System to enable development and usage of fifth color separation forms

1. A method for creating a document print stream, the method comprising:

receiving a first image in a first color model;

generating a modified image by extending the original separation channels to include a fifth color channel;

generating a bitmap of the modified image;

storing the modified image as a separation form;

receiving a print job for a second image in the first color model; and, merging the separation form with the print job.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating the modified image includes using content in the first image to create a custom separation channel.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the generating the modified image further includes:

determining objects in the first image tagged as being associated with a selected spot color; and,

re-tagging the objects as being associated with the fifth color channel.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the generating the modified image further includes:

associating the fifth color channel for pixels in the first image corresponding with select separation content.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the generating the modified image further includes:

determining a luminance value for each pixel in the first image;

populating the fifth color channel with luminance values in a select range; and,

associating pixels having the luminance value meeting a threshold with the fifth color channel.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the merging includes:

identifying pixels in the second image associated with a select original separation channel;

knocking out job content of the second image at the identified pixels using the fifth separation channel; and,

rendering the second image as a background image and rendering the separation form as a foreground image.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the merging includes:

identifying pixels in the second image associated with a select original separation channel;

covering up the fifth separation channel using job content of the second image at the identified pixels; and,

rendering the second image as a foreground image and rendering the separation form as a background image.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the merging includes:

determining a percentage to blend the separation form with the second image; and,

adjusting luminance values of the separation form and pixels in the second image by the select percentage.

9. A computer program product comprising tangible media which encodes instructions for performing the method of claim 1 .

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions for causing a processor in a computer to create a document print stream, the processor being adapted to:

receive a first image in a first color model;

generate a modified image by extending the original separation channels to include a fifth color channel;

generate a bitmap of the modified image;

store the modified image as a separation form;

receive a print job for a second image in the first color model; and,

merge the separation form with the print job.

11. A system for creating a document print stream, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable memory storing instructions that are executable by the processor to:

receive first and second images in multiple separation channels using a first color model;

modify the first image to extend the original separation channels in the first image to include separation fifth color channel not included in the multiple separation channels;

generate a bitmap of the modified image; and

merge the additional separation

with a print job to generate output.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further operative to use content in the first image to create a custom separation channel.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further operative to:

determine objects in the first image tagged as being associated with a selected spot color; and,

re-tag the objects as being associated with the fifth color channel.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further operative to:

associate the fifth color channel for pixels in the first image corresponding with select separation content.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further operative to:

determine a luminance value for each pixel in the first image;

populate the fifth color channel with luminance values in a select range; and,

associate pixels having the luminance value meeting a threshold with the fifth color channel.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is operative to:

identify pixels in the second image associated with a select original separation channel;

knock out job content of the second image at the identified pixels using the fifth separation channel; and,

render the second image as a background image and rendering the separation form as a foreground image.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is operative to:

identify pixels in the second image associated with a select original separation channel;

cover up the fifth separation channel using job content of the second image at the identified pixels; and,

render the second image as a foreground image and rendering the separation form as a background image.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is operative to:

determine a percentage to blend the separation form with the second image; and,

adjust luminance values of the separation form and pixels in the second image by the select percentage.