AU2009100312A4 - System and method for selection of a design scheme - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Innovation Patent Applicant(s): Wattyl Australia Group Pty Limited Invention Title: SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTION OF A DESIGN SCHEME The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method for performing it known to me/us: P78009AU I Pat SetFilng Apoicxion 2009.3-26doc (S) - 2 SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTION OF A DESIGN SCHEME TECHNICAL FIELD 5 A system and method for facilitating the selection of a design scheme is disclosed. BACKGROUND ART Currently design schemes, such as colour schemes of rooms, are shown in 10 brochures, etc with reference only to specific elements by name, for example the name of a paint colour. It can be difficult and time consuming to find individual elements, for example in a store, of a scheme based on name alone, thereby frustrating the consumer. Additionally, such brochures have not necessarily identified the best use of specific elements within a design. For example, while three colours may be identified in a 15 brochure, there is no indication as to which colours should be used for which purpose. It is to be understood that any prior art reference herein does not constitute an admission that the art forms a part of the common general knowledge of a person of ordinary skill in the art, in Australia or in any other country. 20 SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE In a first aspect there is disclosed a system for facilitating selection of a design scheme, comprising a presenter which is arranged to present a plurality of scheme factors in association with each other, and a respective location identifier for each scheme factor which provides an indication of a location of a representation of the 25 scheme factor. In one embodiment, the presenter is arranged to present the scheme factors in association with each other and in association with a scheme theme, wherein each scheme factor is presented by the presenter both within the theme and separate to the theme. The scheme theme may be the application of the design scheme.

- 3 In one embodiment, the representations of scheme factors are located in proximity to representations of variations of the scheme factors. While a scheme factor may have been identified within a given theme for a design scheme, a user may decide that a particular scheme factor is not to their preference. In this scenario, where 5 variations of a scheme factor are located near to each other, once the original scheme factor has been located, variants of the scheme factor can also be considered. For example, if the user considers that a certain colour in a design scheme is too bold, or bright, the surrounding variations of the identified colour can also be considered, which may be subtler or softer in colour. In an alternative example of a pattern arrangement, it 10 may be that a particular pattern or material may not be liked by a user, but as the scheme factors (for example, a yellow polka dot on a green background pattern) are located near to other variants of the pattern, the user can select a more appropriate factor (for example, a yellow polka dot on an emerald background). In one embodiment, the scheme factors may be paint colours, the design scheme is may be a painting colour scheme, and the presenter may be a card that displays the design scheme. In a second aspect, there is disclosed a method for facilitating the selection of a design scheme, comprising the steps of presenting a plurality of scheme factors in association with each other, and presenting a respective location identifier for each 20 scheme factor, which provides directions to the location of a representation of the scheme factor. In one form, the design scheme may be a painting colour scheme, such as an arrangement of colours, applied to a scheme theme, for example a room of a house. In alternative forms, the design scheme may be an arrangement of one or more colours, 25 textures, material, patterns and/or ornamentation etc. The colours and/or textures and/or materials etc are the scheme factors. For example, in a painting colour scheme, the plurality of scheme factors are the different colours associated with a given scheme. In an arrangement of patterns, the different pattern types, for example a first pattern type, being yellow polka dots on a green background, and a second pattern type, being 30 green polka dots on a yellow background, are the scheme factors. The design scheme - 4 may also be a mixture of different types of factors such as colours, materials and patterns, etc. The scheme theme refers to what the design scheme is being applied to. For example, if the design scheme is a painting colour scheme, the design scheme could be s applied to a bedroom and, in this case, the scheme theme is a bedroom. Another scheme theme could be the exterior of a house, other rooms in a house, a suit of clothes (e.g. for pattern materials) etc. Similar design schemes may be applied to different themes (e.g. rooms, exterior of house, etc). In a pattern arrangement, one theme may be a quilt, while another may be a io cover for a cushion etc. Alternatively, one theme may be a suit, whilst others may be a dress, skirt, or shirt, etc. Representations of scheme factors may be embodied in many different forms, depending on the application of the system. For example, if the design scheme is the painting colour scheme identified above, the representations of scheme factors may be is colour cards, swatches or chips. These cards, swatches or chips can provide an individual representation of each scheme factor of a design scheme to allow a user to select as many, or as few, representations as required. In a pattern arrangement form, the representations of scheme factors may be swatches of the patterns, or the materials on which the patterns are located, for example. 20 The presenter, too, may come in many forms. The presenter may be in the form of a card, wherein the design scheme is represented as a photo or drawing, showing the scheme applied to a particular theme. For example, the photo may be showing a painting colour scheme applied to a bedroom. The presenter may also be in the form of a mock-room, wherein the room is set up in a particular theme (e.g. bedroom), and 25 walls and accented regions are painted in accordance with the scheme, forming an alternate visual representation of the design scheme. Similarly, a mock-room may be used for representation of decorating and ornamental designs, as can cards and many other forms. The location identifier may be dependent on the type of scheme and/or scheme 30 factors being selected, as to the type of direction it provides. In the painting colour scheme example, it may simply refer to a grid-reference at which individual - 5 representations of a given paint colour are located. In the pattern arrangement example, it may alternatively be for the location of patterned materials in a store, for example 'Aisle 2, left-hand side, 3rd bay, 2 shelf. The location identifier is used to enable the user to easily identify and locate representations of scheme factors, rather than having 5 to sort through a multitude of representations of scheme factors which may only be otherwise identified by a name. This can save a user both time, and unnecessary frustration in being unable to locate said representations. In one form, each scheme factor is presented by the presenter both within the theme and separate to the theme. For example, when each scheme factor is shown 10 within a given theme, for example the colour of a wall of a bedroom, the colour can be shown both on the wall, and as a separate solid colour beneath the theme, but still depicted on the presenter. In one form, each representation comprises a card, swatch or chip. The cards, swatches or chips can each be of different sizes. Cards, swatches or chips of a larger is size can be arranged to represent the predominant scheme factor used in the design scheme. In the painting colour scheme example, this allows a user to view the colour/s which forms the main colour in a room on a comparatively larger scale than those colours which form merely accent or feature colours. This can help with the visualisation, by a user, of the colours which are best going to complement each other. 20 In one form, the presenter can also provide selection and application advice relating to the design scheme. It can further provide decorating suggestions. Providing specific advice relating to the design scheme, such as specific advice regarding the choice of a scheme factor and where it best to be used, can eliminate the guess work of selecting a design scheme. 25 In one form, the scheme factor(s) is a colour. More specifically, the scheme factor may be a paint colour. In one form, the design scheme can be a painting colour scheme. In one form, the scheme theme can be a room in a house. In an alternative form, the scheme theme can be the exterior of a house. Various rooms in a house, for 30 example the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, or lounge room etc, form different scheme themes for which the same, or different, design scheme(s) can be provided.

