Color Matching Unit for Accurate Document Duplication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional multifunction peripherals (MFPs) face difficulties in accurately duplicating colors when copying color documents due to differences in scanner and printer characteristics, leading to color changes in printed documents.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a color matching unit and color table generator that matches the colors of a color document with available colors in the apparatus, using color spaces like Lab and CMYK to generate a color table, which reduces color changes by converting and comparing colors to find similar outputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional color management functions or 3D processors are used to match scanner and printer characteristics, then color processing is performed using 3D tables, but it is difficult to completely duplicate colors of the original color document
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the color matching process into two distinct stages: first matching scanner characteristics with printer characteristics to generate a scanner-to-printer conversion table, and then matching original colors with scanner characteristics to generate an original-to-scanner conversion table. This segmentation allows for more precise color duplication by addressing each conversion step independently rather than using a single 3D table approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces the scanner's color characteristics as an intermediary element in the color conversion process. By creating conversion tables that go through the scanner's color space (original → scanner → printer), the system uses the scanner's characteristics as a mediator to bridge the gap between original document colors and printed output colors, enabling more accurate color duplication.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single device performs both scanning and printing functions, then multifunctionality is achieved, but color changes occur when copying color documents due to differences in scanner and printer characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary color matching and conversion table generation before actual color copying operations. By pre-matching the scanner's color characteristics with the printer's color characteristics and creating appropriate conversion tables in advance, the system prepares the necessary color transformation data before copying, thereby compensating for the inherent differences between scanning and printing functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the color space parameters by creating conversion tables that transform colors between different color spaces (scanner color space, printer color space, and original document color space). By adjusting and transforming color parameters through these conversion tables, the system compensates for the characteristic differences between the scanner and printer components of the multifunctional device.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus, and a color table generating method and color document printing method of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a color matching unit to match colors of a color document containing one or more images formed with a preset number of colors with colors available in the image forming apparatus, and a color table generator to generate a color table using the matched colors. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the color change caused by a difference in the characteristics between a printer and a scanner.