Color Correction for Transparent Toner Insignia Gloss
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Solution Overview
Problem
In color printing processes, the use of transparent toner can alter the color and gloss of underlying images, creating distracting color changes when viewed at different angles, especially when used as an insignia, due to its interaction with the substrate and underlying toner layers.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the calibration of two color profiles, A and B, for four-color printing with and without transparent toner, allowing for matching colors under and adjacent to the transparent toner by adjusting exposure and development ranges, and using multiple color profiles based on toner laydown to achieve consistent gloss effects without color differences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If transparent toner is used as an insignia on top of the color image, then the gloss level of the insignia is different from the image below, but the color under the transparent toner becomes different from the adjacent region without transparent toner
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different color profiles for different regions of the image. Specifically, it generates a first color profile for regions with transparent toner insignia and a second color profile for regions without transparent toner. This allows each region to have optimized color characteristics - the insignia region gets the desired gloss differentiation while the non-insignia region maintains its original color appearance, thus resolving the color consistency issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the color profile parameters based on the presence of transparent toner. By calibrating different color profiles that account for the optical properties of transparent toner layers, the system adjusts color values, transparency, and gloss parameters to ensure that the insignia region achieves the desired visual effect while the non-insignia region maintains color fidelity.
2Device complexity
If a single color profile is used for the entire color image, then the processing is simple, but the color under the transparent toner differs from the adjacent region creating a distracting effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the color profile management into multiple distinct profiles: a first color profile for regions with transparent toner insignia and a second color profile for regions without transparent toner. This segmentation allows the system to handle different regions with appropriate color characteristics, ensuring color uniformity across the entire image while maintaining the visual distinction of the insignia through gloss differences rather than color changes.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for color correction of an image having an insignia portion in a multi-module printer (10). A first color profile is calibrated for a four-color image. A second color profile is calibrated for a four-color image with a transparent toner layer on top of the insignia portion of the four-color image. The image data is then buffered in a color input band buffer (40) and processed through the first (50) and second (60) color profiles in a color management module. The processed image data is stored in an output band buffer (70, 80) corresponding to the image data processed through each color profile. Clear toner input band data stored in a clear toner input band buffer (30) is compared with the processed image data in each output band buffer (70, 80) to select an output signal (100) on a per pixel basis to send to the multi-module printer (10).