Abstract: An internal drum printing plate plotter is disclosed. The plotter provides a smooth path for a printing plate from an input location to a plotting location to an output location. The plotter includes a partially cylindrical drum and a loading tray associated with the drum at one end thereof. The drum covers at least 180 degrees of curvature and has an internal surface and the loading tray and the internal surface define the smooth path.

Abstract: A method of processing a file of recorded color separation values of color elements for use in preparing polychromatic printing plates in order to reduce or eliminate defects caused by misregistration by printing, includes the steps: (a) defining a plurality of predetermined color types; (b) identifying the color pairs where there is a change in color between adjacent color elements; and (c) for each color pair, determining whether or not to make a frame according to first predetermined criteria based on specific combination of color types in the pair, and then according to second predetermined criteria based on the difference in luminance between corresponding color separations in the respective pair.

Abstract: A technique employing a plotter having a beam of variable intensity for generating a screened reproduction of an image including the steps of: providing a representation of an original containing information representing the input density values of the image, storing information in a screen memory and exposing a recording medium to record the screened reproduction of the image, the step of exposing including the step of: employing information stored in the screen memory and information representing the input density values of the image to determine non-arithmetically whether and at what intensity a laser is to be operated to expose the recording medium at a given location.

Abstract: A method of processing a file of recorded color separation values of color elements for use in preparing polychromatic printing plates in order to reduce or eliminate defects caused by misregistration by printing, includes the steps: (a) defining a plurality of predetermined color types; (b) identifying the color pairs where there is a change in color between adjacent color elements; and (c) for each color pair, determining whether or not to make a frame according to first predetermined criteria based on specific combination of color types in the pair, and then according to second predetermined criteria based on the difference in luminance between corresponding color separations in the respective pair.

Abstract: A method for identifying the film type of a color input medium having picture and film border areas and which is scanned to produce an input image having a multiplicity of color separations having portions corresponding to the picture and border areas, the method including the steps of creating picture histograms of the picture area of the input image, defining a dark level and a bright level for each of the picture histograms and identifying a film type by comparing the dark and bright levels to predetermined thresholds defining predetermined characteristics of a given film type.

Abstract: Color transformation apparatus for transforming an input color space into an output color space and including a first LUT for transforming a first portion of the input color space into a corresponding first portion of the output color space, a second LUT for transforming a second portion of the input color space into a corresponding second portion of the output color space, and a control unit for channeling input values included in the first and second portions of the color space to the first and second LUTs respectively.

Abstract: A method for creating an emulation of a substrate, the method including generating and storing a digital representation of a first feature of a substrate, manipulating the digital representation of the first feature for producing a digital representation of a second feature of the substrate, and repeating the storing and manipulating, thereby emulating a plurality of features of the substrate, wherein the generating includes generating a random pattern.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for descreening and for performing resolution changes and correction of misregistration on a color half-tone image in order to produce a color continuous tone image. The apparatus includes filter apparatus for removing screen information from the half-tone image including a plurality of different filters each providing interpolation and screen removal functions and a controller for selecting per pixel of the continuous tone image and in accordance with sensed misregistration and as a function of desired resolution changes, one of the filters for operation on a neighborhood of the pixel.

Abstract: An electronic separation scanner including a tool library including a plurality of tools, each individual one of the plurality of tools including a user interface operative to prompt a user to select values for at least one tone enhancement parameter, an optical-mechanical scanning unit operative to electronically scan a color image in accordance with at least one user-selected tone enhancement parameter value and a selective tool disabler operative to selectively disable access of the user to at least one of the plurality of tools.

Abstract: A scanner comprising a light source, having non-uniformities, for transmitting light through an input sample, and a cassette for holding the input sample, wherein a distance from the light source to the cassette is long enough to cause the effects of the non-uniformities to be substantially reduced.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preparing a fine mask of a boundary on a picture of an area of interest to be separated from the remainder of the picture by: storing a digitized representation of the picture, and of a rough mask defining the approximate boundary of the area of interest; and then sequentially selecting regions of search on the rough mask to identify boundary segments, each subsequent region of search being selected by extrapolation from the preceding region of search in the direction of boundary segments identified by the preceding region of search, until the first region of search is met or until a boundary segment is not found in the region of search, whereupon the next region of search is selected by interpolation between the preceding region of search and the closest point on the approximate boundary defined by the rough mask.

