US5798943A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus and process for a digital swatchbook
Assignee: LIGHT SOURCE Inc
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Filing: 1997-03-28
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Granted: 1998-08-25
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Expires: 2017-03-28
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a method and apparatus for accurately matching colors. The color matching system includes a host computer and a color input device in communication with the host computer. Preferably the color input device is capable of obtaining spectral data, such as that obtained using a spectrophotometer. The host computer includes a color library, a color management system, a monitor, and a user interface. In one aspect of the invention, the user selects a target color, a color library to use for matching, a color distance tolerance, and a light source under which the colors are to be matched. The target color is compared to the colors in the library and the color or colors in the library that are within the specified color tolerance are reported. In a second aspect of the invention, the user selects a color and two illuminants. The color under each of the two illuminants is compared and the color distance between the two is reported. In a third aspect of the invention, a selected color is transformed to the color space of a designated printer and then back-transformed to the color space of the monitor and displayed. The displayed color represents a simulation of the selected color as it would appear if printed.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert L. Cook
- 👤 Eric M. Herrmann
- 👤 Nelson Offner
- 👤 Edward M. Granger
- 👤 Akin Dirik
- 👤 Lawrence D. Baca
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:57
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01J; G01J3/00; G01J3/46; G01J3/462; G01J3/463; G01J3/465; G01J2003/466
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
In an appropriately programmed digital computer, a method of matching colors comprising the steps of: acquiring a digital representation of a target color; choosing a color difference tolerance; selecting a color library from a plurality of pre-set color libraries, wherein said selected color library contains a plurality of digital color representations; computing a color difference between said target color and each color of said selected color library; comparing said color difference for each color of said selected color library to said color difference tolerance; and providing each color of said color library in which said color difference between said color and said target color is less than said color difference tolerance.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
111 words
In an appropriately programmed digital computer, a method of matching colors comprising the steps of: acquiring a digital representation of a target color; choosing a color difference tolerance; selecting a color library from a plurality of pre-set color libraries, wherein said selected color library contains a plurality of digital color representations; computing a color difference between said target color and each color of said selected color library; comparing said color difference for each color of said selected color library to said color difference tolerance; and providing each color of said color library in which said color difference between said color and said target color is less than said color difference tolerance.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of color libraries includes at least one pre-defined color library and at least one user-defined library.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said acquiring step is performed using a spectrophotometer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said acquiring step is performed using a calorimeter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said providing step is performed using a monitor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a total number of color matches in which the difference between said color and said target color is less than the color difference tolerance.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said target color and each color of said selected color library is in the form of a spectral data.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 7, wherein said spectral data is transmittance data.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 7, wherein said spectral data is reflectance data.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 9, further comprising the following steps prior to said computing step: selecting an illuminant spectrum; adjusting said reflectance data for said target color and for each color of said selected color library to account for said illuminant spectra to produce a plurality of intensity spectra; and converting each of said intensity spectra to a CIE XYZ color space.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of selecting a first illuminant and converting all colors within said selected color library and said target color to a first tristimulus color space based on said first illuminant, said selecting and converting steps occurring prior to said computing step.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 11, wherein said tristimulus color space is a CIE XYZ color space.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 11, wherein said tristimulus color space is a perceptually uniform color space.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 11, wherein said tristimulus color space is a CIE Lab color space.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of selecting a second illuminant and converting all colors within said selected color library and said target color from said first tristimulus color space to a second tristimulus color space, said second tristimulus color space based on said second illuminant, said selecting and converting steps occurring prior to said computing step.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
79 words
In an appropriately programmed digital computer, a method of matching colors comprising the steps of: acquiring a digital representation of a target color; selecting a color library from a plurality of pre-set color libraries, wherein said selected color library contains a plurality of digital color representations; computing a color difference between said target color and each color of said selected color library; and providing a representation of said color from said selected color library having the smallest color difference.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
79 words
In an appropriately programmed digital computer, a method of matching colors comprising the steps of: acquiring a digital representation of a target color; selecting a color library from a plurality of pre-set color libraries, wherein said selected color library contains a plurality of digital color representations; computing a color difference between said target color and each color of said selected color library; and providing a representation of said color from said selected color library having the smallest color difference.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
