System and method to ensure uniform level of color of a distributed print job among multiple printers in a print shop

A system for ensuring uniform level of color of distributed print jobs among a plurality of printers, the system comprising:

• at least two printers, each of the at least two printers comprising:
• an in-line spectrophotometer configured to read a color validation chart, the color validation chart having one or more color patches;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• acquire a validation result on a color validation chart from the in-line spectrophotometer, wherein the validation result compares a color accuracy of each of the one or more color patches from the color validation chart to a target color;
• and
• a server which is connected to the plurality of printers, the server comprising:
• a processor configured to:
• receive a request relating to a print job;
• determine whether the received print job is a split job, which can be split amongst the plurality of the printers;
• instruct to the at least two printers so that color validation and/or color calibration is performed based on a second criterion by using the in-line spectrophotometer, wherein the second criterion causes color validation and/or color calibration at each of the each filtered at least two printers to be performed earlier than the first criterion.

A method for ensuring uniform level of color of distributed print jobs among a plurality of printers, wherein each of the plurality of printers is configured to conduct color validation and/or color calibration based on a first criterion, the method comprising:

• receiving, from a client computer, a request relating to a print job;
• determining whether the received print job is a split job, which can be split amongst the plurality of the printers;
• filtering at least two printers each having an in-line spectrophotometer from the plurality of printers;
• and
• instructing to the each filtered at least two printers so that color validation and/or color calibration is performed based on a second criterion by using the in-line spectrophotometer, wherein the second criterion causes color validation and/or color calibration at each of the each filtered at least two printers to be performed earlier than the first criterion.