Konica Minolta CS/LS Device Control Library

Python library for controlling Konica Minolta CS-150, CS-160, LS-150, and LS-160 chroma meters and luminance meters. All functions still under development.

Features

• Complete device control via USB
• Luminance and color measurements
• All measurement modes (Lvxy, XYZ, Lvudvd, etc.)
• Device configuration (integration time, sync, peak/valley)
• Display and backlight control
• Close-up lens configuration
• Read/delete stored measurements
• Device information and diagnostics

Requirements

• Python 3.6+
• pythonnet >= 3.0.0
• Windows 10/11 (might work on different OS, not tested yet)
• Konica Minolta LC-MISDK (included in sdk_bin folder)
• Device USB drivers (see candelameter manual and section below)

Installation

1. Driver

The device needs to be installed with the correct drivers. If it shows up in the device manager as just USB Serial Device it might not work. These steps did work for me:

1. Open the device manager
2. Right click the device under (COM & LPT)
3. Click update drivers
4. Click Browse my computer for driver software
5. Select the driver folder and Have Disk...
6. Choose the .INF file"

The candelameter should now show up as somethign like Measurement Device (COMx)

2. Install pythonnet

pip install pythonnet

3. Set up library structure

For this project to work properly you need to replicate the project structure from a .net application. The easiest way is to build a minimal working .net example (in the Konica Minolta LC-MISDK there is some example code, additional dlls need to be installed via nuget) and then copy the debug folder with all the .dll files. For copyright reasons I can't include any files from the LC-MISDK in this project. In the future I will test in more detail which files are actually neccessary.

This is a tree view of my working solution :

ROOT FOLDER
│   libtest.py
│
└───src
    └───konica_lscs
        │   __init__.py
        │
        └───sdk_bin
            │   App.config
            │   CalculateColor.dll
            │   CalculateDominantWavelength.dll
            │   CalculateRequiredData.dll
            │   CalculateTduvJIS.dll
            │   CalculateXYZ.dll
            │   CalculateYuvD.dll
            │   CalculateYxy.dll
            │   Kmop.BusinessCore.dll
            │   Kmop.BusinessProxy.dll
            │   Kmop.BusinessWorkflow.dll
            │   Kmop.ColorCore.dll
            │   Kmop.ColorProxy.dll
            │   Kmop.CommunicationCore.dll
            │   Kmop.CommunicationProxy.dll
            │   Kmop.Constants.dll
            │   Kmop.ContextServices.dll
            │   Kmop.DAL.Utilities.dll
            │   Kmop.DataAccessCore.dll
            │   Kmop.DataAccessProxy.dll
            │   Kmop.DummyDAL.dll
            │   Kmop.HostConn.dll
            │   Kmop.IBusiness.dll
            │   Kmop.IBusinessServicesContract.dll
            │   Kmop.IColorService.dll
            │   Kmop.ICommunicationServicesContract.dll
            │   Kmop.IDAL.dll
            │   Kmop.IDataAccessServiceContract.dll
            │   Kmop.IDeviceCommand.dll
            │   Kmop.IInstrumentServiceContract.dll
            │   Kmop.IKmopDAL.dll
            │   Kmop.Instrument.ConnectDevice.dll
            │   Kmop.Instrument.CS100P.dll
            │   Kmop.InstrumentControl.dll
            │   Kmop.InstrumentCore.dll
            │   Kmop.InstrumentProxy.dll
            │   Kmop.IRuleEngine.dll
            │   Kmop.KmopDummyDAL.dll
            │   Kmop.Rest.DTO.dll
            │   Kmop.Rest.Interface.dll
            │   Kmop.RuleEngine.CS100P.dll
            │   Kmop.RuleEngineProxy.dll
            │   Kmop.SignalRClient.dll
            │   Kmop.Utilities.dll
            │   LC-MISDK.dll
            │   log4net.dll
            │   MathNet.Numerics.dll
            │   Microsoft.AspNet.SignalR.Client.dll
            │   Newtonsoft.Json.dll
            │   ServiceStack.Common.dll
            │   ServiceStack.dll
            │   ServiceStack.Interfaces.dll
            │   ServiceStack.OrmLite.dll
            │   ServiceStack.OrmLite.MySql.dll
            │   ServiceStack.ServiceInterface.dll
            │   ServiceStack.Text.dll
            │   SimpleInjector.Diagnostics.dll
            │   SimpleInjector.dll
            │   WeightValue.dll
            │   WordingList.dll
            │
            ├───calccolor
            │   └───x64
            │           CalculateColor.dll
            │           CalculateDominantWavelength.dll
            │           CalculateRequiredData.dll
            │           CalculateTduvJIS.dll
            │           CalculateXYZ.dll
            │           CalculateYuvD.dll
            │           CalculateYxy.dll
            │           OBS_10_1nm.obs
            │           OBS_10_5nm.obs
            │           OBS_2_1nm.obs
            │           OBS_2_5nm.obs
            │           WeightValue.dll
            │           WordingList.dll
            │           WP_USER01.uwp
            │
            └───IDMap
                    CS-150.xml
                    CS-160.xml
                    LS-150.xml
                    LS-160.xml

