Cone Mills Corporation

Michael P Keating

Method and apparatus are provided for generating a simulation of a colored material. In particular, the method and apparatus generate a simulation of a colored target material utilizing a 'selected' point in color space and a character reference pattern. The selected point in color space can itself be determined according to novel aspects of the invention (e.g., color candidate representation points), or other inputted as a result of other processes (e.g., colorant formula performance analyses). In one mode of the invention, the selected point in color space can represent a color of a constituent element of the target material after the material has undergone one or more color-affecting treatments or processes. Advantageously, the present invention not only generates a simulation of a color material of a central color, but also generates simulations useful for representing color shade variations with respect to the central color. The method and apparatus are particularly suited for the simulation of colored fabric or textiles, such as denim, but are not limited thereto, having applicability to other colored materials as well.

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Greensboro, NC, United States of America

Michael P Keating