Mobile device with color detection capabilities

• US 8,229,210 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2008
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobile Tip LLC
• Original Assignee: Bindu Rama Rao
• Inventors: Rao, Bindu Rama
• Primary Examiner(s): COUSO, JOSE L
• Application Number:
  US12/080,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20090252371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,574 Days
• Field of Search: 382/162, 382/164, 382/165, 382/167, 382/312, 382/313, 358/447, 358/518, 178/18.09, 345/158, 348/242, 348/253
• US Class Current: 382/162
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/60 Colour correction or control H04N1/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6052 Matching two or more picture signal generators or two or more picture reproducers

Abstract

A mobile device comprising a camera and color detection software stored in memory of the mobile device, wherein the color detection application analyzes and displays component colors in a captured image and compares component colors in two such captured images. The color detection application displays component colors in a specific format such as red, green and blue and displays percentage of these colors in each of the compared images. The color detection also provides textual and audio feedbacks of the extent of match between colors of the two images. The two captured images that are to be compared are displayed in split windows. When the captured images are multicolored, the color detection application provides an arrow on these images to identify a specific location and compares the component colors at these locations. Also, an independent electronic device analyzes and displays component colors in a captured image and compares component colors in two such captured images.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising a camera circuitry, the mobile device further comprising:

at least one memory module;

a color detection software stored in the at least one memory module that supports analysis of colors contained in images captured by the camera circuitry;

the color detection software analyzing color contents at a particular location in a first image captured by the camera circuitry in response to a first request by a user, to produce color component strengths based on a first color format;

the color detection software analyzing color contents at a particular location in a second image captured by the camera circuitry in response to a second request by the user, to produce color component strengths based on the first color format; and

the color detection software displaying a comparison of the corresponding color component strengths at the particular location in the first image and the particular location in the second image.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the first color format is based on one of the color schemes from the set comprising RGB, YMB, CMYK, pantone matching system and CMB.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

the color detection software displaying the differences between the particular location within the first image and particular location within the second image in terms of the color components of the first color format.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the mobile device advises the user on how close the color component strengths at the particular location in the first image are to the color component strengths of the particular location in the second image.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the color detection software displays the first and second images side by side and also provides information on color component strength differences between the two.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the color detection software displays a textual description of an extent of color match between the particular location in the first image and the particular location in the second image.

7. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the color detection software displays red, green and blue color component strengths present at the particular locations in the first and the second images.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the color detection code provides audio feedback regarding color differences between the first and second images.

9. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the color detection code calibrates the camera circuitry before capture of the first image and the second image.

10. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the camera circuitry is calibrated and a calibration correction is subsequently incorporated into the analysis of the color contents.

19. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the particular location in one or both of the first image and the second image is selected by the user.

20. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein displaying the comparison is in response to a third request by the user.

11. An electronic device comprising:

an analog image capture mechanism;

an analog to digital converter;

a comparator circuitry;

a display circuitry;

the analog image capture mechanism capturing an image of an object when triggered by the user;

the analog to digital converter converting the captured image to a digital representation;

the comparator circuitry comparing color component strengths in the digital representation of a particular location in the captured image with that of color component strengths of preset reference colors thereby generating color component strength information; and

the display circuitry displaying the color component strength information.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the color component strength information is provided employing a color format based on red, green and blue reference colors.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the electronic device displays the color component strength information for a given location of an object in terms of red, green and blue colors.

14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the electronic device captures two or more images from the object employing the analog image capture mechanism and displays the color component strength information for the two or more images from the object.

21. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the particular location is selected by the user.

22. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the displaying is in response to a third request by the user.

15. A method performed by a mobile device that comprises a camera and a color detection application, the method comprising:

calibrating the camera to a standard image to determine a color bias and compensating for the color bias;

capturing and storing a first image comprising a first color area;

analyzing and displaying color component strengths of the first color input area in a preset format;

capturing and storing a second image comprising a second color input area;

analyzing and displaying color component strengths of the second color input area in the preset format; and

displaying an extent of match between the color component strengths from the first color input area and the color component strengths from the second color input area.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the preset format is based on red, green and blue colors.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the mobile device displays in textual format red, green and blue color component strengths present in the first color input area and the second color input area.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the first and second images each comprise multiple colored areas and wherein the mobile device displays color component strengths for a common user selected location in the first image and the second image.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein one or both of the first color input area and the second color input area is selected by a user of the mobile device.