Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q30/00—Commerce
  • G06Q30/06—Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45D—HAIRDRESSING OR SHAVING EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT FOR COSMETICS OR COSMETIC TREATMENTS, e.g. FOR MANICURING OR PEDICURING
  • A45D40/00—Casings or accessories specially adapted for storing or handling solid or pasty toiletry or cosmetic substances, e.g. shaving soaps or lipsticks
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45D—HAIRDRESSING OR SHAVING EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT FOR COSMETICS OR COSMETIC TREATMENTS, e.g. FOR MANICURING OR PEDICURING
  • A45D44/00—Other cosmetic or toiletry articles, e.g. for hairdressers' rooms

Definitions

• the present invention relates to methods and systems for providing a consumer with personalized beauty care cosmetic preparations.
• Cosmetic preparations such as sun screens, skin creams, fragrances, shaving creams, toiletries, nail products, deodorants, shampoos, conditioners, hair sprays, mousses, oils, vitamins, antibacterial mixtures, anti-acne mixtures, dermatology mixtures, pharmaceutical mixtures, mascara, facial foundation, lipstick, hair dyes, creams, cleansers, and the like have long been used by consumers to aesthetically enhance their physical appearance and self esteem, treat ailments, and cleanse themselves.
• the selection of an optimal product from a broad range of choices is a dilemma for consumers.
• the consumer cannot make his/her choice in a private and comfortable setting while selecting his/her product in a retail establishment. Further, once the choice is made, the consumer is committed to his/her choice until the product is either consumed or discarded.
• Past approaches to cosmetic personalization have focused on the point of sale occurring in the retail establishment. For example, methods permit a salesperson to manually adjust the formulation of facial foundations so as to match the consumer's skin color. More recent approaches have advanced this idea by providing automatic cosmetic dispensing devices at a retail establishment. These more recent devices are operated by retail store personnel to produce a product which is packaged in a container and provided to the consumer.
• point of sale cosmetic dispensing devices fill a container with a cosmetic product, requiring the product to be transferred onto an applicator prior to use by the consumer.
• point of sale customized facial cream is typically provided in a bottle at the retail establishment. Prior to the consumer using the customized facial cream, the cream must be transferred to the consumer's hand or onto a pad where it is subsequently applied by the consumer. If the consumer is unhappy with the customized facial cream, the entire bottle of cream remains unused because, existing devices do not permit dispensing a single application quantity of the facial cream onto an intermediate surface for a single application by the consumer.
• an object of the invention is to provide consumers with methods and a system for receiving customized cosmetic preparations and services.
• a method of providing personalized cosmetics comprising acquiring cosmetic diagnostic data from a consumer in a private setting and providing evaluation data based on the diagnostic data to the consumer. Next, at least one of a cosmetic preparation and a cosmetic service is delivered to the consumer.
• a method of purchasing cosmetic preparations comprising receiving diagnostic data from a consumer and providing a plurality of fluids for producing a cosmetic preparation based on the diagnostic data. A payment is received from the consumer, and the customized cosmetic preparation is dispensed for application.
• a system for producing customized cosmetics comprising a cosmetic diagnostic device, a cosmetic evaluation device, and a cosmetic delivering device operative to deliver at least one of a customized cosmetic preparation and cosmetic advice data to a consumer.
• a method of providing personalized cosmetics comprising receiving directly from the consumer cosmetic diagnostic data, providing cosmetic evaluation data based on the diagnostic data and delivering at least one of a cosmetic preparation and a cosmetic service directly to the consumer.
• Fig. 1 depicts a flow diagram of a method of providing personalized cosmetic
• Fig. 2 depicts a flow diagram of a method of purchasing cosmetics
• Fig. 3 depicts a block diagram of a system for providing customized cosmetics
• Fig. 4 depicts a schematic of a customized cosmetic device
• Fig. 5 depicts a schematic of an alternative customized cosmetic device
• Fig. 6 depicts an internal schematic of a customized cosmetic device
• Fig. 7 depicts an internal schematic view of an customized cosmetic device.
