EP1683354A1 - Systeme universel ultra-haute definition de rendu, recommandation et coordination de couleurs, eclairages et objets - Google Patents

Systeme universel ultra-haute definition de rendu, recommandation et coordination de couleurs, eclairages et objets

Info

Publication number
EP1683354A1
EP1683354A1 EP03818020A EP03818020A EP1683354A1 EP 1683354 A1 EP1683354 A1 EP 1683354A1 EP 03818020 A EP03818020 A EP 03818020A EP 03818020 A EP03818020 A EP 03818020A EP 1683354 A1 EP1683354 A1 EP 1683354A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
display
user
images
providing
image
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
EP03818020A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1683354A4 (fr
Inventor
William M. Bowsher
Thomas S. Schwartz
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority claimed from PCT/US2003/021226 external-priority patent/WO2005015909A1/fr
Publication of EP1683354A1 publication Critical patent/EP1683354A1/fr
Publication of EP1683354A4 publication Critical patent/EP1683354A4/fr
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N9/00—Details of colour television systems
    • H04N9/64—Circuits for processing colour signals
    • H04N9/74—Circuits for processing colour signals for obtaining special effects
    • 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
    • A45D44/005—Other cosmetic or toiletry articles, e.g. for hairdressers' rooms for selecting or displaying personal cosmetic colours or hairstyle
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01J—MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY
    • G01J3/00—Spectrometry; Spectrophotometry; Monochromators; Measuring colours
    • G01J3/46—Measurement of colour; Colour measuring devices, e.g. colorimeters
    • G01J3/52—Measurement of colour; Colour measuring devices, e.g. colorimeters using colour charts
    • G01J3/526—Measurement of colour; Colour measuring devices, e.g. colorimeters using colour charts for choosing a combination of different colours, e.g. to produce a pleasing effect for an observer
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F30/00—Computer-aided design [CAD]
    • G06F30/10—Geometric CAD
    • G06F30/13—Architectural design, e.g. computer-aided architectural design [CAAD] related to design of buildings, bridges, landscapes, production plants or roads
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F30/00—Computer-aided design [CAD]
    • G06F30/10—Geometric CAD
    • G06F30/15—Vehicle, aircraft or watercraft design
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
    • H04N1/46—Colour picture communication systems
    • H04N1/56—Processing of colour picture signals
    • H04N1/60—Colour correction or control
    • H04N1/6027—Correction or control of colour gradation or colour contrast

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to display systems. More particularly, disclosed and protected by the present patent is a universal, ultra-high definition display method and system for advising regarding and coordinating color, light, and objects.
  • BACKGROUND Color has been analyzed technically since at least as early as the discovery by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666 that sunlight contains all colors of the spectrum. Through this technical analysis, it has become clear that color is fundamentally different than tangible characteristics such as shape, size, weight, and the like in that color is purely visual. Color can be defined as the visual effect produced by the spectral composition of the light emitted, transmitted, or reflected by objects. With regard to sunlit objects seen by a human eye, the visual effect of color is the result of light passing from the sun as the source to the object and then to the detector, the eye and brain combination. The surface of the object absorbs all colors except that which is reflected to the detector.
  • red, yellow, and blue comprise the three primary colors. These can not be formed by mixing any combination of other colors, and all other colors are formed from mixing the three primary colors. Secondary colors green, orange, and purple are formed by combining two of the three primary colors while tertiary colors can be formed by mixing two secondary colors.
  • computer monitors typically use a red, green, blue (RGB) color model wherein those colors act as the foundation for color display. All other colors on a computer monitor yield from a combination of these basic colors.
  • CMYK yellow, black
  • monitors and printers commonly reproduce colors differently. This becomes particularly salient when one bears in mind that human beings are visually oriented mammals. Unlike many mammals whose primary senses are those of smell or hearing, our visual sense is primary. Furthermore, our vision is color sensitive and binocular (depth sensitive). There is no mistaking the importance of visual cues, especially those involving color, in our day-to-day existence.
  • the consumer's room is unlikely to match physically the layout of the magazine room, and the depicted room certainly will not provide for any special furniture or accessories that a user wants to include or already owns.
  • a magazine would not be likely to provide coordinated designs for the other rooms of the consumer's home. Therefore, a common method is to employ an interior designer and look at numerous paint and pattern samples in an attempt to select the ideal colors and patterns to coordinate a room's furnishings, relationship within itself, as well as the room's physical dimensions and relationship with other rooms of the home.
  • a good interior designer is usually able to narrow down the range of samples that must be viewed, but such a designer is likely to be expensive.
  • the consumer may nonetheless end up with an environment that is more suited to the designer's taste than his or her own. If the consumer attempts to save money by making his or her own selections, the process is apt to be arduous, time consuming and frustrating. Either the interior designer or the consumer must ultimately look at myriad patterns in small-format, incomplete sample books and then attempt to match them with appropriate paint colors and upholstery patterns and colors, etc. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to project precisely from a tiny sample or color swatch what that color or sample will look like on a full size wall - a problem that creates frequent and unpleasant surprises that are difficult and expensive to rectify.
  • That invention has achieved commercial success relative to displaying apparel and other objects under the federally registered trademark TRUE INTERNET COLOR.
