1 Smartmatch

In the new version of DCIMatch we have improved the Smartmatch Housekeeping.

The aim of the housekeeping function is to eliminate poor points (points with a color
difference greater than 16 DE CieLab) and to reduce the number of similar points by
grouping them.
This is a very complicated mathematical task for the program and generally not all points
can be recognized for grouping. That’s the fact why we still have a very powerful
graphical supported part in the program to check the population for further points to be
deleted or grouped. The human brain is better for this tasks as many program lines.

To open a Smartmatch population,

select the task ‘Open Population by
SM_ID’ from The Menu ‘Smart’
and type in the ID of a Smartmatch
point, or double click a point. The
program collects all points and
shows up the dialog with all relevant
data for the population. The ID of
the population is saved and is
selected automatically if you call the task the next time.

New information on the

‘Current Population’
dialog is the number of
points grouped by the
program (automatic)
and the number of
points with comments
on the detail screen.
This is important
information because all
points with comments
should be checked.

To check the population, click the button ‘Quick’. All details are displayed.
1.1 The detail screen of Smartmatch

All colons in the upper table can be ordered just by clicking the column header.
The Smartmatch points are displayed in the graphic with different colors. The spike gets
the color of the batch; a shaft in gray represents a normal point. A blue shaft indicates a
grouped point and all points belonging to a group. The point you have selected in the
upper table is displayed with a yellow shaft. The shaft is red if a point is suspect.
The length of the shaft is proportional to the dLab* vector (representing the Lab distance
between the theoretical reflectance and the reflectance of the measured batch).

For a better identification the points are all numbered. e.g.:

20 = Index No of Smartmatch point

[17,4] = 1st number is Index of SM-point, 2nd number is the number of the group
the point belongs to
[-54,1] = A negative Index identifies a new group point (not existing in the
database); it is build when population is opened. It will be written after
confirmation by closing the SM population screen.
On the left side of the screen we show a table with 2 columns.
Column 1 contains the Index number and the dE for the CIELab space.
The 2nd column shows the Smartmatch Index and the difference in concentration space.
All Smartmatch points within the color difference selected for the Radius (displayed in
the dialog title are
colored with
different gray shades. Points with the same shade in both columns belong together. This
shows clearly how much the color difference depends on the space you are using to
evaluate the points.
The consequence out of it – it is not enough to use only the color difference of one space,
you must look at both to assess the quality of a Smartmatch point.

1.1.1 Explanation of important buttons on the Population dialog:

With these Buttons you can change the radius of the color space
(color difference CIELab) used to show the Smartmatch points.
Default is 32. Selectable are 1, 2, 4, 16, 32 and 250)

This button toggles between DEL to delete and INS to insert the
Smartmatch point again. The button shows what the program does if
you click it.

This button toggles between Lab* and C%. It is the type of graphic
displayed. Lab* = Lab color space and C% = concentration space.
The button shows what the program does if you click it.

The OK button is used to mark the Smartmatch point if it is

checked. This SM point is hidden in the SM table then but is still
displayed in the graphic. The spike becomes a sphere. The next
point in the list is selected for checking.

This button shows up all points again

1.1.2 Navigation in the graphic:

The selected point in the Smartmatch table (click on the color patch) becomes the center
for the graphical display.

Hold the left mouse button down and move the mouse to rotate the graphic. The selected
SM-point (Smartmatch point with the yellow shaft) is the crucial point.

Hold down the right mouse button and move the mouse to zoom in or out.
1.1.3 Smartmatch Group point
The next picture shows Smartmatch points, which are used to build a group point.

The Group point build by the program is the point [-57,1]; the negative index indicates a
new group, the 1 is the number of the group. This group point is build using the points
23,1 24,1 and 25,1.
1.1.4 Lab and C% graphical view
In the next 2 pictures you can see the influence of the space (Lab* or concentration). In
both you see the same points. Only in the concentration space you can see the big
difference between the point [17,4] and [-57,1]
1.1.5 Comments used for Smartmatch points

As mentioned above in the document you should check at least the points with a
comment.

1.1.6 Manually Checked Smartmatch Points

Example for Smartmatch points already checked manually (OK button clicked)

The Points 12, 11 and 16 (with a sphere on top) are already checked.
 Comments Explanation
Automatic Points with this comment are grouped automatically. The number of
the group is written in the ‘Grp’ column (in the screen above it’s group
1.
Points are grouped to reduce the number of similar points. Too many
points may have a negative influence on the matching quality.
Many statistical calculations are necessary to find the Smartmatch
points to build a group. The aim is to find ‘clouds’ of points with
similar behavior. It is an iterative process, which calculates the
average distance between all points and the smallest distance between
2 points, which are not equal.

In the little graph we can see

how the program is looking
for points, which can be used
for grouping

The group point is calculated using the information of the points

building the group. A theoretical recipe and reflectance values are
stored for this new point.
Points used for grouping are not deleted from the database. If you
select the group point you can restore the points used to build the
group point.
C[x] All points with C and the same number have similar or equal
concentrations but the reflectance values of the batch are different.
Batch[x] All points with Batch and the same number have similar or equal
reflectance values but the concentrations are different.
dBat[x] All points with dBat and the same number nave similar or equal color
difference values but the concentrations are different.
1.1.7 Smartmatch Points to be deleted

The next screen shows an example for a point you can delete.

The two points 205 and 192 have both the same or similar batch and the same or similar
difference values. You can delete one point because it makes no sense to have 2 points
with almost the same information. You should delete points with the same concentrations
C(x) comment as well.

1.2 Release Smart match points from group

If you have executed the ‘Smartmatch Housekeeping’ you may get a message to select
another point because it belongs to a group. If you like to examine the population you
must select the point mentioned in the message.
DCIMatch does not delete the original points if they are used to build a Smartmatch
group point. You can release (reestablish) the original points if you select a group point in
the explorer view e.g. the point with the number 45372. Only if the selected point is a
group point the task ‘Release points from group’ is enabled. Executing this task brings
back all points used to build the group point; the group point is deleted.

Because it is very difficult to find the group points, you can release all groups at once.
You find this task in the dialog of the ‘Automatic Smartmatch Housekeeping’