• An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is implemented using standard mechanical pumps, mixing devices, heaters, dispensers, microprocessors, and cosmetic ingredients well known in the art and readily combinable in accordance with the present invention.
• basic software programming techniques and web-enabled technologies such as Java, Perl, C, C++, and the like provide software programming languages that may be used to implement the present invention, although as one skilled in the art will appreciate other computer languages and technologies exist which may be used to implement the present invention.
• Fig. 1 depicts a flow diagram of one embodiment for a method of providing personalized cosmetic.
• an interface is provided to a consumer in step 10 wherein the consumer provides diagnostic data and makes selections with respect to cosmetic preparations and services.
• This interface may be in person, over the telephone, over the Internet (using standard Internet protocols such as TCP/IP, and the like), regular postal mail, through appliances equipped with a software logic to communicate cosmetic diagnostic data, electronic mail (e-mail), photographs from cameras or videos, special devices designed to collect cosmetic data (probes such as spectrophotometer, corneometer, colorimeter, thermometer, and the like), cosmetic advisors (in person or electronically assigned to a consumer), and the like.
• the interface is in a private setting such as a consumer's home, a device directly operated by a consumer, a non-retail establishment, and the like.
• a non-retail establishment includes any establishment other than a traditional cosmetic counter located in a department store. Therefore, a device located in a mall, hotel, bar, gas station, airplane, amusement park, restaurant, and others would still be considered a non-retail establishment as long as the device was not located at a traditional cosmetic counter in a store. However, even when a device is located at the traditional cosmetic counter, as long as the device is directly operated by the consumer, as opposed to cosmetic counter personnel, the device would still be within a private setting.
• diagnostic data are acquired from the consumer via the interface, these data include personal preferences (favorite colors, fragrances, and the like), skin or color measurements (obtained from cameras, videos, probes, medical records, and the like), health monitoring data (blood pressure, temperature, weight, and the like), inputs provided from an advisor (obtained from medical doctors, beauty consultants, personal trainers, parents, fashion consultants, teachers, and the like), electronic data (obtained from daily planners, calendars, important dates, weather conditions, preferences of P T U 01 17089
• diagnostic data may be acquired from devices which are used to interface with the consumer, such diagnostic data may include, by way of example only, supply levels of raw materials, device maintenance needs, installation inputs, and the like. Furthermore, these data may include skin or hair condition data (physical skin state, skin/hair dryness, skin/hair oiliness, and the like), texture measures (pores, wrinkles, and the like), color data (lightness data, chroma data, hue data, and spectral data), and the like.
• diagnostic data may be communicated via a variety of methods.
• evaluation data is provided to the consumer in step 40.
• Evaluation data may include providing the diagnostic data to advisors such as medical/dental professionals, cosmetologists, beauty consultants, personal trainers, and the like. Additionally, evaluation data may be stored as data constants in an electronic system which identify personal preferences of famous individuals, family, friends, popular cosmetic choices, and the like. Evaluation data also may be standard computer algorithms which take color, condition, texture, and other measurements from a consumer directly, or indirectly, and produces a visual selection for the consumer.
• the evaluation data may be processed by a sales representative in a store, telephonically, or door-to-door, consumer software, remote software, and the like. Once the evaluation data is determined it is provided as a feedback loop to any diagnostic device used and may provide advice data to the consumer in step 30. Moreover, the advice data may provide executable instructions to a customized cosmetic preparation device (described below) informing the device or the percent of raw materials necessary to produce a cosmetic preparation, the mixing times, mechanical pump speeds, and the like. Furthermore, advice data may include application tips, instructions, device selection parameters, and the like. In step 50, a consumer makes a selection for a cosmetic preparation or service.
• This selection may be made with the aid of a visualization device displaying to the consumer the evaluation data.
• the consumer may modify and essentially override any evaluative data provided, thereby selecting cosmetic preparations and service not suggested by the evaluation data. In this way, the consumer maintains the final decision making authority with respect to his/her cosmetic choices.
• the consumer is delivered a cosmetic preparation or service in step 55.
