Dynamic Color Profile Management for Printers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Print shops face challenges in achieving high-quality color reproduction across various paper media due to the lack of customized color management profiles for each paper, leading to minimal or no color management for many papers used.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for managing paper information in printing systems that dynamically correlates standard papers with measured papers based on color information, associating each standard paper with the color management profile of the most similar measured paper, reducing the need for extensive profiling and enhancing color reproduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If color management profiles are created for each paper using 1,000 to 2,000 color patches, then color reproduction quality is improved, but the time and effort required for profiling increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by using a reduced set of color patches (e.g., 100-500 patches) instead of the full 1,000-2,000 patches required for complete profiling. This partial profiling approach captures sufficient color characteristics to achieve acceptable color reproduction while dramatically reducing the time and effort required. The system accepts that not all color nuances will be perfectly captured, but the results are sufficient for practical printing applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating simplified color profile representations that capture the essential color characteristics of papers without requiring complete profiling. These copied profile data structures allow the system to work with reduced measurement sets while maintaining functional equivalence to full profiles, enabling rapid paper characterization.
2Manufacturing precision
If color management profiles are created for hundreds of different papers, then color reproduction quality is improved, but the complexity of managing the paper catalog increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a standardized paper catalog data structure and management interface that can handle any number of papers uniformly. The same data structures, storage mechanisms, and retrieval procedures work whether managing 10 papers or 1,000 papers, reducing the perceived complexity through consistent universal handling rather than specialized management for different scales.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service through automated paper identification and profile matching. When a paper is introduced, the system automatically measures its color characteristics, compares them against existing profiles, and selects the most appropriate profile without requiring manual intervention. This automation eliminates the need for operators to manually manage and track numerous paper profiles, significantly reducing management complexity.
3Device complexity
If printer manufacturers validate only a few hundred papers, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to use thousands of market papers decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the paper catalog extensible and adaptable rather than static. The system is designed to dynamically accept and integrate new paper types beyond the initial manufacturer-validated set. Users can add custom paper profiles, and the system automatically measures and incorporates new papers into the catalog, allowing the printer to adapt to thousands of market papers without requiring manufacturer validation for each one.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary approach by introducing a user-friendly interface and automated measurement system that mediates between the printer hardware and the vast array of market papers. This intermediary layer handles the complexity of paper characterization and profile matching, allowing the printer to work with diverse papers without exposing the underlying complexity to users or requiring manufacturer validation for each paper type.
4Ease of manufacture
If paper producers provide color management profiles, then the effort for profiling is reduced, but the color reproduction quality may not be optimal for particular printers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by measuring the actual color output when using producer-provided profiles and using these measurements to refine and customize profiles for specific printer instances. The system collects data about how particular papers perform on specific printers and uses this feedback to adjust profiles, ensuring optimal color reproduction for each printer-paper combination rather than relying solely on generic producer profiles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating printer-specific customizations of general paper profiles. Rather than using a single universal profile from the paper producer, the system tailors the profile characteristics to match the specific color behavior of each printer. This local adaptation ensures that while the base profile comes from the producer (reducing effort), the final profile is optimized for the particular printer (improving quality).
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods manage information relating to paper media to enhance the quality of printing by printers. Systems and methods efficiently maintain color management profiles for different papers and ensure that the most appropriate (e.g., optimal) color management profile is employed for color conversion on a specific paper. In particular, embodiments may employ dynamic management of data stored in paper catalogs of printing systems. As such, a paper catalog of a printer device can effectively associate a paper with a color management profile that provides the best possible color reproduction on that paper.