Abstract: A method for providing an intensity or brightness measurement using a digital image-capturing device comprising: selecting a target area within a field of view of the image-capturing device, the target area containing pixels; determining the brightness of pixels in the target area; accumulating the brightness values of the pixels in the target area; and determining a pixel value representative of the pixels in the target area. A device for making color measurements comprising an image-capture device, a processor or logic device, and a memory location for accumulating color data, and the processor or logic device is programmed to perform color measurements by accumulating the data for pixels located in the target area in memory, and determining a representative color value.

Abstract: A method for obtaining a target color measurement using an electronic image capturing device comprising the steps of: (1) determining one or more of a field correction array, level correction vectors, a color correction matrix, and a calibration correction and; (2) adjusting a target color measurement based upon one or more of a field correction array, level correction vector, a color correction matrix, and a calibration correction to obtain a corrected color target measurement.

Abstract: A method for providing an intensity or brightness measurement using a digital image-capturing device comprising: selecting a target area within a field of view of the image-capturing device, the target area containing pixels; measuring the intensity or brightness of pixels in a target area; accumulating the intensity or brightness values of the pixels in the target area; and determining a pixel value representative of the intensity or brightness of the pixels in the target area. A device for making color measurements comprising an image-capture device, a processor or logic device, and a memory location for accumulating color data, and the processor or logic device is programmed to perform color measurements by accumulating the data for pixels located in the target area in memory, and determining a representative color value.

Abstract: A method for measuring a color value such as brightness or intensity of a sample which comprises: measuring color values for a plurality of color standards using a reference color measurement device to obtain a matrix Y that contains the measurements of the color standards as measured by the reference color measurement device; measuring the same plurality of color standards with a field color measurement device to obtain a matrix X that contains the measurements of the color standards as measured by the field color measurement device; calculating a color correction matrix B based upon the equation Y=BX, measuring the color value for the sample with the field color measurement device, and applying the color correction matrix B to the reading of the sample color to obtain a sample color value that approximates that sample color value that would be obtained using the reference measurement device.

Abstract: A method for providing an intensity or brightness measurement using a digital image-capturing device comprising: selecting a target area within a field of view of the image-capturing device, the target area containing pixels; determining the brightness of pixels in the target area; accumulating the brightness values of the pixels in the target area; and determining a pixel value representative of the pixels in the target area. A device for making color measurements comprising an image-capture device, a processor or logic device, and a memory location for accumulating color data, and the processor or logic device is programmed to perform color measurements by accumulating the data for pixels located in the target area in memory, and determining a representative color value.

Abstract: A method for providing an intensity or brightness measurement using a digital image-capturing device comprising: selecting a target area within a field of view of the image-capturing device, the target area containing pixels; determining the brightness of pixels in the target area; accumulating the brightness values of the pixels in the target area; and determining a pixel value representative of the pixels in the target area. A device for making color measurements comprising an image-capture device, a processor or logic device, and a memory location for accumulating color data, and the processor or logic device is programmed to perform color measurements by accumulating the data for pixels located in the target area in memory, and determining a representative color value.

Abstract: A method for providing an intensity or brightness measurement using a digital image-capturing device comprising: selecting a target area within a field of view of the image-capturing device, the target area containing pixels; measuring the intensity or brightness of pixels in a target area; accumulating the intensity or brightness values of the pixels in the target area; and determining a pixel value representative of the intensity or brightness of the pixels in the target area. A device for making color measurements comprising an image-capture device, a processor or logic device, and a memory location for accumulating color data, and the processor or logic device is programmed to perform color measurements by accumulating the data for pixels located in the target area in memory, and determining a representative color value.

Abstract: A method for measuring a color value such as brightness or intensity of a sample which comprises: measuring color values for a plurality of color standards using a reference color measurement device to obtain a matrix Y that contains the measurements of the color standards as measured by the reference color measurement device; measuring the same plurality of color standards with a field color measurement device to obtain a matrix X that contains the measurements of the color standards as measured by the field color measurement device; calculating a color correction matrix B based upon the equation Y=BX, measuring the color value for the sample with the field color measurement device, and applying the color correction matrix B to the reading of the sample color to obtain a sample color value that approximates that sample color value that would be obtained using the reference measurement device.

Abstract: A method for isolating an element of an image made up of pixels comprising the steps of classifying the pixels into different groups based on the color value of the pixel, blurring the image, locating a pixel in the blurred image that has a predetermined color value corresponding to the element to be isolated, and growing a mask from the located pixel.

Abstract: A color measurement device comprising a means for electronically recording a digital color image, a target holder extending from the recording means having a distal end, and a target at the distal end of the holder, the target having one or more reference color regions thereon.

Abstract: A sensor for measuring reflective, transmissive, or self-luminous samples, comprises a plurality of light sources, where each of the light sources emit light of a substantially different wavelength band spaced in the visible spectrum; a reference channel photodetector; a sample channel photodetector; an optical cap adapted to direct a first portion of the light emitted by each of the light sources to the reference channel photodetector, a reflector cone for directing a second portion of the light emitted by each of the light sources to the sample; and a receptor piece for directing the diffuse portion of the light reflected from the sample to the sample channel photodetector. Preferably, the reference channel and sample channel photodetectors are identical devices and are mounted back-to-back to share environmental characteristics, and in turn, minimize the variation between their respective responses.

Abstract: A sensor for measuring reflective, transmissive, or self-luminous samples, comprises a plurality of light sources, where each of the light sources emit light of a substantially different wavelength band spaced in the visible spectrum; a reference channel photodetector; a sample channel photodetector; an optical cap adapted to direct a first portion of the light emitted by each of the light sources to the reference channel photodetector; a reflector cone for directing a second portion of the light emitted by each of the light sources to the sample; and a receptor piece for directing the diffuse portion of the light reflected from the sample to the sample channel photodetector. Preferably, the reference channel and sample channel photodetectors are identical devices and are mounted back-to-back to share environmental characteristics, and in turn, minimize the variation between their respective responses.

Abstract: A hand-manipulatable device includes a sensor for gathering reflective, densitometric, spectrophotometric, colorimetric, self-luminous or radiometric readings from a sample surface. The device includes a housing having a substantially flat bottom surface and a top surface contoured to fit comfortably in the fingers and palm of the human hand. The housing also includes area on its top surface for seating an index finger of the human hand. Positioned within this area is a pressure-activated switch that is operatively coupled to the sensor circuitry for performing the readings. Preferably, the sensor is mounted into the device such that the focal aperture of the sensor is in axial alignment with the pressure-activated switch. Accordingly, a user will be able to use the device to "point" with his or her index finger to an area of the sample surface, and will then simply press the switch to initiate the readings, using the same index finger.