Handheld Apparatus And Method For The Automated Application Of Cosmetics And Other Substances

• US 20110124989A1
• Filed: 02/02/2011
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TCMS Transparent Beauty, LLC
• Original Assignee: TCMS Transparent Beauty, LLC
• Inventors: Yeager, Rick B., Edgar, Albert D., Iglehart, David C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,942,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/310
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 34/041 using a roller, a disc or a ball
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 44/005 for selecting or displaying personal cosmetic colours or hairstyle

Abstract

An applicator head is provided for a reflectance modifying agent (RMA) applicator is moved across the skin by means of a floating ring having dispersed raised contact points to maintain a proper distance from the surface to be treated, reduce the influence of outside light during scanning, and limit smudging during deposition. During an application session, software on the computer uses a camera to sense aspects of color and texture on human features, calculates cosmetic enhancements, and uses the printer head to apply RMA precisely to the features to create those enhancements. Skin landmarks are used for registration. The head uses differential lighting by providing a sequence of directional lighting, with some exposures left dark to adjust for ambient light leakage. The exposures are co-synchronized in stacks, where each stack is a grouping of data about a particular instant of time during the scanning.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A handheld device, comprising

an applicator for applying one or more reflectance modifying agent (RMAs);

a camera for generating a plurality of images of an area of skin;

one or more light sources that are selectively activated to provide a lighting cycle; and

a computing environment in communication with the applicator and the camera, the computing environment processing the plurality of images, each image corresponding to a directional orientation of each of the one or more light sources and a mode of the lighting cycle, calculating cosmetic enhancements to the area of skin based on the processing, determining a position of the handheld device relative to the area of skin based on the processing, and transmitting a signal to the applicator for applying the one or more RMAs to the area of skin based on the cosmetic enhancements.

14. The handheld device of claim 13, wherein the lighting cycle comprises a plurality of lighting modes.

15. The handheld device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of lighting modes comprises:

a first lighting mode, in which one or more light sources corresponding to a first directional orientation are turned on,

a second lighting mode, in which one or more light sources corresponding to a second directional orientation are turned on, and

a third lighting mode, in which one or more light sources corresponding to a third directional orientation are turned on.

16. The handheld device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of lighting modes comprises a dark mode, in which none of the one or more light sources are turned on.

17. The handheld device of claim 13, further comprising an applicator head housing the applicator.

18. The handheld device of claim 17, wherein the computing environment processes the plurality of images, calculates the cosmetic enhancements, determines the position, and transmits the signal to the applicator during an application session, the application session beginning when the applicator head touches the area of skin and ending then the applicator head is retracted from the area of skin.

19. The handheld device of claim 13, further comprising a spacer that maintains a distance between the applicator and the area of skin.

20. The handheld device of claim 19, wherein the spacer comprises a floating ring.

21. The handheld device of claim 13, wherein the one or more light sources each comprise one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

22. The handheld device of claim 13, further comprising a case housing the applicator, the camera, the one or more light sources, and the computing environment.

23. The handheld device of claim 22, wherein the directional orientation is a directional orientation relative to the case.

24. The handheld device of claim 22, wherein processing the plurality of images comprises:

analyzing the plurality of images to compensate for image movement; and

adjusting images to account for applicator movement between images.

25. The handheld device of claim 22, wherein processing the plurality of images comprises analyzing the plurality of images to compensate for ambient lighting.

26. The handheld device of claim 13, wherein calculating cosmetic enhancements comprises determining albedo and tilt, the cosmetic enhancements being determined based on the albedo and tilt.

36. The method of claim 26, wherein calculating cosmetic enhancements comprises determining albedo and tilt, the cosmetic enhancements being determined based on the albedo and tilt.

27. A method of providing cosmetic enhancements to an area of skin, the method comprising:

selectively activating one or more light sources provided in a handheld device to illuminate the area of skin in accordance with a lighting cycle;

generating, during the lighting cycle, a plurality of images of the area of skin using a camera provided in the handheld device;

processing, using a computing environment, the plurality of images, each image corresponding to a directional orientation of each of the one or more light sources and a mode of the lighting cycle;

calculating, using the computing environment, cosmetic enhancements to the area of skin based on the processing;

determining, using the computing environment, a position of the handheld device relative to the area of skin based on the processing; and

transmitting a signal to the applicator for applying one or more reflectance modifying agents (RMAs) to the area of skin based on the cosmetic enhancements.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the computing environment is provided in the handheld device.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the lighting cycle comprises a plurality of lighting modes.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the plurality of lighting modes comprises:

a first lighting mode, in which one or more light sources corresponding to a first directional orientation are turned on,

a second lighting mode, in which one or more light sources corresponding to a second directional orientation are turned on, and

a third lighting mode, in which one or more light sources corresponding to a third directional orientation are turned on.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the plurality of lighting modes comprises a dark mode, in which none of the one or more light sources are turned on.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the handheld device comprises a case housing the applicator, the camera, the one or more light sources, and the computing environment.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the directional orientation is a directional orientation relative to the case.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein processing the plurality of images comprises:

analyzing the plurality of images to compensate for image movement; and

adjusting images to account for applicator movement between images.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein processing the plurality of images comprises analyzing the plurality of images to compensate for ambient lighting.