Quick Start

Included in the project there is a libtest.py file that runs through some basic examples. Below are some very basic use-cases.

from konica_lscs import KonicaDevice

# Basic measurement
with KonicaDevice() as device:
    device.connect()
    device.measure()
    
    luminance = device.get_luminance()
    print(f"Luminance: {luminance} cd/m²")

Usage Examples

1. Basic Measurement

from konica_lscs import KonicaDevice

device = KonicaDevice()
device.connect()

# Take a measurement
device.measure()

# Get luminance
lv = device.get_luminance()
print(f"Luminance: {lv:.2f} cd/m²")

# Get all color values
color = device.get_color()
print(f"Color: {color}")

device.disconnect()

2. Using a Context Manager (Recommended)

with KonicaDevice() as device:
    device.connect()
    device.measure()
    lv = device.get_luminance()
    print(f"Luminance: {lv:.2f} cd/m²")
# Automatically disconnects device

3. Device Information

with KonicaDevice() as device:
    device.connect()
    
    info = device.get_device_info()
    print(f"Device: {info['product_name']}")
    print(f"Serial: {info['serial_number']}")
    print(f"Firmware: {info['firmware_major']}.{info['firmware_minor']}")
    
    sdk_version = device.get_sdk_version()
    print(f"SDK: {sdk_version}")

4. Measurement Settings

with KonicaDevice() as device:
    device.connect()
    
    # Set auto integration time
    device.set_measurement_time('auto')
    
    # Or manual integration time (1.5 seconds)
    device.set_measurement_time('manual', manual_time=1.5)
    
    # Enable sync mode at 60 Hz
    device.set_sync_mode(sync=True, frequency=60.0)
    
    # Set peak measurement
    device.set_peak_valley('peak')  # 'peak', 'valley', or 'off'

5. Display Control

with KonicaDevice() as device:
    device.connect()
    
    # Backlight control
    device.set_backlight(True)
    device.set_backlight_level(5)  # 1-5 (1=darkest, 5=brightest)
    
    # Color mode
    device.set_color_mode('lvxy')  # 'lvxy', 'xyz', 'lvudvd', etc.

6. Continuous Monitoring

with KonicaDevice() as device:
    device.connect()
    device.set_measurement_time('auto')
    
    for i in range(10):
        device.measure()
        lv = device.get_luminance()
        print(f"Measurement {i+1}: {lv:.2f} cd/m²")

7. Working with Stored Data

with KonicaDevice() as device:
    device.connect()
    
    # Get number of stored measurements
    count = device.get_number_of_samples()
    print(f"Stored samples: {count}")
    
    # Read stored measurements
    for i in range(1, count + 1):
        sample = device.read_sample_data(i)
        print(f"Sample {i}: {sample}")
    
    # Delete all stored data
    device.delete_sample_data(-1)  # -1 = delete all

8. Multiple Color Spaces

with KonicaDevice() as device:
    device.connect()
    device.measure()
    
    # Read as XYZ
    device.set_color_mode('xyz')
    xyz = device.get_color()
    print(f"XYZ: {xyz}")
    
    # Read as Lvxy
    device.set_color_mode('lvxy')
    lvxy = device.get_color()
    print(f"Lvxy: {lvxy}")
    
    # Or read XYZ directly
    xyz_direct = device.read_latest_data_xyz()
    print(f"XYZ direct: {xyz_direct}")

Functions Reference

There are all the functions from the official manual included in the library. However so far I have only tested the ones below:

Connection Methods

• connect(com_port=0) - Connect to device (0 = auto-detect)
• disconnect(com_port=0) - Disconnect from device
• get_device_list() - Get dictionary of connected devices

