JP2010232842A - Color processing apparatus, and color processing program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a color processing apparatus and a color processing program, capable of determining disagreement between a device signal value outputted to a device and a device signal value at actual printing. <P>SOLUTION: The color processing apparatus includes an evaluation color total setting means for setting an evaluation color total value, an evaluation total setting means for setting a predetermined evaluation total value in which total of use percentage of respective one or more colors is different from the evaluation color total value; a prediction means for predicting a colorimetric value for printing at an evaluation use percentages of each of one or more colors which correspond to a total value representing the evaluation color total value, based on device characteristic information corresponding to the evaluation total value; a colorimetric value acquiring means for acquiring a colorimetric value representing the actual color printed by the device at the evaluation use percentage; and a determination means for determining the compatibility of the device characteristic information based on the color difference between the actual colorimetric value which is an acquired colorimetric value and the prediction colorimetric value which is a predicted colorimetric value. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a color processing apparatus and a color processing program.

  Like the technique described in Patent Document 1, in order to generate a color conversion parameter, device characteristic data of a reproduced color with respect to a device color signal is necessary. If this device characteristic data cannot be obtained properly, the quality of the generated color conversion parameters will also deteriorate.

  In order to obtain the appropriate device characteristic data, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2 provides a means for examining the acquired colorimetric data to detect a defect in the colorimetric data. Further, in Patent Document 3, when work is performed using a plurality of colorimeters, an error between colorimeters is reduced in order to reduce an error in colorimetric values caused by an error between colorimeters. We have proposed a method for grasping and deriving correction formulas and managing measured values.

  Furthermore, in order to prevent the occurrence of color measurement errors due to measurement errors in recent simple colorimeters, Patent Document 4 determines the validity of colorimetric values by measuring multiple times with a scan-type colorimeter. And Patent Document 5 proposes a method of judging the correctness by comparing a measured value with a reference value in a manual colorimeter measurement.

