Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to provisional patent application U.S. Serial No. 60/356,777, entitled “COLOR STANDARDIZATION SYSTEM AND METHODS OF USING SAME”, filed Feb. 12, 2002; and provisional patent application U.S. Serial No. 60/406,079, entitled “COLOR CONVERSION AND STANDARDIZATION SYSTEM AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING SAME”, filed Aug. 23, 2002. The entire contents of both provisional patent applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety as though set forth explicitly herein. 
     
    
     
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    Not applicable.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0004]    The present invention relates, in general, to a color imaging and format apparatus and methods of making and using same and, more particularly, to a color imaging and format apparatus that is capable of identifying and relaying to a user one or more preselected areas of an electronic image and providing the user with a realistic rendition of colors, shadows, and highlights (for example) found in the electronic image.  
         BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF THE BACKGROUND ART  
         [0005]    Due to the growing popularity of custom projects and creative designs which are tailored to specified color palettes of architects, designers, and consumers, the construction materials industry has a high demand for variety in the colors of its colorable products, as well as matching colors across multiple colorable products, such as for example but not by way of limitation, paint, stain, concrete, glass, plastics, textiles, brick, stucco, grout, sealant, and caulk. Traditionally, it has been very costly and time consuming to create and/or match custom colors for one or multiple materials. Each individual sector in the industry adds more costs and creates more inventories in order to supply colored products. As a result, only a limited number of color choices are provided by any one sector, including, notably the paint industry, thereby limiting consumers, such as contractors, architects, designers, individuals or companies, to a limited selection of colors chosen and controlled explicitly by each sector of the industry.  
           [0006]    Therefore, a need exists for a simplified method of standardizing color across multiple materials to facilitate and ease the production of colored products as specified by a consumer.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention relates to a system for converting color information for a color within one of the color spaces well known in the art, or any other color space as yet un-invented which can be expressed relative to any other known color space, such as for example but not by way of limitation, RGB, CMYK, HAV, HSB, HTML, LUV, LAB, SCF, XYZ, and Bradford-RGB color spaces, into one standardized code which is comprised of encrypted data that is indicative of the color. The code provides color information which can be used to formulate colorant combinations for coloring one or more colorable products, such as paint, caulk, cement, cosmetics, textiles, or the like. The code can be used in a method for directing consumers, as qualified customers, to product providers within an affiliation.  
           [0008]    The affiliation includes one or more product providers, such as retailers, wholesalers, or the like. The product providers are capable of receiving the code and producing or providing the colorable product having the color represented by the code. Examples of typical product providers include paint stores, home improvement centers, and department stores.  
           [0009]    A consumer is provided with a color specification system such as a computer and software. The color specification system allows the consumer, e.g. an individual or architect, to specify or generate a desired color for the colorable product and thereby supply color information about the desired color to the color specification system. The color specification system converts the color information into the code and provides the code to the consumer. For example, the code can be printed or displayed. Once the consumer has received the code, the consumer is directed to communicate the code to a product provider within the affiliation who has the capability of decoding the code through the use of a formulation system, such as a computer and software. Once the product provider receives the code from the consumer, the product provider supplies the code to the formulation system which then decodes the code to obtain the color information contained within the code.  
           [0010]    The formulation system utilizes the color information to develop a formula detailing the combination and amounts of a plurality of colorants and possibly, but not necessarily, base materials in a set of predefined colorants, dyes and base materials that, when used to color the colorable product, will cause the colorable product to have the desired color. The product provider then uses the formula to make the specified colorable product having the desired color and provides the same to the consumer. The product provider may provide the specified product to the consumer in exchange for consideration from the consumer.  
           [0011]    In one preferred embodiment, the color code can be used for obtaining more than one type of colorable product having the desired color. In this embodiment, the color specification system and/or the host directs the consumer to a first product provider for one type of specified colorable product to be obtained utilizing the color code and directs the consumer to a second product provider for another type of specified colorable product to be obtained utilizing the color code. The first product provider, for example, can be a paint or home improvement store for providing paint to the consumer, and the second product provider can be a supplier of grout, cement or cosmetics.  
           [0012]    In a preferred embodiment, the present inventions allow the color specification system and the formulation system to be provided to the consumer and product providers, respectively, by a host of an affiliation, wherein the affiliation comprises the host, the product providers, and the consumers. Further, the host can provide other services to the consumers and product providers, such as developing, updating, and marketing the color specification system and formulation system. The host can also monitor exchanges between the product providers and the consumers for the purpose of billing the product providers for supplying the colored product to the consumer.  
           [0013]    The advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description is read in conjunction with the attached drawings and the appended claims.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION FOR THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a diagram of an affiliation constructed in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a computer that provides the operating environment for a color specification system of the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 shows an exemplary selector main menu for a specifier user interface utilized by the color specification system of the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 shows an exemplary CBN Image Editor sub-menu utilized by the color specification system of the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 shows an exemplary Get Image sub-menu utilized by the color specification system of the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 shows an image displayed with the Get Image sub-menu of FIG. 5.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 7 shows an exemplary Create Color Areas sub-menu with an image having color areas displayed therein.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 8 shows an exemplary color area sub-menu within the Create Color Areas sub-menu of FIG. 7.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 8A is a diagrammatic representation of one preferred embodiment of an image file constructed by the specifier program in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 9 shows an exemplary Preview sub-menu with the image having colored color areas and an original image displayed therein.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 10 shows an exemplary color selector that displays a database of selectable colors as a three-dimensional representation.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 11 shows an exemplary enlarged portion of the three-dimensional representation of FIG. 10.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 12 shows an exemplary gradient representation of the color selector of the present invention.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 13 shows an exemplary color coordinates palette for the color selector of the present invention.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 14 shows an exemplary color chart for the color selector of the present invention.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 15 shows an exemplary user color list for the color selector of the present invention.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 16 shows an exemplary convert panel for the color selector of the present invention.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 17 shows an exemplary pixel specifier for the color selector of the present invention.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 18 a  is a graphical representation of the various color spaces which are encompassed by the span of color codes generated using the present invention.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 18B is a flow chart illustrating one preferred embodiment for generating a color code in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 19 shows an exemplary assistant main menu for a specifier user interface utilized by the color specification system of the present invention.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 20 shows an exemplary wall label.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 21 shows an exemplary room label.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 22 shows an exemplary plan specification window.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 23 shows an exemplary color specification report.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 24 is a block diagram of a computer that provides the operating environment for a formulation system of the present invention.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 25 shows an exemplary formulator main menu for a formulator user interface utilized by the formulation system of the present invention.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 26 shows an exemplary Input CBN field utilized by the formulation system of the present invention.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 27 shows an exemplary formula produced by the formulation system of the present invention.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 28 shows an exemplary Enter Quantity field and a Units field utilized by the formulation system of the present invention.  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 29 a  is a logic flow diagram illustrating a main logic loop for generating a formula.  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 29 b  is a logic flow diagram illustrating an alternate embodiment for generating a formula using heuristic criterion.  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 29 c  is a graph of a heuristic criterion representing the “cost” of the total amount of colorant in a given formula.  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 29 d  is a graph of a heuristic criterion representing the “cost” of the quality of a given formula relative to hide and color fastness.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 29 e  is a graph of a heuristic criterion representing the estimated monetary cost of the colorants in a given formula.  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 29 f  is a graph of a heuristic criterion representing the “cost” of the estimated match distance in a given formula to desired color.  
         [0050]    [0050]FIG. 29 g  is a graph of a heuristic criterion representing the “cost” of the number of pigments in a given formula.  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 30 shows an exemplary formulation color specification system incorporated into the formulator main menu of FIG. 25.  
         [0052]    [0052]FIG. 31 shows an exemplary Choose From Color Book sub-menu utilized by the formulation system of the present invention.  
         [0053]    [0053]FIG. 32 shows an exemplary Create New Color sub-menu utilized by the formulation system of the present invention.  
         [0054]    [0054]FIG. 33 shows an exemplary Convert Color From RGB sub-menu utilized by the formulation system of the present invention.  
         [0055]    [0055]FIG. 34 shows an exemplary Scan Color From Spectrometer sub-menu utilized by the formulation system of the present invention.  
         [0056]    [0056]FIG. 35 shows an exemplary customer purchase information panel utilized by the formulation system of the present invention.  
         [0057]    [0057]FIG. 36 shows an exemplary Find Saved Job sub-menu utilized by the formulation system of the present invention.  
         [0058]    [0058]FIG. 37 a  is a logic flow diagram of the process of modifying a pixel&#39;s color based upon the overall grayscale values of a selected color area of an image.  
         [0059]    [0059]FIG. 37 b  is a logic flow diagram of the process of determining and applying an object tone to a pixel of a selected color area of an image.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0060]    Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.  
         [0061]    Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, shown therein in diagram form, is an affiliation  10 , including a host  15 , a plurality of consumers  20  (only one consumer  20  being shown for purposes of clarity), and a plurality of product providers  25  (only one product provider  25  being shown for purposes of clarity). The host  15  can be one or more entities, such as a company or individual, which is capable of providing a color specification system  30  to the consumer  20  and a formulation system  31  to the product provider  25 .  
         [0062]    The color specification system  30  allows the consumer  20  to specify at least one desired color  32  for at least one specified colorable product  33  and receive a color code  34 . The color code  34  permits at least one product provider  25  to produce at least one specified colorable product  33  in the desired color  32 . In one preferred embodiment, the color code  34  comprises encrypted data indicative of the desired color  32 . The color code  34  is an encoding/decoding mechanism and schema for the identification, recording, communication and distribution of precise visual color information from the electromagnetic spectrum that is both universally color-space independent and universally device/representation independent. In one embodiment, a single 12-digit color code  34  allows representation of in excess of 1.15×10 18  (or 1.15 quintillion) individually identifiable and measurable colors. More precisely, the color code  34  in this embodiment allows measurement, identification, communication and precise one-to-one mapping of in excess of 1.15×10 18  individually and uniquely identifiable colors from within any color space (existing spaces or as yet undeveloped spaces) using any device (i.e. device independent) for input, measurement, transmission and representation of the colors.  
         [0063]    In one preferred embodiment, the color code,  34  forms a substantially universal color information storage medium. That is, color information from any input device can be converted into and/or represented by the color code  34 . The input device can be for example, but should not be regarded as limiting, a spectrophotometer, calorimeter, camera, or any other type of device capable of producing color information utilizing known industry standards or even industry standards not yet invented (i.e. it is industry standard independent) so long as the color information is capable of being represented by or converted into a color code  34  that is relative to a host color space, as discussed in detail hereinafter. The conversion to and from the color code  34  may, in one embodiment, be accomplished on a pixel by pixel basis. Once the color information is stored in the color code  34 , such color information can be transmitted to and used by any type of color output device (e.g., a printer based on CMYK color space, a monitor based on RGB or YcrCb color spaces, or a television system based on RGB color space) programmed to decode and/or otherwise read the color code  34  such that it is capable of substantially accurately representing the color encoding or represented by the color code  34 . Thus, the same color code  34  can be transmitted to a monitor and converted to RGB color space, and subsequently transmitted to a printer and converted to CMYK color space, all the while maintaining the color information encoded by the color code  34 .  
         [0064]    The formulation system  31  allows the product provider  25  to utilize the color code  34  in generating a formula  42  for making a specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32 . The consumer  20  can be one or more entities which is charged with specifying a color for a colorable product, such as for example, a contractor, architect, designer, individual, company, or combination thereof. The product provider  25  can be one or more entities capable of providing the specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32  to the consumer  20 , or the agents, affiliates, or employees of the consumer  20 . The product provider  25  can be, for example, a factory, distributor, retail store, manufacturer, wholesaler, or any combination(s) thereof.  
         [0065]    The following is a brief, general description of the operations within the affiliation  10 , as shown in FIG. 1. The host  15  provides the consumer  20  with the color specification system  30 , and provides the product provider  25  with the formulation system  31 . The consumer  20  utilizes the color specification system  30  to specify the desired color  32 . The color specification system  30  generates the color code  34  and directs the consumer  20  to communicate the color code  34  to the product provider  25  (along with information about the specified colorable product  33 , such as for example, information on the type of material and quantity of the colorable product  33 ).  
         [0066]    In one preferred embodiment, the color code  34  can be used for obtaining more than one type of colorable product  33  having the desired color. In this embodiment, the color specification system  30  and/or the host  15  direct the consumer  20  to a first product provider  25  for one type of specified colorable product  33  to be obtained utilizing the color code  34  and also directs the consumer  20  to a second product provider  25  for an additional (such as a second or third, etc.) type of specified colorable product  33  to be obtained utilizing the color code  34 . The first product provider  25  can, for example, be a paint or home improvement store for providing paint to the consumer  20 , and the second product provider  25  can be a supplier of grout, cement or cosmetics, for providing grout (or any colorable material) to the consumer  20  such that the color of the grout is substantially the same as the paint (or even the cosmetic as the color code  34  is material independent). The first and second product providers  25  can either be separate entities or the same entity having different divisions.  
         [0067]    The product provider  25  utilizes the formulation system  31  in conjunction with the color code  34  to generate the formula  42  which can be utilized for making the specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32 . Once the product provider  25  makes and provides the specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32  to the consumer  20 , the consumer  20  will generally give the product provider  25  some consideration, such as for example, money, in exchange for the specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32 .  
