SYSTEM FOR CORRECTING COLOR OF PHOTO PRINTER BY USING USER TERMINAL AND METHOD THEREFOR

Abstract

A color correction system for a photo printer comprises: a mobile application which accesses a service server, downloads newly updated extension color correction data from the service server, and stores the newly updated extension color correction data; a control unit which compares a version of the extension color correction data with a version of first color correction data stored in the photo printer and performs control so that the extension color correction data stored in the photo printer is updated based on a result of the comparison; and a short-distance communication module which transmits the first extension color correction data to the photo printer while operating in conjunction with the photo printer.

Claims

1. A color correction system for a photo printer, comprising: a mobile application which accesses a service server, downloads newly updated extension color correction data from the service server, and stores the newly updated extension color correction data; a control unit which compares a version of the extension color correction data with a version of first color correction data stored in the photo printer and performs control so that the extension color correction data stored in the photo printer is updated based on a result of the comparison; and a short-distance communication module which transmits the first extension color correction data to the photo printer while operating in conjunction with the photo printer.

2. The color correction system of claim 1, wherein the extension color correction data is data for correcting a color using color correction data included in a smart sheet mounted on the photo printer as an index.

3. The color correction system of claim 2, wherein the color correction data comprises required energy for printing a required color at a head temperature of the photo printer and a sensitivity of media for the head temperature.

4. The color correction system of claim 2, wherein the extension color correction data comprises required energy for printing a required color at a head temperature of the photo printer, a sensitivity of media for the head temperature, and a constant for reducing print energy of a next color.

5. The color correction system of claim 1, wherein the control unit checks whether the extension color correction data previously registered with the service server is present through a mobile application and downloads the extension color correction data if, as a result of the check, the previously registered extension color correction data is found to be present.

6. The color correction system of claim 1, wherein the control unit compares the version of the received extension color correction data with the version of the first color correction data stored in the photo printer and performs control so that the first extension color correction data is updated with the extension color correction data if the version of the first color correction data is earlier than the version of the extension color correction data based on a result of the comparison.

7. A color correction method for a photo printer, comprising steps of: 1) executing, by a user terminal, a mobile application and accessing a service server; 2) downloading newly updated extension color data if the newly updated extension color data is present in the service server and storing the downloaded extension color data in the mobile application; 3) checking a version of first color correction data stored in a photo printer by associating the user terminal and the photo printer; and 4) transmitting, by the mobile application, the extension color correction data to the photo printer if the version of the first color correction data is different from the extension color correction data so that the first color correction data is updated.

8. The color correction method of claim 7, further comprising steps of: 5) checking, by the photo printer, recognizing second color correction data printed on a smart sheet; 6) substituting the extension color correction data for the second color correction data using the second color correction data as an index if the second color correction data is not the extension color correction data; and 7) correcting, by the photo printer, a color based on the extension color correction data and printing an image on print paper.

9. The color correction method of claim 8, wherein the first or second color correction data comprises required energy for printing a required color at a head temperature of the photo printer and a sensitivity of media for the head temperature.

10. The color correction method of claim 9, wherein the extension color correction data comprises required energy for printing a required color at a head temperature of the photo printer, a sensitivity of media for the head temperature, and a constant for reducing print energy of a next color.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system for correcting a color of a photo printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an actual shape of a smart sheet used in a photo printer.

[0028] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of a user terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a method for correcting a color of a photo printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the results of the measurement of color correction according to an embodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODE

[0031] Hereinafter, a system and method for correcting a color of a photo printer using a user terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Parts required for the understanding of an operation and action according to the present invention are chiefly described in detail.

[0032] Furthermore, in describing the elements of the present invention, different reference numerals may be assigned to elements having the same name depending on the drawings, and the same reference numeral may be assigned to elements in different drawings. In such a case, however, it does not mean that a corresponding element has a different function depending on an embodiment and has the same function in different embodiments. The function of each element should be determined based on a description of each element in a corresponding embodiment.

[0033] In particular, the present invention proposes a new method of activating a mobile application, downloading new color correction data using the activated mobile application if the new color correction data registered with a service server is present, checking the version of color correction data stored in a photo printer, and updating the color correction data stored in the photo printer with the downloaded color correction data based on a result of the check.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system for correcting a color of a photo printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 1, the system for correcting a color of a photo printer according to the present invention may be configured to include a photo printer 110, a user terminal 120, a service server 130, and a database 140.