  • TRUE INTERNET COLOR the federally registered trademark
  • the inventors noted, quite correctly, that the physical and electrical characteristics of color display monitors are substantially variable even among monitors of the same type. As a result, color rendition varies significantly from device to device. Ambient lighting further affects the perceived color produced by a monitor. The inventors noted that it is desirable that images appear with the same perceived color for various users of various monitors. Accordingly, Engeldrum et al.
  • a contrast reference providing a black reference area and a white reference area
  • a gamma reference that provides a halftone reference area and a continuous tone reference area
  • a black point reference that provides another black reference area and a color intensity reference area
  • a white point color temperature reference providing another white reference area
  • a matching card having known visual characteristics for comparing with one of the references.
  • the references can be images produced by the imaging device. With this, ideally, true colors can be displayed. As such, it will be clear that, in many prior art systems, outputted color images and inputted original images have not appeared substantially identical with regard to color.
  • colorimetry In contrast to the above-described qualities based upon human perception, another set of terms in colorimetry includes dominant wavelength, excitation purity and luminance that roughly correspond to hue, saturation and lightness/brightness. Among the human perceptible colors specified by the above set of values, most colors may be generated by adding the primary colors (i.e. red, yellow, and blue). However, to match all values of dominant wavelength in the visible spectrum, certain colors cannot be produced by adding positive values of the primary colors. Although prior art methods and systems have improved the color management involving a display monitor, color matching, such as between a paper medium and a CRT display, typically did not take ambient light condition into consideration.
  • U.S. Patent No. 5,986,670 relates to digital image processing, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for producing a computer generated display that permits visualization of changes to the exterior or interior of any building structures.
  • the invention includes a computer system for producing computer generated displays, including window-format displays, that permit visualization of changes to a building or structure, particularly to the exterior and interior of a residential home, in an actual environment.
  • the system provides a background display of digital images, originating from either an image capture device or from other sources, to which changes are to be made for visualization purposes
  • the image capture device may be any digital camera, video camera, scanner, or the like. Consequently, the image capture device would not be coordinated with the remainder of the system and could be selected from any manufacturer and model.
  • the system further provides a product catalog in the form of a database of objects, together with features in the computer system operable to record and store digital images of the objects as well as detailed information related to the objects within the database.
  • the computer system provides a means to access the information related to the objects through a display interface, and in the preferred embodiment in the form of a windows-pull down interface or in the form of a moveable mouse-click function.
  • the system further provides means for copying and moving an object selected from the catalog and such means is operable to removably place the object over the background to permit what is termed as realistic visualization of the object on the background.
  • the realistic visualization is facilitated by means of a number of tools associated with the system that permit resizing of objects, fitting objects into user designated areas, perspective orientation, and other tools.
  • a user can visualize how various actual products would look when applied to a fixed digital photographic image of the interior or exterior of a real home or other building.
  • a user can access numerous images of interior and exterior home products from actual manufacturers, as well as landscaping and horticultural products, in an interactive CD-ROM database.
  • a user can select a specific area of the fixed background image of an interior or exterior of a home or other building and to visualize changes to only that specific area by dragging or otherwise placing image objects of products in the CD- ROM database over that specific area chosen.
  • the system further allows a user to arrange, rotate, position, resize, orient and otherwise manipulate the product image objects that are placed on the fixed background image to create what is termed a realistic composite image.
  • a user can manually resize a selected image object so that it will fit exactly into a selected rectangular area, or alternatively, so that it will fit proportionally into a selected rectangular area and such a feature permits the system user to resize the rectangular image or an irregular shaped image.
  • the '670 patent indicates that a user can make the composite image more realistic by adding shadowing, making the image look more or less sunny, "night lighting" and changing the scenery behind the main object in the composite image.
  • the '670 patent fails to address fully the realities of different types of lighting.
  • the '670 system also is deficient in that it fails to allow automatic scaling such that it will yield out-of-scale placement of objects in a given environment.
  • This is certainly disadvantageous when one is seeking a realistic prediction of the future appearance of a room, structure, space, or the like.
  • the '670 system will generate products that do not match the renderings produced.
  • a couch that can be manipulated to be part of a given image will in all likelihood not be in a realistic scale such that it may not in reality fit in a given room or space.
  • 5,751 ,829 provides a method and device designed to enable a user to make a choice from patterns and decorative materials using what is said to be accurate, high-resolution spectral information to ensure that chosen colors match.
  • the '829 device enables an automatic display of commercially-available paints that match the spectral characteristics of the chosen pattern.
  • the invention also renders chosen patterns and paint colors to be accurately rendered onto actual room images. Wallpaper patterns, drapery material, floor covering, or paint can then be selected on the basis of matching color. With this, various patterns and paints can be compared side by side on a high-resolution computer monitor calibrated to produce an accurate color image. Finally, the chosen paints and other decorating materials can be rendered onto a room image so that the consumer can view an accurate simulation of the chosen materials.
  • the invention is founded on three fundamental goals: 1) to enhance consumer satisfaction, the single most important function of marketing today; 2) to accomplish that by providing a real gateway to a true custom economy through a convenient, easy to use, low cost new reliable way to preview how contemplated purchases or changes in environments will integrate into the broader spectrum of personal or business life before they are actually consummated; and 3) to add value, by virtue of increased customer satisfaction, to every object, product, person or endeavor that utilizes the advantages of the invention.
