Verification of a printer calibration utilizing hand-held mobile devices
View Patent ↗Methods and systems herein provide for verification of a calibration of a printer utilizing a hand-held mobile device. In one embodiment, a mobile device includes a camera that captures image data of a calibration target printed by a printing system. The image data is captured in an uncontrolled environment. The mobile device further includes a processor that determines a difference between the uncontrolled environment where the image data was captured and a controlled environment, and adjusts the image data based on the difference. The mobile device then determines whether the printing system is out of calibration based on the adjusted image data.
1. A system comprising:
a mobile device comprising:
a camera operable to capture image data of a calibration target printed by a printing system, wherein the image data is captured within an uncontrolled environment;
a wireless interface that is operable to communicate with the printing system; and
a processor operable to determine a difference between the uncontrolled environment where the image data was captured and a controlled environment, to adjust the image data based on the difference, and to determine whether the printing system is out of calibration based on the adjusted image data;
the processor is further operable to calculate a calibration model for the printing system in response to determining that the printing system is out of calibration, and to upload the calibration model over the wireless interface to the printing system for adjusting print characteristics of the printing system.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the processor is further operable to determine a difference in lighting between the uncontrolled environment where the image data was captured and the controlled environment, and to adjust the image data based on the difference in lighting.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein:
the processor is further operable to determine a color space of a media utilized in printing the calibration target, and to adjust the image data based on the difference in lighting and the color space of the media.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein:
the processor is further operable to capture image data of a blank portion of the media, and to determine the color space of the media based on the image data of the blank portion of the media.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the processor is further operable to determine a difference in skew between the uncontrolled environment where the image data was captured and the controlled environment, and to adjust the image data based on the difference in skew.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the processor is further operable to determine a difference in image stabilization between the uncontrolled environment where the image data was captured and the controlled environment, and to adjust the image data based on the difference in the image stabilization.
7. A method comprising:
capturing, by a camera of a mobile device, image data of a calibration target printed by a printing system, wherein the image data is captured within an uncontrolled environment;
determining, by a processor of a mobile device, a difference between the uncontrolled environment where the image data was captured and a controlled environment;
adjusting, by the processor of the mobile device, the image data based on the difference; and
determining, by the processor of the mobile device, whether the printing system is out of calibration based on the adjusted image data;
calculating, by the processor of the mobile device, a calibration model for the printing system in response to determining that the printing system is out of calibration; and
uploading, over a wireless interface of the mobile device, the calibration model to the printing system for adjusting print characteristics of the printing system.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein:
the step of determining whether the printing system is out of calibration further comprises:
determining a difference in lighting between the uncontrolled environment where the image data was captured and the controlled environment; and
the step of adjusting further comprises:
adjusting the image data based on the difference in lighting.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein:
the method further comprises:
determining a color space of a media utilized in printing the calibration target; and
the step of adjusting further comprises:
adjusting the image data based on the difference in lighting and the color space of the media.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein:
the step of determining the color space of the media further comprises:
capturing image data of a blank portion of the media; and
determining the color space of the media based on the image data of the blank portion of the media.
11. The method of claim 7 wherein:
the step of determining whether the printing system is out of calibration further comprises:
determining a difference in skew between the uncontrolled environment where the image data was captured and the controlled environment; and
the step of adjusting further comprises:
adjusting the image data based on the difference in skew.
12. The method of claim 7 wherein:
the step of determining whether the printing system is out of calibration further comprises:
determining a difference in image stabilization between the uncontrolled environment where the image data was captured and the controlled environment; and
the step of adjusting further comprises:
adjusting the image data based on the difference in the image stabilization.
13. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying programmed instructions which, when executed by a processor of a mobile device, direct the processor to:
capture, by a camera of the mobile device, image data of a calibration target printed by a printing system, wherein the image data is captured within an uncontrolled environment;
determine a difference between the uncontrolled environment where the image data was captured and a controlled environment;
adjust the image data based on the difference; and
determine whether the printing system is out of calibration based on the adjusted image data;
calculate a calibration model for the printing system in response to determining that the printing system is out of calibration; and
upload, over a wireless interface of the mobile device, the calibration model to the printing system for adjusting print characteristics of the printing system.
14. The non-transitory medium of claim 13 wherein the instructions further direct the processor to:
determine a difference in lighting between the uncontrolled environment where the image data was captured and the controlled environment; and
adjust the image data based on the difference in lighting.
15. The non-transitory medium of claim 14 wherein the instructions further direct the processor to:
determine a color space of a media utilized in printing the calibration target; and
adjust the image data based on the difference in lighting and the color space of the media.
16. The non-transitory medium of claim 15 wherein the instructions further direct the processor to:
capture, by a camera of the mobile device, image data of a blank portion of the media; and
determine the color space of the media based on the image data of the blank portion of the media.
17. The non-transitory medium of claim 13 wherein the instructions further direct the processor to:
determine a difference in skew between the uncontrolled environment where the image data was captured and the controlled environment; and
adjust the image data based on the difference in skew.