Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02701587 2015-03-03
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DISPENSING COLOR MERCHANDISE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention generally relates to an apparatus for providing
customers with color
samples, e.g., color chips, wet paint samples and/or color merchandise
depicting accurate
colors and accurate paint colors.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Before purchasing paints, buyers typically are given a fan deck or
palette comprising
hundreds or thousands of paint chips, which represent a small portion of the
available paint
colors. The paint chips typically measure about li/t inch by 2 inches, and
recently, buyers
can purchase larger paint chips of about 18 inches by 18 inches to assist with
the mental
projection of the colors to the walls. Additionally, the buyers may purchase
small containers
of about 2 ounces of the desired paints to paint larger swatches on the walls.
Typically, the
buyers start with small paint chips to narrow the choices and then move to
larger paint chips
and/or sample paints before choosing the final paint colors.
[0003] Color merchandising may take many forms including the electronic
depictions
discussed below. Color accurate, physical merchandise, which has a tactile
dimension as well
as color, is available in a nearly unlimited variety of shapes and sizes.
These include the
basic, single color chips described above, as well as strip chips, fan decks,
designer decks,
counter books, specialty collections and variations of all of these. The
merchandising may be
used by consumers or design professionals and may appear in retail stores,
kiosks, design
centers or be available for sale through stores or via the intemet. All of
this physical color
merchandising is produced through an industrial process that requires quite
large production
runs to achieve economies of scale. Consequently, there are long lead times
and relatively
high inventory levels. Once produced, there is little flexibility to revise
the form factor, by re-
cutting and re-collating for instance. The color control of this physical
merchandise is
generally very good, including the control of metamerism which is managed by
using
pigment combinations that match as closely as possible the final product, in
this case
decorative paints. However, this type of merchandise cannot be immediately
available,
customized, or short run color merchandise. Onsite printing of color
merchandise cannot
adequately meet this need, because print technology has not been adequately
accurate to meet
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the required quality standard. Specifically, the ability to produce non-
metameric (or
minimally metameric) color merchandise is not yet achievable.
[0004] When deciding on a paint color, customers typically select colors from
the above-
mentioned fan deck or use any type of inspiration piece to direct them to
agreeable colors.
To find the appropriate color chips, they must then search the store
independently or ask a
store staff member to find the color chips or wet samples. This process can be
time
consuming and frustrating. Many times, customers may search the store
themselves for color
chips and subsequently return the chips to the wrong location, hindering the
paint selection
process for future customers.
[0005] Another significant drawback of maintaining this merchandise, i.e., fan
deck, paint
chips large and small, 2-ounce wet paint samples, is inventory. Paint stores
must keep a
sufficient inventory of these merchandise and importantly sufficient amounts
of items
favored by customers. Lack of storage space can be an issue and the
unavailability of
merchandise in the colors that the customers want can cause inconvenience to
the customers
and loss of sales to the store. Furthermore, customized merchandise, such as
multiple
consumer selected colors displayed on a single sheet or consumer-selected
colors being
displayed with dwellings or buildings, cannot be produced on demand.
[0006] Recently, paint viewing or paint selection software, such as Benjamin
Moore Paints'
Personal Color Viewer TM ("PCV'') available either on the World Wide Web or as
CD-ROM
since at least 2003, has improved the paint selection process for buyers. The
PCV software
displays on a computer screen a number of standard interior rooms with
furniture, e.g., living
room, dining room, bedrooms kitchen and bathroom, as well as the exteriors of
a dwelling.
The buyers can change the colors of the room, including ceiling, trim and
upper and lower
walls, at will to project the colors to the entire room. Additionally, digital
images of the
buyers' own dwellings can be manipulated by the PCV software to display the
desired colors,
[00071 One drawback of the paint selection software is that the images are
typically
displayed on computer screens, which are limited to combinations of three RGB
primary
colors (red, green and blue), or four CMYK primary colors (cyan, magenta,
yellow and
black) for common inkjet and laser printers. Only a limited number of colors
can be
displayed and viewed, when only three or four primary colors are used.
Similarly, a fan deck
can only display several thousands of colors, while more than ten thousand
paint colors are
available.
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[0008] Another drawback of the paint selection software is that often a single
color cannot be
repeated from one computer screen to another computer screen, unless rigorous
calibration
procedures are conducted. One color often appears differently on different
monitors. Even if
a particular computer screen is properly calibrated and the limited color
gamut can be
displayed, the desired color cannot be printed because conventional inkjet
printers do not
have the capability to print colors accurately and to print colors that don't
change under
different illuminants or ambient/background lighting.
[0009] Paint selection software, printed merchandise and physical color chip
fan decks
cannot control the ambient light when paint colors are viewed by the
consumers. It is known
that colors can look different under different ambient illuminations, i.e., to
a consumer, a
particular color can look one way under one ambient light and look differently
under a
different ambient light. This phenomenon is known as "color inconstancy," when
a single
color is considered and "metamerism," when two or more colors are considered,
discussed
further below. Known ways to control color inconstancy and metamerism for
color chips and
fan decks include providing stringent quality control to their manufacturing
process and to
select combinations of color pigments and resins for use in the manufacturing
of color chips
and fan decks that are similar to combinations of color pigments and resins
used in paints.
[0010] Color inconstancy is the change in color perception of a single
physical color under
different ambient lights or illuminants. Light sources are often identified by
two important
parameters: correlated color temperature (CCT) and spectral power
distribution. The CCT is
the temperature of the Planckian radiator (black body), whose perceived color
most closely
resembles that of the given light source at the same brightness and under
specified viewing
conditions. For example, some fluorescent daylight lamps have a CCT of 6500K.