93 words
In an appropriately programmed digital computer, a method of matching colors comprising the steps of: acquiring a digital representation of a target color; selecting a color library from a plurality of pre-set color libraries, wherein said selected color library contains a plurality of digital color representations; computing a color difference between said target color and each color of said selected color library; selecting a number of said colors of said color library to be provided; providing a representation of said number of said colors from said color library having the smallest color differences.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
93 words
In an appropriately programmed digital computer, a method of matching colors comprising the steps of: acquiring a digital representation of a target color; selecting a color library from a plurality of pre-set color libraries, wherein said selected color library contains a plurality of digital color representations; computing a color difference between said target color and each color of said selected color library; selecting a number of said colors of said color library to be provided; providing a representation of said number of said colors from said color library having the smallest color differences.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
189 words
A digital computer system for color matching, comprising: a color sampling device, responsive to input light, for generating a spectral representation of a selected target color; a first writable memory for storing said spectral representation of said target color, said first writable memory coupled to a processor; a user interface coupled to said processor, wherein said user interface is capable of communicating a color difference tolerance to said processor; a plurality of color libraries stored in a second memory, wherein said second memory is non-volatile and coupled to said processor, each color library of said plurality of color libraries containing spectral representations of a plurality of individual colors, wherein one of said plurality of color libraries is selected by said processor, wherein said processor computes a color difference between said target spectral representation and each of said individual color spectral representations of said selected color library and compares each of said computed color differences with said color difference tolerance; and a display for communicating to a user a representation of each color of said selected color library for which the color difference is less than said color difference tolerance.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
189 words
A digital computer system for color matching, comprising: a color sampling device, responsive to input light, for generating a spectral representation of a selected target color; a first writable memory for storing said spectral representation of said target color, said first writable memory coupled to a processor; a user interface coupled to said processor, wherein said user interface is capable of communicating a color difference tolerance to said processor; a plurality of color libraries stored in a second memory, wherein said second memory is non-volatile and coupled to said processor, each color library of said plurality of color libraries containing spectral representations of a plurality of individual colors, wherein one of said plurality of color libraries is selected by said processor, wherein said processor computes a color difference between said target spectral representation and each of said individual color spectral representations of said selected color library and compares each of said computed color differences with said color difference tolerance; and a display for communicating to a user a representation of each color of said selected color library for which the color difference is less than said color difference tolerance.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The digital computer system of claim 18, wherein said selection of said color library by said processor is based on instructions received by said processor from said user interface.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The digital computer system of claim 18, wherein said first writable memory and said second memory are the same.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
123 words
In an appropriately programmed digital computer, a method of matching colors comprising the steps of: acquiring a digital representation of a target color; choosing a color difference tolerance; selecting a color library from a plurality of pre-set color libraries, wherein said selected color library contains a plurality of digital color representations; computing a color difference between said target color and each color of said selected color library; comparing said color difference for each color of said selected color library to said color difference tolerance; providing each color of said color library in which said color difference between said color and said target color is less than said color difference tolerance, each provided color defining a match; and providing a total number of matches.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
123 words
In an appropriately programmed digital computer, a method of matching colors comprising the steps of: acquiring a digital representation of a target color; choosing a color difference tolerance; selecting a color library from a plurality of pre-set color libraries, wherein said selected color library contains a plurality of digital color representations; computing a color difference between said target color and each color of said selected color library; comparing said color difference for each color of said selected color library to said color difference tolerance; providing each color of said color library in which said color difference between said color and said target color is less than said color difference tolerance, each provided color defining a match; and providing a total number of matches.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said plurality of color libraries includes at least one pre-defined color library and at least one user-defined library.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of selecting a first illuminant and converting all colors within said selected color library and said target color to a first tristimulus color space based on said first illuminant, said selecting and converting steps occurring prior to said computing step.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said tristimulus color space is selected from the group consisting of a CIE XYZ color space, a perceptually uniform color space, and a CIE Lab Color space.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-08-24 | 2002-02-23 | 2002-08-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-08-24 | 2006-02-23 | 2006-08-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-08-24 | 2010-02-23 | 2010-08-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |