KR20110003005U - In-take device for recommending to a customer an appropriate personal care product - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a device for evaluating a person's skin or hair and recommending an appropriate personal care product based on the evaluation. The apparatus includes a camera held in a housing having a housing having a plurality of openings, a lens oriented to receive light through a first of the plurality of openings, at least two light emitting diodes each in contact with the lens, and the housing An activator for protruding through a second of the plurality of openings and for manually switching the light emitting diode, an information storage unit, and a transmission unit in the housing for wireless transmission of image information obtained by the camera.

Description

Acquisition device to recommend the appropriate personal care product to customer {IN-TAKE DEVICE FOR RECOMMENDING TO A CUSTOMER AN APPROPRIATE PERSONAL CARE PRODUCT}

The present invention relates to an in-take device that captures a client's skin or hair image to determine an appropriate personal care product for the customer.

Retail stores have a complex array of personal care products. These may range from leave-on cosmetics to cleansing formulas. Common rib-on cosmetics are face or body care lotions / creams and color cosmetics (eg lipsticks, foundations, eye shadows, dyes). Cleansing formulas are mainly shampoos, body washes and toilet bars. Whatever personal care products are, all personal care products belong to multiple brands, each with a variety of different subbrands. How do buyers want to choose the best product for their skin or hair?

In-store product recommendation charts have been around for a long time. Charts based on customer input information have not been very successful. Some of the systems are complex to operate and judge. Other systems did not attract attention. There is a need for a system that is better than known in order to be easy to understand and to make it easy to understand a system that can recommend personal products.

US Pat. No. 7,104,800 B2 (Ortiz-Valero et al.) Discloses a diagnostic product that can be attached to a store shelf. The product is arranged to recommend at least one personal care product based on a mirror, a plurality of feature selection positions each arranged with or associated with the mirror, each having a plurality of option selectors, and input from the option selector. It includes an output for.

US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0065450 A1 (Leprince) discloses an apparatus for providing hair tinting information. The device includes a data processor and a device that accepts information indicative of the percentage of the subject's aged hair, receives additional information about the subject's natural hair color, and provides recommendations for appropriate hair tinting products based on the information. do.

EP 1 202 209 A1 (Goto) discloses a makeup advice device. The apparatus includes a digital camera for photographing the subject, a strobe for illuminating the subject, and a computer system for processing the captured image and advising the subject about makeup.

None of the systems described above are portable. These devices are not easy to operate. Accordingly, there is a need for improved devices and systems that are portable and lightweight, yet simple to operate to obtain an image of a customer, process the image and recommend a personal care product based on the image.

A device for evaluating a person's skin or hair and recommending an appropriate personal care product based on the evaluation,

A housing having a plurality of openings,

A camera held within the housing having a lens oriented to receive light through the first opening of the plurality of openings;

At least two light emitting diodes each of which is disposed on a side of the lens,

An activator protruding from the housing through a second one of the plurality of openings and for manually switching at least two light emitting diodes,

An information storage unit,

An apparatus is provided comprising a transmission unit in a housing for wireless transmission of image information obtained by a camera.

Other features, structures, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent in view of the drawings.
1 is a front view of the apparatus of the first embodiment.
2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.
3 is a rear view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.
4 is a front perspective view of the apparatus of the second embodiment;
5 is a rear perspective view of the device shown in FIG. 4.
6 is a front perspective view of the apparatus of the third embodiment.
7 is a rear perspective view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 6.

Portable devices have been developed that can measure the skin or hair characteristics of potential customers in a retail environment. The evaluation is based on obtaining a digital image of the client's skin or hair through the device. After capture, the image as imaged information can be stored in a memory chip in the device and / or sent to a remote location for heavy-duty analysis. The transmission unit is provided in the housing to wirelessly transmit the imaged information to the remote location. The transmission may be via a wireless telephone mode, a text message mode or an internet medium.

After the image is processed at a remote location, the evaluation results are then remotely resent to the device. Results are sent back to the device in a retail environment by telephone or internet connection. Among the skin properties, properties such as wrinkles, wounds, colors, color uniformity, pores, roughness, facial light and spots can be evaluated. Analysis of hair images may include assessment of dandruff, radiance, damage and scalp redness. Based on the characteristics evaluated from the imaged information, recommendations are generated from information held in the information storage unit of the device or from a computer program at a remote location.

1 shows a device with a housing 2. There are a number of openings in the housing. The most prominent opening is the first opening 4 used for imaging purposes. The camera 6 is held in a housing and features a lens 8. The first opening allows the lens to receive light imaged from outside the housing.

A bowl-like concave structure 10 surrounds the lens 8. The concave structure serves to guide the optical path of the incoming light. More specifically, this structure serves as a telescopic tunnel for the camera to remove irrelevant objects from the field of view. This allows the camera to focus on the area or portion of the skin or hair of the person identified for evaluation.

The first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 features two light emitting diodes 12, 14. Each diode is located in the first opening at opposite sides such that it is located on the side of the lens. Other embodiments may include more light emitting diodes (LEDs). The number of these LEDs in some embodiments may be 4, 6, 8 or more. In a preferred embodiment, the LED provides high intensity simulated daylight (eg, having a blue spectrum of 400 nm illuminance). Additionally or alternatively, UV and / or near infrared generating LEDs may be employed. Ultraviolet light has the ability to image the structure directly below the skin surface. Near-infrared light can provide information related to skin moisturizing action. The translucent plastic window 9 is arranged in the housing and covers the LEDs. The window 9 functions as a diffuser that scatters the light so that the light is more uniformly incident when the area of hair or skin is inspected. The translucency level should be sufficient to scatter, but insufficient to prevent light from passing through the plastic covering.

