System and method for normalization and codification of colors for dynamic analysis

• US 9,348,844 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2013
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zencolor Global, LLC
• Original Assignee: Zencolor Corporation
• Inventors: Gershon, Dann, Robinson, David, Wilder, Jonathan, Schonfeld, Maurice W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Krasnic, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US14/055,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20150110390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20021 Dividing image into blocks, subimages or windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/90 Determination of colour characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/56 relating to colour
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/06 using colour palettes, e.g. look-up tables

Abstract

A system and method for normalizing and codifying divergent color systems into a single universal color system. The middleware engine receives a data feed comprising a plurality of color swatches or images from one or more merchant system and normalizes the data feed into a common format. The dominant processor extracts the product images from the normalized data, segments each product image into segments, determines a dominant color for each segment, and determines the dominant product color for each product image based on prevalence of the dominant product color in each segment. The matched color processor converts the determined dominant product color into a digital value of the universal color system based on the color component intensity values.

Claims

1. A computer based method for normalizing and codifying divergent color systems into a universal color system, comprising the steps of:

receiving data feeds comprising a plurality of color swatches or images from a plurality of merchant systems by a middleware engine of a server over a communications network;

normalizing the data feeds into a common format by the middleware engine;

extracting image data comprising a plurality of product images from the normalized data feeds;

segmenting each product image into a plurality of segments by an image segmentation processor;

analyzing each segment to determine a dominant color for said each segment by a dominant color processor;

determining at least one dominant product color for said each product image based on prevalence of said at least one dominant product color in said each segment by the dominant color processor;

converting said at least one dominant product color to a digital hexadecimal value based on color component intensity values by a matched color processor;

assigning a hexadecimal code of the universal color system to said each product image that is closest to the digital hexadecimal value of said each product image by the matched color processor; and

storing the data feeds, said each product image, said each segment of said each product image, the dominant color for said each segment, said at least one dominant product color for said each product image, the digital hexadecimal value and the hexadecimal code of said each product image in a database by the server.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of determining an Euclidian distance between the digital hexadecimal value and each hexadecimal code of the universal color system based on their color component intensity values;

and assigning the hexadecimal code yielding a shortest Euclidian distance to said each product image by the matched color processor.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of receiving the data feeds from a plurality of merchant inventory management systems and a plurality of merchant supply chain management systems by the middleware engine over said communications network, and generating a product database from the data feeds received from said plurality of merchant inventory management systems and said plurality of merchant supply chain management systems indexed and searchable by color based queries.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of normalizing comprises the step of depersonalizing the data feeds received from said plurality of merchant inventory management systems and a said plurality of merchant supply chain management systems to remove merchant or consumer identifying information by the middleware engine.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of dividing said each segment until only one dominant color is identified in a subdivision by the image segmentation processor.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of determining the dominant color of said each segment on a pixel by pixel basis by the dominant color processor, the color appearing most frequently across all pixels being designated as the dominant color of said each segment;

generating a color histogram of dominant colors for said each segment; and

generating a parseable ordered list of dominant colors for said each segment from the color histogram by the dominant color processor.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of extracting a pattern from said each segment, and categorizing the pattern in said each segment by determining proximity and frequency of two or more colors within said each segment by a pattern identification processor.

8. A system for normalizing and codifying divergent color systems into a single universal color system, comprising:

a server connected to a communications system to receive, process and codify divergent color data from a plurality of merchant systems, the server comprising;

a middleware engine to receive data feeds comprising a plurality of color swatches or images from said plurality of merchant systems, and to normalize the data feeds into a common format;

an image segmentation processor to extract image data comprising a plurality of product images from the normalized data feeds, and to segment each product image into a plurality of segments;

a dominant color processor to analyze each segment to determine a dominant color for said each segment, and to determine at least one dominant product color for said each product image based on prevalence of said at least one dominant product color in said each segment; and

