US 12,267,475 B2
Method for adopting analogue templates in decor printing
Sebastian Dicke, Bantikow (DE)
Assigned to Flooring Technologies Ltd., Kalkara (MT)
Filed by Flooring Technologies Ltd., Kalkara (MT)
Filed on Dec. 6, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/530,854.
Application 18/530,854 is a continuation of application No. 17/800,953, granted, now 11,876,946, previously published as PCT/EP2021/054340, filed on Feb. 22, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 20158525 (EP), filed on Feb. 20, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0129424 A1, Apr. 18, 2024
Int. Cl. H04N 1/60 (2006.01)
CPC H04N 1/603 (2013.01) [H04N 1/6097 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of transferring analog decor templates into decor printing, comprising comparison of similarity between at least one of 1 to n hyperspectral reference images of an analog decor template and at least one of 1 to n hyperspectral actual digital images of a decorated carrier material, where n∈N,
the method comprising the steps of:
a) producing and storing 1 to n hyperspectral digital reference images of the analog decor template, wherein each hyperspectral digital reference image depicts data from 20 to 250 channels that range from wavelengths in the ultraviolet region to the longwave infrared;
b) creating a decor-specific reference target from the 1 to n hyperspectral digital reference images, wherein the creating of a decor-specific reference target from the 1 to n hyperspectral digital reference images comprises the compounding of the individual hyperspectral digital reference images by means of graphics software when n>1 and the color values that occur most frequently in the 1 to n reference images are imaged as decor-specific color values in the decor specific reference target;
c) creating a digital template of the analog decor template by scanning or photographing the analog decor template;
d) creating a decor-specific profile target from the digital template of the analog decor template using one or more sections of the digital template of the analog decor template that depict an identical section or identical sections of the decor to the 1 to n digital hyperspectral reference images and the color values that occur most frequently in one or more sections of the digital template of the analog decor template are imaged as decor-specific color values in the decor-specific profile target;
e) computing a corrected decor-specific profile target from the decor-specific reference target and the decor-specific profile target by comparing the color values of the decor-specific profile target with the color values of the color fields of the decor-specific reference target and correcting the color values of the color fields of the decor-specific profile target that vary from the color value of the assigned color field of the decor-specific reference target;
f) outputting the digital template of the analog decor template onto a carrier material by means of an output device taking account of the corrected decor-specific profile target;
g) producing 1 to n hyperspectral actual digital images of the decorated carrier material, wherein the 1 to n hyperspectral actual digital images are recorded in the same sections of the decor as the 1 to n hyperspectral digital reference images;
h) ascertaining the color variances and the similarity index between at least one of the 1 to n hyperspectral digital images of the decorated carrier material and at least one of the 1 to n hyperspectral digital reference images; and
i) adjusting and storing the corrected decor-specific profile target taking account of the color variances ascertained when the similarity index is below a defined target value, outputting the digital template of the analog decor template onto a carrier material by means of an output device taking account of the adjusted corrected decor-specific profile target, and repeating steps g) to h),
wherein adjusting of the corrected decor-specific profile target in method step i) is conducted until the similarity index between at least one of the 1 to n hyperspectral actual digital images and at least one of the 1 to n hyperspectral digital reference images is above a defined target value.