On the
other hand, if the given light source has a chromaticity identical to a
chromaticity point at the
Planckian radiator locus on the CIE chromaticity diagram, that light source
has the same
Color Temperature (CT) in unit of Kelvin as that of the Planckian locus
chromaticity point.
For example, CIE Illuminant A has a CT of 2856K. The spectral power
distribution, SPD, is a
measure of the amount of energy emitted by the light source at each wavelength
in the visible
spectrum. This information is usually reported at 1, 2, 5, 10 or 20 nanometer
intervals. For
example, a color observed outdoors is illuminated by the sun with a wide range
of CCT and
SPD from sunrise to sunset. Indoor illumination or artificial light is rarely
as bright as natural
sunlight and differs considerably in SPD and may also differ in CCT.
Illumination is an
important factor in viewing colors, and the brightness of the environment, as
well as the CCT
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and SPD, have a measurable effect on colors perceived by people. This effect
explains why a
consumer sometimes thinks that a sample paint color, such as the color of a
paint chip,
appears different at home (e.g., under incandescent light) than the way that
paint color had
appeared at a retail store (e.g., under fluorescent light). Some colors shift
more than others
under different light sources; colors that shift to a greater degree are said
to have a higher
degree of inconstancy.
[0011] Another drawback of paint chips, paint selection software, and other
color selection
tools is that they are subject to metamerism. Two or more colors may have the
same color
appearance under one ambient lighting condition, but may appear to be
different colors under
another ambient lighting condition. This is caused by the color pigment
combinations of the
paints being different from each other resulting in different spectral
reflectance factors (SRF).
Like SPD, SRF is a measure of the amount of energy reflected from a sample at
the
wavelengths of visible light. Typically these are reported at 1, 2, 5, 10 or
20 nanometer
intervals. As an example, consider a green paint chip side-by-side with an
actual green paint
applied on a wall. Since this paint chip is made with certain pigment
combinations and the
paint is made with different pigments, their chemical and pigments
compositions are different
and would reflect light differently. Hence, while both may appear the same as
the intended
paint color or the paint color standard color under one illuminant, they may
appear as
different colors or non-matching colors, or different shades of the same
color, under a
different illuminant. More particularly, in natural daylight, both the paint
chip and painted
wall appear to be the same shade of green. However, when viewed under
incandescent light,
while the paint on the wall may still appear green, the paint chip color could
appear as a
different shade of green. Accordingly, consumers appreciate the need for paint
selection
tools that exhibit minimal metamerism in reference to colors or paints.
[0012] Inkjet printers use dye-based inks and pigment-based to print on
papers. Dye-based
inks can mix as they are being printed and are absorbed into the papers
leaving very little ink
on the surface of the papers. Dye-based inks can provide a large color gamut,
but are
susceptible to color fading. A number of inkjet manufacturers have produced
pigment-based
inks in order to address the color fading issue, and pigment-based inks are
durable. Pigment-
based inks comprise solid color pigments suspended in resin similar to
architectural coatings
and paints, and the solid color pigments, which can be organic and/or
inorganic, are not
absorbed into the papers, but are deposited on top of the papers and held to
the papers by the
resin.
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[0013] Pigment-based and dye-based inks have different optical reflective
properties
depending on the wavelengths of the illuminating lights. In other words, these
inks can
reflect different illuminating lights differently. Hence, a combination of
pigment-based inks
or dye-based inks used to produce colors can reflect one illuminating light
similarly, i.e,
appear to be the same color, but reflect another illuminating light
differently, i.e., appear to be
different color.
[0014] Hence, there remains a need in the art for a system and apparatus for
providing
customers with color samples in the store setting while reducing inventory
demands on the
stores, simplifying the selection and to print accurate colors on demand that
look substantially
the same as the intended paint color or the paint color standard under
different ambient light
conditions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The present invention provides an apparatus and methodology for
creating color
samples or color merchandise on-demand for customers at any location and
provides the
customers with color merchandise containing accurate, constant, low-metameric
colors
compared to the intended standard paint color or paint color standard.
[0016] The present invention provides a methodology that provides the
customers and other
decision makers the ability to make decisions, such as purchase decisions and
other
selections, based solely on non-verbal and non-textual, non-symbolic or non-
hieroglyphic
prints on a substrate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification
and are to be
read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to
indicate like
parts in the various views:
[0018] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an inventive color selection station;
[0019] Figure 2A is a color photograph depicting a small standard brown color
paint chip
placed on a large brown color paint chip printed by a conventional inkjet
print process;
Figure 2B is a color photograph depicting a small standard brown color paint
chip placed on a
large brown color paint chip printed by a low metarrieric inkjet print
process;
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[0020] Figure 3 is a color photograph depicting a series of standard color
paint chips, a series
of color paint chips printed by a conventional inkjet print process, and a
series of color paint
chips printed by a low metamerie inkjet print process; and
[0021] Figure 4A is a color photograph depicting a series of standard color
paint chips;
Figure 4B is a color photograph depicting a series of color paint chips
printed by a
conventional inkjet print process; Figure 4C is a color photograph depicting a
series of color
paint chips printed by a low metameric inkjet print process.
