Embodiments of the present invention relate to devices and methods for selecting colors, for example paint colors, and displaying the selected colors to a user along with additional information about the selected colors.
In retail paint sales, it is conventional to display the various colors available for purchase using “paint chips.” The paint chips are cards that have a sample or swatch of one or more of the colors that are available for purchase. The paint chips also include identifying indicia for the paint color, such as a trademark or name for the paint color, the manufacturer's name, a product number, a barcode, etc.
Paint chips are typically displayed in a retail store in an ordered arrangement upon a display (i.e., a paint chip display). The paint chip display has racks for holding numerous paint chips for inspection by a customer. Individual paint chips within the display may be organized by color; for example, shades of blue are grouped together, shades of red are grouped together, etc. The paint chip display might include hundreds or thousands of unique colors of paint available for purchase. If a customer is aware of a specific color of paint and would like to inspect the paint chip for that specific color, but does not know the location of the specific color within the paint chip display, it can be challenging for the customer to find the correct paint chip due to the large number of paint chips available for selection.
The following summary presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the devices and methods discussed herein. This summary is not an extensive overview of the devices and methods discussed herein. It is not intended to identify critical elements or to delineate the scope of such devices and methods. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, provided is a color selection and display device. The color selection and display device includes a display, a user interface configured for receiving input data identifying a selected color, an orientation sensor configured to generate an orientation signal based on an orientation of the color selection and display device, and a memory storing a virtual paint chip arrangement. Relative locations of individual colors within the virtual paint chip arrangement correspond to a real world retail paint chip display. The device further includes at least one processor configured to receive the orientation signal and determine an orientation of the color selection and display device, and to control the display to automatically display the virtual paint chip arrangement based on the orientation of the color selection and display device. The selected color is highlighted in the display of the virtual paint chip arrangement.
In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, provided is a color selection and display method. A first image is displayed on a display of a handheld data processing device. At least one processor of the handheld data processing device obtains data identifying a selected color. The at least one processor receives an orientation signal from an orientation sensor within the handheld data processing device. Based on a current orientation of the handheld data processing device, the first image is automatically replaced with a second image that includes a virtual paint chip arrangement corresponding to a real world retail paint chip display. The selected color is highlighted in the virtual paint chip arrangement that is displayed by the device.
In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, provided is a computer program product for displaying a location of a selected color within a virtual paint chip arrangement. The virtual paint chip arrangement corresponds to a real world retail paint chip display. The computer program product comprises a plurality of instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The instructions are executable by a processor in a device to allow said device to display a first image, obtain data identifying a selected color, receive an input from a user, and replace the first image with a second image that includes the virtual paint chip arrangement based on the input from the user. The selected color is highlighted in the virtual paint chip arrangement.
In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, provided is a color selection and display device. The color selection and display device includes a display and a user interface configured for receiving input data identifying a selected color. A memory stores a virtual paint chip arrangement. Relative locations of individual colors within the virtual paint chip arrangement correspond to a real world retail paint chip display. The device further includes at least one processor configured to control the display to display the virtual paint chip arrangement such that the selected color is highlighted in the virtual paint chip arrangement.
Embodiments of the present invention relate to devices and methods for selecting colors, such as paint colors, and displaying the selected colors and additional information about the selected colors. The present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. It is to be appreciated that the various drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale from one figure to another nor inside a given figure, and in particular that the size of the components are arbitrarily drawn for facilitating the understanding of the drawings. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It may be evident, however, that the present invention can be practiced without these specific details. Additionally, other embodiments of the invention are possible and the invention is capable of being practiced and carried out in ways other than as described. The terminology and phraseology used in describing the invention is employed for the purpose of promoting an understanding of the invention and should not be taken as limiting.
The smartphone 20 includes a display 21 and an image capturing device 22 (e.g. camera) electronically connected to at least one processor 24. The image capturing device 22 can be used to capture color images or images having identifying indicia for paint colors (e.g., from paint chips) as discussed below. The processor 24 is communicatively coupled to a memory 26 storing computer executable instructions that are readable and executable by the processor 24. The instructions can include an operating system 27 for the smartphone 20 and a color selection application 28 that provides the functionality described herein. However, it is to be appreciated that some or all of the instructions or associated data can be stored remotely from the smartphone 20 for access over a network 36 if desired, and that the instructions and associated data need not be stored locally within the memory 26.
