Patch Chart Printing from Expanded Preview Pixel Regions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printers face inaccuracies in color calibration due to imprecise user specification of desired positions, leading to discrepancies between intended and actual color settings.
Innovation Solution
A printing device that displays a preview image, allows user selection of a pixel, and sets an expanded region based on printing resolution to generate patch chart data using color values of multiple original pixels, ensuring accurate color calibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the user specifies a color using a cursor in the preview image, then the user can select a desired color for patch creation, but the imprecise cursor operation results in a discrepancy between the specified position and the intended position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the color specification process into two stages: first, the user specifies a rough position by selecting a preview-image pixel; second, the system automatically determines the precise target color by analyzing multiple original pixels in an expanded region around the specified position. This segmentation allows users to operate easily while the system handles the precision requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an expanded region as an intermediary between the user's cursor specification and the final color selection. Instead of directly using the specified pixel's color, the system creates an expanded region containing multiple original pixels and determines the target color based on this region, thereby mediating between imprecise user input and precise color calibration requirements.
2Productivity
If the printer uses a single specified pixel for color calibration, then the process is simple and quick, but the color calibration accuracy decreases due to cursor imprecision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by using only a subset of pixels from the expanded region to determine the target color. The system analyzes multiple original pixels in the expanded region but selects specific pixels (those with extreme color values) for final color determination, rather than using all pixels or requiring precise single-pixel user specification.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically determining the target color based on the expanded region without requiring the user to precisely specify the exact pixel. The controller automatically analyzes the color values of multiple original pixels and determines the appropriate target color, making the system compensate for user imprecision autonomously.
3Measurement precision
If the system expands the region to multiple pixels, then the color specification accuracy improves, but the processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by focusing the expanded region analysis on a localized area around the user-specified position. Rather than processing the entire image, the system creates an expanded region containing only the relevant pixels near the specification point, and determines color values based on this localized region, reducing overall processing complexity while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters dynamically based on the user specification. The expanded region size and the set of original pixels used for color determination are adjusted according to the printing resolution and the position specified by the user. This parameter adaptation allows the system to maintain precision while optimizing processing efficiency for different conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
In a printing device, a print head performs printing based on image data. The image data represents an original image including a plurality of original pixels. The controller displays a preview image based on the image data. In the preview image, each preview-image pixel corresponds to one of the plurality of original pixels and has a color based on a color of the corresponding original pixel. The controller receives information on a preview-image pixel specified by a user. The controller sets an expanded region in the original image on the basis of a printing resolution. The expanded region includes original pixels having an original pixel corresponding to the specified preview pixel. The controller generates patch chart print data based on color values of original pixels in the expanded region. The controller controls the print head to print the patch chart image.