[0022] Figure 5 is an exemplary flowchart showing an inventive
interface/translation system;
Figures 5A and 5B show the portions of the flowchart discussed in Figure 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] The present invention provides an apparatus and methodology for
creating color
samples or color merchandise on-demand for customers at any location and
provides the
customers with color merchandise containing accurate, constant, low metameric
colors
compared to the intended standard paint color or standard color. The apparatus
can be a color
selection station 10, shown in Figure 1, where consumers/customers may view
and select
colors from pre-manufactured merchandise, such as paint chips or customized
color
merchandise shown in Figures 2A-2B, 3 and 4A-4C and described below. Color
selection
station 10 can also prepare merchandise on demand from the consumers by
printing the
merchandise selected by the consumers.
[0024] As used herein, color merchandise or merchandise include but are not
limited to strip
chips with two or more colors on one strip and typically three, four or seven
colors; fan decks
which comprise a collection of strip chips; color cards which exhibit color
samples, images,
and suggested color combinations; large color samples typically about 12
inches by about 12
inches or larger; small color chips typically about 1 square inch up to 8
inches by 8 inches;
layout boards that combine graphical imagery with color samples on a single
panel; and
collections of the previously listed items bound together in the form of
books, fan decks, or
pre-packaged materials.
[0025] A preferred printer is an inkjet printer that can print the many
hundreds or thousands
of paint colors accurately, constantly and with low Inetamerism compared to
the intended
standard paint color. Suitable inkjet printers include both pigment-based
printers and dye-
based printers that have the capability to print a color that appears
substantially the same as
the intended paint color or the paint color standard under multiple
illunriinants. Low
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metameric printing, and methodologies for judging and accepting the printed
merchandise are
discussed in detail in the commonly-owned, co-pending U.S. patent application
entitled
"Method for Managing Metamerism of Color Merchandise" issued under U.S. patent
No.
8,330,991.
[0026] The present invention also provides a methodology that provides the
customers and
other decision makers the ability to make decisions, such as purchase
decisions and other
selections, based solely on non-verbal and non-graphical prints without texts
or symbols on a
substrate. Up to now, information contained on papers or computer monitors or
other
substrates is processed by readers when it is in a written language, including
modern and
ancient languages, or in symbols, such as mathematical symbols. Never before
have the
readers been able to view a representation of a color printed on papers, i.e.,
non-verbal and
non-textual without texts or symbols, with sufficient accuracy, constancy and
low
metamerism that the readers can make decisions, such as purchasing, rating or
ranking, about
that color without specialized standardized lighting without referring to
another source.
[00271 The inventive apparatus and methods are discussed in detail below.
[00281 Referring to Figure 1, color selection station (CSS) 10 is shown. CSS
10 comprises a
number of components, including computer or television monitor 12, which can
be a high
resolution flat RGB screen. Monitor 12 is connected to a computer or central
processing unit
(CPU) positioned within the cabinetry of CSS 10. The computer is sized and
dimensioned to
run or operate one or more color selection software or color viewing software,
such as the
PCV discussed above, or similar software. Other color selection software or
color viewing
software, such as the Wall of Inspiration, previously tested at Benjamin
Moore's Janovic
Store in New York, NY and described in "The Wall of Inspiration: A Computer
Aided Color
Selection System," by S. Berrier, C. Shimizu, P. Chong, D. Colucci and G.
Meyer (June 10,
2008 version) available at www.paintselection.googlepages.com. Other suitable
software
include those described in commonly owned international patent application
nos. PCT/US
08/69664 and PCT/US 08/69823, and other color selection patents and patent
applications
known in the patent literature. The present invention is operable with any
color selection and
color viewing software, and is not limited to any particular software.
[00291 The consumers would use the color selection/color viewing software to
select one or
more colors displayed on monitor 12. Monitor 12 can display colors with
architectural
objects, such as buildings and dwellings, with exterior and interior views. As
discussed
above, even when properly calibrated monitor 12 may not be able to properly
produce the
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correct color due to the fact that monitors 12 are ROB monitors. In accordance
with the
present invention, CSS 10 may also have screen 14 that preferably uses five or
more primary
light sources, or multiple color LED primary light sources to mix/combine to
produce a
uniform and accurate color. Screen 14 is the display of a light mixing system
disclosed in
international published patent application no. WO 2006/076211. This light-
mixing system
comprises a plurality of primary lights, which can be 5, 7 and up to 11 or
more primary
lights. Due to a higher number of primary lights, this light mixing system can
display a wider
color gamut than a conventional ROB monitor, as discussed in publication WO
2006/076211.
The light mixing system has a system of fixed and movable baffles that
thoroughly mix the
primary lights into a diffused, uniform light, which is then displayed on
screen 14. Screen 14
can display the same uniform color over a large area to allow consumers to
view a large
sample of the selected color. Textures can be added to screen 14 to represent
the sheen of the
paint, e.g., flat, eggshell, semi-gloss and gloss. Screen 14 can be any size
to convey to the
viewer how a color would look when painted on a large surface.
[0030] Light box screen 14 can be replaced by a three-dimensional light box,
where the
primary lights sources, including LEDs, halogens, incandescent and fluorescent
lights are
mixed in a light mixing chamber with a central baffle before being projected
on to a flat or
curve surface (similar to screen 14) located spaced apart from the mixing
chamber. The flat
or curve surface can also have texture to represent sheen. Such light box with
the tight
mixing chamber is disclosed in commonly owned international patent application
serial no.
