Abstract: Presented is a method for identifying and removing one or more thin lines from a binary source image. The steps include generating a hole-filled intermediate binary image, and performing a thin line detection and removal process on the hole-filled intermediate binary image. The thin line detection and removal is performed by creating an eroded intermediate image, creating an opened intermediate image by performing a morphology dilation process, inverting the opened intermediate image, generating a density adjusted binary source image, generating a difference pixel intermediate image, generating a thin line subtraction intermediate image, and subtracting the thin line subtraction intermediate image from the binary source image to create a binary output image.

Abstract: Provided is a printing system comprising a printing mechanism for applying ink to a substrate using a plurality of print colors. Also included is a computer readable media storing an image and instructions for generating entries in a variable resolution lookup table for use in performing accelerated color conversion of the image. Also included is a lookup table generator configured to divide the lookup table into a plurality of areas, and set a density of lookup table entries in each of the plurality of areas based on overprint combinations of the print colors. The density of entries is varied from one area to another. Also included is a color conversion controller configured to utilize a lookup function to retrieve one or more lookup table entries and to provide printing color space coordinates based upon the one or more lookup table entries to the printing mechanism.

Abstract: Presented is a method for identifying and removing one or more thin lines from a binary source image. The steps include generating a hole-filled intermediate binary image, and performing a thin line detection and removal process on the hole-filled intermediate binary image. The thin line detection and removal is performed by creating an eroded intermediate image, creating an opened intermediate image by performing a morphology dilation process, inverting the opened intermediate image, generating a density adjusted binary source image, generating a difference pixel intermediate image, generating a thin line subtraction intermediate image, and subtracting the thin line subtraction intermediate image from the binary source image to create a binary output image.

Abstract: Performing automatic inspection on the results of a print job that prints variable data, including multiple printed instances of a page containing variable graphics. The inspection is to detect printing defects on a printed instance. In one embodiment, the method includes dividing the page into multiple non-overlapping areas using a page division map. The non-overlapping areas include one or more static areas that include only static graphics and one or more areas that include variable graphics. The method includes capturing an image of the printed instance and, for each of the non-overlapping areas, retrieving an indication indicating whether or not the area includes any variable graphics, retrieving a rasterized image of an instant of the area from a memory location according to the indication, and comparing the rasterized image with the captured image of the area to detect any printing defects in the area of the printed instance.

Abstract: A method of spectrally characterising an ink printed over another ink, and of calculating a spectral measure of reflectance of an overprint of a plurality of inks thus characterized. The method uses spectral measurements of a substrate. For an order of printing an overprint, for each ink, for a respective amount of printing of the ink, the method accepts or determines a respective interaction of absorption and reflection function (“IAR function”) indicative of how the ink interacts with a printed background and includes determining the spectral reflectance by repeatedly multiplying, in the order, for each additional ink added to a current background the spectral measure of the current background by exponentiation of the ratio of the spectral measure of the additional ink on the substrate to the spectral measure of the substrate, by the TAR function of the additional ink.

Abstract: Performing automatic inspection on the results of a print job that prints variable data, including multiple printed instances of a page containing variable graphics. The inspection is to detect printing defects on a printed instance. In one embodiment, the method includes dividing the page into multiple non-overlapping areas using a page division map. The non-overlapping areas include one or more static areas that include only static graphics and one or more areas that include variable graphics. The method includes capturing an image of the printed instance and, for each of the non-overlapping areas, retrieving an indication indicating whether or not the area includes any variable graphics, retrieving a rasterized image of an instant of the area from a memory location according to the indication, and comparing the rasterized image with the captured image of the area to detect any printing defects in the area of the printed instance.

Abstract: A method, a computer readable medium with instructions to execute a method, and a carton designed using a method. The method includes accepting a specification of a carton made up of a substrate and having at least one curved crease. The method further includes for a curved crease, accepting a folding angle at any point of the crease; and automatically calculating at least one shape of the folded carton in order to determine a three-dimensional model of the folded carton.

