Extended Gamut Printing Colorant Selection Threshold
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Solution Overview
Problem
In extended gamut printing, users face challenges in determining whether to use expensive optional colors, as they may not know which pages benefit from these colors, leading to unnecessary usage and increased costs without a color gamut advantage over main colors.
Innovation Solution
A printing system and method that automatically processes print data to identify image quality improvement pixels outside the main color gamut, comparing them to a pixel quantity threshold to decide whether to include optional colors, allowing for page-by-page optimization and cost justification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If extended gamut colorants are used in all regions, then color accuracy in extended color spaces is improved, but printing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by determining colorant usage on a pixel-by-pixel basis rather than uniformly across the entire image. The system identifies specific pixels that fall outside the main color gamut and applies extended gamut colorants only to those particular regions, while using main colors for pixels within the main gamut. This localized approach ensures color accuracy is improved only where necessary, avoiding unnecessary use of expensive extended gamut colorants in regions where main colors suffice.
2Measurement precision
If extended gamut colorants are used to expand color space coverage, then color representation accuracy is improved, but usage frequency decreases due to cost
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically analyzing the image content, identifying pixels outside the main color gamut, and determining the appropriate colorant combination without requiring manual user intervention. The processor autonomously evaluates each pixel's color coordinates, compares them against the main color gamut boundaries, and makes real-time decisions about extended gamut colorant usage, enabling the system to serve itself in optimizing colorant selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by dynamically adjusting colorant selection based on the color coordinates of individual pixels. The system transforms image data into a standardized color space, evaluates each pixel's position relative to the main color gamut boundaries, and changes the colorant parameters accordingly - using main colors for pixels within the gamut and extended gamut colorants for pixels outside it. This dynamic parameter adjustment optimizes both color accuracy and cost efficiency.
3Quantity of substance
If users manually determine page-by-page colorant usage, then cost control is improved, but operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically analyzing the image content, identifying pixels outside the main color gamut, and determining the appropriate colorant combination without requiring manual user intervention. The processor autonomously evaluates each pixel's color coordinates, compares them against the main color gamut boundaries, and makes real-time decisions about extended gamut colorant usage, enabling the system to serve itself in optimizing colorant selection.
Data Source
AI summary
A processor of a printing device automatically raster image processes print data in a print job to produce a first, relatively low resolution, bitmap for printing the print job with the printer's main colors and one or more optional colors. The processor automatically compares the extended gamut of the lower-resolution first bitmap and the main color gamut of the printing engine to identify image quality improvement pixels of the extended gamut that are outside the main color gamut. The processor automatically either raster image processes the print data with the main colors and one of the optional colors, or raster image processes the print data with only the main colors, based on whether the number of image quality improvement pixels of the extended gamut that are outside the main color gamut exceeds a pixel quantity threshold, to produce a second, relatively higher resolution, bitmap.