Natural ink limit encoding for digital color managed workflow systems

A processor-implemented method for limiting ink output of marked image data using a target printer associated with at least one processor for processing documents containing image data comprising a plurality of pixels, the method comprising the following acts implemented by the at least one processor:

• receiving image data of a document comprising a plurality of pixels;
• determining an initial output LUT node data set for outputting the image data using the target printer, the initial output LUT node set being based on a first ICC profile comprising a first gamut for the target printer;
• encoding the initial output LUT node data set for output using the target printer;
• selecting a second ICC profile of a different printer comprising a smaller gamut than the first gamut of the first ICC profile of the target printer;
• further encoding the encoded output LUT node data set by using the selected second ICC profile to determine an encoded emulation data set for output using the smaller gamut of the second ICC profile;
• and
• determining a constrained output LUT node data set for outputting the image data using the target printer to thereby mark the image data using a limited amount of ink,
• wherein the constrained output LUT node set is determined by re-encoding the encoded emulation output data set for output via the target printer, thereby constraining the first gamut of the determined initial output LUT node set by the smaller gamut.

A system for processing image data comprising:

• an input device for receiving a document containing image data, the image data comprising a plurality of pixels;
• at least one processing element for processing the pixels of the image data;
• and
• an output device for outputting the document,
• wherein the at least one processing element is configured to:
• receive image data of the document;
• process the image data;
• determine CMYK values from an output LUT for outputting the image data using a gamut associated with an ICC profile of the output device;
• encode the CMYK values for outputting the image data with the output device;
• using a second ICC profile with a smaller gamut that is different than the gamut associated with the ICC profile of the output device, determine constrained CMYK values from the encoded CMYK values;
• encode the constrained CMYK values;
• and determine constrained CMYK values for outputting the image data using the output device by re-encoding the encoded constrained CMYK values to constrain the gamut of the ICC profile based on the smaller gamut.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored computer executable instructions, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed by a computer, direct a computer to perform a method for limiting ink output of marked image data using a target printer, the method comprising:

• receiving image data of a document comprising a plurality of pixels;
• determining an initial output LUT node data set for outputting the image data using the target printer, the initial output LUT node set being based on a first ICC profile comprising a first gamut for the target printer;
• encoding the initial output LUT node data set for output using the target printer;
• selecting a second ICC profile of a different printer comprising a smaller gamut than the first gamut of the first ICC profile of the target printer;
• further encoding the encoded output LUT node data set by using the selected second ICC profile to determine an encoded emulation data set for output using the smaller gamut of the second ICC profile;
• and
• determining a constrained output LUT node data set for outputting the image data using the target printer to thereby mark the image data using a limited amount of ink,
• wherein the constrained output LUT node set is determined by re-encoding the encoded emulation output data set for output via the target printer, thereby constraining the first gamut of the determined initial output LUT node set by the smaller gamut.