  • the invention provides for a coordinated system of an image procuring device, a memory device, a processor, and a display device that together allow a user to predict the appearance of the interior or exterior of a building, home, landscape, or object with true accuracy, which heretofore has been unrealized by the prior art.
  • the rendering system is calibrated to display colors, rooms, buildings, landscape, objects, and proposed changes thereto accurately not only with regard to size and shape but also with regard to color and light, both in type and direction. Consequently, with appropriate programming, user-selected optimal color and lighting can be custom coordinated and superimposed on a given environment to maximize the value and enjoyment of any environment or product in any environment where color and light play important roles.
  • the rendering system is founded on an image procuring device, a memory device, a processor, and a display device.
  • the image procuring device, the memory device, the processor, and the display device are all specially calibrated and coordinated to ensure that the color viewed and procured in situ by the image procuring device will be identically displayed on the display device.
  • a virtually infinite range of colors are retained by the memory device in a precisely replicable and displayable format that can be superimposed on any procured image so as to accurately render how any color will appear on a procured image if adopted by the consumer.
  • the colors are categorized and coordinated to compliment whatever goal a designer might have in mind.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic depiction of the basic elements of an embodiment of the present invention for a universal, ultra-high definition, and accurate color, light, and object rendering, advising, and coordinating system
  • FIG.2 is a schematic depiction of elements that can cooperate to form procured images
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic depiction of elements that can cooperate to form reference images
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic depiction of potential design goals that can be accommodated by the system
  • FIG. 5 is a schematic depiction of potential lighting effects that can be depicted by the system
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic depiction of the components that the system can incorporate to produce display images
  • FIG. 7 is a schematic depiction of the interrelationship between elements that cooperate to produce design suggestions according to the present invention
  • FIG.8 is a schematic depiction of an exemplary process according to the present invention for producing a finished display image
  • FIG. 9 is a schematic depiction of an embodiment of the invention wherein a user can employ a portable memory medium to cooperate with elements of the system that are retained by a central location to produce display images
  • FIG. 10 is a schematic depiction of an exemplary process under the present invention.
  • the present invention for a universal, ultra-high definition color, light, and object rendering, advising, and coordinating system and method can assume a wide variety of embodiments.
  • certain particularly preferred embodiments of the method and system will be described hereinafter.
  • a most basic embodiment of the present invention for a universal, ultra-high definition color, light, and object rendering, advising, and coordinating system is indicated generally at 10 in FIG. 1.
  • the system 10 is founded on four basic components. The first is an image procuring device 12, which as its name would suggest is employed to procure images.
  • the image procuring device 12 is operably associated with a memory device 14 such that images procured by the image procuring device 12 can be delivered to and stored by the memory device 14. Furthermore, the memory device 14 and the image procuring device 12 are both operably associated with a processor 16, the function of which will be described more fully hereinbelow. Finally, the memory device 14, the image procuring device 12 and the processor 16 are in turn operably associated with a display device 18 for displaying procured and other images as will be discussed below.
  • the image procuring device 12 certainly could take a variety of forms.
  • the image procuring device 12 could comprise a specially calibrated digital or film camera.
  • the image procuring device 12 could be a specially calibrated, high- definition still digital camera, also indicated at 12 in FIG. 1. As FIG.
  • the image procuring device 12 could procure and thereby provide still images of colors 28, building elements 30, decorative elements 32 or any other object or product 34 whose image a user might wish to procure.
  • a film camera is employed as the image procuring device 12
  • customized film processing procedures would preferably be employed to yield exact matches between actual procured colors 28 and those depicted on the resulting film.
  • procured colors 28 would in reality be infinitely variable such that the advantages deriving from the ability of the present invention to reproduce procured colors 28 identically becomes particularly apparent.
  • Information regarding procured building or other elements 30, which necessarily would incorporate colors 28, could include building exteriors, interiors, and components, landscapes, and many other elements or products.
  • Procured decorative elements 32 also could include numerous structures including plants, trees, moldings, trim, furniture, rugs, paintings, sculptures, and many other elements.
  • the procured images 20 also would incorporate information regarding lighting including lighting type, intensity, and directional source.
  • a still camera 12 certainly could act as a useful image procuring device 12, even greater advantage could possibly be obtained by use of a specially calibrated motion or 3D camera 12, preferably high-definition digital, which could provide moving images of each of the abovedescribed colors 28, building elements, 30, decorative elements 32, and other elements, products, or persons 34.
  • all procured images 20 will be displayed and procured in their actual lighting situations.
  • the motion digital camera 12 could procure moving images as the camera 12 is moved about the exterior of a building or as the camera 12 is moved through a room or a series of rooms or landscapes or around pertinent objects or products.
  • the image procuring device 12 preferably will incorporate its own memory medium, which would be particularly accessible where the image procuring device 12 is a digital camera 12.
  • procured images 20 advantageously can be dealt with in a plurality of ways.
  • the procured images could be archived by being transferred for storage on a more permanent basis on the memory device 14, which can comprise a hard drive of a computer or a high-density, high-definition CD-ROM, DVD, or an advancement thereover as will be discussed more fully below.
  • the procured images 20, especially those being coordinated and calibrated could be transmitted from system 10 to system 10 by any one of a plurality of means including email, cellular telephone transmission, palmheld computer, or any other means for transmitting procured images 20 that may now exist or hereafter be developed.