JP-A-6-169391 JP 2002-290756 A JP 2004-354196 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-61962 JP 2006-258683 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a color processing apparatus and a color processing program capable of determining incompatibility between a device signal value output to a device and a device signal value at the time of actual printing.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is obtained by measuring the usage ratio of each of one or more predetermined colors and the color actually printed on the device by the usage ratio. Storage means for storing device characteristic information associated with colorimetric values, evaluation color total amount value setting means for setting an evaluation color total amount value, and the sum of the usage ratios of each of one or more colors is the evaluation color. Corresponding to the total amount value indicating the evaluation color total amount value from the evaluation total amount value setting means for setting a predetermined evaluation total amount value that is a total amount value different from the total amount value, and the device characteristic information corresponding to the evaluation total amount value Predicting means for predicting a colorimetric value when printing is performed with each evaluation usage ratio of one or more colors, and colorimetry for acquiring a colorimetric value indicating an actual color printed with the device based on the evaluation usage ratio Value acquisition means and the colorimetric value acquisition means Determining means for determining the suitability of the device characteristic information based on the color difference between the measured color value obtained by the color measurement value and the color difference between the predicted color measurement value predicted by the prediction means. Have.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the determination unit is configured to determine the two evaluations determined based on a color difference for each of two different evaluation color total amount values set by the evaluation color total amount value setting unit. When the physical quantity indicating the similarity of the color difference with respect to the total color quantity value is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold value, it is determined that the device characteristic information is suitable.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the evaluation total amount value setting means changes the evaluation total amount value from the predetermined evaluation total amount value E (1) to a maximum total amount value E (n) ( The evaluation color total amount value setting means sets the evaluation color total amount value setting means by the evaluation total amount value setting means (k is a value from 1 to n-1). The evaluation color total amount values E (k + 1) and E (k + 2) are set for the integer) and E (k + 1), respectively, and the determination means sets the evaluation color total amount value set by the setting means. When the color difference with respect to E (k + 1) (k is an integer from 1 to n−1) and the physical quantity indicating the similarity of the color difference with respect to the evaluation color total amount value E (k + 2) are equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, the device It is determined that the characteristic information is compatible.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 4 is obtained by measuring the usage ratio of each of one or more predetermined colors and the color actually printed on the device by the usage ratio. A storage unit that stores device characteristic information associated with the colorimetric value, and a maximum total amount value that maximizes the total amount value that is the sum of the use ratios of the respective colors, from the device characteristic information recorded by the storage unit. Each of the one or more colors corresponding to the total amount value that is greater than the maximum total amount value acquired by the maximum total amount value acquiring unit, and the sum of the usage ratio of each of the one or more colors is acquired. First prediction means for predicting a first predicted colorimetric value, which is a colorimetric value when printed by the device according to an evaluation usage rate, from the device characteristic information, and a sum of the usage rates of each of the one or more colors are: Smaller than the maximum total value A second prediction which is a colorimetric value when the device is printed with the evaluation usage ratio to a total amount value larger than the maximum total amount value acquired by the maximum total amount value acquisition unit from the device characteristic information corresponding to the total amount value. A second prediction unit that predicts a colorimetric value; a determination unit that determines whether or not the device characteristic information is compatible based on a color difference between the first predicted colorimetric value and the second predicted colorimetric value; Have.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that a computer, an evaluation color total amount value setting means for setting an evaluation color total amount value, and a sum of usage ratios of each of one or more colors are calculated as the evaluation color total amount value. An evaluation total amount value setting means for setting a predetermined evaluation total amount value that is a total amount value different from the above, a usage ratio of each of one or more predetermined colors, and the actual usage ratio printed by the device Of the device characteristic information associated with the colorimetric value obtained by measuring the color, 1 corresponding to the total value indicating the evaluation color total value from the device characteristic information corresponding to the evaluation total value Predicting means for predicting a colorimetric value when printed according to the evaluation usage ratio of each of the above colors, and a colorimetric value for acquiring a colorimetric value indicating an actual color printed by the device according to the evaluation usage ratio Acquisition means and the colorimetric value acquisition A determination unit that determines suitability of the device characteristic information based on a color difference between an actual measurement color value acquired by the stage and a color difference of a predicted color measurement value that is a color measurement value predicted by the prediction unit; It is a color processing program for making it function.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 6 is a computer that measures the usage ratio of each of one or more predetermined colors and the color actually printed on the device by the usage ratio. Maximum total amount value acquisition means for acquiring a maximum total amount value that maximizes the total amount value that is the sum of the usage ratios of the respective colors, from the device characteristic information associated with the obtained colorimetric values, and one or more colors Colorimetry when printing is performed by the device with each evaluation usage ratio of one or more colors corresponding to a total amount value larger than the maximum total amount value acquired by the maximum total amount value acquisition unit. A first prediction unit that predicts a first predicted colorimetric value, which is a value, from the device characteristic information, and the device characteristic corresponding to a total amount value in which the sum of the usage ratios of each of the one or more colors is smaller than the maximum total amount value From the information, the above A second prediction unit that predicts a second predicted colorimetric value that is a colorimetric value when the device is printed on the total amount value that is larger than the maximum total amount value acquired by the total amount value acquisition unit according to an evaluation usage ratio; A color processing program for functioning as a determination unit that determines whether or not the device characteristic information is suitable based on a color difference between a first predicted colorimetric value and the second predicted colorimetric value.

  According to the first, fourth, fifth, and sixth aspects of the invention, compared to the case where the present invention is not applied, the colorimetric value predicted using the device characteristic information and the actual measurement value are compared. By comparing the color value, it is possible to determine the incompatibility between the device signal value output to the device and the device signal value at the time of actual printing.

  According to the invention of claim 2, it is possible to accurately determine the nonconformity by using the physical quantity indicating the similarity of the color difference with respect to the two evaluation total amount values determined based on the color difference with respect to each of the two different evaluation total amount values. Become.

  According to the invention of claim 3, by setting the evaluation total value step by step, the colorimetric value predicted using the device characteristic information is compared with the actual colorimetric value, and output to the device. It becomes possible to determine incompatibility between the device signal value and the device signal value at the time of actual printing. Further, even if it is not known from the device signal value in the device characteristic information where the influence of the total amount limitation appears, whether or not the evaluation total amount value is set step by step as in claim 3 Can be determined.

