Image processing apparatus and control method therefor

An image processing apparatus for updating color transformation information for a device, comprising:

• first acquisition means for acquiring measurement data representing a current color reproduction characteristic of the device;
• second acquisition means for acquiring estimated data representing a color reproduction characteristic based on the color transformation information;
• third acquisition means for acquiring a degree of stability of a color reproduction characteristic in the device;
• determination means for determining, on the basis of the current characteristic, the estimated characteristic, and the degree of stability, whether to update the color transformation information;
• and
• update means for updating the color transformation information on the basis of the determination result.

A computer program embodied in a computer readable medium for updating color transformation information for a connected device, comprising:

• code for a first acquisition step of acquiring measurement data representing a current color reproduction characteristic of the device;
• code for a second acquisition step of acquiring estimated data characteristic representing a color reproduction characteristic based on the color transformation information;
• code for a third acquisition step of acquiring a degree of stability of a color reproduction characteristic in the device;
• code for a determination step of determining, on the basis of the current characteristic, the estimated characteristic, and the degree of stability, whether to update the color transformation information;
• and
• code for an updating step of updating the color transformation information using measurement data of the device based on the result of said determination step.

A color processing method, comprising:

• a stability characteristic acquisition step of acquiring a stability characteristic showing a stability of color reproduction in an image output apparatus;
• a determination step of determining the number of generated patches of the same color based on the stability characteristic;
• a colorimetric value acquisition step of making the image output apparatus generate a color patch image in response to the number determined in the determination step to acquire colorimetric values of the generated color patch image;
• and
• a production step of producing color transformation information which is relevant to the image output apparatus.

A computer program embodied in a computer readable medium for causing a computer to perform color processing method, comprising:

• code for a stability characteristic acquisition step of acquiring a stability characteristic showing a stability of color reproduction in an image output apparatus;
• code for a determination step of determining the number of generated patches of the same color based on the stability characteristic;
• code for a colorimetric value acquisition step of making the image output apparatus generate a color patch image in response to the number determined in the determination step to acquire colorimetric values of the generated color patch image;
• and
• code for a production step of producing color transformation information which is relevant to the image output apparatus.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• stability characteristic acquisition means for acquiring a stability characteristic showing a stability of color reproduction in an image output apparatus;
• determination means for determining the number of generated patches of the same color based on the stability characteristic;
• colorimetric value acquisition means for making the image output apparatus generate a color patch image in response to the number determined in the determination step to acquire colorimetric values of the generated color patch image;
• and
• production means for producing color transformation information which is relevant to the image output apparatus.

A color processing method, comprising:

• an acquisition step of acquiring colorimetric values of plural images output by an output device;
• a first calculation step of calculating an evaluation characteristic showing a variation of the colorimetric values;
• a second calculation step of calculating estimated colorimetric values of the plural images using color transformation information of the output device;
• and
• a determination step of determining whether to update the color transformation information using the evaluation characteristic and a difference between the acquired colorimetric values and the estimated colorimetric values.

A computer program embodied in a computer readable medium for causing a computer to perform a color processing method, comprising:

• code for an acquisition step of acquiring colorimetric values of plural images output by an output device;
• code for a first calculation step of calculating an evaluation characteristic showing a variation of the colorimetric values;
• code for a second calculation step of calculating estimated colorimetric values of the plural images using color transformation information of the output device;
• and
• code for a determination step of determining whether to update the color transformation information using the evaluation characteristic and a difference between the acquired colorimetric values and the estimated colorimetric values.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• acquisition means for acquiring colorimetric values of plural images output by an output device;
• first calculation means for calculating an evaluation characteristic showing a variation of the colorimetric values;
• second calculation means for calculating estimated colorimetric values of the plural images using color transformation information of the output device;
• and
• determination means for determining whether to update the color transformation information using the evaluation characteristic and a difference between the acquired colorimetric values and the estimated colorimetric values.

A color processing method, comprising:

• a first acquisition step of acquiring color transformation information of an output device and an evaluation characteristic showing a variation of plural images, the evaluation characteristic being calculated when the color transformation information is generated;
• a second acquisition step of acquiring colorimetric values of plural images output by the output device;
• a calculation step of calculating estimated colorimetric values of the plural images using the transformation information;
• a determination step of determining whether to update the color transformation information using the evaluation characteristic and a difference between the acquired colorimetric values and the estimated colorimetric values.

A computer program embodied in a computer readable medium for causing a computer to perform a color processing method, comprising:

• code for a first acquisition step of acquiring color transformation information of an output device and an evaluation characteristic showing a variation of plural images, the evaluation characteristic being calculated when the color transformation information is generated;
• code for a second acquisition step of acquiring colorimetric values of plural images output by the output device;
• code for a calculation step of calculating estimated colorimetric values of the plural images using the transformation information;
• and
• code for a determination step of determining whether to update the color transformation information using the evaluation characteristic and a difference between the acquired colorimetric values and the estimated colorimetric values.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• first acquisition means for acquiring color transformation information of an output device and an evaluation characteristic showing a variation of plural images, the evaluation characteristic being calculated when the color transformation information is generated;
• second acquisition means for acquiring colorimetric values of plural images output by the output device;
• calculation means for calculating estimated colorimetric values of the plural images using the transformation information;
• and
• determination means for determining whether to update the color transformation information using the evaluation characteristic and a difference between the acquired colorimetric values and the estimated colorimetric values.

A color processing method, comprising:

• a first acquisition step of acquiring colorimetric values of plural images output by an output device;
• a first calculation step of calculating a first evaluation characteristic showing a variation of the colorimetric values;
• a second acquisition step of acquiring a second evaluation characteristic showing a variation of the colorimetric values of the plural images, the second evaluation characteristic being calculated when the color transformation information of the output device is generated;
• and
• a determination step of determining whether to update the color transformation information using the first and second evaluation characteristics.

A computer program embodied in a computer readable medium for causing a computer to perform color processing method, comprising:

• code for a first acquisition step of acquiring colorimetric values of plural images output by an output device;
• code for a first calculation step of calculating a first evaluation characteristic showing a variation of the colorimetric values;
• code for a second acquisition step of acquiring a second evaluation characteristic showing a variation of the colorimetric values of the plural images, the second evaluation characteristic being calculated when the color transformation information of the output device is generated;
• and
• code for a determination step of determining whether to update the color transformation information using the first and second evaluation characteristics.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• first acquisition means for acquiring colorimetric values of plural images output by an output device;
• first calculation means for calculating a first evaluation characteristic showing a variation of the colorimetric values;
• second acquisition means for acquiring a second evaluation characteristic showing a variation of the colorimetric values of the plural images, the second evaluation characteristic being calculated when the color transformation information of the output device is generated;
• and
• determination means for determining whether to update the color transformation information using the first and second evaluation characteristics.