Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring with a Color Measurement System of predetermined specification and evaluating the color of skin, teeth, hair and material substances with a Color Index. The principles of this invention also relate to techniques for using such a Color Measurement System with the Color Index in medical applications such as the detection of chromogenic disease including bilirubin infant jaundice, cosmetics applications and in the evaluation of the color of hair or teeth, and other applications.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for calibrating a color measuring instrument with a color standard and verifying the color standard and calibration are provided. One method includes providing a color standard having a surface with at least two different colors (preferably arranged for a simultaneous color measurement), calibrating the instrument, and verifying that said color standard is an authorized color standard of a predetermined specification and that the calibration of the color measuring instrument has achieved predetermined specified results. Some of the provided methods and apparatus use a photosensitive portion of the color standard that changes color in a known way when exposed to a predetermined dose of light. Various color standards for use with this invention are provided.

Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring with a Color Measurement System of predetermined specification and evaluating the color of skin, teeth, hair and material substances with a Color Index. The principles of this invention also relate to techniques for using such a Color Measurement System with the Color Index in medical applications such as the detection of chromogenic disease including bilirubin infant jaundice, cosmetics applications and in the evaluation of the color of hair or teeth, and other applications. The Color Index is measured and calculated from the reflectance spectrum of any skin (or teeth, hair or material substance) by a two step process. The first step is the weighting of the visible spectra with a unique set of weighting factors which calculate a sample's reflectance spectrum's contribution to the appearance of four color components independent of the illuminating condition.

Abstract: Skin coloration categories are identified based upon blue and yellow undertones of the skin using a color measuring device, developing the Hunter b value, utilizing that value alone to determine which of several categories of skin coloration a subject's skin exhibits. Category selection is made by comparison of measured Hunter b with ranges of Hunter b value of skin color categories. Instrumentation to effect the method includes the color measuring device, a central processing unit (CPU), memory storing the ranges of Hunter b, and an output device such as a printer, LCD, or CRT. The skin color Hunter b is calculated and compared to stored ranges to assign a category. The output device displays the category of skin color based upon the central processing unit's comparison. Colors compatible with skin color categories are identified or formulated based upon broad color family designation, yellow, brown, red, etc.

Abstract: Skin coloration categories are identified based upon blue and yellow undertones of the skin using a color measuring device, developing the Hunter b value, utilizing that value alone to determine which of several categories of skin coloration a subject's skin exhibits. Category selection is made by comparison of measured Hunter b with ranges of Hunter b value of skin color categories. Instrumentation to effect the method includes the color measuring device, a central processing unit (CPU), memory storing the ranges of Hunter b, and an output device such as a printer, LCD, or CRT. The skin color Hunter b is calculated and compared to stored ranges to assign a category. The output device displays the category of skin color based upon the central processing unit's comparison. Colors compatible with skin color categories are identified or formulated based upon broad color family designation, yellow, brown, red, etc.