US 2006/0066879 A1 · Method for calibrating printing of lenticular images to lenticular media

Abstract

A method for calibrating the printing of a lenticular image with respect to the lenticules of a lenticular sheet includes the steps of printing a test pattern including a plurality of patches on a lenticular sheet with an ink jet printer. The patches are printed on a surface opposite the lenticules and each patch includes a series of line segments that extend in the same direction as the lenticules as aligned in the ink jet printer. The spacing of the line segments within each patch is varied in a known manner from patch to patch. The patches are sensed though the lenticules with a sensing device, and the sensed data is analyzed to determine which patch corresponds to sensed data that has the fewest light and dark bands. A calibration factor is calculated based on the analysis, and the calibration factor is used to subsequently print a lenticular image on the same or a second lenticular sheet of the same type. In a further embodiment, the method comprises aligning a lenticular sheet in the ink jet printer such that the lenticules are perpendicular to a main printing direction of the ink jet printer; sensing the lenticules on said lenticular sheet with the sensing device; analyzing the sensed data in the processing unit to determine the lenticule spacing; calculating a calibration factor based upon the analysis; and using the calibration factor to subsequently print a lenticular image.

Claims35

Dependent claims

A method for calibrating the printing of a lenticular image with respect to the lenticules of a lenticular sheet in a system including an ink jet printer, a sensing device, and a processing unit, the method comprising the steps of:

aligning a lenticular sheet in the ink jet printer such that the lenticules are perpendicular to a main printing direction of the ink jet printer;
using the ink jet printer to print a test pattern including a plurality of patches on the lenticular sheet, wherein the patches are printed on a surface opposite the lenticules, each patch includes a series of line segments extending in the same direction as the lenticules, and the pattern of the line segments within a patch is varied in a known manner from patch to patch;
sensing the test pattern through the lenticular sheet with the sensing device and producing sensed data for each of the patches;
analyzing the sensed data in the processing unit to determine which patch corresponds to sensed data that has the fewest light and dark bands;
calculating a calibration factor based upon the analysis;
and
using the calibration factor to subsequently print a lenticular image.

4 more elements

printing a test pattern including a plurality of patches on a first lenticular sheet with the ink jet printer, wherein the patches are printed on a surface opposite the lenticules, each patch includes a series of line segments with the line segments extending in the same direction as the lenticules of the first lenticular sheet as aligned in the ink jet printer, each patch extends across substantially the entire width of the first lenticular sheet, and the pattern of the line segments within a patch is varied in a known manner from patch to patch;
sensing the patches through the first lenticular sheet with the sensing device and producing sensed data for each of the patches;
analyzing the sensed data in the processing unit to determine, for each of a plurality of vertical strips of the first lenticular sheet, which patch corresponds to sensed data in that vertical strip has the fewest light and dark bands;
calculating and storing a plurality of calibration factors for each vertical strip based upon the analysis;
and
using the calibration factors to subsequently print a lenticular image on a second lenticular sheet that is the same type as the first lenticular sheet.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for calibrating printing of lenticular images to lenticular media

Life of this patent

Method for calibrating printing of lenticular images to lenticular media

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims35