Printing System Colorimetry Control for Small Area Noise Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional color adjustment methods in printing systems fail to accurately perform colorimetry and adjustment when the specified colorimetry area is smaller than a predetermined size, leading to noise in the colorimetry results due to adjacent color influences.

Innovation Solution

A printing system that includes a colorimetry unit capable of measuring the entire surface of a print product and a hardware processor that switches between two modes of colorimetry based on whether the specified area satisfies the colorimetry area condition. In the first mode, colorimetry is performed directly on the print product if the area condition is met, while in the second mode, colorimetry is performed on a modified image with added patch images or enlarged areas to satisfy the condition.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If colorimetry is performed on a small area that does not satisfy the colorimetry area condition, then the colorimetry can be performed on the specified area, but noise components are included in the colorimetry result due to adjacent color influences

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolorimetry accuracyVSAvoidnoise component from adjacent colors

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The image data is divided into multiple regions, and the system selectively applies different colorimetry modes to different regions based on whether they satisfy the colorimetry area condition. This segmentation allows small areas to use the second mode (patch image method) while larger areas use the first mode (direct colorimetry), thereby eliminating noise from adjacent colors in small areas while maintaining efficiency in larger areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A patch image is introduced as an intermediary element to enable colorimetry on small areas. The patch image serves as a mediator that provides a sufficient measurement area while representing the color characteristics of the original small area, thus allowing accurate colorimetry without directly measuring the noisy small area itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If the colorimetry area condition is strictly enforced, then noise-free colorimetry can be performed, but color adjustment cannot be performed on areas smaller than the predetermined size

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolorimetry accuracyVSAvoidapplicability to small areas

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically switches between two colorimetry modes based on the characteristics of the measurement area. When an area satisfies the colorimetry area condition, the first mode (direct colorimetry) is used; when it does not satisfy the condition, the second mode (patch image method) is used. This dynamic adaptation enables the system to handle both large and small areas effectively, maintaining measurement precision while expanding versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the measurement parameters by switching between two different colorimetry modes. The first mode uses direct measurement parameters suitable for large areas, while the second mode uses patch image generation and measurement parameters suitable for small areas. This parameter change allows the system to adapt to different area sizes while maintaining colorimetry accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If patch images or enlarged areas are created to satisfy the colorimetry area condition, then accurate colorimetry can be performed on small areas, but additional processing steps are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolorimetry accuracy on small areasVSAvoidcolorimetry process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary analysis to determine whether each area satisfies the colorimetry area condition before executing the colorimetry process. This preliminary action allows the system to pre-determine the appropriate colorimetry mode for each area, avoiding unnecessary complexity by selecting the most efficient method in advance and preparing patch images only where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20250035488A1Printing system, colorimetry control method, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2025.01.30 KONICA MINOLTA INC

AI summary

A printing system includes a printing section, a colorimetry unit capable of colorimetry on an entire surface of a print product printed by the printing section, and a hardware processor that performs color adjustment on the printing section based on a colorimetry result by the colorimetry unit. The hardware processor, in response to a predetermined area in first image data to be printed satisfying a colorimetry area condition of the colorimetry unit, causes the colorimetry unit to perform colorimetry in a first mode, and in response to the predetermined area not satisfying the colorimetry area condition, causes the colorimetry unit to perform colorimetry in a second mode.