Video image display for predicting color hardcopy image quality

• US 5,208,903 A
• Filed: 09/10/1990
• Issued: 05/04/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Curry, Kenneth D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harkcom, Gary V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, BA
• Application Number:
  US07/579,529
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 395/122, 395/129, 395/130, 395/131, 395/157, 340/701, 340/702, 340/703, 340/704, 340/715, 340/716, 340/717, 340/724, 340/728, 340/279, 340/730, 340/792, 340/793, 340/794
• US Class Current: 345/594
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6011 with simulation on a subsidiary picture reproducer H04N1/622 takes precedence; matching two or more picture reproducers H04N1/6052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6088 by viewing conditions, i.e. conditions at picture output

Abstract

In order to permit a user to predict the density, color balance, and contrast of an image to be printed on a hardcopy printing device, an image on a video color display device is provided with a uniform surround of controllable luminance and chrominance levels, the uniform surround being large enough in proportion to the image to mimic the viewing conditions of the final hardcopy. The presentation of user controls for image manipulation is integrated on the same color display device, with controllable brightness as compared to the controlled, uniform surround, to minimize disruption of the user'"'"'s visual system as pertains to the perception of density, color balance and contrast. The user controls on the display device are faded away into the controlled, uniform surround for critical judgment of the video image. The user controls are subsequently restored to their original, controlled brightness. The rate at which the user controls fade in and fade out on the display device is controlled. Multiple versions of the image are saved in a memory device for easy recall of individual image versions and provision is made for toggled comparison among individual recalled image versions.

Claims

1. A method of presentation and interaction with a video color display device and of controlling said device for color image display, the method permitting a user to accurately predict, solely from the video rendition of the image(s), the density, color balance and contrast of the image(s) to be printed on a hardcopy printing device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing the image on the video color display device with a uniform surround of controllable luminance and chrominance levels, the uniform surround being large enough in proportion to the image to mimic the viewing conditions of the final hardcopy;

(b) integrating the presentation of user controls for image manipulation on the same video color display device, with controllable brightness as compared to the controlled, uniform surround, to minimize disruption of the user'"'"'s visual system of density, color balance and contrast;

(c) fading the user controls away, into the controlled, uniform surround for critical judgment of the video image;

(d) subsequently restoring the user controls to their original, controlled brightness;

(e) controlling the rate of the fade in and fade out of the user controls;

(f) saving multiple versions of the image(s) in a memory device; and

(g) providing easy recall of individual versions of the image(s) from the memory device for toggled comparison among such recalled image versions.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of providing a narrow controlled white border around the image for applications where the appropriate hardcopy viewing condition is a black surround, the white border providing the visual system a white point of reference.