It is a figure which shows the structure of a color processing apparatus. It is a figure which shows device characteristic information. It is a figure which shows the user interface which can select device characteristic information. It is a figure which shows the case where nonconformity arises. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a determination process (case 1). It is a flowchart which shows the flow of an average color difference dE calculation process. It is a figure which shows each data group. It is a figure which shows the reproduction color (colorimetric value) and color difference which were estimated. It is a graph which shows the example of an error of an average color difference. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a determination process (case 2: the 1). It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a determination process (case 2: the 2). It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a determination process (case 2: the 3).

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  First, the configuration of the color processing apparatus 10 will be described with reference to FIG. The color processing apparatus 10 includes a CPU 18, an HDD 20, a RAM 22, a network I / F unit 24, a ROM 26, a display unit 28, an operation input unit 30, and a bus 32.

  The CPU 18 governs the overall operation of the color processing apparatus 10, and a flowchart showing processing of the color processing apparatus 10 described later is executed by the CPU 18. The HDD 20 is a non-volatile storage device in which an OS (Operating System), a color processing program, and the like are recorded.

  In particular, in the present embodiment, device characteristic information is stored in the HDD 20.

  The RAM 22 is a volatile storage device in which the OS, programs, data, and the like are expanded. As shown in the figure, the network I / F unit 24 is for connecting to a printer 36 and a color measuring device 34, and is composed of a NIC (Network Interface Card), a USB (Universal Serial Bus), and its driver. Is done.

  The ROM 26 is a non-volatile storage device that stores a boot program that operates when the color processing apparatus 10 is started. The display unit 28 displays information regarding the color processing apparatus 10 to the operator. The operation input unit 30 is used when an operator inputs operations and information of the color processing apparatus 10. The bus 32 is used when information is exchanged.

  From the color processing apparatus 10 to the printer 36, 0% to 100% at maximum can be designated for each of CMYK (Cyan Magenta Yellow Black), which are a plurality of predetermined colors in the present embodiment. Therefore, the total value is 400 (%) at the maximum.

  In addition, the color measurement device 34 outputs a color measurement value obtained by measuring the color printed by the printer 36 to the color processing device 10. In the case of the present embodiment, the colorimetric values are output as L * a * b *, and the color processing apparatus 10 uses the CMYK usage ratios and the L * a * b * values obtained by measuring the printed colors. Values can be stored in association with each other.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the device characteristic information. As shown in FIG. 2, the device characteristic information is printed by the device (the printer 36 in this embodiment) according to the usage ratio of each of one or more predetermined colors (CMYK) and the usage ratio. This is information in which colorimetric values obtained by measuring colors are associated with each other. This device characteristic information is stored as a file. In this embodiment, the device is stored in the color processing apparatus 10 itself. However, the device characteristic information is stored in another apparatus capable of exchanging information with the color processing apparatus 10. It may be stored.

  In the figure, for example, the colorimetric values when printed by the printer 36 with C = 0, M = 3, Y = 0, K = 0 in the third row are L * = 93.3, a * = 1.6. , B * =-1.9. The total value (TAC) at this time is 3 because it is the sum of CMYK. Since the total amount value is a sum, there are one or more combinations of CMYK corresponding to a certain sum.

  Since the device characteristic information depends on the printer 36, it is prepared for each printer. The operator can also create device characteristic information by himself.

  From the above circumstances, as shown in FIG. 3, a user interface capable of selecting device characteristic information may be provided. As shown in the figure, this user interface displays the profile by selecting the printer model and pattern data from the pull-down menu and reading the file describing the colorimetric values corresponding to this pattern data from the reference screen. Have a function. In this case, the device characteristic information is composed of a combination of pattern data that is a set of device signal values and colorimetric values corresponding to the pattern data, and the profile is generated from the device characteristic information as a file including a color conversion table. , Saved with the file name displayed here.