Abstract: Methods, and computer systems and computer program products for performing them, for storing a destination document from a source document. Recurring content in the source document is flattened and stored in a first memory location, and then for each page in the source document, the page is flattened using the variable and (stored) recurring content, and portions influenced by the variable content are extracted and stored in a second memory location The content in the first and second memory locations may be optionally color converted from a source color space to a device color space and stored in third and fourth memory locations, respectively. For each page n, a new page is added to the destination document comprising the flattened, recurring content stored in the first (or third, if color-converted) memory location and the flattened, variable content stored in the second (or fourth, if color-converted) memory location.

Abstract: A method of halftoning a continuous-tone image includes the step of expressing a transition tone intensity by a maximum population density of halftone dots equal in size and having a transition dot size. Expressing tone intensities darker than the transition tone intensity includes increasing dot sizes beyond the transition dot size of the maximum population. Expressing tone intensities lighter than the transition tone intensity includes using a population density lesser than the maximum population density, and each relatively darker tone includes a relatively smaller dot size and a relatively larger population density than each relatively lighter tone.

Abstract: A method for adjusting color tones of an input digital image file to create an adjusted digital image file. A plurality of predetermined curves are provided, each curve specifying an adjusted color tone percentage output as a function of input color tone percentage and representing a combination of midpoint magnitude and contrast different than for any other curve. The method comprises selecting a curve by determining which one of the plurality of curves most closely matches at least two data points. The selected curve is then applied to the input digital image file to produce the adjusted digital image file.

Abstract: Methods, and computer systems and computer program products for performing them, for storing a destination document from a source document. Recurring content in the source document is flattened and stored in a first memory location, and then for each page in the source document, the page is flattened using the variable and (stored) recurring content, and portions influenced by the variable content are extracted and stored in a second memory location The content in the first and second memory locations may be optionally color converted from a source color space to a device color space and stored in third and fourth memory locations, respectively. For each page n, a new page is added to the destination document comprising the flattened, recurring content stored in the first (or third, if color-converted) memory location and the flattened, variable content stored in the second (or fourth, if color-converted) memory location.

Abstract: A method, system and computer readable media relating to automatically adjusting a graphics feature to compensate for a predetermined resolution limit. The method generally relates to automatically identifying, within a selected area of a graphics file, one or more portions of at least one graphics feature meeting predetermined criteria for adjustment, including criteria for defining a thin portion having a thickness less than the resolution limit. The method then automatically modifies only the identified one or more portions to have an adjusted thickness greater than the initial thickness. Additional criteria may be used to restrict which thin portions of the feature are actually modified.

Abstract: A method of spectrally characterising an ink printed over another ink, and of calculating a spectral measure of reflectance of an overprint of a plurality of inks thus characterized. The method uses spectral measurements of a substrate. For an order of printing an overprint, for each ink, for a respective amount of printing of the ink, the method accepts or determines a respective interaction of absorption and reflection function (“IAR function”) indicative of how the ink interacts with a printed background and includes determining the spectral reflectance by repeatedly multiplying, in the order, for each additional ink added to a current background the spectral measure of the current background by exponentiation of the ratio of the spectral measure of the additional ink on the substrate to the spectral measure of the substrate, by the TAR function of the additional ink.

Abstract: A method of halftoning a continuous-tone image includes the step of expressing a transition tone intensity by a maximum population density of halftone dots equal in size and having a transition dot size. Expressing tone intensities darker than the transition tone intensity includes increasing dot sizes beyond the transition dot size of the maximum population. Expressing tone intensities lighter than the transition tone intensity includes using a population density lesser than the maximum population density, and each relatively darker tone includes a relatively smaller dot size and a relatively larger population density than each relatively lighter tone.

Abstract: A method and software for converting a digital representation of a reference image to a preferred representation having higher chroma in selected subject areas.

Abstract: A method of generating a digital AM halftone image output includes the steps of: (a) receiving a grey scale image from an image source; (b) generating an image component from the grey scale image; and (c) producing the digital AM halftone image output. The digital AM image output includes a plurality of halftone dots, each of which comprises at least one ink-receptive portion and at least one non-receptive portion. Patterns of halftone dots prepared in this manner may be sent as a digital output to an platesetter for producing a printing plate.