• the cosmetic preparation may be any mixture produced from the diagnostic data and evaluation data used by the consumer, a consumer may include chemists, pharmacists, and the like. Delivery of the customized preparation may be made directly to a desired body location of a consumer, such as a finger nail, hair, and the like.
• the preparation may be delivered to an intermediate surface such a consumer's finger, an applicator, and the like. Additionally, the preparation may be delivered to a container such as a bottle, a bag, and the like.
• Customized preparations may be directly dispensed in step 90, in such case these preparations are exemplarily provided by customized cosmetic dispensing devices such as the ones discussed below, although as one skilled in the art will appreciate other devices are possible.
• the preparations may be delivered via mail, or via electronic email (e.g. digital information used by devices within the consumers household to dispense cosmetics and fragrances directly to the consumer). Further, the information about how to prepare these preparations may be directly provided to the consumer via any electronic means either directly to the consumer or indirectly to a consumer's appliance. Any such device/appliance delivering a cosmetic preparation will need raw materials which are provided in step 70. The raw materials are exemplarily provided as single or multi ingredient fluids wherein each fluid includes different/various or single ingredients.
• a consumer may receive cosmetic services as illustrated in step 80. These services include product recommendations, referrals to professionals, automatic reordering of device raw materials, automatically reordering of previously selected cosmetic preparations, communication with consumer appliances (consumer alarm clock or coffee pot set and the like), electronic dialogues with professionals, web-site recommendations, and the like.
• Fig. 1 illustrates delivery of a cosmetic preparation after receiving diagnostic data from a consumer
• a cosmetic preparation may actually initiate the diagnostic and evaluation process such that a consumer is initially presented with a sample which is then used as a basis for interacting with the consumer to deliver a consumer developed customized preparation.
• diagnostic data may be measured in a variety or ways including having the consumer compare various preparation samples and selecting the most appealing sample.
• Fig. 2 illustrates a flow diagram of one embodiment for a method of purchasing cosmetics.
• step 100 an interaction is established with a consumer, this interaction is an interface as discussed in Fig. 1.
• Diagnostic data is received in step 110, advisors are provided in step 120.
• advisors may be electronic advisors as for example software implemented algorithms or real advisors where a consumer is contacted either electronically or in person by a professional advisor.
• a consumer is provided with evaluation data in step 140 and advice data in step 130.
• the consumer makes a selection for a specific cosmetic preparation or service in step 150, and payment is received from the consumer in step 160.
• Payment received from the consumer is exemplarily provided via a kiosk device wherein a consumer provides diagnostic data and receives evaluation data through a feedback loop implemented with a software logic.
• the consumer pays directly for the preparation or the service by directly providing the device or method with a payment means.
• a payment means For example in the case of kiosk, the consumer may use a credit/debit card or cash to pay for a service of providing a cosmetic or service, and in the case of remote access a consumer may provide a credit card or bank account number or other convenient payment methods within which payment may be acquired for the product or service.
• the cosmetic dispenser is activated in step 170 and the preparation is dispensed in step 190. Any device dispensing the preparation is provided fluids in step 180 which are mixed in accordance with the selection made by the consumer to produce the desired cosmetic preparation.
• Fig. 3 illustrates a block diagram of one embodiment for a system 200 that provides customized cosmetics.
• An input interface 210 is provided which permits a consumer to directly interface either electronically, manually, or in person with the system of step 200.
• a diagnostic device 220 collects from the consumer diagnostic data, as described above, which are used by an evaluation device 23.
• a consumer may pay to receive a cosmetic preparation or service via a payment device 240 (e.g. kiosk).
• the consumer makes the final decision on which cosmetic preparations or services he/she receives via a selection device 270 (e.g. software form driven selections, a store display device with menus providing choices, and the like).
• Base ingredients 280 e.g. software form driven selections, a store display device with menus providing choices, and the like.
• a delivery interface 300 provides the mechanism for delivering a cosmetic preparation or service.
• a preparation may be provided via cosmetic dispensing device (discussed below) or through a software interface (web, email, fax, and the like) for cosmetic service advice.