  • the procured images 20 in any event will at some point be displayed on a display device 18 as also will be discussed more fully hereinbelow.
  • the procured images 20 would generally be dealt with by custom film developing calibrated to display images that are essentially identical in all respects to the actual procured images 20. It will again be noted that the specially calibrated and coordinated memory device
  • the memory device 14 could pursue a wide variety of forms.
  • the memory device 14 could comprise a computer memory, such as a hard drive, or the like.
  • the memory device 14 could receive and retain coordinated digitally procured images 20 of the room, color, building, landscape, product, or other image be the images 20 still or moving.
  • the memory device 14 will have the substantial capacity required for accurately retaining a large plurality of procured images 20 and reference images 22 as will be discussed below.
  • any attempted specification of the particular capacity of the memory device 14 would be quickly outdated by the rapidly progressing capabilities of computers and computer technology. Therefore, it shall suffice to say that the preferred memory device 14 will have as substantial a capacity as is commercially practicable.
  • the specially calibrated and coordinated processor 16 also could be of a number of types.
  • the processor 16 would likely comprise a computer processor 16.
  • the preferred processor 16 naturally should be of sufficient speed and ability to process and manipulate the procured and reference images 20 and 22 as necessary to accomplish the tasks that will be elaborated upon below. Again, in light of the rapid advancement of computer technology, the specification of a particular processor speed would be substantially futile. Therefore, it is sufficient to note only that the processor 16 should have as high a processing speed as state of the art technology permits.
  • the specially calibrated and coordinated display device 18 also could be of a number of types.
  • the preferred display device 18 be of ultra-high resolution such that the procured images 20 and reference images 22 retained in the memory device 14 can be processed by the processor 16 and displayed by the display device 18 accurately and with exceptionally high resolution.
  • the presently preferred display device 18 comprises a large, ultra-high definition display screen. What may be considered a most preferred display device 18 comprises a 40-60 inch ultra high definition display screen.
  • the preferred embodiment of the system 10 will further retain in the memory device 14 a variety of reference images 22 that is as extensive as possible. As FIG.
  • the reference images 22 preferably will include a virtually endless variety of colors 36, a wide variety of building elements and designs 38, a wide variety of decorative elements 40, and a plurality of other relevant consumer or industrial products 42. Because the system 10 is entirely coordinated, the colors 36 will be displayed on the display device 18 with an accuracy and consistency that has been previously unattainable. Furthermore, the colors 36, building elements 38, decorative elements 40, and other products 42 preferably will be coordinated to enable the processor 16 to draw from the reference images 22 to accomplish a user's selected design goals 44 as is shown in FIG. 4.
  • Those design goals 44 can include, for example, including providing coordinated and complementary colors 36 that accomplish selected mood goals or effects 46 such as being soothing or relaxing 48, exciting 50, motivating 52, conducive to thought 54, hunger inducing 56, sleep inducing 58, or any other possible response 60 to color 36 or other design element.
  • selected mood goals or effects 46 such as being soothing or relaxing 48, exciting 50, motivating 52, conducive to thought 54, hunger inducing 56, sleep inducing 58, or any other possible response 60 to color 36 or other design element.
  • the system 10 could additionally and automatically incorporate alternative design principles as room effects 61 such as the ancient Chinese concepts of Feng Shui.
  • style goals 62 including furniture styles, decorating styles, interior and exterior design styles, trim styles, flooring styles, ceiling styles, clothing styles, makeup styles, and still other styles.
  • the rendering system 10 could further include a means for providing simulated lighting effects 24 in and on the display device 18 to bathe a room, building, home, landscape, product, person, or any other procured or reference image 20 or 22 in various sources of light.
  • the means for providing simulated lighting effects 24 provides a means for controlling the type 64, 66, 68, and 70 of lighting effect 24 and also the direction and orientation 72 of the simulated light sources.
  • a user can choose whether to provide simulated incandescent light 70, fluorescent light 64, halogen light 66, natural sunlight 68, or, as is often the case in daytime, a mixed light situation. Also, the user can adjust the relative intensity of one or all types of selected light 64, 66, 68, and 70. Furthermore, the user can choose from where the selected light 64, 66, 68, and 70 should emanate to coordinate and optimize satisfaction with the user's depicted environment in a most flexible manner to depict both day and night situations. For example, the user can choose to have natural sunlight 68 enter through a window.
  • the user can choose to display incandescent or halogen light 70 or 66 as emanating from a lamp in a room or from a shielded structure.
  • incandescent or halogen light 70 or 66 as emanating from a lamp in a room or from a shielded structure.
  • the present invention can further incorporate a means, which may be termed a design advisor or color coordinator 74 for making option suggestions 75, for making suggestions or providing from one to many optimal complementary choices as to colors 36, decorative elements 40, such as furniture, and building elements 38, such as structural design selections and layouts including the placement and orientation of objects, lighting effects 24 such as source type 64, 66, 68, or 70 and locations or orientations 72, and any one of a plurality of further interior and exterior design considerations.
  • a design advisor and/or color coordinator 74 enables overall environmental integration and optimization even for those users with little or no experience or natural ability in interior and exterior design.
