Subtractive Color Change System and Method

Abstract

A subtractive color change system for displaying a selected color to a viewer and a method of changing color. The system includes a layered assembly having transparent panels of primary and key colors, with a fixed-color background behind the layered assembly. The subtractive color change system may have a control unit to individually control the intensities and values of the primary color panels to render a color and to control the intensities and values of the panels in the layered assembly to reduce differences between the color rendered and the selected color and to display the selected color to a viewer.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A wearable article, comprising:
 a background material having an interior surface configured to be worn proximate a body of a wearer of the wearable article and an exterior surface configured to be worn distal the body of the wearer;   a control unit; and   a color change portion, secured to the exterior surface and operatively coupled to the control unit, the color change portion comprising a plurality of panels, layered with respect to one another, each having a separately variable transparency;   wherein the control unit is configured to selectively induce a current through each of the plurality of panels to change the transparency of each of the plurality of panels, wherein the transparency of each panel produces an adjustable rendered color of the color change portion.   
     
     
         3 . The wearable article of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of panels are comprised of at least one of: electrochromic compounds or electrochromic fibers. 
     
     
         4 . The wearable article of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of panels includes a first panel in proximate the exterior surface, a second panel, and a third panel, the second panel positioned between the first and third panels. 
     
     
         5 . The wearable article of  claim 4 , wherein the first panel is variably transparent to blue, the second panel is variably transparent to green, and the third panel is variably transparent to red. 
     
     
         6 . The wearable article of  claim 5 , wherein the exterior surface is white. 
     
     
         7 . The wearable article of  claim 5 , wherein the exterior surface is fluorescent. 
     
     
         8 . The wearable article of  claim 2 , wherein the adjustable rendered color is one of a spectrum of target colors. 
     
     
         9 . A system, comprising:
 a background material having a major surface;   a control unit; and   a color change portion, secured to the major surface and operatively coupled to the control unit, the color change portion comprising a plurality of panels, layered with respect to one another, each having a separately variable transparency;   wherein the control unit is configured to selectively induce a current through each of the plurality of panels to change the transparency of each of the plurality of panels, wherein the transparency of each panel produces an adjustable rendered color of the color change portion.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of panels are comprised of at least one of: electrochromic compounds or electrochromic fibers. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of panels includes a first panel in proximate the major surface, a second panel, and a third panel, the second panel positioned between the first and third panels. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first panel is variably transparent to blue, the second panel is variably transparent to green, and the third panel is variably transparent to red. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the major surface is white. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the major surface is fluorescent. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the adjustable rendered color is one of a spectrum of target colors. 
     
     
         16 . A method of making a wearable article, comprising:
 obtaining a background material having an interior surface configured to be worn proximate a body of a wearer of the wearable article and an exterior surface configured to be worn distal the body of the wearer;   obtaining a control unit; and   securing a color change portion to the exterior surface and operatively coupling the color change portion to the control unit, the color change portion comprising a plurality of panels, layered with respect to one another, each having a separately variable transparency;   wherein the control unit is configured to selectively induce a current through each of the plurality of panels to change the transparency of each of the plurality of panels, wherein the transparency of each panel produces an adjustable rendered color of the color change portion.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of panels are comprised of at least one of: electrochromic compounds or electrochromic fibers. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of panels includes a first panel in proximate the exterior surface, a second panel, and a third panel, the second panel positioned between the first and third panels. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first panel is variably transparent to blue, the second panel is variably transparent to green, and the third panel is variably transparent to red. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the exterior surface is white. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the exterior surface is fluorescent.