Automatic scanner calibration
AssigneeElectronics for Imaging, Inc.
InventorMargaret Motamed
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automatic scanner calibration method and apparatus is disclosed in which a calibrated target, such as a Kodak® gray strip, is attached to a scanning surface of a scanner. The target is thin and has a width or length of platen of a scanner. During a normal scan, the calibration target area can be ignored or scanned depending on user selection. If the strip is scanned, then the resulting information is used to calibrate the scanner automatically. Such calibration is more accurate than an older in time or preset default calibration Another embodiment of the invention actuates a print of a printer calibration target on a printer on a scheduled basis. Thereafter, the user can take the printer calibration target and place it on the scanner and perform a calibration of a scanner/printer system.
Claims34
A method for automatically calibrating a scanner, comprising the steps of:
- affixing a calibration target to a scanning surface of said scanner;
- and
- when automatic scanning of said calibration target is selected, selectably using said calibration target for automatically calibrating said scanner during a normal scan of an object.
An apparatus for automatically calibrating a scanner, comprising:
- a calibration target;
- means for attaching said calibration target proximate to a scanning surface of said scanner;
- and
- means for automatically calibrating said scanner with said calibration target during a normal scan of said object when said calibration target is selectably scanned.
A method for automatically printing a printer calibration target on a printer and automatically calibrating said printer using a scanner, comprising the steps of:
- providing a calibration target strip attached to said scanner;
- actuating automatically a print of the printer calibration target;
- placing said printer calibration target on said scanner;
- scanning said printer calibration target on said scanner;
- and
- performing a calibration of said printer using said scanned printer calibration target;
- and
- automatically scanning the calibration target slip and automatically calibrating said scanner.
An apparatus for automatically printing a printer calibration target on a printer and automatically calibrating said printer using a scanner comprising:
- a printer calibration target;
- a printer;
- means for automatically actuating said printer calibration target to print on said printer;
- a scanner;
- means for placing said printer calibration target on said scanner;
- a lookup table (LUT) for the printer, such LUT mapping a plurality of absolute density values to a corresponding plurality of calibrated density values;
- means for updating said LUT for the printer after the printer calibration target is scanned and by using the printer calibration target, thereby calibrating said printer;
- a client engine and a printer controller engine, and wherein means for automatically actuating said printer calibration target to print on said printer further comprises means for generating a scheduled first message from the client engine to the printer controller engine;
- means for generating a second message from the printer controller engine to the client engine after the print of the printer calibration target, said second message indicating that the printer calibration target has been printed and indicating that the printer calibration target needs to be placed on said scanner;
- and
- means for waiting for the client engine to respond o the printer controller engine that the printer calibration target has been placed on said printer and has been placed on said scanner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.