Patent · US Expired

Method, system, and program product for enabling design of products having a visual effect

US7136790B1 · kind B1 · utility

18Cited by
7References
71Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 11, 2000
Grant dateNov 14, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 21, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06T11/001
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for enabling design of a product such as a colored plastic having a visual effect caused by an additive. In one embodiment, a user such as a designer at a first computing unit is able to interact with a second computing unit operable to provide a generally accurate representation of the product having the visual effect. Desirably, the user inputs information relating to the additive such as a flake material or a diffuser material and the system provides a representation displayable on a display or monitor of the first computing unit of the product having the visual effect based on the information relating to the additive. The design of the product having the visual effect is advantageously stored on the second computing unit and accessible by at least one second user such as a marketer or manufacturer for review of the design. Further, the users can order plaques of the designed product having the visual effect so that a comparison of the product having the visual effect to actual samples of the product can be made before a production order is placed.

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