Method and apparatus for simulating colored material

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, wherein the selected point has a lightness coordinate L* in CIE color space and non-lightness coordinate values a*, b* in CIE color space.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1, wherein using the reference values stored in the memory to provide a visual output comprises printing the reference values stored in the memory to provide a simulation of the colored target material.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1, wherein using the reference values stored in the memory to provide a visual output comprises driving a screen display to provide a simulation of the colored target material.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining the character reference pattern comprises analyzing a character reference material by mapping the character reference material into an array and, based on character properties of the character reference material, assigning at least initial lightness values to each of a plurality of elements of the array.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining the character reference pattern comprises selecting a desired character reference pattern from a plurality of character reference patterns stored in a memory.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1, wherein the point in space is selected from a set of points representing potential shade variations of a dye formula for the target material.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7, wherein each point in the set of points has an L* coordinate value, an a* coordinate value, and a b* coordinate value, and wherein the selected point is one of the following points: the point in the set with the lightest coordinate value of potential shade variation of the dye formula; the point in the set with the darkest coordinate value of potential shade variation of the dye formula; the point in the set with the greatest a* coordinate value; the point in the set with the least a* coordinate value; the point in the set with the greatest b* coordinate value; the point in the set with the least b* coordinate value.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1, wherein the colored target material is a desired stage of finish of denim.

Claim 13

The method of claim 10, wherein the selected point in color space is obtained by conducting spectral analysis for material subjected to at least one stage of a color-affecting process.

Claim 14

The method of claim 11, wherein the material is fabric, and wherein the selected point in color space is obtained by conducting spectral analysis for fabric subjected to at least one stage of a washing process.

Claim 15

The method of claim 12, wherein the fabric is denim.

Claim 18

The method of claim 14, wherein the color space has L*, a*, and b* axes and wherein the shade variation representation points lie at intersections of the three dimensional volume with a secondary axis of color space, the secondary axis being parallel to one of the L*, a*, b* and axes in CIE color space.

Claim 19

The method of claim 14, wherein the point has both a lightness coordinate value and non-lightness coordinate values, further including obtaining a character reference pattern having at least one desired character property of the target material, the character reference pattern being stored as an array, each of a plurality of elements of the array being assigned a corresponding initial lightness value; and wherein, to form the set of simulation outputs depicting a range of predetermined shade variation, the following steps are performed for each color candidate representation point: (a) using the lightness coordinate value of the color candidate representation point to form adjusted lightness values for each of the elements of the array; (b) transforming the array by assigning the non-lightness coordinate values of the color candidate representation point to each element of the array whereby, together with the adjusted lightness values the non-lightness coordinate values of the representation point, each element of the transformed array is representable in color space; and (c) using the transformed array to provide a visual output representative of a corresponding color shade variation of the target material.

Claim 20

The method of claim 14, wherein the target point has both a lightness coordinate value and non-lightness coordinate values, the selected point belonging to a predefined set of points, the method further including: obtaining a character reference pattern having at least one desired character property of the target material, the character reference pattern being stored as an array, each of a plurality of elements of the array being assigned a corresponding initial lightness value; and wherein, to form the set of simulation outputs depicting a range of predetermined shade variation, the following steps are performed for each representation point: (a) for a selected element of the array, using the lightness coordinate value of the selected element to determine transformation non-lightness coordinate values to be assigned to the selected element, the transformation non-lightness coordinate values to be assigned to the selected element being determined by referencing the predefined set of points in color space, the determination utilizing, as the transformation non-lightness coordinate values for the selected element, non-lightness coordinate values of a matched one the points in the set, the matched point in the set having a lightness coordinate value which fulfills a predetermined criteria with respect to the lightness coordinate value of the selected element; (b) transforming the array by assigning the non-lightness coordinate values of the representation point to the selected element of the array whereby, together with the lightness coordinate values of the selected element of the array, the selected element of the transformed array is representable in color space; and (c) using the array with the transformation non-lightness coordinate values for the selected element to provide a visual output representative of the target material.

Claim 21

The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined criteria is closest numerical proximity to the lightness coordinate value of the selected element.

Claim 22

The method of claim 17, wherein the predefined set of points in color space is obtained by conducting spectral analysis for material subjected to at least one stage of a color-affecting process.

Claim 23

The method of claim 19, wherein the material is fabric, and wherein the predefined set of points in color space is obtained by conducting spectral analysis for fabric subjected to at least one stage of a washing process.

Claim 24

The method of claim 20, wherein the fabric is denim.

Claim 27

The method of claim 22, wherein the target material is a textile, and wherein the first constituent element is warp yarn and the second constituent element is fill yarn.

Claim 28

The method of claim 22, wherein a plurality of color reference materials, a plurality of first test materials, and a plurality of second test materials are utilized.

Claim 29

The method of claim 22, wherein a plurality of color-affecting treatments are preformed, and wherein step (e) is performed after each color-affecting treatment.