The smartphone 20 includes one or more orientation sensors 30 (e.g., accelerometers). The orientation sensors 30 sense the physical orientation of the smartphone 20 (e.g., vertical, horizontal, etc.) and generate a corresponding orientation signal that is provided to the processor 24. The processor 24 can determine the current physical orientation of the smartphone 20 from the orientation signal(s) and respond accordingly, such as by adjusting a displayed image based on the current orientation of the device.
The smartphone 20 includes a user interface, which may include multiple devices, such as for example display 21 and associated controls which provide the interface between the user and the smartphone. For example, the smartphone 20 can include a touchscreen interface 32 having a display, various interface buttons (e.g., a power button, a selection button; etc.), speakers, microphones, and other input or output devices. The camera 22 can also be considered part of the user interface for the smartphone 20 as it is used to enter selected images into the smartphone. The smartphone 20 further includes communications hardware 34 for communications over a network 36. Example communications include both wired and wireless communications, such as wi-fi communications, communications via a cellular telephone system, BLUETOOTH communications, nearfield communications, etc.
Paint colors available for purchase can be identified by a name and a code, such as a color number, bar code, etc. Paint colors within the color selection application can be chosen by name or color number. Touching the search button 46 can activate an entry field (e.g., a text entry box) that allows the user to enter a particular color name or number. If the color name or number matches one of the predefined colors available for purchase, that color will be selected and can be displayed or highlighted as shown in
The major portion of the interface screens in
Within the array 52, the individual color icons are small and no identifying information is provided beyond the visual appearance of the shade of color. However, once a color is selected from the array 52 by touching the selected color icon, the selected color is highlighted in the array. For example, the respective size of the color icon 58 is increased, as illustrated with the color SW6591 Amaryllis, and superposed in a geometric arrangement with adjacent colors in the array. Also, identifying indicia, such as the color name and number, can be displayed in the color icon and also within the virtual color palette 48. Colors immediately adjacent to the selected color 58 in the array 52 can also be highlighted (e.g., by increasing their icon size relative to the other colors in the array). For example, in
After one or more colors are selected and added to the virtual color palette 48, a user may wish to access paint chips for the selected colors from a real world retail paint chip display 10 (
The input for initiating the display of the virtual paint chip arrangement 60 can be through a real or virtual button on the smartphone 20. Additionally, or alternatively, the input can be via a physical movement or reorientation (e.g., rotation, shaking, etc.) or other operation or control of the smartphone 20. As discussed above, the smartphone 20 can include orientation sensors for sensing the physical orientation of the smartphone. The processor within the smartphone 20 can receive the orientation signals and cause the virtual paint chip arrangement 60 to be automatically displayed based on the orientation of the smartphone. For example, as shown in
Returning to
The color selection application can also allow for the display of a virtual wall painted in a selected color.
In certain embodiments, the color selection application can allow the lighting of the virtual room or wall to be changed. For example, a daylight/nighttime selector 74 can be provided to change the lighting of the virtual wall from natural sunlight to artificial light, to show the user how a selected color will appear under such different lighting conditions.
Additional information about a selected color is shown in
Various icons 76, 78, 80 for triggering actions or functions associated with the selected color and/or the virtual color palette 48 can be seen in
Returning to
After scanned identifying indicia is recognized as corresponding to a color available for purchase, the successful scan can be indicated to the user via displayed textual or graphical information, vibrating the smartphone, playing an audible tone, etc. A color selected by scanning can be automatically added to the virtual color palette, or a prompt can be provided to manually add the selected color to the virtual color palette. A virtual wall painted in the selected color can also be automatically generated and displayed. Upon selecting a color by scanning its identifying indicia, the location of the color's paint chip in the virtual paint chip arrangement can be displayed as described above (e.g., by rotating the smartphone).
The displayed first image can include an array of different colors and the selected color can be selected from among the different colors. The first image can also include the virtual color palette showing a plurality of selected colors. Selected colors can be highlighted in the array of different colors as discussed above, and colors adjacent to the selected colors can also be highlighted. The colors can be highlighted by increasing the respective sizes of color icons in the array (see
It should be evident that this disclosure is by way of example and that various changes may be made by adding, modifying or eliminating details without departing from the fair scope of the teaching contained in this disclosure. The invention is therefore not limited to particular details of this disclosure except to the extent that the following claims are necessarily so limited.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 62/415,613 filed on Nov. 1, 2016, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
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