Golden Thread Users Manual
GoldenThread_Users_Manual
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… Designed for Digital Archiving
GoldenThread™ was designed to facilitate total image quality management in digital imaging
workflows, and is ideally suited to work in libraries, museums, archives and galleries. Features
include:
• Easy-to-use operator interface
• Simplified method to create, share, and test performance specifications ( e.g. NARA
guidelines, Metamorfoze, Geheugen van Nederland )
• Pass/Fail reporting based on user defined test profiles
• Automatic mode for batch processing
• Data stored to Microsoft Excel® and Access® facilitating trend analysis and forecasting
A Comprehensive Set of Image Quality Metrics …
GoldenThread™ is the product of years of research and development conducted for the Federal
Agencies Digitization Guidelines Initiative*. Fully compliant with existing ISO standards,
GoldenThread™ measures:
• Grayscale and Color Response
• Resolution, Sampling Frequency, and Spatial Frequency Response (SFR)
• White Balance
• Color Channel Registration
• Noise
• Color Encoding Accuracy
• Lighting Uniformity
* For more information, visit: www.digitizationguidelines.gov/stillimages/organizations.html
The Gold Standard of image quality
specification and verification
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The GoldenThread™ System - Targets
9 Slanted-edge resolution features are created on high-resolution silver halide
paper by Applied Image, the world leader in image quality targets.
9 Sheets of Munsell color patches are purchased directly from X-Rite, laser-cut
and assembled below the surface to protect them from damage.
9 Target components are mounted on anodized aluminum sheets to maintain
flatness and protect the targets from damage
Target Design
GoldenThread™ includes two targets for two distinct situations: (1) fully qualifying
an imaging device such as a camera or scanner and (2) capturing information
during the digitization event of an object. The device target has expanded
functionality to maximize the information for a system. The object target captures
critical information with the smallest footprint possible to enable its integration into
an actual workflow.
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The GoldenThread™ System - Software
GoldenThread™ software can accept images with either object or device-level
targets in the image. Operators simply select a region around the target to start
analysis. If targets are placed consistently, automatic mode can be used to
process images without user input. Setting up test parameters and measurement
aims is facilitated with a profile setup wizard to guide operators.
Software Design
9 LabVIEW’s powerful imaging library has been leveraged with Excel and
Access programs to optimize the program’s utility and stability
9 Built-in feature detection greatly simplifies operator involvement
9 Fully documented with online Help screens to guide users through the
analysis process and provide in-depth test descriptions.
Open Image
The Graphical User Interface was designed so
operators can confidently run the software “out of the
box”. Test results are displayed clearly.
User Interface Front Panel
Select Region
Pass/Fail Summary
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Col d™
to v ll ensure that your collections are properly
llection of digital images that are out of focus,
no method to quantify your specifications and communicate them
clearly to your suppliers.
Digital Services Providers: GoldenThread™ reduces the ambi in
explicitly communicating image quality specifications. With Golde educe cost and
rework by ensuring that the job is done right the first time. Just as important, GoldenThread™ is
used for quality control throughout the production process. At the end of a job, you’ll be able to
prove 100% compliance to your customer specifications.
Digitization Equipment Manufacturers: Accurately assessing your system components for
Spatial Frequency Response, noise and tonescale will allow you to fit the cost of your product to
the needs of the customer. You will be able to demonstrate that a customer’s image qu
performance specifications are achievable with your equipment nt on
customer assistance, align your products more accurately to cust customers
will be confident that your equipment is up to the task.
lection Custodians: Specifying the use of GoldenThrea
erify compliance of the received product wi
with your suppliers and using it
preserved for future use. Don’t get stuck with a co
isy or off color. We provide a
guity of the quot
nThread, you’ll r
g process by
ality
. You’ll reduce time spe
omer needs and your
Collection
Custodians
Digital
Services
Providers
Digitization
Equipment
Manufacturers
Digital Archiving Industry
Gold he
easurement and communication standard for image quality
enThread™ is increasingly accepted as t
m
among all components of the digital archiving industry.
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Munsell Patch Density
N 9.5 0.04
N 9 0.09
N 8.5 0.15
N 8 0.22
N 7 0.36
N 6 0.51
N 4.75 0.75
N 3.75 0.98
N 2.75 1.24
N 1.75 1.67
N 1 2.04
N 0.5 2.42
Measure
RGB Digital
Code Values Calculate
difference from
aim
Compare
difference to
allowable limits
Specify Aim
Curve
Tonescale Analysis
Achieving the desired tonescale in a system and making sure it stays on
aim are critical components of image quality. GoldenThread™ goes
beyond just measuring and reporting the RGB values. We allow an aim
curve to be specified with custom limits to explicitly measure if a system
meets specification.
12 neutral patches
offer an expanded,
more detailed
mapping of the
Tonescale
response of your
s
y
stem.