[0036] The photo printer 110 may read barcode data (second color correction data) from a smart sheet mounted thereon and apply extension color correction data using the read barcode data as an index.

[0037] The photo printer 110 may obtain color correction data for correcting a color from barcode (second color correction data) included in a smart sheet, and may reconfigure environment configuration information based on extension color correction data previously stored in internal memory thereof using the obtained color correction data as an index. In this case, the environment configuration information is a parameter for representing a target color on print paper, and may include a temperature, an exposure time, etc. for example.

[0038] In this case, the photo printer 110 is periodically or non-periodically updated with a new version of extension color correction data in accordance with a version of the extension color correction data stored in the internal memory.

[0039] The user terminal 120 may activate a mobile application, may check whether a new version of extension color correction data registered with a service server is present, and may download the new version of extension color correction data using the activated mobile application if, as a result of the check, the new version of extension color correction data is found to be present.

[0040] In this case, the user terminal 120 may access the service server using wireless communication and periodically or non-periodically check whether the new extension color correction data registered with the accessed service server is present.

[0041] The user terminal 120 may check a version of first color correction data previously stored in the photo printer 110 while operating in conjunction with the photo printer 110 using short-distance wireless communications.

[0042] In this case, the extension color correction data refers to color correction data extended to 144 bits by adding a plurality of parameters to the second color correction data of 53 bits included in an existing smart sheet.

[0043] The range in which a color can be corrected is increased by such an extension of color correction data. That is, the photo printer according to the present invention uses thermal sensitive printing paper that represents a color using heat or energy, and adjusts a color image represented on print paper by controlling energy.

[0044] In this case, the energy may be represented as in Equation 1 below.

[0045] E.sub.cyan=G.sub.inv,cyan+S.sub.eff,cyan*(T.sub.sT.sub.g)+Sx1.sub.cyan*E.sub.magenta+Sx2.sub.c*E.sub.yellow

E.sub.magenta=G.sub.inv,magenta+S.sub.eff,magenta*(T.sub.sT.sub.g)+Sx1.sub.magenta*E.sub.yellow+Sx2.sub.magenta*E.sub.cyan

E.sub.yellow=G.sub.inv,yellow+S.sub.eff,yellow*(T.sub.sT.sub.g)+Sx1.sub.yellow*E.sub.cyan+Sx2.sub.yellow*E.sub.magenta [Equation 1]

[0046] In Equation 1, E indicates actually applied energy. G.sub.inv indicates required energy for printing a required color at a head temperature in a steady state. S.sub.eff indicates the sensitivity of a media (the media is changed depending on a temperature of the head and is necessary for uniform print density) for the head temperature. T.sub.s indicates a measured temperature of the head. T.sub.g indicates a specific temperature when the value G.sub.inv is corrected. Sx1 and Sx2 are constants for reducing print energy of a next color image, which is previously applied energy, and have a value of 0.11.

[0047] From Equation 1, it may be seen that in existing first or second color correction data, there is a limit to the correction of a color because the existing first or second color correction data may be used to control only the values G.sub.inv and S.sub.eff, wherein in extension color correction data, the range in which a color can be corrected has been increased because the parameters Sx1 and Sx2 have been added.

[0048] The user terminal 120 may provide the downloaded extension color correction data to the photo printer 110 if the version of first color correction data previously stored in the photo printer 110 is found to be earlier than the version of the extension color correction data downloaded from the service server 130.

[0049] The service server 130 may provide the user terminal with the mobile application for managing extension color correction data for representing a color on print paper from the photo printer.

[0050] The service server 130 may provide the user terminal with a new version of extension color correction data if a request for the new version of extension color correction data is received from the user terminal.

[0051] In this case, the service server 130 may notify the user terminal that the new version of extension color correction data has been registered whenever the new version of extension color correction data is registered.

[0052] The database 140 may store the mobile application, the extension color correction data, etc.

[0053] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an actual shape of a smart sheet used in the photo printer.

[0054] From FIG. 2, it may be seen that print paper mounted on the photo printer includes barcode data including color correction data for correcting a color represent on the print paper.

[0055] The barcode data consists of 53 bits and is read by the photo printer.

