Method and apparatus for detecting and measuring conditions affecting color

• US 6,437,863 B1
• Filed: 04/05/2000
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1992
• 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): WINAKUR, ERIC FRANK
• Application Number:
  US09/544,250
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 600/310, 600/315, 600/322, 600/473, 600/476, 600/477, 356/402, 356/405, 356/421, 356/243.5, 73/10.1, 250/252.1
• US Class Current: 356/243.5
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0088 for oral or dental tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1032 Determining colour for diagnostic purposes measuring colour in general G01J3/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/441 Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/443 Evaluating skin constituents, e.g. elastin, melanin, water
• 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 3/52 using colour charts
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/524 Calibration of colorimeters

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining the condition of a test subject based on color uses a color measuring instrument to detect change in a color factor indicative of a condition such as a disease, spoilage, ageing, etc. A medical condition such as bilirubinemia that affects skin color can be detected. One measures color factors such as Hunter b and L in the subjects'"'"' skin color. For predetermined ranges of one color factor, in particular L, changes in the other color factor, e.g. Hunter b, above predetermined levels are indicative of the medical condition. In many cases, a single measurement of the color factors can be utilized as a warning of the likelihood of the medical or contaminated condition, if the ordinary range of the color factor is known for healthy individuals with skin coloration like that of the test subject. Even if there has been no baseline measurement and the test subject'"'"'s color is such that a single reading of one or two color factors will not warn of the possible presence of the medical condition or contamination, sequential readings can indicate the presence or absence of the condition based upon changes in the measured color factor, or lack of changes. The color measuring techniques apply to a wide range of biological test subjects (e.g. hair, teeth, tissue, excretions, foods, soil, animals, plants). 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 for calibrating a skin color measuring instrument to allow measurement of skin coloration varying over a range of coloration, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) measuring with the instrument a calibration standard characterized by three color coordinates, wherein the values of said coordinates provide substantially the same calibration as that provided by a calibration standard being made of non-skin material and characterized by CIE (1931), standard illuminant C, wherein the values of said coordinates are Y=31.5-35, x=approximately 0.37-0.38 and y=approximately 0.34-0.35; and

(b) adjusting the response of the instrument to force the measured values of the color coordinates Y, x and y in step (a) to be substantially the same as the respective color coordinate values of said calibration standard.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the coordinates are approximately Y=34.66, x=0.3703 and y=0.3456.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the coordinates are approximately Y=34.89, x=0.3702 and y=0.3464.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said calibration standard is substantially free of metamerism.