System and method for printing using variable-density white ink under-printed layer

• US 7,920,297 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2008
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cimpress Schweiz GmbH (Cimpress Plc)
• Original Assignee: Vistaprint Technologies Limited (Cimpress Plc)
• Inventors: Hyman, Jacob A., Doggett, William K. III, Tsykora, Anatoliy V., Moody, Jay T.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ANH-VINH THI
• Application Number:
  US12/032,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20090207458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.9, 358/518, 358/516, 358/520, 358/527, 358/530, 358/500, 358/1.1, 358/3.29, 358/3.32, 358/1.16, 358/1.18, 437/15, 437/175, 437/176, 437/203, 382/167, 382/162
• US Class Current: 358/3.29
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/54 Conversion of colour picture signals to a plurality of signals some of which represent particular mixed colours, e.g. for textile printing

Abstract

Techniques for generated variable density mono-color under-print layer(s) for printing underneath an image on a substrate to improve the appearance of the printed image.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for generating a variable-density mono-color under-print layer corresponding to an image to be printed, the method comprising:

receiving a printable image, the printable image comprising a plurality of first pixels;

generating, by one or more processors, a mono-color under-print layer, the mono-color under-print layer comprising a plurality of second pixels, each second pixel corresponding to a first pixel in a same corresponding position in the printable image and each second pixel having an associated opacity whose value is based on at least one color characteristic of its corresponding first pixel,

wherein the step of generating the mono-color under-print layer comprises determining a level of the at least one color characteristic of each first pixel and setting an opacity value of the corresponding second pixel to a value that is a function of the determined level when the determined level is within a pre-determined range, and setting the opacity value to a pre-determined constant opacity when the determined level is outside of the pre-determined range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mono-color under-print layer comprises white.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the printable image is to be printed on a substrate of a known color, the known color comprising a non-white color, and wherein the mono-color under-print layer comprises white.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined constant opacity comprises full opacity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined range ranges from zero luminosity to a pre-determined threshold luminosity level.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

merging the mono-color under-print layer with itself at least once to generate a denser mono-color under-print layer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one color characteristic comprises a color hue.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one color characteristic comprises a color luminosity.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one color characteristic comprises a color saturation.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating at least one additional mono-color under-print layer specific to the received image.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising printing the mono-color under-print layer and the at least one additional mono-color under-print layer in a same position as the received image is to be printed on a substrate prior to printing the received image on the substrate.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising printing the mono-color under-print layer in a same position as the received image is to be printed on a substrate prior to printing the received image on the substrate.

38. A computer-readable medium comprising program instructions which, when executed by a computer, implement the method of claim 1.

13. A computer-implemented method for generating a variable-density mono-color under-print layer corresponding to an image to be printed, the method comprising:

receiving a printable image, the printable image comprising a plurality of first pixels;

generating, by one or more processors, a mono-color under-print layer, the mono-color under-print layer comprising a plurality of second pixels, each second pixel corresponding to a first pixel in a same corresponding position in the printable image and each second pixel having an associated opacity,

wherein the step of generating the mono-color under-print layer comprises creating an alpha channel in an electronic document, copying the printable image into the alpha channel, loading the alpha channel into an empty layer in the electronic document, selecting the loaded alpha channel within the layer, filling the selected alpha channel with the mono-color, and saving the layer as the mono-color under-print layer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the mono-color under-print layer comprises white.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the printable image is to be printed on a substrate of a known color, the known color comprising a non-white color, and wherein the mono-color under-print layer comprises white.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

merging the mono-color under-print layer with itself at least once to generate a denser mono-color under-print layer.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising generating at least one additional mono-color under-print layer specific to the received image.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising printing the mono-color under-print layer and the at least one additional mono-color under-print layer in a same position as the received image is to be printed on a substrate prior to printing the received image on the substrate.

19. The method of claim 13, comprising printing the mono-color under-print layer in a same position as the received image is to be printed on a substrate prior to printing the received image on the substrate.

47. A computer-readable medium comprising program instructions which, when executed by a computer, implement the method of claim 13.

