Predicting detectability and grading prior to printing

An image processing method comprising:

• receiving a digital design comprising an encoded signal carrying a plural-bit identifier, the design including an area of layered colors to be printed on a substrate;
• generating reflectance spectra estimates design including for the area of layered colors as if printed on the substrate, the reflectance spectra estimates provided on a per pixel basis for the design;
• generating a grayscale image representation of the encoded digital design from the reflectance spectra estimates at or around 660 nm;
• transforming the grayscale image representation according to an object form factor, said transforming yielding a transformed grayscale image;
• generating a representation of encoded signal detectability from the transformed grayscale image;
• producing a visibility map of a color image representation of the encoded digital design generated from a weighted sum of reflectance spectra estimates on a per pixel basis;
• and
• providing the representation of encoded signal detectability and the visibility map to influence signal encoding.

A method useful in predicting the ability of a 3D retail carton to be recognized by a bioptic scanner at a retail store checkout, the method comprising the acts:

• receiving a digital file comprising artwork for later printing on a flat substrate, the printed flat substrate to be later folded to define the 3D retail carton, wherein the artwork includes six rectangular portions, corresponding to six panels of the 3D retail carton;
• establishing x- and y-coordinates for six points in the artwork;
• and
• from the six points, determining twenty four different ordered pairs of carton panels that may be respectively presented to first and second faces of the bioptic scanner.

A method of scoring a 3D package, the 3D package including plural panels that adjoin each other, the 3D package comprising an encoded signal printed on at least two (2) of the plural panels, said method comprising the acts:

• defining plural pairs of adjoining panels;
• determining a score for each of the pairs of adjoining panels, the score being dependent on characteristics of the encoded signal;
• and
• combining the scores to yield a net score for the package.

A method of generating a detection grade for a 3D object comprising plural panels, comprising:

• receiving a digital design comprising an encoded signal carrying a plural-bit identifier, the design including an area of layered colors to be printed on a substrate;
• generating reflectance spectra estimates with a color blend model for the design including for the area of layered colors as if printed on the substrate, the reflectance spectra estimates provided on a per pixel basis for the design;
• generating a grayscale image representation of the encoded digital design from the reflectance spectra estimates, modeling an illumination source with a peak illumination occurring in a spectral range between 630 nm to 710 nm;
• transforming the grayscale image representation according to an object form factor, said transforming yielding a transformed grayscale image;
• defining plural pairs of adjoining panels;
• determining an encoded signal detectability grade for each of the pairs of adjoining panels from the transformed grayscale image;
• and
• combining the grades to yield a net detection grade for the 3D object.