Patent ID: 7599098

Claim:
A method for color matching an overprinted graphic document for a target device, the method comprising: obtaining the overprinted graphic document comprising a plurality of graphic elements, each of the graphic elements comprising at least one color; examining the plurality of graphic elements to identify at least one overprint region, the overprint region corresponding to an area wherein a plurality of contributing graphic elements overlap, wherein each contributing graphic element contributes at least some color to the overprint region; selecting an overprint graphic element type from a plurality of graphic element types; creating at least one overprint graphic element of the overprint graphic element type that paints in the corresponding overprint region; establishing at least one color for the overprint graphic element; creating a modified document by adding the at least one overprint graphic element to the overprinted graphic document; wherein examining the plurality of graphic elements to identify the at least one overprint region comprises: determining a plurality of graphic element outlines corresponding to the plurality of graphic elements; determining a plurality of overlap regions each defined by an intersection of a plurality of overlapping graphic element outlines; associating a graphic element with an overlap region if the graphic element corresponds to one of the plurality of overlapping graphic element outlines defining the overlap region; determining if a graphic element associated with an overlap region contributes color to the overlap region; associating a graphic element that contributes color to an overlap region with an ordered overprint stack associated with the overlap region, wherein a graphic element that paints earlier is positioned in the stack below a graphic element that paints later; and, declaring an overlap region as an overprint region if the corresponding overprint stack comprises a plurality of contributing graphic elements.