Color management and calibration using a scanner or camera

A computer-implemented method for color profiling of a scanning device, wherein the method is implemented in a computer system comprising one or more processors configured to execute one or more computer program modules, the method comprising:

• measuring at least one color patch in a test print, which is produced by an output device based on a fixed test pattern and comprising a predetermined set of colors, using the scanning device to obtain first image data, the first image data providing a measured color representation of the at least one color patch in a scanning device dependent color space;
• measuring the same at least one color patch in the test print using a reference instrument to obtain second image data, the second image data providing a measured color representation of the at least one color patch in a device independent color space;
• transforming the first image data to a first estimated image data, the first estimated image data providing an estimated color representation of the first image data in the device independent color space;
• determining a difference between the second image data and the first estimated image data for correcting inaccuracies introduced when the first image data is transformed into the first estimated image data, wherein the determined difference is for the same at least one color patch in the test print;
• and
• calculating, for each color patch in the test print, a corrected image data by adding the determined difference to a subsequent estimated image data from the scanning device, wherein the calculating the corrected image data comprises:
• (a) measuring the at least one color patch in another test print, produced by the output device based on the same fixed test pattern, using the scanning device to obtain third image data, the third image data providing a measured color representation of the at least one color patch in the scanning device dependent color space, and the third image data being different from the first image data and being produced at the same output device at a different time;
• (b) transforming the third image data to the subsequent estimated image data, the third estimated image data providing an estimated color representation of the third image data in the device independent color space;
• and
• (c) adding the determined difference of the at least one color patch to the subsequent estimated image data to obtain the corrected image data for that at least one color patch.