ERROR PROPAGATION ANALYSIS IN COLOR MEASUREMENT AND IMAGING

We apply multivariate error-propagation analysis to color-signal trans formations. Results are given that indicate how linear, matrix, and no nlinear transformations influence the mean, variance, and covariance o f color-measurements and color-images. Since many signal processing pa ths include these steps, the analysis is applicable to color-measureme nt and imaging systems. Expressions are given that allow image noise o r error propagation for a spectrophotometer, colorimeter, or digital c amera. In a computed example, error statistics are propagated from tri stimulus values to CIELAB coordinates. The resulting signal covariance is interpreted in terms of CIELAB error ellipsoids and the mean value of color-difference measures, Delta E-ab and Delta E-94*. The applic ation of this analysis to system design is also illustrated by relatin g a Delta E-94 tolerance to equivalent tristimulus-value error statis tics. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.