Reflectance Output Correction Using Interpolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Spectrophotometers experience aberration-induced errors due to mechanical imperfections and changes in positioning, leading to distorted output measurements, which affect the accuracy of reflectance measurements.
Innovation Solution
A method and processing device that corrects reflectance output values by using a reference spectrophotometer to acquire calibration data, performing interpolation to estimate aberration-free measurements, and applying this data to correct measurements from a sample of interest.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a spectrophotometer is used to measure reflectance of samples, then color monitoring and quality control in printing industry is enabled, but mechanical imperfections and positioning changes cause aberration-induced errors that distort measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calibration measurements using reference samples with known reflectance properties before measuring actual samples. This preliminary action establishes a reference dataset that accounts for the specific spectrophotometer's optical path characteristics, enabling correction of subsequent measurements to compensate for mechanical imperfections and positioning variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from calibration measurements against known reference samples to identify and correct systematic errors in the measurement system. By comparing measured reflectance values of reference samples with their certified values, the system generates correction factors that are applied to subsequent sample measurements, continuously improving measurement accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If calibration data is collected using a reference spectrophotometer and interpolation is performed to create correction factors, then aberration-induced errors can be compensated, but the device complexity and calibration process time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary computational layer that processes calibration data through interpolation algorithms to generate correction factors. Rather than directly comparing raw measurements, the system uses polynomial or spline interpolation to create smooth correction surfaces that account for wavelength-dependent aberrations, bridging the gap between calibration and measurement operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a virtual model of the spectrophotometer's optical path characteristics by copying and analyzing calibration data from reference measurements. This digital twin or virtual representation allows the system to simulate and correct for optical aberrations without requiring physical modifications to the instrument, reducing hardware complexity while maintaining measurement accuracy.
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
This approach effectively compensates for aberration-induced errors, ensuring accurate and robust reflectance measurements, even with changes in the spectrophotometer's mechanical setup over time.
Implementation Method 1
The sample absorbs some of the projected light and reflects back a portion thereof, the proportion of reflected light being dependent upon the sample properties (color etc.)
Implementation Method 2
The spectrophotometer is equipped with detectors for detecting the light reflected back by the sample. By means of the detectors, the spectrophotometer can split the detected light into separate wavelength intervals.
Data Source
AI summary
In an example of the disclosure, a device (38) includes: an acquiring unit to obtain first reflectance output values acquired from reference samples (52) by a reference color measuring device and to obtain second reflectance output values acquired from the reference samples (52) by a second color measuring device (2); a processing unit to determine, for a plurality of wavelength values, correspondences between a first reflectance output value acquired by the reference color measuring device and a second reflectance output value acquired by the second color measuring device, and to perform, for each wavelength value, an interpolation based on the correspondences to obtain interpolation data; and a correcting unit to correct, based on the interpolation data, third reflectance output values acquired by the second color measuring device (2) from a sample of interest (12).