- 6 Alternatively, the exterior of a house may be given as the theme to which a given design scheme is applied. In one form, the presenter is a card that displays the design scheme for a given scheme theme. The card may display the design scheme as a photo, drawing or other s visual representation. This enables the user to visualise a given design scheme in a manner in which it would potentially be presented (i.e. the theme). In the example of a painting colour scheme, the photo, drawing or other visual representation may be of a bedroom, which enables the user to visualise the bedroom of their own abode in a similar colour scheme. In the example of a scheme for pattern arrangement, the 10 combination of a given material or pattern can be seen in-use, such as for a quilt or cushion cover. In one form, the system further comprises a display device for mounting the presenter. The display device can be a stand arranged to hold, organise and display a plurality of presenters. The stand can further be arranged to hold, organise and display 15 representations of the scheme factors for the (or each) presenter. This allows various aspects of the design scheme to be located in a proximity to each other that facilitates their selection from various schemes and/or themes available. In one form, the system comprises a plurality of presenters, each with a different design scheme. Each different design scheme can have the same or a different theme. 20 This allows the same room to be presented in different colour schemes, and also allows for different rooms to be presented in the same, or different, colour schemes. In one form, the method comprises the step of presenting the plurality of scheme factors in association with a scheme theme. In one form, the plurality of scheme factors are presented by a presenter, and 25 each scheme factor is presented in a representation of the scheme factor. In one form, the method comprises presenting a plurality of different design schemes applied in the same or a different theme. In an alternative aspect, there is disclosed a device to enable grouping of a presenter and a plurality of representations of scheme factors, the presenter and 30 representations being otherwise as defined in the first aspect.

In an alternative aspect, a device is disclosed that facilitates the selection of a plurality of aspects of a design scheme, the device comprising: - a base; and - a fastening element associated with the base; 5 wherein the fastening element is adapted to releasably engage two or more aspects of the design scheme. In one form, the plurality of aspects of the design scheme comprise one or more presenters, each having one or more scheme factors associated therewith, and one or more representations of scheme factors. This enables the presenter(s) and 10 representations of scheme factors to be held together so that one or more of the aspects of the design scheme are not lost. It also allows a user to take the entire design scheme, which includes the presenter and representations of scheme factors, to another location for further consideration of their appropriateness. For example, if the design scheme is for painting and the theme is a lounge room, the presenter and representations can be 15 taken to the user's abode and the colours considered in their own lounge room, with their own furniture, etc. In one form, each presenter is a card, and each representation is a card, swatch or chip. In one form, each presenter and representation includes an engagement element 20 adapted to engage the fastening element. In one form, the engagement element is an aperture. This allows the presenter(s) and representation(s) to be received by the fastening element associated with the base, to allow the presenter(s) and representation(s) to be fastened thereat. As the aspects of the design are releasably engaged with the device, they can be added and removed, as required. 25 In one form, the device further comprises a securing element adapted to releasably engage either the fastening element, or the base, to secure the plurality of aspects of the design scheme. In one form, the base and securing element are integrally formed. In one form, the securing element is a face.

