System and method for characterizing a printing device

Abstract

A method and a system are described for characterizing a printing device, wherein the system includes a forward look up table for obtaining color values as a function of given colorant values for the printing device. The forward look up table includes a plurality of sampling points, wherein at least one of the sampling points is an ink changing point.

What is claimed, is:  
     
         1 . A system for characterizing a printing device, the system comprising a forward look up table for obtaining color values as a function of given colorant values for said printing device, said forward look up table having a plurality of sampling points, wherein said plurality of sampling points includes an ink changing point of said printing device.  
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said printing device has, for a particular colorant, a light ink and a heavy ink and wherein said ink changing point is selected from the group of a first point where an amount of said light ink reaches a maximum and a second point where said amount of said light ink becomes zero.  
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein said plurality of sampling points includes all ink changing points of said printing device.  
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein said printing device is an ink-jet printer.  
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 2  wherein said printing device is an ink-jet printer.  
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 3  wherein said printing device is an ink-jet printer.  
     
     
         7 . The system according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising said printing device.  
     
     
         8 . A method for constructing a look up table for characterizing a printing device, wherein said look up table is a forward look up table for obtaining color values as a function of given colorant values for said printing device, the method comprising: 
 determining a sampling point of said forward look up table;    determining an ink changing point of said printing device;    adding said ink changing point to said forward look up table as an additional sampling point.    
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein said printing device has, for a particular colorant, a light ink and a heavy ink, the method further comprising: 
 selecting said ink changing point from the group of a first point where an amount of said light ink reaches a maximum and a second point where said amount of said light ink becomes zero.  
 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8  further comprising: 
 determining all ink changing points of said printing device;  
 adding all said ink changing points to said forward look up table.  
 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9  further comprising: 
 determining all ink changing points of said printing device;  
 adding all said ink changing points to said forward look up table.