System for distributing and controlling color reproduction at multiple sites
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Accused Products
Abstract
The system provides for controlling color reproduction of input color image data representing one or more pages or page constituents in a network having nodes (or sites). Each one of the nodes comprises at least one rendering device. The system distributes the input color image data from one of the nodes to other nodes, and provides a data structure (virtual proof) in the network. This data structure has components shared by the nodes and other components present only at each node. Next, the system has means for providing color calibration data at each node characterizing output colors (colorants) of the rendering device of the node, and means for producing at each node, responsive to the color calibration data of the rendering device of the node, information for transforming the input color image data into output color image data at the rendering device of the node. The information is then stored in the data structure in different ones of the shared and other components. Means are provided in the system for transforming at each node the input color image data into output color image data for the rendering device of the node responsive to the information in the data structure. The rendering device of each node renders a color reproduction of the page constituents responsive to the output color image data, wherein colors displayed in the reproduction at the rendering device of each node appear substantially the same within the output colors attainable by the rendering devices. The system further has means for verifying at each node that the information for the rendering device of the node properly transformed the input color image data into the output color image data, and means for revising the information stored in the data structure at the node responsive to results of the verifying means. Shared components of the data structure may also store color preferences selected by a user. The information producing means of the system may further operate responsive to both the color calibration data and the color preferences. The rendering devices in the system can provide color reproductions having three or four colorants, and may provide more than four output colors (color inks).
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Citations
77 Claims
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1-54. -54. (canceled)
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55. A color rendering apparatus comprising:
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a printer capable of utilizing more than four different colorants in reproduction on media, wherein a plurality of said colorants are capable of being approximately neutral in hue; and
a microprocessor for controlling the operation of said printer, said microprocessor being capable of receiving input image data, in which said input image data comprises one of color image data in terms of said colorants or color image data representing fewer than said number of colorants, said microprocessor being capable of transformation of said input image data into output color image data for use by said printer in printing said reproduction, wherein at least one of said colorants is at least partly capable of substitution by two of more other of said colorants and said transformation controls the utilization of said colorants for said reproduction; and
memory capable of storing at least said input image data and other data useable in said transformation. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A flexible, extensible computer interfacing architecture comprising:
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a computer system providing an interface to one or more devices directly or through a network connection;
memory associated with said computer system, said memory comprising a least a classification based upon properties of said devices, and procedures and data employable in the operation of said devices, in which said classification comprises objects that represent classes, wherein said objects correspond to different functions; and
at least one of said devices is capable of a plurality of functions corresponding to different ones of said objects and enabled by said interface responsive to different ones of said procedures and data to execute said different functions. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. An apparatus comprising:
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a color rendering device having a plurality of colorant channels operable for rendering color image data;
at least one sensor incorporated in said color rendering device capable of responding to changes in colors rendered by said color rendering device;
a microprocessor capable of operating said colorant channels, receiving responses of said sensor to rendering of known digital data, comparing said responses to reference values associated with said known digital data, and modifying the operation of said colorant channels when necessary to bring responses of said sensor into conformity with said reference values in order to maintain a calibrated state of said color rendering device; and
an interface through which said color rendering device receives said color image data, in which said color image data results from a conversion of input image data capable of colorimetric interpretation, wherein said conversion comprises one or more multidimensional transformations that enable improved color matching to one or more other color rendering devices, and at least one of said multidimensional transformations is based partly upon said calibrated state and provides output in units of colorant. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74)
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75. A color reproduction apparatus comprising:
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a printer capable of receiving a file of digital data, said file comprising a header and color image data, in which said header comprises at least user preferences for color reproduction and information enabling scaling of the gamut of colors of said color image data in at least one dimension of color space, wherein said scaling is capable of expanding said gamut; and
a microprocessor capable of using said information in transformation of said color image data into signals representing the colorants to be applied by said printer in said color reproduction. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77)
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Specification