Overview
ISO/IEC 17823:2024 - Information technology - Office equipment - Vocabulary for office colour equipment - is a second‑edition international standard that defines and organizes colour terminology for office imaging devices. It provides agreed definitions for colour terms used with colour scanning and printing devices that have digital imaging capabilities, including multi‑function devices (MFDs). The standard is expressly not intended to replace manufacturer‑specific terms or user‑interface labels.
Key topics and technical scope
This vocabulary standard organizes and defines terms across the colour imaging workflow. Major technical topics covered include:
- Colour appearance and attributes: brightness, colourfulness, vividness, metamerism, highlight colour.
- Colour balance and grey balance: adjustments and practical/theoretical definitions for achieving achromatic greys.
- Types of black: composite black, pure black, rich black.
- Colour encoding and palettes: full colour, indexed colour, named colours, metallic, spot and special colours, and multi‑colour process variations.
- Colour management concepts: ICC, ICC profiles, print settings profile, characterization, rendering intent, gamut mapping, gamut boundary descriptors.
- Colour spaces and encodings: device‑dependent vs device‑independent colour spaces, colour space encoding.
- Colourant and media terms: colourant sets, fluorescent toner/ink.
- Measurement and viewing environment: calibration, daylight illuminants, dynamic range, adapted white, glare, image surround.
- Structure and navigation: terms and definitions (clause 3), classification and alphabetical index (clause 4), informative annexes on classification and device/market differences for primary colours.
Notes:
- The document contains no normative references.
- This edition updates and adds terms relative to ISO/IEC 17823:2015.
Practical applications and who uses it
ISO/IEC 17823:2024 is intended to improve clarity and reduce misunderstandings between suppliers and users of office colour equipment. Practical uses include:
- Manufacturers and product teams - harmonize documentation, service manuals and UI labels with standardized terminology.
- Colour management and IT specialists - align internal specifications, ICC profile workflows, and gamut mapping discussions.
- Procurement and test labs - specify and evaluate device capabilities (colour gamut, dynamic range, calibration).
- Technical writers and trainers - produce consistent user guides, help systems and training materials for MFDs, scanners and printers.
- Standards writers and integrators - reference a common vocabulary when developing related interoperability or quality standards.
Related structure and resources
- Contains classified and alphabetical indexes, informative annexes (A: classification of terms; B: primary colours and device inputs by market segment), bibliography and an index.
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