         [0068]    As an optional feature of the invention, the host  15  can bill the product provider  25  for any use of the formulation system  31  at an agreed upon rate, e.g. twenty-five cents per gallon of paint. The host  15  can optionally bill the product provider  25  for other expenses incurred in operating the affiliation  10 , such as by way of example but not limitation, providing the consumer  20  with the color specification system  30 , providing the product provider  25  with the formulation system  31 , directing the consumer  20  to one or more qualified product providers  25  within the affiliation  10 , maintaining the affiliation  10 , providing customer support, and updating the color specification system  30  and formulation system  31 , and/or the host  15  can charge the product provider  25  fees for membership to the affiliation  10 , such as, by way of example but not by way of limitation, licensing fees, royalty fees, training fees, and maintenance fees.  
         [0069]    Further, a monitoring system  46  that is capable of reporting on exchanges between the consumers  20  and the product providers  25  may be included. The monitoring system  46  may be further capable of noting and conveying (to the affiliation  10 , host  15 , product providers  25 , etc.) royalty fee calculation figures. The monitoring system  46  may also be capable of storing and conveying information concerning and market feedback that the affiliation  10 , host  15 , and/or product provider  25  may assess in order to determine any modifications or further maintenance that may be desired by or advantageous to the affiliation  10 . In such an embodiment, the monitoring system  46  can include a component for counting and collecting the host  15  revenue stream, a market success analysis system, and/or an application program interface which allows product providers  25  to integrate the monitoring system  46  into their own business system. The monitoring system  46  can be incorporated into the formulation system  31 . One of ordinary skill in the art, given the present specification, would appreciate and understand the utility of such a monitoring system  46  in use with the affiliation  10  such that the monitoring system  46  would be within the scope of any particular embodiment of the affiliation  10 .  
         [0070]    Although the host  15  is referred to as billing or charging the product provider  25 , it will be understood that the host  15  may also bill or charge the consumer  20  for services provided to the consumer  20 , such as for example, providing the consumer  20  with the color specification system  30 . However, in order to encourage a wide distribution or number of consumers  20  to participate in the affiliation  10  and/or adopt the affiliation  10 , the color specification system  30  is preferably provided to the consumers  20  at no charge and/or may even be provided to the consumers  20  at a negative cost to the host  15  and/or the product providers  25 . The term “negative cost” includes the use of such incentives as may be necessary in order to entice a wider distribution of consumers  20  to adopt the use of the affiliation  10  such as, for example but not by way of limitation, coupons, rebates, discounts of products and/or direct compensation programs whereby the host  15  and/or the product providers  25  provide some sort of direct compensation to the consumers  20  who adopt and/or use the affiliation  10 .  
         [0071]    Referring now to FIG. 2, shown therein in block diagram form, is a representation of one preferred embodiment of the color specification system  30  constructed in accordance with the present invention. The color specification system  30  includes a computer  50 , a monitor  52 , an input device  54 , and a specifier program  56 . This embodiment of the color specification system  30  is but one example thereof, and modifications thereto are to be considered as within the scope of the color specification system  30 .  
         [0072]    In particular, the following discussion is intended to provide a brief, general description of a suitable computing environment in which the invention may be implemented. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may be practiced with other computer system configurations, including hand-held devices, multi-processor systems, micro-processor based or programmable consumer electronics, mini computers, mainframe computers and the like. The invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where the tasks are performed by one or more remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, the specifier program  56  may be located in a local and/or a remote memory storage device  58 .  
         [0073]    A number of software programs, including application programs  60  and the specifier program  56  may be stored in the computer  50 . The consumer  20  may enter commands and information into the computer  50 , through one or more input devices  54 , such as a keyboard  64  and/or a pointing device, such as a mouse  66  and/or a pen tablet or any other stylus based device, which are connected to the computer  50 . The input devices  54  may also include a microphone, joy stick, game pad, satellite dish, digital camera, scanner, spectrometer, spectrophotometer, or the like (not shown). The monitor  52  (such as an LCD, flat screen, television, or other type of display device) is also connected to the computer  50 . In addition to the monitor  52 , the computer  50  typically includes other peripheral output devices, such as speakers (not shown) or a printer, including generic printers, laser printers, ink jet printers, daisy wheel printers, black and white copiers, color copiers, and read-write cdROMS (not shown).  
         [0074]    The computer  50  may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer  72 . The remote computer  72  may be a server, a router, a peer device or other common network node and typically includes many or all of the elements described relative to the computer  50 , although only the remote memory storage device  58  has been illustrated in FIG. 2. The logical connections depicted in FIG. 2 include a local area network (LAN)  74  and a wide area network (WAN)  76 . Such networking environments are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets and the Internet and one of ordinary skill in the art would be able to replicate and/or expand upon such systems given the present specification.  
         [0075]    When using the local area network (LAN)  74 , the computer  50  is connected to the local area network (LAN)  74 , through a network interface  75 . When used in the wide area network (WAN)  76 , the computer  50  typically includes a modem  78 , or other means for establishing communications over the wide area network (WAN)  76 , such as the Internet. In a network environment, the specifier program  56 , depicted relative to the personal computer or portions thereof, may be stored in the memory storage device  58 . It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communication link between the computers may be used.  
         [0076]    The specifier program  56 , one exemplary and preferred embodiment of which is shown in FIG. 3, provides a user interface which allows the consumer  20  to input information about the desired color  32  for the colorable product  33  into the specifier program  56  by using the input device  54  and the computer  50 , and then outputs the color code  34 , which comprises encrypted data indicative of the desired color  32 , so as to provide the consumer  20  with the color code  34 . The specifier program  56  generally outputs the color code  34  to the monitor  52 , but can also output the color code  34  to the output device, such as the printer. The monitor  52  can be any type of device capable of displaying information. For example, the monitor  52  can be an LCD device, CRT device, LED device or the like.  
         [0077]    In one preferred embodiment of the specifier program  56 , the specifier program  56  comprises stand-alone software which does not require third party software to operate. In such an embodiment, the specifier program  56  can provide the consumer  20  with a specifier user interface, as shown in FIG. 3. More specifically, shown for example in FIG. 3, is a selector main menu  100  for a specifier user interface  104 , constructed in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0078]    The selector main menu  100  provides various user tools to aid the consumer  20  in specifying a color. For example, but not by way of limitation, the specifier program  56  can allow the consumer  20  to display, select, alter, and encode to the color code  34  the colors within an image, such as a digital or scanned photograph, and store such images on the computer  50  in order: (1) to display such images in a sequential order in a slide show format; (2) to pick a color from a list; (3) to pick a color found within an image; and (4) to coordinate a plurality of colors.  
         [0079]    In the embodiment of the specifier program  56  shown in FIG. 3, the selector main menu  100  includes a listing for selecting a CBN Image Editor sub-menu  108 , a listing for selecting a Preview sub-menu  112 , a listing for selecting a Slide Show Creator sub-menu  116 , and a listing for selecting an Albums sub-menu  120 .  
         [0080]    Referring now to FIG. 4, the CBN Image Editor sub-menu  108  includes a tab for selecting an Intro sub-menu  124 , a tab for selecting a Get Image sub-menu  128 , a tab for selecting a Create Color Areas sub-menu  132 , and a tab for selecting a Save and Preview sub-menu  136 . The Intro sub-menu  124  can be used to provide the consumer  20  with general introductory information, such as for example, an overview of the capabilities of the specifier program  56 .  
         [0081]    Utilizing the Get Image sub-menu  128  (see FIG. 5), the consumer  20  can load an image into an editor incorporated within the specifier program  56  by selecting from predefined functions for loading an image into the editor, such as by way of example but not limitation, acquire from a scanner or digital camera, open a saved file, and open a previously opened file. Once an image has been loaded into the editor, the image can be displayed within the Get Image sub-menu  128 , as shown in FIG. 6. Any means for loading an image into an editor within the specifier program  56  is considered to be within the scope of the specifier program  56 .  
         [0082]    Referring to FIG. 6, an image  140  is displayed within the Get Image sub-menu  128 . Any one or combination of shapes, figures, patterns, objects, etc., can be displayed within the image  140 , such as by way of example but not limitation, a house interior or exterior, a building interior or exterior, a car interior or exterior, a driveway, a roadway, a bridge, a wood grain sample, a pattern or texture swatch, a person, a shoe, an article of clothing, a cosmetic product, a food product, or a painting. For example, the image  140 , as shown in FIGS.  6 - 9 , displays a house exterior  141  (and other objects, such as foliage and/or other botanical items that are adjacent to but perhaps ancillary to the house exterior  141 ).  
         [0083]    Once the consumer  20  has loaded the image  140  into the editor, the consumer  20  then utilizes the Create Color Areas sub-menu  132  (see FIG. 7), in conjunction with the input device  54 , such as the mouse  66 , to select or deselect one or more areas within the image  140  to form selected areas  142 . The selected areas  142  collectively form a color area  144 , wherein the color area  144  designates one or more areas within the image  140  that the consumer  20  will be able to later modify within the editor utilizing the Preview sub-menu  112 , as discussed in further detail below. The Create Color Areas sub-menu  132  can be constructed so as to allow the consumer  20  to create one or more color areas  144 . For example, the consumer  20  can create one color area  144  for the house&#39;s trim and another color area  144  for the house&#39;s facing.  
         [0084]    As shown in FIG. 7, in one preferred embodiment, the consumer  20  selects or deselects areas within the image  140  by using predefined selection methods and/or predefined selection tools. The consumer  20  can select predefined parameters and/or set characteristic values for the predefined selection methods by using a selection mode field  148 , a selection tools field  152 , and a tool mode field  156 , which can be displayed in the Create Color Areas sub-menu  132 .  
         [0085]    The selection mode field  148  can be used to select which mode the selection will be made by the consumer  20 , such as by way of example but not limitation, normal mode  157 , wherein only the area  142  selected by the consumer  20  within the image  140  will be designated as the color area  144 , or additive mode  158 , wherein each consecutive selected area  142  will be added to any area that was previously selected by the consumer  20 , or subtractive mode  159 , wherein each consecutive selected area  142  will be subtracted, or excluded, from any area that was previously selected by the consumer  20 . The selection tool field  152  can be used to select a selection tool format in which an area will be selected by the consumer  20 , such as by way of example but not limitation, a rectangle format, a circle format, a free-hand format, a polygon format, and/or any other type of user defined format, such as one determined by an HSB or RGB rating. Each of these select tool formats are well known in the art and may be partially and/or wholly found in Adobe System&#39;s software product Photoshop®. The tool mode field  156  can be used to set format characteristics in a manner well known in the art as well.  
         [0086]    As shown in FIG. 8, within the Create Color Areas sub-menu  132 , other menus, sub-menus, and fields can be provided so as to allow the consumer  20  to create and further label, describe, and/or select multiple separate color areas  144  within the image  140 . That is, shown in FIG. 8 is a color area sub-menu  160  for the image  140  displayed within the Create Color Areas sub-menu  132 . The color area sub-menu  160  displays the labels for a plurality of color areas  144 , such as a background color area  144   a  and a white trim color area  144   b.  The color area sub-menu  160  can also display a description of the color areas  144 , or such information can be displayed in a separate sub-menu. The color area sub-menu  160  can further allow for the consumer  20  to hide or display one or more of the color areas  144  within the image  140  so as to allow each color area  144  to be readily identifiable and to be more easily selected for each color area  144 .  
         [0087]    By selecting and creating color areas  144  within the image  140 , the consumer  20  indicates to the specifier program  56  which portions of the image  140  are to be modifiable within the editor utilizing the Preview sub-menu  112 . In one embodiment, in order to modify the portions of the image  140  within the color areas  144 , the specifier program  56  collects image information, such as lighting, shading, or texture for the image  140  to create shading and highlighting information indicative of the shading and highlighting conditions within the image  140 . Further, the specifier program  56  can collect other image information for the image  140  and/or each color area  144 , such as for example, image size, creation date, author, comments, material type associated with the color area  144 , region data for the color area  144 , and combinations thereof.  
         [0088]    In one embodiment, the specifier program  56  creates a grayscale overlay indicative of the shading and highlighting information in the image  140 . The desired color  32  is added to at least one of the color areas  144  along with the information indicative of the shading and highlighting conditions within the image  140  to simulate the real-world look of the desired color  32  in the image  140 . Such a “real-world” look of the desired color  32  in the image  140  may be saved in a file format (described hereinafter in detail).  
         [0089]    In one preferred embodiment, the specifier program  56  hides, or encrypts, the shading and highlighting information for the image  140  in the grayscale of the image file through the use of the technique of steganography, which is well known to a person of ordinary skill in the art, and therefore, further detailed discussion of the technique of steganography is not deemed necessary. However, briefly, steganography is the art and science of hiding information by embedding data within another computer file by replacing bits of useless, insignificant, or unused data in regular computer files (such as graphics, sound, text, HTML, or even floppy disks) with bits of different, hidden information. This hidden information can be plain text, cipher text, or even images. Alternatively, the specifier program  56  can collect and hide image information for the portions of the image  140  within the color areas  144 , rather than for the entire image  140 .  
         [0090]    In another embodiment, in order to modify the portions of the image  140  within the color areas  144 , the specifier program  56  assigns RGB values to the pixels in the color area  144  wherein the RGB value assigned to one of the pixels in the color area  144  is determined by the RGB value of the desired color  32  and that pixel&#39;s grayscale value in relation to the other pixels in the color area  144 . In this embodiment, the specifier program  56  determines the RGB value of each of the pixels in the color area  144  of the unmodified image  140 , converts the RGB values into grayscale equivalents, and then constructs a grayscale histogram so as to find the distribution of grayscale tones within the image  140 .  
