ECE Ph.D. Qualifying Exam in Communication Networks Signal and Image processing (CS)

Question 5, August 2013, Part 2

part1, part 2

Solution 1:

a) If the color matching functions $ f_k(\lambda) $ has negative values, it will result in negative values in $ F_k $. In this case, the color can not be reproduced by this device.

b) The CIE color matching functions are not always positive. $ r_0(\lambda) $ takes negative values. This is the case because, to match some reference color that is too saturated, colors have to be deducted from the $ R, G, $ and $ B $ primaries. This results in negative values in r, g, and b. So the color matching functions at the corresponding wavelength have negative values.