Auto resoration of a print

• US 6,304,345 B1
• Filed: 12/14/1998
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Patton, David L., Fredlund, John R., Buhr, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Kimberly A.
• Application Number:
  US09/211,234
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.18, 358/447, 358/448, 358/452, 358/527, 382/100, 382/112, 382/232, 382/325, 396/311
• US Class Current: 358/527
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/735 in dependence upon automatic analysis of the original
• CPC Class Codes: G03D 15/003 Marking, e.g. for re-printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6027 Correction or control of colour gradation or colour contrast H04N1/6058 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and system for encoding data onto a pictorial hardcopy print made by digital printing or digital record file of image so that the image may be reproduced or displayed as originally produced and/or captured. Information regarding the colorimetric value of a small area of the image is determined and record on the original print.

Claims

1. A print having an image formed thereon, said print having informational data relating to at least one specified area of said print, said informational data containing information which specifies the colormetric value of said at least one specified area, wherein said informational data contains a coordinate system for identifying the location of said at least one specific area.

2. A print according to claim 1 wherein said at least one specified area comprises two or more areas both having substantially the same colormetric value.

3. A print according to claim 1 wherein said coordinate system includes at least two points for identifying the location of said at least one specific area.

4. A print according to claim 1 wherein said colorimetric value of said at least one specified area comprises a colorimetric value of said at least one specific area as originally produced.

5. A print according to claim 1 wherein said colorimetric value of said at least one specified area comprises a colorimetric value of said at least one specific area as originally captured.

6. A print according to claim 1 wherein said informational data is provided on the same side said image is formed on said print.

7. A print according to claim 1 wherein said informational data is provided in the area of said image in a manner on said image such that it is not visually distinguishable by the viewer.

8. A print according to claim 1 wherein said print comprises a front side and a back side, said image being formed on the front side and said informational data is provided on said back side.

9. A print according to claim 1 wherein said print comprises a front side and a back side, said image being formed on the front side and said informational data is provided on said front side outside of the image area.

10. A print according to claim 1 wherein said at least one specified area comprises at least three specified areas.

11. A print according to claim 10 wherein said three specified areas are at the same location.

12. A print according to claim 10 wherein said at least three different areas each having a different colormetric value.

13. A print according to claim 12 wherein said three colormetric values comprises red, blue and green densities.

14. A print according to claim 12 wherein said three colormetric values comprise L*, a*, and b* of CIELAB, along with the white reference and light source tristimulus values.

15. A print according to claim 1 wherein said at least one specified area comprises six areas.

16. A print having an image formed thereon, said print having informational data relating to at least one specified area of said print, said informational data containing information which specifies the colorimetric value of said at least one specified area wherein said informational data is provided in the area of said image a manner on said image in such that it is not visually distinguishable by the viewer.

17. A print having an image formed thereon, said print having informational data relating to at least one specified area of said print, said informational data containing information which specifies a change model or can be used to type of the media colorants, wherein the change model is the fade characteristics of the print material.

18. A print having an image formed thereon, said print having informational data relating to at least one specified area of said print, said informational data containing information which specifies a change model or can be used to specify the type of the media colorants, wherein said informational data is provided in the area of said image in a manner on said image such that it is not visually distinguishable by the viewer.

19. A print having an image formed thereon, said print having informational data relating to at least one specified area of said print, said informational data containing information which specifies the colorimetric value of said at least one specified area wherein said at least one specified area comprises six areas.

20. A method of reprinting an image provided on a print, comprising the steps of:

a) digitally scanning an image and informational data provided on a print, said informational data containing a colorimetric value of at least one specific area of said image and information relating to the location of said at least one specific area, said digital scanning operation also obtaining the current colorimetric value of said at least one specified area;

b) comparing the current colorimetric value of said at least one specified area to the colorimetric value provided in said informational data for said at least one specific area; and

c) adjusting the scanned image of said print in accordance with the information obtained with regard to the colorimetric value obtained for said at least one specified area so as to obtain a modified image.

21. A method according to claim 20 wherein said colorimetric value of said at least one location recording said informational data comprises the colorimetric value of said image as originally produced.

22. A method according to claim 21 wherein said adjustment to said scanned image comprises adjusting the colorimetric value of said entire image to that as originally produced.

23. A method according to claim 20 wherein said informational data is provided in machine readable form.

24. A method according to claim 20 wherein said informational data is provided in human readable form.

25. A method according to claim 20 wherein said modified image is printed, displayed, or stored.

26. A method according to claim 20 wherein said informational data is analyzed so as to obtain coordinates of the location of said at least one specified area and colorimetric value of said at least one specified area.

27. A method according to claim 20 wherein said step of adjusting the scanned image includes the step of constructing a correction function for all pixel colorimetry values for all of said images.

28. The method according to claim 27 wherein the constructing of a correction function is done by constructing the function from the differences between what is measured in the areas and what is encoded for those areas.

29. The method according to claim 28 wherein the information obtained from constructing the function is used to construct a change model which all pixel values of the image are adjusted to the new values.

30. A method of making a print having an image formed thereon, said print having informational data thereon, said informational data containing the colorimetric value of at least one specified area of said image and information relating to the location of said at least one specified area, comprising the steps of:

a) analyzing a digital file of an image and determining at least one specified area containing a substantially uniform color and determining the colorimetric value of said at least one specified area;

b) defining a coordinate system for locating the location of said at least one specified area;

c) producing a print from said digital file of said image; and

d) providing on said print said informational data relating to said one specified area.

31. A method of making a print according to claim 30 wherein said informational data is provided on said image of said print in such a manner such that the visual appearance of said image is not substantially affected.

32. A method of reprinting an image provided on a print, comprising the steps of:

a) obtaining a digital record file of an image and informational data regarding a colorimetric value of at least one specific area of said image and information relating to the location of said at least one specific area as the image was originally captured or rendered;

b) comparing the current colorimetric value of said at least one specified area to the colorimetric value provided in said informational data for said at least one specific area; and

c) adjusting the scanned image of said print in accordance with the information obtained with regard to the colorimetric value obtained for said at least one specified area so as to obtain a modified image.

33. A method according to claim 32 wherein said colorimetric value of said at least one specified area comprises the colorimetric value of said image as originally produced.

34. A method according to claim 32 wherein said adjustment to said scanned image comprises adjusting the colorimetric value of said entire image to that as originally produced.

35. A method according to claim 32 wherein said modified image is printed, displayed, or stored.

36. A system for determining the original colorimetric values of an image on a print and then producing an image using said information, said system comprising:

providing a print having an image formed thereon, said print having informational data relating to the colorimetric value of at least one specified area of said image as originally produced and information relating to the location of said at least one specified area;

a scanner for scanning said print for obtaining a digital file of said image and said informational data;

an analyzer for comparing the colorimetric value of said image of said digital file as the colorimetric value of the image as originally produced of said at least one specified area;

modifying the digital file of the scanned image using said informational data obtained with respect to said at least one specified area so as to provide a modified digital file; and

a device for printing, storing, or otherwise transferring the modified digital file of said image.