Patent ID: 8046274
Filing Date: 2011-10-25
Classification: G01J,G01N,G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method of color grading a particular gem by a user, comprising: creating a database in a first data processor that stores digitally created images of different colors of gemstones, said creating further comprising digitally coding gem shapes, hues, tones and saturations from digital photographs of a plurality of gems of different shapes, hues, tones and saturations, the database comprising: displaying on a screen the at least six different shape images of the gemstones stored in the database; selecting by the user a shape from the displayed at least six different shape images best matching, in the user's judgement, the shape of a particular gem to be graded; displaying on the screen the at least thirty-one different hue images stored in the database; selecting by the user a hue from the displayed at least thirty-one different hue images best matching, in the user's judgment the hue of a particular gem to be graded; in response to receiving the user's selection of the hue, displaying on a screen the at least six different tones and the at least six different saturation images stored in the database; selecting by the user a tone and saturation from the displayed at least six different tones and the displayed at least six different saturation images best matching, in the user's judgment the tone and saturation of the particular gem to be graded; in response to receiving the user's selection of the tone and saturation, generating and displaying on the screen, by the processor, an image of a shape and a color of a gem having the shape, hue, tone, and saturation selected by the user; generating and displaying by the processor a code identifying the selected shape, hue, tone and saturation selected by the user, to thereby enable the user to reproduce the generated image of the gem by entering the code into the processor; communicating the code to a second data processor for reproducing by the second data processor on a screen associated with the second processor the generated image of the gem having the shape, hue, tone and saturation selected by the user.