Color printer technology

• US 8,363,265 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2006
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Inventors: Mount, Jeffrey, Greenfield, Steve, Kavis, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Haskins, Twyler
• Assistant Examiner(s): Burleson, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/481,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20070127062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,398 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.9, 358/2.1, 358/534, 347/115, 382/274, 355/245
• US Class Current: 358/1.9
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0018 Constructional details, e.g. of drawer, printing means, input means
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/14 Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit data transmission in general H04L; telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/60 Colour correction or control H04N1/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6097 depending on the characteristics of the output medium, e.g. glossy paper, matt paper, transparency or fabrics

Abstract

The invention provides a method of printing at a POS of register receipts and marketing information in which the required network bandwidth and quantity of ink are both reduced. SVG files are used to specify communications, associated modified image objects are stored locally to the POS, and associated modified image objects are modified version of original objects in which color values are replaced with other color values that result in the same print image, but with printing of less ink.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of reducing a volume of ink used by a color printer in printing a colored image, comprising:

reading, with a computer, from computer memory a first color value of a pixel of an original colored image object, the color printer configured to use a first volume of ink to print a first color based on the first color value;

determining, with the computer, a second volume of ink sufficient for the color printer to print the first color based on whether the original colored image object has a property indicating it is printed as background or foreground, the second volume of ink less than the first volume of ink;

determining, with the computer, a second color value different from the first color value based on the second volume, the color printer configured to use the second volume of ink to print the first color based on the second color value; and

generating, with the computer, a modified colored image object from the original image object based on the second color value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first color value comprises at least one of a value for red, a value for green, or a value for blue and the second color value comprises at least one of a value for red, a value for green, or a value for blue.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the color printer is configured to convert red, green, and blue color values to at least cyan, magenta, and yellow color values.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reading, with the computer, first color values for a plurality of pixels of the original colored image object;

determining, with the computer, volumes of inks required for the color printer to print the first color values for the plurality of pixels of the original colored image object;

determining, with the computer, second volumes of inks sufficient for the color printer to print the first colors for the plurality of pixels of the original colored image object;

determining, with the computer, second color values based on the second volumes of ink; and

generating, with the computer, the modified image object from the original image object based on the second color values.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a second volume of ink is based on lateral ink bleed of print paper.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a second volume of ink is based on printer driver for the printer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a second volume of ink is based on at least one dimension of the original colored image object.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a second volume of ink is based on whether the original colored image object has a property indicating it is printed as foreground, such that the second volume of ink for printing the original colored image object as foreground is different than the second volume of ink for printing the original colored object image printed as background.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second volume of ink for printing the original colored image object as foreground is different than the volume of ink for printing the original colored object image printed as background.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising printing the modified colored image object.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a second volume of ink is based on whether the original colored image object has a property indicating it is printed as background, such that the second volume of ink for printing the original colored image object as background is different than the second volume of ink for printing the original colored object image printed as foreground.

12. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving, with the computer, a Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) file associated with at least one of the original image object or the modified image object; and

storing the received SVG file.

25. The method of claim 12, wherein the SVG file is associated with a coupon, the method further comprising:

printing the coupon based on the SVG file.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the SVG file is associated with a consumer identification, the method further comprising:

recognizing that the consumer identification is involved in a transaction; and

printing the coupon based on the recognition and the association between the consumer identification and the SVG file.

27. The method of claim 25, the method further comprising:

printing a register receipt with the coupon.

28. The method of claim 27, the method further comprising:

merging the register receipt and the coupon into a single file for printing.

29. The method of claim 27, the method further comprising:

printing the register receipt on one side of a paper; and

printing the coupon on another side of the paper.

30. The method of claim 29, the method further comprising:

printing the register receipt or the coupon on its respective side of the paper;

rewinding the paper; and

printing the other of the register receipt or the coupon on its respective side of the paper.