20. A computer-implemented method for generating a variable-density mono-color under-print layer corresponding to an image to be printed, the method comprising:

receiving a printable image, the printable image comprising a plurality of first pixels;

generating, by one or more processors, a mono-color under-print layer, the mono-color under-print layer comprising a plurality of second pixels, each second pixel corresponding to a first pixel in a same corresponding position in the printable image and each second pixel having an associated opacity,

wherein the step of generating the mono-color under-print layer comprises copying the printable image, converting the copied printable image to grayscale, partitioning the grayscale into a discrete number of grayscale levels, setting all pixels outside of a predetermined range of grayscale levels to transparent, and saving the resulting image as the mono-color under-print layer.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the mono-color under-print layer comprises white.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the printable image is to be printed on a substrate of a known color, the known color comprising a non-white color, and wherein the mono-color under-print layer comprises white.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

merging the mono-color under-print layer with itself at least once to generate a denser mono-color under-print layer.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising generating at least one additional mono-color under-print layer specific to the received image.

25. The method of claim 24, comprising printing the mono-color under-print layer and the at least one additional mono-color under-print layer in a same position as the received image is to be printed on a substrate prior to printing the received image on the substrate.

26. The method of claim 20, comprising printing the mono-color under-print layer in a same position as the received image is to be printed on a substrate prior to printing the received image on the substrate.

49. A computer-readable medium comprising program instructions which, when executed by a computer, implement the method of claim 20.

27. A computer-implemented method for generating a variable-density mono-color under-print layer corresponding to an image to be printed, the method comprising:

receiving a printable image, the printable image comprising a plurality of first pixels;

generating, by one or more processors, a mono-color under-print layer, the mono-color under-print layer comprising a plurality of second pixels, each second pixel corresponding to a first pixel in a same corresponding position in the printable image and each second pixel having an associated opacity,

wherein the step of generating the mono-color under-print layer comprises determining, for each first pixel in the printable image, a difference in at least one corresponding color characteristic between the first pixel and a known substrate color, and setting the opacity of the second pixel corresponding to the first pixel based on the determined difference, the substrate color comprising the color of the substrate on which the printable image is to be printed.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the opacity of the second pixel is set relatively higher if the determined difference is relatively higher.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the mono-color under-print layer comprises white.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the printable image is to be printed on a substrate of a known color, the known color comprising a non-white color, and wherein the mono-color under-print layer comprises white.

31. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

merging the mono-color under-print layer with itself at least once to generate a denser mono-color under-print layer.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising generating at least one additional mono-color under-print layer specific to the received image.

33. The method of claim 32, comprising printing the mono-color under-print layer and the at least one additional mono-color under-print layer in a same position as the received image is to be printed on a substrate prior to printing the received image on the substrate.

34. The method of claim 27, comprising printing the mono-color under-print layer in a same position as the received image is to be printed on a substrate prior to printing the received image on the substrate.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least one color characteristic comprises a color hue.

36. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least one color characteristic comprises a color luminosity.

37. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least one color characteristic comprises a color saturation.

51. A computer-readable medium comprising program instructions which, when executed by a computer, implement the method of claim 27.

39. A system for generating a variable density mono-color under-print layer corresponding to an image to be printed, the system comprising:

non-transitory computer-readable storage which stores a printable image, the printable image comprising a plurality of first pixels;

one or more processors configured to generate a mono-color under-print layer, the mono-color under-print layer comprising a plurality of second pixels, each second pixel corresponding to a first pixel in a same corresponding position in the printable image and each second pixel having an associated opacity whose value is based on at least one color characteristic of its corresponding first pixel,

the one or more processors generating the mono-color under-print layer by determining a level of the at least one color characteristic of each first pixel, and setting an opacity value of the corresponding second pixel to a value that is a function of the determined level when the determined level is within a pre-determined range, and setting the opacity value to a pre-determined constant opacity when the determined level is outside of the pre-determined range.

