Self calibrating ink jet cartridges

• US 20020126301A1
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Published: 09/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Colorvision Administrative AG
• Original Assignee: Colorvision Administrative AG
• Inventors: Bowers, Harry
• Application Number:
  US10/037,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20020126301A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.9
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically

Abstract

A method of providing calibration data to a printer to achieve a true color value. An ink cartridge with a memory for storing tristimulus values measured from selected printers and from selected print substrate used to compute a color adjustment value to correct the output color data to equal the input color data.

Claims

1. A method of providing calibration data to a printer comprising the steps of:

printing a set of color patches from a predetermined set of input values;

measuring color values of said color patches;

generating calibration data including color values; and

storing, in a memory embedded on an ink cartridge, said color values and the associated said predetermined input values.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein printing said color patches are printed on a selected printer with a specific batch of ink.

3. The method of claim 1 further including printing said color patches on a plurality of print substrates and storing color calibration data for each of the plurality of print substrates.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein measuring said color values, such as tristimulus values, are measured with a spectrophotometer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein measuring said color values, such as tristimulus values, are measured with a calorimeter.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein printing said set of color patches is from a predetermined set of color inks.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein generating said color calibration data comprises the step of determining a color adjustment look-up table with the difference value between said predetermined input values and said measured color values.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein determining said color adjustment look-up table is stored on said memory.

9. A method of reading color calibration data on a printer comprising the steps of:

reading color values stored on a memory of an ink cartridge; and

computing a color adjustment look-up table for specific ink cartridge and ink based on said color values.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein computing said color adjustment look-up table determines the difference between a inputted color value in said printer and said stored color values.

11. A method of printing color data that has been calibrated from a select printer comprising the steps of:

selecting a print substrate;

reading calibration data stored on a memory of an ink cartridge for said selected print substrate;

computing a color adjustment look-up table based on said calibration data; and

calibrating by printing an adjusted color value that reflects an output color value equal to an input color value.

12. A method of printing color data that has been calibrated from a select printer comprising the steps of:

selecting a print substrate;

reading calibration data stored on a memory of an ink cartridge for said selected print substrate; and

calibrating by printing an adjusted color value that reflects an output color value equal to an input color value.

13. A device for calibrating a printer comprising of:

an ink cartridge; and

a memory embedded on said ink cartridge with stored color values.