Patents Assigned to X-Rite Europe GmbH
  • Patent number: 11906357
    Abstract: An illumination device for a spectral optical measurement device includes arranged with respect to an optical axis of the illumination device which, during a measurement operation, extends along a normal to a center point of an area of a sample to be illuminated. One or more segments of a mirror in a shape of a ring are centered on the optical axis. The mirror has an internal reflective surface arranged such that, during the measurement operation, the internal reflective surface receives light emitted from the light source and reflects the light over the area of the sample to be illuminated. The internal reflective surface has a freeform shape in a cross-section through the internal reflective surface in a plane parallel to the optical axis (for example in which the optical axis lies), and, in a cross-section of the mirror in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis, the internal reflective surface is represented by a straight line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: X-RITE EUROPE GMBH
    Inventor: Mark Wegmüller
  • Patent number: 11719578
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for identifying an effect pigment, the method comprising executing, on at least one processor of at least one computer, steps of: a) acquiring sample image data describing a digital image of a layer comprising a sample effect pigment b) determining, based on the sample image data, sparkle point data describing a sample distribution of sparkle points defined by the digital image, wherein the sample distribution is defined in an N-dimensional color space, wherein N is an integer value equal to or larger than 3; c) determining, based on the sparkle point data, sparkle point transformation data describing a transformation of the sample distribution into an (N?1)-dimensional color space; d) determining, based on the sparkle point transformation data, sparkle point distribution geometry data describing a geometry of the sample distribution; e) acquiring reference distribution geometry data describing a geometry of a reference distribution of sparkle points in the (N?1)-dimensional colo
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: X-RITE EUROPE GMBH
    Inventors: Wilhelm H. Kettler, Milos Sormaz, Peter Ehbets
  • Patent number: 10895505
    Abstract: A color measuring apparatus includes a measurement assembly which includes at least one illumination assembly for applying substantially parallel illumination light to a measurement spot of a measurement object and a pick-up assembly for capturing the measurement light radiated back from the measurement spot in an observation direction and for converting the same into corresponding electrical signals. The illumination assembly includes at least two illumination subassemblies which illuminate the measurement spot from different illumination sub-directions near a first preset nominal illumination direction, each with preferably parallel illumination light. By the illumination from different illumination sub-directions slightly deviating from the nominal illumination direction, angular errors of the illumination assembly can be compensated for in a simple manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: X-RITE EUROPE GMBH
    Inventor: Beat Frick
  • Patent number: 10724901
    Abstract: A colour measurement device includes a measurement array (MA) which includes: a plurality of illumination arrays (20, 30, 40) for exposing a measurement spot (MS) on a measurement object (MO) to illumination light in an actual illumination direction (2, 3, 4) in each case, and a pick-up array (50) for detecting the measurement light reflected by the measurement spot (MS) in an actual observation direction (5) and for converting it into preferably spectral reflection factors; and a controller for the illumination arrays and the pick-up array and for processing the electrical signals produced by the pick-up array. The controller is embodied to process the measured reflection factors on the basis of a correction model, such that distortions in the measurement values as compared to nominal illumination and/or observation directions, caused by angular errors in the illumination arrays and/or the pick-up array, are corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: X-Rite Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Ehbets, Matthias Scheller Lichtenauer
  • Patent number: 9025155
    Abstract: A hand-held color measurement device is provided that is designed especially for measurements on curved surfaces includes a housing that accommodates a measurement array and further includes a housing base and a measurement opening arranged in the housing base, through which measurement opening a measurement spot on the surface of a measurement object is illuminated and the measurement light reflected by the measurement spot is picked up. The measurement array includes an illumination array for applying illumination light to the measurement spot in at least one illumination direction, and a pick-up array for detecting the measurement light in at least one observation direction. A multi-point bearing includes at least three pin-shaped support members and is arranged on the housing base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: X-Rite Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Danhamer, Lido Feri, Marco Kessler
  • Patent number: 8995010
    Abstract: A digital printer is equipped with a built-in color measurement device in the form of a colorimeter or spectral photometer, as well as with color management support. The built-in color measurement device is used for control and optimization of the print output, especially for the simplification, optimization and automation of the work processes and for the verification of the output results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: X-Rite Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Senn, Francis Lamy
  • Publication number: 20150032430
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of digitally generating, via the use of a computer, data indicative of a synthesized appearance of a simulated material having physically plausible appearance attributes. The method includes determining a set of data indicative of the synthesized appearance of the simulated material based at least in part on data associated with the physically tangible source material and at least in part on data of measured attributes of the physically tangible reference material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: X-RITE EUROPE GMBH
    Inventors: Martin Rump, Marc S. Ellens, Adrian Kohlbrenner, Francis Lamy, Beat Frick