The housing 2 has a protruding nose section 16. In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the area of the nose section occupies part of the first opening 4 and houses one of the LED light sources. LEDs provide ancillary but essential illumination to the camera to obtain a properly evaluable image of the potential client's skin or hair. Unlike a typical camera, the LED is not automatically activated when the camera lens is opened to receive the imaged light. Instead, the LEDs are operated manually. This is done via an activator button 18 positioned just below the nose section 16. This positioning provides support to the index finger while pressing the activator button with the index finger. Manual operation eliminates the problems associated with flash type lighting. The activator button 18 protrudes through the second opening 20 of the housing and is in internal contact with the on / off switch.

2 is a plan view of the apparatus as the first embodiment. The further opening 22 is most prominent. An on / off power switch in the form of a button 24 protrudes from this housing through this additional opening. The housing 2 is formed from the front panel 26 and the rear panel 28 which are joined along the connection area 30.

The information storage unit 32 is held in the housing. The information may be displayed on the display screen 34 which the user can see through the third opening 36 of the housing.

In addition, the transmission unit 38 is retained in the housing. The unit operates to transmit / receive wireless transmissions. Preferred transmission units are radiotelephone devices. Alternatively, it may be in the form of a voice-over-internet connection. The image obtained by the camera can be temporarily stored in the information storage unit 32. The image as a digital signal is then sent to a remote receiver. At a remote location, the program analyzes the transmitted image signal. One or more skin or hair properties can be evaluated. Thus, the computer can provide a diagnosis of the skin or hair condition of the imaged person. Thereafter, a product can be recommended that can handle the evaluated defects or provide preventive protection. Information about the analysis of the image and / or these recommendations for the appropriate product are sent back to the device. This information can then be displayed on the display screen 34. After that, the results are passed on to potential customers.

Another functional feature on the housing includes a “home” button 40 for interacting with an internet display on the display screen. A charging port 42 for electrically energizing the system protrudes through the fifth opening at the bottom of the device.

4 shows the apparatus of the second embodiment. The feature includes a housing 102 having a first opening 104 used for imaging. The camera 106 is held in a housing and includes a lens 108. The first opening allows the lens to receive image light from outside the housing.

Concave structure 110 surrounds lens 108. The concave structure and other outer regions within the first openings forming the eye have a black coating to prevent undesirable reflections. A set of two to four light emitting diodes (LEDs) 112 and 114 at opposite sides are disposed on the side of the lens. Unlike conventional cameras, LEDs do not operate automatically when the camera lens is opened to receive the imaged light. Instead, the LEDs are operated manually. This occurs through the activator button 118 positioned below and below the housing closest to the camera. The activator button 118 protrudes through the opening 120 of the housing and is in internal contact with the on / off switch.

5 shows a rear view of the second embodiment. The information storage unit 132 is held in the housing. Of note is a display screen 134 that is visible to the user through the third opening 136 of the housing. The transmission unit 138 is held in the housing. The unit operates to transmit / receive wireless data transmission. The second embodiment operates essentially the same as that described for the first embodiment.

The apparatus of the third embodiment is shown in FIG. The feature includes a housing 202 having a plurality of openings. The most prominent opening is the first opening 204 used for imaging. The camera 206 is held in a housing and features a lens 208. A set of eight white light LEDs 212 are arranged surrounding the lens 208 in the protruding structure 210 extending outwardly from the housing 202. Polarizer screen 213 is located outwardly in front of LED 212. Polarizers and all white LEDs are particularly suitable for imaging hair analysis for glitter, damage, dandruff and scalp redness.

Similar to other embodiments, the LED is not automatically activated when the camera lens is opened to receive the imaged light. Instead, the LEDs are operated manually. This occurs via activator button 218 positioned at the side of the housing.

7 shows a rear view of the third embodiment. The information storage unit 232 is retained in the housing. The information may be displayed on the display screen 234 visible to the user through the third opening 236 of the housing. This embodiment is very similar to the first and second embodiments and operates in essentially the same way.

Claims (9)

A device for evaluating a person's skin or hair and recommending an appropriate personal care product based on the evaluation,
A housing having a plurality of openings,
A camera held within the housing having a lens oriented to receive light through the first opening of the plurality of openings;
At least two light emitting diodes each of which is disposed on a side of the lens,
An activator protruding from the housing through a second one of the plurality of openings and for manually switching at least two light emitting diodes,
An information storage unit,
A transmission unit in the housing for wireless transmission of image information obtained by the camera
Device for recommending appropriate personal care products. The method of claim 1,
And further comprising a display screen visible to the user through a third of the plurality of openings.
Device for recommending appropriate personal care products. The method of claim 1,
At least two light emitting diodes are not automatically activated by the camera in connection with capturing an image.
Device for recommending appropriate personal care products. The method of claim 1,
Further comprising a concave structure surrounding the lens
Device for recommending appropriate personal care products. The method of claim 1,
Further comprising a polarizer positioned over the at least two light emitting diodes
Device for recommending appropriate personal care products. The method of claim 1,
The housing includes a nose section and the activator is at least partially positioned outside the housing below the nose section allowing the user's fingers to be supported by the nose section to allow the fingers to actuate the activator simultaneously.
Device for recommending appropriate personal care products. The method of claim 1,
The housing includes a nose section, the first of the plurality of openings extending into an area of the nose section.
Device for recommending appropriate personal care products. The method of claim 7, wherein
One of the at least two light emitting diodes is positioned within the nose section of the housing.
Device for recommending appropriate personal care products. The method of claim 1,
And further comprising a transparent plastic in the housing covering the at least two light emitting diodes and functioning to diffuse light from the light emitting diodes.
Device for recommending appropriate personal care products.

Images