         [0091]    In one preferred embodiment, the grayscale tone having the maximum corresponding number of pixels is considered to be the object tone, whereby each pixel having that grayscale tone is assigned the RGB value of the desired color  32 . From the grayscale tone with the maximum number of pixels, a scaling factor is determined by which the grayscale tone of each of the remaining pixels are scaled or normalized by, then the scaled grayscale tone of each pixel is used to adjust the RGB value of the desired color  32  so as to give each pixel a color with a higher or lower shade/brightness than the desired color  32 , thereby giving the effect of the desired color  32  being “shaded” or “highlighted” in any one of the particular pixels depending on the relationship of the pixel&#39;s grayscale tone relative to the grayscale tone with the maximum number of pixels in the grayscale histogram. By assigning different colors to the shaded and highlighted areas according to relative and normalized grayscale tones in the image  140 , shape definitions in the image  140  due to shadowing and lighting are maintained, giving a more true and “real-life” representation of the objects in the color areas  144  in the image  140  that have to be changed to exhibit the desired color  32 .  
         [0092]    The process by which the image is analyzed is described in FIGS. 37 a  and  37   b.  After choosing a given color area  144 , each pixel 900 of the color area  144  is analyzed and converted into grayscale using the following formula that is well known in the art: grayvalue=R component*0.08+G component*0.71+B component*0.21. Upon traversing and analyzing each pixel  900 , the smallest and the highest gray shade values are determined and the number of times each value occurs is noted. The value that has the highest number of occurrences determines what is called the “object tone” 910.  
         [0093]    The object tone 910 is used to calculate a factor 920 by which the rest of the colors contained in the color area  144  (also known as the “SmartImage Area”) will be adjusted by the factor which is calculated by dividing 255 (number of shades of gray) by the object tone 910. Upon determining the factor 920, once again the gray value of each pixel in the color area  144  is determined and the color dependent factor 930 (“Cf”) is adjusted as follows: Cf=gray value multiplied by the factor 920, wherein the factor 920 has been divided by 255. Finally, the new color is computed by applying the Cf factor 930 to each color component of the original image pixel (i.e. each RGB value) in the following manner: new R component=original R component multiplied by the Cf factor 930, new G component=original G component multiplied by the Cf factor 930, new B component=original B component multiplied by the Cf factor 930.  
         [0094]    Example: desired color: RGB=(199, 42, 21). Based on area analysis, maxGray=120, minGray=73, ObjectTone=91. Factor=255/ObjTone&lt;=&gt;Factor=2.80. Original RGB for pixel=(22, 111, 167). Using above mentioned formula for calculating gray value of pixel we have GrayValue=115.64. Cf=gray value*factor/255&lt;=&gt;Cf=115.64*2.80/255&lt;=&gt;Cf=1.269. Finally, Cf applied to each component of the color being applied gives us the following results: newR=originalR*Cf&lt;=&gt;newR=199*1.269&lt;=&gt;newR=252.31; newG=originalG*Cf&lt;=&gt;newG=42*1.269&lt;=&gt;newG=53; newB=originalB*Cf&lt;=&gt;newB=21*1.269&lt;=&gt;newR=26.64.  
         [0095]    The factor 920 can also be calculated by dividing the number of grayscale tones less one by the grayscale value of the grayscale tone with the maximum number of pixels. In a preferred embodiment, if a second maximum occurs within the grayscale histogram, the grayscale tone with the second maximum number of pixels is assigned the desired color  32  and used to determine the factor 920 for the remaining pixels rather than the grayscale tone with the maximum number of pixels. This prevents overcompensation of the factor 920 if the image  140  was created in an environment with overly lighted lighting conditions or under lighted lighting conditions. Further, in order to increase aesthetic quality of the color areas  144  modified by the factor 920, the specifier program  56  can identify pixels along the edge of the color area  144  and perform a procedure, well known in the art that is known as anti-aliasing, to the edge pixels of the color area  144  so as to provide a smoother transition from the edge pixels of the color area  144  to the adjacent pixels of the image  140 . This technique is well known to one or ordinary skill in the art and thus needs no further explanation.  
         [0096]    The image  140  and the hidden image information (such as the object tone 910, factor 920, and Cf factor 930) are desirably stored as a single modifiable image file with an identifying file extension (such as for example, “.CBN”). By utilizing a single modifiable image file, the present invention eliminates the need for excessive storage space as with prior art modifiable images which require an additional file created to view modifications and/or print the image in some form of the CMYK printer language wherein both of these files are sent to the printer for processing. The specifier program  56  can further be developed such that only the software of the specifier program  56  can read and process the hidden image information within the modifiable image file having the identifying file extension.  
         [0097]    A diagrammatic representation of one preferred embodiment of an encrypted image file  162  constructed by the specifier program  56  in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 8A. The encrypted image file  162  is provided with a header section  163 , an image section  164 , and one or more smart image sections  165 , wherein the smart image sections  165  comprise the color area  144  and are defined by mathematical algorithms that define rectangles so as to “mask” the color area  144 . Two smart image sections  165  are shown in FIG. 8A and labeled with the reference numerals  165   a  and  165   b  for purposes of clarity. The header section  163  includes information describing the image  140  stored in the image section  164 , as well as other information, such as the creation date, size (in bytes) and author of the image  140 , as well as comments. The image  140  is preferably a .JPEG image, although it may be a .TIFF, .RTF, or any other suitable image format known to one of ordinary skill in the art.  
         [0098]    Each smart image section  165  corresponds to one of the color areas  144  defined in the image  140 . Each smart image section  165  contains information regarding one specific color area  144 . Thus, if the image  140  contains two color areas  144 , the encrypted image file  162  will include two smart image sections  165   a  and  165   b.  Each of the smart image sections  165   a  and  165   b  include a collection of information that define each color area  144 . In one preferred embodiment, each smart image section  165  includes name, comments, and material type, area information (i.e. the area selected or masked utilizing the create color areas sub-menu  132 ), and desired color  32  or color code  34 . The area information is typically a plurality of rectangles whose combined area substantially defines or masks the color area  144 . The area information can be produced utilizing the Windows command “GetRegionData” as is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.  
         [0099]    The image file  162  allows digital images to be imported such that any number of color areas  144  (e.g., 1, 2, 3 or more) can be defined and associated with arbitrary, but logical, surface areas within the image  140 . Subsequently, the specifier program  56  processes the image  140  and applies to the associated color areas  144  within the image  140 , the associated desired color  32  in a manner such that the perceived texture, depth, shadow, highlight and other spatial features of the image  140  are preserved (see e.g. FIGS. 37 a  and  37   b  and associated written description herein). This provides a user (such as the consumer  20 ) with the ability to realistically visualize the desired color  32  being applied to the arbitrary surface areas or color areas  144  of the image  140 .  
         [0100]    Once the consumer  20  has selected the desired color areas  144  within the image  140 , the consumer  20  then utilizes the Save and Preview sub-menu  136  to select predefined save options displayed in the Save and Preview sub-menu  136 . The consumer  20  then saves the image  140  with the color areas  144  as a file with an identifiable file extension, such as for example, “.cbn”, thereby creating a smart image file, such as encrypted image file  162 . The consumer  20  is then queried on a category that can be assigned to the smart image file, such as by way of example and not limitation, a category of automotive, commercial building, concrete, commercial concrete, decorative concrete, fashion, fashion accessories, fashion cosmetics, residential buildings, residential buildings interior, residential buildings exterior, patterns, textures, and wood grains, so that the smart image file may be made readily identifiable and available to the consumer  20  via the Albums sub-menu  120 . The consumer  20  can retrieve the smart image file within a plurality of smart image files stored in different albums, or sub-folders, and specify the image  140  with color areas  144  to be used in the Preview sub-menu  112  as discussed in more detail below, and/or in the Slide Show Creator sub-menu  116 . By utilizing the Slide Show Creator sub-menu  116  and the Albums sub-menu  120 , a plurality of images  140  can be displayed in a sequential fashion.  
         [0101]    Once the consumer  20  has access to or has created a smart image file, the consumer  20  then utilizes the Preview sub-menu  112 , and at least one color selector  174  (see FIGS.  10 - 12 ) within the specifier program  56 , to change the color appearance of the color areas  144  within the image  140 .  
         [0102]    As shown in FIG. 9, the image  140  with the color areas  144  is displayed in the Preview sub-menu  136 . This allows the consumer  20  to specify a color for each of the color areas  144 . Once the color is specified for each color area  144 , the image  140  is reproduced with the selected color in the color area  144 . This coloring of the image  140  provides the consumer  20  with a pictorial indication of how the color area  144  will look in the desired color  32  so that the consumer  20  can make a determination on whether to obtain a colorable product, such as for example paint, having the desired color  32  for the purpose of using the colorable product in a project, such as for example painting the background wall area of a house.  
         [0103]    Further, an original  170  of the image  140 , one without the color areas  144 , can also be displayed so that the image  140  and any changes within the color areas  144  of the image  140  can be readily seen and compared to the original  170 .  
         [0104]    The consumer  20  can specify the color in the color areas  144  of the image  140  by utilizing at least one color selector  174  within the specifier program  56  to provide information used by the specifier program  56  to alter RGB values assigned to pixels within the color areas  144  of the image  140  thereby changing the color appearance of the color areas  144  of the image  140 . The color selector  174  can be implemented by at least one of providing the consumer  20  with a database of selectable colors  178  from which the consumer  20  can specify a color, or by querying input indicative of a color from the consumer  20 . The database of selectable colors  178  can be represented in at least one of alphanumerical or pictorial form, wherein the alphanumeric or pictures are indicative of a color, and in at least one of one-dimensional, two-dimensional, or three-dimensional form. When the database of selectable colors  178  is represented in alphanumeric form, the database may be composed of a set of alphanumeric characters that are indicative of a color by representing color space information, such as for example, but not by way of limitation, in the form of alphanumeric RGB values or in the form of encoded data, such as the color code  34 .  
         [0105]    For example, as shown in FIG. 10, in one preferred embodiment, the color selector  174  displays the database of selectable colors  178  as a three-dimensional representation  182 . The three-dimensional representation  182  can be a shape, such as a sphere. Though the three-dimensional representation  182  is shown in FIG. 10 as being spherical in shape, it should be understood that the three-dimensional representation  182  can be any three-dimensional shape.  
         [0106]    The selectable colors displayed within the three-dimensional representation  182  are dependant on input information indicative of a specifiable colorable product which is queried from and specified by the consumer  20  by utilizing a Show Colors Available In field  186  provided in the color selector  174 . The field  186  includes a list of a plurality of colorable products  188 , such as paint (North American, European, Asian, etc.), grout, cement, or the like. This allows the selectable colors displayed in the three-dimensional representation  182  to be a function of pre-determined colorants used for coloring the colorable product.  
         [0107]    The term “colorant” as used herein refers to anything that influences the color of a material, whether the color is visible or non-visible to a human. Common examples of a colorant are a pigment, a dye and combinations thereof. An example of a colorant which is non-visible to a human is a dye that fluoresces under ultraviolet light and in this instance, such dye is non-visible to a human under normal lighting conditions, but is visible to a human when the dye is exposed to ultraviolet light.  
         [0108]    The consumer  20  can select a color displayed within the three-dimensional representation  182  by utilizing the input device  54 , such as the mouse  66 . The color appearance of a selected one of the color areas  144  within the image  140  is then changed to exhibit the desired color  32  as well as the shading, highlighting, and texture characteristics as described in conjunction with FIGS. 37 a  and  37   b.    
         [0109]    The three-dimensional representation  182  of selectable colors can be created for each specifiable colorable product so as to provide a representative of the gamut of colors obtainable with the colorant set for the specifiable colorable product. In one preferred embodiment, the selectable colors displayed in the three-dimensional representation  182  are colors representative of a selective color family, where a “color family” includes colors contained within a predefined range in the visual electromagnetic color spectrum. By displaying the representatives of selective color families, the three-dimensional representation  182  displays a more diverse gamut of colors obtainable within the limited pixel capacity of the three-dimensional representation  182 , and by including selective color families, disproportionate representation of colors caused by the colorant set being skewed toward one primary base color is avoided.  
         [0110]    In this embodiment, a database of possible color combinations for the colorant set of the colorable product is constructed by doing a permutation of the colors of the colorant set. The result of the permutation is sorted into color families. This sorting is performed by converting each resulting color into HSB space (using methods well known in the art) and ordering the resulting HSB colors in a two dimensional grid in which one axis represents the H channel and the other represents the S channel while holding B constant at some predefined average value of B for the family. The axes of the grid increase from the minimum values observed to the maximum values observed in the resulting H and S channels respectively. A representative color of each color family is selected by finding the geometric centroid of the grid, of the resulting colors in a given family. Such a geometric centroid represents the average color value of the resulting family.  
