JP2004526215A - Online color trading system - Google Patents

Abstract

No abstract.

Description

[0001]
(Technical field)
The present invention relates to color physics, and more particularly, to a system for accurately communicating color demand and supply over electronic media.
[0002]
(Background technology)
The development of global standards for weight and units of measure has greatly facilitated cross-border commerce. The seller can measure the fabric using a widely accepted scale or ruler, and can quantify the fabric, such as weighing 100 kg or 3000 m in length. Therefore, the buyer can know the amount of the fabric accurately without physically examining the fabric. This makes it much easier for the seller to physically inspect the fabric, greatly reducing transaction costs and allowing for transactions between parties over long distances.
[0003]
However, the color representation is more complicated. A simple color description, such as red or blue, gives a general concept of color, but this is too inaccurate in many commercial situations. If an accurate color representation is required, the colors are communicated by means of physical samples examined by the parties. Passing physical samples from one party to the other significantly increases the time required to complete the transaction, even if the physical samples were sent by overnight courier .
[0004]
The textile industry customarily uses cloth swatches. Dye suppliers provide a variety of purchasers with booklets of sample fabric that have been dyed with the dyes available from each supplier. When a dye user (dye factory) wants to evaluate the colors that can be produced by using a particular concentration of dye on a particular substrate, the dye user will need the closest combination of fabrics to meet his requirements. You can see a sample. By providing the buyer with a swatch booklet, the formula can be created faster and therefore customer service can be improved. Contrary to the advantages of a swatch booklet, there are also many disadvantages. A swatch booklet is expensive to manufacture and cannot be copied, thus increasing marginal costs. In addition, dye suppliers must distribute a swatch booklet to each of their customers and prospective customers. Since customers are often located around the world, such distributions involve significant time delays. In addition, the swatch booklet must be updated or replaced each time the generated dye is added. Due to the costs and time delays associated with cloth swatch booklets, dye users (dying factories) often cease changing dyes. Also, cloth swatch booklets can be used for the sale of dyed products such as fabrics or yarns. When the purchaser wants to purchase a specific color fabric or yarn, the purchaser simply specifies the specific color from the swatch booklet and informs the manufacturer (fabric or yarn dyeing factory) of the dyed product. Only.
[0005]
There are several ways to transfer colors electronically, but electronic transfer of colors is currently inaccurate. For example, color is transmitted from one party to another by optically scanning a sample of the color and electronically transmitting a digital representation of the color over a communications medium to a computer monitor or printer. Can be transmitted. The transmission of the digital representation is nearly instantaneous and can be transmitted virtually anywhere in the world by use of the Internet or the public switched telephone network. However, the digital display must conform to predetermined standards that are recognizable by both the optical scanner and the output device. If the optical scanner and output device are separated by a long distance, the optical scanner and output device can use different standards. In addition, the digital display generated is based on the illumination, the dyed substrate, and the calibration parameters of the optical scanner. The appearance on the output device is based on the calibration parameters of the output device.
[0006]
The CIE 1976 L * a * b * color space is the most widely used method for measuring object color. CIE 1976 L * a * b * is a mathematical model that expresses the sensation of color, and is based on the expression theory of the opposite color. The method of representing color by the opposite type system is that somewhere between the eye and the brain, information from the cone receptors of the eye is encoded into a light-dark signal, a red-green signal, and a yellow-blue signal. Follow the idea that The concept follows that color can be viewed as a combination of red and yellow, red and blue, green and yellow, and green and blue. One advantage of the CIE 1976 L * a * b * standard is that the differences between colors consistently match the visual perception of the differences.
[0007]
The digital representation of the color produced by an optical scanner depends on various factors, such as the dyed substrate and lighting. Therefore, the optical scanner can digitally display the read color. Conversely, a spectrophotometer is a device that exposes a dyed substrate to a series of lights having different predetermined wavelengths and measures the degree of reflectance for each wavelength. Thus, the spectrophotometer measures the "true" color as opposed to the sensed color.
[0008]
Spectrophotometers measure true color properties, but spectrophotometer results vary considerably, depending on calibration parameters.