- 8 In one form, the base and face are attached by a hinge. The hinge may also be integrally formed with the base and the face. In one form, the fastening element includes a recess. The recess may be a raised recess to allow the engagement element of the presenter(s) and representation(s) to be 5 located thereon. In one form, the face further comprises a projection adapted for engagement with the recess in the fastening element. This projection engages the recess on the base to bring the base and face into close arrangement with each other, and to fasten the aspects of the design scheme therebetween. 10 In one form, the device is composed of injection moulded plastic. The device may be composed of any suitable rigid material. In one form, the aspects of the design scheme, in-use, are positioned such that two or more aspects are simultaneously viewable. This allows the aspects of the design scheme to be seen without the need to remove them from the device. 15 In one form, the plurality of aspects of the design scheme, in-use, are rotatable with respect to the device, and with respect to one another. This allows the presenter, and the representation(s) to be fanned out to provide a better view of each aspect of the design scheme, again without the need to remove them from the device. In all other respects, the factors defined in the first aspect can be adapted to be 20 received and fastened in the devices defined in the alternative aspects. In an alternative aspect, there is disclosed a system for facilitating selection of a design scheme, comprising a presenter which is arranged to present a plurality of scheme factors in association with each other and in association with a representation of a scheme theme. 25 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Notwithstanding any other embodiments which may incorporate some or all of the features as outlined in the Summary, a number of specific embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in -9 which: Figure 1 shows a presenter in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a display device arranged to mount the presenter of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an alternate display device arranged to mount the presenter of s Figure 1 and representations of scheme factors; Figure 4 shows a device that facilitates the selection of a plurality of aspects of a design scheme in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 5 shows the device of Figure 4, with an outline of presenter and colour chips; and Figure 6 shows the device of Figure 4 in-use. 10 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS Referring firstly to Figure 1, an embodiment of the presenter 10 is shown, in this example being in the form of a card. The presenter 10 shows a painting colour scheme 12 of a bedroom. Alternative themes, such as bathrooms, kitchens, lounge rooms, is house exteriors, etc may also be depicted. There is a plurality of colours (for example 14, 16, 18), which form the design scheme (and generally complement each other), shown. Alternative colour schemes can also be depicted. In this example the colours 14, 16, 18, are shown in-use within the coloured bedroom scheme 12, and also separately to the scheme. In Figure 1, they are shown beneath the visual representation 20 of the bedroom. Each colour has a respective location identifier 14a, 16a, 18a, which corresponds to a location on the stand 20 shown in Figure 3. An aperture 22 is also provided in the presenter card 10. In Figure 2, a display device, in this example being in the form of a counter-top stand 24 is shown. The display device is arranged to mount a number of presenters, 25 generally designated 10, which can be both different schemes (i.e. different colour schemes for a bedroom 12) and/or different themes (e.g. there is the bedroom theme 12, and also a bathroom theme 26). Figure 3 shows an alternative arrangement for a stand 20, which is arranged to mount both presenters 10 and representations of scheme factors in the form of colour - 10 chips (shown generally as 28a and 28b). Presenters are arranged according to their theme (e.g. bathroom 26, kitchen 30, living room 32, bedroom 12, exterior 34, etc), with two colour schemes for each theme being shown (e.g. the bathroom themed presenters 26, have two different colour schemes in the form of 26a and 26b). 5 The chips 28a and 28b are of different sizes, with 28a shown as being of a larger size. This allows a user to view the colour(s) which forms the main colour(s) in a room on a comparatively larger scale than those colours which form merely accent or feature colours. Chips 28a and 28b are also provided with apertures (not shown) similar to the aperture 22 of presenter 10, shown in Figure 1. 10 It can also be seen in Figure 3 that the chips 28a and 28b are arranged on the stand 20 in a manner which corresponds to the respective location identifiers 14a, 16a and 18a, on the presenter 10, as shown in Figure 1. This enables the chips 28a and 28b to be easily located. In the embodiment shown, a grid-reference type location identifier is used both on the presenter 10, and on the stand 20. is It can also be seen in Figure 3 that the chips 28a and 28b are located near variations of a particular scheme factor. While a specific colour may have been identified in the design scheme, a user may decide that a particular colour is not to their preference. As variations of a colour are located near each other, once the colour identified in the design scheme has been located via the respective location identifier 20 (e.g. 14a), variants of the colour can also be considered. For example, if the user considers that a royal blue is too bold, or bright, for use in a bedroom, the surrounding variations of the identified colour, such as baby blue or sky blue, etc, can also be considered. In Figure 4, a device 36 for releasably engaging aspects of the design scheme is 25 shown. In this embodiment, each aspect takes the form of a presenter 10 and one or more colour chips 28. The device 36 is shown with a base 38 and a fastening element in the form of a post 40 for engaging (i.e. extending through) an aperture 22 of presenter 10, and for engaging with representations of scheme factors, in this case with apertures of colour chips 28a and 28b. The base 38 is attached to a securing element in 30 the form of plate 42 via a hinge 44.