         [0111]    The RGB value for each of the representative colors is determined and is placed in a two-dimensional array in a predetermined manner wherein each RGB value is arranged in the array according to its RGB value relative to the other representative colors. Generally, the representative colors are arranged according to hue. In one preferred embodiment, the two-dimensional array is a 256×256 array so that up to 65,536 representative colors may be placed into the array. The two-dimensional array is then mapped to a three-dimensional representation  182  whereby the three-dimensional representation  182  displays the representative colors in the two-dimensional array. Mapping of the two-dimensional array to a three-dimensional bitmap image can be performed using any texture mapping tool, such as Microsoft Windows DirectX and OpenGL®.  
         [0112]    The three-dimensional representation  182 , in one preferred embodiment, is a multi-dimensional, geometric, spherical, visual color space model, manipulatable with three degrees of freedom, in real-time, for the identification and selection of specific individual colors, from a dynamic, context-sensitive, (potentially non-linear) sub-gamut from within the visual spectrum.  
         [0113]    In order to ensure that all portions of the three-dimensional representation  182  can be viewed by the consumer  20 , the three-dimensional representation  182  can be rotatable or movable, such that the consumer  20  can utilize the input device  54 , such as the mouse  66 , to rotate the three-dimensional representation  182 . Further, the speed and direction of rotation can be determined by the manual use of the input device  54 , or can be automatically determined by the use of the input device  54  in conjunction with a plurality of direction buttons  190 , wherein the direction information is set by selecting one of the direction buttons  190 , and a speed slider  194 , wherein the speed is set by adjusting the position of an indicator  196  on the speed slider  194 . Other methods of manually and automatically rotating the three-dimensional representation  182  will be apparent to one skilled in the art.  
         [0114]    Further, the color selector  174  can enlarge a specified portion  198  of the three-dimensional representation  182  (FIG. 11). The enlarged portion  198  can be displayed in two-dimensional form, such as shown in FIG. 11. The enlarged portion  198  comprises a plurality of color regions  202  having different RGB values assigned to the pixels within the color regions  202  wherein the colors within the color regions  202  can be more readily identified. Further, the size and number of the color regions  202  of the enlarged portion  198  can be varied by the consumer  20  by utilizing a scale slider  206 . The consumer  20  can then select a color displayed within the color regions  202 , thereby specifying the desired color  32  and the color appearance of the selected one of the color areas  144  within the image  140  is changed to exhibit the desired color  32 .  
         [0115]    In another embodiment, the database of selectable colors  178  can be displayed in pictorial form and in two-dimension form in a gradient representation  210 , such as shown in FIG. 12, whereby a predefined range of colors are displayed to the consumer  20 . The range of colors displayed can be dependent on a foundation color that the consumer  20  specifies by utilizing a color gradient slider  214  having a color gradient indicator  218  to place the location of color gradient indicator  218  on the color gradient slider  214  so as to indicate a foundation color. Then the gradient representation  210  displays a predefined range of selectable colors that correspond to the foundation color indicated by the color gradient indicator  218  on the color gradient slider  214 , wherein the predefined range of selectable colors includes the color of the foundation color and colors within an increasing and decreasing range of hue and an increasing and decreasing range of brightness from the color of the foundation color. The process of determining a gradient for a color is well known in the art. The consumer  20  can then select a color displayed within the gradient representation  210  to indicate to the specifier program  56  that a color has been specified and the color appearance of one or more color areas  144  within the image  140  can be changed to exhibit the desired color  32 .  
         [0116]    In another embodiment, the database of selectable colors  178  can be displayed in pictorial form and in two-dimension form in a color coordinates palette  220 , such as shown in FIG. 13, whereby one or more coordinated colors are displayed to the consumer  20 . The consumer  20  can then select coordinated colors for the color areas  144  to provide a coordinated appearance. In one preferred embodiment, the color coordinates palette  220  is color coordinated by utilizing a color wheel model  222 . The color wheel model  222  can be used to specify a primary color on the color wheel model  222  and send information to the specifier program  56  which the specifier program  56  will utilize to determine a plurality of coordinating colors for the primary color. The specifier program  56  further indicates the plurality of coordinating colors on the color wheel model  222  and displays the specified primary color and the plurality of coordinating colors in the color coordinates palette  220 .  
         [0117]    The color coordinates palette  220  can also display colors within a predefined range of increasing and decreasing brightness from the specified primary color and the plurality of coordinating colors. The consumer  20  can select a color displayed within the color coordinates palette  220 . Further, the number of coordinating colors to be determined, indicated, and displayed by the specifier program  56  can also be set by the consumer  20  by utilizing a grouping field  240  and a panel stroke grouping scroll bar  245  which then causes a list of selectable groupings to be displayed for selection, such as by way of example but not limitation, single, analogous, complimentary, triangle, tetrad, pentad and sextet, all of which are known in the art. Further, coordinating variation qualities, such as tone, tint, shade, and cold and warm colors, can be used by the specifier program  56  in determining coordinating colors to be specified by the consumer  20  by utilizing a plurality of variations radial buttons  250  (only one being numbered for purposes of clarity).  
         [0118]    Generally, the initial determination of the coordinate colors by the specifier program  56  is based on an equilateral relationship between a number of specified points on the color wheel model  222 , wherein the number of specified points corresponds to the selectable grouping specified. Each coordinate color is determined by its corresponding relationship from the specified primary color  225  on the color wheel model  222 . Further, after the initial determination, the relationship between the primary color and the coordinate colors can be changed by the consumer  20  by utilizing the color wheel model  222  to specify the relationship between the specified points on the color wheel model  222 . As a result, the coordinate colors will be redetermined by the specifier program  56  and displayed in the color coordinates palette  220 .  
         [0119]    In another embodiment, the database of selectable colors  178  can be displayed in pictorial and/or alphanumerical form and in two-dimension form in a color chart  260 , such as shown in FIG. 14, whereby a plurality of selectable colors for a plurality of colorable products, such as by way of example but not limitation, paint, stain, caulk, sealant, concrete, grout, mortar, bricks, pavers, frosting (and other colorable food items), cosmetics, and roof tiles, are displayed to the consumer  20 . In such an embodiment, the selectable colors for the plurality of colorable products displayed can be existing colors for the colorable products, i.e. color that each respective industry have predefined and currently make in bulk commercial form. The consumer  20  can utilize the input device  54 , such as the mouse  66 , to specify a colorable product from a product listing  264 , whereby the selectable colors for the specified colorable product  33  will be displayed in the color chart  260 . The consumer  20  can then select a color within the color chart  260  to indicate to the specifier program  56  that a color has been specified and the color appearance of one or more color areas  144  within the image  140  can be changed to exhibit the desired color  32 .  
         [0120]    In another embodiment, the database of selectable colors  178  can be displayed in pictorial and/or alphanumerical form and in one-dimensional form in a user color list  270 , such as shown in FIG. 15, wherein colors and color information, such as the color code  34 , are displayed to the consumer  20 . The color displayed in the user color list  270  are colors generated from color information saved by the consumer  20  in a plurality of library files on the computer  50  which are accessible by the specifier program  56 . The library files can be at least one of created, downloaded, and exported files by the consumer  20 . The downloading and exporting of the library files may also be done over the Internet such that remote consumers  20  may share color libraries with one another. The user color list  270  can further allow the consumer  20  to organize the database of selectable colors  178  by adding, deleting, editing, saving, and traversing the pictorial and/or alphanumerical forms in the user color list  270 . The user color list  270  may further provide for printing of the pictorial and/or alphanumerical forms of database of selectable colors  178 .  
         [0121]    The color selector  174  can further be implemented by querying input indicative of a color from the consumer  20 . In one preferred embodiment, such as shown in FIG. 16, the color selector  174  includes a convert panel  295  whereby the consumer  20  is queried for input that is indicative of a color the consumer  20  wants to select. Input indicative of a color can be color space information relating to the desired color  32 . For example, the input indicative of a color can be the alphanumerical value of the desired color  32  in a color space, such as by way of example but not limitation, the RGB color space value, the HSB color space value, or the HTML color space value. The consumer  20  can input alphanumeric values into color input fields  300  (only four being numbered for purposes of clarity) and then initiate an Apply Changes button  305  to indicate to the specifier program  56  that a color has been specified.  
         [0122]    The color selector  174  can also be implemented by allowing the consumer  20  to specify a pixel on the monitor  52  whereby the color information, such as the RGB value, of the specified pixel is sent to and received by the specifier program  56  to indicate the desired color  32 , wherein the desired color  32  will be the color of the pixel. In one preferred embodiment, such as shown in FIG. 17, the color selector  174  includes a pixel specifier  350  having a press-and-hold button  360  which can be used in conjunction with the input device  54 , such as the mouse  66 , by the consumer  20  to indicate to the specifier program  56  that a pixel of an image displayed anywhere on the monitor has been specified. The color of the specified pixel can be displayed to the consumer  20  in a selected color display  365  so that the color can be readily viewable by the consumer  20 . Further, the selected color display  365  can also be used to display any intermediate pixels that are traversed by the mouse  66  before a pixel is specified by the consumer  20  so as to aid the consumer  20  in specifying a specific pixel having the color desired to be selected.  
         [0123]    Once a pixel has been specified, the color appearance of one or more color areas  144  within the image  140  is changed to exhibit the desired color  32  of the specified pixel. Since the color selector  174  allows a color to be specified by specifying a pixel on the monitor  52 , the consumer  20  can utilize the color selector  174  to specify a color from an image, such as a digital picture, displayed on the monitor  52 . Further, the color selector  174  can further comprise a zoom button  375 , wherein the consumer  20  can utilize the zoom button  375  to enable a zoom window (not shown) wherein the zoom window displays a magnified representative of the pixels generally around the pixel over which the mouse  66  is traversed so that the colors of the pixels generally around the pixel over which the mouse  66  is traversed can be more readily identified so as to aid the consumer  20  in specifying the pixel having the color desired to be selected. The uses of zoom functions are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.  
         [0124]    Once the consumer  20  has selected a color using the color selector  174  and has indicated to the specifier program  56  that a color has been specified, the color appearance of one or more color areas  144  within the image  140  are changed to exhibit the desired color  32 .  
         [0125]    Once a color has been specified, the specifier program  56  further displays and provides to the consumer  20  the color code  34  corresponding to the desired color  32 . For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the color code  34  is displayed in a CBN field  380 , which corresponds to the desired color  32  displayed in the adjacent color field  390 . The color code  34  comprises encoded data indicative of the desired color  32 . In one preferred embodiment, the color code  34  is a set of alphanumeric characters from which color information of the desired color  32  can be obtained, once decoded. The color specification system  30  generates the color code  34  by manipulating color information of the desired color  32 , such as color space values or spectral frequency values. Common examples of color space values well known in the art include RGB values, HTML values, BradFord-RGB values, CMYK values, LAB values, HSB values HSV values, SCF values, XYZ values, and LUV values.  
         [0126]    Referring now to FIG. 18, shown therein is a graphical representation of the various color spaces well known in the art some of which being listed hereinabove. Note that the representation of the various color spaces is intended as a visualization aid only and is not a literal representation of the unions and intersections of the color spaces therein since, generally, color spaces exist in multi-dimensional spaces and are mathematically non-linear. The span of the color codes  34  capable of being generated using the present invention encompasses each of these color spaces so that the color specification system  30  can use input data of color space values in any of these color spaces to generate the color code  34 . This allows for the conversion of the color space values for a color found within one or more of the various color spaces into one standardized value represented by the color code  34  corresponding to that color across any material and/or substrate that is capable of being colorized.  
         [0127]    In order to generate the color code  34  for a color, color information of the color is converted relative to a host color space to form the standardized value represented by the color code  34 . Although the host color space will be described herein as LUV space, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the host color space being LUV space. The host color space can be LUV space, LAB space or another color space. The standardized value represented by the color code  34  is then manipulated through a reversible encryption sequence. In general, the manipulation of the standardized value represented by the color code  34  can be performed using any reversible encryption sequence wherein no loss of information occurs during the sequence or during the inverse of the sequence. While preferred embodiments for the encryption sequence are discussed herein below, by way of example, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other encryption sequences and techniques could be used so long as substantially the entire color information for the color is preserved during the encryption and decryption sequences—i.e. the standardized value represented by the color code  34  is maintained.  
         [0128]    In one preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 18 b,  the color code  34  for a color is generated by converting the inputted color information relative to LUV color space (i.e., the host color space), regardless of whether the color falls inside the normal range of LUV space or not, and then applying an encryption sequence to the inputted color information for the color. That is, in a step  400 , the inputted color information is converted from XYZ, RGB or other color space relative to LUV color space. The algorithms for converting color information relative to LUV color space are well known in the art. The normal conversion process for converting colors which are not valid inside LUV space would include, as a final step, finding the closest valid LUV color to the point in space represented by the converted color that is outside the valid space for LUV. It is important to note this last step is not performed—thus the conversion is “relative” to LUV space and not “into” LUV space thus allowing representations of colors in ANY space whether or not they are coincident with a given point (color) inside valid LUV space. For example, if the color information for the color is in the XYZ color space, well known conversion formulas for converting XYZ values relative to LUV values can be utilized.  
         [0129]    As an example, the conversion of LUV can be visualized as a table. The top of the table is what would be considered “valid LUV space” values. Thus, the position of items resting on the table top can be specifically denoted with respect to being on the table top. Items that are positioned away from the table top (such as on the floor next to the table) can also be described as having a position relative to the table top. In the same manner, any input color value from RGB, CMYK, etc. can be converted and described relative to LUV color space.  