Claim 30

The method of claim 25, wherein the target material is denim, wherein the first constituent element is warp yarn and the second constituent element is fill yarn, and wherein the color-affecting treatments are sequential washing processes.

Claim 31

The method of claim 25, wherein the selected point has both a lightness coordinate value and non-lightness coordinate values, and wherein the target material is simulated by executing the following steps: obtaining a character reference pattern having at least one desired character property of the target material, the character reference pattern being stored as an array, each of a plurality of elements of the array being assigned a corresponding initial lightness value; using the lightness coordinate value of the selected point to form adjusted lightness values for each of the elements of the array; transforming the array by assigning the non-lightness coordinate values of the selected point to each element of the array whereby, together with the adjusted lightness values and the non-lightness coordinate values of the selected point, each element of the transformed array is representable in color space; and using the transformed array to provide a visual output representative of the color of the target material.

Claim 32

Apparatus for simulating a colored target material, the apparatus comprising: a memory wherein is stored character reference values for a character reference pattern, the character reference pattern having at least one desired character property of the target material; an image processor which uses a coordinate value of the a selected point in color space to adjust at least some of the character reference values and thereby form an adjusted character pattern; an output device which uses the adjusted character pattern to provide a visual output representative of the target material.

Claim 33

Apparatus for simulating a colored target material, the apparatus comprising: a memory wherein is stored character reference values for a character reference pattern, the character reference pattern having at least one desired character property of the target material; an image processor which uses a coordinate value of the a selected point in color space to adjust at least some of the character reference values and thereby form an adjusted character pattern; an output device which uses the adjusted character pattern to provide a visual output representative of the target material.

Claim 34

The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the selected point has a lightness coordinate L* in CIE color space and non-lightness coordinate values a*, b* in CIE color space.

Claim 35

The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the output device is a printer.

Claim 36

The apparatus of claim 28, wherein using the output device is a display screen.

Claim 37

The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a scanner which analyzes the character reference material by mapping the character reference material into an array and, based on character properties of the character reference material, assigns at least initial lightness values to each of a plurality of elements of the array.

Claim 38

Apparatus for simulating a colored target material, the apparatus comprising: a first memory wherein is stored values for a character reference pattern having at least one desired character property of the target material; a second memory wherein is stored at least one coordinate value for a selected point in color space; an image processor which uses the selected point in color space to adjust at least some of the stored values for the character reference pattern, thereby yielding an adjusted pattern; and an output device which uses the adjusted pattern to provide a visual output representative of the target material.

Claim 39

Apparatus for simulating a colored target material, the apparatus comprising: a first memory wherein is stored values for a character reference pattern having at least one desired character property of the target material; a second memory wherein is stored at least one coordinate value for a selected point in color space; an image processor which uses the selected point in color space to adjust at least some of the stored values for the character reference pattern, thereby yielding an adjusted pattern; and an output device which uses the adjusted pattern to provide a visual output representative of the target material.

Claim 40

The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the output device is a printer.

Claim 41

The apparatus of claim 33, wherein using the output device is a display screen.

Claim 42

The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a scanner which analyzes a character reference material by mapping the character reference material into an array in the memory and, based on character properties of the character reference material, assigns at least initial lightness values to each of a plurality of elements of the array.

Claim 43

Apparatus for simulating a colored target material, the apparatus comprising: a memory for storing therein at least one coordinate value for a selected point in color space corresponding to a desired color of the colored target material; an input device for inputting criteria for developing an acceptable color variation about the selected point; a processor which uses the inputted criteria to further select a plurality of shade variation representation points in color space, thereby forming a set of representation points comprising the selected point and the plurality of shade variation representation points; and an output device for generating a simulation output for each representation point, thereby forming a set of simulation outputs depicting a range of predetermined shade variation.

Claim 44

Apparatus for simulating a colored target material, the apparatus comprising: a memory for storing therein at least one coordinate value for a selected point in color space corresponding to a desired color of the colored target material; an input device for inputting criteria for developing an acceptable color variation about the selected point; a processor which uses the inputted criteria to further select a plurality of shade variation representation points in color space, thereby forming a set of representation points comprising the selected point and the plurality of shade variation representation points; and an output device for generating a simulation output for each representation point, thereby forming a set of simulation outputs depicting a range of predetermined shade variation.

Claim 45

The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the output device is a printer.

Claim 46

The apparatus of claim 37, wherein using the output device is a display screen.

Claim 49

The method of claim 40, wherein the target material is a textile, and wherein the first constituent element is warp yarn and the second constituent element is fill yarn.

Claim 50

The method of claim 40, wherein a plurality of color reference materials, a plurality of first test materials, and a plurality of second test materials are utilized.

Claim 51

The method of claim 40, wherein the target material is denim, wherein the first constituent element is warp yarn and the second constituent element is fill yarn, and wherein the color-affecting treatments are sequential washing processes.