13. A system for reducing a volume of ink used by a color printer in printing a colored image, comprising:

a storage system;

a color printer configured to use a first volume of ink to print a first color based on a first color value of a pixel of an original colored image object; and

a processor configured to;

read from the storage system the first color value;

determine a second volume of ink sufficient for the color printer to print the first color based on whether the original colored image object has a property indicating it is printed as background or foreground, the second volume of ink less than the first volume of ink;

determine a second color value different from the first color value based on the second volume, the color printer configured to use the second volume of ink to print the first color based on the second color value; and

generate a modified colored image object from the original image object based on the second color value.

31. The system of claim 13, wherein the first color value comprises at least one of a value for red, a value for green, or a value for blue and the second color value comprises at least one of a value for red, a value for green, or a value for blue.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the color printer is configured to convert red, green, and blue color values to at least cyan, magenta, and yellow color values.

33. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

read first color values for a plurality of pixels of the original colored image object;

determine volumes of inks required for the color printer to print the first color values for the plurality of pixels of the original colored image object;

determine second volumes of inks sufficient for the color printer to print the first colors for the plurality of pixels of the original colored image object;

determine second color values based on the second volumes of ink; and

generating, with the computer, the modified image object from the original image object based on the second color values.

34. The system of claim 13, wherein the second volume of ink is based on lateral ink bleed of print paper.

35. The system of claim 13, wherein the second volume of ink is determined based on printer driver for the printer.

36. The system of claim 13, wherein the second volume of ink is determined based on at least one dimension of the original colored image object.

37. The system of claim 13, wherein the second volume of ink is determined based on whether the original colored image object has a property indicating it is printed as foreground, such that the second volume of ink for printing the original colored image object as foreground is different than the second volume of ink for printing the original colored object image printed as background.

38. The system of claim 13, wherein the second volume of ink for printing the original colored image object as foreground is different than the volume of ink for printing the original colored object image printed as background.

39. The system of claim 13, wherein the color printer is further configured to print the modified colored image object.

40. The system of claim 13, wherein the second volume of ink is determined based on whether the original colored image object has a property indicating it is printed as background, such that the second volume of ink for printing the original colored image object as background is different than the second volume of ink for printing the original colored object image printed as foreground.

14. A computer implemented method of reducing a volume of ink used by a color printer in printing a colored image, the method comprising:

reading, with a computer, from computer memory a first color value of a pixel of an original colored image object, the color printer configured to print a first volume of ink to print a first color based on the first color value;

determining, with the computer, a second volume of ink sufficient for the color printer to print the first color, the second volume of ink less than the first volume of ink;

when the second volume of ink does not exactly correspond to a color value in a color map, determining, with the computer, a second color value by selecting a color value in the color map for which the color printer prints approximately the second volume of ink; and

generating, with the computer, a modified colored image object from the original image object based on the second color value.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein selecting a color value in the color map for which the color printer prints approximately the second volume of ink comprises:

choosing from the color map a color value having a smallest least squares value of differences between a volume of ink the color printer is configured to use to print the color value and the second volume of ink.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

reading, with the computer, from computer memory at least one image object property of the original colored image object, wherein determining a second volume of ink sufficient for the color printer to print the first color is based at least in part on the at least one image object property.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one image object property is referenced by a scalable vector graphic (SVG) file.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one image property comprises a dimension of the original colored image object.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one image property comprises a property indicating that the original color image object is foreground.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one image property comprises a property indicating that the original color image object is background.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one image property comprises a property indicating that the original color image object defines text.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

reading, with the computer, first color values for a plurality of pixels of the original colored image object;

determining, with the computer, volumes of inks required for the color printer to print the first color values for the plurality of pixels of the original colored image object;

determining, with the computer, second volumes of inks sufficient for the color printer to print the first colors for the plurality of pixels of the original colored image object;

determining, with the computer, second color values based on the second volumes; and

generating, with the computer, the modified image object from the original image object based on the second color values.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining a second volume of ink is based at least in part upon a printer driver for the printer.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

printing the colored image including the modified colored image object.