Spot Color Test Chart Rings for Printing Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing spot color adjustment process in printing systems is time-consuming and inefficient, requiring multiple iterations of printing and adjusting test charts to achieve the desired color appearance, as operators must manually adjust hue, saturation, and lightness in a trial-and-error manner.
Innovation Solution
The system generates a test chart with multiple rings of color swatches, where each ring represents a gradual adjustment, allowing for dynamic adjustment size determination based on the distance between the initial and selected colors, and incorporating gray component replacement (GCR) to optimize color composition, thereby reducing the number of iterations needed to achieve the desired spot color.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the operator prints a test chart with variations of the spot color and manually selects adjustments, then the color appearance can be adjusted, but the process takes significant time requiring multiple iterations
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and generates multiple color variations (test chart) before the operator makes a selection. The test chart includes multiple rings of color swatches representing different hue, saturation, and lightness adjustments, so the operator doesn't need to iteratively print and adjust - all variations are ready in advance for immediate selection
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a visual copy of the spot color with multiple variations in different color spaces and adjustment levels. The test chart serves as a comprehensive copy showing all possible adjustments at once, allowing the operator to select the desired variation without physical trial-and-error printing
2Manufacturing precision
If the operator prints multiple test charts for each adjustment step, then the desired color appearance can be achieved, but the number of iterations increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The color adjustment space is segmented into multiple discrete rings of color swatches, where each ring represents a specific adjustment level from the original spot color. This segmentation allows the operator to see all adjustment options simultaneously rather than progressing through adjustments one step at a time
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a linear, sequential adjustment process to a multi-dimensional visual representation. Instead of adjusting one parameter at a time through multiple prints, the test chart displays all combinations of hue, saturation, and lightness adjustments in a single two-dimensional arrangement of color swatches
3Device complexity
If the test chart includes a limited number of color swatches, then the chart is simple to generate, but the adjustment range and precision are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The test chart uses a nested ring structure where multiple rings of color swatches are concentrically arranged around the original spot color. Each ring contains multiple swatches representing different adjustment levels, creating a nested organization that efficiently packs many variations into a compact visual format
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the number of rings and swatches per ring based on the required adjustment range. The test chart can be configured to show different levels of detail - from coarse adjustments to fine-tuning variations - allowing flexible adaptation to different color matching needs
Data Source
AI summary
A spot color adjustment system allows an operator to adjust spot colors through the use of test charts printed at a printing device. A target color swatch is determined from a first spot color. A test chart is generated based on the target color swatch that includes a plurality of rings of color swatches centered on the target color swatch. Each ring of color swatches is positioned around the target color swatch at an adjustment value. The adjustment value for each ring of color swatches corresponds to a color change from the target color swatch. The system allows for determining a number of rings of color swatches depending on a selected paper size. The outer rings of a large number of rings of color include intermediary color swatches. A midpoint color is determined from a plurality of selected color swatches. The system provides color swatches showing gray component replacement.