Closed loop color calibration with multiple inline imagers

1. A method for producing Scratch-Off Coating (SOC) protected tickets or documents on an inline web press using a calibration system that includes (i) multiple digital imagers each maintaining registration with the other, (ii) a closed loop feedback camera system including a physical embodiment of a display of a fixed range of colors and shades that are known to the calibration system and which is physically separate from the tickets or documents, and (iii) an operator monitor display, the method for producing the SOC protected tickets or documents having an overall press run that includes an initial press run and a subsequently occurring continued press run, the method comprising:

(a) printing on a substrate in the initial press run, with each digital imager of the inline web press, process color physical images comprised of varying amounts of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and blacK (CMYK) ink or dye, thereby producing one or more SOC protected tickets or documents;

(b) capturing color digital facsimiles with the closed loop feedback camera system, the color digital facsimiles having (i) CMYK data of at least a portion of the printed process color physical images of the one or more SOC protected tickets or documents, and (ii) the physical embodiment of the display of the fixed range of colors and shades that are known to the calibration system and which is physically separate from the tickets or documents;

(c) comparing the color digital facsimiles or the fixed range of colors and shades with initially established color calibration data;

(d) digitally adjusting, using the results of the comparison, the varying amounts of CMYK data of the color digital facsimile images to calibrate the printed tickets and documents to substantially match the initially established color calibration data;

(e) displaying the digitally adjusted color digital facsimile images on the operator monitor display, thereby enabling human operator approval of the digitally adjusted color digital images;

(f) saving the digital adjustments of the varying amounts of CMYK data of the color digital facsimile images for approved digitally adjusted color digital images to a memory storage associated with the inline web press for use in the subsequently occurring continued press run so that the subsequently produced SOC protected tickets or documents substantially match the initially established color calibration data; and

(g) performing the subsequently occurring continued press run for producing additional SOC protected tickets or documents using the saved digital adjustments,

wherein the SOC protected tickets or documents in the initial press run have the same printed components as the SOC protected tickets or documents in the subsequently occurring continued press run, and

wherein the initial press run and the subsequently occurring continued press run are performed on the same inline web press.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

(h) displaying the initially established color calibration data on the same operator monitor display as the digitally adjusted digital facsimile images of the tickets and documents or the fixed range of colors and shades.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operator monitor display used for human operator approval is physically located in a different geographical location than the inline web press producing the process color physical images.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the closed loop feedback camera system includes at least one portable handheld device.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

(h) defining multiple offset calibration bias areas on portions of the printed tickets and documents wherein each calibration bias area includes its own color calibration data.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tickets or documents are pull-tab tickets or game pieces.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the physical embodiment of the display of fixed range of colors and shades that are known to the calibration system are predetermined color bars.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein step (c) further comprises displaying a predetermined standard comparison color bar set in addition to the digitally adjusted color digital facsimile images on the operator monitor display, thereby enabling human operator approval of the digitally adjusted color digital images.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the physical embodiment of the display of fixed range of colors and shades that are known to the calibration system are illuminated with a known color temperature source.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the known color temperature light source has a blackbody radiator temperature of 3,200° Kelvin.