Method and system for arranging a paint color display

Abstract

One aspect of the present invention provides a method for systematically arranging paint color samples for convenient browsing and identification of desired colors by shoppers. Paint color sample cards are arranged on a two-dimensional display surface such that colors of similar hue are categorized or grouped together (e.g., along a column). Groups of paint color sample cards having different base hue or color are arranged such that there is a gradual transition between paint colors from one region to the next region. For instance, the colors of sample cards may gradually change from column to column across a two-dimensional display. Additionally, within each color group, paint color sample cards are arranged from most chromatic to least chromatic colors. Another aspect of the invention provides for accent color sample cards to be displayed adjacent to the various base color groups.

1 . A method for displaying paint color samples in a two-dimensional physical display unit, comprising: 
 selecting a first plurality of paint colors;    placing the selected plurality of paint colors on a first plurality of physical paint color sample cards, with one color on each physical sample card; and    arranging the first plurality of paint sample cards on the display unit according to hue and chroma so that the paint color on the physical paint sample cards gradually vary in hue, in a first direction, and gradually vary in chroma, in a second direction.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 defining a plurality of color categories based on color hue angles; and    placing the physical paint sample cards in one of the plurality of different color categories,    wherein, within each color category, the physical paint sample cards are arranged according to the hue and chroma of the paint colors therein.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising: 
 adding physical paint color sample cards to a category based on expert human input.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising: 
 arranging the physical paint sample cards corresponding to a color category along a column in the two-dimensional display unit, with the most chromatic paint sample card placed at the top of the column, with gradually decreasing chromatic paint sample cards arranged below, and the least chromatic at the bottom of the column.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 arranging a second plurality of physical paint sample cards adjacent to the first plurality of paint sample cards, the second plurality of paint sample cards having white paint of similar tint as the first physical paint sample card it is next to.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each of the first plurality of paint sample cards carries two or more paint colors of similar hue that have varying chromatic values.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 arranging one or more color combination physical paint sample cards adjacent to the first plurality of paint sample cards, so that each color combination paint sample card includes the color of one of the first plurality of paint sample cards it is adjacent to and one or more complementary colors.    
   
   
       8 . A paint sample display unit comprising: 
 a two-dimensional paint sample card display unit adapted for displaying physical color sample cards in a plurality of columns and rows;    a first plurality of physical paint sample cards, each paint sample card carrying one or more paint colors of similar hue, the first plurality of paint sample cards with similar hue being arranged in a first column of the paint sample card display unit, from most chromatic to least chromatic; and    a second plurality of paint sample cards arranged within the first column of the first plurality of paint sample cards, each of the second plurality of paint sample cards including a white paint color having one or more white colors of similar tint as the color of the paint sample card in the first plurality of sample cards that it is adjacent to.    
   
   
       9 . The paint sample display unit of  claim 8  wherein each of the first plurality of physical paint sample cards carries two or more paint colors of similar hue but having varying chromatic values.  
   
   
       10 . The paint sample display unit of  claim 8  wherein one or more color coordination sample cards are arranged adjacent to the first plurality of paint sample cards, each color coordination sample card including one of the colors in an adjacent first plurality of paint sample cards and one or more complementary colors.  
   
   
       11 . A paint color display system to assist customers in the selection of paint colors, comprising: 
 a physical display unit having a two-dimensional array structure to display physical paint color sample cards;    a first plurality of physical paint color sample cards arranged in a first hue region, the first plurality of paint color sample cards including hue colors closely related to, or the same as, each other hue in the first hue region, the color sample cards in each of the hue regions arranged according to either ascending or descending hue value in a first dimension, and either ascending or descending chromatic value in a second dimension of the display unit; and    a second plurality of white paint color sample cards having a tint corresponding to the hue of the first hue region located within the first hue region.    
   
   
       12 . The paint color display system of  claim 11 , wherein each paint color sample card in the first plurality of paint color sample cards includes one or more paint colors spanning less than a total hue range and a total chroma range of the first hue region.  
   