[0009]
(Disclosure of the Invention)
The present invention is directed to an online color physical website system and method that defines a standardized color space for defining all colors in the visible spectrum. The spectrophotometer on the controlling client computer, controlled by the software program on the server computer, produces a digital representation of the input colorant as it appears at a known concentration on a known substrate or dyed product. The structure of the data on the server computer stores the digital representation and is accessible worldwide.
[0010]
(Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention)
Referring to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a color trading system 100 is shown. The color trading system 100 links with members of the dye product supply chain. Members of the dye product supply chain include manufacturers 101 of dyes, paints, and other materials used to color (called colorants), products that use colorants to dye various products (dyes). (Referred to as products), a dye product assembler 103 that assembles dye products into finished products, and any number of brokers 104 leading retailers. Colorant manufacturers 101 can include, for example, dye wholesalers and paint manufacturers. Dye product manufacturers 102 may include, for example, fabric dyers, dye shops, automotive component manufacturers, and molded plastic manufacturers. Dye product assemblers 103 include, for example, clothing manufacturers and automobile manufacturers. A seller, which can include any of the parties mentioned above, can communicate an inventory of available colorants or dyed products for sale. A buyer, which can include any of the other parties mentioned above, can communicate the colorant or dyed product requested for purchase. Information about the requested and sold colors is categorized and cataloged within predefined color measurement and expression standards, known as color spaces. Therefore, buyers and sellers who want to purchase a specific coloring material or dyed product can immediately communicate the color, find the buyer and seller, and secure the transaction. Can be.
[0011]
By concentrating the colors requested and the colors sold, the color trading system 100 substantially reduces the cost of trading. For example, a seller can reduce costs associated with advertising product information for sale. Buyers are reduced in contact with each seller and inventory research. By reducing transaction costs, color trading system 100 improves market liquidity for colorants. To further improve the market liquidity of colorants and dyed products, high-speed communication between buyers and sellers and the color trading system 100 is required.
[0012]
Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a block diagram of a high speed information communication network, generally indicated by the reference numeral 200, for facilitating the color trading system 100 described in FIG. The computer network 200 includes at least one server 205 and any number of client computers 210. The server 205 is a computer that centralizes various resources for processing by an arbitrary number of client computers. Resources centralized by server 205 may include, for example, application programs 215 and database 220. Further, the server 205 can provide an email service to the client computer 210. Application program 215 is preferably a multi-user program that includes a series of executable instructions stored in the memory of server 205 and that can be used simultaneously by multiple client computers 210.
[0013]
Client computer 210 accesses centralized resources by establishing an input / output connection with server 205, known as a client / server connection. A client / server connection is established by the information communication channel 225. Information communication channel 225 includes any combination of information communication media, such as, but not limited to, a coaxial cable, fiber optic link, wireless communication link, or public switched telephone network connection. Another type of information communication medium is known as the Internet. The Internet is made up of any number of local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs) from businesses, educational institutions, the military, and government agencies around the world, connected together by large, high-capacity data links.
[0014]
In many cases, both the client computer 210 and the server 205 are directly connected to the Internet. The client computer 210 and the server 205 communicate by addressing and transmitting data packets according to the Internet protocol to establish a client / server connection. Alternatively, the client computer 210 uses a connection medium (usually a public switched telephone network connection) to establish a connection with an Internet port known as an Internet Service Provider (ISP), and then use the Internet to A connection can be established from the ISP to the client computer 210.
[0015]
The color trading system 100 can be associated with the server 205 while each member 101, 102, 103, 104 of the dye product supply chain can access the color trading system 100 via the client computer 210. it can. By performing the above-described method, information can be immediately communicated between the buyer and seller and the color trading system 100. In addition, the centralized nature of server 205 allows information regarding seller inventory and buyer demand to be stored in remotely accessible database 220. The server 205 is preferably connected directly to the Internet, wherein at least a major element of the communication channel includes the Internet, allowing access from client computers 210 located substantially anywhere in the world. .
[0016]
The high-speed information communication network 200 enables quick and efficient information communication between buyers and sellers. However, despite the high-speed telecommunications, one fundamental problem that arises between buyers and sellers in any cross-border commerce is the cessation of trading the goods the buyer is trying to purchase. Before you can do that. The buyer can actually verify that the item is acceptable only after the buyer has actually received the item. Partly solving the aforementioned problems is the development of global standards for weight and units of measurement. The seller can measure the fabric using a widely accepted scale or ruler and can quantify the fabric as weighing 100 kg, 3,000 meters in length, or the like. Therefore, the buyer does not need to physically check the fabric, and can know the amount of the fabric accurately.
