Digital Paint Chip System for Vehicle Color Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
The variability in vehicle paint colors during manufacturing and between production facilities makes it difficult for auto body repair shops to accurately match the original paint color, requiring a cumbersome process involving physical color chips and manual comparison.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that identifies a vehicle's color code, selects a reference chip, searches a database for digital photographs of paint formulations, displays these at multiple angles, and allows users to select the best match considering color shifts, facilitating the identification of the matching paint formulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a large library of physical paint chips is maintained for color matching, then the painter can compare multiple formulations visually, but the device complexity and storage requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical paint chips with digital images of paint formulations displayed on a computer monitor. The system stores digital representations of paint chips in a database and retrieves them based on color codes, eliminating the need to physically maintain large libraries of paint chips while preserving the visual comparison capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the manual mechanical process of physically handling and comparing paint chips with a computerized system that automatically retrieves and displays digital images. The computer system manages the paint formulation database and presents relevant formulations to the painter through a monitor, replacing the manual search and comparison process.
2Measurement precision
If multiple paint formulations are displayed for comparison, then the painter can select the best match, but the time required for color matching increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-organizing paint formulations in a database according to color codes and characteristics. When a color code is entered, the system automatically retrieves and displays only the relevant formulations that match that code, eliminating the need for the painter to manually search through all possible formulations. This preliminary organization and automatic retrieval significantly reduces the time required while maintaining access to multiple comparison options.
3Ease of operation
If physical paint chips are used for color matching, then the painter can directly compare colors, but the process requires manual intervention and lacks automation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a computer system as an intermediary between the paint formulation database and the painter. The computer retrieves color codes, searches the database for matching formulations, and displays digital images of the paint chips on a monitor. This intermediary automates the search and retrieval processes while maintaining the visual comparison function that the painter needs.
Data Source
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AI summary
A computer-implemented method of color matching a repair paint formula is disclosed. The method includes steps of inputting a color code for a vehicle paint; searching a computer database for formulations associated with the color code; selecting a plurality of the formulations for display; displaying digital images of the selected formulations at a plurality of viewing angles; determining one of the displayed formulations as a best match to the vehicle paint; and identifying the formulation for the best match.