Two-part color bar process to ensure calibration of proofing equipment

Abstract

A hard proof is created that can be visually inspected to determine if it meets industry standards. The proof has a content image portion and color bar image data. To create the hard proof, a sheet of proofing paper is provided that has one or more known good first color bars pre-printed thereon, but no content image portion printed thereon. The content image portion of the proof and one or more second color bars are then printed on the sheet of proofing paper. The one or more second color bars are printed on the proofing paper in a pre-defined relationship to the one or more first color bars so as to allow for visual inspection directly on the proofing paper using only the color bar image data of the first and second color bars, and without using any external color reference materials. A visually discernable color match indicates that a proof which meets industry standards has been made and a visually discernable color mismatch indicates that a proof which meets industry standards has not been made.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.