[0017]
However, representing the colorants or dyed products owned by the seller so that the buyer can correctly evaluate it is relatively fairly complex. Representations of simple colors such as red and blue are not very accurate for many industrial applications. For example, a dye product assembler 103, such as a clothing manufacturer 103, purchases a set of fasteners and sewing threads from the dye product manufacturer 102 and seeks to use the particular material to make clothing. . Clothing manufacturer 103 must purchase fasteners and sewing threads that fit within certain narrow tolerances for the color of the material. For apparel manufacturer 103, in order to approve and purchase such fasteners and sewing threads, apparel manufacturer 103 communicates with the required color to communicate with the fasteners manufactured by dyed product manufacturer 102. You must understand the color of the sewing thread.
[0018]
Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a block diagram of a color space for expressing a color, which is generally indicated by a display number 300. The most widely used color space 300 is known as the CIE 1976 L * a * b * color space. CIE 1976 L * a * b * is a mathematical model that expresses the sensation of color, and is based on the expression theory of the opposite color. The concept follows that colors can be viewed as a combination of red and green, yellow and blue, and black and white. One advantage of the CIE 1976 Lab is that the differences between colors consistently match the visual perception of the differences. A particular color is associated with a set of parameter measurements that measure the red / green, blue / yellow, and black / white components. These measurements uniquely represent color, with the red / green parameter measurements plotted as points on the red / green axis 305a and the blue / yellow parameter measurements blue / yellow. Can be displayed as a single point in a three-dimensional color space 300 where the measured values of the black / white parameters are plotted as points on the black / white axis 305c. .
[0019]
Information regarding the seller's inventory or buyer's demand can be communicated using the color space 300 described above. Further, this information can be cataloged and stored in database 220 as a record in a data structure simulating color space 300. The aforementioned data structure categorizes and allows the record to be searched by the visual appearance of the colors.
[0020]
Referring to FIG. 4, a block diagram of a system, generally designated by the display number 400, for entering the colors of the sample 402 into an online database, including a data structure simulating a color space, such as the database 220, is shown. It is shown. Sample 402 can have either the color of the colorant or dyed product in stock at the seller, or the color of the colorant or dyed product as required by the buyer to match. The system includes a spectrophotometer 405 attached to the client computer 210.
[0021]
Note that the colors look different based on the ambient light and the substrate. Further, different colors may look the same based on ambient light and the substrate. The above-described action is known as a condition-matching color. The spectrophotometer 405 performs a wavelength reflection test on the sample 402. The wavelength reflection test on sample 402 allows the result to represent color independent of ambient light. In addition, if the spectrophotometer performs separate wavelength reflection tests on the stained and unstained samples of the substrate, the effect of the substrate is mathematically separated and the results for the effect of the stained substrate are obtained. Can be obtained alone.
[0022]
Referring to FIG. 5, a block diagram of a histogram, generally indicated by the display number 500, is shown. The histogram 500 includes a horizontal axis 505 that measures a wavelength 510 of light. The spectrophotometer 405 emits light of a predetermined intensity to the sample 402 for each of the wavelengths 510 (typically 32 different wavelengths spread evenly around the visible spectrum). The intensity of the light reflected from the sample 402 is measured by the spectrophotometer 405, and the ratio of the intensity of the light reflected from the sample 402 to the intensity of the light irradiated on the sample 402 is shown on the graph with respect to the vertical axis 518. Is represented by a plot 515. An exemplary measurement of the ratio of the intensity of light reflected from sample 402 to the intensity of light illuminated on sample 402 is represented by plot 515. Collecting the coordinates of plot 515 forms a histogram record.
[0023]
Still referring to FIG. 4, a histogram record for sample 402 is provided to application program 215. The application program 215 performs a mathematical transformation that converts the histogram record to a record based on the CIE 1976 L * a * b * standard three-dimensional color space. Note that the CIE 1976 L * a * b * standard is the most prevalent, but other color standards can be used. The histogram record is an output to the database 220 for storage. The CIE 1976 L * a * b * standard parameter measurements under one standard light source are used as a classification index in the database 220 to facilitate retrieval of histogram records. In addition, the application program 215 calculates a CIE 1976 L * a * b * standard parameter measurement of the resulting color from the known concentration of the colorant on the sample 402 applied to a particular known substrate. be able to.
