Automated color selection method and apparatus with compact functionality

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9563342-B2
Application number	US-201314084266-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2013
Priority date	Jul 22, 2009
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

A computer generated webpage having a plurality of selectable links comprising a column of color family chips disposed along a left edge of the webpage display, a column of miniature color chip sub-family arrays display adjacent the column of color chips, and a centrally located enlarged display of one of the miniature color chip sub-families, the webpage further comprising an enlarged color chip appearing in an upper right corner thereof, a room display beneath the color chip, and a color palette display positioned beneath the centrally located enlarged display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus comprising at least one computer processor and associated data storage memory, the apparatus being configured to supply digital content for use in generating a display on a computer-controlled display, the display comprising:
a plurality of selectable links, said links comprising:
(a) a first column of a plurality of color chips disposed along a left edge of the display, each color chip in the first column representing a respective color family;
(b) a second column of a plurality of miniature color chip sub-family arrays, each miniature color chip sub-family array comprising a plurality of color chips and being disposed adjacent the first column of color chips; and
(c) a centrally located enlarged display of one of said miniature color chip sub-family arrays comprising an array of color chips;
wherein a user selection operation performed on a selected color chip from said first column causes display of a centrally located enlarged display of a miniature color chip sub-family array which lies within the respective color family represented by the selected color chip and further causes each of the miniature color chip sub-family arrays in said second column to depict a sub-family of said respective color family;

first and second scrolling buttons, one located above and one located beneath the centrally located enlarged display wherein a user selection operation performed on one of said first and second scrolling buttons causes the centrally located enlarged display to display a different one of said miniature color sub-family arrays;
an enlarged color chip of a first selected color selected by performance of a selection operation on one of the color chips of said centrally located enlarged display, said enlarged color chip appearing in an upper right corner of the display;
a room display comprising a room appearing beneath the enlarged color chip;
wherein, when a user performs a selection operation on one of the color chips of the centrally located enlarged display having a second selected color, a color of said enlarged color chip is changed to the second selected color, an area of said room is colored the second selected color, and a row of color palettes, each comprising a chip of the second selected color, appears beneath the centrally located enlarged display.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus comprises a server apparatus including said at least one computer processor and wherein said display comprises a webpage.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a link on said display which causes display of a Change Image screen which enables selection of a room type which is different than the type of room depicted in said room display and wherein said Change Image screen provides a plurality of selectable images, each of a different room type.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second scrolling buttons enable the user to select an immediately preceding or immediately succeeding miniature color chip sub-family array and to cause it to appear as an enlarged centrally located color chip display.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the centrally located enlarged display may be changed by a selection operation performed on one of said miniature color chip sub-family arrays in said second column which causes a newly selected sub-family array to replace the sub-family array presently displayed as the centrally located enlarged display.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said first column of color chips comprises nine color chips.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 where the second column comprises ten miniature color chip sub-family arrays.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein selection of a different color chip from said first column causes reproduction of the display but with a centrally located enlarged display of an array of color chips of a new color family and wherein said second column comprises a display of a column of miniature color chip sub-family arrays of the new color family represented by said different color chip.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein clicking on an arrow in the lower right area of the display causes a replacement row of color palettes to slide in from the right edge of the display to replace the originally presented color palette row.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein, in the replacement row of palettes, the selected color chip is presented as a trim or accent color in the upper right corner of each palette, with a coordinated wall color chip being presented along with the selected color chip in each replacement palette.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each color palette presents the selected color as an enlarged color chip along with at least two smaller color chips each of which presents a color which coordinates or harmonizes with the selected color.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the color of each of a plurality of said third color chips represents one of: a paint color, a coating color, a stain color, a grout color, a textile color, a fabric color, a floor covering color, or a window treatment color.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further configured to supply digital content for use in generating one or more displays enabling a user to purchase a quantity of paint having the color corresponding to a selected one of said third color chips.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said digital content comprises static content.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said digital content further comprises active content.

16. A paint color selection, coordination, purchase and delivery system comprising:
one or more servers configured with data storage memory to store and supply digital content for use in generating one or more webpages, the said one or more webpages comprising a first display, the first display comprising:
a plurality of selectable links, said links comprising:
(a) a first column of a plurality of color chips disposed along a left edge of the display, each color chip representing a respective color family;
(b) a second column of a plurality of miniature color chip sub-family arrays, each miniature color chip sub-family array comprising a plurality of color chips disposed adjacent the first column of first color chips; and
(c) a centrally located enlarged display of one of said miniature color chip sub-family arrays comprising an array of color chips;

wherein a user selection operation performed on a selected color chip from said first column causes display of a centrally located enlarged display of a miniature color chip sub-family array which lies within the respective color family represented by the selected color chip and further causes each of the miniature color chip sub-family arrays in said second column to depict a sub-family of said respective color family;
first and second scrolling buttons, one located above and one located beneath the centrally located enlarged display wherein a user selection operation performed on one of said first and second scrolling buttons causes the centrally located enlarged display to display a different one of said miniature color chip sub-family arrays;
an enlarged color chip of a first selected color selected by performance of a selection operation on one of the color chips of said centrally located enlarged display, said enlarged color chip appearing in an upper right corner of the display;
a room display comprising a room appearing beneath the enlarged color chip;
wherein, when a user performs a selection operation on one of the color chips of the centrally located enlarged display having a second selected color, the color

Assignees

• Behr Process Corp

Inventors

• Reynolds Damien
• Milsom Doug
• Une Donna
• Levy Todd
• Rybacki Zachary

Classifications

• G06T11/10

  Texturing; Colouring; Generation of textures or colours (retouching, inpainting or scratch removal G06T5/77) · CPC title

• G06F3/04847 Primary

  Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials · CPC title

• G06Q30/0643

  graphically representing goods, e.g. 3D product representation · CPC title

• G06F3/0482 Primary

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06Q30/0603

  Catalogue creation or management · CPC title