PCT/US08/088011 and filed on December 22, 2008. The light mixing chamber can
include
an ambient illuminant, such as day light, fluorescent light, incandescent
light or a standard
D50 light source mixed with the displayed light.
[0031] Consumers can repeatedly select more colors on monitor 12 and display
more colors
on screen 14 until final colors are selected and approved. Once the final
colors are
determined, corresponding color merchandise are selected or purchased. Up
until the present
time, there is no capability to produce color merchandise on demand, i.e., at
the time of color
selection. Generally, available color merchandise are limited to premade or
pre-
manufactured items such as color fan deck, strips of color chips, large chips,
wet paint
samples in limited colors. However, as described above, with many thousands of
available
colors, it is difficult to maintain sufficient inventories to satisfy consumer
demands.
Sufficient storefront space and storage space must he maintained to keep the
color
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merchandise. Additionally, a manual or computerized inventory system is needed
to
maintain the inventory.
[0032] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, at least a
large portion and
preferably all of the color chip merchandise can be replaced by a print-on-
demand aspect of
the present invention using accurate, constant and low metameric inkjet
printers, discussed
above. This inventive feature is illustrated in Figures 2A-2B, 3 and 4A-4C,
discussed below.
One conventional way of preparing color merchandise is to prepare a layout
from a design
template, or a custom design. Such templates may include an architect's
rendition of a
building or dwelling with a recommended color scheme. The completed template
can be
printed with conventional printing means. Thereafter, the architect or
designer cuts color
chips of the recommended color scheme and adheres them on the template so that
the
customers or clients can view the recommended colors accurately, since
conventional
printing means cannot print colors accurately. An example of this technique is
shown in
Figure 4A. This methodology is time consuming, especially when the consumer or
designer
selects a large number of colors or the chosen colors span across multiple
palettes or color
libraries, as illustrated in Figure 4A.
[0033] Suitable ink jet printers include, preferably, the Epson Stylus Pro
7900 or 9900
(commercially available from Epson America, Inc., Long Beach, CA), the Hewlett-
Packard
Photosmart Pro B9I80 or Designjet Z-2100 and Z-310 (commercially available
from
Hewlett-Packard Company of Palo Alto, CA), or the Canon imagePROGRAF IPF5000
(commercially available from Canon U.S.A., Inc. of Lake Success, New York).
[0034] A less desired, conventional way of preparing color merchandise is to
print the entire
template with a conventional inkjet or laserjet printer. This is not desirable
because the
recommended colors cannot be represented adequately by conventional printing
methods.
Consumers cannot make any color judgments or decisions based on these
incorrectly printed
colors. Samples of color merchandise printed with conventional printing means
are best
shown in Figures 2A and 4B.
[0035] In one aspect of the present invention, CSS 10 utilizes an
interface/translation system
20 that substitutes the color information from one or more color palettes,
such as ROB,
CMYK, CMYK + orange + green (CMYKOG), or any color systems/conventions or
color
space used to describe paint colors at an area or a pixel with an index value
or location on a
color lookup table (CLUT or LUT) that can be referenced by color printers. The
color
printers or more specifically their driver programs use the index value to
locate on the CLUT
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the information and instructions necessary for the printer to produce the
correct color at that
area or pixel. In other words, interface system 20 translates or transforms
the spectral
information or calorimetric information associated with the multiple thousand
paint colors in
any color space to a CLUT index value that can be recognized by color
printers.
[0036] Color lookup tables are commonly used to minimize the amount of memory
space
required to describe a color document that is sent to a color printer.
Generally, a document is
divided into pixels, i.e., a two dimensional table where each cell contains
the color
information of the corresponding pixel. However, for an 8-bit color RGB image,
instead of
having each pixel containing its own R, G, B values, which would require 24
bits, each pixel
carries an 8-bit value index value that points to a location in the CLUT that
contains the color
information. See e.g., definition of "color lookup table" or "color palette"
at The Free
Dictionary at http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/color%20palette. See
also, A. Balaji,
et al. "Hierarchical Compression of Color Look Up Tables," 15th Color Imaging
Conference
Final Program and Proceedings, at pp. 261-266 (2007) and U.S. patent number
5,483,360.
10037] The CLUT table usable with interface system 20 also contains values
related to the
spectral information or colorimetric information associated with the multiple
thousand paint
colors and instructions to print with low metamerism. More specifically, the
values in the
CLUT table correspond to the R, G, and B colored ink values or C, M, Y and K
colored ink
values or C, M, Y, K, 0 and G colored ink values that can be recognized by
color printers.
The CLUT table values may also contain instructions to dispense precise
amounts of the
designated inks to achieve low metarnerism.
[00381 A non-limiting, exemplary interface system 20 is shown in Figures 5 and
5A-B, and
can be operated by CSS 10's CPU. The CPU may also run other programs or
software, e.g.,
color selection software, at the same time or in background mode, described
below. Interface
system 20 interacts with the users by displaying a graphical user interface
(GUI) shown at
reference number 22. Interface system 20 provides the users at least three
options: to print
color swatches 24, to replace color pixels 26 or to exit 28. These options can
be offered
sequentially as shown in Figure 5, or can be offered simultaneously.
