Granted Patent B2

US 8,810,876 · App. 13/286,022 · Granted Aug 19, 2014

Abstract

Claims (56)

1. A computer-implemented method for dynamic image gamut compression, comprising the steps of:

receiving a print job for an output device, the print job having at least one image that was generated by a source device;

responsive to receiving the print job, determining a gamut of the print job by dividing said at least one image into one or more layers of different brightness:

for each layer of said one or more layers:

dividing said layer into discrete hue angles;

for each hue angle of said discrete hue angles:

 determining a maximum chroma;

for each determined maximum chroma, comparing the determined maximum chroma at the specific hue angle and at the specific brightness layer to a maximum chroma of said output device at the same specific brightness layer and at the same specific hue angle; and

determining one or more colors from the print job is outside of the gamut of the output device when its maximum chroma is greater than said maximum chroma of said output device;

performing compression on said colors by computing an individual gamut compression factor for each combination of specific brightnesses and specific hue angles and multiplying the computed individual gamut compression factor to the chroma value of the print job gamut at the specific brightness and specific hue angle corresponding to the color that is out of the gamut of the output device;

wherein one or more steps are performed by one or more processors.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the gamut of the print job further comprises the steps of:

collecting color information of each pixel of the print job;

based in part on the collected color information of each pixel, determining for each pixel the coordinates of the pixel in a color space;

based in part on determining the coordinates of each pixel in the color space, determining the gamut of the print job by determining and using outermost coordinates of the determined coordinates of the pixels in the print job.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the gamut of the print job is performed at a lower resolution than a corresponding print resolution of said print job.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

based in part on the comparison, determining one or more colors from the print job that are inside of the gamut of the output device; and

based on determining said one or more colors that are inside of the gamut of the output device, performing expansion on such colors to the outer boundaries of the gamut of the output device.

5. the computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

when no maximum chroma of said at least one image is greater than said maximum chroma of said output device, determining whether a minimum chroma of said at least one image is less than a minimum chroma of said output device; and

in response to determining a minimum chroma of said at least one image is less than a minimum chroma of said output device; performing expansion on pixels of said print job that are at said brightness and hue angle.

6. An apparatus for dynamic image gamut compression, comprising:

a receiving processor for receiving a print job for an output device, the print job having at least one image that was generated by a source device;

a determining processor for determining a gamut of the print job, responsive to receiving the print job, by dividing said at least one image into one or more layers of different brightness:

for each layer of said one or more layers:

dividing said layer into discrete hue angles;

for each hue angle of said discrete hue angles:

 determining a maximum chroma;

a comparison processor, for each determined maximum chroma, comparing the determined maximum chroma at the specific hue angle and at the specific brightness layer to a maximum chroma of said output device at the same specific brightness layer and at the same specific hue angle; and

a determining processor for determining one or more colors from the print job is outside of the gamut of the output device when its maximum chroma is greater than said maximum chroma of said output device;

a compression processor for performing compression on said colors by computing an individual gamut compression factor for each combination of specific brightnesses and hue angles and multiplying the computed individual gamut compression factor to the chroma value of the print job gamut at the specific brightness and specific hue angle corresponding to the color that is out of the gamut of the output device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising for determining the gamut of the print job:

a collecting processor for collecting color information of each pixel of the print job;

a determining processor for determining for each pixel the coordinates of the pixel in a color space based in part on the collected color information of each pixel;

a determining processor for determining the gamut of the print job by determining and using outermost coordinates of the determined coordinates of the pixels in the print job based in part on determining the coordinates of each pixel in the color space.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein determining the gamut of the print job is performed at a lower resolution than a corresponding print resolution of said print job.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising:

a determining processor for determining, based in part on the comparison, one or more colors from the print job that are inside of the gamut of the output device; and

an expansion processor for performing expansion, based in part on determining said one or more colors that are inside of the gamut of the output device, on such colors to the outer boundaries of the gamut of the output device.

10. the apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising:

a determining processor for determining whether a minimum chroma of said at least one image is less than a minimum chroma of said output device, when no maximum chroma of said at least one image is greater than said maximum chroma of said output device;

an expansion processor for performing expansion on pixels of said print job that are at said brightness and hue angle in response to determining a minimum chroma of said at least one image is less than a minimum chroma of said output device.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium for dynamic image gamut compression having stored thereon a computer program comprising a program code which, when executed by a processor, performs the steps of:

receiving a print job for an output device, the print job having at least one image that was generated by a source device;

responsive to receiving the print job, determining a gamut of the print job by dividing said at least one image into one or more layers of different brightness:

for each layer of said one or more layers:

dividing said layer into discrete hue angles;

for each hue angle of said discrete hue angles:

 determining a maximum chroma;

for each determined maximum chroma, comparing the determined maximum chroma at the specific hue angle and at the specific brightness layer to a maximum chroma of said output device at the same specific brightness layer and at the same specific hue angle; and

determining one or more colors from the print job is outside of the gamut of the output device when its maximum chroma is greater than said maximum chroma of said output device;

performing compression on said colors by computing an individual gamut compression factor for each combination of specific brightnesses and specific hue angles and multiplying the computed individual gamut compression factor to the chroma value of the print job gamut at the specific brightness and specific hue angle corresponding to the color that is out of the gamut of the output device.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , the program code further comprising the steps of:

when no maximum chroma of said at least one image is greater than said maximum chroma of said output device, determining whether a minimum chroma of said at least one image is less than a minimum chroma of said output device; and

in response to determining a minimum chroma of said at least one image is less than a minimum chroma of said output device; performing expansion on pixels of said print job that are at said brightness and hue angle.

Assignments (12)