JPH11232073A - Method and device for generating color monitor profile and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To generate a color monitor profile with which color matching with other media can be achieved without using any expensive colorimeter. SOLUTION: The plural color patches of known values are respectively generated and printed out, these printed-out plural color patches are compared with a color patch displayed in a color display area 14A provided in a selection picture displayed on the color monitor of a profile generating object by watching them by a user, and the compared result is inputted to a selection value input area 14B provided on the selection picture (step S55). From this compared result and a color patch No. corresponding to the color patch displayed in said color display area 14A, the color monitor profile of the profile generating object is calculated and prepared (step S62).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for creating a profile of a color monitor for creating a profile defining device characteristics of a color monitor, and a program for causing a computer to function as such a profile creating apparatus. It relates to a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the spread of computers,
In the printing field, an electronic editing / printing system called desktop publishing has been used. In such an electronic editing / printing system, not only columns of characters but also creation of illustrations and illustrations, correction of photographs, and the like can be performed.

In such an electronic editing / printing system, for example, with respect to a color monitor, red, green, blue (R
The color is represented by each value of (GB), whereas L ^* a ^* b ^* (hereinafter asterisk is omitted) which is designed on the computer side to always reproduce a constant color regardless of the monitor or printer device. The color is represented by the value of Lab. Here, L is luminance or brightness, a is a color in the range from green to red, b is a color in the range from blue to yellow, and a and b are on the X axis and Y axis, and L is on the Z axis. The color can be expressed by the (XYZ) value. For example, L is "0" to "100", and a and b are "+120".
To take a value of "-120".

[0004] RGB corresponding to the Lab (XYZ) value
The values vary depending on the color monitor device, and in order to display the color desired by the user accurately and without color variation between the color monitors, it is necessary to correct the color monitor device.

Therefore, conventionally, a profile defining device characteristics of a color monitor to be used is created, and the profile is stored in a computer in the form of a look-up table (LUT).
The ab (XYZ) value is converted to a corrected RGB value and supplied to a monitor, thereby displaying an accurate color.

To create such a profile,
R, G, B Lab (XY) basic information of the monitor
It was necessary to know the Z) value and the Lab (XYZ) value of the white point using a device called a colorimeter capable of measuring the color from the luminance of the monitor.

[0007]

However, since most of the purposes of creating a profile are to achieve color matching between other media such as a printer output, the user's visual sensitivity is ultimately reduced. It is necessary, and there is a limit that even if a colorimeter is used, a match with a printed matter cannot be felt.

That is, although an expensive colorimeter is used, color matching with a color printer cannot be achieved, which is an obstacle to the expansion of color management technology. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has been made in view of device characteristics of a color monitor capable of achieving color matching with other media such as a printer output without using an expensive colorimeter. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus for creating a profile of a color monitor, which creates a profile defining the profile, and a recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as such a profile creating apparatus.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, a method for creating a profile of a color monitor according to the present invention comprises the steps of generating a plurality of default color patches and printing out the patches, Displaying a predetermined color patch on a color monitor; receiving a visual comparison result between the color patch displayed on the color monitor and the plurality of printed color patches; and A step of creating a profile of a color monitor for which a profile is to be created from information of a predetermined color patch displayed on the color monitor.

In other words, according to the color monitor profile creation method of the present invention, a plurality of default color patches are generated and printed out, and the printed out plurality of color patches are visually checked by the user. Then, the profile of the color monitor to be profiled is created from the comparison result and the information of the predetermined color patch displayed on the color monitor.

Therefore, by using the default color patches, a monitor device profile that can achieve color matching with other media such as a printer output can be created inexpensively in a short time.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1A is a diagram showing a configuration of a personal computer to which a method for creating a profile of a color monitor according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. In FIG. , 14 and 16 are input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse, and color monitors such as a CRT and a liquid crystal display, respectively, connected to the personal computer main body 10.
It is a color printer such as a laser printer or a printing machine.

The personal computer body 10 is a CP
U18, input control unit 20, display control device 22, print control device 24, storage device 26, RAM 28, and communication device 3.
It consists of 0.

Here, the CPU 18 controls each section of the personal computer main body 10, and the input control section 20 detects what key input or pointing operation has been performed by the input section 12. is there. The display control unit 22 generates display data to be displayed on the color monitor 14 and displays the display data on the color monitor 14. The print control unit 24 prints data to be printed by the color printer 16. Is generated and the color printer 16 prints the generated data.

The storage device 26 such as a hard disk or a ROM and the RAM 28 are for storing processing programs and data of the personal computer executed by the CPU 18 in advance. The programs and data stored in the RAM 26 and the RAM 28 may be read from a storage medium 32 such as a floppy disk or an optical (magnetic) disk,
The communication device 30 may receive data from another device connected via a communication line (wired or wireless) 34 for data transmission / reception with the outside, and store the data in these devices.