40. A method for printing an image onto a substrate, the image comprising a plurality of areas of varying luminosity, the method comprising:

printing at least one variable-density mono-color under-layer onto a substrate in a pre-determined position, wherein areas of varying opacity of the mono-color in the mono-color under-layer correspond to areas of varying luminosity in the image to be printed and further wherein the variable density mono-color under-layer comprises a plurality of pixels, each of the plurality of pixels in the under-layer corresponding to a pixel in a same corresponding position in the image and each having an associated opacity whose opacity value varies according to a luminosity level of its corresponding image pixel for luminosity levels within a pre-determined range and whose opacity value is set to full opacity outside of the pre-determined range; and

printing the image over the mono-color under-layer at the pre-determined position on the substrate.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the substrate comprises a non-white color.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the pre-determined range ranges from zero luminosity to a pre-determined threshold luminosity level.

43. A computer-readable medium comprising program instructions which, when executed by a computer, implement the method of claim 40.

44. A system for printing an image onto a substrate, the image comprising a plurality of areas of varying luminosity, the system comprising:

non-transitory computer-readable storage which stores a printable image and at least one variable-density mono-color under-layer, the printable image comprising a plurality of first pixels, and the at least one variable-density mono-color under-layer comprising a plurality of second pixels, each of the plurality of second pixels having an associated opacity whose opacity value varies according to a luminosity level of its corresponding first pixel when its corresponding first pixel in the printable image has a luminosity level within a pre-determined range and whose opacity value is set to full opacity when its corresponding first pixel in the printable image has a luminosity level outside of the pre-determined range;

one or more processors configured to print the at least one variable-density mono-color under-layer onto a substrate in a pre-determined position and to print the printable image over the printed at least one mono-color under-layer at the pre-determined position on the substrate.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the substrate comprises a non-white color.

46. The system of claim 44, wherein the pre-determined range ranges from zero luminosity to a pre-determined threshold luminosity level.

48. A system for generating a variable density mono-color under-print layer corresponding to an image to be printed, the system comprising:

non-transitory computer-readable storage which stores a printable image, the printable image comprising a plurality of first pixels;

one or more processors configured to generate a mono-color under-print layer, the mono-color under-print layer comprising a plurality of second pixels, each second pixel corresponding to a first pixel in a same corresponding position in the printable image and each second pixel having an associated opacity whose value is based on at least one color characteristic of its corresponding first pixel,

the one or more processors generating the mono-color under-print layer by creating an alpha channel in an electronic document, copying the printable image into the alpha channel, loading the alpha channel into an empty layer in the electronic document, selecting the loaded alpha channel within the layer, filling the selected alpha channel with the mono-color, and saving the layer as the mono-color under-print layer.

50. A system for generating a variable density mono-color under-print layer corresponding to an image to be printed, the system comprising:

non-transitory computer-readable storage which stores a printable image, the printable image comprising a plurality of first pixels;

one or more processors configured to generate a mono-color under-print layer, the mono-color under-print layer comprising a plurality of second pixels, each second pixel corresponding to a first pixel in a same corresponding position in the printable image and each second pixel having an associated opacity whose value is based on at least one color characteristic of its corresponding first pixel,

the one or more processors generating the mono-color under-print layer by copying the printable image, converting the copied printable image to grayscale, partitioning the grayscale into a discrete number of grayscale levels, setting all pixels outside of a predetermined range of grayscale levels to transparent, and saving the resulting image as the mono-color under-print layer.

52. A system for generating a variable density mono-color under-print layer corresponding to an image to be printed, the system comprising:

non-transitory computer-readable storage which stores a printable image, the printable image comprising a plurality of first pixels;

one or more processors configured to generate a mono-color under-print layer, the mono-color under-print layer comprising a plurality of second pixels, each second pixel corresponding to a first pixel in a same corresponding position in the printable image and each second pixel having an associated opacity whose value is based on at least one color characteristic of its corresponding first pixel,

the one or more processors generating the mono-color under-print layer by determining, for each first pixel in the printable image, a difference in at least one corresponding color characteristic between the first pixel and a known substrate color, and setting the opacity of the second pixel corresponding to the first pixel based on the determined difference, the substrate color comprising the color of the substrate on which the printable image is to be printed.