Measurement Methods

• measure(wait=True, com_port=0) - Take a measurement
• wait_for_idle(com_port=0) - Wait for measurement to complete
• cancel_measurement(com_port=0) - Cancel ongoing measurement

Data Reading Methods

• get_luminance(com_port=0) - Get luminance in cd/m²
• get_color(com_port=0) - Get all color values as dict
• read_display_value(com_port=0) - Read device display values
• read_latest_data_xyz(com_port=0) - Read as XYZ tristimulus values

Stored Data Methods

• get_number_of_samples(com_port=0) - Get count of stored measurements
• read_sample_data(data_number, com_port=0) - Read stored measurement
• delete_sample_data(data_number=-1, com_port=0) - Delete stored data (-1 = all)

Measurement Settings

• set_measurement_time(mode, manual_time=1.0, com_port=0) - Set integration time
• get_measurement_time(com_port=0) - Get integration time settings
• set_sync_mode(sync, frequency=60.0, com_port=0) - Set sync mode
• get_sync_mode(com_port=0) - Get sync mode settings
• set_peak_valley(mode, com_port=0) - Set peak/valley mode ('off', 'peak', 'valley')
• get_peak_valley(com_port=0) - Get peak/valley mode

Lens Settings

• set_close_up_lens(lens_type, com_port=0) - Set close-up lens ('standard', 'no153', 'no135', 'no122', 'no110')
• get_close_up_lens(com_port=0) - Get current lens setting

Display Settings

• set_backlight(on, com_port=0) - Turn backlight on/off
• get_backlight(com_port=0) - Get backlight status
• set_backlight_level(level, com_port=0) - Set brightness (1-5)
• get_backlight_level(com_port=0) - Get brightness level
• set_color_mode(mode, com_port=0) - Set color mode ('lvxy', 'xyz', 'lvudvd', 'lvtcpduv', 'lvdwpe', 'lv')
• get_color_mode(com_port=0) - Get current color mode

Device Information

• get_device_info(com_port=0) - Get device info dict
• get_sdk_version() - Get SDK version string

Color Modes

The device supports multiple color spaces:

• Lvxy - Luminance (cd/m²), chromaticity x, y
• XYZ - CIE XYZ tristimulus values
• Lvudvd - Luminance, CIE 1976 UCS chromaticity u', v'
• LvTcpDuv - Luminance, correlated color temperature, Duv
• LvDwPe - Luminance, dominant wavelength, excitation purity
• Lv - Luminance only (LS-series devices)

Supported Devices

• CS-150 (Chroma Meter)
• CS-160 (Chroma Meter)
• LS-150 (Luminance Meter)
• LS-160 (Luminance Meter)

The LS-series devices only support luminance measurements, not color.

Troubleshooting

"loadFromRemoteSources" error

• .Net does not like dlls from the internet
• Run the unblock_dll.py tool

"SDK not initialized" error

• Ensure all DLL files are in the sdk_bin folder
• Check that pythonnet is properly installed

"Connect Failed" error

• Have you tried turning it off and on again? Is it plugged in?
• Ensure device drivers are installed (see manual section 5.3)
• Try specifying COM port explicitly: device.connect(com_port=3)

"Read Data Failed" error

• Ensure measurement completed before reading: device.measure(wait=True)
• Check that color mode is supported by your device model

Advanced Usage

Multiple Devices

# Get list of connected devices
with KonicaDevice() as device:
    devices = device.get_device_list()
    print(f"Found devices: {devices}")
    
    # Connect to specific device
    device.connect(com_port=3)

Custom Integration Time

with KonicaDevice() as device:
    device.connect()
    
    # Fast measurements (auto mode)
    device.set_measurement_time('auto')
    
    # Or precise measurements (manual mode)
    device.set_measurement_time('manual', manual_time=2.0)

License

This library interfaces with the Konica Minolta LC-MISDK. See the SDK license agreement for terms. The python code is licensed under the MIT License.

Contributing

Contributions are very welcome. Report any issues via Github. If anybody would like to further help improve this project I'm happy about any help.

Known Issues

• read_latest_data function not working properly. For now use read_display_value

ToDo

• Check if all functions work
• Check which files are actually neccessary, at the moment all are included
• Re-work into actually installable library
• Implement proper tests

Version History

• 0.1.0 - Initial release
• 0.1.1 - Add dll unblock tool
• 0.2.0 - Add automatic check if LS or CS device