• Fig. 4 illustrates one embodiment of a schematic for customized cosmetic device.
• the device 310 includes cartridges 320, a video port 330, a communications port 340, a slide selector 350, a palette of colors 360, a dispenser 370, and a surface 380
• the device 310 houses one or more cartridges 320 wherein the fluids (ingredients) reside, which when combined in consumer driven quantities produce a customized cosmetic preparation 390 on a surface 380 of the device 310 or on an intermediate surface 390
• Each cartridge 320 may house one or more fluids.
• the cartridges 320 housing the fluids need not be required at all, since the fluids could easily be added to reservoirs included in the device 310 (not shown in Fig. 4).
• the ingredients are single or multi ingredient fluids such as waxes comprising various colors and consistencies necessary to produce a variety of cosmetic preparations, such as lipstick, eye liner, lotion, powder, mascara, and the like.
• the consumer provides selection and diagnostic data which will drive the required fluid quantities necessary to produce the customized cosmetic preparation 390
• selection and diagnostic data include color and product selection such as lipstick, eye liner, lotion, powder, mascara, and the like.
• the consumer provides these selection data via one or more input selection or diagnostic means attached or interfaced to the device 310, such as a palette of colors 360, a slide selector 350, a video port 330, and a communications port 340
• the video port 330 permits the device 310 to receive consumer selection and diagnostic data from devices such as a video, a digital camera, a television, and the like.
• the communications port 340 permits the device 310 to receive consumer selection data from devices such as digital phones, computers, hand-held computing devices, wireless communication devices, and the like. Further, the communications port 340 need not be a physical connection to the device 310, rather, this port may be a wireless or infrared port. Also, the communications port 340 could be connected to a sensor, which measures color, moisture, oiliness, texture, skin sensitivity, and the like. These measurements may permit preselected algorithms to determine optimal selection data for a consumer.
• a single line LCD may permit a consumer to enter selection and diagnostic data as a numeric value which represents product and color choices.
• the communications port 340 and the video port 330 may be used by the device 310 to display to the consumer the color selections provided by the consumer. These selections are also available to the consumer via the palette of colors.
• prepackaged selection data may be made available to a consumer via automated phone system or an internet web site where the consumer may retrieve numeric codes representing selection data necessary to generate existing market products or shades/products which are comparable to existing products. In this way, the consumer may produce on an as needed basis cosmetic product mimicking name-brand products. Further, these selections may be provided in advertising material for the name-brand products.
• the device 310 will calculate the appropriate fluid quantities needed to produce the customized cosmetic preparation 390.
• the fluids are then appropriately dispensed from the cartridges 320, mixed or heated as needed to permit discharge from the device 310, and deposited through a dispenser 370 onto an intermediate surface 400 or a surface 380 attached to the device 310.
• the dispenser 370 may use a controlled dispensing technology such as pressure spraying, twin-fluid spraying, electrostatic spraying, mechanical screw extrusion, piezo electric spraying, sputtering technology, and the like.
• the deposited customized cosmetic preparation 390 may exit the device 310 in a number of forms such as a spray, a dollop, or a coating. Fig.
• FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of a schematic for an alternative customized cosmetic device.
• a cosmetic device 410 is depicted wherein the device 410 is horizontal and detached from a surface 420.
• Such a device 410 would permit easy attachment to a wall in a consumer's home and make more efficient use of available counter space in a consumer's home.
• cartridges 430 housing the fluids are provided and, the customized cosmetic preparation 440 are discharged from the device 410 through a dispenser 450.
• the customized cosmetic preparation 440 is capable of being directly discharged onto an intermediate surface 460, such as a lipstick applicator.
• a consumer input selection means may be provided in a variety of ways as discussed with Fig. 4. Further, consumer selection and diagnostic data may be displayed to the consumer prior to discharging the customized cosmetic preparation 440.
• Fig. 6 illustrates one embodiment of an internal schematic for a customized cosmetic device.
• the internal schematic view more particularly depicts a metering device of a customized cosmetic preparation device 470 and the dispenser 480.
