Abstract: A computer implemented method and system for generating a visualization of a stained wood substrate are provided. The method includes receiving an image of the wood substrate to be stained; subdividing the image i-14 into a plurality of sub-images, each sub-image corresponding to the portion of the image having a color falling in a respective one of color bands; for each sub-image, retrieving a reflectance curve representative for the wood substrate for the color corresponding to the sub-image; retrieving absorption and scattering values for the stain; for each sub-image, determining the reflectance curve representative for the stained wood based on the absorption and scattering values for the stain and the reflectance curve for the wood substrate for that sub-image; and for each pixel of each sub-image, determining a color based on the reflectance curve representative for the stained wood, resulting in a generated image of the substrate after applying the stain.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a computer implemented method for determining a predetermined number, k, of representative colours from at least one digital colour image, comprising the steps of: a) obtaining at least one digital colour image having a number, p, of pixels each pixel having a colour value within an n-dimensional colour space; b) defining a predetermined number of K cluster centres which are distributed in a predetermined pattern in the colour space, wherein K>k; c) forming clusters by associating for each pixel its colour value with the nearest of the cluster centres; d) reducing the number of clusters to k by deleting cluster centres and/or merging clusters; e) from each of the resulting k clusters defining a respective representative colour.

Abstract: A computer implemented method and system for generating a visualization of a stained wood substrate are provided. The method includes receiving an image of the wood substrate to be stained; subdividing the image into a plurality of sub-images, each sub-image corresponding to the portion of the image having a color falling in a respective one of color bands; for each sub-image, retrieving a reflectance curve representative for the wood substrate for the color corresponding to the sub-image; retrieving absorption and scattering values for the stain; for each sub-image, determining the reflectance curve representative for the stained wood based on the absorption and scattering values for the stain and the reflectance curve for the wood substrate for that sub-image; and for each pixel of each sub-image, determining a color based on the reflectance curve representative for the stained wood, resulting in a generated image of the substrate after applying the stain.

Abstract: A colored coating composition comprising a white base paint and at least one colored pigment in a form that can be readily mixed with the white base paint, the white base paint comprising a film-forming polymer, a liquid carrier, one or more opacifying white pigments and one or more extenders, the colored coating composition having a light reflectance value Y less than 110, and greater than that defined by the equation Y=mC+K, where 25>C>1.0, C being the chroma of the colored coating composition, m and K being empirical coefficients selected according to the type and number of the type of the at least one colored pigment, and dependant on the hue angle of the coating composition.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to the determination of the color of a color sample from an image of the color sample. In one embodiment a color sample capture card is provided having printed thereon color samples of known color (for example, XYZ tri-stimulus values). An image of the test color sample is then captured using domestically available equipment, such as a consumer digital camera or camera-equipped mobile telephone, the image also containing the color sample capture card. In one embodiment the image is then transmitted to a remote color determination service for color sample color determination. Regression analysis is then performed using the RGB color samples in the image and known XYZ colors thereof to characterize the color capture response of the image capture device. Having characterized the image capture device the XYZ color of the unknown color sample can be determined from the RGB color thereof in the image.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to the determination of the colour of a colour sample from an image of the colour sample. In one embodiment a colour sample capture card is provided having printed thereon colour samples of known colour (for example, XYZ tri-stimulus values). An image of the test colour sample is then captured using domestically available equipment, such as a consumer digital camera or camera-equipped mobile telephone, the image also containing the colour sample capture card. In one embodiment the image is then transmitted to a remote colour determination service for colour sample colour determination. Regression analysis is then performed using the RGB colour samples in the image and known XYZ colours thereof to characterise the colour capture response of the image capture device. Having characterised the image capture device the XYZ colour of the unknown colour sample can be determined from the RGB colour thereof in the image.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to the determination of the colour of a colour sample from an image of the colour sample. In one embodiment a colour sample capture card is provided having printed thereon colour samples of known colour (for example, XYZ tri-stimulus values). An image of the test colour sample is then captured using domestically available equipment, such as a consumer digital camera or camera-equipped mobile telephone, the image also containing the colour sample capture card. In one embodiment the image is then transmitted to a remote colour determination service for colour sample colour determination. Regression analysis is then performed using the RGB colour samples in the image and known XYZ colours thereof to characterise the colour capture response of the image capture device. Having characterised the image capture device the XYZ colour of the unknown colour sample can be determined from the RGB colour thereof in the image.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to the determination of the colour of a colour sample from an image of the colour sample. In one embodiment a colour sample capture card is provided having printed thereon colour samples of known colour (for example, XYZ tri-stimulus values). An image of the test colour sample is then captured using domestically available equipment, such as a consumer digital camera or camera-equipped mobile telephone, the image also containing the colour sample capture card. Regression analysis is then performed using the RGB colour samples in the image and known XYZ colours thereof to characterise the colour capture response of the image capture device. In one embodiment the colour calibration characteristics are determined using N known calibration colour samples, wherein N is less than the total number of known calibration colour samples across the whole colour space.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to the determination of the colour of a colour sample from an image of the colour sample. In one embodiment a colour sample capture card is provided having printed thereon colour samples of known colour (for example, XYZ tri-stimulus values). An image of the test colour sample is then captured using domestically available equipment, such as a consumer digital camera or camera-equipped mobile telephone, the image also containing the colour sample capture card. In one embodiment the image is then transmitted to a remote colour determination service for colour sample colour determination. Regression analysis is then performed using the RGB colour samples in the image and known XYZ colours thereof to characterise the colour capture response of the image capture device, taking into account spatial brightness variations across the image.

Abstract: A coloured coating composition comprising a white base paint and at least one coloured pigment in a form that can be readily mixed with the white base paint, the white base paint comprising a film-forming polymer, a liquid carrier, one or more opacifying white pigments and one or more extenders, the coloured coating composition having a light reflectance value Y less than 110, and greater than that defined by the equation Y=mC+K, where 25>C>1.0, C being the chroma of the coloured coating composition, m and K being empirical coefficients selected according to the type and number of the type of the at least one coloured pigment, and dependant on the hue angle of the coating composition.

Abstract: A method for obtaining an approximate standard color definition for a sample color (2) without the need for standard conditions of illumination or observation. The method comprises using color sensing equipment such as a digital camera (6) to sense under non-standard conditions both the sample color and a plurality of reference colors (5) each being provided on a template (1) and each having a known standard color definition. The sensing under non-standard conditions produces a non-standard color definition both for the sample color and for each of the reference colors.

Abstract: A method for obtaining an approximate standard colour definition for a sample colour (2) without the need for standard conditions of illumination or observation. The method comprises using colour sensing equipment such as a digital camera (6) to sense under non-standard conditions both the sample colour and a plurality of reference colours (5) each being provided on a template (1) and each having a known standard colour definition. The sensing under non-standard conditions produces a non-standard colour definition both for the sample colour and for each of the reference colours.