  • a user could select certain constraining elements 78, if there are any, and the design advisor 74 could provide design suggestions 75 as to what colors 28 or 36 and other elements would work well in combination with that or those constraining elements 78 depending on individual goals.
  • One common constraining element 78 on the exterior of a structure is roofing. For instance, if a structure has a black roof or a brown roof, there are only certain colors 28 or 36 that will attractively blend with or compliment the rest of the exterior of the building.
  • a user could input a particular base color, such as maroon brick, 28 or 36 as a procured image 20 or reference image 22 for the walls of a room or building, and the system 10 by means of the design advisor 74 could select from and provide suggestions and displays regarding reference images 22 including colors 36, building elements and surface materials 38, and decorative elements 40; lighting effects 24 including lighting type 64, 66, 68, and 70 and lighting location and direction 72; design goals 44 including mood effects 46 and actual furniture styles and pieces 62; and procured images 20 including decorative elements 40 such as trim that would complement the user's constraining element or elements 78 and, for example, any design goals 44.
  • a particular base color such as maroon brick, 28 or 36
  • procured image 20 or reference image 22 for the walls of a room or building
  • the system 10 by means of the design advisor 74 could select from and provide suggestions and displays regarding reference images 22 including colors 36, building elements and surface materials 38, and decorative elements 40; lighting effects 24 including lighting type 64, 66, 68, and 70 and
  • constraining elements 78 and other elements to comprise elements of display images 26 for display on the display device 18 could be input in a number of ways.
  • the term input should be considered to include any appropriate means for communicating a constraining element 78 or other element to the system 10.
  • the constraining elements 78 and other elements could be selected from reference images 22, lighting effects 24, design goals 44, and additionally or alternatively procured images 20.
  • reference images 22 could derive from a still or motion digital camera 12, they also could be scanned in using a mutually calibrated and ultra high definition coordinated scanner that would thus comprise an image procuring device 12. With this, a user could scan in any selected image including photographic images from non-digital cameras, magazine images, and substantially any other image source.
  • the procured image 20 preferably will be accurate and identifiably scaled.
  • the procured image 20 thereby could be uploaded into the memory device 14 of the system 10.
  • the system 10 retains a virtual understanding of the interrelation between colors 28 and 36, lighting effects 24, building elements and elements 30 and 38, decorative elements 32 and 40, and other decoration and design considerations and products 34 and 42.
  • this virtual understanding will be programmed into and stored in an archive within the present system 10 such as in the memory device 14.
  • a first means by which the system 10 provides the design advisor 74 is by the incorporation of an element denominated in FIG. 7 as designer input 76.
  • the system 10 effectively incorporates the knowledge and taste of persons with exceptional knowledge, experience, and inherent ability in design and style. As one will appreciate in light of this disclosure and as will be made still clearer below, the system 10 can incorporate that expert knowledge and taste in any area where doing so would be valuable. With this, the system 10 can be employed in the design and alteration of substantially any structure or product. In doing so, the system 10 takes advantage of the knowledge and ability of persons that can be considered decoration and design geniuses since they may reasonably be considered markedly superior in their ability to select and coordinate color 28 and 36 and building and decorative elements 30, 38 and 32, 40.
  • the design suggestions 75 provided by the design advisor 74 also take into account design research 82 to supplement the designer input 76.
  • the design research 82 includes information as to how color 28 and 36 and building and decorative elements 30, 38 and 32, 40 affect a person's mood, productivity, and other characteristics. As one will appreciate and as FIG. 7 shows, the design research 82 necessarily interrelates with a plurality of other elements of the system 10, particularly the design goals 44, reference and procured images 22 and 20, and the lighting effects 24. Still further, as FIG. 7 also shows, the designer input 76 and the design research 82 are supplemented by historic information 80 regarding prior art rooms, architectural masterpieces, and other structures that have been found to be aesthetically pleasing or functional. When used to produce design suggestions 75 for display on the display device, the historic information 80 allows a user to view prior art structures and designs to see what others have done previously that worked well aesthetically, functionally, or both.
  • the historic information 80 provided by the system 10 represents an analogous but markedly improved practice in comparison to what has been done by many previously.
  • the historic information 80 allows a user to accomplish immediately and conveniently what others have done by poring over countless magazines, touring model homes, and otherwise attempting to gain historic information as to what has been effectively done by others.
  • the designer input 76, the design research 82, and the historic information 80 cooperate to accommodate the reference images 22, the lighting effects 24, the constraining elements 78, the procured images 20, and the design goals 44, which are necessarily interrelated, to enable the system 10 to provide design suggestions 75 in a plurality of respects.
  • the resulting display images 26 shown on the display device 18 can then be the composite result of procured images 20, reference images 22, lighting effects 24, design goals 44, and constraining elements 78.
  • the system 10 could incorporate an amalgamation of examples and practices in substantially any discipline including interior decoration for providing design suggestions 75 regarding how to achieve desired room effects 61 (FIG.4) for affecting an observer's overall perception of the room or structure such that a small room could be perceived as being larger, a large room could be perceived as being smaller, a low-ceilinged room could be perceived as being taller, or any other of a variety of interior room effects 61 or design goals 44 could be achieved.