  Hereinafter, the color processing according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to a flowchart or the like. Prior to this description, the total amount limitation will be described.

  When the color processing apparatus 10 that gives a print instruction and the printer 36 are independent as in the present embodiment, as described above, a known device signal is used for the color processing apparatus 10 to grasp the device characteristics of the printer 36. A color patch having a value (each value of CMYK) is output to the printer 36 and colorimetrically obtained to obtain a colorimetric value.

  However, when the total amount is limited in the printer 36, the printer 36 changes and outputs the device signal value so that the given device signal value falls within the total amount limit. Therefore, the color processing apparatus 10 cannot obtain accurate device characteristic data, and a problem may occur when each ratio of CMYK instructing printing is generated.

  Further, even when the color processing apparatus 10 and the printer 36 are linked and the color processing apparatus 10 corrects the device signal value by a method equivalent to the total amount limiting process in consideration of the total amount limitation of the target printer 36, the operator If the total amount restriction function is invalidated during printing, the device signal value assumed by the color processing apparatus 10 and the device signal value when actually printed will be inconsistent. That is, the device characteristic information becomes incompatible.

  There are two specific cases where the device characteristic information is incompatible. Case 1 is a case where the total amount limit value at the time of actual output is smaller than the maximum total amount of device signal values. Case 2 is a case where the total amount limit value at the time of actual output is larger than the maximum total amount of device signal values.

  The above two cases will be described with reference to FIG. First, as an example of case 1, C = 80, M = 50, Y = 80, K = 40, TAC = 250 (this device signal value is C11), and C = 100, M = 60 shown in FIG. , Y = 100, K = 40, TAC = 300 (this device signal value is C12), the device signal value described in the device characteristic information is a value that does not consider the total amount limitation at all. In actual printing, there is a case where the total amount of the printer 36 is limited and the output is limited to a maximum of 250%. In this case, C11 is printed as L * = 25.6, a * = − 14.4, b * = 8.1, and C12 is L * = 25.8, a * = − 15.9, b * = 8.6, and although the total value is 250 and 300, it is printed as a very close color.

  On the other hand, as an example of case 2, C = 80, M = 50, Y = 80, K = 40 shown in the figure, TAC = 250 (this device signal value is C21), and C = 81, M = 48, Y = 81, K = 40, TAC = 250 (This device signal value is C22). The total amount is limited by the printer 36, and the maximum total amount is limited to 250%. In actual output, the operator may disable the total amount limiting function of the printer 36. In this case, C21 is printed as L * = 25.6, a * = − 14.4, b * = 8.1, and C12 is L * = 19.2, a * = − 21.6, b * = 10.2 is printed, and the total value is 250, and the device signal value should be very close, but it is printed in a very different color.

  Processing for determining non-conformance of device characteristic information caused by the above two cases will be described using a flowchart.

  First, a process for determining whether or not a nonconformity has occurred due to case 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In addition, the process of the flowchart demonstrated below is a process performed by CPU18.

  First, in step 101, an evaluation color total amount value eCT is set. This evaluation color total amount value is a target for which a colorimetric value is to be predicted.

  Next, in step 102, a predetermined evaluation total amount value eT is set in which the sum of the usage ratios of one or more colors is a total amount value different from the evaluation color total amount value eCT. In the case of this flowchart, the total evaluation value is 100. The “predetermined total evaluation value eT” is a value that is considered not to cause incompatibility with device characteristic information equal to or less than eT. Therefore, in the above step 102, the value is set to 100, which is a value that does not provide a total amount limit in a normal printer.

  In the next step 103, the average color difference dE is calculated. This process is a process of calculating dE using eT, and details will be described later. In step 104, dE calculated in step 103 is substituted for dE0. In step 105, eT is incremented by 10. In the present embodiment, the value for the stepwise evaluation is set to 10, but is not limited to this.

  Thereafter, the average color difference dE is calculated again at step 106, and the dE calculated at step 106 is substituted into dE1 at step 107. In step 108, it is determined whether or not the absolute value of the difference between dE1 and dE0 is greater than a predetermined threshold value TH.