• the metering device illustrates how the fluids are combined in varying quantities to produce a customized cosmetic preparation 490 on a surface 500.
• Fig. 6 also illustrates how the fluids are discharged from the device 470 through a dispenser 480.
• the cosmetic device 470 may include a microprocessor 510, a data bus 520, cartridges 530, a piping system
• signals are sent to the cartridges 530 via a data bus 520.
• the signals drive the cartridges 530 to release the fluids in the appropriate quantities which are dictated by the selection and diagnostic data input to the microprocessor 510.
• the microprocessor 510 uses calculations, which are well known to one skilled in the art, for producing a formula which selects the appropriate quantities of the fluids contained in the cartridges 530.
• the fluids include dyes such as Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and the like, and pigments such as titanium, iron oxides, ultramarine blue, and the like permitting color customization.
• the fluids also include waxes, sun screens, moisturizers, perfumes, anti- wrinkling and anti-aging agents, skin agents, cleansing agents, conditioners, and the like.
• the fluids may be mixed using a mixer 550 or heated using a heater 560. Mixing may occur by using a static micromixer which is available from the Institute of Microtechnik (Maniz, Germany).
• the heater 560 enhances the fluidity of the fluid when the fluid includes wax-like ingredients.
• the mixer 550 releases the mixed fluids into an ejector 570.
• the ejector 570 is mobile, which permits uniform dispensing of the customized cosmetic preparation 490 onto a surface 500 through the dispenser 480.
• the dispenser 480 may be implemented using any one or combinations of controlled dispensing technologies such as pressure spraying, twin-fluid spraying, electrostatic spraying, mechanical screw extrusion, piezo electric spraying, sputtering technology, and the like.
• Fig. 7 illustrates one embodiment of an internal schematic view for a customized cosmetic device.
• the cosmetic device 580 includes a microprocessor 590, a data bus 600, cartridges 610, a piping system 620 for moving the fluid from the cartridges 610, and a dispenser 630.
• the microprocessor 590 receives selection and diagnostic data which is used to drive the microprocessor 590 to issue commands through a data bus 600, causing specific quantities of the fluids contained in the cartridges 610 to be released into the piping system 620.
• the fluids of device 580 are not combined to form a customized cosmetic preparation 640 on a surface 650, until the fluids are accumulated on the surface 650 and have exited the device 580 through a dispenser 630.
• the device 580 includes a dispenser 630, which travels back and forth by the action of a step motor (not shown) in response to commands issued from the microprocessor 590.
• This motion of the dispenser 630 allows control of the placement of the fluids on the surface 650 and creates color perceptions similar to those obtained, by way of example, from ink-jet printing dyes on a paper medium.
• the devices of Figs. 4- 7 need not have cartridges housing the fluid ingredients, as fluid reservoirs may be built directly into these devices obviating the need for any cartridges.
• the devices depicted in Figs. 4-7 could be modified to be a kiosk which is available to a consumer for use in a variety of environments wherein the consumer directly operates and pays to use the devices.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Cosmetics (AREA)
• Measuring And Recording Apparatus For Diagnosis (AREA)
• Medical Treatment And Welfare Office Work (AREA)

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• 2001
  • 2001-05-25 HU HU0302321A patent/HUP0302321A2/hu unknown
  • 2001-05-25 JP JP2001587621A patent/JP2003534621A/ja active Pending
  • 2001-05-25 WO PCT/US2001/017089 patent/WO2001091600A2/en active IP Right Grant
  • 2001-05-25 BR BR0111224-4A patent/BR0111224A/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2001-05-25 CZ CZ20023561A patent/CZ20023561A3/cs unknown
  • 2001-05-25 KR KR1020027016194A patent/KR20030028745A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
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  • 2001-05-25 MX MXPA02011866A patent/MXPA02011866A/es unknown
  • 2001-05-25 AU AU2001265016A patent/AU2001265016B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2001-05-25 EP EP01939505A patent/EP1301102A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2001-05-25 AU AU6501601A patent/AU6501601A/xx active Pending

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