Dynamically generating darker and lighter color options from a base color in a color picker user interface

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products generate lighter or darker color options from one or more base colors to apply to a document. A method involves enabling a color picker user interface (UI) according to developer specifications, receiving a user request to view the color picker UI, and determining a current color scheme for the document. The method further involves deriving lighter color options and/or darker color options from one or more base colors associated with the current color scheme and rendering the color picker UI including the lighter color options and/or the darker color options derived from the base colors associated with the current color scheme. The current color scheme includes color options that definitively or aesthetically compliment one another.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary computing system;

FIG. 2 illustrates a color picker user interface (UI) rendering lighter and darker color options derived from a base color scheme;

FIG. 3 illustrates alternative color picker UIs;

FIG. 4 illustrates another color picker UI rendering custom colors and tool tips; and

FIG. 5 is an illustrative routine performed in dynamically generating lighter and darker options from a base color scheme.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for generating lighter or darker color options from one or more base colors to apply to a document, comprising: enabling a color picker user interface (UI) according to developer specifications;receiving a user request to view the color picker UI;determining a current base color scheme for the document;deriving at least one of lighter color options or darker color options from one or more base colors associated with the current base color scheme; andrendering the color picker UI including at least one of the lighter color options or the darker color options derived from the base colors associated with the current color scheme;wherein the current color scheme comprises color options that definitively compliment one another.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a preview request for at least one of the lighter or darker color options; andrendering a preview of the document including the lighter or darker color option requested before storing the request as applied.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a selection of a lighter or darker option to apply to the document; andforwarding notification to apply the selection to the document.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the color picker UI according to developer specifications comprises at least one of the following: specifying one of a drop down UI or a dialog UI;specifying one of automatic retrieval of color options from a style sheet or retrieval of color options from some other source; andspecifying a potential rendering of a no fill/line/color option or a more colors option.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: receiving a selection of the more colors option;receiving a selection of a color via the more colors option; andrecording and rendering a most recently used color when a color is selected via the more colors option.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein deriving at least one of lighter color options or darker color options from one or more base colors comprises at least one of the following: calculating a lighter variant of each base color option by: converting an original RGB base color to a first luminance value;subtracting the first luminance value from a value of 255;multiplying a resulting difference between the value of 255 and the first luminance value by an inverse to a percentage of lightness desired;adding the first luminance value to a resulting product of the resulting difference and the inverse to produce a second luminance value; andconverting the second luminance value back to a new RGB value representing a lighter color; andcalculating a darker variant of each base color option by: converting the original RGB base color to the first luminance value;multiplying the first luminance value by an inverse to a percentage of the darkness desired;subtracting a product of the first luminance value and the inverse from the first luminance value to produce a third luminance value;converting the third luminance value back to a new RGB value representing a darker color.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein when base color luminance is less than 0.2 or greater than 0.8 deriving at least one of lighter color options or darker color options from one or more base colors comprises: calculating all darker variants when the base color luminance is greater than 0.8; andcalculating all lighter variants when the base color luminance is less than 0.2.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: defining and rendering one or more custom color options via the color picker UI;rendering one or more standard colors via the color picker UI; andrendering at least one of an RGB value of a color option or a name of a color option when detecting a hover over a color option well associated with the color option.

9. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to generate lighter or darker color options from one or more base colors to apply to a document, the control logic comprising computer-readable program code for causing the computer to: receive a user request to view a color picker user interface (UI);determine a current base color scheme for the document;derive at least one of lighter color options or darker color options from one or more base colors associated with the current color scheme; andrender the color picker UI including at least one of the lighter color options or the darker color options derived from the base colors associated with the current color scheme;wherein the current color scheme comprises color options that definitively compliment one another.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising computer-readable program code for causing the computer to enable the color picker UI according to user specifications prior to receiving the user request.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising computer-readable program code for causing the computer to: receive a preview request for at least one of the lighter or darker color options; andrender a preview of the document including the lighter or darker color option requested before storing the request as applied.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising computer-readable program code for causing the computer to: receive a selection of a lighter or darker color option to apply to the document; andapply the selection to the document.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer-readable program code for causing the computer to enable the color picker UI according to developer specifications comprises computer-readable program code for causing the computer to at least one of the following: specify one of a drop down UI or a dialog UI;specifying one of automatic retrieval of color options from a style sheet or retrieval of color options from some other source; andspecifying a potential rendering of a no fill/line/color option or a more colors option.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising computer-readable program code for causing the computer to: receive a selection of the more colors option;receive a selection of a color via the more colors option; andrecord and render a most recently used color when a color is selected via the more colors option.

15. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the computer-readable program code for causing the computer to derive at least one of lighter color options or darker color options from one or more base colors comprises computer-readable program code for causing the computer to at least one of the following: calculate a lighter variant of each base color option by causing the computer to: convert an original RGB base color to a first luminance value;subtract the first luminance value from a value of 255;multiply a resulting difference between the value of 255 and the first luminance value by an inverse to a percentage of lightness desired;add the first luminance value to a resulting product of the resulting difference and the inverse to produce a second luminance value; andconvert the second luminance value back to a new RGB value representing a lighter color; andcalculate a darker variant of each base color option by causing the computer to: convert the original RGB base color to the first luminance value;multiply the first luminance value by an inverse to a percentage of the darkness desired;subtract a product of the first luminance value and the inverse from the first luminance value to produce a third luminance value;convert the third luminance value back to a new RGB value representing a darker color.

16. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein when base color luminance is less than 0.2 or greater than 0.8, the computer-readable program code for causing the computer to derive at least one of lighter color options or darker color options from one or more base colors comprises computer-readable program code for causing the computer to: calculate all darker variants when the base color luminance is greater than 0.8; andcalculate all lighter variants when the base color luminance is less than 0.2.

17. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising computer-readable program code for causing the computer to: define and render one or more custom color options via the color picker UI;render one or more standard colors via the color picker UI; andrender at least one of an RGB value of a color option or a name of a color option when detecting a hover over a color option well associated with the color option.

18. A method in a computer system for displaying on a display device a color picker user interface (UI), the color picker UI including a plurality of theme colors derived from one or more base colors, the method comprising: receiving an indication that the color picker UI is to be displayed using at least one of the following: a drop down UI or a dialog UI;automatic retrieval of color options from a style sheet or retrieval of color options from some other source; anda potential rendering of a no fill/line/color option or a more colors optiondetermining a current base color scheme for the color picker UI;deriving at least one of lighter color options or darker color options from one or more base colors associated with the current base color scheme; anddisplaying on the display device, in accordance with the received user indication, the color picker UI including at least one of the lighter color options or the darker color options derived from the base colors associated with the current base color scheme.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: receiving a selection of a lighter or darker option to apply to a document; anddisplaying the document with the selection applied.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising: defining and displaying one or more custom color options in the color picker UI via the display device;displaying via the display device one or more standard colors in the color picker UI; anddisplaying via the display device at least one of an RGB value of a color option or a name of a color option when detecting a hover over a color option well associated with the color option.