  If an affirmative determination is made in step 108, it is determined in step 111 that there is an unknown total amount limitation in device characteristic information whose total amount is equal to or greater than eT, and the process ends. In this case, it is determined that the device characteristic information is not compatible.

  On the other hand, if a negative determination is made in step 108, it is determined in step 109 whether or not eT is equal to eCT, that is, whether or not processing has been performed up to the maximum total amount value. If a negative determination is made, dE0 is set in step 112. dE1 is substituted, and the process returns to step 105 again.

  On the other hand, if a positive determination is made in step 110, it is determined in step 110 that there is no unknown total amount restriction, and the process ends. In this case, it is determined that the device characteristic information is compatible.

  As described above, the physical quantity indicating the similarity of the color difference with respect to the two evaluation color total quantity values in the present embodiment is | dE1-dE0 |, and it is determined that the device characteristic information is suitable when it is equal to or less than TH. It has become.

  In the present embodiment, it is determined whether or not the average color difference dE calculated in step 103 is larger than a predetermined threshold value. If the average color difference dE is equal to or smaller than the threshold value, it is determined that the device characteristic information is suitable. You may do it.

  In any case, the suitability of the device characteristic information is determined based on the color difference between the obtained actual color value, which is the colorimetric value, and the predicted colorimetric value, which is the predicted colorimetric value.

  Next, the average color difference dE calculation process will be described with reference to FIGS. 6, 7, and 8. First, in step 201 of FIG. 6, a data group D1 of eT or less is extracted from the device characteristic information.

  In the present embodiment, since eT is 100, a data group having a total value of 100 or less is D1 as shown in FIG. This D1 is device characteristic information corresponding to the total amount value in which the sum of the usage ratios of the plurality of colors is smaller than the set evaluation total amount value.

  In the next step 202, an eCT data group D2 is extracted from the device characteristic information. In this case, since eT = 100, a group formed by device signal values whose total amount is 110 is D2. In step 203, a reproduction color corresponding to D2 is predicted using D1. That is, from the device characteristic information corresponding to the evaluation total amount value, the colorimetric value when printing is performed with the evaluation usage ratio of each of one or more colors corresponding to the total amount value indicating the evaluation color total amount value is predicted. This prediction can be performed using regression analysis or a neural network.

  An example of the prediction result is shown in FIG. This prediction result corresponds to D2, as described above.

  Returning to the description of the flowchart, in the next step 204, the colorimetric device 34 obtains a colorimetric value indicating the actual color printed by the printer 36 based on the evaluation usage ratio.

  In the next step 205, the color difference between the colorimetric value corresponding to D2 and the predicted reproduction color is calculated. In this embodiment, the value is relatively small as shown in FIG. From this color difference, the average color difference dE is calculated in step 206 and the processing is terminated (dE = 0.75 in the case of FIG. 8).

  The above is the processing related to case 1, but as shown in this processing, using data of the evaluation total amount value (E (1): for example, 100%) or less in the device characteristic information, it is slightly larger than the total amount value. Data of the evaluation color total amount value (100% -120%) is predicted, and the color difference between the colorimetric value and the predicted reproduction color is calculated.

  Further, the evaluation total amount value is slightly increased (E (2): 110%, for example), and data of an evaluation color total amount value (110% -130%) slightly larger than the total amount value is predicted using data less than that.

  This process is repeated as in the flowchart shown in FIG. In the flowchart of FIG. 5, the value assigned to eT in step 102 and step 105 is E (k). Specifically, E (k) = E (1) + 10 × (k−1).

  In this way, the evaluation total amount value is set stepwise from a predetermined evaluation total amount value E (1) to the maximum total amount value E (n) (n is an integer), and is set by the evaluation total amount value setting means. Evaluation color total value E (k + 1) and E (k + 2) are set for evaluation total value E (k) (k is an integer from 1 to n-1) and E (k + 1), respectively. , A threshold value in which a physical quantity indicating a similarity between a color difference with respect to the set evaluation color total amount value E (k + 1) (k is an integer from 1 to n−1) and a color difference with respect to the evaluation color total amount value E (k + 2) is determined in advance. In the following cases, it may be determined that the device characteristic information is compatible.

