Electrostatics Calculation for Coating Texture Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for color matching, particularly in coatings with texture and gonioapparent effects, are inefficient and often result in non-optimal solutions due to the overwhelming amount of data from modern spectrophotometers and the lack of intuitive, streamlined approaches.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method using electrostatics data calculated from spectral reflectance and colorimetric responses to identify the appropriate pigmentation for coatings, incorporating a processor to facilitate the analysis and empirical correlation of data from various angles and light sources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If modern spectrophotometers capture data from multiple angles and light sources, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to the overwhelming amount of data generated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespectral reflectance measurement precisionVSAvoiddata handling complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the most relevant spectral data points needed for pigment identification, separating essential information from the overwhelming amount of raw spectrophotometric data. This allows precise pigment matching while reducing computational complexity by focusing on key wavelengths and angles that provide the most diagnostic information about coating composition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the complex spectrophotometric data into distinct analytical components, processing different wavelength ranges and angular measurements separately through specialized algorithms. This segmentation enables the system to handle multi-angle, multi-planar data systematically, improving measurement precision without being overwhelmed by the total data volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If brute force combinatorial methods are used to identify pigments, then completeness of pigment search is improved, but productivity decreases due to the time-consuming nature of evaluating all possible pigment combinations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepigment identification completenessVSAvoidformulation speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary analysis of spectral data to identify characteristic patterns and narrow down the pigment candidate pool before conducting full combinatorial evaluation. By pre-processing the data to highlight distinctive spectral features, the system reduces the number of pigment combinations that need to be tested, maintaining identification completeness while significantly improving formulation speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the spectral reflectance data into different parameter representations (such as colorimetric values, spectral derivatives, or transformed domains) that make pigment identification more efficient. These parameter changes enable the system to quickly eliminate unlikely pigment combinations and focus computational resources on the most promising candidates, balancing reliability and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If extensive multi-angle spectral data is collected, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to the overwhelming amount of data to be processed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolorimetric measurement precisionVSAvoiddata processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by selectively analyzing only the most informative angular measurements and spectral regions for pigment identification. Rather than processing all available multi-angle data equally, the system identifies and focuses on the subset of measurements that provide the highest diagnostic value, maintaining measurement precision while reducing processing time through targeted analysis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3066436B1Texture analysis of a coated surface using electrostatics calculations
Publication Date: 2025.01.22 PPG INDUSTRIES OHIO INC
  • EP3066436B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3066436B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3066436B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a computer-implemented method, a system, an apparatus and a non-transitory computer-readable medium including software that make use of a calculation of electrostatics data from reflectance data in spectrophotometric analysis for efficient pigment identification in an unknown target coating. The present invention is particularly useful for reliably matching the texture and/or gonioapparent effect(s) occurring within an unknown target coating.