Abstract: Systems and methods are provided and include a card shuffler device, an optical code reader, a robotic arm, a display area having display windows and light sources, and a controller. The controller receives a selected coating color, searches color chips for the selected coating color by controlling the card shuffler device and the optical code reader to identify a particular color chip that matches the selected coating color based on a machine-readable optical code displayed in an optical code area of the particular color chip, receives a light source selection, and controls the robotic arm to display the particular color chip in a display window that has an associated light source that corresponds to the received light source selection.

Abstract: A user-facing front end screen display of an illustrative digital image painting application includes a bucket tool which enables a user to apply a selected color to a selected area of an uploaded digital image such as a wall of a room, a paint brush tool to fill in missed areas, an eraser tool is to remove misapplied color, masking tools to mask off selected areas, and a tolerance slider tool to assist in properly filling in painted areas. Improved image preprocessing methods enable better definition of areas of the image to be painted the same color.

Abstract: A sales person at a retail store which traditionally does not sell paint assists a consumer in selecting and purchasing a non-paint product and thereafter employs a computer terminal and display in conjunction with a website operated by a paint manufacturer to provide a paint color recommendation to the consumer. The sales person may thereafter respond to consumer selection of a particular paint color by employing an on-line electronic ordering tool to transmit a paint order to an order processing terminal located at a paint manufacturer facility. Thereafter, the paint manufacturer may proceed to process the order, perform tinting and shaking steps to formulate paint of the particular color, package the tinted paint, and cause the packaged paint to be shipped to the consumer.

Abstract: An adjustable truss structure for a display is provided and includes a vertical truss member, a vertical channel having a vertical slot therein, the vertical channel being attached to the vertical truss member, and a horizontal rail having a horizontal slot. An anchor is attached to the horizontal rail. The anchor has a member rotatable to a first position where the member is insertable into the vertical slot and rotatable to a second position to engage with a surface of the vertical channel, thereby enabling the horizontal rail to be selectively moved up and down the vertical channel and locked into a selected fixed position with respect to the vertical channel. A support member has a channel with a U-shaped cross-section, the channel being hooked into the horizontal slot of the horizontal rail and being horizontally slidable in the horizontal slot.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a color chip dispenser are provided and include a card shuffler device that receives color chips, each having a sample area displaying a color and an optical code area displaying a machine-readable optical code associated with the color. An optical code reader is configured to read optical codes and a robotic arm is configured to receive and grip color chips. A controller is configured to receive and decode the machine-readable optical code displayed in the optical code area of each of the color chips, determine whether a particular color chip corresponds to a selected coating color based on the decoded machine-readable optical code of the particular color chip, and control the robotic arm to display the particular color chip in a display area and/or dispense the particular color chip to a dispensing receptacle in response to the particular color chip corresponding to the selected coating color.

Abstract: A color selection and coordination system including a database of predetermined color relationships implementing a data-driven color model. A starting color is associated with a first color in the color database. One or more predefined color palettes associated with the first color may be retrieved, each palette including one or more coordinating colors, the coordinating colors being predetermined based on the first color and a color coordination algorithm.

Abstract: A composition for forming a hydrophilic coating includes an organic binder having an average particle size from about 1 to about 100 nm and an inorganic binder having an average particle size from about 1 to about 40 nm. The composition further includes an inorganic photocatalyst that catalyzes an oxidation-reduction reaction. Characteristically, the photocatalyst includes a photocatalytic metal oxide having an average particle size from about 1 to about 50 nm. Advantageously, coatings formed from the composition have improved stain resistance, low contact angle, and resistance to dirt adherence, while maintaining a clear optical character.

Abstract: A sales person at a retail store which traditionally does not sell paint assists a consumer in selecting and purchasing a non-paint product and thereafter employs a computer terminal and display in conjunction with a website operated by a paint manufacturer to provide a paint color recommendation to the consumer. The sales person may thereafter respond to consumer selection of a particular paint color by employing an on-line electronic ordering tool to transmit a paint order to an order processing terminal located at a paint manufacturer facility. Thereafter, the paint manufacturer may proceed to process the order, perform tinting and shaking steps to formulate paint of the particular color, package the tinted paint, and cause the packaged paint to be shipped to the consumer.

