Color management and solution distribution system and method

• US 6,973,211 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2002
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BASF Corporation (BASF SE)
• Original Assignee: BASF Corporation (BASF SE)
• Inventors: Frank, Cynthia J, Shufeldt, Stephen F., McClanahan, Craig J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kanjibhai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bayat, Ali
• Application Number:
  US10/206,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20020191843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 382/162, 382/167, 382/166, 700/123, 702/32, 702/127, 702/104, 702/85, 706/20, 706/16, 345/589
• US Class Current: 382/162
• 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: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/46 Colour picture communication systems

Abstract

A computer based system and method provides color solutions to a customer over a computer network. A solution request is received from an operator. A composite solution database is searched to determine a color solution as a function of the solution request.

Claims

1. A computer system for providing a color solution for an auxiliary color of an auxiliary portion of a motor vehicle to be repaired, comprising:

a first module having a customer interface defining a graphical representation of a main body color and the auxiliary color associated with at least one auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle, the first module being adapted to receive a solution request from an operator, the customer interface being adapted to allow the operator to enter the solution request with the solution request including an identification of the motor vehicle to be repaired, the main body color, and the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle to be repaired; and

a second module coupled to the first, the second module including a composite solution database and a search routine coupled to the composite solution database and being adapted to receive the solution request from the first module, the search routine being adapted to search the composite solution database and determine the color solution as a function of the solution request.

2. The computer system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first module is located at remote location and the second module is located at a central location, the first and second modules being coupled by a computer network.

3. The computer system, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the computer network is the internet.

4. The computer system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the identification of the motor vehicle being repaired includes a make, a model, and a model year.

5. The computer system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the customer interface includes a graphical representation of the motor vehicle being repaired.

6. The computer system, as set forth in claim 5, wherein the graphical representation of the motor vehicle being repaired includes the main body color and the auxiliary color associated with the at least one auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle.

7. The computer system, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the at least one auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle may be one of trim, molding, wheel covers, bumper, stripe, roof, vinyl roof, and parts within a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

8. The computer system, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the customer interface allows the operator to select the portion of the motor vehicle through interaction with the graphical representation of the motor vehicle.

9. The computer system, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the operator may cycle through available auxiliary colors for the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle being repaired by clicking on the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle within the graphical representation of the motor vehicle.

10. The computer system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the customer interface allows the operator to select the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle from a list.

11. The computer system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the customer interface presents the operator with a list of available auxiliary colors for the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle being repaired as a function of the identification of the motor vehicle, the main body color and the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle being repaired.

12. The computer system, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the customer interface allows the operator to select the auxiliary color from the list.

13. The computer system, as set forth in claim 12, wherein the customer interface displays the portion of the motor vehicle being repaired with the selected auxiliary color.

14. The computer system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the customer interface displays the auxiliary color in a color sample associated with the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle being repaired.

15. The computer system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the customer interface displays the auxiliary color in a color sample associated with the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle being repaired, wherein the operator may cycle through available auxiliary colors for the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle being repaired by clicking on the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle being repaired within the graphical representation of the motor vehicle.

16. A computer system for providing a color solution for an auxiliary color of an auxiliary portion of a motor vehicle to be repaired, comprising:

a first module having a customer interface, the first module being adapted to receive a solution request from an operator, the customer interface being adapted to allow the operator to enter the solution request and including a graphical representation of the motor vehicle being repaired with the graphical representation including a main body color and at least one auxiliary color associated with at least one auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle, the solution request including an identification of the motor vehicle to be repaired, the main body color, and the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle to be repaired; and

a second module coupled to the first module, the second module including a composite solution database and a search routine coupled to the composite solution database and being adapted to receive the solution request from the first module, the search routine being adapted to search the composite solution database and determine the color solution as a function of the solution request.

17. The computer system, as set forth in claim 16, wherein the identification of the motor vehicle being repaired includes a make, a model, and a model year.

