Systems and methods for establishing the colors of a customized stamp

• US 20060224403A1
• Filed: 04/04/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PSI Systems Incorporated (Stamps.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PSI Systems Incorporated (Stamps.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Whitehouse, Harry T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,799,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/408
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00508 Printing or attaching on mailpieces printing mechanisms B41J; security printing B41M3/14; marking methods B41M5/00; inks C09D11/00; record carriers with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00064 Virtual meter, online stamp; PSD functions or indicia creation not at user's location
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00604 Printing of advert or logo
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/02 characterised by the way in which colour is displayed details of colour display specific for CRTs G09G1/28; specific for flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607

Abstract

The field of the invention relates to online postage systems, and more particularly to systems and methods for establishing the colors of a customized stamp purchased through an online postage system. In one embodiment, a method is employed for customizing the colors of a customized stamp having a panel and an image. The method includes the steps of enabling a user to select a region of the image, retrieving a color value corresponding to the region of the image, and applying the retrieved color value to a visual feature of the panel, such as the background and text of the panel. The method also maintains a minimum amount of contrast in brightness and color between the background and the text of the panel.

Claims

1. For an online postage system that enables a user to create a customize postage stamp having an image and a panel, a computer product having a computer-usable medium communicatively coupled to the online postage system, having a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes said processor to execute a process including the steps of:

enabling a user to select a region of the image;

retrieving a color value corresponding to the region of the image; and

applying the retrieved color value to a visual feature of the panel.

2. The computer product of claim 1, wherein the panel has a background and text, and further wherein the visual feature of the panel is the background of the panel.

3. The computer product of claim 2, wherein the visual feature of the panel is the text panel.

4. The computer product of claim 2, wherein the process further comprises determining a color for one of the background and text of the panel that provides a predetermined amount of contrast in color between the background and text of the panel.

5. The computer product of claim 2, wherein the process further comprises determining a color for one of the background and text of the panel that provides a predetermined amount of contrast in brightness between the background and text of the panel.

6. The computer product of claim 1, wherein the step of enabling a user to select a region of the image includes providing the user a mouse pointer that the user moves over a region of the image.

7. The computer product of claim 1, wherein the retrieved color value is an RGB value.

8. The computer product of claim 1, wherein the region of the image is a single point.

9. The computer product of claim 1, wherein the region of the image is larger than a single point and the retrieved color value is the average color value of the region.

10. The computer product of claim 1, wherein the retrieved color value is an HSL value.

11. A method for creating a customize postage stamp having an image and a panel comprising the steps of:

enabling a user to select a region of the image;

retrieving a color value corresponding to the region of the image; and

applying the retrieved color value to a visual feature of the panel.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the panel has a background and text, and further wherein the visual feature of the panel is the background of the panel.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the visual feature of the panel is the text panel.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining a color for one of the background and text of the panel that provides a predetermined amount of contrast in color between the background and text of the panel.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining a color for one of the background and text of the panel that provides a predetermined amount of contrast in brightness between the background and text of the panel.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of enabling a user to select a region of the image includes providing the user a mouse pointer that the user moves over a region of the image.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the retrieved color value is an RGB value.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the region of the image is a single point.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the region of the image is larger than a single point and the retrieved color value is the average color value of the region.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the retrieved color value is an HSL value.

21. An online postage system that enables a user to create a customize postage stamp having an image and a panel, comprising:

a user interface configured to enable a user to select a region of the image;

a software module coupled to the user interface and configured to retrieve a color value corresponding to the region of the image, wherein the software module is further configured to apply the retrieved color value to a visual feature of the panel.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the panel has a background and text, and further wherein the visual feature of the panel is the background of the panel.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the visual feature of the panel is the text panel.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the software module is further configured to determine a color for one of the background and text of the panel that provides a predetermined amount of contrast in color between the background and text of the panel.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the software module is further configured to determine a color for one of the background and text of the panel that provides a predetermined amount of contrast in brightness between the background and text of the panel.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the user interface further provides the user a mouse pointer that the user moves over a region of the image.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the retrieved color value is an RGB value.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the region of the image is a single point.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the region of the image is larger than a single point and the retrieved color value is the average color value of the region.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein the retrieved color value is an HSL value.

31. The system of claim 21, wherein the software module is browser based.

32. The system of claim 21, wherein the software module resides on a local personal computer.