  Only the data of the low total amount value that seems not to be affected by the total amount restriction is used, and the data immediately outside it is predicted by extrapolation prediction. Usually, the data immediately outside is continuously changing with the same tendency as the data group of the low total amount value, so that extrapolation prediction can be performed with a small error. However, if the total amount is limited at the time of actual output, as shown in FIG. 9, since the data change tendency changes discontinuously at the total amount value (255 in FIG. 9), the extrapolation prediction error Will increase. Continuing the above repetition, the error suddenly increases as shown in the figure when the total amount value with the total amount restriction is predicted, so it was not fit by judging this with a predetermined threshold value The actual total amount limit value can be estimated.

  Next, a process for determining whether or not a nonconformity occurs due to the case 2 will be described. Of the three processes for determining whether or not a nonconformity due to case 2 described below has occurred, in part 1 and part 2, the maximum total value of the device signal values in the device characteristic information is obtained. In case 2, the device signal value is subject to some total amount restriction, and the maximum total amount value corresponds to the total amount restriction value. Originally, the colors whose total device signal value exceeds the total amount limit value are all converted in the vicinity of the total amount limit value (because there is an error in the limit processing, it does not necessarily become the limit value). In other words, the data in the vicinity of the maximum total amount value in the device characteristic information is data that was originally greater than or equal to the total amount limit value, and if a nonconformity occurs, the colorimetry of the color that was actually output without being restricted A value is associated.

  First, the determination process (part 1) of case 2 shown in FIG. 10 will be described. In this process, data near the maximum total amount is predicted using data other than the vicinity of the maximum total amount value, the color difference from the colorimetric value is calculated, and the size is determined.

  First, in step 301, maximum total amount information Tm that maximizes the sum of the respective usage ratios is acquired from the device characteristic information. In the next step 302, the evaluation total amount value eT is set to Tm-10. In step 303, Tm is set as the evaluation color total amount value eCT.

  In the next step 304, the above average color difference dE calculation process is performed, and in step 305, it is determined whether dE> TH.

  If an affirmative determination is made in step 305, it is determined in step 307 that there is a total amount limit that is not Tm. In this case, it is determined that the device characteristic information is not compatible.

  On the other hand, if a negative determination is made in step 305, it is determined in step 306 that there is no unknown total amount limit. In this case, it is determined that the device characteristic information is compatible.

  Next, the determination process (part 2) of case 2 shown in FIG. 11 will be described. First, in step 401, the maximum total amount value Tm that maximizes the sum of the respective usage ratios is acquired from the device characteristic information. Next, in step 402, a predetermined evaluation total amount value eT which is a total amount value equal to or less than the maximum total amount value is set. In the case of this flowchart, the total evaluation value is 100. The “predetermined total evaluation value eT” is a value that is considered not to cause incompatibility with device characteristic information equal to or less than eT. Therefore, in step 402 above, the value is set to 100, which is a value that does not limit the total amount in a normal printer.

  In the next step 403, the evaluation color total amount value eCT is set to Tm-20. Here, Tm-20 is used, but it is not limited to 20.

  In the next step 404, the average color difference dE is calculated. In step 405, dE calculated in step 404 is substituted for dE0. In step 406, Tm is substituted for eT.

  Thereafter, in step 407, the evaluation color total amount value eCT is set to Tm-20. In step 408, the average color difference dE is calculated again, and the dE calculated in step 408 is substituted into dE1 in step 409. In step 410, it is determined whether or not the absolute value of the difference between dE1 and dE0 is greater than a predetermined threshold value TH.

  If an affirmative determination is made in step 410, it is determined in step 412 that there is a total amount restriction where the total amount is not Tm, and the process is terminated. In this case, it is determined that the device characteristic information is not compatible.

  On the other hand, if a negative determination is made in step 410, it is determined in step 413 that there is no unknown total amount restriction, and the process is terminated. In this case, it is determined that the device characteristic information is compatible.