18. The computer system, as set forth in claim 16, wherein the at least one auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle may be one of trim, molding, wheel covers, bumpers, stripes, roofs, vinyl roofs, and parts within a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

19. The computer system, as set forth in claim 16, wherein the customer interface allows the operator to select the portion of the motor vehicle through interaction with the graphical representation of the motor vehicle.

20. The computer system, as set forth in claim 19, wherein the operator may cycle through available auxiliary colors for the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle being repaired by clicking on the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle within the graphical representation of the motor vehicle.

21. The computer system, as set forth in claim 16, wherein the customer interface allows the operator to select the portion of the motor vehicle through a list.

22. The computer system, as set forth in claim 16, wherein the customer interface presents the operator with a list of available auxiliary colors for the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle being repaired as a function of the identification of the motor vehicle, the main body color and the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle being repaired.

23. The computer system, as set forth in claim 22, wherein the customer interface allows the operator to select the auxiliary color from the list.

24. The computer system, as set forth in claim 23, wherein the customer interface displays the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle being repaired with the selected auxiliary color.

25. The computer system, as set forth in claim 16, wherein the customer interface displays the auxiliary color in a color sample associated with the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle being repaired, wherein the operator may cycle through available auxiliary colors for the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle being repaired by clicking on the color sample.

26. The computer system, as set forth in claim 16, wherein the customer interface displays the auxiliary color in a color sample associated with the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle being repaired.

27. A computer based method for providing a color solution for an auxiliary color of an auxiliary portion of a motor vehicle to be repaired, including the steps of:

providing a customer interface having a graphical representation;

receiving a solution request from an operator by entering the solution request using the customer interface, the solution request including an identification of the motor vehicle to be repaired, a main body color, and the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle to be repaired;

searching a composite solution database and determining the color solution for the auxiliary color as a function of the solution request;

displaying a main body color on the graphical representation; and

displaying the color solution of the auxiliary color associated with the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle to be repaired on the graphical representation.

28. The computer based method, as set forth in claim 27, including the step of delivering the color solution to the operator.

29. The computer based method, as set forth in claim 27, wherein the composite solution database includes at least one formulation for a plurality of auxiliary colors.

30. The computer based method, as set forth in claim 27, wherein the identification of the motor vehicle being repaired includes a make, a model, and a model year.

31. The computer based method, as set forth in claim 27, including the step of providing a graphical representation of the motor vehicle being repaired via the customer interface.

32. The computer based method, as set forth in claim 31, including the step of displaying the main body color and the color solution associated with the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle on the graphical representation of the motor vehicle.

33. The computer based method, as set forth in claim 32, wherein the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle may be one of trim, molding, wheel covers, bumper, stripe, roof, vinyl roof, and parts within a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

34. The computer based method, as set forth in claim 32, including the step of selecting, by the operator, the portion of the motor vehicle through interaction with the graphical representation of the motor vehicle.

35. The computer based method, as set forth in claim 34, including the step of cycling through available auxiliary colors for the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle in response to the operator clicking on the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle being repaired within the graphical representation of the motor vehicle.

36. The computer based method, as set forth in claim 27, including the steps of:

providing a list of available auxiliary portions of the motor vehicle; and

,

allowing the operator to select the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle from the list.

37. The computer based method, as set forth in claim 27, including the step of presenting to the customer a list of available auxiliary colors for the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle being repaired as a function of the identification of the motor vehicle, the main body color and the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle being repaired.

38. The computer based method, as set forth in claim 37, including the step of allowing the operator to select the auxiliary color from the list.

39. The computer based method, as set forth in claim 38, including the step of displaying, using the customer interface, the portion of the motor vehicle being repaired with the selected auxiliary color.

40. The computer based method, as set forth in claim 27, including the step of wherein the customer interface displays the auxiliary color in a color sample associated with the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle being repaired.

41. The computer based method, as set forth in claim 27, including the steps of:

displaying the auxiliary color in a color sample associated with the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle being repaired; and

,

cycling through available auxiliary colors for the auxiliary portion of the motor vehicle in response to the operator clicking on the color sample.