Gloss Effect Hiding via Complementary Color Interaction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current specialty imaging techniques for creating a gloss effect in security printing require expensive coated media and are limited to production devices, with older glossier toners unable to hide watermarks at certain angles, and newer toners risking ink limit bypasses.
Innovation Solution
A method involving determining which single color mixed with black is furthest from rich black, selecting a first color with black and a second color as fully black and least rich black, creating an object with the first color and entering data opaquely with the second color, and rendering a document to exhibit a gloss effect that hides at one angle and appears at another on both coated and uncoated media.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If expensive coated media is used to create a gloss effect, then the hiding capability is improved, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive coated media with standard uncoated media, using cost-effective materials to achieve the same gloss effect. The solution uses available toner formulations and standard printing media rather than specialized expensive materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the color parameters by using complementary colors (e.g., cyan and orange, magenta and green) to create the gloss effect through color interaction rather than relying on expensive coated media. This parameter change in color selection achieves the hiding capability without increased cost.
2Reliability
If older glossier toners are used to hide watermarks, then the hiding capability is improved, but the ink limits are bypassed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the approach from using glossier toners that bypass ink limits to using standard toners with complementary color combinations. By changing the color parameters and using color interaction, the hiding effect is achieved without violating ink limits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces complementary colors as an intermediary mechanism to achieve the hiding effect. Instead of relying on toner gloss properties that bypass limits, the solution uses color interaction (the intermediary) to create the watermark hiding effect within ink limits.
3Quantity of substance
If standard uncoated media is used instead of expensive coated media, then the cost decreases, but the gloss effect quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses complementary color changes to create the gloss effect on uncoated media. By selecting specific color combinations (cyan-orange, magenta-green) and utilizing their visual interaction, the patent achieves a perceived gloss effect that mimics the quality of coated media without requiring expensive materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the color parameters and toner pile height differences to compensate for the lack of coating on standard media. By optimizing these parameters, the gloss effect quality is maintained even on inexpensive uncoated media.
4Reliability
If production devices are used to create the gloss effect, then the hiding capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal solution that works on standard office printers and production devices alike. The complementary color approach and uncoated media requirement make the technology universally applicable across different device types, eliminating the need for specialized production-only equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex production devices with standard office printers capable of handling the complementary color printing. This reduces device complexity while maintaining the hiding capability through the inherent properties of the color interaction method.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and systems for rendering a gloss effect can involve determining among a first color and a second color, which of the first color or the second color is mixed with a black colorant that is furthest from a rich black colorant; selecting a first color with the black colorant; selecting a second color to be fully black and a least rich black colorant; creating an object with the first color and entering data within the object opaquely with the second color; and rendering a document with the object including the data with the object, wherein the object with the data can exhibit a gloss effect based on the first color and the second color.