  • Publication number: 20140152990
    Abstract: A hand-held measurement device for appearance analyses includes a measurement array which comprises a number of illumination means for applying illumination light to a measurement field in at least three illumination directions and a number of pick-up means for capturing the measurement light in at least one observation direction. The illumination directions and the observation directions lie in a common system plane. At least one pick-up means is embodied to spectrally gauge the measurement light in a locally integral way, and at least one imaging pick-up means is embodied to gauge the measurement light in terms of colour in a locally resolved way. The spectral pick-up means and the locally resolving pick-up means are arranged such that they receive the measurement light reflected by the measurement field under the same observation conditions and in particular from the same observation direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: X-RITE EUROPE GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Ehbets, Beat Frick, Mark Wegmuller, Jorg Hunkemeier, Guido Niederer
  • Publication number: 20140063500
    Abstract: A hand-held color measurement device is provided that is designed especially for measurements on curved surfaces includes a housing that accommodates a measurement array and further includes a housing base and a measurement opening arranged in the housing base, through which measurement opening a measurement spot on the surface of a measurement object is illuminated and the measurement light reflected by the measurement spot is picked up. The measurement array includes an illumination array for applying illumination light to the measurement spot in at least one illumination direction, and a pick-up array for detecting the measurement light in at least one observation direction. A multi-point bearing includes at least three pin-shaped support members and is arranged on the housing base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: X-RITE EUROPE GMBH
    Inventors: Bernd Danhamer, Lido Feri, Marco Kessler
  • Patent number: 8441642
    Abstract: A color measuring device includes a lighting arrangement for a measurement field of a measurement object to be measured, a pick-up arrangement for detecting the measurement light reflected back from the measurement field and for converting it into corresponding electric signals, an electronic circuit for controlling operation of the color measuring device and for processing and evaluating the electric signals, and a display for displaying measurement results. The lighting arrangement has a lamp ring with three identical lamp groups for illuminating the measurement field from a predefined range of angles of incidence. The pick-up arrangement has a digital camera which creates an image of the measured measurement field. The electronic circuit is designed to switch the light sources of the lamp groups on sequentially, and the camera creates a separate image of the measurement field for every switched-on light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: X-Rite Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Mark Wegmuller, Beat Frick
  • Patent number: 8334978
    Abstract: In a method for gauging a color measurement chart which includes at least one row of color measurement fields, a hand-held color measurement device is moved over the color measurement fields and gauges the color measurement fields. The measurement device is guided over the color measurement fields in two measurement runs. In a first run, first color measurement data is measured using a first type of illumination light (typically, white), covering a sufficient portion of the spectrum to enable the fields to be identified by means of the first color measurement data, and the fields are identified on the basis of the first color measurement data. In a second run, second color measurement data is measured using a second type of illumination light (typically, UV), and is then assigned to the color measurement fields on the basis of the fields identified in the first run.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: X-Rite Europe GmbH
    Inventor: Adrian von Orelli
  • Patent number: 8284400
    Abstract: A hand-held color measurement device is provided that includes a housing with a measurement unit which receives measurement light through a measurement window, converts it into measurement signals, processes the measurement signals to form digital color measurement data, and provides it via a communications interface. A U-shaped bracket is arranged on the housing and includes a middle portion in which a diffuser is integrated. The two side arms of the bracket are rotatably mounted on the housing such that the bracket can be pivoted by 180° from a monitor position to an ambient light position and back to the monitor position, and wherein the diffuser lies in front of the measurement window in the ambient light position and is situated at a rear wall of the housing opposite the front wall in the monitor position. A holding mechanism is provided on the housing and on the two side arms of the bracket which fixes the bracket in its monitor position or ambient light position, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: X-Rite Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Zachary Hastings, Steven Vordenberg, Andrew Masia, Daniel Dupuis, Marco Kessler, Beat Frick
  • Publication number: 20120250020
    Abstract: A hand-held color measurement device is provided that includes a housing with a measurement unit which receives measurement light through a measurement window, converts it into measurement signals, processes the measurement signals to form digital color measurement data, and provides it via a communications interface. A U-shaped bracket is arranged on the housing and includes a middle portion in which a diffuser is integrated. The two side arms of the bracket are rotatably mounted on the housing such that the bracket can be pivoted by 180° from a monitor position to an ambient light position and back to the monitor position, and wherein the diffuser lies in front of the measurement window in the ambient light position and is situated at a rear wall of the housing opposite the front wall in the monitor position. A holding mechanism is provided on the housing and on the two side arms of the bracket which fixes the bracket in its monitor position or ambient light position, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: X-Rite Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Zachary Hastings, Steven Vordenberg, Andrew Masia, Daniel Dupuis, Marco Kessler, Beat Frick
  • Publication number: 20120253727