[00391 If the users select to print color swatches 24, interface system 20
allows the users to
select one or more colors from one or more color palettes, color libraries or
color collections
at step 30 using any of the color selection tools discussed above. For
example, Benjamin
Ivfoore's (BM) color palettes Or collections can be offered. The present
invention is not
limited to any particular color palettes or collections. In one example, one
color swatch can
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be printed for each selected color. Next, the users can define the geometrical
or dimensional
characteristics of each swatch. All the swatches may have the same dimension
and shape;
however, interface system 20 has the ability to let the users define the
dimensions and shape
of each swatch. Indentifying information for each color can also be selected
to be printed
with the colors at step 32. It is noted that this identifying information does
not play a part in
the users' color decision making process; it merely identities the color name,
color number or
other information associated with the colors selected by the decision making
process. The
users would take the printed colors home or to other dwellings or structures
where new paints
would be applied. The users would then choose from the printed colors the
paint colors that
would be purchased and applied to the walls, ceilings, etc. This identifying
information
would assist with the purchasing process. Alternatively, the identifying
information can be
omitted and the selected colors can be identified by a spectrophotometer.
[00401 Then, the user may initiate the color swatch CLUT printing process at
step 34, which
is described in more detail in Figure 5A, Color swatch CLUT printing process
34 comprises
step 36 of setting up a print configuration using the earlier user-defined
settings, step 38 of
opening a new print document and step 40 of starting at the first selected
color. For each
color to be printed, the data. for each color from the color palettes or color
collections, e.g.,
BM color palettes, is loaded at step 42, a bitmap memory, for example, 1 pixel
by 1 pixel, is
created at step 44, and the CLUT index number for the current color from the
color palettes
or color collections, e.g., BM palettes, is loaded at step 46.
100411 Thereafter, at step 48 the data for each color is replaced by the GLUT
index number,
and a flag is switched to the ON position to alert the printer's driver
program that it needs to
lookup in the CLUT for instructions to print with low metamerism for that
pixel. The bitmap
memory is then adjusted or stretched to the color swatch size earlier defined
by the users at
step 50. Step 50 may be omitted if in step 42, the bitmap memory is defined to
be the color
swatch size; however, all the pixels in the swatch's area would need to be
processed. The
color name and color number may be added to the bitmap memory at step 52. The
color
swatch bitmap is then added to the print document at the location selected
earlier by the user
at step 54. Steps 42-54 are repeated for each color selected to be printed as
shown by
decision point 56 and step 58. Thereafter, the print document is closed at
step 60 and the
print document is sent to the printer at step 62.
[0042] Referring to Figures 5 and 5B, at the color pixel CLUT index
replacement step 26 the
users can select a different color merchandise to print. The users can select
a pre-existing
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image to process at step 64. The image can be one of the photographs or
artworks
professionally created and stored in the CPU. After the image is displayed,
interface system
20 can perform the color pixel CLUT index replacement process on the selected
image at step
66. For this process, at step 68 a print configuration is setup and a new
print document is
opened at step 70 to load the selected image into memory at step 72. Interface
system 20
may prompt the users to point to the image's first color pixel or area at step
74 or may
automatically point to the image's first color pixel or area. Next, a decision
is made whether
to replace the color pixel's color value (RGB, CMYK, CMYKOG color space values
or the
like) at step 76. If the decision is "yes", then interface system 20 looks up
the CLUT index
for the current color value assigned to the pixel at step 78. At step 80, if a
matching CLUT
value is not found, interface system 20 moves to the next color pixel, but if
a matching CLLTT
value is found the matching CLUT value is substituted for the printer color
value at step 82,
and a flag is switched to the ON position, described above. At step 84, if
there are more color
pixels to process, then interface system 20 points to the next color pixel at
step 86 and steps
76-82 are repeated. After all of the color pixels are processed, the modified
image is added to
the print document at step 88. The print document is then closed at step 90
and the image is
printed at step 92.
[0043] One preferred application of color pixel CLUT index replacement step 26
is to allow
the users to upload digital photographs or digitized photographs to the CPU to
monitor 12.
Such photographs can be pictures of the interior of rooms to be painted or the
exterior of a
dwelling of a building to be painted. Interface system 20 then allows the
users to choose a
certain surface to be painted, e.g., a wall, a window, a molding, etc., by a
computer mouse or
computer stylus, for example, at step 74. The chosen surface then can be
colored by a BM
color or a color from any palette or collection. This process is repeated
until all the surfaces
to be painted are colored on monitor 12. The modified photograph is then
printed in
accordance with the process described in Figure 5A or 5B accurately and with
low
metamerism. The users can take printed photographs of their home, where the
walls and
ceilings are accurately painted with new paint colors and low metamerism.
These
photographs may also include the users' furniture, which can assist with the
process of
choosing new paint colors.
[0044] Referring to Figures 2A-2B, 3 and 4A-4C, where the desirable results of
the present
invention are illustrated. Figure 2A is a photograph of a large inkjet print
(about 17 inches by
22 inches) of a brown color in a convention manner, which has the designation
of color
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CA 02701587 2016-08-18
number 049 and color name "Twilight Dreams" in the Benjamin Moore palettes. A
smaller
color chip standard is positioned on this large print to show how this color
049 should look.
It can be clearly seen that the conventionally printed color does not resemble
the color chip
standard under a combination of daylight and fluorescent light sources, when
the photograph
was taken. All of the photographs in the present specification were taken
under similar light
sources. Figure 2B is a photograph of a similar size inkjet print (about 17
inches by 22
inches) of the same brown color in accordance with the present invention with
a similar color
chip standard positioned thereon at a similar location. Under the same light
sources, the
inventive inkjet print on demand and the color standard match.