Next, the operation in such a configuration will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 1B, a plurality of printer colorimetric color patches are printed by the color printer 16 (step S1). Next, the color patches of the respective printer colorimeters are measured by a colorimeter (step S2), and a printer color profile is created in accordance with the results thereof, and these are stored in a storage device 26 in the form of a look-up table (LUT). (Step S3). By converting the Lab (XYZ) values into cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) values corrected by the printer LUT and supplying the converted values to the color printer 16, an accurate color can be obtained. Will allow you to print out. Since the profile creation processing is known in the art, the description thereof is omitted here.

Next, a plurality of monitor color patches are printed by the color printer 16 managed as described above (step S4). These monitor color patches include, for example, red (R), green (G),
The values of the colors of blue (B) and white (W) are changed. The Lab (XYZ) values corresponding to the colors of the respective color patches are converted into CMYK values by the printer LUT, and the color printer 16 is changed. , The color patches are arranged and printed on a print medium, that is, paper. In this case, on the print medium, numerical values indicating the R, G, B, and W values of each color patch are assigned to the positions corresponding to the respective color patches with the patch numbers. Print as

Then, a monitor color profile is created using the monitor color patches (step S5). This is performed as shown in FIG.

That is, first, red is set as the target color, and the pointer i is set to "128" (step S5).
1). Here, the value of the pointer i is the color patch No.
For example, the color patch No. Is "1"
~ "256", the middle "12"
8 is set as the first target. Of course, the initially set value is not limited to such a middle value, but an end value such as "1" or "256", or "5".
Or any value such as "10".

Next, a selection screen is displayed on the color monitor 14 in accordance with the set target color and the value of the pointer i (step S52), and input is waited for (step S53).

Here, the selection screen is, for example, as shown in FIG.
, The patch number of the monitor color patch indicated by the target color and the value of the pointer i. And an area 14A for displaying a color corresponding to the target color and the Lab (XYZ) value corresponding to the color indicated by the value of the pointer i in accordance with the monitor LUT in the initial state.
The color converted to the GB value is displayed. In addition, the patch number that the user seems to be closest is displayed on this selection screen. , An up / down button 14C, 14D for changing a patch displayed in the color display area 14A, and an “R” for specifying a color of a color patch to be displayed. , “G”, “B”, “W” buttons 14
E, 14F, 14G, and 14H, and an "end" button 141 for closing the selection screen are provided.

Then, if any input is made,
First, it is determined whether or not it is a selection value input to the selection value input area 14B (step S54). If so, the input value is stored in the storage device 26 as shown in FIG. Alternatively, the data is stored in the selection input value storage table provided in the RAM 28 (step S55), and is stored in the above-described step S5.
Return to 3. That is, in this embodiment, instead of using a colorimeter, the printed monitor color patches are visually matched with the color monitor 14 as a target. The displayed color is visually compared with the printed monitor color patch, and the color patch No. considered to be closest to the displayed color is compared. Is keyed into the selection value input area 14B. In this case, in order to indicate which of the two adjacent color patches is closer to each other, the decimal point can be input according to the user's sensitivity.

If it is determined in step S54 that an input other than the selected value has been made, then "end"
Button 14I, "R", "G", "B", "W" buttons 14E, 14F, 14G, 14H, and up / down button 1
It is determined which of 4C and 14D has been operated (steps S56, S57, S58).

When the upper button 14C is operated, the value of the pointer i is incremented by "20" (step S5).
9) When the down button 14D is operated, the pointer i
Is decremented by “20” (step S60),
By returning to step S52, the patch displayed in the color display area 14A of the display screen is changed. In this case, the number of increments or decrements of the value of the pointer i is not limited to “20”, but is “1”.
Of course, any value such as "5" may be used.
However, if the value is too small, the number of operations increases accordingly. Conversely, if the value is too large, the accuracy of the created profile decreases. Therefore, in this embodiment, “20” is used.
And

This patch No. By repeating the change process and the selection value input process, selection values can be input for all color patches of the target color. Next, "R", "G", "B", "W" buttons 14E, 1
When any one of 4F, 14G, and 14H is operated, that is, when a color is selected, the target color is changed to the selected color and the value of the pointer i is set to “128”.
Is reset (step S61), and the above-mentioned step S52 is set.
To change the color of the patch displayed in the color display area 14A of the display screen.

Then, in the same manner as above, the selection value input process and the patch No. By repeating the change processing, it is possible to input selection values for all the color patches of the target color, and by repeating the color selection processing, R,
Selection input can be performed for all color patches of all colors of G, B, and W.