  • the system 10 enables a user to view numerous different potential design arrangements or suggestions 75 nearly instantaneously on the display device 18 until a particularly desirable arrangement is found. Once found, even that most preferable arrangement could be manipulated by the user and the system 10 to allow even further personal satisfaction of the user's goals and desires. As a result, a typical user will effectively become superior even to a design genius in that he or she will have at his or her disposal the knowledge of multiple design geniuses as designer input 76 along with the benefits of volumes of design research 82 and experimentation and historic information 80.
  • the system 10 may advantageously provide a means for sequentially displaying display images 22 and for progressively selecting preferred display images 22 from those display images 22 for continued or repeated display by the system 10.
  • the user could indicate, as by clicking on a computer mouse, which display image or images 22 is more preferred or which display image or images 22 is less preferred. Under such an arrangement, the user can view progressively eliminate display images 22 until only a preferred display image or preferred display images 22 remain.
  • the system 10 can be programmed to display each of a plurality of display images 22 for a specified amount of display time, such as 3 seconds, through a first round. During that display time, the user can indicate which image or images 22 is or are preferred. Through a second round, only those preferred display images 22 will be displayed.
  • those display images 22 can be displayed for a longer display time, such as 10 seconds, over the second round during which one or more display images 22 can be selected as being preferred from among those initially preferred display images 22. This process can continue progressively until just one or a given number of most preferred display images 22 remain.
  • procured images 20 with reference images 22
  • a user can insert particular products into the display image 26 of his or her own living room, office, or other space or structure whose image has been procured by the image procuring device 12.
  • the user could preview the appearance of an Oriental rug, a sofa, or any other reference image 22 he or she may desire to see incorporated into his or her environment, such as a priceless antique.
  • the system 10 could then provide design suggestions that coordinate with that structure or object to provide an ideal or preferred interior or exterior design.
  • a user could also input a whole roomful of furniture and accessories as a procured image 20 and let the machine automatically arrange and instantly rearrange the procured image 20 as many times as desired while the system 10 improves the design according to the most brilliant interior decoration standards deriving from designer input 76, design research 82, and historic information 80.
  • the system 10 could begin designing based on a bare room or space, which could be a procured image 20 or a reference image 22. Then, the user could choose a design goal 44, such as, for example, a furniture style 62.
  • Exemplary furniture styles include modern, Mediterranean, oriental, colonial traditional, antique, and a plurality of other possible furniture styles 62.
  • the user could input any particular budget limitations as a constraining element 78 that must be accommodated.
  • the user could opt for additional design goals 44 for the room or space such as mood effects 46 to yield a relaxing study or a productive workspace.
  • the system 10 could present myriad display images 26 with nearly endless variations in colors 28 and 36, lighting effects 24, structures, configurations, and arrangements upon command by the user.
  • the preferred processor 16 additionally incorporates a means for automatically processing and portraying display images 26 in an identical scale accurately and consistently. With this, the system 10 allows for a selected manipulation of lighting and for automatic true-scale adjustments.
  • the system 10 can allow a room, home, building, or other space to be modified, including by providing additions thereto.
  • rooms can be added as can be hallways, closets, greenhouses, and still other structures.
  • walls can be moved in, pushed back, and changed in shape.
  • ceilings can be raised, lowered, and altered.
  • FIG.8 an exemplary process under which one could take advantage of an embodiment of the present invention to design an ideal display image 26 is indicated generally at 150.
  • the image creation process 150 is merely exemplary, and additional and varied steps could be included in processes that nonetheless take advantage of the present invention. Also, not all steps shown and described need be carried out in all cases, and the steps certainly do not need to be practiced in the order set forth in the exemplary image creation process 150.
  • the preferred image creation process 150 could begin with step 152 where the user inputs or selects one or more procured images 20 and, if necessary, inputs the scale of each input procured image 20.
  • step 154 the system 10 automatically carries out step 154 by adjusting the scale of each procured image 20 to a shared single scale.
  • the user can, if necessary, carry out step 156 by selecting one or more reference images 22, which as one will be well aware could comprise a color 36, a building element 38, a person, a car, a decorative element 40 or any other product 42.
  • the system 10 then automatically carries out step 154 to adjust the scale of the reference images 22 and procured images 20 as necessary to ensure that the images
  • step 158 by selecting lighting type or types 64, 66, 68, and 70 and by selecting the orientation and location 72 of selected lighting effects 24.
  • a user can adjust the relative intensities of lighting types 64, 66, 68, and 70 to ensure a still more realistic display image 26.
  • the user can then, if desired, carry out step 160 by selecting one or more design goals 44, such as mood effects 46, furniture styles 62, and room effects 61.
  • That selection of design goals 44 will induce the processor 16 by means of the design advisor 74 to produce design suggestions 75 by consideration of historic information 80, design research 82, and designer input 76 in light of the procured and reference images 20 and 22, lighting effects 24, any constraining elements 78, and the user's design goals 44.
  • the user can then review a plurality of design suggestions 75 until he or she finds one or more display image 26 that can be considered most preferable functionally, aesthetically, or both. With this, the system 10 provides optimal personalization and/or customization. With this, the user can then undertake step 166 if desired by adjusting the location and orientation of some or all elements of the display image 26.
  • the user can select and move, add, or delete objects or elements relative to the display image 26, the user can adjust displayed colors 28 and 26, the user can alter lighting effects 24 including adding or deleting lighting apparatuses, and the user can adjust design goals 44.
