Virtual ink channels
View Patent ↗Virtual ink channels are created with colored media and white ink to afford multi-channel ICC profile creation by using ICC profiling software. The available color gamut is enhanced for an device that defines a color space with a color profiler, e.g. an ICC profiler. Thus, an available color gamut for an input or output device is enhanced or extended by creating virtual ink channels for use with profiling software. This allows the use of media types and/or inks that are otherwise not supported by the profiling software.
1. A method for enhancing or extending an available color gamut in a print device, comprising:
providing a processor executing instructions for creating a virtual ink channel;
said processor using said virtual ink channel to generate a multi-channel profile for use in said print device;
said processor applying said virtual ink channel within a color management system to print desired colors correctly on a colored media; and
said processor causing said print device to print on said colored media using said color management system;
wherein said virtual ink channel is created based upon the color of said colored media.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
said processor generating said profile with an ICC profiler.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
creating said virtual channel from a white ink channel.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calibrating said print device to compensate for dot gain from said virtual ink channel.
5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
inverting said white ink channel.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
covering said colored media with white ink.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
said virtual channel depositing a white ink layer directly on the media when printing on colored media.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
said virtual channel depositing a white ink on top of colored ink layers with a colored background when printing on transparent media.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the print device ink channels comprise Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, and White Ink (CMYKW);
further comprising a user selecting a profile for a media having a color (N); and
inverting the white ink channel (W), wherein the media becomes the inverted white ink channel and said ink channels comprise Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, and N Ink (CMYKN).
10. A method for enhancing or extending an available color gamut in a print device, comprising:
providing a processor executing instructions for creating a virtual ink channel for a selected media color from a white ink channel;
inverting said white ink channel;
said processor using said virtual ink channel to generate a multi-channel profile for use in said print device; and
applying said virtual ink channel within a color management system to print desired colors correctly; and
causing said print device to print on a media of said selected media color using said color management system.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
calibrating said print device to compensate for dot gain from said virtual ink channel.
12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
said virtual channel depositing a white ink layer directly on the media of said selected media color.
13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
said virtual channel depositing a white ink on top of colored ink layers with a colored background when printing on transparent media.