Abstract: There is disclosed technique and apparatus for calibrating a color processing device. The technique includes the steps of comparing a first digital representation of a colored image with a second digital representation thereof and employing at least the transformation to control operation of the color processing device to be calibrated. The first digital representation defines a plurality of first non-scalar color values and the second digital representation defines a plurality of second non-scalar color values corresponding to the plurality of the first non-scalar color values, thereby to provide a transformation pairing each individual one of the first non-scalar color values with a value relatively close to the corresponding one of the second non-scalar color values. The color processing device may be calibrated generally without reference to human aesthetic judgement.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for descreening and for performing resolution changes on a half-tone image in order to produce a continuous tone image. The apparatus includes filter apparatus for removing screen information from the half-tone image including a plurality of different filters each providing interpolation and screen removal functions and a controller for selecting per pixel of the continuous tone image and as a function of desired resolution changes, one of the filters for operation on a neighborhood of the pixel.

Abstract: Color transformation apparatus for transforming an input color space into an output color space and including a first LUT for transforming a first portion of the input color space into a corresponding first portion of the output color space, a second LUT for transforming a second portion of the input color space into a corresponding second portion of the output color space, and a control unit for channeling input values included in the first and second portions of the color space to the first and second LUTs respectively.

Abstract: A color separation scanner comprising a movable support arranged for mounting thereon of a two-dimensional input picture to be scanned and color separation sensing apparatus arranged for sensing the two-dimensional input picture for providing electrical signals representing color separations of the two-dimensional picture, the color separation sensing apparatus including a scanning head having a plurality of generally parallel CCD arrays, associated with dichroic filter means and operative for simultaneous scanning of the two-dimensional input picture.

Abstract: A method of processing a file of recorded color separation values of color elements for use in preparing polychromatic printing plates in order to reduce or eliminate defects caused by misregistration by printing, includes the steps (a) defining a pluralitY of predetermined color types; (b) identifying the color pairs where there is a change in color between adjacent color elements; and (c) for each color pair, determining whether or not to make a frame according to first predetermined criteria based on specific combination of color types in the pair, and then according to second predetermined criteria based on the difference in luminance between corresponding color separations in the respective pair For those color pairs in which a frame is to be generated, the location of the frame is determined according to third predetermined criteria based on specific combinations of color types in the pair, and then according to fourth predetermined criteria based on the sum of the luminances of each color in the color

Abstract: A system for proofing which includes color scanning apparatus for scanning an input image and for producing a plurality of color separation signals corresponding to color values in the input image, proofing apparatus for producing a proof of the input image and color modification apparatus, connected between the color scanning apparatus and the proofing apparatus, for capturing the color separation signals while the color scanning apparatus scans the input image and for modifying the color separation signals to produce the proof.

Abstract: A technique for generating a screened reproduction of an image including the steps of providing a representation of an original containing information representing the input density values of the original, storing information representing only part of at least one printing dot, and exposing a recording medium to record the image by using the stored information to compose complete printing dots depending on the input densities of the representation at the location of the printing dots. Apparatus for carrying out this and other techniques is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adapting a digital representation of a first color image for output representation by an output device having spatial and color characteristics are disclosed. The apparatus includes apparatus for modifying the spatial characteristics of the digital representation of the first color image and the color characteristics of the first color image to correspond to the spatial and color characteristics of the output device such that, in an output representation, the color characteristics of the first color image would be substantially preserved. The method includes the step of modifying the spatial characteristics of the digital representation of the first color image and the color characteristics of the first color image to correspond to the spatial and color characteristics of the output device such that, in an output representation, the color characteristics of the first color image would be substantially preserved.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for constructing, training and utilizing an artificial neural network (also termed herein a "neural network", an ANN, or an NN) in order to transform a first color value in a first color coordinate system into a second color value in a second color coordinate system.