  Next, the determination process (part 3) in case 2 shown in FIG. 12 will be described. This process predicts a color slightly outside the maximum total amount value by using data other than the vicinity of the maximum total amount value and data including the vicinity of the maximum total amount value. If the device signal value is matched data, the difference between the two predicted values is not so large. However, when there is a mismatch in the device signal value, the maximum total amount vicinity data includes variation, and thus the difference between the predicted values increases when the data is included and when the data is not included. This difference is determined by a predetermined threshold value.

  First, in step 501, maximum total amount information Tm is acquired from device characteristic information. In the next step 502, eCT is set to Tm + 50. Here, Tm + 50 is used, but it is not limited to 50. In step 503, an evaluation device signal value group eCMYK in which the total value is eCT is generated. In this eCMYK, for example, a device signal value group corresponding to D2 is generated separately from the device characteristic information.

  In the next step 504, Tm is substituted for eT, and in step 505, the reproduction color corresponding to eCMYK is predicted using the device characteristic information whose total value is Tm or less (predicted color A). That is, in step 505, the first colorimetric value (prediction) when the sum of the usage ratios of each of the plurality of colors is printed with the evaluation usage ratio of each of the plurality of colors corresponding to the total amount value larger than the maximum total amount value. Color A) is predicted from device characteristic information.

  In the next step 506, Tm-10 is substituted for eT, and in step 507, a reproduction color corresponding to eCMYK is predicted using a prediction data group whose total value is Tm-10 (predicted color B).

  In the next step 508, the color difference is calculated from the predicted colors A and B, and the average color difference dE is calculated from the color difference calculated in step 509. In step 510, it is determined whether dE> TH. If an affirmative determination is made in step 510, it is determined in step 512 that there is a total amount restriction that is not Tm, and the process ends. In this case, it is determined that the device characteristic information is not compatible.

  On the other hand, if a negative determination is made in step 510, it is determined in step 511 that there is no unknown total amount restriction, and the process is terminated. In this case, it is determined that the device characteristic information is compatible.

  The processing flow of each flowchart described above is an example, and the processing order may be changed, new steps may be added, or unnecessary steps may be deleted without departing from the scope of the present invention. Needless to say, you can.

  Further, when it is determined as non-conforming, it may be automatically corrected to an appropriate device signal value, or it may be clearly indicated to the operator that it is determined as non-conforming. Specifically, for example, when it is determined that the total amount is not restricted, the device characteristic information that does not assume the total amount restriction may be used to output to the printer 36. If the total amount limit value is different from the assumed total amount limit value, the device characteristic information corresponding to the total amount limit value may be output to the printer 36.

10 color processor 18 CPU
20 HDD
22 RAM
24 Network I / F part 26 ROM
28 Display 34 Colorimetric device 36 Printer

Claims (6)

