Handheld, portable color measuring device with display
First Claim
1. A handheld, portable color measuring device for measuring three different colors in a color target to be analyzed, the color measuring device comprising:
- a color measuring probe housing;
a hollow probe tip attached to one end of said probe housing, said probe tip adapted for placing next to the color target to be measured;
a white light source mounted inside the probe housing and connected to a power source;
a color measurement switch mounted on said probe housing and connected to said power source and connected to said white light source, when said measurement switch is actuated said white light source illuminating the color target surrounded by an end of said probe tip;
means for capturing a reflected light signal off the color target when the color target is illuminated, said means for capturing disposed inside said probe housing;
a 3 color sensor mounted inside said probe housing, said 3 color sensor receiving the reflected light signal from said means for capturing;
a microprocessor mounted in said probe housing and connected to said power source and said 3 color sensor, said microprocessor for processing the reflected light signal; and
display means connected to said microprocessor, said display means for displaying the reflected light signal in percentages of red, green and blue.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A handheld, portable color measuring device for measuring the primary colors of red, green and blue in a color target to be analyzed and connected to a built-in LCD display or connected to a separate personal computer. The color measuring device includes an elongated color measuring probe housing. A hollow cone shaped probe tip is attached to one end of the probe housing. A target contact end of the probe tip is placed against a color target to be measured. Inside the probe housing is a battery powered white LED light source connected to a color measurement switch. When the measurement switch is actuated, the white light source illuminates the color target surrounded by the target contact end of the probe tip. A light pipe is centered inside the probe housing and inside a portion of the probe tip. The light pipe captures the reflected light off the color target and projects the captured light onto a 3 color (RGB) sensor. The sensor collects an analog light signal which is made up of percentages of red, green and blue. The light signal is amplified and converter to a digital signal using an A/D converter. The A/D converter is part of a microprocessor mounted on a printed circuit board inside the probe housing. The digital signal is processed by the microprocessor and the percentages of red, green and blue are displayed on the LDC display or on the screen of the computer.
29 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A handheld, portable color measuring device for measuring three different colors in a color target to be analyzed, the color measuring device comprising:
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a color measuring probe housing;
a hollow probe tip attached to one end of said probe housing, said probe tip adapted for placing next to the color target to be measured;
a white light source mounted inside the probe housing and connected to a power source;
a color measurement switch mounted on said probe housing and connected to said power source and connected to said white light source, when said measurement switch is actuated said white light source illuminating the color target surrounded by an end of said probe tip;
means for capturing a reflected light signal off the color target when the color target is illuminated, said means for capturing disposed inside said probe housing;
a 3 color sensor mounted inside said probe housing, said 3 color sensor receiving the reflected light signal from said means for capturing;
a microprocessor mounted in said probe housing and connected to said power source and said 3 color sensor, said microprocessor for processing the reflected light signal; and
display means connected to said microprocessor, said display means for displaying the reflected light signal in percentages of red, green and blue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A handheld, portable color measuring device for measuring the primary colors of red, green and blue in a color target to be analyzed, the color measuring device comprising:
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an elongated color measuring probe housing;
a hollow cone shaped probe tip attached to one end of the probe housing, said probe tip having a target contact end adapted for placing against the color target to be measured;
a white LED light source mounted inside the probe housing connected to a battery power source;
a color measurement switch connected to said battery power source and connected to said white LED light source, said white light source for illuminating the color target surrounded by the target contact end of said probe tip;
a light pipe centered inside said probe housing and inside a portion of said probe tip, said light pipe capturing a reflected light signal off the color target;
a 3 color (RGB) sensor connected to said battery power source and mounted inside said probe housing, said 3 color sensor receiving the reflected light received through said light pipe;
a microprocessor connected to said battery power source and mounted in said probe housing, said microprocessor connected to said 3 color sensor for processing the reflected light signal; and
display means connected to said microprocessor, said display means for displaying the reflected light signal in percentages of red, green and blue. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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13. A method for measuring at least three colors in a color target using a color measuring device, the color measuring device having a color measuring probe housing with a hollow probe tip adapted for placing next to a color target to be measured, a light source mounted inside the probe housing connected to a power source, a 3 color sensor connected to the power source and mounted inside the probe housing, a microprocessor connected to the power source and a display screen connected to the power source, the steps comprising:
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illuminating the color target next to the probe tip with the light source;
capturing a reflected light signal off the color target inside the probe housing, measuring the reflected light signal on the 3 color sensor;
processing the 3 color sensor measurement using the microprocessor; and
displaying percentages of the 3 colors from the color target on the display screen.
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Specification