US7046396B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for matching printing ink colors
Assignee: Flint Group Packaging Inks North America Holdings LLC
•
Filing: 2000-10-09
•
Granted: 2006-05-16
•
Expires: 2020-10-09
Abstract
Abstract A system is provided that includes a first computer that can communicate with a second computer. The second computer sends information to the first computer that includes a desired ink color and optionally includes information of other desired ink properties. The first computer includes a database of data for predicting color data of ink formulations using a selected ink base color set, a software program for selecting an ink formulation based on data for a desired ink, and a software program for sending information to the second computer to display the color of the selected ink formulation on a color monitor connected to the second computer. The ink base color set can be selected to provide other desired properties for the ink, such as low cost, light fastness, or chemical resistance.
Inventors
- 👤 Domingo Q Chan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:58
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01J; G01J3/00; G01J3/46; B; B41; B41F; B41F33/00; B41F33/0027; G01J3/462; G01J3/463; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; H04N1/56; H04N1/60; H04N1/603; H04N1/6052; G01J2003/466
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
A system for providing a formulation that will produce a color matching a desired color, comprising: a first computer that can communicate with a second computer, said first computer comprising (a) a database for predicting color produced by formulations prepared using a set of materials; (b) a color matching program for using the database to calculate a formulation that will produce a predicted color matching the desired color; (c) a software program for sending information to the second computer to display the predicted color on a color monitor connected to the second computer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
93 words
A system for providing a formulation that will produce a color matching a desired color, comprising: a first computer that can communicate with a second computer, said first computer comprising (a) a database for predicting color produced by formulations prepared using a set of materials; (b) a color matching program for using the database to calculate a formulation that will produce a predicted color matching the desired color; (c) a software program for sending information to the second computer to display the predicted color on a color monitor connected to the second computer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system according to claim 1 , wherein the software program of (c) can send information to the second computer to display the desired color on the monitor along with the predicted color.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system according to claim 2 , wherein the software program of (c) can send information to the second computer to display how the predicted color and the desired color would appear under different lighting conditions.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
71 words
A method for making an ink with a print color matching a desired print color, comprising steps of: receiving with a first computer color information for the desired print color from a second computer; accessing with the first computer a database for predicting print color for ink formulations; accessing with the first computer a color matching program to select an ink formulation having a print color matching the desired print color.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
71 words
A method for making an ink with a print color matching a desired print color, comprising steps of: receiving with a first computer color information for the desired print color from a second computer; accessing with the first computer a database for predicting print color for ink formulations; accessing with the first computer a color matching program to select an ink formulation having a print color matching the desired print color.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 4 , wherein said first computer and said second computer are connected by a global communication network.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 4 , further comprising steps of providing the ink formulation to automated manufacturing equipment and manufacturing an ink according to the ink formulation.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for modifying an ink formulation, comprising the steps of: (a) inputting to a first computer a desired color change for a print color of a first ink formulation; (b) accessing with the first computer a color match program to produce a second ink formulation having a print color with the desired color change; (c) transmitting to a second computer display data to display on a monitor the print color of the first ink formulation and a print color of the second ink formulation.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for modifying an ink formulation, comprising the steps of: (a) inputting to a first computer a desired color change for a print color of a first ink formulation; (b) accessing with the first computer a color match program to produce a second ink formulation having a print color with the desired color change; (c) transmitting to a second computer display data to display on a monitor the print color of the first ink formulation and a print color of the second ink formulation.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
61 words
A method for comparing a print color to a desired color, comprising transmitting from a first computer to a second computer display information to display on a monitor the print color and the desired color, wherein the display data includes data to display the print color and the desired color as they would appear under at least two different light sources.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
61 words
A method for comparing a print color to a desired color, comprising transmitting from a first computer to a second computer display information to display on a monitor the print color and the desired color, wherein the display data includes data to display the print color and the desired color as they would appear under at least two different light sources.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of formulating ink, comprising steps of: inputting to a first computer data for a desired print color and at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of: ink properties, type of ink, cost, printer identity, printing process parameters, press equipment parameters, press speed, substrate type, substrate color, and combinations thereof; accessing with the first computer information for predicting print color for ink formulations using a set of ink base colors selected based on the at least one further parameter, using a color matching software program to select an ink formulation for the at least one further parameter having a desired match to the desired color.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of formulating ink, comprising steps of: inputting to a first computer data for a desired print color and at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of: ink properties, type of ink, cost, printer identity, printing process parameters, press equipment parameters, press speed, substrate type, substrate color, and combinations thereof; accessing with the first computer information for predicting print color for ink formulations using a set of ink base colors selected based on the at least one further parameter, using a color matching software program to select an ink formulation for the at least one further parameter having a desired match to the desired color.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
71 words
A method of providing two ink formulations, comprising steps of: selecting a first ink formulation by the method of claim 9 and selecting a second ink formulation by the method of claim 9 , wherein the desired print color is the same for the first ink formulation and the second ink formulation and further wherein at least one parameter is different for the first ink formulation and the second ink formulation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 10 , wherein the predicted print color for the first ink formulation has no more than a specified color difference compared to the predicted print color for the second ink formulation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 10 , wherein the first computer transmits to a second computer display data to display on a monitor the print color of the first ink formulation and the print color of the second ink formulation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 12 , wherein the first computer further transmits to the second computer display data to display on the monitor the desired color.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one parameter comprises type of ink.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
GB2071573A
Cited
GB2107047A
Cited
EP0136897A2
Cited
US4649502A
Cited
US4970584A
Cited
US4843574A
Cited
US5182721A
Cited
US4813000A
Cited
DE3707027A1
Cited
DE3714179A1
Cited
US4887906A
Cited
US5141323A
Cited
US5195043A
Cited
US5450314A
Cited
US5909291A
Cited
US5555505A
Cited
US5406475A
Cited
DE4229267A1
Cited
EP0587128A1
Cited
DE4237004A1
Cited
US5400138A
Cited
GB2289018A
Cited
US5877966A
Cited
DE19506425A1
Cited
US5680327A
Cited
US5798943A
Cited
US5668633A
Cited
US5720017A
Cited
US5841421A
Cited
US5740078A
Cited
US6040902A
Cited
US5662033A
Cited
EP0825506A3
Cited
EP0825506A2
Cited
DE19637234A1
Cited
US6233496B1
Cited
US6192147B1
Cited
WO1998037487A1
Cited
US5945112A
Cited
US5897239A
Cited
US5907495A
Cited
EP0915615A2
Cited
US6043894A
Cited
US6349300B1
Cited
US6108095A
Cited
US6342952B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2009-05-15 | 2009-11-14 | 2010-05-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-05-15 | 2013-11-14 | 2014-05-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-05-15 | 2017-11-14 | 2018-05-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |