Claims
- 1. A computer based system for simulating an arrangement of prospective actual surface covering elements across a surface, the system comprising:
a computer system including a processor, a user interface and a display device; and a plurality of manipulatable simulated surface covering elements, each including a surface design or pattern corresponding to a surface design or pattern of at least one prospective actual surface covering element, said simulated elements being independently manipulatable via said user interface and being displayed on said display device such that said simulated elements are arrangeable to substantially simulate at least a portion of an arrangement of the prospective actual surface covering elements across a surface.
- 2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said simulated elements comprise digital files.
- 3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the display device is a CRT display or computer monitor.
- 4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the computer system includes software for creating at least one of a multiple tile layout, a monolithic layout, a quarter turn layout, an ashlar layout, a 180° layout, a 180° banded layout, a two pattern checkerboard layout, a 3 pattern mosaic layout, and combinations thereof.
- 5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system has access to at least one of the internet, world wide web, local network, database, main frame, server, memory device, or combinations thereof.
- 6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said simulated elements have a shape and size substantially corresponding to a reduced version the shape and size of said prospective actual surface covering elements.
- 7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said simulated elements are substantially square.
- 8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the surface design or pattern of each of the simulated elements is substantially identical.
- 9. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the simulated elements has a surface design or pattern which differs from the surface design or pattern of at least one other of the simulated elements.
- 10. A display system for simulated presentation of a plurality of alternative arrangements of prospective actual floor covering elements across a flooring support surface, the display system comprising:
a plurality of viewable and manipulatable simulated elements, wherein said simulated elements have a shape and size substantially corresponding to a reduced to-scale version of the shape and size of the prospective actual floor covering elements and wherein said simulated elements further include a surface design or pattern comprising a reduced reproduction of a surface design or pattern of at least one prospective actual floor covering element, said simulated elements being arrangeable in a manipulatable array to simulate a first prospective actual arrangement of the prospective actual floor covering elements and such that said manipulatable array is alterable by means of rotating or rearranging at least one of the manipulatable elements to simulate at least a second prospective arrangement of the prospective floor covering elements.
- 11. The display system as recited in claim 10, wherein said simulated elements comprise digital design files.
- 12. The display system as recited in claim 11, wherein the arrangement of simulated elements is viewable on a CRT display or monitor.
- 13. The display system according to claim 10, wherein the simulated elements are stared on a main frame, database, server, archive, memory device, or combinations thereof.
- 14. The display system according to claim 13, wherein the system has access to the Internet or World Wide Web.
- 15. The display system according to claim 10, wherein said simulated elements are substantially square.
- 16. The display system according to claim 10, wherein the surface design or pattern of each of the simulated elements is substantially identical.
- 17. The display system according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the simulated elements has a surface design or pattern which differs from at least one other of the simulated elements.
- 18. A system, tool or method for the simulated presentation of a plurality of alternative arrangements of prospective actual floor covering tile elements across a flooring support surface, the system comprising:
means for viewing and manipulating a plurality of viewable and manipulatable simulated tile elements comprising reduced dimension reproductions of the prospective actual floor covering tile elements, wherein said simulated tile elements have a shape and size substantially corresponding to a reduced version of the shape and size of the prospective actual floor covering tile elements and wherein said simulated tile elements further include a surface design or pattern comprising a substantially complete reduced reproduction of a surface design or pattern of at least one prospective actual floor covering tile element, said simulated tile elements being arrangeable in a manipulatable array to simulate a first prospective arrangement of the prospective actual floor covering tile elements across a flooring surface and such that said manipulatable array is alterable by replacing, rearranging, or rotating at least one of the simulated tile elements to simulate at least a second prospective arrangement of the prospective actual floor covering tile elements across a flooring surface.
- 19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein said simulated tile elements comprise digital design files of the patterned carpet tile.
- 20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the arrangement of simulated elements is viewable on a CRT display or computer monitor.
- 21. The system according to claim 18, wherein the simulated elements are stored on a main frame, database, server, archive, memory device, or combinations thereof.
- 22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the system has access to the Internet or World Wide Web.
- 23. The system according to claim 18, wherein said simulated tile elements are substantially square.
- 24. The system according to claim 18, wherein the surface design or pattern of each of the simulated tile elements is substantially identical.
- 25. The system according to claim 18, wherein at least one of the simulated tile elements has a surface design or pattern which differs from at least one other of the simulated tile elements.
- 26. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein said system includes software for creating at least one of a multiple tile layout, a monolithic layout, a quarter turn layout, an ashlar layout, a 180° layout, a 180° banded layout, a two pattern checkerboard layout, a 3 pattern mosaic layout, and combinations thereof.
- 27. A method for simulating at least one prospective arrangement of floor covering tile elements across a flooring support surface, comprising:
arranging a plurality of viewable and manipulatable simulated tile elements in an array substantially corresponding to at least a portion of the prospective arrangement of floor covering tile elements across a flooring support surface, wherein said simulated tile elements include a surface design, pattern or color corresponding to a surface design, pattern or color of a prospective floor covering tile element within said prospective arrangement of floor covering tile elements across a flooring support surface, said simulated tile elements being selectively replaceable and adjustable by manipulation such that said array is alterable to simulate one or more alternative arrangements of floor covering tile elements.
- 28. In a method of marketing patterned carpet tile, the improvement comprising:
a plurality of viewable and manipulatable simulated tile elements comprising reduced dimension reproductions of the prospective patterned carpet tile elements, wherein said simulated tile elements have a shape substantially corresponding to the shape of the prospective patterned carpet tile elements and wherein said simulated tile elements further include a surface design or pattern comprising a substantially complete reduced reproduction of a surface design or pattern of at least one prospective patterned carpet tile element, said simulated tile elements being arrangeable in a manipulatable array to simulate a first prospective arrangement of the prospective patterned carpet tile elements across a flooring surface and such that said manipulatable array is alterable by rearranging at least one of the simulated tile elements to simulate at least a second prospective arrangement of the prospective patterned carpet tile elements across a flooring surface.
- 29. An image visualization and/or manipulation system, tool or method as described or shown herein.
- 30. An image produced by the system, tool or method of claim 29.
- 31. The system, tool or method of claim 29, wherein the image is a representation of one or more patterned carpet tile.
- 32. The system, tool or method of claim 29, wherein the system provides single click buttons for at least one of selecting particular tiles, tile layouts, turning selected tiles, placing a layout in a room scene, and combinations thereof.
- 33. The system, tool or method as recited in claim 29, wherein the method provides for at least one of selecting particular tiles, producing tile layouts, turning selected tiles in a layout, placing a layout in a room scene, and combinations thereof.
- 34. A method of marketing pattern carpet tile comprising the use of the system, tool or method of claim 29.
- 35. A computer-readable medium encoded with computer readable program code means embodied therein for providing single click buttons for manipulating each of a plurality of simulated floor covering elements.
- 36. A computer readable memory device encoded with computer readable code relating to each of single click buttons for manipulating simulated floor covering elements, instructions, and simulated floor covering elements.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/288,484, filed May 3, 2001, hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60288484 |
May 2001 |
US |