Light-based protractor and use thereof for detection of color associated with physical coatings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11747206-B2
Application number	US-202017426843-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2020
Priority date	Feb 5, 2019
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A system for detection and coating analysis that comprises a digital camera and a light-based protractor positioned adjacent to or on a physical coating surface. The system identifyies a particular angular indication being displayed by the light-based protractor. The system then identifies a target color of the physical coating surface and identifies one or more target coating texture characteristics of the physical coating surface. Additionally, the system identifies a proposed coating that comprises a proposed color that matches the target color and proposed coating characteristics that match the one or more target coating texture characteristics. The system then displays, on a user interface, the proposed coating.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for angle detection and coating analysis comprising:
receiving with a digital camera a first image of a light-based protractor positioned adjacent to or on a physical coating surface;
parsing, with a computer processor, the first image to identify the light-based protractor positioned adjacent to or on the physical coating surface;
identifying a particular angular indication being displayed by the light-based protractor;
mapping the particular angular indication to a particular viewing angle at which the digital camera captured the first image with respect to the light-based protractor;
parsing, with a processor, the first image to identify a target color of the physical coating surface;
parsing, with the computer processor, the first image to identify one or more target coating texture characteristics of the physical coating surface;
accessing, within a coating database, one or more coatings associated the target color, wherein each of the one or more coatings is associated with data structures that indicate angle-specific proposed coating texture characteristics at the particular viewing angle;
identifying, within the coating database, a proposed coating that comprises a proposed color that matches the target color and proposed coating characteristics that match the one or more target coating texture characteristics; and
displaying, on a user interface, the proposed coating.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein mapping the particular angular indication to the particular viewing angle further comprises:
identifying a first angular indication displayed by the light-based protractor at a current viewing angle; and
changing a viewing position relative to the physical coating surface until the light-based protractor displays the particular angular indication that is associated with the particular viewing angle.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the light-based protractor comprises an optical element constructed of an optically interactive component, the optically interactive component comprising angle-dependent properties responsive to light.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the optically interactive component comprises a diffraction grating.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the light-based protractor is configured to be handheld.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying a second desired viewing angle with respect to the physical coating surface;
identifying a second angular indication displayed by the light-based protractor at the second desired viewing angle;
receiving with the digital camera a second image of the light-based protractor adjacent to or on the physical coating surface;
determining, with a computer processor, that the second angular indication is being displayed by the light-based protractor; and
storing the second image of the light-based protractor adjacent to the physical coating surface within a database.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein a first image of the light-based protractor adjacent to or on the physical coating surface is a first frame of a digital video and the second image of the light-based protractor adjacent to or on the physical coating surface is a second frame of the digital video.

8. A computer system for angle detection and coating analysis comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors configure the computer system to perform at least the following:
receive with a digital camera a first image of a light-based protractor positioned adjacent to or on a physical coating surface;
parse, with a computer processor, the first image to identify the light-based protractor positioned adjacent to or on the physical coating surface;
identify a particular angular indication being displayed by the light-based protractor;
map the particular angular indication to a particular viewing angle at which the digital camera captured the first image with respect to the light-based protractor;
parse, with a processor, the first image to identify a target color of the physical coating surface;
parse, with the computer processor, the first image to identify one or more target coating texture characteristics of the physical coating surface;
access, within a coating database, one or more coatings associated the target color, wherein each of the one or more coatings is associated with data structures that indicate angle-specific proposed coating texture characteristics at the particular viewing angle;
identify, within the coating database, a proposed coating that comprises a proposed color that matches the target color and proposed coating characteristics that match the one or more target coating texture characteristics; and
display, on a user interface, the proposed coating.

9. The computer system as recited in claim 8 , wherein mapping the particular angular indication to the particular viewing angle further comprises:
identifying a first angular indication displayed by the light-based protractor at a current viewing angle; and
changing a viewing position relative to the physical coating surface until the light-based protractor displays the particular angular indication that is associated with the particular viewing angle.

10. The computer system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the light-based protractor comprises an optical element constructed of an optically interactive component, the optically interactive component comprising angle-dependent properties responsive to light.

11. The computer system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the optically interactive component comprises a diffraction grating.

12. The computer system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the light-based protractor is configured to be handheld.

13. The computer system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the executable instructions include instructions that are executable to configure the computer system to:
identify a second desired viewing angle with respect to the physical coating surface;
identify a second angular indication displayed by the light-based protractor at the second desired viewing angle;
receive with the digital camera a second image of the light-based protractor adjacent to or on the physical coating surface;
determine, with a computer processor, that the second angular indication is being displayed by the light-based protractor; and
store the second image of the light-based protractor adjacent to the physical coating surface within a database.

14. The computer system as recited in claim 13 , wherein a first image of the light-based protractor adjacent to or on the physical coating surface is a first frame of a digital video and the second image of the light-based protractor adjacent to or on the physical coating surface is a second frame of the digital video.

15. A computer program product for use at a computer system, the computer program product for implementing a method for angle detection and coating analysis, the computer program product comprising one or more computer storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed at a processor, cause the computer system to perform the method, including the following:
receiving with a digital camera a first image of a light-based protractor positioned adjacent to or on a physical coating surface;
parsing, with a computer processor, the first image to identify the light-based protractor positioned adjacent to or on the physical coating surface;
identifying a par

Assignees

• Ppg Ind Ohio Inc

Inventors

• Paredes Antonio
• Norris Alison M
• Knight Richard
• Eibon William E

Classifications

• G01J3/463 Primary

  Colour matching · CPC title

• G01B11/26

  for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes · CPC title

• G01J3/0264

  Electrical interface; User interface · CPC title

• G01J3/0272

  Handheld · CPC title

• G01N21/255

  Details, e.g. use of specially adapted sources, lighting or optical systems · CPC title