Claims
- 1. A dot gain calibration system comprising:
a measurements database for including therein:
measurements of dot gain pertaining to plate and press dot gain factors for various screen parameters; and combinations between said dot gain factors and said various screen parameters; a network for communicating data between said database, and at least one printing location; a dot gain measurement device at said printing location and operatively associated with said network, for measuring dot gain on a printed sheet, and able to use said network for communicating said measured dot gain; said system comprising a tone reproduction curve generator configured with an input to receive current printing parameters and required target values from said printing location and information from said database, therefrom to generate tone reproduction parameters to be used in printing to compensate for dot gain, said generator further comprising:
a calculation unit connected to said input for receiving said current printing parameters, said database information and said required target parameters and calculating therefrom said tone reproduction curve; and an output for receiving said tone reproduction curve and sending said calculated tone reproduction curve to said printing location.
- 2. The system of claim 1, wherein said printing location comprises at least one of a printing press and a prepress.
- 3. The system of claim 1, wherein said dot gain comprises press dot gain factors, said press dot gain factors comprising at least one of:
ink type; paper type; and press type.
- 4. The system of claim 1, wherein said input is configured to receive from said database measurement data for a first of said current printing parameters in combination with a third parameter;
wherein said input is further configured to obtain from said database measurement data for a second parameter of said current printing in combination with a fourth parameter; wherein said input is further configured to obtain from said database measurement data for said third parameter in combination with said fourth parameter; wherein said calculating unit further comprises an extrapolation unit configured to carry out extrapolating or interpolating from said obtained measurements to obtain values predicting dot gain for said first parameter in combination with said second parameter, therefrom to generate said curve for sending to said printing location.
- 5. The system of claim 1, wherein said input is further configured to obtain from said database measurement data for a plurality of values of one of said current printing parameters;
and wherein said calculating unit comprises an extrapolation unit configured for extrapolating or interpolating from said obtained measurements to obtain values predicting dot gain for said one of said current printing parameters; therefrom for generating said curve for sending to said printing locations.
- 6. A digital calibration strip for applying onto a digital printing plate representation, the strip comprising a plurality of sets of patches, each set configured by pre-screening with a respectively different screening parameter set, wherein each of said patches within each set represents a specific gray level.
- 7. A digital calibration strip for applying onto a digital printing plate representation, comprising a plurality of patches, each patch constructed from a basic shape composed of a respectively different preselected layout of laser dots.
- 8. The strip of claim 7, wherein said basic shapes are preselected such that superposition of selected basic shapes from different ones of said plurality of patches allows simulation of any one of a range of screen parameters sets.
- 9. A method of providing in use prediction of dot gain in a scheduled printing using printing plates, the method comprising the steps of:
providing parameters, of said scheduled printing including a set of required density values,; and obtaining a calibrated tone reproduction curve corresponding to said parameters, said curve indicative of compensation for dot gain.
- 10. The method of claim 9, wherein said scheduled printing uses a printing plate comprising a plurality of sets of patches, each set configured by pre-screening with a respectively different screening parameter set, wherein each of said patches within each set represents a specific gray level, said providing additionally comprising:
issuing a measurement request; printing at least one test sheet using said calibration strip; measuring said printed calibration strip; and providing said measurements for generation of said tone reproduction curve.
- 11. The method of claim 9, said scheduled printing using a printing plate comprising a plurality of patches, each patch constructed from a basic shape composed of a respectively different preselected layout of laser dots, wherein said providing additionally comprises:
issuing a measurement request; printing at least one test sheets using said printing plate; measuring intensities from said printed calibration strip; and providing said measurements for generation of said tone reproduction curve.
- 12. The method of claim 9, wherein said providing additionally comprises:
issuing a measurement request; printing one or more test sheets using a currently mounted printing plate comprising a calibration strip, said printing according to said scheduled printing parameters; the calibration strip comprising a plurality of sets of patches, each set configured by pre-screening with a respectively different screening parameter set, wherein each of said patches within each set represents a specific gray level, measuring intensities at said printed calibration strip; and providing said measurements for generation of said tone reproduction curve.
- 13. The method of claim 9, wherein said providing additionally comprises:
issuing a measurement request; printing one or more test sheets using a currently mounted printing plate comprising a calibration strip, said printing according to said scheduled printing parameters, the calibration strip comprising a plurality of patches, each patch constructed from a basic shape composed of a respectively different preselected layout of laser dots; measuring intensities of said printed calibration strip; and providing said measurements for generation of said tone reproduction curve.
- 14. The method of claim 9, wherein said scheduled printing parameters comprise any combination of parameters from the group consisting of press type, paper type, ink type and screening parameters.
- 15. The method of claim 10, wherein said obtaining said calibrated tone reproduction curve comprises the steps of:
obtaining, from a database, measurement data for a first of said scheduled printing parameters in combination with a third parameter; obtaining from said database measurement data for a second parameter of said scheduled printing in combination with a fourth parameter; obtaining from said database measurement data for said third parameter in combination with said fourth parameter; and extrapolating from said obtained measurements to obtain values predicting said first parameter in combination with said second parameter.
- 16. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving said calibrated tone reproduction curve comprises:
obtaining from a database measurement data for a plurality of values of one of said current printing parameters; and extrapolating or interpolating from said obtained measurements to obtain values predicting dot gain for said one of said current printing parameters.
- 17. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving said calibrated tone reproduction curve comprises extrapolating or interpolating from said measured parameters to obtain values predicting dot gain for said one of said current printing parameters.
- 18. The method of claim 11, wherein said step producing said calibrated tone reproduction curve comprises superpositioning said basic shapes into shapes representative of said current printing parameters, therefrom to obtain values predicting dot gain for said current printing parameters.
- 19. The method of claim 9, wherein said providing parameters comprises searching a database to determine the presence of dot gain compensation data corresponding to said provided parameters,
using said compensation data to obtain said tone reproduction curve if found, otherwise:
obtaining intensity measurements from printing of a calibration strip, and using said intensity measurements to obtain said tone reproduction curve.
- 20. The digital calibration strip according to claim 6, additionally comprising a barcode.
- 21. The digital calibration strip of claim 20, wherein said barcode comprises identification data for at least one of the group consisting of platesetter, printing parameters, press and dot gain.
- 22. The system of claim 1, wherein said database additionally comprises information defining a press format.
- 23. The digital calibration strip according to claim 7, additionally comprising a barcode.
- 24. The digital calibration strip of claim 23, wherein said barcode comprises identification data for at least one or the group consisting of platesetter, printing parameters, press and dot gain.
RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/382,525 filed May 22, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60382525 |
May 2002 |
US |