Interactive tool for incorporating user input and feedback in image quality related diagnosis
View Patent ↗The presently disclosed embodiment provides an interactive tool for printed image artifact characterization that successfully combines the advantages from both a human visual system and automated image quality characterization. In the interactive tool provided, the user may specify coarse level information, such as the region of interest in a print image, to be examined by the automated image-quality characterization algorithm, which can then employ sophisticated algorithms, e.g. signal processing, feature extraction, estimation and classification, to find precise fine-level descriptors.
1. An interactive method for characterizing printer streaks, the method comprising:
a. printing an image onto a printable media using a printing system in operable communication with an automated image quality artifact characterization system;
b. observing the printed image and identifying the presence of at least one image quality artifact in the image;
c. accessing an interactive tool and operating program integrated with the automated image quality artifact characterization system;
d. implementing a user focus and selection process within the interactive tool to identify the boundaries of a region of interest within the image including at least a portion of the image quality artifact for characterization;
e. running the operating program to select the identified region of interest for characterization by the automated image quality artifact characterization system;
f. generating a one dimensional streak density profile of only the identified region of interest of the image using a two-dimensional characterization data set within the automated image quality artifact characterization system, the density profile representing intensity and color value variation within the selected region of interest of the image;
g. implementing a user parameter selection process within the interactive tool to select descriptor parameter values to be used by the automated image quality artifact characterization system in characterization of the selected region of interest of the image;
h. inputting the selected parameters into the operating program;
i. operating an automated image-quality characterization algorithm within the automated image quality artifact characterization system that uses the selected parameters to calculate streak characterizing values;
j. repeating steps (c)-(i) based on operator feedback from the calculations of step (i) as many times as necessary to generate a streak characterization of the selected region of interest; and
k. optimizing the printer system according to the generated streak characterization to remove streaks.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein steps (b)-(d) and (g)-(h) are based on human input and feedback provided through the interactive tool to the automated image quality artifact characterization system.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the automated image-quality characterization algorithm further includes sophisticated algorithms to find precise fine-level descriptors.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the sophisticated algorithms include algorithms that calculate one or more of signal processing, feature extraction, estimation, and classification.
5. The method of claim 1 , further including the step of providing the streak characterization to a diagnostics engine for further use.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameters of step (g) are selected from a group consisting of streak width, number of streaks to be included, streak intensity, and streak dominance or lack thereof.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method minimizes subjective characterization of streaks.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the integrated program is part of a stand-alone processor.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of repeating includes resetting the parameters while the program is still running.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interactive tool combines human and automated procedural steps.