  • the system 10 automatically again carries out step 154 by adjusting the scale of the displayed images 26 to ensure that they are accurate and consistent.
  • the system 10 can carry out step 170 where it provides an estimate of the cost of the proposed additions, modifications, or other possibilities while also providing, where applicable, an estimate of the time that would be required for carrying out those additions, modifications, and the like.
  • the system 10 can estimate material and labor costs as well as, where applicable, possible changes in value of the structure to be built, modified, or otherwise affected.
  • the system 10 can be programmed with current costs of materials as well as the estimating expertise of persons have skill in the relevant industry.
  • the user ultimately will reach step 168 with the creation of one or more finished display images 26.
  • Those finished display images 26 can, for example, act as the foundation for the user's remodeling or building a home.
  • the finished display images 26 can be used as the basis for purchasing paint, buying furniture or a car, landscaping an outdoor environment.
  • the finished display images 26 can be used as a guide in adopting a complete personal makeover of one's hairstyle or color, makeup, wardrobe, and clothing.
  • the system 10 and process 150 provide the user with a number of options.
  • the user could simply end the process 150 with the finished display image 26 in mind.
  • the user could induce the system 10 to carry out step 172 where the finished display image 26 is output.
  • This output display image step 172 could be carried out in a number of ways.
  • the finished display image 26 could be printed by a printer that is specially coordinated with the display and the system 10 in general to depict printed ultra high definition images that are identical to the finished display image 26 in color, light, proportion, scale, and further characteristics.
  • the user could cause the system 10 to carry out step
  • the system 10 could output, as by printing or displaying, instructions.
  • the instructions could be in the form of steps as to how to carry out the proposed modification, addition, or creation, they could be or include formulas for creating materials to be used, such as paints, makeup elements, and the like, or they could be listings of the materials that would be required.
  • the user could induce the system 10 to carry out step 176 where the system 10 provides a listing of potential sources for the proposed modification, addition, or creation.
  • the system 10 could list local merchants, carpenters, makeup artists, mechanics, and other craftspeople. Under one embodiment, these potential sources could be under agreement to engage in their best efforts to meet the cost and time estimates provided by the system 10 under step 170.
  • the process 200 begins with the user either inputting a procured home image under step 178 or selecting an image of a reference home under step 180.
  • the procured home image of step 178 could, for example, be of the user's own home or of a home that he or she might wish to purchase.
  • the reference home selected under step 180 could be chosen by the user after scrolling through many different styles of homes (i.e., hundreds) that are retained by the system.
  • the reference home could be chosen as an approximation of the user's own home or as a home that he or she might wish to build or purchase.
  • step 178 or step 180 the user can select a design style under step 182 whereupon the system 10 will automatically undertake step 184 to propose potential alterations, additions, and the like that have been retained by the system 10 after being input by experts in the field. The user can view these proposed alterations, additions, and the like and then select one or more that may be preferable.
  • the system 10 again will carry out an automatic adjustment of the scale of the displayed images as in step 186. The process will then yield a finished display image under step 188.
  • the user can then output instructions regarding the image under step 190, output the display image under step 192, and/or output a listing of sources under step 194.
  • the present system 10 is not so limited in its applicability.
  • the system 10 is equally applicable to other environmental structures, products, and uses or persons.
  • the system 10 could be used to equal advantage for designing and selecting the characteristics of motor vehicles, such as cars, trucks, and motorcycles.
  • the system 10 could be used by automotive dealers or manufacturers to display a given model car.
  • the ultra-high definition display device 18, such as a 40-60 inch monitor the system 10 could realistically, accurately, and dramatically display the car in any color and with any options that may be selected by the user.
  • the user could see in an accurate rendering the selected car with any combination of different true-to-life colors, wheels, tires, details, upholstery fabrics, interior details, and other mechanical and cosmetic modifications including body kits, spoilers, aprons, and the like.
  • he or she could enjoy a complete menu of options as reference images 22 and could be assured that the resulting automobile will be satisfactory in appearance and other characteristics.
  • buyers will be more likely to be unequivocally pleased with the delivered vehicle as a product personally customized for them, and sellers will be likely to enjoy increased sales of vehicles and accompanying options, modifications and improvements.
  • This is particularly advantageous in that society continues to trend toward a custom economy where purchased items are ever more commonly crafted and personalized to suit the particular needs and desires of a given user.
  • the system 10 could be used to create and sell lighting arrangements that are ideal for a given room.
  • a store selling lighting arrangements could display to a user on display devices 18 various potential or advisable lighting effects 24 designed to achieve a given function or to evoke a given mood or feeling.
  • the user could see his or her own room as a procured image 20 lit in a number of different ways without going through the expensive, time consuming, and frustrating actual experimentation of installing, wiring, testing, and, possibly, removal of different lighting options in his or her own physical room or building.
  • the design advisor 74 could be employed to provide a user with suggestions from lighting experts 76, research sources 82, and prior art arrangements 80.
  • Such articles can be virtually tried on even where they are not in stock such that they can be sold and delivered. Whether the articles come from a central location or from the retailer, the user can receive the articles quickly and with confidence that they will be acceptable in all respects. With this, the retailer is, in effect, never out of stock.
