Color Measurement Portion Printing for Image Quality Evaluation
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses lack an effective method to ensure that printed images meet quality standards, as they do not accurately evaluate color consistency across the entire print job, leading to potential variations in color quality.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus that includes a color measurement portion printing unit, a colorimeter, and an image evaluating unit, which prints color measurement portions alongside the image and evaluates their color against a reference standard to determine if the image meets quality requirements based on measured color values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If color measurement portions are printed and measured to evaluate image quality, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the color measurement portion printing function with the main image printing function by using the existing image forming unit to print both the image and color measurement portions on the same medium. This merging approach enables color quality evaluation without adding separate printing equipment, thereby improving measurement precision while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The image forming unit is designed to perform multiple functions: it can print both regular images and color measurement portions using the same printing mechanism. This multi-functionality allows the apparatus to maintain its existing structure while gaining color evaluation capabilities, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and device complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If color measurement portions are printed alongside the image, then manufacturing precision is improved, but loss of substance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements partial action by printing color measurement portions only at specific locations on the medium rather than covering the entire surface. This approach provides sufficient color consistency evaluation data while minimizing toner consumption, as the color measurement portions are limited to necessary reference areas only.
Solution Approach 2:
Color measurement portions are placed at specific strategic locations on the medium where they can effectively represent the overall color quality without requiring coverage of the entire printing area. This local quality approach ensures accurate color consistency evaluation while reducing the total amount of toner needed compared to full-surface measurement.
3Productivity
If color measurement portions are printed on the same medium as the image, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the printing process into distinct functional areas: image printing areas and color measurement portion areas. By spatially separating these functions on the same medium, the system maintains productivity through single-pass printing while ensuring measurement precision through dedicated measurement zones that are optimized for color evaluation without interference from image content.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution ensures higher accuracy in evaluating image quality by comparing measured color values of printed color measurement portions to reference values, allowing for immediate detection and correction of color inconsistencies, thereby ensuring that the printed images meet predetermined color standards.
Implementation Method 1
a colorimeter measures a color of the color measurement portion printed by the color measurement portion printing unit
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a color measurement portion printing unit, a colorimeter, and an image evaluating unit. The color measurement portion printing unit prints at least one color measurement portion. The colorimeter measures a color of the color measurement portion. The image evaluating unit evaluates, on the basis of a measured color value obtained by the colorimeter and a predetermined reference value, whether or not an image printed in response to a print request satisfies quality requirements that are based on a predetermined standard. The image evaluating unit evaluates whether or not the image satisfies the quality requirements, on the basis of a measured color value of a color measurement portion whose color is the same as a color used in the image or whose color difference from the color used in the image is within a predetermined range, among plural color measurement portions.