         [0130]    The L, U, and V values provided by the conversion range from −238 to +762, where valid LUV space is typically (0&lt;=L&lt;=100, −134&lt;=U&lt;=220, −140&lt;=V&lt;=122) which can be, as described above, either valid or invalid values in the LUV color space. The encryption sequence then branches to a step  402  where each of the L, U and V color space values are normalized by adding +238 to such values. The encryption sequence then branches to a step  404 , where for each L, U, and V value; the value is separated into an integer component (exponent) and a decimal component (mantissa). The decimal component is then rounded to a desired precision, such as for example, a precision of three decimal places. The rounding of the decimal component causes a permanent loss of information. Thus, the desired precision can vary widely depending on the desired accuracy of the system designer. For example, the decimal component can be rounded to any desired decimal place, such as 1-100 decimal places. The encryption sequence then branches to a step  406  where each of the exponent and decimal components are converted to binary strings. The encryption sequence then branches to a step  408 , where the L value integer, the L value decimal, the U value integer, the U value decimal, the V value integer, and the V value decimal are each then converted to a 10-bit binary representation (in step  408 ) and concatenated into a 60-bit array (in a step  410 ).  
         [0131]    The encryption sequence then branches to a step  412 , where the 60-bit array is processed in a symmetric key encryption scheme with a key length of 672-bits, (21 32-bit values). In the step  412 , the concatenated 60-bit string is exclusive Or&#39;d with a key K via the formula shown in step  412  of FIG. 18 b.  The exclusive Or is performed three times, once for each 20 bits in the 60-bit string. The result of step  412  is then stirred with a sequence S to further mix the bits in the 60-bit string as indicated by a step  414 . The encryption sequence then branches to a step  416  where the stirred bit string is then exclusive Or&#39;d with the key K via the formula shown in FIG. 18 b.  In step  416 , the exclusive Or is performed three times, once for each 20 bits in the 60-bit string.  
         [0132]    The key K and the sequence S can be any array that is adopted and standardized to fit the encryption scheme. One of ordinary skill in the art, given the present specification, would understand that any type of key K or sequence S could be used. As by way of one example, but not limiting thereto, the key K could be represented as 21 values of 20 bits each (Max), such as:  
                                                     Array[0..20] of longWord = (                $F4A35,   $E651E,   $D5CA3,           $B5C97,   $C20D0,   $A457F,           $91DE7,   $83EB5,   $73975,           $63AE4,   $56D55,   $47C75,           $F752F,   $E6250,   $D1287,           $C7A8D,   $D72B5,   $A49FD,           $05F85,   $70CA7,   $928CF  )                      
 
         [0133]    As by way of one example, but not limiting thereto, the sequence S could be represented as a diffusion sequence to help with encryption by way of a non-ordered set of 1 through 60 inclusive, such as:  
                                                                             Array[1..60] of byte = (            14,   48,   22,   1,   28,   51,   15,   29,   6,   56,       3,   34,   24,   12,   35,   32,   38,   21,   59,   41,       20,   27,   46,   39,   60,   45,   7,   42,   13,   54,       11,   44,   37,   19,   2,   50,   5,   57,   8,   47,       30,   23,   17,   53,   49,   33,   43,   16,   25,   55,       40,   26,   18,   31,   9,   52,   36,   10,   58,   4   )                  
 
         [0134]    Also, as shown in FIG. 18 b,  in the step  414 , the bits produced in the step  412  can be stirred with sequence S a predetermined number of times, for example, but not by way of limitation, the bits produced in the step  412  can be stirred with sequence S five times.  
         [0135]    The encryption sequence then branches to a step  418 , where the modulated 60-bit array is separated into twelve 5-bit segments. The twelve 5-bit segments are then converted from its binary format into a corresponding color code character value. In one preferred embodiment, the color code character value is a value within the group of alphanumeric characters of 0-9, A-H, J-N, P-R, T-Y, and each value corresponds to a unique binary value found in the range of binary values for 0-31. The standard alphanumeric values of I, O, S, and Z are not included in the color code character value set to eliminate visual confusion with the alphanumeric characters 1, 0, 5, and 2, respectively. The encryption sequence then branches to a step  420 , where each color code character for the 5-bit segments are concatenated into a string so as to collectively form the color code  34  for the color. Further, use of a visual separator in the concatenated string, such as for example, a hyphen, can be used so as to make the color code  34  more easily readable to the consumer  20  and/or product provider  25 .  
         [0136]    In another embodiment, the specifier program  56  is implemented as plug-in software which requires third party software to operate. In such an embodiment, the specifier program  56  can provide the consumer  20  with a specifier user interface  104  (FIG. 19). For example, and as shown in FIG. 19, the specifier user interface  104  includes an assistant main menu  500  for an assistant user interface  504 , constructed in accordance with the present invention. The specifier program  56  comprising the plug-in software operates essentially the same as the specifier program  56  comprising the stand-alone software, described above, except that the specifier program  56  comprising the plug-in software is adapted for incorporation into a parent application.  
         [0137]    For example, the parent application can be design software, such as Adobe Photoshop®, CorelDraw®, AutoDesk®, or AutoCad®. The specifier program  56  comprising the plug-in software can be used to alter, enhance, or extend the operation of the parent application. For example, the specifier program  56  comprising the plug-in software can be constructed so as to allow the consumer  20  to create a project design and layout using an existing design software application, and then within the project design and layout, specify a portion of the project and a color that is to be used in that portion of the project by utilizing various user tools provided by the specifier program  56  via the assistant user interface  504 . The assistant user interface  504  provides the same user tools as the specifier user interface  104  and in the same manner as the specifier user interface  104 , including the color selector  174 , to aid the consumer  20  in specifying a color.  
         [0138]    The specifier program  56  comprising the plug-in software can be further constructed to allow the consumer  20  to: (1) create labels in the project within the existing design software, such as for example, a wall label  515 , as shown in FIG. 20, or a room label  520 , as shown in FIG. 21; (2) store project information on the computer  50 , for example, by using a plan specification window  525 , as shown in FIG. 22; (3) link stored project information to corresponding labels; and (4) create and print a report of project information, such as for example, a color specification report  530 , shown in FIG. 23. Project information can include details of the project, such as (1) the name of the project, (2) the name of the consumer  20 , (3) the name of a client, (4) the color code  34  for the color specified for specific portions of the project, (5) the location of the specific portions within the project, (6) the quantity of the specified colorable product  33  that will be utilized in each specific portion of the project, and (7) the name of the product provider  25  from which each specified colorable product  33  can be obtained.  
         [0139]    Referring again to FIG. 1, once the consumer  20  inputs color information into the color specification system  30  to specify a color and receives the color code  34  corresponding to the desired color  32  generated and outputted by the color specification system  30 , the color specification system  30  directs the consumer  20  to communicate the color code  34  to one or more of the product providers  25  within the affiliation  10  who has the ability to (1) convert the color code  34  into a formula for making the specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32 ; (2) make the specified colorable product  33 ; and (3) provide the specified colorable product  33  to the consumer  20 . The consumer  20  will also need to communicate the quantity or amount of the colorable product  33  to be colored to the product provider  25  as well.  
         [0140]    The consumer  20  can communicate the color code  34  and the desired quantity of the colorable product  33  through any communication medium, such as oral or written communication. For example, the consumer  20  can have a telephone conversation with an agent of the product provider  25 , send a written document via the mail, fax, or email to the orders department of the product provider  25 , or drive to a local product provider  25 , such as a local home improvement store, and give direct physical delivery of oral or written communication to an agent of the product provider  25 . For example, the consumer  20  can provide a computer printout of the color code  34  to the product provider  25 .  
         [0141]    Once the product provider  25  receives the color code  34  and the quantity from the consumer  20 , the product provider  25  inputs the color code  34  and quantity information into the formulation system  31 . The formulation system  31  then generates and provides to the product provider  25  the real-world volumetric, or if preferred by-weight, formula  42  for making the specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32 . Once the formulation system  31  provides the product provider  25  with the formula  42 , the product provider  25  utilizes the formula  42  in making the specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32  and then provides the specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32  to the consumer  20 . Generally, the consumer  20  will give some consideration to the product provider  25  in return for the specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32 . The formulation system  31  can be provided with a default quantity, or automatically break the total quantity into smaller quantities. For example, if the consumer  20  desires 5 gallons of paint, the formulation system  31  can produce the formula  42  for a one-gallon can of paint and then the product provider  25  would mix 5 one-gallon cans of paint.  
         [0142]    In one preferred embodiment, in order to generate the formula  42 , the formulation system  31  utilizes information from the color code  34  and the quantity information, in conjunction with a database of predetermined colorant parameters to generate the formula  42 . The colorant parameters can be absorption coefficients K and scattering coefficients S for a plurality of pigments, filler, and bases corresponding to colorants in predefined colorant sets, with each set corresponding to one or more colorable product.  
         [0143]    As shown in FIG. 24, in one preferred embodiment, the formulation system  31  includes a computer  560 , a monitor  564 , an input device  568 , and a formulation program  572 . A suitable computing environment in which the invention may be implemented is essentially the same as the computing environment used for the color specification system  30 , as described in detail above, therefore no further discussion is deemed necessary.  
         [0144]    In general, the formulation program  572  provides a user interface which allows the product provider  25  to input the color code  34  and quantity information into the formulation program  572  by using the input device  568  and the computer  560 , and then outputs the formula  42 , so as to provide the product provider  25  with a real-world volumetric formula, or a by-weight formula, for making the specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32 . The formulation program  572  generally outputs the formula  42  to the monitor  564 , but can also output the formula  42  to an output device, such as a printer, or to another program, such as for example, a colorant dispenser control program (not shown)  
         [0145]    As shown in FIG. 25, in one preferred embodiment, the formulation program  572  provides the product provider  25  with a formulator user interface  580 . The formulator user interface  580  includes a formulator main menu  584 , constructed in accordance with the present invention. The formulator main menu  584  includes a link for selecting an Input CBN sub-menu  592 , whereby once the product provider  25  selects the Input CBN sub-menu  592 , the formulation program  572  represents a set of menu-driven questions directed to the product provider  25 , via the monitor  564 , prompting the product provider  25  to input: (1) the color code  34  into an Input CBN field  596 , as shown in FIG. 26; (2) the type of colorable product  33  that is to be colored which is predetermined by the particular release of the formulation program  572  with each release being specific to a specific material type (although one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize and appreciate that one “master” formulation program  572  may be provided by the affiliation  10  so as to be generic and encompass every material type or any number of subsets of material type such as construction materials, food items, decorative items, etc.); and (3) the quantity of the colorable product  33  that is to be colored into an Enter Quantity field  604  and the units of the quantity into a units field  608 , as shown in FIG. 28.  
         [0146]    Although the formulation program  572  is described herein as being specific to a specific material type, it must be reiterated (as outlined hereinabove) that the formulation program  572  can be programmed for multiple material types. In this instance, the formulation program  572  would permit selection by the user of one of the multiple material types.  
         [0147]    Once the product provider  25  has inputted the color code  34  as well as the quantity and unit information of the colorable product  33 , the formulation program  572  uses this information in sequencing through a main logic loop to generate the formula  42  that is capable of producing a color using colorant ratios. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that some of the before-mentioned information can be provided or can be assumed by the formulation program  572 . For example, the formulation program  572  could ask for the quantity in terms of gallons. In this example, if a consumer  20  only wanted one quart, 0.25 would be entered into the Enter Quantity field  604 .  
         [0148]    The process of coloring the colorable product  33  is well known in the art, however, in general, colorable products are colored by adding a combination of colorants to a base material of the colorable product  33  via a dispensing system to form a desired color in the colorable product  33 . By altering the amount of colorants that are added from each predefined colorant, numerous combinations are possible, and hence numerous color variations are possible for the colorable product  33 . Industries using liquid color dispersion in the direct dispense or color pack methods, such as for example, paint, tile, grout, caulking, sealants, and stains, and industries using dry additive pigments, such as for example, concrete, brick and block, roof tiles and pavers, generally use a dispensing system that directly relates to the colorant set available in the industry. For example, when the colorable product  33  is paint, the dispensing system can be a manual or automatic dispenser obtainable from Hero Industries of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.  
         [0149]    One embodiment of the main logic loop for generating the formula  42  is shown in FIG. 29 a.  The main logic loop uses predetermined colorant parameters, such as absorption coefficients K and scattering coefficients S to generate the formula  42 . For each type of colorable product  33 , the sequencing of the main logic loop is essentially the same, with the difference being the colorant set to be used and the corresponding absorption coefficients K and scattering coefficients S for the pigments, fillers, and bases corresponding to the colorant set.  
         [0150]    Upon initiation, the main logic loop branches to a step  610 . In the step  610 , the color code  34  is inputted. In the step  610 , other color information indicative of the desired color  32 , such as color space values, e.g., RGB values or HTML values, or spectral frequency values, can be inputted into the formulation program  572  rather than the color code  34 .  
         [0151]    Once either the color code  34  or the color information is inputted into the formulation program  572 , the formulation program  572  branches to a step  612 . In the step  612 , the color code  34  or color information is then converted into a format needed to perform color matching calculations. For example, when the formulation program  572  is adapted to perform Delta-E calculations, the color code  34  or color information is converted into LUV color space values or LAB color space values. Preferably, the color code  34  or color information is converted to LUV color space values. The color code  34  is decoded by manipulating the color code  35  using inverse operations of the encryption sequence used by the color specification system  30  in generating the color code  34 , as discussed above, such that the color code  34  is converted back into the standardized value relative to the LUV color space values for the color.  
