Image output color management system and method

A method for controlling an image output device comprising:

• generating an image output device multidimensional color profile LUT characterizing a color profile of the image output device for a plurality of drift states associated with the image output device, each drift state associated with an overall change in the performance of the image output device to render a plurality of colors relative to an initial performance of the image output device associated with an initial characterization of the color profile of the image output device, wherein each drift state associated with the multidimensional color profile LUT associates a plurality of target colors with a plurality of image output device dependent color space representations for generating the respective plurality of target colors with the image output device;
• generating a set of principal component basis vectors representing the multidimensional color profile LUT, where x= x+μ α and x represents the image output device multidimensional color profile LUT, x represents a mean value of x or nominal device profile LUT, μ represents an eigenvector matrix and α represents column vector coefficients associated with the plurality of drift states;
• determining and rendering a minimal target color set for measurement by an image sensing device;
• outputting the rendered target color set to the image sensing device to determine the corresponding device dependent color space representations of the target color set;
• using a least square regression technique, determining the coefficient vector α from the target color set device dependent color space representation of the target color set;
• and
• generating the image output device multidimensional color profile LUT x according to the equation x= x+μ α.

An image output device color control system comprising:

• an image output device comprising an input configured to receive image data for display or printing by the image output device;
• an in-line colorimetric measurement device;
• and
• a controller operatively connected to the image output device and in-line colorimetric measurement device, the controller configured to receive CMYK or RGB and convert to image output device independent image input data and map the device independent input data to image output device dependent input data for display or printing by the image output device, wherein the controller comprises a controller-usable data carrier storing instructions that, when executed by the controller cause the controller to perform a method comprising:
• (a) accessing a set of principal basis vectors representing a multidimensional color profile LUT associated with the image output device, the multidimensional color profile LUT characterizing the color profile of the image output device for a plurality of drift states, each drift state associated with an overall change in the performance of the image output device to render a plurality of colors relative to an initial performance of the image output device associated with an initial characterization of the color profile of the image output device, wherein each drift state associated with the multidimensional color profile LUT associates a plurality of target colors with a plurality of image output device space representations for generating the plurality of target colors with the image output device;
• (b) determining a target color set based on the set of principal basis vectors for measurement by the in-line colorimetric measurement device and outputting an associated device dependant color space representation of the target color set to the image output device;
• (c) receiving colorimetric data from the in-line colorimetric measurement device for the target color set, where the colorimetric data is a device independent three dimensional color space representation of the target color set;
• (d) calculating a coefficient vector α of the principal basis vectors using a least square regression technique;
• and
• (e) generating a device dependent inverse image output device multidimensional color profile LUT based on the coefficient vector a according to an equation x= x+μα, where x represents the device dependent inverse image output device profile multidimensional color LUT, x represents a mean value of x or nominal profile LUT, and μ represents an eigenvector matrix as defined by the principal basis vectors.

A xerographic imaging system comprising:

• an image marking device;
• an in-line colorimetric measurement device operatively connected to the image marking device;
• a controller operatively connected to the image marking device, the controller configured to map a device independent target color set to device dependent input data for printing by the image marking device, wherein the controller comprises a controller-usable data carrier storing instructions that, when executed by the controller cause the controller to perform a method comprising:
• generating an image output device multidimensional color profile LUT (look-up-table) characterizing a color profile of the image output device for a plurality of drift states associated with the image output device, each drift state associated with an overall change in the performance of the image output device to render a plurality of colors relative to an initial performance of the image output device associated with an initial characterization of the color profile of the image output device, wherein, each drift state associated with the image output device multidimensional color profile LUT associates a plurality of target colors with a plurality of image output device dependent color space representations for generating the plurality of target colors with the image output device;
• generating a set of basis vectors by augmenting the image output device multidimensional color profile LUT with L*a*b* values and CMYK values for multiple GCR/UCRs;
• storing the set of basis vectors on a controller-usable data carrier;
• determining a current drift state of the image output device, and
• generating an image output device active color profile associated with a the current drift state of the image output device to convert image color data for display or printing by the image output device, wherein the image output device active color profile is generated from the set of basis vectors and the current drift state of the image output device.