Abstract: The present invention discloses methods and systems for printing by superposing a metallic ink and transparent inks. These methods and systems are useful for color separating images into superpositions of a metallic ink and transparent inks both for design purposes and for the creation and authentication of security documents, such as banknotes, checks, diploma, corporate documents, passports, identity cards, credit cards, product labels, optical disks, CDs, DVDs, packages of medical drugs, cosmetics, and alcoholic drink bottles. By combining a metallic ink and transparent inks, one may create printed images behaving dynamically: an image viewed under specular reflection may be considerably different from the same image viewed under non-specular reflection. Patterns which are either dark or hidden become highlighted under specular reflection, yielding interesting visual effects. Metallic inks allow therefore to create visually appealing dynamically changing color images.

Abstract: The present invention facilitates the calibration of printers and the color separation of input images into a set of inks by disclosing methods and systems for populating device-calibration lookup tables. The disclosed methods and systems rely on a comprehensive spectral prediction model predicting at a high accuracy the reflectance spectra of halftone ink patches. The spectral prediction model is composed of a first part predicting the reflection spectra as a function of physical (mechanical) surface coverages and of a second part comprising functions mapping nominal surface coverages to effective surface coverages for halftone patch wedges printed alone and halftone patch wedges printed in superposition with one or several solid inks. In addition, the disclosed methods and systems can be used to control printer actuation parameters in different types of printers e.g.

Abstract: The present invention facilitates the calibration of printers and the color separation of input images into a set of inks by disclosing methods and systems for populating device-calibration lookup tables. The disclosed methods and systems rely on a comprehensive spectral prediction model which is capable of predicting at a high accuracy the reflectance spectra of halftone ink patches. The comprehensive spectral prediction model is composed of a first part predicting the reflection spectra as a function of physical (mechanical) surface coverages and of a second part comprising functions mapping nominal surface coverages to effective surface coverages. These mapping functions are calibrated by halftone patch wedges printed alone and by half-tone patch wedges printed in superposition with one or several solid inks.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods and systems for printing by superposing a metallic ink and transparent inks. These methods and systems are useful for color separating images into superpositions of a metallic ink and transparent inks both for design purposes and for the creation and authentication of security documents, such as banknotes, checks, diploma, corporate documents, passports, identity cards, credit cards, product labels, optical disks, CDs, DVDs, packages of medical drugs, cosmetics, and alcoholic drink bottles. By combining a metallic ink and transparent inks, one may create printed images behaving dynamically: an image viewed under specular reflection may be considerably different from the same image viewed under non-specular reflection. Patterns which are either dark or hidden become highlighted under specular reflection, yielding interesting visual effects. Metallic inks allow therefore to create visually appealing dynamically changing color images.