Method, system and computer product for formulating a bi-directional color match

• US 20030223060A1
• Filed: 05/30/2002
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SHPP Global Technologies BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Graf, John Frederick, Zhou, Hongyi
• Granted Patent: US 6,870,614 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/319
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0251 Colorimeters making use of an integrating sphere
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/46 Measurement of colour; Colour measuring devices, e.g. colorimeters measuring colour temperature G01J5/60
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/463 Colour matching
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/504 Goniometric colour measurements, for example measurements of metallic or flake based paints

Abstract

Method, system and computer product for formulating a bi-directional color match. In this disclosure, a computing unit obtains spectral measurements of a target bi-directional color. The computing unit uses a bi-directional color formulation tool determine a combination of pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments that generates spectral measurements that match the spectral measurements of the target bi-directional color.

Claims

1. A method for formulating a bi-directional color match, comprising:

obtaining a plurality of spectral measurements of a target bi-directional color; and

determining a combination of pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments having a plurality of predicted spectral measurements that match the plurality spectral measurements of the target bi-directional color.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining of a combination of pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments comprises obtaining a plurality of optical parameters for each of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising applying the plurality of optical parameters to a single particle scattering algorithm.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the single particle scattering algorithm uses Mie scattering and a Monte Carlo method based on geometric optics ray-tracing.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising applying output from the single particle scattering algorithm to a multiple scattering algorithm.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the multiple scattering algorithm uses an Adding and Doubling matrix method and a Fourier series expansion technique.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising applying output from the multiple scattering algorithm to a non-linear squares fitting method to determine a formula comprising a combination of pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments and concentrations thereof that match the target bi-directional color.

8. A method for formulating a bi-directional color match from a set of previously used bi-directional color formulations, comprising:

obtaining a plurality of spectral measurements of a target bi-directional color;

searching the set of previously used bi-directional color formulations for color formulas that approximates the target bi-directional color;

determining from the color formulas a formula that best matches the target bi-directional color; and

adapting concentrations of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments in the color formula.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising examining color plaques made from the adapted color formula and determining the acceptability of the formula.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising modifying the adapted color formula if the formula is unacceptable, the modifying comprising at least one of manual adjusting the concentrations of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments in the formula, synthesizing a match with the target bi-directional color, or searching through the set of previously used bi-directional color formulations to find an acceptable match.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising receiving matching requirements for obtaining the set of color formulas that approximates the target bi-directional color, wherein the matching requirements comprise a plurality of optical parameters.

12. The method according to claim 8, further comprising storing the color formula having the acceptable match with the set of previously used bi-directional color formulations.

13. A method for formulating a bi-directional color match from a set of previously used bi-directional color formulations, comprising:

obtaining a plurality of spectral measurements of a target bi-directional color;

receiving matching requirements for obtaining color formulas that approximates the target bi-directional color;

searching the set of previously used bi-directional color formulations according to the matching requirements;

determining from the set of color formulas a color formula that best matches the target bi-directional color according to the matching requirements;

adapting the concentrations of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments in the color formula; and

determining if the adapted color formula matches the target bi-directional color.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising examining color plaques made from the adapted color formula and determining the acceptability of the formula.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising modifying the adapted color formula if the formula is unacceptable, the modifying comprising at least one of manual adjusting the concentrations of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments in the color formula, synthesizing a match with the target bi-directional color, or searching through the set of previously used bi-directional color formulations until there is an acceptable match.

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising storing the color formula having the acceptable match with the set of previously used bi-directional color formulations.

17. A method for formulating a bi-directional color match from a set of previously used bi-directional color formulations, comprising:

obtaining a plurality of spectral measurements of a target bi-directional color;

entering matching requirements for obtaining color formulas that approximates the target bi-directional color;

searching the set of previously used bi-directional color formulations according to the matching requirements;

determining from the set of color formulas a color formula that best matches the target bi-directional color according to the matching requirements;

adapting the concentrations of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments in the color formula to improve the match with the target bi-directional color if the formula is unacceptable;

determining if the adapted color formula matches the target bi-directional color; and

modifying the adapted color formula if the formula is unacceptable, the modifying comprising at least one of manual adjusting the concentrations of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments in the color formula, synthesizing a match with the target bi-directional color, or searching through the set of previously used bi-directional color formulations until there is an acceptable match.

18. A system for formulating a bi-directional color match, comprising:

a spectrophotometer that obtains a plurality of spectral measurements of a target bi-directional color; and

a computing unit that determines a combination of pigments, dyes and metal fake pigments having a plurality of predicted spectral measurements that match the plurality of spectral measurements of the target bi-directional color.

19. The system according to claim 18, further comprising a color database containing a plurality of optical parameters associated with the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments used in previously used bi-directional color formulations.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the computing unit obtains the plurality of optical parameters for each of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments in the combination that matches the target bi-directional color.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the computing unit applies the plurality optical parameters to a single particle scattering algorithm.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the single particle scattering algorithm uses Mie scattering and a Monte Carlo method based on geometric optics ray-tracing.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein the computing unit applies output from the single particle scattering algorithm to a multiple scattering algorithm.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the multiple scattering algorithm uses an Adding and Doubling matrix method and a Fourier series expansion technique.

25. The system according to claim 23, wherein the computing unit applies output from the multiple scattering algorithm to a non-linear squares fitting method to determine a formula comprising a combination of pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments and concentrations thereof that match the target bi-directional color.

26. A system for formulating a bi-directional color match from a set of previously used bi-directional color formulations, comprising:

a spectrophotometer that obtains a plurality of spectral measurements of a target bi-directional color;

a color database containing a plurality of previously used bi-directional color formulations and a plurality of optical parameters associated with each of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments used in the bi-directional color formulations; and

a computing unit, coupled to the spectrophotometer and color database, that searches the color database for a set of color formulas that approximates the target bi-directional color and determines from the set of color formulas a color formula that best matches the target bi-directional color measured by the spectrophotometer.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein the computing unit adapts the concentrations of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments in the color formula.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein the computing unit determines if the adapted color formula matches the target bi-directional color.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein the computing unit modifies the adapted color formula if the formula is unacceptable, the modifying including at least one of manual adjusting the concentrations of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments in the formula, synthesizing a match with the target bi-directional color, or searching through the color database of previously used bi-directional color formulations until there is an acceptable match.

30. The system according to claim 29, wherein the computing unit stores the color formula having the acceptable match in the color database.

31. A bi-directional color formulation tool, comprising:

a data acquisition component that obtains a plurality of spectral measurement of a target bi-directional color from a spectrophotometer;

a data extraction component that extracts a set of previously used color formulations that approximates the target bi-directional color data from a color database and determines a formula from the set that best matches the target bi-directional color; and

a bi-directional color matching component that determines the concentrations of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments in the formula to generate a predicted visible spectra that matches the target bi-directional color spectra.

32. The tool according to claim 31, further comprising a color modifying component that modifies the formula if it is unacceptable, the color modifying component performing at least one of manual adjusting the concentrations of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments in the color formula, synthesizing a match with the target bi-directional color, or searching through the set of previously used bi-directional color formulations until there is an acceptable match.

33. A computer-readable medium storing computer instructions for instructing a computer system to formulate a bi-directional color match, the computer instructions comprising:

obtaining a plurality of spectral measurements of a target bi-directional color; and

determining a combination of pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments having a plurality of predicted spectral measurements that match the plurality spectral measurements of the target bi-directional color.

34. The computer-readable medium according to claim 33, wherein the determining of a combination of pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments comprises instructions for obtaining a plurality of optical parameters for each of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments.

35. The computer-readable medium according to claim 34, further comprising instructions for applying the plurality of optical parameters to a single particle scattering algorithm.

36. The computer-readable medium according to claim 35, wherein the single particle scattering algorithm uses Mie scattering and a Monte Carlo method based on geometric optics ray-tracing.

37. The computer-readable medium according to claim 35, further comprising instructions for applying output from the single particle scattering algorithm to a multiple scattering algorithm.

38. The computer-readable medium according to claim 37, wherein the scattering algorithm uses an Adding and Doubling matrix method and a Fourier series expansion technique.

39. The computer-readable medium according to claim 37, further comprising instructions for applying output from the multiple scattering algorithm to a non-linear squares fitting method to determine a formula comprising a combination of pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments and concentrations thereof that match the target bi-directional color.

40. A computer-readable medium storing computer instructions for instructing a computer system to formulate a bi-directional color match from a set of previously used bi-directional color formulations, the computer instructions comprising:

obtaining a plurality of spectral measurements of a target bi-directional color;

searching the set of previously used bi-directional color formulations for color formulas that approximates the target bi-directional color;

determining from the color formulas a formula that best matches the target bi-directional color; and

adapting the concentrations of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments in the color formula.

41. The computer-readable medium according to claim 40, further comprising instructions for modifying the adapted color formula if the formula is unacceptable, the modifying comprising at least one of manual adjusting the concentrations of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments in the formula, synthesizing a match with the target bi-directional color, or searching through the set of previously used bi-directional color formulations to find an acceptable match.

42. The computer-readable medium according to claim 40, further comprising instructions for receiving matching requirements for obtaining the set of color formulas that approximates the target bi-directional color.

43. The computer-readable medium according to claim 40, further comprising instructions for storing the color formula having the acceptable match with the set of previously used bi-directional color formulations.

44. A computer-readable medium storing computer instructions for instructing a computer system to formulate a bi-directional color match from a set of previously used bi-directional color formulations, the computer instructions comprising:

obtaining a plurality of spectral measurements of a target bi-directional color;

receiving matching requirements for obtaining color formulas that approximates the target bi-directional color;

searching the set of previously used bi-directional color formulations according to the matching requirements;

determining from the set of color formulas a color formula that best matches the target bi-directional color according to the matching requirements;

adapting the concentrations of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments in the color formula; and

determining if the adapted color formula matches the target bi-directional color.

45. The computer-readable medium according to claim 44, further comprising instructions for modifying the adapted color formula if the formula is unacceptable, the modifying comprising at least one of manual adjusting the concentrations of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments in the color formula, synthesizing a match with the target bi-directional color, or searching through the set of previously used bi-directional color formulations until there is an acceptable match.

46. The computer-readable medium according to claim 44, further comprising instructions for storing the color formula having the acceptable match with the set of previously used bi-directional color formulations.

47. A computer-readable medium storing computer instructions for instructing a computer system to formulate a bi-directional color match from a set of previously used bi-directional color formulations, the computer instructions comprising:

obtaining a plurality of spectral measurements of a target bi-directional color;

entering matching requirements for obtaining color formulas that approximates the target bi-directional color;

searching the set of previously used bi-directional color formulations according to the matching requirements;

determining from the set of color formulas a color formula that best matches the target bi-directional color according to the matching requirements;

adapting the concentrations of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments in the color formula to improve the match with the target bi-directional color if the formula is unacceptable;

determining if the adapted color formula matches the target bi-directional color; and

modifying the adapted color formula if the formula is unacceptable, the modifying comprising at least one of manual adjusting the concentrations of the pigments, dyes and platelet-shaped pigments in the color formula, synthesizing a match with the target bi-directional color, or searching through the set of previously used bi-directional color formulations until there is an acceptable match.