Patent ID: 7542032

Claim:
A virtual painting system for simulating a paint application process, the virtual paint system comprising: an electronic device, wherein the electronic device substantially resembles a physical paint applicator device, and wherein the electronic device is configured to train a user how to properly use the physical paint applicator device by causing virtual paint being applied on a virtual surface being painted to be displayed on a display device through a virtual paint application process in response to the user interacting with the electronic device, an electronic position detector to detect spray parameters including a three-dimensional spatial position, a distance, and a speed of the electronic device with respect to the virtual surface to be painted, a data processing unit, wherein data of the spray parameters of the electronic device is routed to the data processing unit and transformed there into video data, to display a visual image of the virtual paint being applied on the virtual surface being painted, and wherein reference data records that contain reference video data for different sets of spray parameters of the electronic device are accessible by the data processing unit, these reference data records having been recorded by actual paint application processes, wherein the actual paint application processes include physically applying real paint using the physical paint applicator device to at least one physical item to be painted and recording spray parameters associated with a physical paint spraying device including a three-dimensional spatial position, a distance and a speed as the physical paint spraying device is applying real paint to the physical item and recording the spray parameters associated with applying the real paint using a set of different spray settings on the physical paint spraying device, wherein the video data is calculated by comparison and interpolation of at least one of spray parameters detected during the virtual paint application process against the reference data records accessible by the data processing unit.