a matched color processor to convert said at least one dominant product color to a digital hexadecimal value based on color component intensity values, and to assign a hexadecimal code of the universal color system to said each product image that is closest to the digital hexadecimal value of said each product image; and

a database for storing the data feeds, said each product image, said each segment of said each product image, the dominant color for said each segment, said at least one dominant product color for said each product image, the digital hexadecimal value of said each product image.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the matched color processor determines an Euclidian distance between the digital hexadecimal value and each hexadecimal code of the universal color system based on their color component intensity values, and assigns the hexadecimal code yielding a shortest Euclidian distance to said each product image.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the middleware engine receives the data feeds from a plurality of merchant inventory management systems and a plurality of merchant supply chain management systems;

and wherein the server generates a product database from the data feeds received from said plurality of merchant inventory management systems and said plurality of merchant supply chain management systems indexed and searchable by color based queries.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the middleware engine depersonalizes the data feeds received from said plurality of merchant inventory management systems and said plurality of merchant supply chain management systems to remove merchant or consumer identifying information.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the image segmentation processor divides said each segment until only one dominant color is identified in a subdivision.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the dominant color processor determines the dominant color of said each segment on a pixel by pixel basis, the color appearing most frequently across all pixels being designated as the dominant color of said each segment;

generates a color histogram of dominant colors for said each segment; and

generates a parseable ordered list of dominant colors for said each segment from the color histogram.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the server further comprises a pattern identification processor for extracting a pattern from said each segment, and categorizing the pattern in said each segment by determining proximity and frequency of two or more colors within said each segment.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable code for normalizing and codifying divergent color systems into a single universal color system, the computer executable code comprising instructions for:

receiving data feeds comprising a plurality of color swatches or images from a plurality of merchant systems by a middleware engine of a server over a communications network;

normalizing the data feeds into a common format by the middleware engine;

extracting image data comprising a plurality of product images from the normalized data feeds;

segmenting each product image into a plurality of segments by an image segmentation processor;

analyzing each segment to determine a dominant color for said each segment by a dominant color processor;

determining at least one dominant product color for said each product image based on prevalence of said at least one dominant product color in said each segment by the dominant color processor;

converting said at least one dominant product color to a digital hexadecimal value based on color component intensity values by a matched color processor;

assigning a hexadecimal code of the universal color system to said each product image that is closest to the digital hexadecimal value of said each product image by the matched color processor; and

storing the data feeds, said each product image, said each segment of said each product image, the dominant color for said each segment, said at least one dominant product color for said each product image, the digital hexadecimal value and the hexadecimal code of said each product image in a database by the server.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein said computer executable code further comprises instructions for determining an Euclidian distance between the digital hexadecimal value and each hexadecimal code of the universal color system based on their color component intensity values;

and assigning the hexadecimal code yielding a shortest Euclidian distance to said each product image by the matched color processor.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein said computer executable code further comprises instructions for receiving the data feeds from a plurality of merchant inventory management systems and a plurality of merchant supply chain management systems by the middleware engine, and generating a product database from the data feeds received from said plurality of merchant inventory management systems and said plurality of merchant supply chain management systems indexed and searchable by color based queries.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein said computer executable code further comprises instructions for depersonalizing the data feeds received from the merchant said plurality of merchant inventory management systems and said plurality of merchant supply chain systems to remove merchant or consumer identifying information by the middleware engine.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein said computer executable code further comprises instructions for dividing said each segment until only one dominant color is identified in a subdivision by the image segmentation processor.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein said computer executable code further comprises instructions for determining the dominant color of said each segment on a pixel by pixel basis by the dominant color processor, the color appearing most frequently across all pixels being designated as the dominant color of said each segment;

generating a color histogram of dominant colors for said each segment; and

generating a parseable ordered list of dominant colors for said each segment from the color histogram by the dominant color processor.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein said computer executable code further comprises instructions for extracting a pattern from said each segment, and categorizing the pattern in said each segment by determining proximity and frequency of two or more colors within said each segment by the pattern identification processor.