printed matters, and distributes color profiles, eliminating the need for direct interaction and physical sample circulation between each printer operator and reference materials

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If print samples are circulated among multiple sites for color matching, then color consistency across printers is improved, but operational complexity and work requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor consistencyVSAvoidoperational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reading apparatus is designed to serve multiple functions: it can read both the reference printed matter for color profile generation and the actual printed outputs for quality verification. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate reference sample circulation while maintaining color consistency across different printers and sites

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces physical print sample circulation with digital image data exchange. Read images of the reference printed matter are transmitted electronically to the central server, which processes them to generate color profiles distributed to all sites, eliminating the logistical complexity of physical sample management

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Manufacturing precision

If color sample matching is performed individually for each job data, then color accuracy for specific jobs is improved, but processing efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor accuracy for jobsVSAvoidprocessing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary color profile generation by reading the reference printed matter once and creating a universal color profile in advance. This pre-generated profile is then applied to multiple job data items without requiring repeated read operations, enabling efficient batch processing while maintaining color accuracy across all jobs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention combines multiple color matching operations into a single unified process. Instead of performing separate color sample matching for each job data item, the system merges them under a single color profile generated from one reference printed matter reading, significantly improving processing efficiency while maintaining consistent color accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4236289B1Color adjustment system
Publication Date: 2025.07.16 RICOH CO LTD
  • EP4236289B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4236289B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4236289B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A color adjustment system (1, 1a, 1b) includes a first registration unit (301) that registers job data for requesting printing a document file in a storage unit, a second registration unit (304a) that registers color sample data associated with the job data in the storage unit, a print control unit (116, 116A, 116B, 116C) that causes a printing apparatus to print out the document file corresponding to the job data as a first printed matter, a reading control unit (112, 112A, 112B, 112C) that causes a reading apparatus to read the first printed matter to acquire first read image data, and a generation unit (115, 115A, 115B, 115C, 309) that generates an input profile based on the first read image data and the color sample data.