[0024]
Note that computers such as server 205 and client computer 210 can execute low-level, machine-specific instructions known as machine code. As the Internet spreads around the world, incompatibilities have arisen between applications 215 on server 205 and client computers 210. To alleviate the problems described above, a program known as a browser 420 is used on the client computer 210. The browser 420 is a program that executes an application program written in a high-level programming language, such as the application program 215. Thus, the application program 215 need only be written in a high-level programming language, such as Java, that can be used by the browser 420 without exception.
[0025]
The browser 420 also supports the transfer of the histogram from the client computer 210 to the server 205. The client / server connection is established by providing the browser with an address for the server 205 associated with a predetermined addressing scheme and communication protocol. The browser 420 transfers the histogram record by encapsulating the histogram record as an object and transferring the object to the application program 215.
[0026]
Further, it is desirable to provide a user interface program 425 between the user and the spectrophotometer 405. The user interface program 425 instructs the user to apply the sample 402 to the spectrophotometer 405. After applying the sample 402, the user can indicate via the user interface 425 that the sample 402 is ready for evaluation. In response to a user instruction, the user interface program 425 may cause the spectrophotometer 405 to evaluate the sample 402. The user interface program 425 may be configured as a plug-in program. The plug-in program is a program that interacts with the browser 420 and is called by the browser 420.
[0027]
Storing records in the database 220 is advantageous for several reasons. One advantage is that sellers and buyers who want to buy or sell a particular colorant or dyed product can easily locate each other by looking at the histogram records in database 220. A seller wishing to sell a colorant or dyed product can easily scan the sample 402 for color using the spectrophotometer 405, as described above, and store the histogram records stored in the database 220, as well as contact information. You can have an in-stock supply for investigation by future buyers. If a seller wants to sell a colorant, the application program 215 can generate a histogram record representing any number of colors formed by applying a known concentration of the colorant to a known substrate. In a similar manner, a buyer who wants to buy a colorant or dyed product can easily scan the sample 402 for color using the spectrophotometer 405, providing contact information and the need for future seller research. Along with the quantity, one can have a histogram record stored in the database 220. As the buyer or seller scans the sample 402, the application program 215 may relate to either a buyer who wants to purchase a similar colorant or dyed product within a reasonable threshold, or a seller that can supply a similar colorant or dyed product. , The search of the histogram records in the database 220 can be facilitated. The application program 215 searches the database 220 by using the color space parameter of the color as a database query parameter.
[0028]
Another key advantage is that the recipe for the colorant using the histogram record in the database 220 can be calculated to produce a specific colorant within a certain threshold required by the buyer. is there. The greater the number of reactants, the greater the number of formulations that can be brought closer to the particular desired colorant. For example, a dye product manufacturer, such as a fabric dyer 102, can easily scan a fabric sample 402 for the required colorant with a spectrophotometer 405 and forward the histogram record to an application program 215. . The application program 215 can examine the records of the histograms in the database 220 and devise a formulation that results in a colorant that matches the colorant on the sample 402 within a predetermined threshold. To give some examples, the fabric dyer 102 may provide various parameters, such as limitations on the number of colorants, the amount of a particular colorant, the price, the inclusion of a particular colorant, and the exclusion of a particular colorant. Can be set. The application program 215 can then operate as a search engine that formulates a recipe for the fabric dyer 102. In the case of a seller, the dye wholesaler 101, who finds a fabric dyer 102 for a particular color match, has an application program 215 to select the required colorant from the dye wholesaler 101 inventory of colorants. Can be calculated. The dye wholesaler 101 then produces a colorant for the product and sells the colorant to the fabric dyer 102.
[0029]
The centralized nature of server 205 and application program 215 provides additional benefits for formula calculations. The application program 215 also provides that the prediction of the formulation for a particular set of colorants and substrates can also be based on actual results obtained from past formulations, including some colorants in the colorant or substrate set. It can be configured to be based on The actual results of past formulations can be obtained by the user scanning the resulting colorant or dye product sample 402 with the spectrophotometer 405. Also, a representative value of the resulting colorant or dye product histogram record may be stored in the database 220.
