Assessing printer quality by evaluating properties of images comprised of multiple frames
AssigneeElectronics for Imaging, Inc.
InventorsHanan Yosefi, Dani Barel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed here is a system enabling users/customers to receive an objective assessment of the performance of a printer. This is accomplished by comparing a quality score of an earlier-in-time image with a quality score of a later-in-time image. A processor analyzes each image based on several criteria and uses various image-analysis methods, to flag errors within an image. A numeric quality score, based on the number of errors, is provided to the user to objectively evaluate whether the printer has degraded or not. Thus, the user can objectively present an argument to a salesperson or manufacturer that the user is due a remedy.
Claims20
A method for evaluating print quality of a printer, the method comprising:
- obtaining
- (i) a first image of a first printout that is printed by the printer at a first time, and
- (ii) a second image of a second printout that is printed by the printer at a second time subsequent to the first time;
- evaluating a property of the first and second images, so as to produce a first metric for the first image and a second metric for the second image;
- and
- establishing whether the print quality has changed based on a comparison of the first and second metrics.
A method for quantitatively assessing quality of a first printer that is connected, via a network, to a second printer, the method comprising:
- obtaining an image that is representative of a compilation of a set of frames, each of which includes at least part of a printout that is printed by the first printer at a given time;
- evaluating a property of the image, so as to produce a metric that is indicative of quality of the first printer at the given time;
- and
- transmitting the metric and information regarding the printout to the second printer via the network.
A method performed by a first printer that is connected, via a network, to a second printer, the method comprising:
- receiving, from the second printer, an indication of a first printout that was printed by the first printer and a first metric that is indicative of quality of the first printout;
- obtaining an image of a second printout that is printed by the first printer;
- evaluating a property of the image, so as to produce a second metric that is indicative of quality of the second printout;
- and
- establishing whether quality of the first printer has changed based on a comparison of the first and second metrics.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.