The optical device for measuring at least one of reflected light (BRDF) and transmitted light (BTDF) from a sample, in all spherical directions of space around the sample, for each spherical direction of incident light includes a light source, and a goniophotometer configured to measure at least one of: directions of the incident light in spherical coordinates, and directions of the reflected light in spherical coordinates. The device further includes a dispersive screen, and a multi-sensor imaging device. The goniophotometer includes a first articulated arm supporting the light source; and a second articulated arm supporting the sample or a sample holder.

Embodiments of the invention relate to the automatic measuring of such qualities of a printed sheet as reflectance excluding specular reflectance, reflectance including specular reflectance, e.g. gloss, transmittance, half-tone coverage, and the like.

Method for acquiring local gonio-reflection characteristics of an image which is aggregation of dots. Sensory glossiness (L) of the image determined by equation (1) is 1.0 or more. The sensory glossiness (L) is determined based on a height of a peak (H), a height of a base (B) and a half width of a peak (W) of a distribution information of lightness with respect to light receiving angle, obtained by measuring reflected light of a measuring light irradiated into the image. The local gonio-reflection characteristics is acquired with a spatial resolution (A) for acquiring the local gonio-reflection characteristics and a resolution (B) which represents a distribution information of the dots within a region where the sensory glossiness (L) being 1.0 or more, satisfying formula (2).

L=Log((H−B)/W)  Equation (1)

0.8<A/B<10  Formula (2)

The optical device for measuring at least one of reflected light (BRDF) and transmitted light (BTDF) from a sample, in all spherical directions of space around the sample, for each spherical direction of incident light includes a light source, and a goniophotometer configured to measure at least one of: directions of the incident light in spherical coordinates, and directions of the reflected light in spherical coordinates. The device further includes a dispersive screen, and a multi-sensor imaging device. The goniophotometer includes a first articulated arm supporting the light source; and a second articulated arm supporting the sample or a sample holder.

The present disclosure provides a marbled molded product obtained by injection-molding, in a mold cavity, a mixture including: a thermoplastic resin including one selected from the group of polycarbonate, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, polybutylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and combinations thereof; and fine pigment particles, where a pattern forming a texture is formed on the surface of the injection-molded product. The present disclosure also provides a system for evaluating a marble color effect of a marbled molded product, the system including: a light source unit, an image-capturing unit, an image processing unit and an evaluation factor determination unit.

A computer-implemented method for identifying an effect pigment, the method comprising executing, on at least one processor of at least one computer, steps of: a) acquiring sample image data describing a digital image of a layer comprising a sample effect pigment b) determining, based on the sample image data, sparkle point data describing a sample distribution of sparkle points defined by the digital image, wherein the sample distribution is defined in an N-dimensional color space, wherein N is an integer value equal to or larger than 3; c) determining, based on the sparkle point data, sparkle point transformation data describing a transformation of the sample distribution into an (N−1)-dimensional color space; d) determining, based on the sparkle point transformation data, sparkle point distribution geometry data describing a geometry of the sample distribution; e) acquiring reference distribution geometry data describing a geometry of a reference distribution of sparkle points in the (N−1)-dimensional color space; f) acquiring reference distribution association data describing an association between the reference distribution and an identifier of the reference distribution; g) determining, based on the sparkle point distribution geometry data and the reference distribution geometry data and the reference distribution association data, sample pigment identity data describing an identity of the sample effect pigment.

Described herein is a method for simulating a visibility of a coating applied on a surface for a LiDAR sensor, which includes at least the following steps: applying the coating on the surface (301); measuring a respective reflection of light having an operating wavelength of the LiDAR sensor from the surface coated with the coating at a multiplicity of illumination and/or measurement angles (302); adapting a bidirectional reflectance distribution function for the coating as a function of the respective illumination and/or measurement angle to the respective measured reflections (303); simulating a propagation of the light emitted by the LiDAR sensor and reflected by the surface coated with the coating on the basis of the adapted bidirectional reflectance distribution function by means of a ray tracing application (304); outputting a brightness image.

A computer-implemented method for identifying an effect pigment, the method comprising executing, on at least one processor of at least one computer, steps of: a) acquiring sample image data describing a digital image of a layer comprising a sample effect pigment b) determining, based on the sample image data, sparkle point data describing a sample distribution of sparkle points defined by the digital image, wherein the sample distribution is defined in an N-dimensional color space, wherein N is an integer value equal to or larger than 3; c) determining, based on the sparkle point data, sparkle point transformation data describing a transformation of the sample distribution into an (N−1)-dimensional color space; d) determining, based on the sparkle point transformation data, sparkle point distribution geometry data describing a geometry of the sample distribution; e) acquiring reference distribution geometry data describing a geometry of a reference distribution of sparkle points in the (N−1)-dimensional color space; f) acquiring reference distribution association data describing an association between the reference distribution and an identifier of the reference distribution; g) determining, based on the sparkle point distribution geometry data and the reference distribution geometry data and the reference distribution association data, sample pigment identity data describing an identity of the sample effect pigment.

A multi-angle colorimeter includes an index calculation unit that calculates, based on a predetermined calculation formula, an index corresponding to a particle diameter of a glittering material, which is used for metallic coating or pearl coating, using optical parameters used in color evaluation of the metallic coating or pearl coating on a surface of an object.

A color measuring apparatus includes a measurement assembly which includes at least one illumination assembly for applying substantially parallel illumination light to a measurement spot of a measurement object and a pick-up assembly for capturing the measurement light radiated back from the measurement spot in an observation direction and for converting the same into corresponding electrical signals. The illumination assembly includes at least two illumination subassemblies which illuminate the measurement spot from different illumination sub-directions near a first preset nominal illumination direction, each with preferably parallel illumination light. By the illumination from different illumination sub-directions slightly deviating from the nominal illumination direction, angular errors of the illumination assembly can be compensated for in a simple manner.