System for distributing controlling color reproduction at multiple sites

A method for controlling color reproduction at a plurality of nodes in a network in which at least two of said nodes each have at least one rendering device, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a data structure in said network;
• providing at each said node common input color image data in which each of said nodes are capable of communicating with one or more other ones of said nodes;
• providing color calibration data at each said node characterizing output colors of the rendering device of the node;
• producing for each said node, responsive to the color calibration data of the rendering device of the node, information for transforming the input color image data into output color image data at the rendering device of the node;
• storing said information in said data structure;
• transforming for each said node said input color image data into output color image data for the rendering device of the node responsive to said information in said data structure;
• and
• rendering at the rendering device of each said node a color reproduction responsive to said output color image data, wherein colors displayed in said reproduction at the rendering device of each said node appear substantially the same within output colors attainable by the rendering devices.

A color reproduction apparatus for rendering a page with color uniform with a remote device rendering the same said page comprising:

• means for communicating with said remote rendering device;
• means for receiving input color image data corresponding to said page via said communicating means;
• means for producing a data structure with components shared by said apparatus and said remote device and components local to said apparatus, said data structure having information for transforming the input color image data into output color image data which will provide uniform appearance of color of said page at both said apparatus and said remote device, said communicating means being operative by said producing means to provide said shared data structure;
• means for transforming said input color image data into output color image data responsive to said information in said data structure;
• means for rendering said page at said apparatus responsive to said output color image data;
• means for verifying that the information in said data structure properly transformed said input color image data into said output color image data;
• and
• means for revising the information in the data structure responsive to said verifying means;
• and
• means for producing color calibration data characterizing output colors of the apparatus which is operative by said means for producing a data structure and said means for verifying.

A method of virtual proofing at a plurality of rendering devices configured into a network, each said rendering device having a calibration transform to render color images, said method comprising the steps of:

• transferring color image data from one of said plurality of rendering devices to others of said rendering devices in said network;
• calibrating color measure instruments associated with each said rendering device;
• rendering a known color image at each said rendering device;
• measuring the rendered image at each said rendering device with the color measuring instrument to provide color data;
• comparing the measured color data with color data of the known color image to provide color-error data;
• evaluating the color-error data responsive to tolerance levels to indicate when the calibration of each said rendering device is one of within said tolerance levels and outside said tolerance levels;
• producing at one of said plurality of rendering devices when said calibration of the rendering device is outside said tolerance levels another calibration transform;
• building a correction transform based upon said color-error data when said calibration of one of said rendering devices is within said tolerance levels;
• revising the calibration transform of said rendering device with said correction transform;
• and
• rendering said image data at each rendering device responsive to one of said revised calibration transform and said another calibration transform.

A system for controlling color reproduction of input color image data at a plurality of rendering devices comprising:

• a plurality of rendering devices;
• a plurality of computers, each being coupled to at least one of said rendering devices, which share information for transforming at the rendering devices said input color image data into output color image data, wherein said shared information includes at least data in device-independent color units;
• and
• each of said computers operate to enable their coupled rendering device to produce a rendering of the image data in accordance with said shared information at the computer, wherein colors in the rendering produced by the rendering devices appear substantially the same within output colors attainable by each of the rendering devices.

A system for controlling color reproduction of input color image data at a plurality of rendering devices comprising:

• a plurality of rendering devices;
• a plurality of computers, each being coupled to at least one of said rendering devices, which are capable of sharing information for transforming at the rendering devices said input color image data into output color image data, wherein at least one of said rendering devices is a proofing device and said proofing device represents one of a color display and a hardcopy output device;
• and
• each of said computers operate to enable their coupled rendering device to produce a rendering of the image data in accordance with at least said shared information at the computer, wherein colors in the rendering produced by the rendering devices appear substantially the same within output colors attainable by each of the rendering devices.