Method of visualizing a color deviation

• US 20070035554A1
• Filed: 08/09/2005
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BASF Corporation (BASF SE)
• Original Assignee: BASF Corporation (BASF SE)
• Inventors: McClanahan, Craig
• Granted Patent: US 7,737,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/589
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/46 Measurement of colour; Colour measuring devices, e.g. colorimeters measuring colour temperature G01J5/60
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/462 Computing operations in or between colour spaces; Colour management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/463 Colour matching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6008 with primary colour signals, e.g. RGB or CMY(K)
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6011 with simulation on a subsidiary picture reproducer H04N1/622 takes precedence; matching two or more picture reproducers H04N1/6052

Abstract

A method of visualizing a color deviation of an actual color on a vehicle panel being painted utilizing a computer. A reference color image is displayed on a monitor to confirm that the reference color image is the appropriate color image relating to the actual color. Differences between that displayed reference color image and the actual color are inputted into the computer and the reference image is then translated into a revised color image. The revised color image is displayed on the monitor along with the reference color image such that a user can visually compare the differences between that displayed reference color image and displayed revised color image. The displayed revised color image can then be compared to the actual color to determine if any color deviations between the revised color image and the actual color remain.

Claims

1. A method of visualizing a color deviation of an actual color using a computer having a monitor, said method comprising the steps of:

inputting a reference color into the computer;

obtaining reference color values of the reference color;

displaying a reference color image on the monitor with the reference color image corresponding to the reference color values;

inputting color differences between the displayed reference color image and the actual color into the computer;

translating the reference color values into revised color values based on the inputted color differences using the computer; and

displaying a revised color image, corresponding to the revised color values, on the monitor along with the reference color image for visually comparing the inputted color differences between the displayed reference color image and the displayed revised color image.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of inputting color differences is further defined as manipulating a virtual adjustment tool.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 further including the step of displaying the virtual adjustment tool on the monitor.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the virtual adjustment tool corresponds to a particular parameter of the displayed reference color image and wherein the step of manipulating the virtual adjustment tool is further defined as manipulating the particular parameter to define a difference for the parameter between the displayed reference color image and the actual color.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 further including the step of displaying a plurality of virtual adjustment tools on the monitor with each of the virtual adjustment tools corresponding to a particular parameter of the displayed reference color image.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the step of inputting color differences is further defined as manipulating at least one of the virtual adjustment tools to define a difference for the parameter between the displayed reference color image and the actual color.

7. A method as set forth in claim 5 further including the step of obtaining a reference formula corresponding to the reference color values.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the step of inputting color differences is further defined as modifying the reference formula, automatically moving the virtual adjustment tools in response to the modifications, and automatically updating the revised color image in response to the modifications.

9. A method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the step of inputting color differences is further defined as utilizing a color measurement device to import color values of the actual color into the computer.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9 further including the steps of determining the differences between the imported color values and the reference color values, automatically moving the virtual adjustment tools in response to the imported color values, and automatically updating the revised color image in response to the imported color values.

11. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of displaying the reference color image on the monitor is further defined as displaying the reference color image in the shape of a sphere.

12. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of displaying the revised color image on the monitor along with the reference color image is further defined as displaying the revised and reference color images on the same monitor at the same time.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the step of displaying the revised and reference color images on the monitor is further defined as displaying the revised and reference color images adjacent to each other on the monitor at the same time.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the step of displaying the revised and reference color images on the monitor is further defined as displaying the revised and reference color images in the shape of flat plates.

15. A method as set forth in claim 14 further including the step of manipulating the flat plates to provide a plurality of different viewing angles for the revised and reference color images.

16. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of inputting a reference color is further defined as inputting the reference color into a computer database and wherein the step of obtaining the reference color values is further defined as conducting a search in the database to obtain the corresponding reference color values.

17. A method as set forth in claim 16 further including the step of inputting vehicle data into the computer database in conjunction with the inputting of the reference color.

18. A method as set forth in claim 1 further including the step of translating the color values into images before the step of displaying the images.

19. A method as set forth in claim 1 further including the steps of inputting the revised color values into a computer database and conducting a search in the database for a revised color formula.

20. A method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the computer includes a neural network module and further including the step of modifying the revised color formula based on the revised color values using the neural network.

