Color Printing System Dynamic Adjustment Using Document Data

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing color printing systems face inefficiencies in color adjustment, including excessive paper consumption and prolonged time to complete original printing due to the need for test charts, and accuracy issues when colors from the test chart are not present in document data.

Innovation Solution

A color printing system that specifies areas with predetermined colors from image data, measures these colors, records results, and adjusts accordingly, potentially printing a test chart if necessary colors are not recorded, ensuring accurate color adjustment without requiring a full test chart print.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a test chart is printed for color adjustment, then color measurement accuracy is improved, but paper consumption increases and printing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor measurement accuracyVSAvoidpaper consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts only the necessary color information from document data instead of printing a complete test chart. The color specification unit identifies and extracts color patches representing predetermined colors from the document, and only these specific areas are printed and measured, eliminating the need for a full test chart while maintaining measurement accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention performs partial action by printing only the minimum necessary color patches required for color adjustment rather than a complete test chart. The system determines whether sufficient color information exists in the document data and prints only what is needed, reducing paper consumption while ensuring adequate color measurement data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Measurement precision

If a test chart is printed for color adjustment, then color measurement accuracy is improved, but the time to complete original printing increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor measurement accuracyVSAvoidprinting time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention performs partial action by printing only the minimum necessary color patches required for color adjustment rather than a complete test chart. The system determines whether sufficient color information exists in the document data and prints only what is needed, reducing printing time while ensuring adequate color measurement data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Productivity

If color adjustment is performed without a test chart by using document data, then paper consumption and printing time are reduced, but color adjustment accuracy may be lowered when all colors are not present

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor adjustment efficiencyVSAvoidcolor adjustment accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces dynamic adaptability by detecting whether the document data contains sufficient color information for adjustment. The system dynamically determines the color adjustment execution timing based on whether predetermined colors are present in the document, and can switch between using document data colors or printing a test chart depending on the situation, thereby maintaining accuracy while improving efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention implements feedback by monitoring whether sufficient color measurement results are obtained from document data. The color adjustment unit checks if the required number of color measurements are completed and uses this feedback to determine whether to proceed with color adjustment using document data or to print a test chart to ensure adequate color information is available.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

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 approach reduces paper waste and time by allowing color adjustment based on printed image data, maintaining accuracy by ensuring a predetermined number of color measurements are completed before adjustment, even when test charts are not printed.

Implementation Method 1

a color measurement unit that measures the colors of the area, which is specified by the specification unit, with regard to a printed matter which is generated in such a way that the image data is printed by the printing unit

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectColor measurement: Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS9137423B2Color printing system with color adjustment unit, color printing method with color adjustment, and non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing color printing program with color adjustment

Publication Date: 2015.09.15 KONICA MINOLTA INC

AI summary

There is provided a color printing system including: a specification unit that specifies an area which has predetermined colors from printing target image data; a printing unit that prints the image data; a color measurement unit that measures the colors of the area, which is specified by the specification unit, with regard to a printed matter; a recording unit that records color measurement results whenever the image data is printed; and a color adjustment unit that, when a predetermined number of color measurement results of the predetermined colors are completed, executes color adjustment using the color measurement results. Therefore, it is possible to prevent accuracy from being lowered while the color adjustment is effectively executed.