Stores device characteristic information in which each usage ratio of one or more predetermined colors is associated with a colorimetric value obtained by measuring a color actually printed by the device according to the usage ratio. Storage means for
An evaluation color total amount value setting means for setting an evaluation color total amount value;
An evaluation total amount value setting means for setting a predetermined evaluation total amount value in which the sum of the usage ratios of one or more colors is a total amount value different from the evaluation color total amount value;
Predicting means for predicting a colorimetric value when printing is performed according to an evaluation usage ratio of each of one or more colors corresponding to the total amount value indicating the evaluation color total amount value, from the device characteristic information corresponding to the evaluation total amount value;
A colorimetric value acquisition means for acquiring a colorimetric value indicating an actual color printed by the device according to the evaluation use ratio;
The suitability of the device characteristic information is determined based on the color difference between the measured color value acquired by the colorimetric value acquisition unit and the predicted colorimetric value calculated by the prediction unit. Determination means to perform,
A color processing apparatus.   The determination means has a predetermined physical quantity indicating a similarity of color difference with respect to the two evaluation color total quantity values determined based on a color difference for each of two different evaluation color total quantity values set by the evaluation color total quantity value setting means. The color processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device characteristic information is determined to be suitable when the threshold is equal to or less than a threshold value. The evaluation total amount value setting means stepwise sets the evaluation total amount value to a value from the predetermined evaluation total amount value E (1) to the maximum total amount value E (n) (n is an integer),
The evaluation color total amount value setting means is for the evaluation total amount values E (k) (k is an integer from 1 to n−1) and E (k + 1) set by the evaluation total amount value setting means, respectively. Set the evaluation color total value E (k + 1) and E (k + 2),
The determination unit is similar to the color difference with respect to the evaluation color total amount value E (k + 1) (k is an integer from 1 to n−1) set by the setting unit and the color difference with respect to the evaluation color total amount value E (k + 2). The color processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device characteristic information is determined to be suitable when a physical quantity indicating a degree is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold. Stores device characteristic information in which each usage ratio of one or more predetermined colors is associated with a colorimetric value obtained by measuring a color actually printed by the device according to the usage ratio. Storage means for
From the device characteristic information recorded by the storage unit, a maximum total amount value acquisition unit that acquires a maximum total amount value that maximizes the total amount value that is the sum of the use ratios of the respective colors;
The sum of the usage ratios of each of the one or more colors is printed by the device according to the evaluation usage ratio of each of the one or more colors corresponding to the total amount value larger than the maximum total amount value acquired by the maximum total amount value acquiring unit. First predicting means for predicting a first predicted colorimetric value, which is a colorimetric value in the case of an error, from the device characteristic information;
The sum of the usage ratios of each of the one or more colors is evaluated as a total amount value larger than the maximum total amount value acquired by the maximum total amount value acquisition unit from the device characteristic information corresponding to the total amount value smaller than the maximum total amount value. Second prediction means for predicting a second predicted colorimetric value, which is a colorimetric value when printed by the device according to a usage ratio;
Determination means for determining whether or not the device characteristic information is compatible based on a color difference between the first predicted colorimetric value and the second predicted colorimetric value;
A color processing apparatus. Computer
An evaluation color total amount value setting means for setting an evaluation color total amount value;
An evaluation total amount value setting means for setting a predetermined evaluation total amount value in which the sum of the usage ratios of one or more colors is a total amount value different from the evaluation color total amount value;
Device characteristic information in which each usage ratio of one or more predetermined colors is associated with a colorimetric value obtained by measuring a color actually printed by the device according to the usage ratio Predicting means for predicting a colorimetric value when printing is performed according to an evaluation usage ratio of each of one or more colors corresponding to the total amount value indicating the evaluation color total amount value from the device characteristic information corresponding to the evaluation total amount value; ,
A colorimetric value acquisition means for acquiring a colorimetric value indicating an actual color printed by the device according to the evaluation use ratio;
The suitability of the device characteristic information is determined based on the color difference between the measured color value acquired by the colorimetric value acquisition unit and the predicted colorimetric value calculated by the prediction unit. Determination means to perform,
Color processing program to make it function. Computer
From device characteristic information in which each usage ratio of one or more predetermined colors is associated with a colorimetric value obtained by measuring a color actually printed on the device according to the usage ratio, Maximum total amount value acquisition means for acquiring a maximum total amount value that maximizes the total amount value that is the sum of the usage ratios of the respective colors;
The sum of the usage ratios of each of the one or more colors is printed by the device according to the evaluation usage ratio of each of the one or more colors corresponding to the total amount value larger than the maximum total amount value acquired by the maximum total amount value acquiring unit. First predicting means for predicting a first predicted colorimetric value, which is a colorimetric value in the case of an error, from the device characteristic information;
The sum of the usage ratios of each of the one or more colors is evaluated as a total amount value larger than the maximum total amount value acquired by the maximum total amount value acquisition unit from the device characteristic information corresponding to the total amount value smaller than the maximum total amount value. Second prediction means for predicting a second predicted colorimetric value, which is a colorimetric value when printed by the device according to a usage ratio;
Determination means for determining whether or not the device characteristic information is compatible based on a color difference between the first predicted colorimetric value and the second predicted colorimetric value;
Color processing program to make it function.