Methods for Darkness Calibration and Darkness Calibrating Media Processing Devices

A system, comprising:

• a printhead, having a plurality of darkness setpoints, wherein the printhead is configured to print, via the printhead, indicia on a media element, the indicia comprising a plurality of print regions, each print region containing a printout of a print design, each printout printed at a distinct darkness setpoint of the plurality of darkness setpoints, wherein each print design contains a design ratio of black pixels and white pixels;
• and
• a logic circuit configured to:
• receive image data corresponding to the indicia on the media element,
• identify data corresponding each print region in the image data,
• extract a profile for each print region based on the data,
• determine a print ratio of black pixels to white pixels for each profile,
• correlate each print ratio to a corresponding distinct darkness setpoint,
• interpolate, from the correlation, a calibration darkness setpoint corresponding to the design ratio, and
• change the darkness setpoint of the printhead to the calibration darkness setpoint.

A method for calibrating darkness of a media processing device, comprising:

• printing, via a printhead of the media processing device, indicia on a media element, the indicia comprising a plurality of print regions, each print region containing printout of a print design printed at a distinct darkness setpoint, wherein the print design contains a design ratio of black pixels and white pixels;
• receiving, from an imaging device, a profile of each of the plurality of print regions;
• determining, for each of the plurality of print regions, a ratio of black pixels to white pixels;
• correlating each ratio to a corresponding distinct darkness setpoint forming a curve relating the distinct darkness setpoints and ratios;
• interpolating a calibrated darkness setpoint corresponding to the design ratio;
• and
• applying the calibrated darkness setpoint to the printhead.