[0030]
In a centralized server 205 environment, where many users use the same predicted functional resources, eg, application program 215 and database 220, the actual resulting colorant or dye product data, or derived from that data. The corrected correction factor can be used by one user who has already used a particular colorant and substrate set to another user who has begun using some or all of that colorant and substrate set. Can be passed to The application program 215 can then use the aforementioned data to calculate a more accurate recipe for another user.
[0031]
Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a block diagram of a color trading system 100 configured to facilitate the buying and selling of colorants and dyed products. The members 101, 102, 103, and 104 of the dye product supply chain register with the color trading system 100 and provide the member information file stored in the merchant database 605 to the color trading system 100. The member information file includes various identification information and financial information related to the member. In addition, the color trading system 100 includes a messaging system 610, an application program 215, and a trade database 615.
[0032]
If the buyer finds a future seller, or vice versa, the buyer / seller will send a messaging system 610, such as an email, to each other using contact information in the database 220 that stores the color space. By transmitting the electronic messages used, they can communicate with each other. The server 205 plays a role as an electronic mail server, thereby facilitating transmission of electronic messages. When buyers and sellers agree to buy and sell a particular colorant, buyers and sellers can record the details of the transaction in transaction database 615. After consent, the buyer can pay for the purchase using an electronic payment system such as a credit or debit card. The credit / debit card account or information can be retrieved from the merchant database 605 by the application program 215, or alternatively can be provided by the buyer at the time of the transaction.
[0033]
The color trading system 100 authenticates the buyer's credit or available funds by requesting credit to the sales price over a data link from an information exchange center 620 affiliated with the buyer's financial institution. If the buyer's institution 620 refuses to issue a credit, the transaction is aborted by the color trading system 100 and both the buyer and seller are notified. Alternatively, the buyer can arrange to wire funds from one bank account to a bank account 625 associated with the color trading system 100. The color trading system 100 is also connected via a data link to a bank account 625 associated with the data link.
[0034]
The issuance of credit by the buyer's financial institution 620 or receipt of the buyer's funds in the bank account 625 associated with the color trading system 100 is electronically confirmed on a data link. When the buyer's funds are received, the color trading system 100 notifies the seller and requests that the delivery of goods be commenced. When the seller presents proof that the item has been delivered in accordance with the terms of the transaction, the color trading system 100 delivers the funds as payment to the seller. The required proof provided by the seller may include, for example, a bill of lading. Alternatively, buyers and sellers can agree on terms that, for example, alternately bear loading freight, etc., which are recorded in transaction database 615. In such a case, the seller must provide proof of delivery, as detailed in the sales contract in transaction database 615.
[0035]
Proof of delivery is presented by a direct data link to courier 630 and shipper 635. When the seller delivers to the courier 630 or the shipper 635, the courier / shipper electronically transmits proof of proper delivery. In response, the color trading system delivers the payment funds to the seller.
[0036]
Further, the color trading system 100 can facilitate the purchase of insurance to insure the delivery of the colorant. The color trading system 100 can provide links to various insurance companies 640 from which members can purchase insurance. As a source of revenue, the color trading system 100 may receive a fee for each insurance transaction or charge a flat advertising fee to each insurance company 640.
[0037]
Referring to FIG. 7, a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the color trading system 100 in an exemplary colorant trade is shown. At step 705, color trading system 100 receives information indicating a colorant or dyed product in the inventory of any number of sellers. At step 710, the color trading system 100 receives information relating to the colorant or dyed product that the buyer wants to purchase. At step 715, the color trading system 100 combines one buyer and any number of sellers so that the seller producing the colorant sought by the buyer can provide the colorant or dyed product. it can. The foregoing can occur in a variety of ways. For example, a buyer looking into database 220 can find a seller, or vice versa. Alternatively, if the buyer is looking for a colorant, the buyer can use the application program 215 to generate a recipe, where such a recipe includes the seller's colorant. In another example, where a buyer looks for a colorant, the seller can use the application program 215 to generate a recipe and notify the buyer. At step 720, the buyer and seller attempt to negotiate a transaction. If the negotiation is unsuccessful, there is no trade result and no further action by the color trading system 100 is taken.
