Image-Based Effect Pigment Coating Matching With Binary Histograms

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for matching the color and appearance of coatings containing effect pigments are cumbersome and inefficient, particularly due to spatially nonuniform color variation and the need to account for a vast number of vehicle coatings, leading to high inventory costs and complexity in paint manufacturing.

Innovation Solution

A method involving obtaining pixel-specific color model properties from a coating sample, generating a characterizing histogram, and calculating a cosine similarity value with a candidate coating specimen's histogram to determine matching, using digital image capture and processing systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If fan decks with vast number of sample coating layers are used to account for all coatings on vehicles, then coating matching accuracy is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoating matching accuracyVSAvoidfan deck complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces physical fan deck samples with digital image captures of coating specimens. These digital images are processed to extract colorimetric data and create virtual representations that can be stored and compared without physical handling of numerous sample layers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent substitutes the mechanical fan deck system with a computational image processing system. Instead of physically flipping through sample layers, the system uses digital image analysis, color space transformations, and algorithmic matching to identify the best coating match.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If fan decks with vast number of sample coating layers are used to account for all coatings on vehicles, then coating matching accuracy is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoating matching accuracyVSAvoidcoating matching operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Adaptability or versatility

If 50 to 100 components in mixing machine system are maintained to cover range of global OEM manufacturers' coatings, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and loss of substance increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoating formula coverageVSAvoidmixing machine system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential colorimetric information from coating specimens and stores it in a database. Instead of maintaining physical inventories of 50-100 components, the system extracts and stores digital color data that can be queried and matched without physical handling of numerous paint components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates digital copies of coating colorimetric properties and stores them in a database. These digital representations allow the system to match and formulate coatings without maintaining physical inventories of numerous paint components and samples.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

4Measurement precision

If spectrophotometer or fan deck is used for identifying coating formula, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoating identification accuracyVSAvoidcoating matching time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary actions by capturing digital images of coating specimens and pre-processing them to extract colorimetric data and create standardized representations. This preparation work is done in advance, allowing rapid querying and matching when a repair need arises, eliminating the time-consuming process of physical sample comparison.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the time-consuming mechanical process of physical sample comparison with automated digital image processing and computational matching algorithms, dramatically reducing the time required to identify the correct coating formula.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12380673B2Image-based matching of color and appearance of coatings containing effect pigments, using binary patterns derived from color model properties

Publication Date: 2025.08.05 AXALTA COATING SYSTEMS IP CO LLC

AI summary

Disclosed here is a method of matching color and appearance of coatings containing at least one effect pigment. The method involves: obtaining, for a coating sample to be matched, sample color image data having pixel-specific color model properties; creating local binary patterns based on the pixel-specific color model properties; generating a binary pattern histogram for the local binary patterns, wherein the binary pattern histogram arranges the local binary patterns into N distinct bins to obtain N bin counts, and wherein the binary pattern histogram represents an appearance feature descriptor of the coating sample to be matched; and utilizing the binary pattern histogram for comparison against a previously generated binary pattern histogram that serves as an appearance feature descriptor of a candidate coating specimen.