         [0152]    The formulation program  572  then branches to a step  614  where predetermined colorant parameters, such as absorption coefficients K and scattering coefficients S of fillers, bases and/or pigments relating to the coloring of the colorable product  33  are loaded into the formulation program  572 , which in one preferred embodiment will be used by the formulation program  572 , in conjunction with formulas relating to the Kubelka-Munk theory, to formulate the formula  42  for the desired color  32 .  
         [0153]    In other words, the formulation program  572 , in the step  614  generates an initial formula. The initial formula is determined as follows. Assuming that the base material is not transparent, K and S values indicative of a small amount, e.g., {fraction (1/48)} oz., of the base material forms the initial formula. If the base material is transparent, K and S values indicative of a small amount, e.g., {fraction (1/48)} oz. of one of the colorants in the colorant set forms the initial formula. Thus, the formulation program  572  generates an initial formula in the step  614  “on-the-fly” utilizing predetermined and standardized K and S values (based upon curves) for the colorant set, or base material used to formulate the desired color  32  for the colorable product  33 .  
         [0154]    The use of absorption coefficients K and scattering coefficients S in correlation with the Kubelka-Munk theory to model colorant mixing and determine expected colors is well known in the art. Therefore, no further discussion is deemed necessary to teach one skilled in the art to make and use the present invention. In addition, other ways of characterizing the colorants, bases or fillers may be used, as well as other ways of modeling colorant mixing to determine expected colors. Certain aspects of Kubelka-Munk theory are set forth hereinafter, however, for purpose of explanation, although it should not be regarded as exhaustive of the Kubelka-Munk theory or as being limiting to the explanatory detail hereinafter given.  
         [0155]    Generally, there are three main steps in accumulating K and S data for a colorant set. For each non-white colorant in the set, multiple physical samples of the colorant are made, for example three samples are made. The samples are made using a substrate that will have minimal effect on the color of the colorant mix disposed thereon. One of the samples will have the colorant in pure form disposed thereon. The second sample will have the colorant mixed with a predetermined amount of white colorant disposed thereon. The third sample will contain the colorant mixed with a predetermined amount of black colorant disposed thereon.  
         [0156]    For each sample, the reflectance values R is measured across the visible electromagnetic spectrum (λ=380 nm-780 nm) and recorded. The white colorant in the colorant set is used to determine the K and S values for the other colorants in the set, therefore it is treated separately. For each wavelength at which R was measured, a normalized corresponding R value is used to calculate {overscore (ω)} W , the K/S value at a given wavelength λ. The accumulating of K and S data for a material, such as a colorant, base or filler is well known in the art using Kubelka-Munk theory. The following sets forth a discussion of one manner in which Kubelka-Munk theory can be used to generate the K and S data for a material, as well as to determine an estimated color.  
         [0157]    There are three steps involved in accumulating K and S data for a Colorant Set. For each non-white colorant in the set, at least 23 physical samples should be made in a substrate that has little to no effect on the color, if possible. These will include: Pure Colorant, Colorant with White Mix, and Colorant with Black Mix. Once the samples are prepared, they can be measured for Reflectance (% R) values (See Table 2) across the Visible Spectrum (λ=380 nm-780 nm). These values are stored in simple two-dimensional arrays for easy retrieval.  
         [0158]    The symbols to be discussed are set forth below.  
         [0159]    K=Absorption curve  
         [0160]    S=Scattering curve  
         [0161]    λ=Lambda (wavelength in nanometers)  
         [0162]    R=Reflectance (0-100%) at a given wavelength (λ)  
         [0163]    {overscore (ω)}=Omega (K/S at a given wavelength)=(1−R) 2 /(2*R)  
         [0164]    W=White Colorant  
         [0165]    Since white will be used to determine the K, S curves for all other colorants, it will be treated separately. For each wavelength ( ) in its array the normalized Reflectance (0-1) is used to calculate:  
         {overscore (ω)} W   =K   W   /S   W =(1− R ) 2 /(2 *R )  
         [0166]    A starting point must be determined so S W =1 for white and the other colorants are calculated relative to their scattering power. Thus, in turn:  
         {overscore (ω)} W   =K   W =(1− R ) 2 /(2* R )  
         [0167]    to provide an array of K W , S W  values for the white colorant.  
         [0168]    The following steps are utilized for the other colorants:  
         [0169]    Symbols:  
         [0170]    W=White Colorant  
         [0171]    B=Black Colorant  
         [0172]    A=Colorant  
         [0173]    C=Concentration  
         [0174]    SG=Specific Gravity (g/ml)  
         [0175]    V=Volume  
         [0176]    For each wavelength (λ) we calculate K, S as follows:  
         [0177]    First, a decision must be made as to whether to use the “Colorant/White Sample” or the “Colorant/Black Sample”. Typically, whichever Reflectance (R) is furthest from Colorant (A) will be used: Black or White.  
         [0178]    Absolute (R A −R B ) vs. Absolute (R A −R W )  
         [0179]    If Black is further [Absolute (R A −R B )&gt;Absolute (R A −R W )]:  
         [0180]    Calculate the Unit Concentrations (See Table 1) of Black in the Black/Colorant (C BA ) mix and the Black/White (C BW ) mix:  
           C   BA   =V   B /( V   B   +V   A )  
           C   BW   =V   B /( V   B   +V   W )  
         [0181]    With the arrays discussed above, Calculate S AW , K AW :  
           S   AW   =C   BA *(1− C   BW )/C BW *(1− C   BA )*(({overscore (ω)} BW −{overscore (ω)} W )/({overscore (ω)} B −{overscore (ω)} BW ))*(({overscore (ω)} B −{overscore (ω)} BA )/({overscore (ω)} BA −{overscore (ω)} A ))  
           K   AW ={overscore (ω)} A   *S   A    
         [0182]    If White is further [Absolute (R A -R B )&lt;Absolute (R A -R W )]:  
         [0183]    Calculate K A  relative to the scattering power of White S W :  
           K   A   /S   W ={overscore (ω)} A *(({overscore (ω)} AW −{overscore (ω)} W )/({overscore (ω)} A −{overscore (ω)} AW ))  
         [0184]    Since S W =1 from earlier:  
           K   A ={overscore (ω)} A *(({overscore (ω)} AW −{overscore (ω)} W )/({overscore (ω)} A −{overscore (ω)} AW ))  
         [0185]    Unit Concentrations of White (C WA ) and Colorant (C AW ) in their mixture are also required:  
           C   WA   =V   W /( V   W   +V   A )  
           C   AW =1− C   WA    
         [0186]    Calculate K AW , S AW :  
         
       K 
       AW 
       =K 
       A 
       *C 
       WA 
       /C 
       AW  
     
           S   AW   =K   AW /{overscore (ω)} A    
         [0187]    K, S arrays for each colorant in the set are now known. These arrays can be directly used in the formulation program  572  to determine the color of any ratio of colorants.  
         [0188]    The following discusses the manner in which K, S arrays can be used to determine the color of a given formula.  
         [0189]    The total amount of colorant in a mix must add up to 1. For example, [4 ml White, 1 ml Black]=[C W =0.8, C B =0.2]. The following symbols used by the present invention are set forth below.  
         [0190]    Symbols:  
         [0191]    W=White Colorant  
         [0192]    B=Black Colorant  
         [0193]    A=Colorant  
         [0194]    M=Mixture  
         [0195]    C=Concentration  
         [0196]    R=Reflectance  
         [0197]    For each wavelength (λ) we calculate K M . S M  as follows:  
           K   M   =K   WW   +K   BW   +K   AW + . . . for as many colorants in the mixture= C   W {overscore (ω)} W   +C   B   K   BW   +C   A   K   AW + . . .  
         [0198]    Similarly:  
           S   M   =S   WW   +S   BW   +S   AW + . . . for as many colorants in the mixture= C   W   +C   B   S   BW   +C   A   S   AW + . . .  
         [0199]    The Reflectance (% R) at each wavelength (λ) can then be calculated:  
           R   M (%)=(1+( K   M   /S   M )−[( K   M   /S   M ) 2 +2( K   M   /S   M )] 1/2 )*100  
         [0200]    Thus, a new Spectral Curve with Reflectance values (% R) at each wavelength (λ) which can be converted into any color space required has been successfully generated .Table 1: Volume Fractions (V) or Sample Curves  
                                                                                                         W   B   W   A   W   A   M                                    W   1   0   .395   0   .379   0   .10       B   0   1   .605   0   0   .047   .02       A   0   0   0   1   .621   .953   .88                  
 
         [0201]    [0201]                                                                                   TABLE 2                           Reflectance Values (% R) for Sample Curves                W   B   W   A   W   A   M                        400   1.980   .6591   4.169   .5803   0.302   .2476   .30       nm       500   2.443   .4649   3.060   .6575   2.991   .2215   7.70       nm       600   2.207   .4667   1.541   0.380   5.418   7.777   3.12       nm       700   1.084   .4810   0.457   5.662   2.866   2.869   8.65       nm                    
         [0202]    Once the color for an estimated formula has been determined, the formulation program  572  then branches to a step  616  where a minimum match distance is set. By default, the formulation program  572  uses a minimum match distance of 0.5 Delta-E. This means that any color match generated should be within 0.5 Delta-E of the desired color  32 . The minimum match distance is freely modifiable allowing for almost a 100% match when set to 0 and given a big enough number of iterations. Due to time efficiency, in one preferred embodiment, the minimum match distance is 0.02. The minimum match distance can be specified by either querying the product provider  25  for a value or by using a predefined value.  
         [0203]    The number of iterations through the main logic loop is inversely related to the minimum match distance or target Delta-E value, i.e. the lower the target Delta-E value, the more iterations through the main logic loop can be expected. The target Delta-E value indicates the desired color difference between the desired color  32  and the formulated color. Because, on average, the human eye can generally only see color differences of about Delta-E=0.88, measured in LUV color space, once a Delta-E value of less than 0.88 has been achieved, the human eye generally is not capable of detecting a color difference between the desired color  32  and the formulated color. Therefore, the reference of the specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32  will be understood to mean the specified colorable product  33  having a color within at least a Delta-E of the minimum match distance of the desired color  32 .  
         [0204]    Once the minimum match distance is set, the formulation program  572  branches to a step  618 . The formulation program  572  uses trial and error to generate the formula  42  from the colorant parameters. That is, mathematic values indicative of a “pigment unit” of one of the pigments in the colorant set are provided to the formula for calculating the Delta-E in a step  620 . It must also be pointed out that one of the pigments in the colorant set is the pigment of the base material itself.  
         [0205]    The formulation program  572  then branches to a step  622  where the Delta-E calculated in the step  620  is compared to the minimum match distance Delta-E calculated in the step  616 . If the Delta-E in the step  622  is less than the minimum match distance in the step  616 , the formulation program  572  then branches to a step  624  where the formula  42  is constructed from the pigment units. If the Delta-E is greater than the minimum match distance in the step  616 , the formulation program  572  then branches to a step  625  where the formulation program  572  compares Delta-E between the current color and the desired color  32  as obtained in the step  620  against Delta-E between the previous color and the desired color  32  as obtained in the step  620  in a previous iteration. The formulation program  572  then branches to a step  626  where it is determined whether the Delta-E of the current color in the step  620  (current Delta-E) is less than or equal to the Delta-E of the previous color in the step  620  (previous Delta-E). If the current Delta-E in the step  620  is less than the previous Delta-E in the step  620 , then the formulation program  572  branches to a step  628  where the pigment unit of the colorant is gradually increased. If the current Delta-E in the step  620  is greater than the previous Delta-E in the step  620 , the formulation program  572  branches to a step  629  where another colorant from the colorant set is selected. The formulation program  572  then branches to the step  618  and the before-mentioned process is repeated until the Delta-E in the step  620  is less than the minimum match distance Delta-E in the step  616 .  
         [0206]    The formulation system  31  should be constructed so as to not allow each colorant in the colorant set to be used more than once. Therefore, step  628  is constructed such that once all colorants in the colorant set have been used and the current Delta-E value in the step  620  is greater than or equal to the previous Delta-E value in the step  620 , the logic flow will go to the step  624  as well as indicate to the formulation system  31  that the target Delta-E value (i.e. one that is less than or equal to the minimum match Delta-E in the step  616 ) could not be obtained. Further, the formulation system  31 , in conjunction with the monitor  564  and the computer  560 , can then generate and display a window with a message indicating that the target Delta-E could not be obtained so as to notify the product provider  25 . The formulation system  31  can further indicate to the product provider  25  the relationship between the “best” obtained Delta-E and the target Delta-E, i.e. the color difference between the formulated color and the desired color, for example, by rating the difference using a predetermined scale, so that the product provider  25  can then determine whether to continue or alert the consumer  20 .  
         [0207]    Once the logic flow reaches the step  624 , the formula  42  is then determined by converting the number of pigment units determined for each colorant in the colorant set, which will be the number of iterations through the step  618  for each colorant, into real-world measurable units for each colorant by using predetermined pigment to real-world measurable unit ratios. The pigment unit for each colorant is preferably either in terms of mass or volume, so that the pigment units determined for each colorant can be multiplied by a predetermined specific gravity conversion factor for each of the colorants so as to determine the volume or weight, respectively, of each of the colorants needed to collectively produce the volumetric or by-weight formula, respectively.  
