Apparatus and method for imager device color calibration using spectral light source

1. A method of color calibrating an imager device comprising:

subjecting said imager device to a plurality of light sources;

obtaining a first set of color channel responses from said imager device; and

determining color calibrating coefficients for said imager device.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said color channel responses are red, green and blue (RGB) responses.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said color channel responses are cyan, magenta, yellow (CMY) responses.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said color channel responses are cyan, magenta, yellow, green (CMYG) responses.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said imager device is subject to said plurality of light sources sequentially, obtaining said first set of color channel responses comprises obtaining color channel responses corresponding to each of said plurality of light sources.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein said plurality of light sources are of known color values.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein said known color values of said plurality of light sources are defined by XYZ tristimulus values, determining said color calibrating coefficients further comprises:

forming a MEAS matrix from said first set of color channel responses;

forming a first correlating matrix from said MEAS matrix;

separating said known color values of said plurality of light sources into a vector of X components, a vector of Y components, and a vector of Z components;

determining a first vector of color calibrating coefficients by multiplying said first correlating matrix with said vector of X components;

determining a second vector of color calibrating coefficients by multiplying said first correlating matrix with said vector of Y components;

determining a third vector of color calibrating coefficients by multiplying said first correlating matrix with said vector of Z components; and

forming a color calibrating matrix from said first vector, second vector, and third vector of color calibrating coefficients.

8. The method according to claim 5 , after obtaining said first set of color channel responses, the method further comprises:

subjecting said imager device to a plurality of reflective color targets of known colors;

obtaining a second set of color channel responses from said imager device corresponding to each of said plurality of color targets;

determining color calibrating coefficients from said second set of color channel responses;

repeating for a plurality of imager sensors, obtaining said first set of color channel responses, obtaining said second set of color channel responses, and determining color calibrating coefficients from said second set of color channel responses;

determining correlating coefficients correlating said first set of color channel responses to said color calibrating coefficients; and

forming a plurality of equations correlating said color calibrating coefficients to said first set of color channel responses using said correlating coefficients.

9. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

determining said color calibrating coefficients using said plurality of equations;

forming a color calibrating matrix from said color calibrating coefficients.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of light sources are lighted simultaneously, and said plurality of light sources are of known color values.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein subjecting at least one imager device to said plurality of light sources further comprises:

determining a color value of a color target to be simulated;

determining a set of weighting factors correlating said color values of said plurality of light sources to said color value of said color target to be simulated;

powering said plurality of light sources according to said set of weighting factors.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

determining a plurality of sets of weighting factors corresponding to a plurality of color targets to be simulated;

powering said plurality of light sources according to said sets of weighting factors corresponding to said plurality of color targets;

obtaining said first set of color channel responses from said imager device corresponding to said plurality of light sources powered according to said sets of weighting factors.

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein subjecting at least one imager device to said plurality of light sources further comprises:

determining a color value of a color target to be simulated;

determining a set of weighting factors correlating said color values of said plurality of light sources to said color value of said color target to be simulated;

subjecting said imager device to said plurality of light sources;

modifying an obtained color channel responses from said imager device according to said set of weighting factors.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

determining a plurality of sets of weighting factors corresponding to a plurality of color targets to be simulated;

forming said first set of color channel responses by modifying said obtained color channel responses from said imager device with said respective sets of weighting factors.

15. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said known color values of said plurality of light sources are defined by XYZ tristimulus values, determining color calibrating coefficients from said first set of color channel responses further comprises:

forming a MEAS matrix from said first set of color channel responses;

forming a first correlating matrix from said MEAS matrix;

separating said known color values of said plurality of light sources into a vector of X components, a vector of Y components, and a vector of Z components;

determining a first vector of color calibrating coefficients by multiplying said first correlating matrix with said vector of X components;

determining a second vector of color calibrating coefficients by multiplying said first correlating matrix with said vector of Y components;

determining a third vector of color calibrating coefficients by multiplying said first correlating matrix with said vector of Z components; and

forming a color calibrating matrix from said first vector, second vector, and third vector of color calibrating coefficients.

16. A method to simulate at least one target color, comprising:

presenting means for radiating light;

producing a set of responses by exposing one of an imager device and a spectrophotometer to the means for radiating light;

presenting a target having at least one target color, the at least one target color having a reflection wavelength;

representing the reflection wavelength as a value; and

determining at least one weighing factor from the set of responses and the value of the at least one target color.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein presenting means for radiating light includes presenting a plurality of light radiating sources.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein presenting a plurality of light radiating sources includes presenting three to more than five light emitting diodes, wherein each light emitting diode includes a different spectral radiation characteristic.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein presenting three to more than five light emitting diodes includes presenting five light emitting diodes having the peak wavelengths of 430 nm, 470 nm, 545 nm, 590 nm, and 660 nm, respectively.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein presenting a target includes presenting a target that represents the spectral sensitivity of the human visual system.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein presenting a target that represents the spectral sensitivity of the human visual system includes presenting a Macbeth Colorchecker® color rendition chart.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein producing a set of responses includes determining a radiating set of XYZ tristimulus values for the means for radiating light, wherein presenting a target having at least one target color includes presenting a target having twenty four colors, each color of the target having a reflection wavelength, wherein representing the reflection wavelength as a value includes determining a reflecting set of XYZ tristimulus values for the twenty four colors.