[0056] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of the user terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 3, the user terminal 120 according to the present invention may be configured to include a communication unit 121, an input unit 122, a short-distance communication module 123, a control unit 124, a display unit 125, and a storage unit 126.

[0058] The communication unit 121 may transmit and receive various data while operating in conjunction with the service server through wireless communication. For example, the communication unit 121 may receive a new version of extension color correction data from the service server while operating in conjunction with the service server using wireless communication.

[0059] The input unit 122 may receive information according to a manipulation of a key or menu by a user.

[0060] The short-distance communication module 123 may transmit and receive various data while operating in conjunction with the photo printer through short-distance wireless communication. For example, the short-distance communication module 123 may receive version information about previously stored first color correction data from the photo printer while operating in conjunction with the photo printer through short-distance wireless communication, and may transmit a new version of extension color correction data.

[0061] In this case, the short-distance wireless communication may be a concept including radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Zigbee, Near Field Communication (NFC), WiFi, Wibro, etc.

[0062] The control unit 124 may activate a mobile application in response to a manipulation of a key or menu by a user, may access the service server using the activated mobile application, and may download a new version of extension color correction data previously registered with the accessed service server.

[0063] The control unit 124 may access the photo printer using the mobile application, may check a version of first color correction data previously stored in the accessed photo printer, and may send the extension color correction data downloaded from the service server based on a result of the check.

[0064] That is, the control unit 124 updates the previous version of the first color correction data previously stored in the photo printer based on the new version of the downloaded extension color correction data.

[0065] When the mobile application is activated, the display unit 125 may display information about the transmission of the extension color correction data, update, etc. which are performed through the mobile application.

[0066] The storage unit 126 may store the mobile application, the extension color correction data, etc.

MODE FOR INVENTION

[0067] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a method for correcting a color of the photo printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 4, the user terminal 120 may activate a mobile application, and may check whether a new version of extension color correction data previously registered with the service server is present using the activated mobile application.

[0069] Next, if, as a result of the check, the new version of extension color correction data is found to have been registered, the user terminal 120 may download the new version of extension color correction data.

[0070] Next, the user terminal 120 may check a version of first color correction data previously stored in the photo printer 110 while operating in conjunction with the photo printer 110 using short-distance wireless communications.

[0071] Next, if, as a result of the check, the version of the first color correction data previously stored in the photo printer 110 is found to be not the latest version, the user terminal 120 may send the downloaded extension color correction data to the photo printer so that the first color correction data stored in the photo printer is updated.

[0072] For example, if, as a result of the check, the version of the first color correction data previously stored in the photo printer 110 is found to be earlier than the version of the extension color correction data downloaded from the service server 130, the user terminal 120 updates the first color correction data stored in the photo printer with the downloaded extension color correction data because the version of the first color correction data is not the latest version.

[0073] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the results of the measurement of color correction according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0074] From FIG. 5, it may be seen that it is more effective to represent a target color using extension color correction data of 144 bits rather than to represent a target color using first or second color correction data of existing 53 bits.

[0075] The reason for this is that as in Equation 1, the system according to the present invention has increased the range in which a color can be corrected because the parameters Sx1 and Sx2 in addition to the values G.sub.inv and S.sub.eff have been added.

[0076] Meanwhile, the aforementioned embodiments of the present invention may be written in the form of a program executable in a computer, and may be implemented in a general-purpose digital computer driven using a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium includes storage media, such as magnetic storage media (e.g., ROM, a floppy disk and a hard disk) and optical reading media (e.g., CD ROM and DVD).

[0077] The aforementioned embodiments are illustrative, and those skilled in the art may change and modify the present invention in various ways without departing from the essential characteristic of the present invention. Accordingly, the disclosed embodiments should not be construed as limiting the technical spirit of the present invention, but should be construed as illustrating the technical spirit of the present invention. The scope of the technical spirit of the present invention is not restricted by the embodiments, and the scope of the present invention should be interpreted based on the following appended claims. Accordingly, the present invention should be construed as covering all modifications or variations derived from the meaning and scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0078] The present invention is very useful in industrial applications because new extension color correction data registered with a service server can be downloaded if the new extension color correction data is present, a version of color correction data stored in a photo printer can be checked, and the color correction data stored in the photo printer can be updated with the downloaded extension color correction data as a result of the check.