[0045] Figure 3 is a photograph of three color merchandise, namely strip
chips, that should
be showing the same colors under the same light sources. The middle strip
chips are premade
and represent the color standards. The strip chips on the left side are made
in accordance to
the present invention and the strip chips on the right side are made in a
conventional manner.
It can be seen that the inventive strip chips match the standard strip chips
under the same
light sources, while the conventional strip chips do not.
100461 When the color merchandise include many selected colors discussed above
in
connection with Figure 4A, it is very time consuming to cut and paste a large
number of color
chips which represent the color standards on to a substrate. Figure 4B is a
photograph of the
same color merchandise produced in a conventional manner, and Figure 4C is a
photograph
of the same color merchandise produced in accordance with the present
invention. It can be
seen that the inventive color merchandise match the color standard under the
light sources,
while the conventional color merchandise don't.
[0047] CSS 10 can print color chips of any convenient size and can print a
sample up to 48
inches wide. After a color merchandise is prepared and dried, the consumer may
hold it up
against screen 14 to double check whether the color(s) of the merchandise
matches the
displayed color(s) on screen 14. Alternatively, CSS 10 can be optionally
enclosed and can be
equipped with various ambient illuminants so that the color merchandise can be
checked for
color constancy and color metamerisrn before the consumer leaves CSS 10 to try
the color
merchandise at home. In one example, CSS 10 can be illuminated with various
light sources,
including but not limited to daylight, natural light, incandescent and halogen
lighting.
Suitable such light sources are available as the Benjamin Moore Retail
Lighting System from
Benjamin Moore & Co. of Montvale and Flanders, New Jersey.
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CA 02701587 2016-08-18
[0048] Another advantage of the present invention is that the inventory of
dried color chips is
greatly reduced and preferably eliminated. Dried color chip inventory is
replaced by an
inventory of primary inks, which can be as low as four primaries. The reduced
inventory
requirement allows paint manufacturers to reduce the size of CSS 10 and to
deploy CSS 10 as
kiosks in paint stores, shopping malls, airports, parking lots and building
supply stores. The
inks are transformed by the present invention into accurate, constant, low
metameric colors
and color merchandise to reduce inventory of pre-made or pre-manufactured
color
merchandise.
[00491 Commonly owned U.S. patent application "Method for Managing Metamerism
of
Color Merchandise" published under U.S. 2010/0228511, describes a method for
managing
metamerism for a set of color standards, which closely represents actual paint
colors, and
color merchandise. Initially, one measures the spectral reflectance factor
(SRF) of each
color standard (this may be actual paint or a good representation thereof such
as a carefully
produced nitrocellulose lacquer) using a color measurement device such as a
spectrophotometer. Subsequently, one selects a set or combination of ink
compositions
corresponding to the spectral reflectance factor of each color standard. These
ink
compositions are then used with an inkjet printer to produce a set of color
merchandise (e.g,,
paint chips) using non-fluorescent inks on a media free of optical
brighteners.
[0050] Next, one measures the spectral reflectance factor of the color
merchandise.
Subsequently, one evaluates the degree of metamerism for the set of color
standards and
color merchandise pairs by means of either, or preferably both, an
instrumental test having a
first acceptance criterion and/or a visual test having a second acceptance
criterion. If a given
color standard-color merchandise pair has an unacceptable degree of
metamerism, the ink
composition used to produce the color merchandise is re-selected until an
acceptable degree
of metamerism is achieved or until one reaches the conclusion that an improved
match is not
possible with the materials available either due to gamut limitations or
colorimetric
properties. After evaluating the degree of metamerism for each color standard-
color
merchandise pair, one ascertains pins and/or pyiõ wherein pins represents the
percentage of
color standard-color merchandise pairs that pass the instrumental test and
pvis represents the
percentage of color standard-color merchandise pairs that pass the visual
test. If the value of
pins and/or l5 is below an optimal value or if pins and põõ do not correlate
well, then one
modifies the first acceptance criterion, the second acceptance criterion, or
both criteria until a
balance is achieved between the acceptance criteria values and pins and p,,,.
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CA 02701587 2016-08-18
[00511 More specifically, an instrumental test, a visual test, or both are
used to evaluate the
acceptability of color match between a set of plural color standards and
inkjet printed color
merchandise under a plurality of illuminants. Instrumental tests utilize a
CPU, color
measurement device or like computational instrument to calculate the value of
one or more
mathematical expressions suitable for evaluating the degree of color
difference and
metamerism. Visual tests utilize a panel of observers (e.g., three or more
observers) to
ascertain the effects of metamerism. Either the instrumental or visual tests
can be singly used
to assess the acceptability of a color match. Advantageously, however, the
combination of
both the instrumental and visual means provide a greater degree of confidence
that
assessment of metamerism is accurate and that an acceptable level of tolerance
has been
established. The number (ntothi) of total color standard and color merchandise
pairs, which are
evaluated by both instrumental and visual means, can be in an order of
magnitude equivalent
to about 101, preferably about 102, more preferably about 103, e.g., about 30,
or about 300, or
about 3000 color standard-color merchandise pairs. The illuminants can be a
balanced
illuminant, CIE Illuminants D65, CWF/F2 and A, and optionally F11. The
balanced
illuminant comprises a plurality of illuminants having different CCTs and the
balanced
illuminant has an effective CCT between about 4200 K and 4600 K, and more
preferably
CCT between about 4300 K and 4500 K.
