Printer Profile Creation Using Dynamic Interpolation for Color Variation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for creating printer profiles fail to accurately account for color variation in outputs from a single printer and across multiple printers of the same model, leading to inappropriate profiles when higher precision color management is desired.

Innovation Solution

A profile creation method that involves extracting adjacent grid points from a lookup table, performing interpolation based on color variation data, and adjusting the number and weighting of grid points according to the degree of variation to create a color conversion profile reflecting average color values, thereby improving interpolation accuracy and reflecting color variation in the printer profile.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a printer profile is created based on one sheet of a color chart output by a printer, then the profile creation process is simple and fast, but color variation is picked up resulting in an inappropriate printer profile

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprofile creation efficiencyVSAvoidcolor accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-measuring colorimetric values for multiple patch images across several sheets before creating the printer profile. This advance data collection allows the system to calculate average color values that account for output variation, thereby improving color accuracy while maintaining efficient profile creation based on a single sheet.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If multiple patch images are measured to account for color variation, then color accuracy improves, but the profile creation process becomes more complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor accuracyVSAvoidprofile creation process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses copying by creating a virtual representation of color variation data through average colorimetric values calculated from multiple measurements. Instead of physically processing multiple sheets during profile creation, the system copies and processes the pre-calculated average values, thereby maintaining high color accuracy while simplifying the actual profile creation process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If traditional interpolation methods are used for creating color conversion LUT, then the process is simple, but interpolation accuracy does not account for color variation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterpolation process simplicityVSAvoidinterpolation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by using different interpolation methods for different grid points based on their specific characteristics. The system selects from multiple interpolation methods (e.g., linear, polynomial, spline) depending on the local color variation characteristics of each grid point, thereby achieving high interpolation accuracy while maintaining reasonable process simplicity through automated method selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies dynamics by dynamically selecting the most appropriate interpolation method for each grid point based on the measured color variation characteristics. Rather than using a fixed interpolation approach, the system adapts the interpolation method to match the local data characteristics, improving overall interpolation accuracy while keeping the process manageable through systematic selection criteria.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9930219B2Profile creation method and computer readable recording medium stored with profile creation program

Publication Date: 2018.03.27 KONICA MINOLTA INC

AI summary

The profile creation method creates a color conversion profile for a printer by causing the printer to output a color chart including patch images having colors corresponding to combinations of values of a plurality of basic colors. The method includes extracting a pair of grid points adjacent to each other from among grid points of a lookup table indicating a correspondence relationship between the values of the colors of the patch images and colorimetric values of the patch images, and performing an interpolation process according to a degree of color variation in two patch images corresponding to the pair of grid points obtained from data of colorimetric values accumulated regarding the two patch images to obtain a grid point for interpolation between the pair of grid points.