Hybrid Sensing System for Printer Spatial Gray Balance Calibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current color calibration systems for printers fail to correct uniformity defects at a wide range of spatial frequencies, such as streaks and bands, and are time-consuming and expensive due to the use of offline spectrophotometer hardware and iterative processes.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid sensing system combining a spectrophotometer and a full-width array scanner to measure developability non-uniformity, using spatial mapping algorithms to produce gray balance tone reproduction curves (TRCs) for accurate color consistency across single and multiple printers, enabling efficient and automatic calibration without significant additional cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If offline spectrophotometer hardware and iterative processes are used for color calibration, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to time-consuming manual operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces offline spectrophotometer hardware with an on-line hybrid sensing system that combines a spectrophotometer with a full-width array scanner. This substitution eliminates manual operations and iterative processes, enabling automatic real-time calibration while maintaining measurement precision through the coordinated use of both sensing technologies.
Solution Approach 2:
The calibration system performs self-calibration using the hybrid sensing system to automatically detect and correct uniformity defects. The system monitors its own output in real-time and adjusts calibration parameters without external intervention, thereby improving productivity while maintaining precision through continuous self-optimization.
2Manufacturing precision
If full-width array scanner is used to measure spatial uniformity, then manufacturing precision is improved for detecting streaks and bands, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges a spectrophotometer and a full-width array scanner into a hybrid sensing system. The spectrophotometer provides spectral color measurement while the FWA scanner captures spatial reflectance information. By combining these two devices, the system achieves comprehensive spatial uniformity detection including streaks and bands, while sharing common infrastructure to mitigate complexity increases.
Solution Approach 2:
The hybrid sensing system performs multiple functions: spectral measurement, spatial mapping, uniformity defect detection, and real-time calibration. The FWA scanner serves both as a spatial measurement device and works in conjunction with the spectrophotometer to provide comprehensive color characterization, reducing the need for separate specialized equipment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If hybrid sensing system with spatial mapping algorithms is implemented, then adaptability is improved for correcting uniformity defects across multiple printers, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates spatial maps of uniformity defects that can be copied and applied as correction profiles across multiple printers. The hybrid sensing system captures defect patterns and generates calibration data that can be replicated for identical printer configurations, enabling multi-printer adaptability without requiring separate calibration hardware for each device.
Solution Approach 2:
The spatial mapping algorithms process raw sensor data by transforming it into corrected calibration parameters. The system changes parameters such as reflectance values and tone reproduction curves based on detected uniformity defects, enabling adaptive calibration across different printers through parameter adjustment rather than hardware modification.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves color consistency and improves page uniformity by detecting and correcting streaks and bands, reducing the need for manual operations and offline hardware, thereby streamlining the calibration process while maintaining high image quality.
Implementation Method 1
measuring with a spectrophotometer the color of test patches printed on a test sheet
Implementation Method 2
measuring with a full-width array (FWA) or similar page-scanning mechanism...spatial reflectance information
Data Source
AI summary
The method and system for printer color calibration use a combination of a full-width array (FWA) or similar page-scanning mechanism in conjunction with a spectrophotometer color measurement system in the output path of a color printer for measuring colors with or without requiring any manual operations or operator involvement. The automatic color balance control system produces spatial tonal reproduction values for the primary colors by printing patches, measuring colors using the sensor combination and automatically readjusting the spatial tone reproduction curves until a satisfactory level of printed color accuracy and uniformity are obtained.