Color image reproducing device and method
AssigneeKonica Corporation
InventorPo-Chieh Hung
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A color image reproducing device comprising a scanner, a color value memory, a scanner signal memory, a conversion element, and the adjusting element. Each memory stores standard color values derived from reference color values and standard scanner signals derived from reference scanner signals. The reference color values and reference scanner signals are obtained by measuring both by a colorimeter and by scanning of color patches. The color values are derived from measured scanner signals of an original based upon correspondence between standard color values and standard scanner signals. Finally, the device adjusts relative color balance by controlling the intensity of outputs based upon the color values.
Claims39
A color image reproducing device comprising:
- (a) a scanner for scanning an original and producing a first signal corresponding thereto;
- (b) a scanner signal memory for storing a plurality of sets of standard scanner signals used to convert said first signal to a second signal, wherein said sets of standard scanner signals in a signal gamut of a plurality of sets of reference scanner signals obtained by scanning color patches with said scanner is determined by an interpolation based on said sets of reference scanner signals, and said sets of standard scanner signals outside of said signal gamut are determined by an extrapolation based on said sets of standard scanner signals determined by said sets of reference scanner signals;
- (c) a color value memory for storing a plurality of sets of standard color values wherein said set of standard color values corresponding to said sets of standard scanner signals in a signal gamut of a plurality of sets of reference scanner signals are determined by said interpolation based on a plurality of sets of reference color values obtained by measuring said color patches with a colorimeter and corresponding to said sets of reference scanner signals, and said sets of standard scanner signals encompassed by said sets of reference scanner signals and standard color values corresponding to said sets of standard scanner signals outside of said signal gamut is determined by said extrapolation based on said sets of standard color values determined by said sets of reference color values and said sets of standard scanner signals.
A method of reproducing a color image from an original, said method comprising:
- (a) preparing color patches;
- (b) obtaining a plurality of sets of reference color values and a plurality of sets of reference scanner signals by measuring each of said color patches, successively;
- (c) determining a plurality of sets of standard scanner signals in a signal gamut of said sets of reference scanner signals by interpolation based on said sets of reference scanner signals, said sets of standard scanner signals outside of said signal gamut being determined by extrapolation of said sets of standard scanner signals determined by interpolation of said sets of standard scanner signals;
- (d) storing a plurality of standard scanner signals, in a scanner signal memory;
- (e) determining a plurality of sets of standard color values corresponding to said sets of standard scanner signals in said signal gamut of said sets of reference scanner signals by interpolation based on a plurality of sets of reference color values obtained by measuring said color patches with a colorimeter and corresponding said reference color values to said sets of reference scanner signals and said sets of standard scanner signals encompassed by said sets of reference scanner signals and determining said set of standard color values corresponding to said sets of standard scanner signals outside of said signal gamut by extrapolation based on said sets of standard color values determined by said sets of reference color values and said sets of standard scanner signals;
- (f) storing a plurality of sets of standard color values in a color value memory;
- (g) scanning said original with a scanner to produce a first signal;
- (h) converting said first signal to a second signal corresponding to said sets of standard scanner signals;
- (i) converting said second signal to a color value represented by said sets of standard color values based on a correspondence between said sets of standard scanner signals stored in said scanner signal memory and said sets of standard color values stored in said color value memory;
- and
- (j) reproducing said color image of said original based on said sets of color values.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.