         [0208]    The formula  42 , which contains the volumetric or weight units for each colorant that is to be combined and used to color the specified colorable product  33 , is then provided to the product provider  25 . The formulation program  572  generally outputs the formula  42  to the monitor  564  so as to provide the product provider  25  with the formula  42 , such as shown in FIG. 27. However, the formulation program  572  can also output the formula  42  to the output device, such as the printer, or to another program, such as a colorant dispenser control program or to the colorant dispenser itself.  
         [0209]    Once the product provider  25  receives the formula  42 , the product provider  25  utilizes the formula  42  in making the specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32 . For example, the product provider  25  can set up a tint dispenser containing a colorant set to disperse an amount of each colorant corresponding to the volumetric units in the formula  42  into a base material for the specified colorable product  33 , mix the base material and added colorants thereby coloring the specified colorable product  33  such that the specified colorable product  33  has the desired color  32 , and then provide the specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32  to the consumer  20 . Any colorant dispensing techniques using any substance which effects the color of a mixture and that can be measured using K and S values can also be utilized by the product provider  25  in conjunction with the formula  42  to make the specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32 , such as for example, those which are well known in the art as color pack methods, dry additive pigments methods, and methods using liquid-based colorants and or dyes, such as glycol-based colorants, food colorings or dyes. Generally the consumer  20  will provide the product provider  25  with consideration for the specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32 .  
         [0210]    In another preferred embodiment, shown in FIG. 29 b,  the main logic loop of the formulation system  31  incorporates other variables or heuristic criteria when generating the formula  42 , such as pigment price, the number of pigments used in the formula  42 , total volume of the pigments used in the formula  42 , total cost of the formula  42 , and quality relative to hide and color fastness, in addition to match distance or closeness of formulated color to desired color  32 . As will be discussed below, in this embodiment, the formulation system  31  uses the heuristic criteria in an effort to optimize the formula  42  to match the desired color  32  in the most cost-effective manner using the least amount of volume of the least number pigments that gives an acceptable or target level of hide or fastness.  
         [0211]    For each type of colorable product  33 , the sequencing of the main logic loop is essentially the same, with the difference being the colorant set to be used, the formulas corresponding to the colorant set, and the corresponding algorithms associated with the heuristic criteria of the colorant set.  
         [0212]    As shown in FIG. 29 b,  upon initiation, the step  610  (the same as in FIG. 29 a ) of the main logic loop branches to a step  630 . In the step  630 , the input data, such as color code  34 , is decoded so as to convert the input data into the value that is relative to LUV color space for the desired color  32 . Alternatively other color information indicative of the input data, such as color space values or spectral frequency values, can be inputted into the formulation program  572 . Step  630  of FIG. 29 b  is analogous to step  612  of FIG. 29 a.    
         [0213]    Once the formulation program  572  receives the color information indicative of the desired color  32 , the formulation program  572  branches to a step  632  where the formulation program  572  produces and records an estimated color formulation for the desired color  32 . In one preferred embodiment, the formulation program  572  includes a start colors database  634 . As shown in FIG. 29 b,  the start colors database  634  is produced by: (1) determining the K, S arrays for the colorant set, including the base material; (2) producing an arbitrary plurality of colorant formulas formed of combinations of colorants (e.g. 1, 2, 3, . . . colorants) in the colorant set; and (3) converting each of the colorant formulas to an estimated color as indicated by the steps  636 ,  638  and  640 . The estimated colors and the formulas for producing the estimated colors are stored in the database of start colors  634 —i.e. for each estimated color (i.e. record) in the start colors database  634 , a formulation and associated LUV value is stored in the start colors database  634 .  
         [0214]    In the step  632 , the formulation program  572  evaluates the formulation in every record in the start colors database  634  with respect to the desired color  32  as well as zero or more of the heuristic criterion (as discussed in more detail below). The evaluation of each record results in a “search cost”. The search cost represents a value or score indicative of how well the formulation corresponds to the heuristic criterion including the heuristic criteria for the color match. Ideally, formulations which match most closely with the desired color  32  (possibly weighted with the other heuristic criterion) will be considered as having a “low” search cost.  
         [0215]    Then, the start colors database  634  is optionally reordered (e.g., from best to worst, or from worst to best) based on the search costs resulting from the evaluation. In one preferred embodiment, the records in the start colors database  634  are evaluated using only the heuristic criteria for Delta-E and thus, the start colors database  634  is reordered based upon the closeness of each color in the database  634  relative to the desired color  32 . In another preferred embodiment, each record in the start colors database  634  is evaluated with the desired color and the other heuristic criterion using the same weighting ratios discussed below for evaluating estimated or modified formulas. The main loop of the algorithm is then entered and the first (or last) record in the database  634  (i.e. the record evaluated to have the lowest search cost ) is used as a start point. The formulation program  572  thereafter branches to the step  642  where the start point is recorded as the estimated color formulation as well as the estimated color formulation&#39;s search cost.  
         [0216]    Exemplary graphs of heuristic criterion are shown in FIGS. 29 c,    29   d,    29   e,    29   f  and  29   g.  FIG. 29 c  is a curve representing the “cost” of the total amount of colorant in a formulation. As the total amount of color increases, the cost also increases. FIG. 29 d  is a curve representing the “cost” of the quality of the formulation relative to hide and color fastness. FIG. 29 e  is a curve representing the estimated monetary cost of the colorants in the formulation. FIG. 29 f  is a curve representing the “cost” of the estimated match distance to desired color  32 . FIG. 29 g  is a curve representing the “cost” of the number of pigments in the formulation.  
         [0217]    Each of the heuristic criterions outlined graphically in FIGS. 29 c - 20   g  can be represented as a curve plotted in the positive X and Y coordinate quadrant of a standard Cartesian coordinate system that equates a real value in a specific criterion to an arbitrary decimal value between 0 and 1 and is a monotonic function of the real (input) value. As such, each of the curves can be classified as an admissible heuristic.  
         [0218]    The Y axis for all curves is plotted from 0.0 to 1.0. The X axis is plotted with respect to the heuristic being evaluated, always starting from a theoretical minimum value extending to the theoretical maximum value. For example, with respect to Delta-E, it is known that the theoretical maximum Delta-E that can be computed between two colors in LUV space is approximately 300 (FIG. 29 f ).  
         [0219]    The exact shape of the curve is determined by knowledge engineering executed in the technical lab, color scientists, and industry specialists in the field of creating “good” color formula for a given material. When the perceived negative cost of a single change in a given heuristic criteria is minimal, the curve is shaped with a small slope. As the perceived negative cost of a single change in a given heuristic criteria is greater, the curve is shaped with a steeper slope. Thus, in practice, all curves tend to be sinusoidal.  
         [0220]    For example, with respect to the Delta-E heuristic curve, a zero Delta-E is the theoretical minimum, so this is plotted at point 0 on the Y axis. Since most people cannot perceive the difference between a Delta-E of 0.05 and 0.01, the shape of the curve at this point has a minimal slope. This slope is carried toward the next breakpoint which is approximated at 0.75. This value was chosen since most people can begin to see a slight difference in color at 0.75. After 0.75, the slope of the curve is steeper to reflect the heuristic that additional changes in Delta-E come with a relatively high “cost” associated. This process is continued such that the “cost” associated with increasing values of X is relative to increasing values of Y. Additionally, each heuristic criteria is assigned a “weight” which is a representation of that heuristics criteria&#39;s relative importance in evaluating the search cost of a given formula relative to the other heuristics. For example if each heuristic is given an equal weight, then the “cost” associated with an increasing cost factor from a given heuristic contributes equally to the evaluation of a given formulas “search cost” relative to the “cost” associated with an increasing cost of any other heuristic. Alternatively, if one heuristic is weighted twice as much as an other, then the “cost” associated with an increasing cost factor from the first (greater weight) heuristic contributes twice as much to the evaluation of a given formulas “search cost” relative to the “cost” associated with an increasing cost of the second heuristic.  
         [0221]    Typically, each of the heuristic criterion are provided with a predetermined weighting ratio where color match is weighted to 96%, dollar-cost is weighted to 2% number of pigments is weighted to 1.5%, volume of pigment is weighted to 0.25%, quality of hide and fastness together are weighted to 0.25%. This weighting determines the search-cost of each color formulation. However, the formulation program  572  can be programmed to re-prioritize the heuristic criterion in any weighting ratio configuration desired. This allows the formulation system  31  to generate the formula  42  to meet more specific requirements or needs of the product provider  25 , or consumer  20 . For example, if the main concern of the product provider  25 , or consumer  20 , is having a low total cost, the formulation system  31  can evaluate possible formulas wherein finding the formula with the lowest total cost is scaled so as to have relatively more importance than the other variables—i.e providing a search cost for each formula, wherein the search cost of the “best” formula is weighted to favor the lowest total cost of producing the formula.  
         [0222]    Once the estimated formula is tested with the heuristic criterion to evaluate its search-cost, the formulation program  572  branches to a step  644 , where the formulation program  572  uses the estimated formula to create a plurality of modified formulas. The modified formulas are created by: (1) adding a small amount (such as {fraction (1/48)} oz.) of each pigment to the estimated formula; and (2) subtracting a small amount (such as {fraction (1/48)} oz.) of each pigment from the estimated formula. Thus, if the colorant set includes 12 colorants, 24 modified formulas will be created. The step  644  can be implemented utilizing an algorithm known in the art as a gradient descent algorithm.  
         [0223]    The formulation program  572  thereafter branches to a step  646  where each of the modified formulas is tested in a similar manner as the estimated formula was tested in the step  642 . The formulation program  572  then branches to a step  648  where a “best” color formulation is determined based on a comparison of the search-cost for each of the modified formulas with the search cost of the estimated formula. The Formulation program  572  then branches to step  649  to determine if a better formula has been created or not. If a subsequent formula that is created has a lower search-cost than the current “best” formula (or estimate), then this subsequent new formula moves up and replaces the old formula as the “best” formula (or estimate) and the program branches to step  650 . If a better formula has not been created, the plurality of estimated formulae created in  644  is completely discarded (retaining the single “best” estimate so far).  
         [0224]    The formulation program  572  then branches to a step  649   b  where the next available record from the start colors database  634  is retrieved as the next candidate for evaluation. The formulation program  572  then branches to the step  644  where this candidate is used to repeat the process and create a new plurality of formulae. In step  650  the formulation program  572  determines whether a predetermined number of iterations has been reached, and if not, the formulation program  572  branches to the step  644  where the process is repeated. If the predetermined number of iterations has been reached, the formulation program  572  branches to a step  652  where the “best” color formulation is output. In the step  652 , the real-world volumetric, or by-weight formula  42  is determined based on the “best” color formulation, in the same manner as the real-world formula is determined for step  624  of the main logic loop shown in FIG. 29 a,  as discussed above.  
         [0225]    In theory, the formulation program  572  could continue optimizing the “best” color formulation into infinity. To prevent this from occurring, the number of iterations is typically set at a number of about 300 where it has been determined that suitable formulas have been produced. The number of iterations could be increased or decreased in an attempt to increase or decrease the quality of the “best” color formulation.  
         [0226]    Although the heuristic criteria are shown in FIGS. 29 c - 29   g  as line drawings to optimize computational efficiency, because they are (potentially) evaluated several million times in a single search cycle, it should be understood that other manners can be used to form the heuristic criteria. For example, the heuristic criteria can be implemented using calculus or polynomial trigonometric functions.  
         [0227]    In summary, the formulation program  572  is programmed to dynamically generate a new and unique formula (volumetrically or by-weight) for a specific (but arbitrary) material type, and specific (but arbitrary) colorant set that, when combined and mixed adequately, will accurately produce the desired color  32  represented by the color code  34  (from the visual electromagnetic spectrum)—given that the base material(s) and/or colorant set have the capability of producing the desired color  32 . In the case of base material(s) and/or color set(s) that have limited possible color gamut (i.e. those with a significant color cast or hue to the base material; e.g. concrete having a gray cast that prevents the formulation of “bright” colored concrete formulations), the formulation program  572  will produce a formula that provides the closest possible color achievable under the given conditions of the base material. Further, this formula will exhibit all the desirable tertiary characteristics (characteristics aside from color match, and relative to the specific material type) that are considered minimally acceptable in a given formula type, in addition to maximizing the desirable characteristics themselves.  
         [0228]    The formulation program  572  can further contain a formulation color specification system which allows a color to be specified and then provides the color code  34  corresponding to the desired color  32  which the product provider  25  can then input into the Input CBN field  596  of the Input CBN sub-menu  592  for generating the formula  42  for making the specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32 , or alternatively, the color code  34  can be automatically inputted into the Input CBN field  596  of the Input CBN sub-menu  592 .  
         [0229]    Having the formulation color specification system incorporated into the formulation system  31  allows the formulation system  31  to be used by the product provider  25  to assist the consumer  20  in specifying the desired color  32  for the specified colorable product  33  or as a point-of-sale marketing tool wherein the consumer  20 , as a customer of the product provider  25 , can use the formulation system  31  when the product provider  25  is not using the formulation system  31  to generate formulas. In one preferred embodiment, the formulation system  31  can query the product provider  25  for a password so that contents within the formulation system  31  can be protected when the formulation system  31  is in customer-use mode. The formulation color specification system can be implemented essentially in the same manner as the color selector  174  provided by the specifier program  56  of the color specification system  30 , as described above, wherein the formulation color specification system provides the product provider  25 , or consumer  20 , at least one of a database of selectable colors from which the product provider  25 , or consumer  20 , can specify a color, or by querying input indicative of a color from the product provider  25 , or consumer  20 , so as to obtain color information of the desired color  32 , such as for example, RGB values or HTML values, or spectral frequency values. The formulation color specification system then manipulates the color information with predefined encoding equations so as to generate and provide the color code  34  from which color information of the desired color  32  can be obtained by the formulation system  31  once decoded.  
