Method for converting a source gamut of an image to a destination gamut

1. A method for converting a source gamut of an image to a destination gamut, comprising:

providing a plurality of destination gamuts in an imaging apparatus;

determining a source gamut boundary for said source gamut of said image;

selecting an appropriate destination gamut from said plurality of destination gamuts based on a desired output;

mapping to said appropriate destination gamut based at least in part on said source gamut boundary;

determining a color conversion lookup table based on said mapping to said appropriate destination gamut for use in replicating said image to provide said desired output using said imaging apparatus; and

replicating said image to provide said desired output using said imaging apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising obtaining coarse image data, wherein said source gamut boundary is determined based on said coarse image data.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising performing a pre-scan of said image to obtain pre-scanned image data, wherein said coarse image data is obtained from said pre-scanned image data.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said pre-scan is a low resolution, fast pre-scan.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting an enhancement factor; and

modifying said source gamut boundary and said source gamut based on said enhancement factor prior to mapping to said appropriate destination gamut.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said modifying said source gamut boundary and said source gamut is modifying a chroma of said source gamut boundary and of said source gamut, respectively, based on said enhancement factor.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said desired output is a user choice of one of scanning said image to a file and copying said image.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said user choice is a default choice.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein said selecting said appropriate destination gamut is performed automatically by said imaging apparatus.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said appropriate destination gamut is selected based on a type of a substrate used in copying said image.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

detecting said type of said substrate used in said copying said image.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said selecting said appropriate destination gamut is performed automatically by said imaging apparatus based at least in part on said detecting said type of said substrate.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a plurality of source class gamut boundaries; and

providing a plurality of pre-determined color conversion lookup tables corresponding to said plurality of source class gamut boundaries and to said plurality of destination gamuts,

wherein said mapping to said destination gamut includes selecting a suitable source class gamut boundary from said plurality of source class gamut boundaries based upon similarity of size to said source gamut boundary; and

wherein said determining said color conversion lookup table is selecting said color conversion lookup table from said plurality of pre-determined color conversion lookup tables that corresponds to said suitable source class gamut boundary and to said appropriate destination gamut.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said suitable source class gamut boundary is a smallest source class gamut boundary of said plurality of source class gamut boundaries that encompasses said source gamut and said source gamut boundary.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein said plurality of source class gamut boundaries and said plurality of pre-determined color conversion lookup tables are stored in a memory accessible to said imaging apparatus.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said memory is a part of said imaging apparatus.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a plurality of source class gamut boundaries and a corresponding plurality of source class gamuts; and

providing a gamut mapping algorithm,

wherein said mapping to said appropriate destination gamut includes:

selecting a suitable source class gamut boundary from said plurality of source class gamut boundaries based upon similarity of size to said source gamut boundary;

selecting a source class gamut from said plurality of source class gamuts that corresponds to said suitable source class gamut boundary; and

using said gamut mapping algorithm to dynamically map said source class gamut to said appropriate destination gamut,

and

wherein said determining said color conversion lookup table creates said color conversion lookup table based on said using said gamut mapping algorithm to dynamically map said source class gamut to said appropriate destination gamut.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said suitable source class gamut boundary is a smallest source class gamut boundary of said plurality of source class gamut boundaries that encompasses said source gamut and said source gamut boundary.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein said plurality of source class gamut boundaries, said corresponding plurality of source class gamuts, and said gamut mapping algorithm are stored in a memory accessible to said imaging apparatus.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein said memory is a part of said imaging apparatus.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein said mapping to said appropriate destination gamut is a continuous online mapping from said source gamut to said appropriate destination gamut performed by said imaging apparatus.