Built-in NARA and UCB aims allow for quick analysis against these
standards. Or build a custom aim using our gamma, gain and offset
adjustments
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Munsell Color L* a* b*
3YR 39.12 13.24 15.07
2.2YR 65.43 18.11 18.72
4.3PB 49.87 -4.34 -22.29
6.7GY 44.26 -13.80 22.85
9.7PB 55.56 9.82 -24.49
2.5BG 70.82 -33.43 -0.35
5YR 63.51 34.26 59.60
7.5PB 39.92 11.81 -46.07
2.5R 52.24 48.55 18.51
5P 1.41 20.98 -19.43 3
5GY 72.46 -24.45 55.93
10YR 72.95 16.83 68.80
7.5PB 29.37 13.06 -49.49
0.25G 54.91 -38.91 30.77
5R 43.96 52.00 30.01
5Y 82.74 3.45 81.29
2.5RP 52.79 50.88 -12.72
5B 50.87 -27.17 -29.46
Measure
RGB Digital
Code Values
RGB to CIELab
Conversion
Matrix
Calculate
Delta E 2000
GoldenThread™ includes the most advanced methods to analyze the colo
accuracy of a system. This involves converting the captured RGB dig
values from the scanner to L*a*b* and calculating the difference in color
from the known L*a*b* using the “Delta E 2000” method.
r
ital
The key step in this process is the conversion of RGB to L*a*b*, which
requires the color model and lighting conditions to be specified for your
s
e
performing to world-class standards.
pecific capture system. Using the tonescale and color techniques
nabled by GoldenThread™, you can be confident that your system is
sRGB
Adobe RGB
ProPhoto
ECI
Color Analysis
Our targets include
gamut of colors
representin
foliage, and sky a
standard color pa
a wide
g flesh tone
s well
tches.
s,
as
Color accuracy for a system is specified by setting the maximum allowable
Delta E for any patch and the maximum allowable average Delta E for all
30 patches. Calculated L*, a*, b* as well as Delta E values are all stored
to the database for each image.
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In order to specify resolution performance, Spatial Frequency Response
(SFR) curves are analyzed for 10% and 50% frequency positions. These
are further distilled to the average optical resolution and, finally, the
sampling efficiency is calculated based on the measured spatial resolution
of the image.
GoldenThread™ has implemented ISO 12233 for the measurement of
resolution. Since this specification was authored by Don Williams, we are
confident in its correct implementation. Both targets are measured for
horizontal and vertical resolution for all color channels.
Measure Actual
Sampling Rate
Measure raw
Spatial Frequency
Response (SFR)
Extract 10% and
50% Sampling
Frequencies
Calculate
Average Optical
Resolution Calculate
Sampling
Efficiency
Resolution Analysis
Resolution features for both
targets include visual analysis
checks to allow crossover from
existing methods.
Raw SFR curves are
displayed and saved to
Excel for all ten features
of the device target and
both features of the
object target
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Registration Analysis
Registration of the color planes
are performed as part of the
resolution analysis. The degree
(in pixels) to which the red and
blue planes are not co-planar
with the green plane is reported
as mis-registration. Aims are set
for both horizontal and vertical
directions in units of pixels.
Uniformity Analysis
Noise
Neutrality
Neutrality and Noise Analysis
For each of the twelve neutral patches, neutrality and noise are measured and
compared to specifications. Neutrality is measured as the difference in average
code value between the green channel and the red or blue. Noise is the standard
deviation of the code values in these same areas.
Uniformity is measured on the
device-level target only. Four
patches are measured for each of
the five resolution feature
locations. The peak difference is
the ratio of the difference between
the lightest and darkest patches to
the average of all patches.
Uniformity is calculated for red,
green blue and visual channels
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Data are saved to a Microsoft Access database to facilitate quality
control analysis. The database has a user interface that allows users to
quickly filter, extract and plot data. Fo te
reports, filtered data can be exp ted
r additional analysis or to genera
to Excel. or
Viewing the data in a chart
allows for quick confirmation
that critical performance
characteristics are not
drifting out of specification.
Viewing raw data in tabula
form allows for inspecting
exact measurement values
These data values
exported to Excel for fu
analysis.
r
.
can be
rther
Data can be sorted (filtere
based on the informatio
provided in the test p
d)
n
rofile, such
as camera, operator, system
description or date range.
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Data from each image is also saved to individual Excel files. This is
done to capture raw data, such as the SFR curves, that don’t fit the
database model and also to record acceptance limits for a particular
can. Each file is built from an Excel template with charts that replicate the
GoldenThread user interface. Aims are also included from the selected profile.
s
Data are saved using a template
with pre-built charts such as the
tonescale chart shown here. Aim
values are plotted to record the
spec ications assigned at the time
of the analysis.
if
C
10% SFR Summary
50% SFR Summary
Delta E 2000
Luminance
Noise
Registration
Neutrality
All SFR Curves
harts provided for:
Tonescale
Tonescale difference from aim
Sampling Efficiency
Average Optical Resolution
Raw e
save
both
direc
of the device-level target.
data from the SFR analysis ar
d for each color channel, in
horizontal and vertical
tions, and for all five locations
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Interested?
Visit our website at
www.ImageScienceAssociates.com to
sign up for an informational Webex seminar.
Or call us tool free at1-888-801-6626
www.ImageScienceAssociates.com 1-888-801-6626
Other Products from Image Science Associates
Mic o and Nar no Color Palettes
The Micro-Check Color Palette Kit includes two -
patch color targets and analysis software
targets are intended for extreme
applications whe
colors are iden
system.
Target sizes are: 1 5
30
. These
ly small field-of-view
re color accuracy is required. The
tical to those used in the GoldenThread
/8" x 1 3/8" and 9/16" x 13/16"
Individual SFR Targets
This stand-alone system measures the resolution
and SFR metrics from individual SFR targets (4)
supplied with the kit. This kit is especially useful for
evaluating resolution over large fields of view (A2 –
4A0) where resolution is likely to vary significantly.
The operator places multiple targets anywhere in
the field they wish to evaluate.
X-Large and X-small Object Targets
Object level targets are also available in 4.6”
and 18.5” width versions for extra-small and
extra-large fields of view. These targets are
identical to the standard object target except
for their size.
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