User-interactive corrective tuning of color profiles

• US 6,307,961 B1
• Filed: 07/31/1997
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Latran Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: PGI Graphics Imaging LLC
• Inventors: Balonon-Rosen, Mitchell R., Thornton, Jay E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHERALI, ISHRAT I
• Application Number:
  US08/903,620
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 382/167, 382/162, 358/504, 358/518, 358/515-523, 358/501, 358/1.9, 345/431, 345/150-155, 345/88, 345/83, 702/85
• US Class Current: 382/167
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/001 Texturing; Colouring; Generation of texture or colour inpainting G06T5/77
• 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

Abstract

Local color correction to color values which result from processing of images within a Color Management System (CMS) is implemented by adjusting existing fields and tags within a color profile. A source image is rendered on a source digital imaging device, and the same or a different image is manipulated by the CMS then rendered on a destination digital imaging device. The CMS uses predetermined color profiles associated with the source and destination devices. The technique is useful when the manipulated image rendered on the destination device has a number of color regions which the user determines are unacceptably different in appearance from the source rendered image. Depending upon the embodiment being practiced, either spectrophotometric or colorimetric measurements or onscreen identifications are made of the respective error regions within the two rendered images and the user is enabled to indicate preferred color matching results. Based upon these measurements and user input, the original profiles are modified to improve the CMS quality performance as judged by the user.

Claims

1. A user-interactive method for adjusting fields and tags modifying the color transformation performance of a color profile in an imaging for use in a digital image processing system which includes first and second imaging devices, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a color match between at least one color in a second image rendered by the second image device and said at least one color in rendering a first image rendered by the first imaging device;

utilizing the color profile to render a second image on the second imaging device;

identifying at least one color associated with suboptimal rendering in the second image;

specifying a preferred color rendering for each identified color; and

adjusting ones of fields and tags of the color profile to accommodate said preferred color processing,

wherein said adjusting step comprises utilizing a propagation region in order to limit how far and to what extent the modifications are manifested in color space within the color profile tags and fields.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said color profile is selected from the group consisting of:

a device profile;

a device-link profile;

a color space conversion profile;

an abstract profile;

a named color profile;

an input profile;

an output profile; and

a display profile.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second images are identical.

4. A color profile editing method comprising the steps of:

measuring, from an image, color data to be adjusted;

adjusting said measured color data;

specifying colors in an image for which the color profile produces suboptimal results;

specifying how such results would be modified;

deriving a transform which describes the modifications in a form acceptable for storage within a color profile; and

editing said color profile by replacing existing color tag information with said modifications,

wherein said editing step comprises utilizing a propagation region in order to limit how far and to what extent the modifications are manifested in color space within the color profile tags and fields.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said color profile is selected from the group consisting of:

a device profile;

a device-link profile;

a color space conversion profile;

an abstract profile;

a named color profile;

an input profile;

an output profile; and

a display.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of specifying colors in an image comprises using a measuring device selected from the group consisting of:

a multichannel measurement instrument;

a colorimeter;

a spectrophotometer; and

a densitometer.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of specifying how such results should be modified comprises measuring a preferred color and deriving the digital values which would render such a color.

8. A profile editing system for modifying the color transformation performance of a color profile for use in a digital image processing system having first rendering means for rendering a first image and second rendering means for rendering a second image through use of a profile, said profile editing system comprising:

means for identifying at least one color associated with suboptimal rendering in the second image;

means for specifying a preferred color rendering for each identified color; and

means for adjusting ones of fields and tags of the color profile to accommodate said preferred color processing,

wherein said adjusting means comprises utilizing a propagation region in order to limit how far and to what extent the modification is manifested in color space within the color profile tags and fields.

9. The profile editing system of claim 8, wherein said means for identifying at least one color associated with suboptimal rendering comprises means for measuring said at least one color from the first image or second image.

10. The profile editing system of claim 9, wherein said means for measuring is selected from the group consisting of:

a multichannel color measurement instrument;

a colorimeter;

a spectrophotometer; and

a densitometer.

11. The profile editing system of claim 8, wherein said means for specifying a preferred color rendering comprises means for measuring a color.

12. The profile editing system of claim 8, wherein said color profile is selected from the group consisting of:

a device profile;

a device-link profile;

a color space conversion profile;

an abstract profile;

a named color profile;

an input profile;

an output profile; and

a display profile.

13. The profile editing system of claim 8, wherein the adjustment means comprises determining digital values associated with the measured color.

14. The profile editing system of claim 8, wherein the first and second images are identical.

18. The profile editing system of claim 8, wherein said means for identifying at least one color associated with suboptimal rendering comprises means for measuring said at least one color from the first image or second image.

15. A system for modifying the color transformation of a color profile comprising:

means for rendering a first image on a first source rendering device;

means for processing an image through a color management system that accesses the color profile;

means for rendering on a second destination rendering device the color processed image;

means for selecting a third rendering of the second image as being preferably rendered; and

means for adjusting ones of fields and tags of the color profile to facilitate the third rendering through the destination imaging device,

wherein the adjusting means comprises utilizing a propagation region in order to limit how far and to what extent the modifications are manifested in color space within the color profile tags and fields.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said color profile is selected from the group consisting of:

a device profile;

a device-link profile;

a color space conversion profile;

an abstract profile;

a named color profile;

an input profile;

an output profile; and

a display profile.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the first and second images are identical.