Bidirectional Printing Color Gamut Irregularity Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional bidirectional printing systems face challenges in suppressing color irregularities due to significant differences in the color gamut between outgoing and return prints, leading to suboptimal image quality.

Innovation Solution

An image processing apparatus with a processor and memory that controls a print execution unit, utilizing multiple color conversion profiles to adjust CMYK values for bidirectional and unidirectional printing methods, allowing the print head to alternate between different scanning directions and ink types to achieve a larger color gamut and reduce irregularities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If bidirectional printing method is used to improve printing speed, then productivity is improved, but color irregularities occur due to gamut differences between outgoing and return prints

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting speedVSAvoidcolor uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the color conversion process by creating separate color conversion profiles for outgoing print and return print directions. This segmentation allows independent optimization of color parameters for each printing direction, resolving the color uniformity issue while maintaining bidirectional printing speed advantages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by using direction-specific color conversion profiles that tailor color parameters to the characteristics of each printing direction. The outgoing print profile and return print profile have different color conversion parameters optimized for their respective directions, eliminating color irregularities at local (directional) level.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Device complexity

If conventional color conversion profile is used to simplify the process, then device complexity is reduced, but color gamut differences cause image quality degradation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor conversion processVSAvoidimage quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic color conversion by automatically selecting between outgoing print profile and return print profile based on the current printing direction. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain high image quality without manually configuring different profiles, balancing complexity and performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the color conversion parameters by maintaining multiple profiles with different conversion characteristics. The system switches between profiles with different color space mappings and conversion formulas depending on printing direction, optimizing image quality without requiring complex real-time calculations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If unidirectional printing method is used to achieve larger color gamut, then color gamut is improved, but printing speed decreases due to single direction scanning

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor gamutVSAvoidprinting speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the color conversion system universal by creating a unified profile selection mechanism that works for both unidirectional and bidirectional printing modes. The same profile selection logic adapts to different printing methods, allowing the system to achieve full color gamut in unidirectional mode while maintaining color accuracy in bidirectional mode.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines multiple color conversion profiles into a composite color management system. By integrating outgoing print profile, return print profile, and unidirectional profile into a single selectable set, the system provides composite color conversion capabilities that adapt to different printing requirements without sacrificing speed or quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS11479051B2Image processing apparatus controlling printing according to unidirectional printing method or bidirectional printing method

Publication Date: 2022.10.25 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

In an image processing apparatus, a processor sets a target printing method for printing a target image to one of a bidirectional printing method and a unidirectional printing method. In a case where the bidirectional printing method is set as the target printing method: the processor executes both a first generation process and a second generation process. The first generation process generates first partial print data by converting a set of partial image data using a first color conversion profile. The second generation process generates second partial print data by converting another set of partial image data using a second color conversion profile. In a case where the unidirectional printing method is set as the target printing method, the processor executes a third generation process generating third partial print data by converting a set of partial image data using a third color conversion profile.