21. A method as set forth in claim 19 further including the step of displaying the revised color formula on the monitor.

22. A method as set forth in claim 19 further including the step of determining if the revised color formula is within predetermined tolerances.

23. A method as set forth in claim 22 further including the step of displaying recommendations on the monitor if the revised color formula is outside of the predetermined tolerances.

24. A method as set forth in claim 23 further including the step of inputting responses to the recommendations and modifying the revised color formula based on the inputted responses.

25. A method as set forth in claim 23 further including the step of modifying tolerances for the revised color formula if responses to the recommendations are not inputted.

26. A method as set forth in claim 19 further including the steps of preparing a painted sample of the revised color formula and comparing the painted sample to the actual color to determine if a color deviation between the revised color formula and the actual color remains.

27. A method as set forth in claim 26 further including the step of inputting color differences between the displayed revised color image and the actual color into the computer.

28. A method as set forth in claim 27 further including the step of translating the revised color values of the displayed revised color image into second revised color values using the computer.

29. A method as set forth in claim 28 further including the step of displaying a second revised color image, corresponding to the second revised color values, on the monitor along with the revised color image for visually comparing the inputted color differences between the displayed revised color image and the displayed second revised color image.

30. A method of visualizing a color deviation of an actual color using a computer having a monitor, said method comprising the steps of:

inputting vehicle data into the computer;

obtaining a reference color and corresponding reference color values based on the inputted vehicle data;

displaying a reference color image on the monitor with the reference color image corresponding to the reference color values;

inputting color differences between the displayed reference color image and the actual color into the computer;

translating the reference color values into revised color values based on the inputted color differences using the computer; and

displaying a revised color image, corresponding to the revised color values, on the monitor along with the reference color image for visually comparing the inputted color differences between the displayed reference color image and the displayed revised color image.

31. A method as set forth in claim 30 wherein the step of inputting color differences is further defined as manipulating a virtual adjustment tool.

32. A method as set forth in claim 31 further including the step of displaying the virtual adjustment tool on the monitor.

33. A method as set forth in claim 32 wherein the virtual adjustment tool corresponds to a particular parameter of the displayed reference color image and wherein the step of manipulating the virtual adjustment tool is further defined as manipulating the particular parameter to define a difference for the parameter between the displayed reference color image and the actual color.

34. A method as set forth in claim 30 further including the step of displaying a plurality of virtual adjustment tools on the monitor with each of the virtual adjustment tools corresponding to a particular parameter of the displayed reference color image.

35. A method as set forth in claim 34 further including the step of manipulating at least one of the virtual adjustment tools to define a difference for the parameter between the displayed reference color image and the actual color.

36. A method as set forth in claim 30 wherein the step of displaying the revised and reference color images on the monitor is further defined as displaying the revised and reference color images adjacent to each other on the monitor at the same time.

37. A method as set forth in claim 36 wherein the step of displaying the revised and reference color images on the monitor is further defined as displaying the revised and reference color images in the shape of flat plates.

38. A method as set forth in claim 37 further including the step of manipulating the flat plates to provide a plurality of different viewing angles for the revised and reference color images.

39. A method as set forth in claim 30 further including the steps of obtaining a reference color formula corresponding to the reference color values and displaying the reference color formula on the monitor.

40. A method as set forth in claim 39 further including the steps of preparing a painted sample of the reference color formula and comparing the painted sample to the actual color to determine if a color deviation between the reference color formula and the actual color exists.

41. A method as set forth in claim 40 further including the step of inputting the reference color into the computer if a color deviation between the reference color formula and the actual color exists such that color differences can be inputted.

42. A method as set forth in claim 30 wherein the step of inputting vehicle data into the computer is further defined as inputting the vehicle data into a computer database and wherein the step of obtaining the reference color and reference color values is further defined as conducting a search in the database based on the vehicle data.

43. A method as set forth in claim 30 further including the steps of inputting the revised color values into a computer database and conducting a search in the database for a revised color formula.

44. A method as set forth in claim 43 wherein the computer includes a neural network module and further including the step of modifying the revised color formula based on the revised color values using the neural network.

45. A method as set forth in claim 43 further including the steps of displaying the revised color formula on the monitor, preparing a painted sample of the revised color formula, and comparing the painted sample to the actual color to determine if a color deviation between the revised color formula and the actual color remains.