Method for electronic color matching
First Claim
1. A method to define automatically, in a pre-selected color space, at least one user-provided sample color, the method comprising:
- (a) defining mathematically within a programmable computer each of a plurality of target colors with coordinates within the color space to yield a standard color data set;
(b) providing a multi-chromatic physical color swatch comprising a plurality of swatch colors spanning at least a portion of the color space, wherein each of the plurality of swatch colors corresponds to one of the plurality of target colors defined in step (a) by being defined within the color space with the coordinates defining the one of the plurality of target colors;
(c) digitally imaging a plurality of user-provided sample colors juxtaposed with the multi-chromatic physical color swatch to provide a plurality of digitally imaged user-provided sample colors juxtaposed to a digitally imaged plurality of swatch colors, thereby yielding a sample color data set comprising coordinates within the color space defining the digitally imaged user-provided sample colors and each of the digitally imaged plurality of swatch colors; and
then(d) comparing the coordinates in the sample color data set of step (c) with the coordinates in the standard color data set of step (a) by means of a program comprising a clustering algorithm stored on the programmable computer to thereby determine coordinates within the color space that defines at least one of the user-provided sample colors, wherein the clustering algorithm clusters the plurality of digitally imaged user-provided sample colors into a predefined number of representative colors, and wherein the comparing comprises comparing coordinates defining each of the representative colors against the coordinates defining each of the target colors in the standard color data set.
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Abstract
Disclosed is a method to define automatically, in a pre-selected color space, at least one user-provided sample color. The method includes defining at least one target color within the color space to yield a standard color data set and providing a physical color swatch corresponding to the defined target color. The user then provides a digitized image comprising the user-provided sample color juxtaposed with the physical color swatch, to yield a sample color data set. The sample color data set is then compared to the standard color data set by means of a program stored on a programmable computer to determine a set of coordinates within the color space that defines the user-provided sample color.
41 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method to define automatically, in a pre-selected color space, at least one user-provided sample color, the method comprising:
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(a) defining mathematically within a programmable computer each of a plurality of target colors with coordinates within the color space to yield a standard color data set; (b) providing a multi-chromatic physical color swatch comprising a plurality of swatch colors spanning at least a portion of the color space, wherein each of the plurality of swatch colors corresponds to one of the plurality of target colors defined in step (a) by being defined within the color space with the coordinates defining the one of the plurality of target colors; (c) digitally imaging a plurality of user-provided sample colors juxtaposed with the multi-chromatic physical color swatch to provide a plurality of digitally imaged user-provided sample colors juxtaposed to a digitally imaged plurality of swatch colors, thereby yielding a sample color data set comprising coordinates within the color space defining the digitally imaged user-provided sample colors and each of the digitally imaged plurality of swatch colors; and
then(d) comparing the coordinates in the sample color data set of step (c) with the coordinates in the standard color data set of step (a) by means of a program comprising a clustering algorithm stored on the programmable computer to thereby determine coordinates within the color space that defines at least one of the user-provided sample colors, wherein the clustering algorithm clusters the plurality of digitally imaged user-provided sample colors into a predefined number of representative colors, and wherein the comparing comprises comparing coordinates defining each of the representative colors against the coordinates defining each of the target colors in the standard color data set. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method to define automatically, in a pre-selected color space, at least one user-provided sample color, the method comprising:
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(a) defining mathematically within a programmable computer each of a plurality of target colors with coordinates within the color space to yield a standard color data set; (b) providing a multi-chromatic physical color swatch comprising a plurality of swatch colors spanning at least a portion of the color space, wherein each of the plurality of swatch colors corresponds to one of the plurality of target colors defined in step (a) by being defined within the color space with the coordinates defining the one of the plurality of target colors; (c) digitally imaging a plurality of user-provided sample colors juxtaposed with the multi-chromatic physical color swatch to provide a plurality of digitally imaged user-provided sample colors juxtaposed to a digitally imaged plurality of swatch colors, thereby yielding a sample color data set comprising coordinates within the color space defining the digitally imaged user-provided sample color and each of the digitally imaged plurality of swatch colors; and
then(d) comparing the coordinates in the sample color data set of step (c) with the coordinates in the standard color data set of step (a) by means of a program comprising a clustering algorithm stored on the programmable computer to thereby determine coordinates within the color space that defines at least one of the user-provided sample colors, wherein the clustering algorithm clusters the plurality of digitally imaged user-provided sample colors into a predefined number of representative colors, and wherein the comparing comprises pairing coordinates defining each of the representative colors with the coordinates in the standard color data set in every possible manner and determining a distance measure for each pairing. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification