System and method for matching color swatches

• US 8,532,372 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2011
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Colorof, LLC
• Original Assignee: Seth Forman, Thomas Youngman
• Inventors: Youngman, Thomas, Forman, Seth
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi, Amir
• Application Number:
  US13/199,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20120045121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 382/162, 382/164, 382/165, 382/167, 382/181, 382/190, 345/557, 345/589, 345/593, 345/597, 345/723, 345/765, 348/557, 348/560, 348/566, 348/582, 358/515, 358/517, 358/518, 101/483
• US Class Current: 382/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed that includes storing, on one or more processor readable media that are operatively coupled to one or more processors, at least one database. The database(s) includes electronic color information representing a plurality of colors, and electronic item information representing a plurality of items. Each of the plurality of items respectively contain at least one of the plurality of colors. The database(s) also store electronic user information representing a plurality of users. First electronic color information is received from a first user computing device associated with a first user. The first electronic color information represents a first color. A search request is received from the first user computing device for one or more items that contain a color that is at least associated with the first color. At least one of the plurality of items that respectively contains the color that is at least associated with the first color is determined, and the at least one of the plurality of items and the first color are displayed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

storing, on one or more processor readable media that are operatively coupled to one or more processors, at least one database comprising;

electronic color information representing a plurality of colors;

electronic item information representing a plurality of items, wherein each of the plurality of items respectively contain at least one of the plurality of colors;

electronic user information representing a plurality of users; and

electronic swatch information representing color attributes respectively associated with at least one of the plurality of colors;

receiving, via one or more communication devices that are operatively connected to the one or more processors, a first image from a first user computing device associated with a first user of the plurality of users, wherein the first image includes a plurality of colors;

receiving, via the one or more communication devices, first electronic color information, wherein the first electronic color information represents a first color of the plurality of colors;

determining, by the one or more processors, first electronic swatch information of the electronic swatch information that is respectively associated with the first color;

receiving, via the one or more communication devices, a search from the first user computing device for one or more items that contain at least one color that is at least associated with the first color;

determining, by the one or more processors, at least one of the plurality of items that respectively contain the at least one color that is at least associated with the first color; and

displaying, by the one or more processors, the at least one of the plurality of items and the first color.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the one or more processors, an interface for the first user to select, via the first user computing device, the first color from the image.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors, the at least one color that is at least associated with the first color by calculating representations of a plurality of colors within a predetermined range; and

locating in the at least one database at least one selected from a group consisting of a swatch and palette having a color within the predetermined range.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the swatch represents a color or collection of colors from a single source.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the palette represents a collection of colors that are provided from different sources.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one color that is at least associated with the first color is determined based at least on a user-defined range.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving, by the one or more processors, palette attributes from a different color palette and applying the palette attributes to the color palette.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving, by the one or more processors, at least one comment associated with the color palette.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the one or more processors, a community web site that includes an interface for users to upload electronic color swatches, for advertisers to upload item information, and for users to send and receive messages to each other.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the one or more processors, an interface for at least one user to define a color palette, wherein the color palette includes a plurality of colors and attributes.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising storing in the at least one database web site electronic item information representing the items containing the one or more colors.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the API is accessible to authorized users.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the fee is based at least in part on a ranked order of the at least one of the plurality of items in a list.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising searching, by the one or more processors, at least one Internet web page for items containing one or more colors.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of items is a plurality of items, and further comprising displaying, by the one or more processors, the plurality of items according to a predetermined rank.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the one or more processors to the first user computing device, a recommendation for a color that is complementary to the first color.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the one or more processors, an application program interface (“

API”

).

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the one or more processors from the first user computing device, descriptive information associated with the first color.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising charging a fee to advertisers for displaying the at least one of the plurality of items.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the displaying of the at least one of the plurality of items to represent a lighting condition.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the swatch represents a color or collection of colors from a single source.

22. A system, comprising:

one or more processor readable media;

one or more processors that are operatively coupled to the one or more processor readable media;

at least one database stored one or more processor readable media, the at least one database comprising;

electronic color information representing a plurality of colors;

electronic item information representing a plurality of items, wherein each of the plurality of items respectively contain at least one of the plurality of colors;

electronic user information representing a plurality of users; and

electronic swatch information representing color attributes respectively associated with at least one of the plurality of colors;

the one or more processor readable media having instructions for causing the one or more processors to;

receive, via one or more communication devices that are operatively connected to the one or more processors, a first image from a first user computing device associated with a first user of the plurality of users, wherein the first image includes a plurality of colors;

receive, via the one or more communication devices, first electronic color information, wherein the first electronic color information represents a first color of the plurality of colors;

determine first electronic swatch information of the electronic swatch information that is respectively associated with the first color;

receive, via the one or more communication devices, a search from the first user computing device for one or more items that contain at least one color that is at least associated with the first color;

determine at least one of the plurality of items that respectively contain the at least one color that is at least associated with the first color; and

display the at least one of the plurality of items and the first color.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the one or more processor readable media have instructions for causing the one or more processors further to provide an interface for the first user to select, via the first user computing device, the first color from the image.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the one or more processor readable media have instructions for causing the one or more processors further to:

determine the at least one color that is at least associated with the first color by calculating representations of a plurality of colors within a predetermined range; and

locate in the at least one database at least one selected from a group consisting of a swatch and palette having a color within the predetermined range.