Patent ID: 7069198

Claim:
A computer implemented method for determining a paint formulation for producing a paint characterized by desired color coordinates in a three-dimensional color space and desired durability characteristics from a set of known constituents, said method comprising: providing a plurality of color coordinates, each of the color coordinates corresponding to paint formulations having respective diverse apportionments of the known constituents; providing durability data related to durability characteristics exhibited by the paint formulations having the respective diverse apportionments of the known constituents; performing regression analysis of the color coordinates and the diverse apportionments of the known constituents to establish a set of equations relating first variables corresponding to the known constituents and second variables corresponding to the color coordinates; providing desired coordinates and constraints of a desired color; and recursively solving said set of equations for values of the first variables that will obtain values for the second variables substantially near to the desired coordinates wherein the values of the first variable are constrained by the durability data related to the durability characteristics exhibited by the paint formulations.