[0052] Standard illuminants with a defined spectral power distribution have
been
recommended by the CIE and adopted by many industries. For instance, the CIE D
illuminants (D50, D55, D65 and D75) represent different phases of "average"
daylight, with
respective correlated color temperatures of 5000, 5500, 6504 and 7500 K. The
illuminant
D65, representing average noon daylight, is a commonly-used standard
illuminant and can be
used in the present invention to assess color difference values. Other
suitable illuminants
include, without limitation, CIE Illuminant A, CIE Illuminant CWF ("Cool White
Fluorescent")/F2, and CIE Illuminant Fl 1. CIE Illuminant A (CCT 2856 K)
represents
incandescent light sources such as household tungsten filament lamps. CIE
Illuminant
CWWF2 (CCT 4100 K) represents cool white fluorescent light sources. CIE
Illuminant P11
(CCT 4000 K) represents T1,84, narrow band tri-phosphorous fluorescent light
sources.
[0053] Instrumental means utilize one or more mathematical expressions
including those
described in a paper by F. H. Imai, M. R. Rosen, and R. S. Berns, entitled
"Comparative
Study of Metrics for Spectral Match Quality," Proc. CGIV 2002: The First
European
Conference on Colour in Graphics, Image and Vision, 492-496 (2002). The 'mai
et al. paper
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CA 02701587 2016-08-18
discloses that CIE color difference equations, spectral curve difference
equations (e.g., root
mean square equations), metamerism indices, and weighted root mean square
equations are
all suitable for evaluating the degree of metamerism.
[0054] In a preferred aspect of the present invention, instrumental means
utilize CIE color
difference equations to ascertain the effects of metamerism. Color difference
( AE) is
defined as the distance between two colors in a color space such as CIELAB.
The value of
AP is calculated using a color difference formula, such as, preferably the
CIEDE2000 color
difference formula for a 100 standard observer. The CIEDE2000 color difference
formula is
set forth in G. Sharma, W. Wu, and E. Dalai, "The CIEDE2000 Color-Difference
Formula:
Implementation Notes, Supplementary Test Data, and Mathematical Observations,"
Color
Res. Appl. 30: pp. 21-30, Feb. 2005. As noted in the Sharma paper, CIEDE2000
color
difference values are calculated by a methodology that transforms measured
CIELAB values
into CIE L*C*11(lightness, chroma, hue) color space values. The CIEDE2000
color
difference equation comprises weighting factors kL, k, andkR for the metric
lightness
difference, metric chroma difference and the metric hue difference, which in
the present
invention are 1, 1, 1, respectively. Other suitable color difference equations
include the
CIELUV, CIELAB and the CIE94 color difference equations.
[0055] Because CIE color difference equations rely on color space values,
which are a
function of illuminant spectra distribution), one can calculate AP; for the
same plural
illuminants used in step 40 above, i.e., at least three, preferably at least
four, more preferably
at least five illuminants. By evaluating the color standard and color
merchandise under a
broad spectrum of lighting conditions, one can take steps to minimize the
effects of
metamerism, i.e., the possibility that color standard and color merchandise
will appear
different under different light conditions.
[0056] For each color standard-color merchandise pair, one should tabulate a
matrix of color
difference values under the various illuminants, and note therein the minimum,
maximum,
and average AE. For a given color standard and a given color merchandise, the
average AE
(CIEDE2000) value should be less than about 1.0, preferably less than about
0.7, and more
preferably less than about 0.4. Similarly, the maximum DE2000 value should be
less than
about 1.5, preferably less than about 1.4, and more preferably less than about
1Ø
[0057] Visual means can also be used to assess the color difference for the
total number
(ntI) of color standard-color merchandise pairs under at least three, more
preferably at least
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CA 02701587 2016-08-18
four, and most preferably at least five illuminant simulators. The visual
assessment may be
conducted in any suitably controlled manner. In one exemplary manner, color
standards are
comprised on a set of mid-grey card masks (e.g., 17" X 22") that are layered
over color
merchandise prints. The masks have semi-circular holes in the card that allow
equal areas of
color standard and color merchandise to be visible. The layered sets of masks
and prints
should be observed under light sources that emulate illuminants such as
Balanced Illuminant,
CIE Illuminant D65, CIE Illuminant A, CIE Illuminant CWF/F2, and optionally El
I. Such
simulators are commercially available as light booths, e.g., the Benjamin
Moore Retail
Lighting System, commercially available from Benjamin Moore & Co. of Montvale,
New
Jersey; or the GLE-M color matching luminaries series, commercially available
from GTI
Graphic Technology, Inc. of Newburgh, New York; or the Judge II-S viewing
booth from
X-Rite, Inc. of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The layered sets of masks and prints
are observed
by a panel comprising individuals, who have normal color vision and are
trained in color
discrimination. The panel comprises three, preferably five, more preferably
seven
individuals.
[0058] Panelists may make perceptibility and/or acceptability judgments.
Perceptibility
judgments simply require a panelist to determine whether or not there is any
visual color
difference between the standard and merchandise, whereas acceptability
judgments require
panelists to determine whether the visual color difference is acceptable. In a
preferred aspect
of this invention, each panelist makes an acceptability judgment. The panelist
decides if (i)
there is no visual color difference and the color standard-color merchandise
are an acceptable
match (a "pass" judgment), or (ii) there is a small visual color difference
but the color
standard-color merchandise are still an acceptable match (a "marginal pass"
judgment), or
(iii) there is a visual color difference that is unacceptable (a "fail"
judgment). Thus, for each
color sample- color standard pair there are 4 or 5 determinations
corresponding to the number
of light sources specified. Each panelist may make independent determinations
which are
later reconciled or the panel may work as a group to make a consensus
determination for each
observation. Once all observations have been made, those color sample-color
standard pairs
that "pass" under all 4 or 5 light sources are deemed to be acceptable colors.
