Wireless Color Sensor with Temperature Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current color measurement tools are limited, bulky, and inconvenient for accurate wireless color sensing and storage across the visible spectrum, lacking portability and user-friendly features.
Innovation Solution
A wireless color sensing system that uses a smartphone or smart device for control via Bluetooth, featuring a controlled light source, LED management, and remote color computation, enabling accurate color measurement and storage in various formats, with customizable interfaces and temperature compensation for precise color analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If current color measurement tools are used, then color measurement function is provided, but the tools are limited, bulky, and inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a color sensor module with a mobile computing device to create an integrated color measurement system. The sensor module includes photodetectors, LEDs for illumination, and a processor that communicates with the mobile device via wireless connection, merging sensing capabilities with computing and user interface functions in one portable system.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile computing device serves multiple functions: it acts as the user interface, stores color data, performs color space conversions, compares colors, and provides feedback to the user. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate dedicated devices for each function, making the system both convenient and versatile.
2Measurement precision
If color sensor measures color accurately, then measurement precision is improved, but temperature sensitivity causes measurement errors
Solution Approach 1:
The processor receives temperature data from a temperature sensor and uses this feedback to adjust color measurements. By monitoring temperature changes and compensating for their effect on the photodetectors' sensitivity, the system maintains accurate color measurements across varying temperature conditions.
3Measurement precision
If LED light levels are controlled for accurate measurement, then measurement precision is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses pulsed LED illumination instead of continuous lighting. The processor controls the LEDs to emit light in periodic pulses during measurement intervals, then turns them off or reduces intensity between measurements. This periodic action maintains measurement accuracy while significantly reducing overall energy consumption compared to continuous illumination.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables portable, accurate, and user-friendly color sensing and comparison across the visible spectrum, allowing for extensive color storage, customization, and precise color analysis in different lighting conditions, with enhanced accuracy and convenience.
Implementation Method 1
a color sensor having a sensor housing, a photodetector array disposed inside the sensor housing, a led array disposed inside the sensor housing
Implementation Method 2
a controlled, known light source... control LEDs (turn off / on / various light levels) to enable measurement of color from emissive light sources
Data Source
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AI summary
A modular device (12) includes base (14) and color sensing (16) portions. The color sensing portion has a face, a controlled light source offset from the face to define an interior, the face configured to engage a target surface about a perimeter of the device housing wherein ambient light is restricted from entering. A color sensor receives light reflected from the target surface and generates output signals representative of a surface color. The base portion communicates with the color sensor and a user device (18) having a hosted program (20) which generates a user interface enabling users to provide control input for the color sensor and receives the output signals from the color sensing device and displays a first image of the detected color, and a second image of a user-selected color beside the first image. Color data values are displayed corresponding to the difference between displayed colors.