System for distributing and controlling color reproduction at multiple sites

• US 20060243415A1
• Filed: 06/14/2006
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAH Color Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: RAH Color Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Holub, Richard A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,715,052 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 164/130
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/462 Computing operations in or between colour spaces; Colour management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/465 taking into account the colour perception of the eye; using tristimulus detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/50 using electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/524 Calibration of colorimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04897 Special input arrangements or commands for improving display capability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1203 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1267 Job repository, e.g. non-scheduled jobs, delay printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32523 a plurality of output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32545 Distributing a job or task among a plurality of input devices or a plurality of output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/46 Colour picture communication systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/60 Colour correction or control H04N1/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6052 Matching two or more picture signal generators or two or more picture reproducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6058 Reduction of colour to a range of reproducible colours, e.g. to ink- reproducible colour gamut
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6066 dependent on the gamut of the image to be reproduced
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/02 for colour television signals

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).

Claims

1-54. -54. (canceled)

55. An apparatus for maintaining colorimetric calibration of a video display having a screen, said apparatus comprising:

optics having at least one lens positioned to collect light emitted, transmitted or reflected from the screen of said display without obstructing a user view of said screen, wherein said optics are built into said display and non-contact with said screen, and said light collected is mostly diffuse;

one or more sensors positioned to receive light collected from said optics, wherein said sensors provide data representative of said received light; and

a microprocessor capable of controlling the use of said data in colorimetric calculations.

56. The apparatus according to claim 55 wherein said colorimetric calculations comprise at least preparation of device-independent gamut data of said display.

57. The apparatus according to claim 56 wherein said data representative of said light collected from said screen is useable for modifying said gamut data of said display.

58. The apparatus according to claim 55 wherein said colorimetric calculations comprise at least preparation of color transformations enabling accurate rendering of color images on said display.

59. The apparatus according to claim 55 wherein said sensors are capable of operating in response to instructions from said microprocessor.

60. The apparatus according to claim 55 wherein said microprocessor is capable of initiating operation of said sensors without user intervention.

61. An apparatus for maintaining colorimetric calibration of a projection video display comprising:

optics having at least one lens positioned to collect light reflected from the surface on which said light is projected by a projection video display without obstructing user view of said surface, wherein the line of sight of said optics is close to the line of sight of said projection;

one or more sensors positioned to receive light collected from said optics, wherein said sensors provide data representative of said received light; and

a microprocessor capable of controlling the use of said data from said sensors in colorimetric calculations

62. The apparatus according to claim 61 wherein said sensors are capable of operating in response to instructions from said microprocessor.

63. The apparatus according to claim 61 wherein said optics and said sensors are parts of a unitary calorimeter or an imagical.

64. The apparatus according to claim 61 wherein said apparatus is built into the projector of said display.

65. The apparatus according to claim 61 wherein said colorimetric calculations comprise at least preparation of device-independent gamut data of said display.

66. The apparatus according to claim 65 wherein said data representative of said light collected from said screen is useable for modifying said gamut data of said display.

67. The apparatus according to claim 61 wherein said colorimetric calculations comprise at least preparation of color transformations enabling accurate rendering of color images on said display.

68. An apparatus for maintaining colorimetric calibration and regional homogeneity of illumination of a video display, said apparatus comprising:

optics having at least one lens positioned to collect light emitted, transmitted, or reflected from the screen of said display, wherein said apparatus is attachable to said display so as to reduce ambient illumination to said screen, and said apparatus is non-contact with said screen;

an array photosensor capable of receiving an image of said screen through said optics, wherein said array photosensor simultaneously provides data representative of light from different regions of said screen; and

a microprocessor capable of controlling use of said data in colorimetric calculations and for making said screen regionally homogeneous in light output.

69. The apparatus according to claim 68 wherein said array photosensor is capable of operating in response to instructions from said microprocessor.

70. The apparatus according to claim 68 wherein said colorimetric calculations comprise at least preparation of device-independent gamut data of said display.

71. The apparatus according to claim 70 wherein said data representative of said light collected from said screen is useable for modifying said gamut data of said display.

72. The apparatus according to claim 68 wherein said colorimetric calculations comprise at least preparation of color transformations enabling accurate rendering of color images on said display.