In this way, the selection and input for all the color patches of all the colors of R, G, B and W are performed, and "END"
When the button 14I is operated, a monitor color profile is calculated based on each selection input value stored in the selection input value storage table and stored in the storage device 26 (step S62). That is, from the selected input values stored in the selected input value storage table, values between the input values are obtained by interpolation, and a calibration curve for each color is created as shown in FIG. Then, the Lab (XYZ) value set in the monitor LUT in the initial state is corrected based on the calibration curve, and the monitor LUT as a monitor color profile is corrected.
Create a UT.

As described above, by using the default color patches, a monitor device profile that can achieve color matching with other media such as a printer output can be created inexpensively in a short time. become.

It is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the printer color profile is created by using a colorimeter, but may be created by any method, and in the color monitor profile creation of the present invention, If the color management of the printer has already been performed by some method, the creation of the printer color profile itself may be omitted.

In the above embodiment, one color display area 14A and one selection value input area 14
Although B is provided, a plurality of color display areas for simultaneously displaying a plurality of colors and a selection value input area corresponding to each of the plurality of color display areas may be provided. Further, the monitor color patches of a plurality of colors are arranged on one printing sheet. However, printing may be performed on separate sheets for each of R, G, B, and W colors. In addition, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0031]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
A color monitor profile creation method for creating a profile defining device characteristics of a color monitor so that color matching with other media such as a printer output can be achieved without using an expensive colorimeter. It is possible to provide a device and a recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as such a profile creation device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a personal computer to which a color monitor profile creation method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating a color monitor profile creation method according to an embodiment; It is a flowchart, (C) is a figure which shows the printed monitor color patch.

2A is a flowchart of a monitor car patch creation process in FIG. 1B, and FIG. 2B is a diagram showing a selection screen.

3A is a diagram illustrating a storage structure of a selection input value storage table, and FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating a calibration curve for each of R, G, B, and W colors;

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 10 Personal computer body 12 Input device 14 Color monitor 14A Color display area 14B Selection value input area 14C, 14D Up / Down button 14E, 14F, 14G, 14H "R", "G",
"B", "W" buttons 14I "End" button 16 Color printer 18 CPU 20 Input control unit 22 Display control device 24 Print control device 26 Storage device 28 RAM 30 Communication device 32 Storage medium 34 Communication line

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A color monitor profile creation method for creating a profile defining device characteristics of a color monitor, comprising the steps of: generating and printing out a plurality of color patches each having a predetermined value; A step of displaying a predetermined color patch; a step of receiving a visual comparison result between the color patch displayed on the color monitor and the plurality of printed color patches; and displaying the comparison result and the color monitor on the color monitor. A step of creating a profile of a color monitor for which a profile is to be created from information of the displayed predetermined color patch. 2. The information of a predetermined color patch displayed on the color monitor is information indicating which of the plurality of printed color patches corresponds to the color patch. 2. The method of creating a color monitor profile according to item 1. 3. The step of displaying the predetermined color patches includes displaying a plurality of color patches simultaneously or sequentially, and the step of receiving the comparison result includes the step of displaying the plurality of color patches displayed simultaneously or sequentially. The step of receiving a comparison result for each of them and creating a profile from the comparison result includes the comparison result of each of the plurality of color patches displayed simultaneously or sequentially and the display color patch corresponding to each of the comparison results. 2. The color monitor profile creation method according to claim 1, wherein a profile is created based on the information. 4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the comparison result of each of the plurality of received color patches in association with information of a display color patch corresponding to each of the comparison results. 5. The color monitor profile creation method according to claim 4, wherein the creating step creates a profile based on the stored information. 5. A color monitor profile creating apparatus for creating a profile defining device characteristics of a color monitor, a color patch printing means for generating and printing out a plurality of default color patches, A color patch display control means for displaying a predetermined color patch on a color monitor; a color patch displayed on the color monitor for which the profile is to be created by the color patch display control means; and a color patch printed out by the color patch printing means. Input means for inputting the result of visual comparison with a plurality of color patches; and information of the predetermined color patch displayed on the color monitor based on the result of the comparison input from the input means. Create a color monitor profile Profile generation device for color monitor, characterized by comprising: a profile creation means for, the. 6. A process for generating and printing out a plurality of default color patches when creating a profile defining device characteristics of a color monitor, and a process for generating a predetermined color patch on a color monitor for profile creation. A process of displaying, a process of receiving a visual comparison result between the color patch displayed on the color monitor and the plurality of printed color patches, and a process of receiving the comparison result and a predetermined color displayed on the color monitor. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program including a process of creating a profile of a color monitor for which a profile is to be created from patch information and a program for causing a computer to execute the process.