# US 8,132,508 B2 · Method of controlling ink film thickness on a printing plate > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,132,508 B2 - Document ID: US8132508B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/403,664 - Filed: 2006-04-13 - Published: 2007-01-04 - Granted: 2012-03-13 - Earliest claimed: 2005-04-14 - Assignees: ESKO Software BVBA - Inventors: Mark Samworth; Peter Cadogan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8132508B2 ## CPC - H04N 1/4055: {producing a clustered dots or a size modulated halftone pattern} - B41M 1/04: Flexographic printing - B41M 1/06: Lithographic printing - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - B41M: PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING, (correction of typographical errors B41J; processes for applying transfer pictures or the like B44C1/16; fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating C09D10/00; printing textiles D06P) ## Abstract A method of generating a digital AM halftone image output includes the steps of: (a) receiving a grey scale image from an image source; (b) generating an image component from the grey scale image; and (c) producing the digital AM halftone image output. The digital AM image output includes a plurality of halftone dots, each of which comprises at least one ink-receptive portion and at least one non-receptive portion. Patterns of halftone dots prepared in this manner may be sent as a digital output to an platesetter for producing a printing plate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of controlling an ink film thickness in an AM halftone region of a printing plate or an intermediate image carrier on a digital press, comprising forming in said AM halftone region a plurality of halftone dots, each of said halftone dots comprising at least a first ink-receptive ring enclosing at least one concentric non-ink-receptive portion and at least some of said halftone dots comprising at least two unconnected ink-receptive portions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said first ink-receptive ring has a width in a range from 5 to 25 microns. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said first ink-receptive ring has a width in a range from 1 to 2 pixels. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each of said halftone dots comprises at least two ink-receptive portions. ### Claim 5 A method of controlling an ink film thickness in an AM halftone region of a printing plate or an intermediate image carrier on a digital press, comprising forming in said AM halftone region a plurality of halftone dots, each of said halftone dots comprising at least a first ink-receptive ring enclosing at least one concentric non-ink-receptive portion and a central solid ink-receptive dot concentric within the first ink-receptive ring. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the central solid dot is separated from a nearest ink-receptive ring by a space in a range from 5 to 25 microns. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the central solid dot has a minimum dimension in a range from 5 to 25 microns. ### Claim 8 A method of controlling an ink film thickness in an AM halftone region of a printing plate or an intermediate image carrier on a digital press, comprising forming in said AM halftone region a plurality of halftone dots, each of said halftone dots comprising at least a first ink-receptive ring enclosing at least one concentric non-ink-receptive portion and at least a second ring within and concentric with the first ink-receptive ring. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising setting a width of one or more ink-receptive rings to a fixed predetermined value. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising setting a width of one or more non-ink-receptive portions to a predetermined value adapted to account for a specific set of plate, imaging, and printing process parameters. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising setting a width of one or more non-ink-receptive portions to a fixed predetermined value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the plurality of halftone dots comprises forming halftone dots in a region of relatively higher percent density that have an outermost ink-receptive ring that is wider than an outermost ink-receptive ring of halftone dots in a region of relatively lower percent density. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the halftone dots in the region of relatively higher percent density comprise fewer ink-receptive rings and fewer non-ink-receptive portions than do halftone dots in a region of relatively lower percent density. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the plurality of halftone dots comprises forming halftone dots in a region of relatively higher percent density that have at least one non-ink-receptive portion that is narrower than for halftone dots in a region of relatively lower percent density. ### Claim 15 A method of controlling an ink film thickness in an AM halftone region of a printing plate or an intermediate image carrier on a digital press, comprising forming in said AM halftone region a plurality of halftone dots, each of said halftone dots comprising at least a first ink-receptive ring enclosing at least one concentric non-ink-receptive portion, and in at least some of said halftone dots, at least a second ring concentric within the first ring. ### Claim 16 A method of controlling an ink film thickness in an AM halftone region of a printing plate or an intermediate image carrier on a digital press, comprising forming in said AM halftone region a plurality of halftone dots, each of said halftone dots comprising at least a first ink-receptive ring enclosing at least one concentric non-ink-receptive portion and forming as a component of at least some of said halftone dots at least a second ring concentric within the first ring, and forming as a component of at least some of said halftone dots a central solid ink-receptive dot concentric with the first ring. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the central solid dot has a minimum dimension in a range from 5 to 25 microns. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the central solid dot has a minimum dimension in a range from 5 to 25 microns. