Overview
ISO 15076-1:2025 - "Image technology colour management - Architecture, profile format and data structure - Part 1: Based on ICC.1:2022" defines a standardized colour profile format and the architecture for exchanging colour image processing information. Published as the third edition in 2025 and based on ICC.1:2022, this standard specifies the required reference colour spaces, the profile connection space (PCS), rendering intents, and the internal data structures (tags) that enable reliable, interoperable ICC-compatible colour management across devices and systems.
Key Topics and Technical Requirements
- Profile architecture and format: Defines the overall profile file structure, header, tag table and tag data elements to ensure consistent parsing and interpretation.
- Profile header fields: Specifies header elements such as profile size, preferred CMM type, profile version, profile/device class, data colour space, PCS, date/time, profile signature, primary platform, profile flags, device manufacturer/model, device attributes, rendering intent and PCS illuminant.
- Profile connection space (PCS): Requirements for PCS encodings (PCSXYZ and PCSLAB), chromatic adaptation, and colourimetric specification for consistent conversions.
- Rendering intents: Detailed support for media-relative colorimetric, ICC-absolute colorimetric, perceptual and saturation intents and their role in mapping colours between devices.
- Tag table and tag definitions: Standardized tag count, tag signatures, offsets and sizes; required tags for Input, Display, Output, DeviceLink, ColorSpace, Abstract and NamedColor profile types.
- Basic data types and numeric formats: Defines dateTimeNumber, float32Number, fixed-point formats (e.g., s15Fixed16, u16Fixed16) and XYZNumber types used in tag data.
- Conformance and device encoding: Rules for profile conformance, precedence of tag usage and device-specific encoding requirements.
Applications and Who Uses It
ISO 15076-1:2025 is essential for:
- Colour scientists and engineers developing colour management modules (CMMs) and ICC-compatible toolchains.
- Software developers building image editors, prepress workflows, colour proofing and digital asset management systems.
- Hardware manufacturers (displays, printers, scanners, cameras) creating or consuming ICC profiles for device calibration.
- Print service providers, photographers, and graphic designers ensuring predictable colour reproduction across devices and media.
Practical uses include creating and validating ICC profiles, converting between PCS encodings, implementing rendering intents, and ensuring interoperable colour exchange across platforms.
Related Standards
- ICC.1:2022 - foundational ICC profile specification upon which ISO 15076-1:2025 is based.
- Other parts of the ISO 15076 series (Part 1 implies additional parts covering complementary aspects of colour management).
Keywords: ISO 15076-1:2025, colour management, ICC profile, profile format, profile connection space, rendering intents, PCS XYZ, PCS LAB, profile tags, device profiles.
Open preview (PDF)Image technology colour management — Architecture, profile format and data structure — Part 1: Based on ICC.1:2022
