Color palette providing cross-platform consistency

• US 6,697,079 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2001
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Rose, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CASCHERA, ANTONIO A
• Application Number:
  US09/805,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20020130884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 345/601, 345/810, 345/589, 345/593, 345/594
• US Class Current: 345/593
• 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

A method and system to provide a color palette which facilitates user selection of web-safe colors. In laying out the color palette, the extent of achromatic colors located within the color palette is determined. The achromatic colors are then arranged in one group on the palette, for instance in order of lightest to darkest. The non web-safe chromatic colors are then grouped together. From this grouping blends of the colors are created. Finally, the web-safe chromatic colors are grouped together. Blends with respect to the web-safe chromatic colors are created and then grouped on the color palette.

Claims

1. A method for providing a color palette which facilitates user selection of colors having a consistent appearance across different platforms;

determining the achromatic colors to be located within a color palette;

arranging all the achromatic colors in one contiguous grouping within the palette;

placing blends of non-web safe chromatic colors in a second contiguous grouping within the palette; and

placing all web-safe chromatic colors, including blends created from the web-safe chromatic colors, in a third contiguous grouping within the palette;

wherein a subgroup of web-safe chromatic color blends are arranged within said third grouping to form a square wherein the colors are arranged on one side of a diagonal of the square horizontally in order of decreasing saturation towards said diagonal and vertically in order of decreasing value towards said diagonal, and the colors in the other side of the diagonal are arranged horizontally decreasing in value towards said diagonal and vertically decreasing in saturation towards said diagonal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the non web-safe chromatic colors are positioned within said second grouping by their respective hues.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the non web-safe blends are created from the non web-safe chromatic colors via incremental changed in saturation and value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the blends of non web-safe chromatic colors are arranged in order from lightest to darkest within said second grouping.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the web-safe chromatic colors are grouped by hue within said third grouping.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said blends of web-safe chromatic colors are created via incremental changes in saturation and value.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the colors on one side of said diagonal are primary colors and the colors on the other side of said diagonal are secondary colors.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a subgroup of additional secondary colors are positioned adjacent their corresponding square and form a rectangle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said palette comprises a grid of rows and columns in which said colors are displayed, and said one grouping comprises one row or column of said grid.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said one grouping is positioned in a row or column at an edge of said grid.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said achromatic colors are arranged in order from lightest to darkest within said one row or column.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said one row or column contains one contiguous subgroup of web-safe colors, and a second contiguous subgroup of non web-safe colors.

13. A computer readable medium containing a program which executes the following steps:

determining the achromatic colors to be located within a color palette;

arranging all the achromatic colors in one contiguous grouping within the palette;

placing blends of non web-safe chromatic colors in a second contiguous grouping within the palette; and

placing all web-safe chromatic colors, including blends created from the web-safe chromatic colors, in a third contiguous grouping within the palette;

wherein a subgroup of web-safe chromatic color blends are arranged within said third grouping to form a square wherein the colors are arranged on one side of a diagonal of the square horizontally in order of decreasing saturation towards said diagonal and vertically in order of decreasing value towards said diagonal, and the colors in the other side of the diagonal are arranged horizontally decreasing in value towards said diagonal and vertically decreasing in saturation towards said diagonal.

14. An apparatus which implements a color palette that facilitates user selection of web-safe colors, comprising:

a computer;

a storage device that stores a color palette; and

a display device that displays the color palette;

wherein the color palette is organized into one contiguous grouping of achromatic colors, a second contiguous grouping of non web-safe chromatic colors, and a third contiguous grouping of web-safe chromatic colors, including blends that are created from the web-safe chromatic colors wherein a subgroup of web-safe chromatic color blends are arranged within said third grouping to form a square wherein the colors are arranged on one side of a diagonal of the square horizontally in order of decreasing saturation towards said diagonal and vertically in order of decreasing value towards said diagonal, and the colors in the other side of the diagonal are arranged horizontally decreasing in value towards said diagonal and vertically decreasing in saturation towards said diagonal.

15. A computer generated color palette for displaying in a graphical user interface of a computer, said color palette comprising one contiguous grouping of achromatic colors, a second contiguous grouping of non web-safe chromatic colors, and a third contiguous grouping of web-safe chromatic colors, including blends that are created from the web-safe chromatic colors wherein a subgroup of web-safe chromatic color blends are arranged within said third grouping to form a square wherein the colors are arranged on one side of a diagonal of the square horizontally in order of decreasing saturation towards said diagonal and vertically in order of decreasing value towards said diagonal, and the colors in the other side of the diagonal are arranged horizontally decreasing in value towards said diagonal and vertically decreasing in saturation towards said diagonal.

16. A computer implemented method for displaying colors in a color palette, comprising the steps of:

arranging colors associated with a given hue angle on one side of diagonal of the rectangular geometric area so that the colors are disposed horizontally in order of decreasing saturation towards said diagonal and vertically in order of decreasing value towards said diagonal, and

arranging blends of colors in a range of hue angles associated with said given hue angle on the other side of the diagonal so that said blends horizontally decrease in value towards said diagonal and vertically decrease in saturation towards said diagonal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the colors on one side of said diagonal are primary colors and the colors on the other side of said diagonal are secondary colors.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein a subgroup of additional secondary colors are positioned adjacent said rectangle in a second geometric area.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said second geometric area is a rectangle.

20. A computer generated color palette for display in a graphical user interface of a computer, said color palette comprising a first contiguous grouping of primary colors, and a second contiguous grouping of secondary colors within a rectangular area, wherein the colors in said first grouping are associated with a given hue angle and arranged on one side of a diagonal of said rectangular area such that they decrease in saturation along one dimension of said rectangular area in a direction towards said diagonal and decrease in value along the other dimension of said rectangular area in a direction towards said diagonal, and wherein the colors in said second grouping are within a range of hue angles associated with said given hue angle and arranged on the other side of said diagonal such that they decrease in saturation along said other dimension in a direction towards said diagonal and decrease in value along said one dimension toward said diagonal.