Abstract:
A method for measuring a color value such as brightness or intensity of a sample which comprises: measuring color values for a plurality of color standards using a reference color measurement device to obtain a matrix Y that contains the measurements of the color standards as measured by the reference color measurement device; measuring the same plurality of color standards with a field color measurement device to obtain a matrix X that contains the measurements of the color standards as measured by the field color measurement device; calculating a color correction matrix B based upon the equation Y=BX, measuring the color value for the sample with the field color measurement device, and applying the color correction matrix B to the reading of the sample color to obtain a sample color value that approximates that sample color value that would be obtained using the reference measurement device.
Abstract:
A method for providing an intensity or brightness measurement using a digital image-capturing device comprising: selecting a target area within a field of view of the image-capturing device, the target area containing pixels; determining the brightness of pixels in the target area; accumulating the brightness values of the pixels in the target area; and determining a pixel value representative of the pixels in the target area. A device for making color measurements comprising an image-capture device, a processor or logic device, and a memory location for accumulating color data, and the processor or logic device is programmed to perform color measurements by accumulating the data for pixels located in the target area in memory, and determining a representative color value.
Abstract:
An apparatus for automatically collecting a plurality of color readings from a corresponding plurality of color patches (16) applied to a sheet (14), and for transmitting the plurality of color readings to a host computer includes: a color sensor (20) mounted on a carriage motorized for reciprocation along a predetermined carriage path; a feed (17) for feeding the sheet along a predefined feed path, where an exposed portion of the feed path runs in a direction substantially perpendicular to at least a sensing portion of the carriage path, and where the exposed portion of the feed path is substantially adjacent to the sensing portion of the carriage path to allow the color sensor to sense colors applied to the sheet fed to the exposed portion of the feed path, along the entire sensing portion of the carriage path; a carriage control (56) for controlling the position of the color sensor along the sensing portion of the carriage path; a feed control (58) for controlling the position of the sheet along the feed path; and interface (60, 62) for providing a data link (63) to a host computer; and a microcontroller (66) operatively coupled to the carriage control, the feed control, the color sensor and the interface, and including circuitry and/or programming adapted to operate the carriage control and feed control so that the color sensor is separately exposed to each of the color patches applied to the sheet, and for each separate exposure of the color sensor to one of the color patches, is further adapted to activate the color sensor, obtain a color reading from the color sensor, and transmit data corresponding to the color reading over the data link via the interface.
Abstract:
A method for obtaining a target color measurement using an electronic image capturing device comprising the steps of: (1) determining one or more of a field correction array, level correction vectors, a color correction matrix, and a calibration correction and; (2) adjusting a target color measurement based upon one or more of a field correction array, level correction vector, a color correction matrix, and a calibration correction to obtain a corrected color target measurement.
Abstract:
A color measurement device comprising a means for electronically recording a digital color image, a target holder extending from the recording means having a distal end, and a target at the distal end of the holder, the target having one or more reference color regions thereon.
Abstract:
A method for isolating an element of an image made up of pixels comprising the steps of classifying the pixels into different groups based on the color value of the pixel, blurring the image, locating a pixel in the blurred image that has a predetermined color value corresponding to the element to be isolated, and growing a mask from the located pixel.
Abstract:
A sensor (10) for measuring reflective, transmissive, or self-luminous samples, comprises a plurality of light sources (18), where each of the light sources emit light of a substantially different wavelength band spaced in the visible spectrum; a reference channel photodetector (20); a sample channel photodectector (22); an optical cap (26) adapted to direct a first portion of the light emitted by each of the light sources to the reference channel photodetector (20); a reflector cone for directing a second portion of the light emitted by each of the light sources to the sample; and a receptor piece (36) for directing the diffuse portion of the light reflected from the sample to the sample channel photodetector (22). The sensor (10) is preferably incorporated into a hand-held "mouse" device, which includes an area on its top surface for seating an index finger of the human hand.
Abstract:
A sensor (10) for measuring reflective, transmissive, or self-luminous samples, comprises a plurality of light sources (18), where each of the ligh t sources emit light of a substantially different wavelength band spaced in th e visible spectrum; a reference channel photodetector (20); a sample channel photodectector (22); an optical cap (26) adapted to direct a first portion o f the light emitted by each of the light sources to the reference channel photodetector (20); a reflector cone for directing a second portion of the light emitted by each of the light sources to the sample; and a receptor pie ce (36) for directing the diffuse portion of the light reflected from the sampl e to the sample channel photodetector (22). The sensor (10) is preferably incorporated into a hand-held "mouse" device, which includes an area on its top surface for seating an index finger of the human hand.
Abstract:
A sensor for measuring reflective, transmissive, or self-luminous samples, comprises a plurality of light sources, where each of the light sources emit light of a substantially different wavelength band spaced in the visible spectrum; a reference channel photodetector; a sample channel photodetector; an optical cap adapted to direct a first portion of the light emitted by each of the light sources to the reference channel photodetector, a reflector cone for directing a second portion of the light emitted by each of the light sources to the sample; and a receptor piece for directing the diffuse portion of the light reflected from the sample to the sample channel photodetector. Preferably, the reference channel and sample channel photodetectors are identical devices and are mounted back-to-back to share environmental characteristics, and in turn, minimize the variation between their respective responses. The sensor is preferably incorporated into a hand-held "mouse" device, which includes an area on its top surface for seating an index finger of the human hand. Positioned within this area is a pressure-activated switch that is operatively coupled to the sensor circuitry for performing the various readings. And the sensor is preferably mounted into the mouse device such that the focal aperture of the downward pointing reflector cone is in axial alignment with the pressure-activated switch. Accordingly, a user will be able to use the mouse to "point" with his or her index finger to an area of the sample surface, and will then simply press the switch using the same index finger.