- 11 The post 40 extends upwardly from the base 38 to allow the aperture 22 of each presenter 10, and the apertures of the chips 28, to be easily aligned therewith. The post 40 also includes a recess 41. The plate 42 comprises a face 43 and a projection 46. The projection 46 is s adapted to engage the post 40 at recess 41. When the plate is pivoted on hinge 44 to overlie base 38 the projection 46 is inserted into the recess 41 and engages therewith. In this regard, the projection can be provided with an enlarged head 46a, which can be press-fit, snap-fit or interference-fit into the recess. In Figure 5, the device 36 is shown with an outline of a presenter 10 and colour 10 chips 28a and 28b, prior to the device 36 being put into its secured configuration. It will be seen that the apertures 22 of presenter 10 and chips 28a and 28b are each engaged on post 40. In Figure 6, the device 36 is shown in-use, with a presenter 10, and colour chips 28a and 28b, being secured by the device 36. The presenter 10, and chips 28a and 28b, 15 are positioned such that two or more of them are simultaneously viewable. This allows the presenter 10, and chips 28a and 28b, to be seen without the need to remove them from the device 36. The presenter 10, and colour chips 28a and 28b, can be rotated with respect to the device 36, and with respect to one another. This allows the presenter 10 and either of the chips 28a&b to be fanned out in the direction of arrows A and B, 20 respectively, to provide a better view of each, again without the need to remove them from the device 36. As a user is able to collect presenters 10 and chips 28a and 28b themselves, so that variations in colour of the representations can also be considered, the user can select and secure the chips 28a and 28b which they consider will be the best 25 arrangement for their purpose. In the above embodiment, the design schemes are shown as colour schemes with three colour variations. In this case, there is a larger colour chip 28a used to represent the main background colour, and two smaller chips 28b are used to represent highlight/trim colours. There may be more or less than three colour variations.

- 12 In the above described embodiment, the location identifier is shown as a number appearing on the scheme factors on the presenter. The location identifier may appear elsewhere on the presenter, or off and adjacent to the presenter, or elsewhere. In the above embodiment, the design scheme is shown by the presenter within a 5 scheme theme. In other embodiments, the design scheme may be shown without a scheme theme. For example, the design scheme may be shown merely as an arrangement of colours, not applied to a scheme theme. In the above embodiment, the design scheme is a colour scheme. The design scheme is not limited to colours as the scheme factors. It may include scheme factors 10 such as pattern, ornamentation, texture and others. Scheme themes may not be limited to rooms, as shown in the above embodiment, but there may other scheme themes, e.g. exterior of houses, suits of clothes, furniture, and others. Whilst the system, apparatus and device for facilitating the selection of a design 15 scheme have been described with reference to a number of preferred embodiments it should be appreciated that the system, apparatus and device can be embodied in many other forms. In the claims which follow and in the preceding description, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word 20 "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments.

Claims (5)

1. A system for facilitating selection of a design scheme, comprising a presenter which is arranged to present a plurality of scheme factors in association with each other, and a respective location identifier for each scheme factor which provides an indication s of a location of a representation of the scheme factor.

2. A system as claimed in claim I wherein the presenter is arranged to present the scheme factors in association with each other and in association with a scheme theme, and wherein each scheme factor is presented by the presenter both within the theme and separate to the theme. 10

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the representations of scheme factors are located in proximity to representations of variations of the scheme factors.

4. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the scheme factor is a paint colour, the design scheme is a painting colour scheme, and the presenter is a card that displays the design scheme. 15

5. A method for facilitating selection of a design scheme, comprising the steps of presenting a plurality of scheme factors in association with each other, and presenting a respective location identifier for each scheme factor, which provides directions to a location of a representation of the scheme factor.