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US4150894A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Exposure control system for color printers

Assignee: Gretag AG
•
Filing: 1978-01-27
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Granted: 1979-04-24
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Expires: 1998-01-27
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Abstract

Abstract An exposure control system for color printers having electro/optical means for spectral analysis of different types of original material for printing to determine different spectral coefficients for each material. Each coefficient is classified according to a reference range of values, each range being associated with a different original material. Photoelectric means are provided to determine the color densities of an original and a store stores sets of exposure parameters, each set being associated with a different original material. Automatic selection means responsive to the classification is provided to select whichever parameter set is associated with a coefficient reference range in which the coefficient has been classified during classification.

Inventors

  • 👤 Armin Meyer
  • 👤 Jorg Muller
  • 👤 Bruno Brandli
  • 👤 Robert Wahli

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 04:17
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B27/00; G03B27/72; G03B27/73; G03B27/735

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 143 words
An exposure control system for a colour printer adapted to produce prints from different types of original colour material comprising: (1) photo-electric means for determining the colour density of an original; (2) a store for storing sets of exposure parameters, each set being associated with a different original material; (3) means for spectral analysis of an original; (4) means responsive to said spectral analysis means to form a coefficient representative of that original; (5) classification means for classifying each coefficient in one of a plurality of ranges of coefficient reference values, each range being characteristic of a different original material; (6) means responsive to said classification means for automatically selecting a set of exposure values from said store that is associated with the respective coefficient reference range of values in which the coefficient for a particular original is classified by said classification means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 143 words
An exposure control system for a colour printer adapted to produce prints from different types of original colour material comprising: (1) photo-electric means for determining the colour density of an original; (2) a store for storing sets of exposure parameters, each set being associated with a different original material; (3) means for spectral analysis of an original; (4) means responsive to said spectral analysis means to form a coefficient representative of that original; (5) classification means for classifying each coefficient in one of a plurality of ranges of coefficient reference values, each range being characteristic of a different original material; (6) means responsive to said classification means for automatically selecting a set of exposure values from said store that is associated with the respective coefficient reference range of values in which the coefficient for a particular original is classified by said classification means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 53 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said spectral analysis and coefficient determining means comprise optical and electrical means determining the transmission or density of an original at two predetermined wavelengths and determines the coefficient from the quotient of the difference and the sum of the transmissions or densities at the two predetermined wavelengths.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 86 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said electrical means comprise a subtraction unit forming the difference between the two transmission values, an adding unit forming the sum of the two transmission values, a first and a second integrator for integration of respectively the difference and sum of the transmission values per unit of time, and a threshold detector which stops the first integrator as soon as the integral of the transmission sum per unit of time formed by the second integrator reaches a predetermined threshold value.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 40 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the classification means comprise a coefficient reference range store and means for comparing the stored coefficient reference ranges with the integral of the transmission difference per unit of time formed by the first integrator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 37 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the comparison means comprise a comparator and a multiplexer which successively applies to the comparator the voltage values stored in the coefficient reference range store until the comparator output state changes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 37 words
Apparatus according to claim 5, including a decoder which decodes the number of comparison operations carried out by the comparator and releases a set of exposure parameters corresponding to said number of operations stored in the store.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 33 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, including a keyboard for selecting an exposure parameter set in the store, and circuitry which automatically locks the keyboard during operation of the spectral analysis and classification means.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3447871A Cited
US3482916A Cited
US3724947A Cited
US3888580A Cited
GB1419343A Cited
US3873201A Cited
GB1448225A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1982-04-23 1982-10-23 1983-04-24 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1986-04-23 1986-10-23 1987-04-24 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1990-04-23 1990-10-23 1991-04-24 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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