Expert color management settings method and interface

• US 6,741,262 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2000
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Electronics For Imaging Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electronics For Imaging Incorporated
• Inventors: Macy, David, Munson, Tyler
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, Kee M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sajous, Wesner
• Application Number:
  US09/570,678
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• Field of Search: 345/856, 345/764, 345/700, 345/866, 345/902, 345/590-591, 345/593, 345/597, 345/594, 345/604, 345/619, 345/633, 345/650, 345/805, 345/734-737, 345/762-765, 345/810-813, 345/835-838, 358/1.1, 358/1.12, 358/1.15, 358/1.14, 358/1.9, 358/500, 358/518, 358/520, 358/516, 358/519, 358/521, 358/523, 358/502, 358/515, 382/167, 382/162, 382/112, 382/100, 347/43, 430/124, 430/126
• US Class Current: 345/594
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/60 Colour correction or control H04N1/54 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and interface for displaying and configuring color management settings for printing devices is provided. The user interface provides a graphical representation of the color workflow as it takes place on the printing device. From the user interface, the user configures various page elements and color models; such as RGB, CMYK, Spot Color and Black using pull down menus of options and other interface elements. Available options include color space transformations, color corrections and printing methods. Interface mapping changes in real time to reflect the user'"'"'s modifications to the color management settings at the various points of the workflow. In a network environment providing bi-directional communication between workstations and network peripherals, the color management tool queries the printing device and dynamically builds the user interface according to the unique characteristics and capabilities of the printing device; if bi-directional communication is not available, the interface is built from generic options. Thumbnail images, also updated in real time, provide previews of the output. The invention may also take the form of a computer program product on a computer-usable storage medium having computer-usable program code means embodied in the medium.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of color management settings for a printing device and a plurality of user-settable options associated with each setting;

displaying said settings and said options in a user interface according to the color management capabilities of the printing device, wherein said interface comprises a graphical representation of a plurality of paths, wherein each path comprises the color management settings of a corresponding color workflow between a page element attribute and an output profile of the printing device;

accessing said user interface;

modifying a setting in a path; and

updating said graphical representation in real time to reflect said modified setting.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein an interactive interface element associated with a setting displays the plurality of options associated with said setting and allows a user to set an option.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said interactive interface element comprises any of pulldown menus, radio buttons and other switches.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing comprises providing a default configuration of said printing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing comprises:

providing generic options; and

mapping said generic options to capabilities of the printing device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said color workflows comprise RGB, CMYK, Spot and Black.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said color management settings comprise any of color space transformations, color corrections and printing methods.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said color management settings comprise RGB Source Profile, Rendering Style and RGB Separation.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a custom RGB Source Profile is settable by providing individual values for Gamma, white point and phosphors.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said color management settings comprise CMYK Simulation Profile and CMYK Simulation Method.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said color management settings comprise Spot Color.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said color management settings comprise Pure Black Text and Graphics and Black Overprint.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said color management settings comprise Output Profile.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

previewing thumbnail images of the output; and

sending said output to the printing device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

saving a configuration of color management settings; and

selecting a saved configuration of color management settings from a menu of saved configurations at a future time.

16. A graphical user interface comprising:

a workspace;

interface elements arranged within said workspace for displaying a plurality of color management settings and a plurality of user settable options associated with each setting according to the color management capabilities of a printing device, wherein said interface elements form a graphical representation of a plurality of paths, wherein each path comprises the color management settings of a corresponding color workflow between a page element attribute and an output profile of the printing device; and

means for modifying a setting in a path, wherein said graphical representation is updated in real time to reflect said modified setting.

17. The user interface of claim 16, wherein said modifying means comprises a pulldown menu associated with a setting, said pulldown menu displaying a menu associated with said setting.

18. The user interface of claim 16, further comprising a dialog box that may be used to input a network address for said printing device, so that said printing device is queried for its capabilities and its default configuration.

19. The user interface of claim 17, wherein said menu is updated in real time to reflect capabilities of said printing device.

20. The user interface of claim 16, wherein said printing device capabilities are mapped to generic menu options.

21. The user interface of claim 16, wherein said paths comprise RGB, CMYK, Spot and Black.

22. The user interface of claim 16, wherein said color management settings comprise any of color space transformations, color corrections, and printing methods.

23. The user interface of claim 16, wherein said color management settings comprise RGB Source Profile, Rendering Style and RGB Separation.

24. The user interface of claim 23, further comprising a dialog box, wherein a custom RGB Source Profile is settable by providing individual values for Gamma, white point, and phosphors.

25. The user interface of claim 16, wherein said color management settings comprise CMYK Simulation Profile and CMYK Simulation Method.

26. The user interface of claim 16, wherein said color management settings comprise Spot Color.

27. The user interface of claim 16, wherein said color management settings comprise Pure Black Text and Graphics and Black Overprint.

28. The user interface of claim 16, wherein said color management settings further comprise Output Profile.

29. The user interface of claim 16, further comprising directional arrows that represent workflow direction.

30. The user interface of claim 16, further comprising:

means for sending the output to the printing device.

31. The user interface of claim 16, further comprising means for saving a configuration of said color management settings.

32. The user interface of claim 16, further comprising an interface element, wherein a user may restore all settings to their default option.

33. A computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium, the computer code means comprising:

computer readable program code means for providing;

a workspace;

interface elements arranged within said workspace for displaying a plurality of color management settings and a plurality of user settable options associated with each setting according to the color management capabilities of a printing device, wherein said interface elements form a graphical representation of a plurality of paths, wherein each path comprises the color management settings of a corresponding color workflow between a page element attribute and an output profile of the printing device; and

means for modifying a setting in a path, wherein said graphical representation is updated in real time to reflect said modified setting.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, further comprising computer readable program code means for providing a dialog box, wherein a user specifies said print device by inputting a network address for said device, so that said device is queried for its capabilities and its default configuration.

35. The computer program product of claim 34, further comprising computer readable program code means for updating said plurality of options in real time to reflect capabilities of said device, and updating said graphical representation to said default configuration of said device in real time.

36. The computer program product of claim 34, further comprising computer readable program code means for mapping printing device capabilities to generic menu options.

37. The computer program product of claim 34, further comprising computer readable program code means for specifying said printing device through an automated network discovery.

38. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein said paths comprise RGB, CMYK, Spot, and Black.

39. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein said paths provide a plurality of color management settings, said color management settings comprising any of color space transformations, color corrections, and printing methods.

40. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein color management settings provided in said RGB path include RGB Source Profile, Rendering Style, and RGB Separation.

41. The computer program product of claim 40, further comprising computer readable code means for providing a dialog box, wherein a custom RGB Source Profile is settable by providing individual values for Gamma, white point, and phosphors.

42. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein color management settings provided in said CMYK path include:

CMYK Simulation Profile; and

CMYK Simulation Method.

43. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein color management settings provided in said Spot path include Spot Color.

44. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein color management settings provided in said Black path include Pure Black Text and Graphics and Black Overprint.

45. The computer program product of claim 44, further comprising computer readable program code means for providing directional arrows to map said paths, said arrows proceeding from one setting to a next in a path, so that direction of arrows represents workflow direction, and wherein said mapping changes in real time to show available settings and current output paths.