# US 2014/0192373 A1 · Method for controlling a colour calibration target > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0192373 A1 - Document ID: US20140192373A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/342,825 - Filed: 2012-09-14 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-14 - Inventors: Antonio Maccari - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192373A1 ## CPC - G06K 15/027: {Test patterns and calibration (arrangements for controlling or analysing printing mechanisms of typewriters or selective printing units B41J29/393 takes precedence; colour correction using test pattern analysis in general H04N1/6033)} - H04N 1/4078: {using gradational references, e.g. grey-scale test pattern analysis} - H04N 1/6033: {using test pattern analysis (H04N1/6055 takes precedence)} - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A method includes the step of printing a calibration target with a printing device, the printing device including a plurality of groups of printheads, the printheads of the same group being fed with ink of the same colour, the calibration target including a plurality of coloured zones that are intended to be subsequently processed, the method further including the steps of: generating a series of control zones printed by the printheads of a group with the same nominal quantity of the corresponding ink, the control zones being free of overlapping between inks applied by different printheads; measuring a parameter of each control zone; comparing the measured values of said parameter for evaluating whether the control zones exhibit print anomalies. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising the step of printing a calibration target with a printing device (1), said printing device (1) comprising a plurality of groups (4) of printheads (5), the printheads (5) of the same group (4) being fed with ink of the same colour, the calibration target comprising a plurality of coloured zones (6; 106) that are intended to be subsequently processed, the method further comprising the steps of: generating a series of control zones (7; 107) printed by the printheads (5) of a group (4) with the same nominal quantity of the corresponding ink, the control zones (7; 107) being free of overlapping between inks applied by different printheads (5); measuring a parameter of each control zone (7; 107); comparing the measured values of said parameter for evaluating whether the control zones (7; 107) exhibit print anomalies, in order to determine whether the calibration target has been correctly printed; if no print anomalies are present, processing at least one measurement of each coloured zone (6; 106) for obtaining a describer of the calibration target or a colour profile of the printing device (1). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the control zones (7; 107) of the same series are placed side by side so as to form a control stripe (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77; 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A method according to claim 2, wherein the printheads (5) of the same group are assembled in a printing bar (4) so as to define a maximum printing extension (E) along a longitudinal dimension of the bar, said series (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77; 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177) having a linear dimension (L) equal to said maximum printing extension (E). ### Claim 4 A method according to any preceding claim, wherein, during said step of generating, the printheads (5) of one group (4) generate at least one first series of control zones (7a) printed with a preset nominal quantity of ink and a second series of control zones (7b ) printed with a further preset quantity of ink, said preset quantity being different from said further preset quantity. ### Claim 5 A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the coloured zones (6; 106) and the control zones (7; 107) are printed on a single print support (20; 120). ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A method according to claim 5, wherein the control zones (7; 107) are grouped in a region (50; 150) of the print support (20; 120), said region (50; 150) being free of intersections with a further region (60; 160) of the print support (20; 120) in which the coloured zones (6; 106) are grouped. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5, 6) A method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the print support is a ceramic tile (20; 120). ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A method according to claim 7, and further comprising the step of firing the ceramic tile (20; 120) after printing the coloured zones (6; 106) and the control zones (7; 107) and before measuring said parameter. ### Claim 9 A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the parameter that is measured is selected from a group comprising: optical density of the control zones, colour of the control zones. ### Claim 10 A method according to any preceding claim, wherein, if print anomalies are present, there is provided the step of generating an attention signal. ### Claim 11 A method according to any preceding claim, wherein, if print anomalies are present, there is provided the step of using the measured values of said parameter for correcting measures of the calibration target. ### Claim 12 A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the describer of the calibration target contains, for each coloured zone (6), a recipe of inks required for producing said coloured zone (6). ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A method according to claim 12, wherein, during said step of processing, the describer of the calibration target is updated by adding, for each coloured zone (6), the corresponding measurement. ### Claim 14 A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the describer of the calibration target is used by a program for generating images to be printed. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13, 14) A method according to claim 14, as appended to claim 13, wherein each ideal colour of an ideal image to be printed is replaced by a colour of a coloured zone (6) which was printed and measured, or by a colour having a recipe which is calculated by interpolating pairs of close values of colour measurement/colour recipe, taken from the describer of the calibration target. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11) A method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein said colour profile of the printing device (1) is an ICC profile. ### Claim 17 A print support, particularly conformed as a ceramic tile, comprising a surface on which a plurality of coloured zones (6; 106) are printed, the coloured zones (6; 106) defining a calibration target, the calibration target having a preset width (L1), characterised in that on said surface a plurality of series (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77; 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177) of control zones (7; 107) are furthermore printed, the control zones of the same series being printed with ink of the same colour, each series extending in a region of the print support having a linear dimension (L) equal to said preset width (L1). ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A print support according to claim 17, wherein said plurality of series of control zones comprises, for each ink colour, at least two series of control zones printed with ink quantities that differ between one series of control zones and the other. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17, 18) A print support according to claim 17 or 18, wherein each series of control zones (7; 107) is conformed as a stripe.