Data-driven color coordinator

• US 10,592,970 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2014
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BEHR Process Corporation (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BEHR Process Corporation (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Rice, Mary Rose, Reynolds, Damien, Webb, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Ma, Tize
• Application Number:
  US14/161,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20140198125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,246 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/532 Query formulation, e.g. graphical querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/001 Texturing; Colouring; Generation of texture or colour inpainting G06T5/77
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/06 using colour palettes, e.g. look-up tables

Abstract

A color selection and coordination system including a database of predetermined color relationships implementing a data-driven color model. A starting color is associated with a first color in the color database. One or more predefined color palettes associated with the first color may be retrieved, each palette including one or more coordinating colors, the coordinating colors being predetermined based on the first color and a color coordination algorithm.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a server communicatively coupled to a remote computing device over the Internet, the remote computing device having a display device and an input device, and the server having a database including a plurality of colors each in a predetermined relationship with other colors in the database, the predetermined relationship between colors being based on color theory;

wherein the remote computing device is configured to receive a starting paint color for an interior room of a house selected from the plurality of colors via the input device, to determine a plurality of coordinating colors for the starting paint color based on data received from the database, and to display on the display device a color palette including the starting paint color and the plurality of coordinating colors, the plurality of coordinating colors including at least one accent color for a decorative item in the interior room of the house; and

wherein the database includes a color data structure associated with each color of the plurality of colors, each color data structure including a plurality of coordinating color references each identifying a predetermined coordinating color for the associated color.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the decorative item is a fabric.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the decorative item is a piece of furniture.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the decorative item is a window treatment.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the decorative item is a tile.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the decorative item is a pillow.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the remote computing device is configured to display on the display device a simulated environment showing at least one of the starting paint color on a surface of the interior room of the house and the accent color on the decorative item in the interior room of the house.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the remote computing device is configured to determine the plurality of coordinating colors for the starting paint color based on data received from the database by sending the starting paint color to the server and receiving the plurality of coordinating colors for the starting paint color from the server and wherein the server is configured to receive the starting paint color from the remote computing device, to determine the plurality of coordinating colors for the starting paint color using the database, and to transmit the plurality of coordinating colors to the remote computing device.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the remote computing device is configured to display on the display device product information for the starting pain color for use by a consumer when purchasing paint, the product information including at least one of a color name, a number, and a code for the starting paint color.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one predetermined coordinating color for at least one associated color in the database is predetermined based on human expert input.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, with a remote computing device, a selection for a starting paint color for an interior room of a house from a plurality of colors, the remote computing device being communicatively coupled to a server over the Internet, the server having a database including the plurality of colors each in a predetermined relationship with other colors in the database, and the predetermined relationship between colors being based on color theory;

determining, with the remote computing device, a plurality of coordinating colors for the starting paint color based on data received from the database, the plurality of coordinating colors including at least one accent color for a decorative item in the interior room of the house; and

displaying, with a display device of the remote computing device, a color palette including the starting paint color and the plurality of coordinating colors;

wherein the database includes a color data structure associated with each color of the plurality of colors, each color data structure including a plurality of coordinating color references each identifying a predetermined coordinating color for the associated color.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the decorative item is a fabric.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the decorative item is a piece of furniture.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the decorative item is a window treatment.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the decorative item is a tile.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the decorative item is a pillow.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising displaying, with the display device of the remote computing device, a simulated environment showing at least one of the starting paint color on a surface of the interior room of the house and the accent color on the decorative item in the interior room of the house.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the determining the plurality of coordinating colors for the starting paint color based on data received from the database includes sending, with the remote computing device, the starting paint color to the server and receiving, with the remote computing device, the plurality of coordinating colors for the starting paint color from the server, the method further comprising:

receiving, with the server, the starting paint color from the remote computing device;

determining, with the server, the plurality of coordinating colors for the starting paint color using the database; and

transmitting, with the server, the plurality of coordinating colors to the remote computing device.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising displaying, with the display device of the remote computing device, product information for the starting paint color for use by a consumer when purchasing paint, the product information including at least one of a color name, a number, and a code for the starting paint color.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein at least one predetermined coordinating color for at least one associated color in the database is predetermined based on human expert input.

21. A system comprising:

a remote computing device having a display device and an input device; and

a server communicatively coupled to the remote computing device over the Internet, the server having a database including a plurality of colors each in a predetermined relationship with other colors in the database, the predetermined relationship between colors being based on color theory, and the database including a color data structure associated with each color of the plurality of colors, each color data structure including a plurality of coordinating color references each identifying a predetermined coordinating color for the associated color;

wherein the remote computing device is configured to receive a starting paint color for an interior room of a house selected from the plurality of colors via the input device, to determine a plurality of coordinating colors for the starting paint color based on data received from the database, to display on the display device a color palette including the starting paint color and the plurality of coordinating colors, the plurality of coordinating colors including at least one accent color for a decorative item in the interior room of the house.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the remote computing device is configured to display on the display device product information for the starting paint color for use by a consumer when purchasing paint, the product information including at least one of a color name, a number, and a code for the starting paint color.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the remote computing device is accessible to the consumer while the consumer is at a store for purchasing paint.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the consumer purchases paint corresponding to the starting paint color.

25. A method comprising:

receiving, with an input device of a remote computing device, a selection for a starting paint color for an interior room of a house from a plurality of colors, the remote computing device being communicatively coupled to a server over the Internet, the server having a database including the plurality of colors each in a predetermined relationship with other colors in the database, the predetermined relationship between colors being based on color theory, and the database including a color data structure associated with each color of the plurality of colors, each color data structure including a plurality of coordinating color references each identifying a predetermined coordinating color for the associated color;

determining, with the remote computing device, a plurality of coordinating colors for the starting paint color based on data received from the database, the plurality of coordinating colors including at least one accent color for a decorative item in the interior room of the house; and

displaying, with a display device of the remote computing device, a color palette including the starting paint color and the plurality of coordinating colors.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising displaying, with the display device of the remote computing device, product information for the starting paint color for use by a consumer when purchasing paint, the product information including at least one of a color name, a number, and a code for the starting paint color.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the remote computing device is accessible to the consumer while the consumer is at a store for purchasing paint.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the consumer purchases paint corresponding to the starting paint color.