The percentage
acceptable colors varies for four light sources (e.g., about 85%, preferably
about 90%, more
preferably about 95% pass/marginal judgments) and five light sources (e.g.,
about 50%,
preferably about 55%, more preferably about 60% pass/marginal judgments).
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[0059] In one aspect of the invention, the number of light sources is much
less important than
the actual selected light sources utilized. In other words, the spectral
quality of the selected
light source(s) will impact on the percentage acceptable colors_ For example,
the use of P11
will affect the percentage acceptable colors much more than the use of F2. In
general, a light
source with a very jagged SPD plus radiance at limited narrow band
wavelengths, such as
Fil, will render color matching more challenging. An inverse relationship has
been
observed between the acceptance criteria and the percentage of acceptable
colors. Acceptable
colors are defined as those for which the color sample and the color standard
meet
acceptability criteria under all illuminants or light sources. As one lowers
the acceptable
average and maximum .AE values, there is a lower percentage (p,õ,) of color
standard ¨ color
merchandise pairs that pass such more stringent instrumental acceptance
criteria. Similarly,
as tighter visual tolerance criteria are implemented there is a smaller
percentage (N) of color
standard ¨ color merchandise pairs that pass visual acceptance criteria.
Accordingly, the
acceptance criteria for both instrumental and visual assessments should be
correlated so as to
optimize the values of puis and pyts. The value of p,,, is given by the
expression pins = pins /
ntotai and the value of p, is given by the expression Ns= mita / ntotEl,
wherein fiats and rnis are
the number of color standard ¨ color merchandise pairs that respectively pass
instrumental
and visual assessments. A balance is preferably achieved to insure that the
colors that pass the
acceptability requirements meet the customer's needs and expectations but to
also insure that
a sufficient number of acceptable colors is available to provide a suitable
range of color
samples. If the acceptance criteria arc too tight then there will be too few
acceptable colors,
if the acceptance criteria are too loose then the colors may be unacceptably
metameric.
10060] Only one of the instrument test or visual test is needed. In one
preferred embodiment,
both the instrument and visual tests are used.
[0061] As discussed in commonly owned U.S. patent application "Method for
Managing
Metamerism of Color Merchandise" published under US 2010/0228511, the
combination of
ink compositions selected to correspond to the spectral reflectance factor of
each color
standard can be based on the spectral reflectance factor of each ink in the
combination.
[0062] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the color
merchandise
represents non-textual printing with no symbols that is sufficiently accurate
in its
representation of colors that the viewers/decision makers are capable of
making a decision, a
selection of whether a color or colors are acceptable, without the necessity
of edification or
explanation by texts or symbols. An example of this color merchandise is shown
in FIG. 3.
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Until now, whenever a printer produces a color, that printed color is too
inaccurate to
represent the true color. The viewer must refer to pre-manufactured color
merchandise, such
as color chips of varying sizes or wet paint samples for a representation of
true colors. While
the printer can produce texts that convey information sufficient for the
reader to make a
decision, it cannot produce non-textual, non-symbolic, non hieroglyphic prints
that a viewer
can rely on. The low metameric, color constant printer system discussed above
provides
accurate printed colors that accurately represent true colors under various
illuminants.
10063] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention the printer
can be replaced
with other color merchandise, such as wet paint samples, conventional color
paint chips
stored within a vending-type machine, which would need to be serviced and have
its
inventory maintained. Depending on its location, the vending machine may take
on a number
of forms. Generally, the device consists of a user interface portion having a
navigation
screen, an enclosed storage portion housing color samples, a dispensing
mechanism, and
optionally a display surface to allow customers to view colors on a large
swath of surface,
similar to screen 14, under one or more ambient light conditions.
[0064] The user interface portion of the vending device may comprise a
computer screen
with a mouse and keyboard apparatus for navigation purposes. It may also
comprise a touch-
sensitive screen for navigation purposes. Alternatively, the user interface
portion may be
purely mechanical. The user interface can be computer screen 12 controlled by
its CPU, as
discussed above, and the color selection process can be any one of the color
selection or color
viewing software discussed above.
100651 In another embodiment of the present invention, the user may select a
desired paint
color, as discussed above, and obtain a sample of the paint. In accordance
with this
embodiment, CSS 10 comprises a storage portion having premixed paint
precursors and a
variety of pigments covering the range of paint colors available for selection
by the user. The
paint sample may be formulated by CSS 10 by combining a number of the paint
precursors
and the appropriate pigment and dispensed in wet form. Alternatively, the
paint sample may
be formulated by the vending device by combining a number of the paint
precursors and the
appropriate pigment and subsequently applying the paint sample to a surface,
such as
cardstock or a material approximating a wall. The painted surface may then be
cured or dried
before it is dispensed to the customer. U.S. Patent No. 6,221,145 teaches
premixed paint
components that may be stored at a point-of-sale location and combined to
create any number
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of paints having different finishes, i.e., flat, matte, satin, eggshell, semi-
gloss and high-gloss,
and any number of hues.
100661 While embodiments of the invention have been described in the detailed
description,
the scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set
forth in the
examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the
description as a
whole.
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