   
       13 . The paint color display system of  claim 1   1 , wherein each first plurality paint color sample card carries paint color that has a different chromatic value range.  
   
   
       14 . The paint color display system of  claim 11 , wherein the first plurality of paint color sample cards have non-overlapping hue ranges relative to each other.  
   
   
       15 . A method for arranging suggestive color schemes in a two-dimensional color display, comprising: 
 arranging a first set of paint sample coordination cards along a first column of the two-dimensional color display, wherein the first set of paint sample coordination cards includes one or more color coordination schemes, each color coordination scheme including a main paint color of a first base hue; and    arranging the first set of paint sample coordination cards within the first column based on the chromatic value of the main paint colors in each of the color coordination schemes, the first set of paint sample coordination cards including one or more sample rooms or environments typically found in a home corresponding to one or more color coordination schemes.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising: 
 selecting one or more paint sample cards from the first set of paint sample cards to define paint color schemes for two or more rooms in a house.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising: 
 arranging a second set of paint sample coordination cards along a second column the two-dimensional color display, wherein the second set of paint sample cards includes one or more color coordination schemes, each color coordination scheme including a main paint color of a second base hue;    arranging the second set of paint sample coordination cards within the second column based on the chromatic value of the main paint colors in each of the color coordination schemes in the second set of paint sample cards;    configuring the second set of sample coordination cards to include one or more sample rooms or environments corresponding to the one or more color coordination schemes in the second set of sample cards, wherein the second set of sample coordination cards includes a plurality of rooms and environments typically found in a home.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising: 
 selecting one or more paint sample cards from the first set of paint sample cards and one or more cards from the second set of paint sample cards to define paint color schemes for two or more rooms in a house.    
   
   
       19 . A two-dimensional paint color display comprising: 
 a plurality of columns including paint color samples within different hue ranges; and    a plurality of physical combination style cards arranged along one or more of the plurality of columns, each combination style card including, one or more color schemes, the base color of the color schemes used to determine under which column each combination card is placed, and one or more sample rooms or environments, each sample room or environment painted the colors of a corresponding color scheme in the combination card;    wherein a user may select color schemes for all rooms of a typical house from the sample rooms or environments of the combination style cards arranged in any particular column or from combination style cards placed along the same row of the two-dimensional color display.    
   
   
       20 . The two-dimensional paint color display of  claim 19  wherein the color combination schemes in one or more combination style cards arranged along a particular column are color-coordinated schemes that create a pleasing combination of colors.  
   
   
       21 . The two-dimensional paint color display of  claim 19  wherein the one or more sample rooms or environments in a particular combination card are typically adjoining rooms or environments in a typical home.  
   
   
       22 . The two-dimensional paint color display of  claim 19  wherein the plurality of combination style cards arranged along a column show a plurality of color-coordinated sample rooms or environments of a typical home.  
   
   
       23 . The two-dimensional paint color display of  claim 22  wherein the plurality of combination style cards arranged along a row show a plurality of color-coordinated sample rooms or environments of a typical home.  
   
   
       24 . The two-dimensional paint color display of  claim 23  wherein the plurality of color-coordinated sample rooms or environments of a typical home have color schemes that are aesthetically pleasing when used together.  
   
   
       25 . A physical paint color style card comprising: 
 one or more paint color schemes, each color scheme having a main color and one or more complementary colors; and    one or more sample rooms or environments painted according to a corresponding paint color scheme in the color style card;    wherein the one or more paint color schemes are in harmony with the other paint color schemes in the color style card.    
   
   
       26 . The paint color style card of  claim 25  wherein the one or more sample rooms or environments are rooms or environments that are typically adjacent to each other in a typical home.  
   
   
       27 . The paint color style card of  claim 25  wherein the main colors of the one or more paint color schemes of the paint color style card belong to a particular color family.  
   
   
       28 . The paint color style card of  claim 25  wherein the main colors of the one or more paint color schemes of the paint color style card all have a similar hue.  
   