  • the user's own body may be among the reference images 22 such that the display images 26 would allow a user to model a proposed clothing purchase virtually. With this, the user could also view a proposed clothing purchase in combination with reference images 22 of what the user already owns such that he or she will no longer have to guess whether the color and style of a new acquisition he or she is considering will match or clash.
  • the user can employ the assistance of the design advisor 74 for suggestions as to clothing styles, colors, and the like.
  • the system 10 can be used to similar advantage relative to makeup, hairstyles, jewelry, and substantially any other potential purchase or change that a user might contemplate.
  • procured images 20 and reference images 22 could be retained on a portable memory medium 84.
  • the memory medium 84 could take a number of forms.
  • the portable memory medium 84 could comprise a computer disk, such as a high capacity compact disk, DVD, or similar memory disk.
  • the procured images 20 of a given home, building, room, landscape, car, wardrobe, personal image, object, product, or the like could be retained on a given portable memory medium 84 along with any reference images 22 that may have been associated with the procured images 20 to produce display images 26.
  • These display images 26 will further include an identification of size for scale adaptation as in step 154, type of light and its orientation 24, and will be obtained through the use of specially calibrated and coordinated equipment, such as the memory device 14, the image procuring device 12, the processor 16, and the portable memory medium 84 to facilitate further their coordination and integration into the display device 18.
  • central locations 86 such as department stores, hardware stores, lighting stores, paint stores, auto dealers, lumberyards, the offices of architects, builders, real estate brokers, and interior designers and decorators, and myriad other locations could be possessed of the specially calibrated and coordinated processor 16, memory device 14, and display device 18.
  • the user could bring the personal memory disk 84 to the central location 86 to preview proposed purchases or changes as display images 26 and to gain a truly accurate prediction of how they will look and integrate with other possessions or individualized environments, possibly with the benefit of design genius derived from the design advisor 74.
  • a user could have specially procured display images 26 of a room, building, landscape, product, color, or person and then view those display images 26 on the display device 18 of the central location 86.
  • the building elements 38 which include additions and modifications, and the decorative elements 40 of reference images 22, such as things to be sold, retained by the central location 86 could then be interposed and substituted into the display images 26 already disposed on the portable memory medium 84 so that the user might gain an appreciation as to how the purchase of new products or proposed modifications to his or her person, room, building, vehicle, landscape, or the like would appear in actuality.
  • This feature will prove invaluable relative to an immense array of consumer goods from flooring, to art work, to accessories, to wardrobes, to jewelry, antiques, rugs, autos, boats, and to still further residential, commercial, and industrial products.
  • the knowledgeable observer will be aware that the present cost in production for such a system 10 could run as high as $250,000. This extreme expense could arguably relegate it to the commercial realm.
  • the present invention comprises a marked advance over the prior art.
  • the universal, ultra-high definition, accurate color, light, and object rendering, advising, and coordinating system 10 enables a user to view proposed changes to his or her own room, home, building, auto, truck, wardrobe, person, landscaping, objects, and myriad other applications in true accuracy.
  • the rendering system 10 allows for the accurate display of colors 28 and 36, lighting effects 24, proper scales, and more in a manner that ensures true, accurate, and consistent displaying of display images 26 and proposed changes thereto.
  • the universal ultra-high definition color, light, and object rendering advising, and coordinating system 10 advantageously enables interior and exterior design, rehabilitation, addition, and new construction function to be carried out and optimized in an effective, value adding, low cost, and convenient manner.
  • the present invention for a universal, ultra- high definition color, light, and object rendering, advising, and coordinating system 10 is subject to a wide variety of embodiments.

Abstract

Cette invention se rapporte à un système universel ultra-haute définition de rendu, recommandation et coordination précis de couleurs, éclairages et objets (figures 8 et 10) servant à afficher des couleurs, des objets et un éclairage et permettant un rendu précis d'une couleur, d'une pièce, d'un bâtiment, d'un objet, d'une personne ou d'un paysage. Ce système (10) utilise un dispositif de fourniture d'images (12), un dispositif mémoire (14), un processeur (16) et un dispositif d'affichage (18) dont tous les éléments sont étalonnés et coordonnés pour assurer qu'une couleur visualisée est fournie in situ par le dispositif de fourniture d'images (12) soit affichée en mode identique. Ce système (10) peut combiner des images de référence avec des images d'affichage selon un relation à échelle constante et il permet d'afficher ces images avec une grande variété d'effets d'éclairage. Ce système (10) peut en outre faire des suggestions de conception en tenant compte de l'apport des concepteurs, de la recherche de conception et des informations historiques dans la poursuite des objectifs de conception, tout en intégrant les éléments contraignants. Ce système (10) peut être utilisé en relation avec des bâtiments, des vêtements, des automobiles, des personnes et une pluralité d'autres structures et produits.
EP03818020A 2003-07-05 2003-07-05 Systeme universel ultra-haute definition de rendu, recommandation et coordination de couleurs, eclairages et objets Ceased EP1683354A4 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2003/021226 WO2005015909A1 (fr) 2000-08-07 2003-07-05 Systeme universel ultra-haute definition de rendu, recommandation et coordination de couleurs, eclairages et objets

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EP1683354A1 true EP1683354A1 (fr) 2006-07-26
EP1683354A4 EP1683354A4 (fr) 2008-12-03

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EP1683354A4 (fr) 2008-12-03
AU2003304632A1 (en) 2005-02-25

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