Patent · US Expired

Method and system for determining optimum colorant loading using merit functions

US5740078A · kind A · utility

13Cited by
11References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 18, 1995
Grant dateApr 14, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 18, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01J3/463
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method and system for determining the total colorant loading and relative colorant proportions for a color formula that is used for reproducing a color standard. In the present invention, a spectrophotometer measures the spectral reflectance of the color standard. A plurality of color matching attributes are then specified and used for attaining a match with the color standard. A merit function scale for quantifying how well a previously used color match corresponds to the color standard is developed. The merit function scale includes qualitative descriptions for the color matching attributes and a corresponding range of quantitative values. Next, a database of previously used color matches are searched and the merit function scale is used for determining a set of color matches that best approximates the color standard. A color match is determined from the set of previous color matches that optimally reproduces the color standard. The colorant loading and relative colorant proportions of the color formula from the color match are then used to reproduce the color standard.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.