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising forming from 1 to 6 additional ink-receptive rings concentric with the first ink-receptive ring for at least some of said halftone dots. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the printing plate or intermediate image carrier is a lithographic printing plate. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of halftone dots in the halftone region comprises halftone dots covering a range of percent density values, the halftone dots in said range being defined by a contour profile. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of halftone dots in the halftone region comprises halftone dots covering a range of percent density values, the halftone dots in said range being defined by a ramp profile. ### Claim 23 A method of generating a digital AM halftone image output, the method comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a grey scale image produced by an image source; (b) generating an image component from the grey scale image; and (c) producing the digital halftone image output; wherein the digital AM halftone image output comprises a plurality of halftone dots each comprising at least one ink-receptive ring enclosing at least one concentric non-ink-receptive portion and at least some of said halftone dots comprising at least two unconnected ink-receptive portions. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the profile defining the range of percent density values, the halftone dots in said range being defined by a ramp profile. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the plurality of halftone dots in the halftone region comprises halftone dots covering a range of percent density values, the halftone dots in said range being defined by a contour profile. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein said first ring has a width in a range from 5 to 25 microns. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein said first ring has a width in a range from 1 to 2 pixels. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein each of said halftone dots comprises at least two ink-receptive portions. ### Claim 29 A method of generating a digital AM halftone image output, the method comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a grey scale image produced by an image source; (b) generating an image component from the grey scale image; and (c) producing the digital halftone image output; wherein the digital AM halftone image output comprises a plurality of halftone dots each comprising at least one ink-receptive ring enclosing at least one concentric non-ink-receptive portion and a central solid dot within and concentric with the first ink-receptive ring. ### Claim 30 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising forming at least a second ring within and concentric with the first ink-receptive ring. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, further comprising forming from 1-6 additional rings concentric with the first ink-receptive ring for at least some of said halftone dots. ### Claim 32 (depends on 1) A printing plate prepared by the method of claim 1. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The printing plate of claim 32, wherein the printing plate is a lithographic printing plate. ### Claim 34 (depends on 32) The printing plate of claim 32, wherein the printing plate is a flexographic printing plate. ### Claim 35 A computer readable medium comprising computer readable code, wherein the code is adapted to generate a digital AM halftone image output comprising a plurality of halftone dots each comprising at least one ink-receptive ring enclosing at least one concentric non-receptive portion and at least some of said halftone dots comprising at least two unconnected ink-receptive portions. ### Claim 36 A computer readable medium comprising an encoded digital AM halftone image output, said output comprising a plurality of halftone dots each comprising a first ink-receptive ring enclosing at least one concentric non-ink-receptive portion and at least some of said halftone dots comprising at least two unconnected ink-receptive portions. ### Claim 37 A method of controlling an ink film thickness in an AM halftone region of a printing plate or intermediate image carrier on a digital press, the method comprising forming in said AM halftone region a plurality of halftone dots, each of said halftone dots comprising at least one ink-receptive ring enclosing at least one concentric non-ink-receptive portion and at least some of said halftone dots comprising at least two unconnected ink-receptive portions, wherein the plurality of halftone dots provides a range of percent density values selected from a continuum of possible density values defined by an algorithm, said algorithm providing a minimum possible density value of zero and a maximum possible density value of at least 95%. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, in which the maximum possible density is at least 98%. ### Claim 39 A computer readable medium comprising computer readable code, wherein the code is adapted to generate a digital AM halftone image output comprising a plurality of halftone dots each comprising at least one ink-receptive ring enclosing at least one concentric non-ink-receptive portion and at least some of said halftone dots comprising at least two unconnected ink-receptive portions, wherein the plurality of halftone dots provides a range of percent density values selected from a continuum of possible density values defined by an algorithm, said algorithm providing a minimum possible density value of zero and a maximum possible density value of at least 95. ### Claim 40 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of halftone dots in the halftone region comprise halftone dots covering a range of percent density values, the halftone dots in said range defined by a progression profile in which each halftone dot in a first region of relatively low percent density consists of a single solid ink-receptive portion, each halftone dot in a second region of relatively high percent density consists of a single solid non-ink-receptive portion contained with a single ink-receptive portion, and halftone dots in a third region intermediate the first and second regions comprise the first ink-receptive ring enclosing the at least one concentric non-ink-receptive portion.