Patents by Inventor Peter Ehbets

Peter Ehbets has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240053259
    Abstract: An optical system (230) comprises an image sensor (231), a reference sensor (232), and an optical multiplexer (300). The optical multiplexer defines a first area for receiving a first portion of incoming light and a second area (320) for receiving a second portion of the incoming light. The second area radially surrounds the first area. The optical multiplexer is arranged to direct the first portion of the incoming light to the image sensor (231) and the second portion of the incoming light to the reference sensor (232). The optical multiplexer may take the form of a pinhole minor (300).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventor: Peter EHBETS
  • Publication number: 20230349765
    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: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Wilhelm H. KETTLER, Milos SORMAZ, Peter EHBETS
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20210372920
    Abstract: A non-contact multispectral measurement device for measuring reflectance properties of a surface of interest may include a multispectral measurement system, a position measurement system for measuring position values of the multispectral measurement system relative to the surface of interest, and means to correct multispectral values from the multispectral measurement system based on detected position values from the position measurement system. In some embodiments the multispectral measurement system is configured with a retro-reflection measurement geometry, where the illumination light path and observation light path are inclined with respect to a surface normal of the surface of interest to reduce detection of gloss or surface reflections while obtaining multispectral values. The position measurement system may be selected from the group consisting of: a pattern projector and a camera, a camera autofocus system, a stereo vision system, a laser range finder, and a time of flight distance sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Peter EHBETS, Vitaly DMITRIEV, Heiko GROSS, Johannes RILK, Thomas HOEPPLER, David GAMPERL
  • Publication number: 20210310870
    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: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: Wilhelm H. Kettler, Milos Sormaz, Peter Ehbets
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20200064194
    Abstract: A mobile device for measuring reflectance properties of a surface includes a first imaging device comprising an image sensor and a lens characterized by an optical axis; a first illumination source having an optical axis disposed at an angle of 45° with respect to the first imaging device lens' optical axis; a second imaging device comprising an image sensor and a lens characterized by an optical axis; and a second illumination source having an optical axis intersecting the first imaging device lens' optical axis where the first illumination source intersects the first imaging device lens' optical axis, the optical axes of the first imaging device and the second illumination source defining a second measurement plane. The mobile device further comprises a computer processor and a non-volatile memory comprising computer-readable instructions to acquire data from the first and second imaging devices and derive reflectance information of the surface of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Christophe DAUGA, Thomas NETTER, James William VOGH, Peter EHBETS
  • Publication number: 20190265102
    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: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Peter Ehbets, Matthias Scheller Lichtenauer
  • Patent number: 10386235
    Abstract: A device for radiometrically gauging the surface of a measurement object (O) includes: at least one measurement array featuring an illumination array and a pick-up array; and a processor (P) for controlling the illumination array and the pick-up array and for processing measurement signals produced by the pick-up array and for providing processed image data. The illumination array exposes a region of the measurement object (O) to illumination light at an illumination angle (?i) and an illumination aperture angle (?i), and the pick-up array captures measurement light, reflected by the measurement object (O), at a pick-up angle (?v) and a pick-up aperture angle (?v) and guides it onto an image sensor exhibiting a pixel structure. The measurement object (O) is gauged multispectrally in multiple wavelength ranges, wherein the image sensor produces multispectral image data. Angular and spatial conditions are indicated which optimize the measurement device (MD) with regard to characterizing sparkles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: X-Rite Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Ehbets, Guido Niederer
  • Patent number: 10260950
    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 color 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: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: X-RITE SWITZERLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Ehbets, Beat Frick, Mark Wegmuller, Jorg Hunkemeier, Guido Niederer
  • Patent number: 10260943
    Abstract: A color 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: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: X-Rite Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Ehbets, Matthias Scheller Lichtenauer
  • Publication number: 20190049304
    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 1, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Peter EHBETS, Beat FRICK, Mark WEGMULLER, Jorg HUNKEMEIER, Guido NIEDERER
  • Patent number: 10126171
    Abstract: A hand-held measurement device for appearance analyzes 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 color 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: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: X-RITE SWITZERLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Ehbets, Beat Frick, Mark Wegmüller, Jörg Hünkemeier, Guido Niederer
  • Publication number: 20180283945
    Abstract: A device for radiometrically gauging the surface of a measurement object (O) includes: at least one measurement array featuring an illumination array and a pick-up array; and a processor (P) for controlling the illumination array and the pick-up array and for processing measurement signals produced by the pick-up array and for providing processed image data. The illumination array exposes a region of the measurement object (O) to illumination light at an illumination angle (?i) and an illumination aperture angle (?i), and the pick-up array captures measurement light, reflected by the measurement object (O), at a pick-up angle (?v) and a pick-up aperture angle (?v) and guides it onto an image sensor exhibiting a pixel structure. The measurement object (O) is gauged multispectrally in multiple wavelength ranges, wherein the image sensor produces multispectral image data. Angular and spatial conditions are indicated which optimise the measurement device (MD) with regard to characterising sparkles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Peter Ehbets, Guido Niederer
  • Patent number: 10001411
    Abstract: A device for radiometrically gauging the surface of a measurement object (O) includes: at least one measurement array featuring an illumination array and a pick-up array; and a processor (P) for controlling the illumination array and the pick-up array and for processing measurement signals produced by the pick-up array and for providing processed image data. The illumination array exposes a region of the measurement object (O) to illumination light at an illumination angle (?i) and an illumination aperture angle (?i), and the pick-up array captures measurement light, reflected by the measurement object (O), at a pick-up angle (?v) and a pick-up aperture angle (?v) and guides it onto an image sensor exhibiting a pixel structure. The measurement object (O) is gauged multispectrally in multiple wavelength ranges, wherein the image sensor produces multispectral image data. Angular and spatial conditions are indicated which optimise the measurement device (MD) with regard to characterising sparkles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: X-Rite Switzerland GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Ehbets, Guido Niederer
  • Publication number: 20180024005
    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: September 19, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Peter EHBETS, Beat Frick, Mark Wegmüller, Jörg Hünkemeier, Guido Niederer
  • Patent number: 9772230
    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 color 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: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: X-Rite Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Ehbets, Beat Frick, Mark Wegmuller, Jorg Hunkemeier, Guido Niederer
  • Publication number: 20170176254
    Abstract: A device for radiometrically gauging the surface of a measurement object (O) includes: at least one measurement array featuring an illumination array and a pick-up array; and a processor (P) for controlling the illumination array and the pick-up array and for processing measurement signals produced by the pick-up array and for providing processed image data. The illumination array exposes a region of the measurement object (O) to illumination light at an illumination angle (?i) and an illumination aperture angle (?i), and the pick-up array captures measurement light, reflected by the measurement object (O), at a pick-up angle (?v) and a pick-up aperture angle (?v) and guides it onto an image sensor exhibiting a pixel structure. The measurement object (O) is gauged multispectrally in multiple wavelength ranges, wherein the image sensor produces multispectral image data. Angular and spatial conditions are indicated which optimise the measurement device (MD) with regard to characterising sparkles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: X-Rite Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Ehbets, Guido Niederer
  • Publication number: 20160327431
    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: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Applicant: X-Rite Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Ehbets, Matthias Scheller Lichtenauer
  • 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