         [0230]    In one preferred embodiment, the formulation color specification system is incorporated into the formulator main menu  584  for the formulation program  572 . For example, in FIG. 30, shown therein is a formulation color specification system  680  which is incorporated into the formulator main menu  584  by including in the formulator main menu  584  a link for selecting a Choose From Color Book sub-menu  684 , a link for selecting a Create New Color sub-menu  688 , a link for selecting a Convert Color From RGB sub-menu  692 , and a link for selecting a Scan Color From Spectrometer sub-menu  696 . The Choose From Color Book sub-menu  684  allows the product provider  25 , or consumer  20 , to specify the desired color  32  by selecting a color from a database of selectable colors, and the Create New Color sub-menu  688 , the Convert Color From RGB sub-menu  692 , and the Scan Color From Spectrometer sub-menu  696  allow the product provider  25 , or consumer  20 , to specify the desired color  32  by querying input indicative of the desired color  32  from the product provider  25 , or consumer  20 , so as to obtain color information of the desired color  32 .  
         [0231]    Referring now to FIG. 31, shown therein is the Choose From Color Book sub-menu  684 , which includes a color display sub-menu  700 , wherein the database of selectable colors is displayed in pictorial and/or alphanumerical form and in two-dimensional form in a color chart  704  of selectable colors for a plurality of materials for colorable products  33 , such as by way of example but not limitation, paint, stain, caulk, sealant, concrete, grout, mortar, bricks, pavers, and roof tiles. In such an embodiment, the selectable colors for the plurality of materials for colorable products  33  displayed can be existing colors for the materials that have been predefined in each respective industry. The product provider  25 , or consumer  20 , can utilize the input device  568 , such as a mouse  706  (see FIG. 24), to specify a material and then select a color from the color chart  704  to indicate to the formulation program  572  that a color has been specified so that the color information corresponding to the desired color  32  can be utilized by the formulation program  572  to generate and provide the color code  34  corresponding to the desired color  32 . Color swatches  705  display a selection of brighter and darker colors achievable relative to the estimated formula to provide the product provider  25  alternatives to the desired color which are in the same color family but are lighter or darker so as to provide more choices for the consumer  20 . These alternatives are generated from the estimated formula by adding and/or subtracting white and/or black in arbitrary (but monotonically increasing or decreasing) amounts to the estimated formula. Each alternative formula is then analyzed for its predicted color as outlined. The resulting colors are displayed in the color swatches  705 .  
         [0232]    Referring now to FIG. 32, shown therein is the Create New Color sub-menu  688 , whereby the product provider  25 , or consumer  20 , utilizes the input device  568 , such as the mouse  706 , in conjunction with a plurality of color sliders  708  (only three of the color sliders  708  being numbered in FIG. 32 for purposes of clarity), wherein each color slider  708  corresponds to a color in a predefined set of colors (i.e. the colorant set for the base material), to set a level indicator  712  for each of the color sliders  708  at a value whereby the slider indicator value indicates the ratio value of the color with respect to the other colors in the set of colors. The ratio values in combination with the K and S values for each of the colors in the set of colors is then used by the formulation program  572  to determine the color specified. Further, the formulation program  572  can display  714  the specified color, as determined by the value of the level indicators  712 , to the product provider  25 , or consumer  20 , so that the product provider  25 , or consumer  20 , can utilize the display in setting the level indicator  712  for each color slider  708 .  
         [0233]    Once the product provider  25 , or consumer  20 , sets the level indicators  712  for the plurality of color sliders  708  so as to specify a color, the product provider  25 , or consumer  20 , utilizes a Next button  716  to indicate to the formulation program  572  that a color has been specified so that the color information corresponding to the desired color  32  can be utilized by the formulation program  572  to generate and provide the color code  34  corresponding to the desired color  32 . Though the Create New Color sub-menu  688  is described as being incorporated into the formulation program  572  of the formulation system  31 , the Create New Color sub-menu  688  can also be adapted to be utilized in the specifier program  56  of the color specification system  30 .  
         [0234]    Referring now to FIG. 33, shown therein is the Convert Color From RGB sub-menu  692 , whereby the product provider  25 , or the consumer  20 , is queried to input information that is indicative of the desired color  32 , such as color space values relating to the desired color  32 , into a plurality of color conversion input fields  720  (only two being numbered for purposes of clarity). For example, the input indicative of a color can be the alphanumerical value of the desired color  32  in a color space, such as by way of example but not limitation, the RGB color space value, the CMYK color space value, the HSB color space value, the CIE LAB color space value, the CIE XYZ color space value, or HTML color space value. The consumer  20  can provide the input indicative of the desired color  32  by utilizing the input device  568 , such as a mouse  706  and/or keyboard  722  (see FIG. 24), to input alphanumeric values into the appropriate color conversion input fields  720 , and then utilize a Next button  724  to indicate to the formulation program  572  that a color has been specified so that the color information corresponding to the desired color  32  can be utilized by the formulation program  572  to generate and provide the color code  34  corresponding to the desired color  32 .  
         [0235]    Referring now to FIG. 34, shown therein is the Scan Color From Spectrometer sub-menu  696 , whereby the product provider  25 , or consumer  20 , can utilize a scan color button  740 , in conjunction with input devices  568 , such as the mouse  706 , and a spectrometer  744  (see FIG. 24) to input color information of the desired color  32  into the formulation program  572 , wherein the color information comprises the spectral frequency measurement outputted by the spectrometer  744  for a colored sample having the desired color  32  (not shown) which was placed within the spectrometer  744  for the making of the spectral frequency measurement. Use of a spectrometer to obtain a frequency measurement for a colored sample is well known in the art, therefore, no further discussion is deemed necessary.  
         [0236]    Once the spectral frequency measurement outputted by the spectrometer  744  is inputted into the formulation program  572 , the product provider  25 , or consumer  20 , utilizes a Next button  748 , to indicate to the formulation program  572  that a color has been specified so that the color information corresponding to the desired color  32  can be utilized by the formulation program  572  to generate and provide the color code  34  corresponding to the desired color  32 . Though the Scan Color From Spectrometer sub-menu  696  is described as being incorporated into the formulation program  572  of the formulation system  31 , the Scan Color From Spectrometer sub-menu  696  can also be adapted to be utilized in the specifier program  56  of the color specification system  30 . However, since the spectrometer  744  is generally a high-cost tool, the Scan Color From Spectrometer sub-menu  696  is preferably only incorporated into the formulation program  572  of the formulation system  31 , which is intended to be primarily used by the product provider  25 .  
         [0237]    The formulation program  572  can further include a customer information system for labeling and storing customer purchase information, such as by way of example but not limitation, a consumer name, a project name, a project description, the specified colorable product  33 , the desired color  32  for the specified colorable product  33 , the color code  34  corresponding to the desired color  32 , a quantity of the specified colorable product  33  purchased, a purchase date, and the formula  42  used by the product provider  25  in making the specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32 , on the computer  560  so that customer purchase information can be readily obtained by the product provider  25 , displayed on the monitor  564 , and/or printed out on the printer.  
         [0238]    In one preferred embodiment, the customer information system is incorporated into the formulator main menu  584  for the formulation program  572 . For example, in FIG. 35, shown therein is a customer information system  762  which is incorporated into the formulation main menu  565  for the formulation program  572  by including a link for selecting a Find Saved Job sub-menu  764 .  
         [0239]    Referring now to FIG. 36, shown therein is the Find Saved Job sub-menu  764 , whereby the product provider  25  selects a labeled customer&#39;s sub-menu  768  from a list of a plurality of labeled customers&#39; sub-menus  768 , wherein each labeled customer&#39;s sub-menu  768  contains customer purchase information that has been previously labeled and stored on the computer  560 . From the customer purchase information within a labeled customer&#39;s sub-menu  768 , the product provider  25  can obtain the color code  34  corresponding to a previously desired color  32 , or alternatively, the formula  42  for making the specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32 .  
         [0240]    Once the formulation color specification system  572  generates and provides the color code  34 , the product provider  25  can utilize the color code  34  in generating the formula  42  for making a specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32  by inputting the color code  34  into the Input CBN field  596  of the Input CBN sub-menu  592 , or alternatively, the color code  34  can be automatically inputted into the Input CBN field  596  of the Input CBN sub-menu  592  by the formulation program  572 . The Input CBN sub-menu  592  will then continue on to query the product provider  25  for information of the type of colorable product  33 , as discussed above. The formulation system  31  will use that information in sequencing the main logic loop for generating the formula  42  and will generate and provide the product provider  25  with the formula  42  for making the specified colorable product  33  having the desired color  32 , as also discussed above. The product provider  25  can then input the quantity of colorable product  33 , and units of the quantity as discussed above.  
         [0241]    The formulation system  31  can further contain the monitoring system  46  (see FIG. 1) whereby information of the usage of the formulation system  31  by the product provider  25  and the sales transactions between the product provider  25  and the consumer  20  can be transmitted via the Internet, or some other communication channel, to the host  15  so that the host  15  can use the information for royalty fee determinations and/or for market feedback assessment for determining such things as whether new features need to be added to existing tools or whether a re-write of existing tools needs to be considered. The formulation system  31  can further comprise an application programming interface which would allow product providers  25  to integrate the monitoring system  46  into their own business accounting and analysis system.  
         [0242]    Thus, it can be seen that the present invention, by providing one standardized color code  34  for the desired color  32  and, by utilizing the formulation system  31  that generates the formula  42  based on the type of colorable product specified, allows the consumer  20  to communicate the color code  34  to the product provider  25  and then specify one or more specified colorable products  33 , in differing or same amounts, to be colored to have the desired color  32 , and thereby allows the product provider  25  to provide matching colors across multiple colorable products to the consumer  20 .  
         [0243]    The following examples of the operation of the affiliation  10  are set forth hereinafter. It is to be understood that the examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention as described and claimed herein.  
       EXAMPLE 1  
       [0244]    The consumer  20 , who is an individual, is interested in repainting his living room. The consumer  20  can download software for the specifier program  56  from a website maintained by the host  15 . The consumer  20  then takes a digital picture of his living room, loads the image  140  of his living room into the specifier program  56 . After recoloring the image with paint colors selectable in the specifier program  56 , he makes a decision of which color to paint his living room and writes down or prints out the color code  34  corresponding to the desired color  32 . He then communicates the color code  34  to a local product provider  25 , such as a local home improvement store, to order the paint to be colored to have the desired color  32 . He then waits at the store as the product provider  25  generates the formula  42  using the formulation system  31  and mixes the paint with the appropriate amounts of colorants in the colorant set as provided in the formula  42 . The product provider  25  then provides the paint having the desired color  32  to the consumer  20  in exchange for money. The consumer  20  also decides that he would like a stain in the same color as the paint so that he can match his wooden furniture to the paint for his living room. The product provider  25  uses the same color code  34  to generate the formula  42  for the stain, makes the stain having the desired color  32 , and provides the stain having the desired color  32  to the consumer  20 .  
       EXAMPLE 2  
       [0245]    The consumer  20 , who is a design professional; such as an interior designer, at her work station, downloads the software for the specifier program  56  from a CD she received in the mail from the host  15 . No longer limited to color chips or color swatches, the designer now has virtual color availability through the use of the specifier program  56  to select desired colors  32 , recolor images  140 , or work within an existing design program, thereby increasing her work productivity and efficiency. The designer specifies a custom color for the project and uses the specifier program  56  to print out the color specification report  530  listing the project details and color codes  34  of desired colors  32  for the specified colorable products  33  to be used within the project. The designer then gives the color specification report  530  to the contractor working on the project. The contractor calls or emails the product provider  25 , such as a distributor, and gives the details of the color codes  34  for the desired colors  32  for the specified colorable products  33 , such as paint, cement, grout, caulk, pavers, and ceramic tiles, needed for the project. The distributor sends the order to the appropriate factories who will use the color codes  34  to generate formulas  42 , make the specified colorable products  33  having the desired colors  32 , and ship the specified colorable products  33  having the desired colors  32  to the distributor (or to the contractor or designer). The distributor can then send the specified colorable products  33 , individually or in bulk, to the contractor or designer in exchange for money.  
         [0246]    Although the present invention has been described herein as being used for coloring colorable products generally within the construction materials industry, it should be understood that the present invention can be suitable for any industry having colorable products, such as for example but not by way of limitation, the automotive industry (e.g. exterior paint, interior carpet, interior moldings, window tint, seat coverings), the cosmetics industry (e.g. lipstick, eye makeup, nail polish), the textile and fashion industry (e.g. fabrics and leathers for clothing, belts, shoes, purses), the plastics industry, the paper industry, the printing industry, and the food industry.  
         [0247]    Changes may be made in the embodiments of the invention described herein, or in the parts or the elements of the embodiments described herein or in the step or sequence of steps of the methods described herein, without departing from the spirit and/or the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Technology Category: 3