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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A subtractive color change system for displaying a selected color to a viewer, the system comprising;
 a layered assembly comprising a first transparent panel of a first primary color, a second transparent panel of a second primary color, and a third transparent panel of a third primary color;   a fixed-color background anterior of the layered assembly;   a control unit to individually control the intensities and values of the primary color panels to render a color; and   a controller to individually 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 the viewer.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the background is essentially white. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the background is a fluorescent color. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the background is a key color. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a fourth transparent panel of a key color. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a fourth transparent panel of a key color. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising a fourth transparent panel of a key color. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the key color is fluorescent. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the key color is fluorescent. 
     
     
         10 . A method for displaying to a viewer a selected color in a subtractive color change system comprising a first transparent panel of a first primary color, a second transparent panel of a second primary color, a third transparent panel of a third primary color, a background of a fixed color anterior of the panels, and a controller, the method comprising
 selecting a color;   predicting an intensity and a value of each primary color panel required to render the selected color;   adjusting the intensities and values of the primary color panels to the predicted intensities and values to render a color;   identifying differences between the selected color and the rendered color; and   controlling at least one of the intensity and the value of at least one transparent panel to reduce the differences and to display the selected color to the viewer.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the background is essentially white. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the background is a fluorescent color. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the background is a key color. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising a fourth transparent panel of a key color. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising a fourth transparent panel of a key color. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising a fourth transparent panel of a key color. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the key color is fluorescent. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the key color is fluorescent.