Method and apparatus for hair color characterization and treatment

• US 6,330,341 B1
• Filed: 09/29/1997
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Color Data, LLC
• Original Assignee: Chromatics Color Sciences International, Inc.
• Inventors: Billmeyer, Fred W. Jr., Macfarlane, David Kenneth, Macfarlane, Darby Simpson
• Primary Examiner(s): Couso, Jose L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Do, Anh Hong
• Application Number:
  US08/939,597
• Time in Patent Office: 1,534 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 424/70.1, 132/208, 132/150, 132/203, 132/209, 132/202, 812/751, 842/5, 700/90
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 19/0066 Coloring or bleaching
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2044/007 Devices for determining the condition of hair or skin or for selecting the appropriate cosmetic or hair treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 44/005 for selecting or displaying personal cosmetic colours or hairstyle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0088 for oral or dental tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1034 by means of colour cards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/441 Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/448 Hair evaluation, e.g. for hair disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7264 Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2003/466 Coded colour; Recognition of predetermined colour; Determining proximity to predetermined colour
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/462 Computing operations in or between colour spaces; Colour management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/463 Colour matching
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/465 taking into account the colour perception of the eye; using tristimulus detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/50 using electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/524 Calibration of colorimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/8444 Fibrous material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/84 Systems specially adapted for particular applications
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for determining accurate hair color classifications and appropriate coloring agents to bring about a selected change of color include a table of hair color classifications, a color measuring instrument to arrive at Hunter L, a and b for use in identifying a particular classification from the table and a database that identifies appropriate coloring agents based on a selection of coloring actions from a menu and the classifications of hair color.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a hair color treatment agent, comprising:

(a) identifying a color characteristic of an individual by measurement of color factors associated with the individual'"'"'s color characteristics; and

(b) providing a database of hair color treatment agents and preestablished classifications of color characteristics of individuals in association therewith, said classifications of color characteristics being defined by preestablished ranges of values of said color factors.

2. The method of identifying a hair color treatment according to claim 1 wherein th color characteristic is skin color.

3. A system for identifying a hair color treatment agent, including:

means for identifying a color characteristic of an individual by measurement of color factors associated with the individual'"'"'s color characteristics; and

a database in memory of hair color treatment agents and preestablished classifications of color characteristics of individuals in association therewith, said classifications of color characteristics being defined by preestablished ranges of values of said color factors.

4. The system for identifying a hair color treatment agent according to claim 3 wherein the color characteristic is skin color.

5. A process for identifying a hair coloring agent, said process comprising:

(a) identifying a color characteristic of a hair coloring agent by measuring with a color measuring instrument the value of at least one color factor associated with the color characteristic of said hair coloring agent;

(b) providing a data base of preestablished ranges of values of color factors associated with the color characteristics of at least one hair color classification; and

(c) associating said color characteristic of the hair coloring agent with at least one range of value of color values of factors within said data base.

6. A process for classifying a hair coloring agent, said process comprising:

(a) identifying a color characteristic of a hair coloring agent, when applied to a hair color sample, by measuring with a measuring instrument the value of at least one color factor associated with the color characteristic of said hair coloring agent, when applied to a hair color sample of at least one hair color classification;

(b) providing a data base of preestablished ranges of values of color factors associated with the color characteristics of at least one hair color classification; and

(c) associating said color characteristic of the hair coloring agent, when applied to said hair color sample, with at least one range of values of color factors within said data base.

7. A process for identifying a hair coloring agent, said process comprising:

(a) identifying a color characteristic of a hair coloring agent by measuring with a color measuring instrument the value of at least one color factor associated with the color characteristic of said hair coloring agent;

(b) providing a data base of color characteristics of hair coloring agents and preestablished ranges of values of said at least one color factor of hair coloring agents associated therewith; and

(c) associating said color characteristic of the hair coloring agent with at least one color characteristic within said data base.

8. A process for classifying a hair coloring agent, said process comprising:

(a) identifying a color characteristic of a hair coloring agent, when applied to a hair color sample, by measuring with a color measuring instrument the value of at least one color factor associated with the color characteristic of said hair coloring agent, when applied to a hair color sample of at least one hair color classification;

(b) providing a data base of color characteristics of hair coloring agents and preestablished ranges of values of said at least one color factor of hair coloring agents, when applied to a hair color sample of said at least one hair color classification, associated therewith;

(c) associating said color characteristic of the hair coloring agent, when applied to said hair color sample, with at least one range of color factors within said data base.

9. An apparatus for identifying a hair coloring agent, comprising:

means for measuring the value of at least one color factor of a hair coloring agent, said color factor being associated with a color characteristic of said hair coloring agent; and

a data base of color characteristics of hair coloring agents and preestablished ranges of associated color factor values of hair coloring agents; and

means for associating said color characteristic of said hair coloring agent with at least one color characteristic within said data base.

10. An apparatus for identifying a hair coloring agent, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a means for measuring at least one color factor associated with a color characteristic of a hair coloring agent, said at least one color factor being selected from a color factor which is substantially that of color factor Hunter L, a color factor which is substantially that of color factor Hunter b and a color factor which is substantially that of color factor Hunter a;

(b) a database of color characteristics of hair coloring agents and preestablished ranges of values of said at least one color factor associated therewith; and

(c) means for using said measurement of said at least one color factor to identify said hair coloring agent by identifying said associated color characteristic within said data base.

11. Apparatus for identifying a hair coloring agent, said apparatus comprising:

(a) means for identifying a color characteristic of a hair coloring agent by measuring with a color measuring instrument the value of at least one color factor associated with the color characteristic of said hair coloring agent;

(b) a data base of preestablished ranges of values of color factors associated with the color characteristics of at least one hair color classification; and

(c) means for associating said color characteristic of the hair coloring agent with at least one range of color factors within said data base.

12. Apparatus for classifying a hair coloring agent, said apparatus comprising:

(a) means for identifying a color characteristic of a hair coloring agent, when applied to a hair color sample, by measuring with a color measuring instrument the value of at least one color factor associated with the color characteristic of said hair coloring agent, when applied to a hair color sample of at least one hair color classification;

(b) a data base of preestablished ranges of values of color factors associated with the color characteristics of at least one hair color classification; and

(c) means for associating said color characteristic of the hair coloring agent, when applied to said hair color sample, with at least one range of values of color factors within said data base.

13. A process for establishing hair coloring agent classifications, said process comprising:

(a) measuring with a color measuring instrument the value of at least one color factor of a hair coloring agent; and

(b) associating said at least one color factor value measured with a preestablished range of color factor values representing at least one hair coloring agent classification.

14. Apparatus for establishing hair coloring agent classifications, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a color measuring instrument for measuring the value of at least one color factor of a hair coloring agent; and

(b) means for associating said at least one color factor value measured with a preestablished range of color factor values representing at least one hair coloring agent classification.