Color Profile Management for Image Forming Apparatus
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming apparatuses, appropriate color conversion is not consistently performed due to variations in color material consumables such as ink and toner with different reproduction characteristics, leading to suboptimal results.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus and system that includes a profile management unit which selects and updates color profiles based on the version information of mounted color material consumables, either from local storage or by downloading matching profiles from a management server, ensuring accurate color conversion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a color profile corresponding to a certain device type is used, then appropriate color conversion can be performed for the device type, but appropriate color conversion is not performed when color material consumables of different versions are mixed and distributed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the color profile selection adaptive and version-dependent. Instead of using a static color profile for a device type, the system dynamically selects color profiles based on the specific version of color material consumables detected in the device. This allows the color conversion system to adapt to different versions of ink or toner, resolving the contradiction between reliability for a specific device type and adaptability to different consumable versions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of color profile selection from being solely device-type-based to being version-based. By introducing version information as a critical parameter for color profile selection, the system can accurately match color profiles to the specific color material consumables being used. This parameter change enables appropriate color conversion even when different versions of consumables are mixed and distributed.
2Measurement precision
If version information-based color profile selection is implemented, then accurate color conversion is achieved, but system complexity increases due to version management and profile matching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling the image forming apparatus to automatically detect the version information of its own color material consumables and autonomously select the appropriate color profile. The system performs self-diagnosis of consumable versions and self-configures the color conversion parameters without requiring manual intervention or complex external management systems, thus reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high color reproduction accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by having the system continuously monitor the version information of color material consumables and adjust color profile selection accordingly. The version detection mechanism provides feedback about the consumable state, and this feedback drives the automatic selection of matching color profiles. This closed-loop feedback system simplifies management by eliminating the need for manual profile configuration while ensuring accurate color reproduction.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes: a printing device which prints an image using a color material consumable; a storage device which stores one or more color profiles for the printing device; and a profile management unit which selects a color profile usable for printing the image from the one or more color profiles stored in the storage device. The color profile stored in the storage device has version information of color material consumables corresponding to the color profile. The profile management unit acquires version information of the color material consumable mounted on the printing device at present, and selects a color profile having the same version information as the acquired version information, as the color profile usable for printing the image.