Method for determining printing job parameters based on image quality and material usage
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsDavid C. Robinson, Louis O. Pepin, James D. Parker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In color printing the quality of the image reproduced depends upon factors which include the type of image processing chosen, which affects the amount of colorant consumed; the type of paper used, uncoated or coated; and optional coatings applied thereto. The cost of a printing job can be significantly affected by the amount of colorant and the quality of paper used. A method of changing the factors affecting image quality and determining the cost of the job based on the output image quality is disclosed. This method allows a customer to choose the desired image quality versus cost trade-offs for a printing job.
Claims20
A method for determining an output image to be reproduced by a color printing machine based on image quality versus cost trade-offs for a job comprising:
- inputting a color original image using raster image processing into an image processing system of the printing machine;
- changing at least one image processing parameter in the image processing system which affects the image quality of the output image;
- determining the cost of materials to be consumed based on the change of the at least one image processing parameter;
- and
- selecting an output image based on a desired image quality and cost for the job.
The method as claimed in 8, wherein determining the cost of materials further comprises:
- determining a special colorant area coverage, multiplying the special color area coverage by the average special colorant mass to determine the mass of special colorant to be used and multiplying the colorant mass by the cost of special colorant per mass of special colorant to obtain the cost of special colorant to be used;
- and
- adding the cost of the special colorant to the cost of total standard colorants to provide the cost of total colorants to be used.
A method for determining an output image to be reproduced by a color printing machine based on image quality versus cost trade-offs for a job comprising:
- inputting a color original image using raster image processing into an image processing system of the printing machine;
- varying at least one image processing parameter in the image processing system which affects the image quality of the output image, the at least one image processing parameter being varied over a range of image processing parameter values with each image processing parameter value having a cost of materials associated therewith;
- graphically depicting the at least one image processing parameter values and the cost of materials associated therewith;
- selecting an output image based on a desired image quality and cost for the job.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.