   
       29 . The paint color style card of  claim 28  wherein the main colors of the one or more paint color schemes of the paint color style card all have a similar chromatic value.  
   
   
       30 . A set of physical paint color style cards on a display comprising: 
 a plurality of physical paint color style cards, each paint color style card including one or more paint color schemes, each color scheme having a main color and one or more complementary colors, and    one or more sample rooms or environments painted according to a corresponding paint color scheme of the color style card,    wherein the one or more paint color schemes are in harmony with the other paint color schemes in the color style card; and    the plurality of paint color style cards grouped according to the hue of their main color, the sample rooms or environments on the cards in any particular group suggesting harmonious color schemes for rooms in a typical house.    
   
   
       31 . The set of paint color style cards of  claim 30  wherein the one or more sample rooms or environments are rooms or environments that are typically adjacent to each other in a typical home.  
   
   
       32 . The set of paint color style cards of  claim 30  wherein the main colors of the one or more paint color schemes of each paint color style card all have a similar hue.  
   
   
       33 . The set of paint color style cards of  claim 32  wherein the main colors of the one or more paint color schemes of the paint color style card all have a similar chromatic value.  
   
   
       34 . A tri-folding physical paint color display card comprising: 
 a first display card including a first four-color paint scheme and a first sample room painted according to the first four-color paint scheme;    a second display card coupled to the first display card along a first edge of the first display card, the second display card including a second four-color paint scheme and a second sample room painted according to the second four-color paint scheme; and    a third display card coupled to the first display card along a second edge of the first display card, the second edge being opposite the first edge of the first display card, the second display card including a second four-color paint scheme and a second sample room painted according to the second four-color paint scheme.    
   
   
       35 . The tri-folding paint color display card of  claim 34  wherein the first four-color paint scheme includes a main color and one or more complementary colors.  
   
   
       36 . The tri-folding paint color display card of  claim 34  wherein the first, second, and third display cards are each approximately five inches wide and six inches high to ease appreciation of their respective four-color paint schemes.  
   
   
       37 . A physical paint color sample card comprising: 
 a physical display card approximately five inches wide and six inches high; and    three paint color stripes arranged on a first side of the first display card, the three paint color stripes include hue colors closely related to or the same as each other hue in a first region and spanning less than a total hue range and a total chroma range of the first hue region.    
   
   
       38 . The paint color sample card of  claim 37  wherein the paint color sample card is approximately five inches wide and six inches high to ease appreciation of three paint color stripes.  
   
   
       39 . The paint color sample card of  claim 37  including one or more bar codes, each bar code corresponding to one of the three paint color stripes.  
   
   
       40 . The paint color sample card of  claim 37  wherein the one or more bar codes are on a second side of the paint color sample card.  
   
   
       41 . A two-dimensional paint color display comprising: 
 a plurality of color groups including paint color samples within different hue ranges;    a plurality of physical paint color sample cards in each color group, each paint color sample card including samples of three paint colors; and    a plurality of physical combination style cards arranged along one or more of the plurality color groups, each combination style card including, one or more color schemes, the base color of the color schemes used to determine under which group each combination card is placed, and    one or more sample rooms or environments, each sample room or environment painted the colors of a corresponding color scheme in the combination card.    
   
   
       42 . The two-dimensional paint color display of  claim 41  wherein a combination style card is a physical tri-folding paint color display card including 
 a first display card including a first four-color paint scheme and a first sample room painted according to the first four-color paint scheme;    a second physical display card coupled to the first display card along a first edge of the first display card, the second display card including a second four-color paint scheme and a second sample room painted according to the second four-color paint scheme; and    a third physical display card coupled to the first display card along a second edge of the first display card, the second edge being opposite the first edge of the first display card, the second display card including a second four-color paint scheme and a second sample room painted according to the second four-color paint scheme.    
   
   
       43 . The two-dimensional paint color display of  claim 41  wherein the paint color samples include three paint color stripes arranged on one side of the first display card, the three paint color stripes include hue colors closely related to or the same as each other hue in a first region and spanning less than a total hue range and a total chroma range of the first hue region.