    Abstract: In a calibrating method for a filter color measuring device that includes at least three color channels, a calibration matrix for transforming output signals of the color channels into tristimulus color values is formed. The calibration is performed spectrally, wherein the spectral sensitivities of the color channels of the color measuring device and the spectral emission properties of typical light sources are measured and stored, and the calibration matrix is calculated from the spectral sensitivities and the spectral emission properties of the light sources and the spectral evaluation functions of the standard observer, e.g., according to CIE 1931.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: X-Rite Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas A. Lianza, Andrew Masia, Wang Long Zhou, Richard Federico, Beat Frick
  • Publication number: 20120250022
    Abstract: A hand-held color measurement device is provided that includes a housing with an opto-measurement unit. The latter includes an optics array for receiving measurement light and a sensor array which is exposed to the measurement light, converts the measurement light into electrical measurement signals, and processes them to form digital measurement data. The measurement unit (M) consists of an aspherical input lens (L1), an aperture (B) for limiting the incident angular range, a depolarizing diffuser (D), a sensor lens (L2) and at least three sensors (S1, 52, S3) which are sensitized to different spectral ranges using color filters (F1, F2, F3). The aperture (B) lies substantially in the focal plane of the input lens (L1), and the diffuser (D) is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the aperture (B) and in the focal plane of the sensor lens (L2). The filters (F1, F2, F3) and the sensors (S1, S2, S3) are arranged close to the optical axis (A) and exposed to substantially parallel measurement light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: X-Rite Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Wang Long Zhou, Andrew Masia, Beat Frick
  • Patent number: 8279440
    Abstract: A hand-held light measuring device includes a device housing (G) with a bottom face incorporating a measuring window (7) through which a measurement optical path extends so that a measurement object can be measured when the device housing (G) is positioned with its bottom face on the measurement object. The measuring device has an integrated, displaceably mounted white reference tile, which can be moved into the measurement optical path and moved back out of it again. The white reference tile is disposed in an end region of an oblong support plate (10) on its side directed towards the housing interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: X-Rite Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Beat Frick, Lido Feri, Stefan Knechtle
  • Patent number: 8172196
    Abstract: A device for supporting a mobile calorimeter on a measuring object, especially a monitor, includes a flexible tube-shaped carrying belt (G) which is at least partially filled with a granular loading material and which is provided with a fixing member (1) for its installation on the calorimeter (MD). The supporting device may further include a pocket (T) provided with measuring and operating apertures for receiving the mobile calorimeter (MD), and the carrying belt (G) may be fastened to the pocket (T). The carrying belt (G) may be formed substantially as a closed loop and may be provided with a Velcro fastener for its lengthwise adjustment. The supporting device permits easy and comfortable positioning of the measuring apparatus on a monitor and at the same time serves as a carrying belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: X-Rite Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Danhamer, Stefan Diethelm
  • Patent number: 7884941
    Abstract: A measuring system for photoelectrically scanning measurement points of a measurement object includes a lighting channel (21-24) for applying illuminating light to the measurement object (M) disposed in a measurement plane (MP) and a measuring channel (11-13) for capturing and photoelectrically converting the measurement light reflected by the measurement points of the measurement object M. The lighting channel and/or the measuring channel is configured so as to detect the reflection properties of the measurement points in several wavelength bands. The lighting channel (21-24) has a spatial light modulator controlled by an electronic control unit (40) for generating a spatial lighting pattern which causes illuminating light to be selectively applied to measurements points (25) of interest of the measurement object (M).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: X-Rite Europe GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Ehbets
  • Publication number: 20100328667
    Abstract: A color measuring device includes a lighting arrangement (10) for a measurement field (MF) of a measurement object (MO) to be measured, a pick-up arrangement (20) for detecting the measurement light reflected back from the measurement field and for converting it into corresponding electric signals, an electronic circuit (200) for controlling operation of the color measuring device and for processing and evaluating the electric signals, and a display (D) for displaying measurement results. The lighting arrangement (10) has a lamp ring (11) with three identical lamp groups (L1, L2, L3), mutually offset an angle of preferably 120°, each with, for example, 10 light sources (Ln) with different radiation characteristics in the form of light-emitting diodes for illuminating the measurement field (MF) from a predefined range of angles of incidence. The pick-up arrangement (20) has a digital camera (22) which creates an image of the measured measurement field (MF) made up of image pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: X-RITE EUROPE GMBH
    Inventors: Mark Wegmuller, Beat Frick
  • Publication number: 20100328656
    Abstract: A hand-held light measuring device includes a device housing (G) with a bottom face incorporating a measuring window (7) through which a measurement optical path extends so that a measurement object can be measured when the device housing (G) is positioned with its bottom face on the measurement object. The measuring device has an integrated, displaceably mounted white reference tile, which can be moved into the measurement optical path and moved back out of it again. The white reference tile is disposed in an end region of an oblong support plate (10) on its side directed towards the housing interior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: X-RITE EUROPE GMBH
    Inventors: Beat Frick, Lido Feri, Stefan Knechtle