Paint formula retrieval and management system and method
First Claim
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1. An automated paint formula retrieval system comprising:
- (a) a computer including a processor and associated electronic memory;
(b) user input means operatively interconnected to the computer for inputting user commands to the computer;
(c) display means interconnected to the computer for displaying information output from the computer;
(d) storage means interconnected to the computer for storing paint formula mix data, paint formula mix related cost data including cost of paint formula mix colors, reducers, catalysts, and inventory data including inventory of paint formula mix colors;
(e) printer means interconnected to the computer for printing labels;
(f) program means including first program means responsive to user commands for instructing the computer to retrieve a user-designated paint formula mix from the storage means and for displaying the paint formula mix according to standard sizes of paint formula mix, second program means responsive to user commands for creating and displaying a nonstandard paint formula mix not previously stored on the storage means and for storing the nonstandard paint formula mix on the storage means, third program means responsive to user commands for creating a paint formula mix for a nonstandard size of formula as designated by the user, the third program means including means for presenting on the display means a ruled scale representation including a bar portion extendable along the ruled scale representation, the ruled scale representation being scaled with actual paint sizes, the movement of the bar portion being controlled by user commands received from the input device, a leading edge of the bar portion representing the paint formula mix size selected, fourth program means responsive to user commands for retrieving paint formula mix related cost data from the storage means and for calculating the cost of a paint formula mix, fifth program means responsive to user commands for updating the inventory data in the storage means as paint is removed from inventory, sixth program means responsive to user commands for printing a paint formula mix label at the printer means, and seventh program means responsive to user commands for tracking paint formula size usage data in the storage means, and for retrieving the paint formula size usage data from the storage means and displaying the paint formula size usage data on a display means in response to user commands; and
(g) display presentation program means for displaying a standard formula retrieval background screen presentation on a display of the display means in response to a user command received from the user input means, the paint formula retrieval background screen presentation including a lower screen presentation comprising multiple columns, and an upper screen presentation including headers designating the location of various paint formula information including paint formula mixes, and customer information.
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Abstract
A formula retrieval and management system (200) for retrieving paint formulas, creating paint formulas, updating paint inventory, and providing miscellaneous reports. The system presents a ruled scale representation of actual sizes on a display, including a bar portion extendable along the ruled scale representation. User movement of the bar portion selects the desired paint size. Furthermore, multiple variants of a formula can be stored and selected from a special menu. When the system program is used for the first time in a given day, various types of reports of the previous day'"'"'s paint usage are made available.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. An automated paint formula retrieval system comprising:
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(a) a computer including a processor and associated electronic memory; (b) user input means operatively interconnected to the computer for inputting user commands to the computer; (c) display means interconnected to the computer for displaying information output from the computer; (d) storage means interconnected to the computer for storing paint formula mix data, paint formula mix related cost data including cost of paint formula mix colors, reducers, catalysts, and inventory data including inventory of paint formula mix colors; (e) printer means interconnected to the computer for printing labels; (f) program means including first program means responsive to user commands for instructing the computer to retrieve a user-designated paint formula mix from the storage means and for displaying the paint formula mix according to standard sizes of paint formula mix, second program means responsive to user commands for creating and displaying a nonstandard paint formula mix not previously stored on the storage means and for storing the nonstandard paint formula mix on the storage means, third program means responsive to user commands for creating a paint formula mix for a nonstandard size of formula as designated by the user, the third program means including means for presenting on the display means a ruled scale representation including a bar portion extendable along the ruled scale representation, the ruled scale representation being scaled with actual paint sizes, the movement of the bar portion being controlled by user commands received from the input device, a leading edge of the bar portion representing the paint formula mix size selected, fourth program means responsive to user commands for retrieving paint formula mix related cost data from the storage means and for calculating the cost of a paint formula mix, fifth program means responsive to user commands for updating the inventory data in the storage means as paint is removed from inventory, sixth program means responsive to user commands for printing a paint formula mix label at the printer means, and seventh program means responsive to user commands for tracking paint formula size usage data in the storage means, and for retrieving the paint formula size usage data from the storage means and displaying the paint formula size usage data on a display means in response to user commands; and (g) display presentation program means for displaying a standard formula retrieval background screen presentation on a display of the display means in response to a user command received from the user input means, the paint formula retrieval background screen presentation including a lower screen presentation comprising multiple columns, and an upper screen presentation including headers designating the location of various paint formula information including paint formula mixes, and customer information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An automated paint formula retrieval system comprising:
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(a) a computer including a processor and associated electronic memory; (b) user input means operatively interconnected to the computer for inputting user commands to the computer; (c) display means interconnected to the computer for displaying information output from the computer; (d) storage means interconnected to the computer for storing paint formula mix data, paint formula mix related cost data including cost of paint formula mix colors, reducers, catalysts, and inventory data including inventory of paint formula mix colors; (e) printer means interconnected to the computer for printing labels; (f) program means including first program means responsive to user commands for instructing the computer to retrieve a user-designated paint formula mix from the storage means and for displaying the paint formula mix according to standard sizes of paint formula mix, second program means responsive to user commands for creating and displaying a nonstandard paint formula mix not previously stored on the storage means and for storing the nonstandard paint formula mix on the storage means, third program means responsive to user commands for creating a paint formula mix for a nonstandard size of formula as designated by the user, the third program means including means for presenting on the display means a ruled scale representation including a bar portion extendable along the ruled scale representation, the ruled scale representation being scaled with actual paint sizes, the movement of the bar portion being controlled by user commands received from the input device, a leading edge of the bar portion representing the paint formula mix size selected, fourth program means responsive to user commands for retrieving paint formula mix related cost data from the storage means and for calculating the cost of a paint formula mix, fifth program means responsive to user commands for updating the inventory data in the storage means as paint is removed from inventory, sixth program means responsive to user commands for printing a paint formula mix label at the printer means, and seventh program means responsive to user commands for tracking paint formula size usage data in the storage means, and for retrieving the paint formula size usage data from the storage means and displaying the paint formula size usage data on a display means in response to user commands; and (g) display presentation program means for displaying a standard formula retrieval background screen presentation on a display of the display means in response to a user command received from the user input means, the paint formula retrieval background screen presentation including a lower screen presentation comprising multiple columns, and an upper screen presentation including headers designating the location of various paint formula information including paint formula identifier, paint formula mix size, quantity of paint formula mixes, and customer information, the display presentation program means further including formula variant presentation program means for displaying multiple variants of a formula selected by the user on the display of the display means if there are multiple variants of the paint formula selected by the user. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. A paint formula retrieval system comprising:
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(a) a computer including a processor and associated electronic memory; (b) user input means operatively interconnected to the computer for inputting user commands to the computer; (c) display means interconnected to the computer for displaying information output from the computer; (d) storage means interconnected to the computer for storing paint formula mix data, paint formula mix related cost data including cost of paint formula mix colors, reducers, catalysts, and inventory data including inventory of paint formula mix colors; (e) printer means interconnected to the computer for printing labels; (f) program means including first program means responsive to user commands for instructing the computer to retrieve a user-designated paint formula mix from the storage means and for displaying the paint formula mix according to standard sizes of paint formula mix, second program means responsive to user commands for creating and displaying a nonstandard paint formula mix not previously stored on the storage means and for storing the nonstandard paint formula mix on the storage means, third program means responsive to user commands for creating a paint formula mix for a nonstandard size of formula as designated by the user, fourth program means responsive to user commands for retrieving paint formula mix related cost data from the storage means and for calculating the cost of a paint formula mix, fifth program means responsive to user commands for updating the inventory data in the storage means as paint is removed from inventory, sixth program means responsive to user commands for printing a paint formula mix label at the printer means, and seventh program means responsive to user commands for tracking paint formula size usage data in the storage means, and for retrieving the paint formula size usage data from the storage means and displaying the paint formula size usage data on a display means in response to user commands, the seventh program means including means for determining if the program means is being started for the first time in a given day and if paint formulas have been mixed the day before, the seventh program means further includes means for displaying a menu of paint formula size usage reporting options, selectable by the user; and (g) display presentation program means for displaying a standard formula retrieval background screen presentation on a display of the display means in response to a user command received from the user input means, the paint formula retrieval background screen presentation including a lower screen presentation comprising multiple columns, and an upper screen presentation including headers designating the location of various paint formula information including paint formula identifier, paint formula mix size, quantity of paint formula mixes, and customer information. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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Specification