Color Substitution Mechanism for Printer Color Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Printing systems often fail to accurately match colors specified in a print job, especially when transitioning from an old printer of a different vendor to a new one, as they may not have the necessary color profiles available for precise color reproduction.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a substitution mapping file to map input colors from one color space to another during rasterization, using either a substitution mapping file if available or a color management system if not, to ensure accurate color conversion and reproduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a color management system uses standard ICC profiles for color conversion, then the system is simple and easy to operate, but accurate color matching cannot be achieved when the target printer lacks the necessary profiles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a substitution mapping file as an intermediary component that mediates between the color management system and the target printer. This file contains pre-defined color substitution rules that enable accurate color matching without requiring the target printer to have the original ICC profiles, thus resolving the contradiction between accuracy and complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The substitution mapping files are prepared in advance containing color substitution rules for specific printers. By performing the color analysis and substitution rule creation beforehand, the system enables accurate color matching at print time without adding complexity to the actual printing process
2Reliability
If substitution mapping files are created for every specific printer to ensure accurate color matching, then color reproduction accuracy is improved, but the system complexity and difficulty of maintenance increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects the target printer model and selects or generates the appropriate substitution mapping file without requiring manual configuration. The color management system self-adapts to different printers by automatically using the corresponding substitution rules, eliminating the need for manual setup and reducing operational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The substitution mapping file format is designed to be universally applicable across different printer models and vendors. A single file structure can handle color substitutions for various printers, reducing the need for custom solutions for each device and simplifying maintenance
Data Source
AI summary
A method is disclosed. The method includes receiving a request to perform color conversion during rasterization of a print job object at a printer, determining if a substitution mapping file is available for an output color space to be generated by the color conversion, determining if the substitution mapping file includes a substitution entry for the input color space color value to the output color space in use, generating the output color by using the substitution mapping file to map an input color from an input color space to an output color space if the substitution entry is available and generating the output color by using a color management system to map the input color from the input color space to the output color space if the substitution entry is not available.