[0038]
If the negotiation through step 720 was successful, a record of the transaction is received by color trading system 100 and stored in transaction database 615 (step 725). In step 725, the color trading system 100 allows the buyer to fund the color trading system 100 for a predetermined time. If the buyer fails to provide funding within a predetermined time, color trading system 100 aborts the transaction and notifies both parties (step 730) and takes no further action.
[0039]
During step 725, when the color trading system receives the buyer's funds, the color trading system 100 notifies the seller to begin delivery (step 735). The seller can present proof of delivery for a predetermined time according to the terms of the transaction (step 740). If the seller fails to provide such proof within a predetermined time, color trading system 100 aborts the transaction (step 745) and returns the funds to the buyer (step 750). If the seller presents such proof within a predetermined time according to the terms of the transaction, the color trading system 100 hands over the buyer's funds as payment to the seller (step 755), thereby completing the transaction. I do.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG.
It is a block diagram of a color trading system.
FIG. 2
1 is a block diagram of a high-speed information communication network configured to facilitate a color trading system.
FIG. 3
It is a block diagram of a color space.
FIG. 4
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system for inputting sample colors.
FIG. 5
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an exemplary histogram.
FIG. 6
1 is a block diagram of a color trading system configured to facilitate the sale and purchase of colorants and dyed products.
FIG. 7
It is a flowchart explaining operation | movement of a color trading system.

Claims (16)

Receiving color information for at least one item on a first client / server connection connected to a first client computer associated with at least one seller and connecting to a second client computer associated with the buyer A server for receiving color information about the item being requested on the second client / server connection
A computer-readable medium for storing a plurality of executable instructions on the server;
Including
A color trading system for selling merchandise, wherein the executable instructions include a function for converting color information about at least one merchandise into at least one point in a color space. The color trading system according to claim 1, further comprising a database for storing the color information on a server, wherein the color information is indexed with at least one point in a color space. The color trading system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of executable instructions are executable by a browser program on the first client computer and the second client computer. The color trading system according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of instructions can be executed simultaneously on the first client computer and the second client computer. The color trading system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of executable instructions further have a function of determining a target point in a color space corresponding to color information of a requested product. The plurality of executable instructions further include a function for finding at least one seller from a plurality of sellers, wherein the color information about at least one item received from the client associated with the seller comprises a target point. 6. The color trading system according to claim 5, wherein the value is converted into at least one point in a color space within a range of a predetermined threshold value. The article includes a colorant, and the computer readable medium further comprises a function for finding the at least one seller from a plurality of sellers, the computer readable medium being received from a client associated with the at least one seller. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the color information on the at least one product is converted into a plurality of points in a color space corresponding to a plurality of coloring materials producing a requested coloring material. The color trading system described. A method for selling goods, wherein
Receiving color information about at least one product from at least one seller,
Receive color information from the buyer for the requested product,
Pairing the buyer and the at least one seller such that the dyeing information of at least one item from the at least one seller is similar to the color information of the requested item. Features method. Claiming receiving the information about at least one colorant from at least one seller comprises receiving reflection measurements at a plurality of wavelengths corresponding to the colorants associated with the corresponding plurality of wavelengths. Item 9. The method according to Item 8. Receiving information about the at least one colorant from the at least one seller includes converting a plurality of wavelength reflection measurements associated with the plurality of wavelengths to at least one point in a color space. The method of claim 9, wherein the method is characterized in that: 11. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving information about the requested colorant from the buyer further comprises determining a target point in a color space that represents color information about the requested product. The described method. Pairing the buyer and the at least one seller includes finding at least one seller from a plurality of sellers, wherein the staining information associated with at least one item from the at least one seller is the target information. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the point is transformed into at least one point within a predetermined threshold of points. Wherein the product comprises a coloring material and pairing the buyer with at least one seller comprises finding at least one seller from a plurality of sellers; and at least one from the at least one seller. 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the dyeing information on the product is converted into a plurality of points in the color space, and the plurality of points correspond to a plurality of coloring materials for manufacturing a required coloring material. The method described in. 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving a transaction agreement from the buyer or the at least one seller, wherein the transaction agreement includes a transaction price and proof of required delivery. the method of. The method of claim 14, comprising receiving funds corresponding to a transaction price from a buyer. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving proof of delivery from the seller and transferring buyer's funds to the seller in response to receiving proof of delivery from the seller.

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