Minimizing visual variations in multi-lane print outputs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10706338-B2
Application number	US-201616096605-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2016
Priority date	Jul 18, 2016
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

In an example, an apparatus is described that includes a vision system and an image correction module. The vision system captures an image of a multi-lane print output. The image correction module receives the image of the multi-lane print output from the vision system and calculates a calibration to image data from which the multi-lane output is printed. The calibration minimizes visual variations between the multi-lane print output and a reference image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a vision system for capturing an image of a multi-lane print output printed on a web; and
an image correction module for
detecting a visual variation in a lane of a print output, wherein the lane comprises a plurality of ribbons, and wherein each ribbon of the plurality of ribbons comprises a plurality of copies of an image that repeat in a cross-web direction,
for calculating a calibration for a first ribbon of the plurality of ribbons that makes the visual variation less visible; and
for adjusting unique image data from which the first ribbon is printed according to the calibration without adjusting unique image data from which a second ribbon of the plurality of ribbons is printed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the printing device is a packaging web press.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a print engine for printing the multi-lane print output on a web using the adjusted unique image data for the first ribbon.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vision system is communicatively coupled directly to the image correction module.

5. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a processor, the machine-readable storage medium comprising:
instructions to detect a visual variation in a lane of a print output printed on a web, wherein the lane comprises a plurality of ribbons, and wherein each ribbon of the plurality of ribbons comprises a plurality of copies of an image that repeat in a cross-web direction;
instructions to calculate a calibration for a first ribbon of the plurality of ribbons that makes the visual variation less visible; and
instructions to adjust unique image data from which the first ribbon is printed according to the calibration without adjusting unique image data from which a second ribbon of the plurality of ribbons is printed.

6. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the visual variation is relative to a reference image.

7. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the unique image data from which the first ribbon is printed comprises a compressed image file.

8. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the instructions to adjust the unique image data from which the first ribbon is printed comprise:
instructions to change a cell in the compressed image file to an adjacent cell having a saturation level that is one saturation level different from a current saturation level of the cell.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the unique image data from which the first ribbon is printed comprises uncompressed rasterized image data.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions to calculate the calibration comprise:
instructions to calculate an average of a metric across the plurality of copies of the image repeating across the first ribbon.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions to adjust the unique image data from which the first ribbon is printed comprise:
instructions to calibrate portions of the unique image data corresponding to each copy of the plurality of copies of the image to the average.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions to adjust the unique image data from which the first ribbon is printed comprise:
instructions to calibrate portions of the unique image data corresponding to each copy of the plurality of copies of the image to an inverse transform computed from the average.

13. A method, comprising:
detecting a visual variation in a lane of a print output printed on a web, wherein the lane comprises a plurality of ribbons, and wherein each ribbon of the plurality of ribbons comprises a plurality of copies of an image that repeat in a cross-web direction;
calculating a calibration for a first ribbon of the plurality of ribbons that makes the visual variation less visible; and
adjusting unique image data from which the first ribbon is printed by according to the calibration without adjusting unique image data from which a second ribbon of the plurality of ribbons is printed.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein a calibration intent for the lane of the print output differs from a calibration intent for another lane of the same print output.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Perdicaro Frank E
• Macclary Matthew Alan

Classifications

• H04N1/6033

  using test pattern analysis (H04N1/6055 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N1/409

  Edge or detail enhancement; Noise or error suppression · CPC title

• B41J3/62

  for printing on two or more separate sheets or strips of printing material {being conveyed simultaneously to or through the printing zone} (B41J3/54 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06K15/022

  for printing on continuous media, e.g. tapes · CPC title

• G06K15/027 Primary

  Test patterns and calibration (arrangements for controlling or analysing printing mechanisms of typewriters or selective printing units B41J29/393 takes precedence; colour correction using test pattern analysis in general H04N1/6033) · CPC title