Proofing method, apparatus, and computer software product matching color and halftone screen properties
AssigneeBarco Graphics N.V.
InventorsHans Dewitte, Lieven C. G. Plettinck
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method, apparatus, and computer software product to reproduce an input image on a proofing device including accurately reproducing color substantially matching the screening properties of an imaging process that includes screening. The proofer may use a different number of colorants and/or different colorants than the printing colorants of the imaging process. The proofer also may be capable of continuous tone output or may be a screened output device. The proofer also may be a computer screen.
Claims53
A method to proof an input image for output imaging by an output imaging process with N colorants at a printing resolution RES1, the proofing on a proofer having M proofer color components at a proofing resolution RES2, at least one of the M proofer color components being different from any of the N printing colorants, the output imaging including screening, the method comprising:
- providing a screened image of N color components at a resolution RES3 that represents the input image, the N color components of the RES3 screened image substantially the same as the N printing colorants of the output imaging process, and the screening of the RES3 screened image having substantially the same properties as the screening of the output imaging process;
- converting the N-color-component screened image at the resolution RES3 to a contone image of resolution RES3 having a number denoted M of contone color components;
- and
- converting the M-color-component contone image at the resolution RES3 to an M-color-component contone image at the proofing resolution RES2.
A computer readable carrier medium carrying one or more computer readable code segments for controlling a processing system to carry out a method to proof an input image for output imaging by an output imaging process with N colorants at a printing resolution RES1, the proofing on a proofer having M proofer color components at a proofing resolution RES2, at least one of the M proofer color components being different from any of the N printing colorants, the output imaging including screening, the carrier medium comprising:
- computer readable code to effect one or more processors of the processing system to accept a screened image of N color components at a resolution RES3 that represents the input image, the N color components of the RES3 screened image substantially the same as the N printing colorants of the output imaging process, and the screening of the RES3 screened image having substantially the same properties as the screening of the output imaging process;
- computer readable code to effect one or more processors of the processing system to convert the N-color-component screened image at the resolution RES3 to a contone image of resolution RES3 having a number denoted M of contone color components;
- and
- computer readable code to effect one or more processors of the processing system to convert the M-color-component contone image at the resolution RES3 to an M-color-component contone image at the proofing resolution RES2.
An apparatus to proof an input image for output imaging by an output imaging process with N colorants at a printing resolution RES1, the proofing on a proofer having M proofer color components at a proofing resolution RES2, at least one of the M proofer color components being different from any of the N printing colorants, the output imaging including screening, the method comprising:
- input means to provide a screened image of N color components at a resolution RES3 that represents the input image, the N components of the RES3 screened image substantially the same as the N printing colorants of the output imaging process, and the screening of the RES3 screened image having substantially the same properties as the screening of the output imaging process;
- a color converter coupled to the input means to convert the N-color-component screened image to a contone image of resolution RES3 having a number denoted M of contone color components;
- and
- a resolution converter coupled to the proofer and to the color converter to convert the M-color-component contone image at the resolution RES3 to an M-color-component contone image at the proofing resolution RES2.
A method to proof an input image for output imaging by an output imaging process with N colorants at a printing resolution RES1, the proofing using a film based proofing or printing process having M color components at a resolution RES2, at least one of the M proofer color components being different from any of the N final printing colorants, the output imaging including screening, the method comprising:
- providing a screened image of N color components at a resolution RES3 that represents the input image, the N color components of the RES3 screened image substantially the same as the N colorant components of the output imaging, and the screening of the RES3 screened image having substantially the same properties as the screening of the output imaging;
- converting the RES3 N-color component screened image to a contone image of resolution RES3 having M contone components;
- and
- converting the RES3 M-color component contone image to an M-color component contone image at the proofing resolution RES2.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.