Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure concerns a hair coloring system and/or method, and more particularly concerns such a system/method which includes the use of a smart device, such as a smart phone.

Background

[0002] Hair coloring systems in general are well known, including both salon-based and home-based systems. Home-based systems involve the selection of an individual package or packages of a selected hair color, following the instructions on the package to produce the formulation, and then applying the resulting formulation to the hair, which can be difficult or at least inconvenient. The results, furthermore, can be unpredictable with the resulting color on the hair not being what was anticipated from photographs or other information on the hair color packages.

[0003] Hence, a home-based hair coloring system is desirable which is more accurate in terms of actual color on the user's hair, as well as being convenient to use.

Summary

[0004] Accordingly, a system for coloring hair comprises: a smart device for use with a hair color appliance, having a hair coloring application stored therein for providing and receiving information to and from the user, wherein the information received includes desired hair color information and selected information about the hair to be colored and an image of the user's present hair color taken by the smart device, wherein the smart device is programmed to calculate a palette of hair colors, taking into account the user-provided information, including the desired hair color and the user's present hair condition or to receive such calculated palette of hair colors from a remote source, and further includes a selector for the user to select one or more colors from the palette of colors and an output to program the hair color appliance to provide a target color formulation based on user input. Brief Description of the Drawin S

[0005] Figure 1 is a flow chart showing the system and its operation.

[0006] Figure 2 is a schematic view of the system itself. Best Mode

[0007] Figure 1 shows the basic system of the present disclosure in function (smart device App), while Figure 2 represents the basic hardware/structural items of the system. The system includes a smart device, shown generally at 10 in Figure 2, for example, a smart phone, which includes a hair color application App (37) in memory, disclosed below. It should be understood that a smart phone is only one of a variety of smart devices which can be used for the present system, which could include, for instance, a tablet or laptop or similar device, including any smart device which can accommodate the App described below, or a smart device embedded in the hair color appliance.

[0008] Initially, the user will begin by opening up the App on the phone, shown at block

14 (start App), which will display introductory information and instructions concerning the use of the App to produce a desired hair color formulation, shown in block 16. The user can also bypass the introduction and proceed to the system. The system includes a color appliance 22 shown in Figure 2. In one variation of the system, the user purchases a desired hair color packet kit. The packet, shown generally at 20 in Figure 2, is installed (block 21) in a formulation- producing appliance 22. The appliance 22 itself can be any one of a number of different arrangements, operating with a color packet. One arrangement is shown and described in copending Application No. 14/554,789, which is owned by the assignee of the present invention. The contents of that application are hereby incorporated by reference.

[0009] The packet 20 is installed in the appliance 22 by the user. There are several packet types possible, as shown. There may be other types as well. The packet 20 includes coloring data for a specific packet type, directed toward a specific coloring need/function, including, for instance, roots-only coloring, cover-grey coloring, darkening coloring, lightening coloring or party coloring, which refers to various bright colors, e.g. green, blue, etc. The user, in operation of the App can determine whether a machine, i.e. an appliance, such as 22, is in fact available via a query from the App, shown at block 23. If an appliance is available and a packet has been installed, the appliance will query the packet concerning the hair color (H.C.) desired and the nature of the specific hair coloring application (roots, etc.), including the volume of formulation needed for the specific function. The appliance will then send the information back to the smart device, at block 30.

[00010] The request from the smart device (block 23) can be accomplished in various ways, illustrated by communication line 25 in Figure 2, including blue tooth, wireless and RFID, shown at 26. As indicated above, if the appliance is available and has packet information (block 21), that information will provided back to the smart phone. The receipt of the information at the smart phone is shown at block 30.

[0001 1] If there is no machine available, or a packet has not been installed, the user is prompted to answer two questions, first, whether the user's hair is presently colored gray, and if so, when was the last coloring, and second, whether or not the color desired by the user is a change to the natural color of the user's hair, shown at block 34.

[00012] The smart device is then used to take one or more photos of the user's hair, shown at block 31, and provided as another input to the App (block 30). In some cases, a color matching card 39, in the color packet kit or obtained separately can be used and photographed in order to correct inaccuracies in the photo by the camera, shown at block 36. At this point, the smart phone has the required information, including photographs, from the user or the packet appliance 16. The photograph can be displayed on the smart device at 38.

[00013] A calculation (block 36) is then made in the App or remotely relative to determining particular color formulations which will satisfy the expressed specific hair color need by the consumer in view of the existing color/condition of the user's hair.

[00014] A program is established within the smart phone or remotely, which utilizes the information provided by the hair color packet and/or the information provided by the user and the photograph of the user's hair to produce a palette of possible colors 36 shown on the smart device. The program itself is routine, based on existing knowledge, including use of conventional color wheel information. For instance, the program will assess the information in the photo to determine the particular hair color in the photo, such as for example brown 3, and then assess the significance of whether or not the color is either a natural color or from a coloring event. Grey percentage and other darkness/lightness of color is also determined, so that using color wheel opposites can shift colors within the lightening and darkening axis. The program also will access the level of darkness of existing hair and the desired color information provided by the user to provide a palette of possible colors. It is also possible to use a stored table which identifies suitable colors, with the information provided by the user, specifically the photo and/or the hair coloring kit described above to produce the palette 36. The result of the calculation is a plurality of colors, referred to as a palette, and shown at 36 in Figures 1 and 2. At this point, the user can see the various colors in the palette 36 on the smart phone. These are the colors which are feasible for the user in view of the information provided. Display 38 of the user's hair can then be altered to include any one of the colors in the palette, referred to as sample colors, at 40. When the user is satisfied with a particular palette color, the appliance 22 is programmed to produce that particular color by control of the output of the various color packets and/or a developer packet, again as described in Patent Application No. 14/554,789, or by any other hair color appliance capable of delivering a variety of hair color formulations in response to a particular color command instruction. The individual pumps on the various color packets (red, dark brown and blonde) can be controlled to provide the selected color.

[00015] The resulting formulation is then delivered via output tube 42 to a brushhead 44, which can be used to apply the hair formulation to the user's hair. In one variation, the bristles are movable and can be controlled, with pumping of the formulation, which can be controlled via electronic communication, wireless, etc. between the appliance and the brushhead.

[00016] Effective hair coloring is thus accomplished by means of a smart device with interaction by the user, operating with an appliance for producing the selected hair color formulation.

[00017] The selected hair color formulation can be identified by various numerical or other designations which identify the particular color. This information, along with a photograph of the user with the selected hair color, can then be transmitted to one or more social media outlets, as shown at block 50. Interaction with others via social media is thus possible, with a number of people sharing the hair color information and a resulting photograph provided by the initial user. Others can then share their own information and photographs. [00018] Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in the embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention, which is defined by the claims which follow.

What is claimed is: