Hybrid Ink Limit ICC Profile Creation for Color Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ICC profile creation methods face challenges in managing ink limits for color printing devices, particularly when using novel ink formulations that require both percentage total area coverage (TAC) and volume-based ink limits, leading to issues such as ink running and image quality degradation.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced that applies hybrid ink limits by generating color patches, scaling them to meet both percentage TAC and volume-based ink limits, and adjusting CMYK combinations to ensure all colors fall within the specified limits, thereby creating an ICC profile that utilizes the full gamut of the printing device while preventing ink overflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If only percentage TAC ink limits are applied in ICC profile creation, then the profile creation process is simple and compatible with conventional tools, but ink running and image quality degradation occur when using novel ink formulations with volume-based limits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines percentage TAC ink limits and volume-based ink limits into a hybrid ink limit system. The ICC profile creation process now applies both limit types simultaneously, merging the simplicity of percentage-based control with the precision of volume-based control to prevent ink running while maintaining manageable complexity through integrated processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces volume-based ink limit parameters alongside the traditional percentage TAC parameters. By changing the parameter system from solely percentage-based to include volume-based measurements, the system can accurately control novel ink formulations while maintaining compatibility with existing workflows through the dual-parameter approach.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the full gamut of the printing device is utilized, then color reproduction capability is maximized, but ink overflow and running occur with conventional percentage TAC limits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the ink limit parameters from solely percentage TAC to a hybrid system including volume-based limits. This parameter change enables the system to utilize the full color gamut of the printing device while simultaneously preventing ink overflow and running by enforcing volume constraints on the ink formulations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control by measuring the actual ink volume deposited and comparing it against the volume-based limits. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adjust color combinations in real-time, ensuring full gamut utilization while preventing ink running through continuous monitoring and correction.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional percentage TAC ink limits are used, then the ICC profile creation process is straightforward, but the system cannot accommodate novel ink formulations requiring volume-based control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal ink limit system that can handle both traditional percentage TAC limits and novel volume-based limits. The hybrid approach provides multi-functionality, allowing the ICC profile creation process to accommodate various ink formulations and limit types within a single unified framework, increasing adaptability while managing complexity through integration.
4Adaptability or versatility
If ink volume is increased to expand color gamut, then color reproduction improves, but ink running and image quality degradation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the control parameters from percentage TAC to include volume-based measurements. This enables precise control of ink volume while expanding color gamut, as the system can now directly measure and limit the actual ink volume deposited rather than relying solely on percentage calculations, thereby maintaining image quality alongside gamut expansion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback control to monitor actual ink volume deposition and adjust color combinations accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures that ink volume is increased only to the extent needed for gamut expansion while staying within volume-based limits, preventing ink running and maintaining image quality through real-time correction.
Data Source
AI summary
A hybrid ink limit is applied during the creation of an ICC profile. The hybrid ink limit takes into account a percentage total area coverage (TAC) ink limit and a volume-based ink limit. The percentage TAC ink limit is specified using an input from an operator. The volume-based ink limit is retrieved based upon the media for the ICC profile. Both ink limits are applied to primary color combinations for color patches to be printed in a test chart used to capture measurement data to create the ICC profile. A combination of primary colors at exceeds either ink limit is adjusted to meet the ink limit. The adjusted combination is used in the test chart to generate the measurement data for the ICC profile. After creation of the ICC profile, the volume-based ink limit is applied to the ICC profile color combinations to identify those combinations still over the ink limit.