Abstract: A transportation collar that includes a ring having a central longitudinal axis and including: a base wall extending transversely and radially inwardly with respect to the axis, and an annular skirt extending in a first axial direction axially away from the base wall; and a peripheral impact barrier extending radially outwardly from the ring adapted to position both the transportation collar and a container carried by the collar relative to one or more additional adjacent transportation collars and one or more additional corresponding containers, wherein the peripheral impact barrier comprises a flange wall extending transversely with respect to the axis.

Abstract: A coating composition includes a fumed silica present in an amount from about 2 to 12 weight percent of the total weight of the coating composition, a resin in an amount from about 5 to 10 weight percent of the total weight of the coating composition, and a polar solvent being the balance.

Abstract: A method for forming a pigmented aqueous slurry includes a step of combining a dispersant having pigment affinic groups with water to form an aqueous dispersant mixture. Pigment is added to the aqueous dispersant mixture to form an aqueous pigment mixture. The aqueous pigment composition is ground until the average particle size is less than 30 microns to form a pigmented aqueous slurry.

Abstract: Systems and methods include a server configured to provide a web site application to a remote computing device over the Internet. The remote computing device receives user input to control a cursor. The web site application is configured to enable the remote computing device to display a plurality of color sheen chips on a display of the remote computing device, each color sheen chip representing a different color sheen. The web site application is configured to enlarge a particular color sheen chip of the plurality of color sheen chips on the display when the cursor hovers over the particular color sheen chip and to toggle the color sheen chip left and right when the cursor is moved back and forth over the particular color sheen chip.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a dominant color in a digital image are provided, including a computing device configured to receive a digital image, divide the digital image into a plurality of pixel groups including at least a first pixel group and a second pixel group, analyze pixels in the first pixel group based on a first sample rate, analyze pixels in the second pixel group based on a second sample rate, and determine a dominant color for the digital image based on the analyzed pixels in the first pixel group and analyzed pixels in the second pixel group. The pixels in the first pixel group are closer to the center of the image than the pixels in the second pixel group and the first sample rate is greater than the second sample rate.

Abstract: Systems and methods for color selection are provided. A user device is configured to receive a room type selection from a plurality of room types displayed on a display of the user device, to receive a purpose selection from a plurality of purposes displayed on the user device, to determine a plurality of recommended paint colors based on the room type selection and the purpose selection, and to display the plurality of recommended paint colors on the display of the user device. The determination of the plurality of recommended paint colors is made with a lookup table that associates particular room types and purposes with recommended paint colors.

Abstract: Systems and methods for color selection are provided and include a mobile device having a mobile application configured to access a social media platform, retrieve a plurality of images from the social media platform, determine a dominant color for each image of the plurality of images, determine a closest matching paint color for the dominant color for each image, and display at least one of a color name and a color code associated with the closest matching paint color for the dominant color for each image.

Abstract: Systems and methods for color coordination for scanned products are provided. A kiosk has a control module, an input device, a display device, and an optical code reader. The kiosk has access to a product/color database. The control module is configured to receive an identification code scanned by the optical code reader, determine a sample product associated with the identification code, determine at least one coordinating color for the sample product based on the product/color database, display a simulated environment including a sample room having at least one selectable surface, display on the display device the at least one coordinating color, receive with the input device a selected color, receive with the input device a selected surface from the sample room, display on the display device the simulated environment showing the sample room with the sample product and with the selected color on the selected surface of the sample room.

Abstract: A coating composition includes water, a plurality of flakes having a maximum dimension less than 0.05 inches, a plurality of inorganic fibers, a thixotropic suspending agent that is insoluble in water, and a resin. Decorative coating on a concrete substrate is also provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a color chip dispenser are provided and include a card shuffler device that receives color chips, each having a sample area displaying a color and an optical code area displaying a machine-readable optical code associated with the color. An optical code reader is configured to read optical codes and a robotic arm is configured to receive and grip color chips. A controller is configured to receive and decode the machine-readable optical code displayed in the optical code area of each of the color chips, determine whether a particular color chip corresponds to a selected coating color based on the decoded machine-readable optical code of the particular color chip, and control the robotic arm to display the particular color chip in a display area and/or dispense the particular color chip to a dispensing receptacle in response to the particular color chip corresponding to the selected coating color.