权利要求：
CLAIMS 1. A nail decorating system comprising: an imaging system for acquiring an image of a nail to be decorated; a display to display the image of the nail; an applicator for applying a coating onto the nail; a processor operatively coupled to the imaging system, the display, and the applicator; wherein, the processor determines a path along which the nail is to be moved relative to the applicator during the applying of the coating onto the nail.
2. The nail decorating system of claim 1, wherein the applicator comprises a tip that can impart coating on the surface of the nail.
3. The nail decorating system of claim 1, wherein the applicator comprises a nozzle that can impart coating on the surface of the nail without requiring the tip to touch the nail.
4. The nail decorating system of claim 1, wherein the applicator comprises a fitting to receive a removable tip.
5. The nail decorating system of claim 1, wherein the applicator is connected to a removable coating reservoir.
6. The nail decorating system of claim 1, wherein: the applicator is permanently connected to a coating reservoir.
7. The nail decorating system of claim 1, wherein, the applicator and coating reservoir combination is removable from the system.
8. The nail decorating system of claim 1, wherein a representation of the path is displayed on the display.
9. The nail decorating system of claim 1, further comprising memory, wherein the processor: detects the path of the nail relative to the applicator; records data for the path in the memory.
10. The nail decorating system of claim 1, wherein the system is connected to a network and the processor: detects the path of the nail relative to the applicator; sends data representing the path over the network.
11. The nail decorating system of claim 1, wherein the system is connected to a network and the processor receives, through the network, the path along which the nail should be moved relative to the applicator.
12. The nail decorating system of claim 7, wherein the processor: instructs a user to practice the path without having the applicator apply a coating onto the nail; detects that the user has a determined level of accuracy with respect to the path; applies the coating onto the nail.
13. The nail decorating system of claim 1, further comprising: a motor attached to the applicator, wherein the processor controls the motor to move the applicator.
14. The nail decorating system of claim 1, further cornprising: a plurality of motors attached the applicator, wherein the processor controls the plurality of motors to move the applicator.
15. The nail decorating system of claim 14 further comprising: threaded shafts connected to the plurality of motors; and a pliable section with opening for the threaded shafts such that rotating a threaded shaft will move the corresponding portion of the pliable section along the shaft.
16. The nail decorating system of claim 15, wherein the pliable section's openings are designed to receive threaded nuts that can receive the threaded shafts wherein the nuts can rotate about axes perpendicular to the threaded shafts.
17. The nail decorating system of claim 13, wherein the motor moves the applicator linearly.
18. The nail decorating system of claim 13, wherein the motor rotates the applicator about an axis.
19. The nail decorating system of claim 1 further comprising: a portable electronic device, wherein the display is integrated with the portable electronic device.
20. The nail decorating system of claim 1, further comprising: a portable electronic device, wherein the display and the imaging system are integrated with the portable electronic device.
21. The nail decorating system of claim 1, further comprising: a portable electronic device, wherein the portable electronic device is physically restrained in the system.
22. The nail decorating system of claim 1, further comprising a mirror placed within a field of view of the imaging system.
23. The nail decorating system of claim 1, further comprising: a portable electronic device, wherein the display, imaging system, and the processor are integrated with the portable electronic device.
24. The nail decorating system of claim 1, further comprising a dryer mechanism.
25. The nail decorating system of claim 1, further comprising: a touch sensitive surface to detect the presence of the nail; an imaging system to record an image of the digit within a field of view of the imaging system upon detection of the presence of the nail by the touch sensitive surface; wherein, the processor executes an application, the application to utilize the processor to analyze the image of the digit, and to perform a machine vision technique to determine a boundary of the nail.
26. The system of claim 25 wherein: the applicator receives an applicator control instruction from the application, the applicator control instruction being effective to cause the applicator to dispense coating onto the nail when the processor determines that the applicator is in position, relative to the nail, to apply a coating.
27. The system of claim 25, wherein the touch sensitive surface detects a position of the nail on the touch sensitive surface, and communicates the position of the nail to the application.
28. The system of claim 25, further comprising: a motor to move the applicator into position, relative to the nail; wherein, the applicator receives the applicator control instruction from the application, the applicator control instruction being effective to cause the coating applicator to dispense a coating onto the nail when the processor determines that the coating applicator is in position, relative to the nail, to apply a coating.
29. The system of claim 27, further comprising: a motor to move the imaging system into position, relative to the nail to bring the nail into the field of view.
30. The system of claim 25, wherein the touch sensitive surface has a background perceivable by the imaging system, the background being used by the application to determine the boundary of the nail.
31. The system of claim 25, wherein the touch sensitive surface includes a touch screen display.
32. The system of claim 26, further comprising: a portable electronic device, wherein the touch sensitive surface, the imaging system, and the processor are components of the portable electronic device.
33. The system of claim 28, wherein the touch sensitive surface is to detect a location of the digit on the touch sensitive surface as the digit moves.
34. The system of claim 26, wherein, the processor provides an instruction to a user, the instruction helps to guide the user in moving the nail along the path.
35. A nail decorating system comprising: an imaging system for acquiring an image of a nail to be decorated; an applicator for applying a coating onto the nail when the nail is in front of the applicator; wherein, the applicator comprises a fitting to receive a removable tip; a motor attached to the applicator, the motor to manipulate a position of the applicator; a processor operatively coupled to the imaging system, the applicator, and the motor; wherein, the processor determines a path along which the nail is to be moved relative to the applicator during the applying of the coating onto the nail.
36. The nail decorating system of claim 35 comprising: a display to depict the image of the nail acquired from the imaging system, the display being operatively coupled to the processor.
37. The nail decorating system of claim 35, wherein the processor is able to control the motor to move the applicator over the nail.
38. The nail decorating system of claim 35, wherein the processor is able to analyze the image of the nail to detect a boundary of the nail, and to control the motor to manipulate the position of the applicator over the nail.
39. The nail decorating system of claim 35, wherein the imaging system, the applicator, the motor and the processor are physically connected, the system comprising: a portable electronic device including a display, the portable electronic device being in wireless communication with the processor.
40. The nail decorating system of claim 39, wherein the portable electronic device is able to execute an application thereon, wherein the application is able to display a preview of a painted nail.
41. A method to dispense coating onto a nail, the method, comprising: receiving from an imaging device an image of the nail; performing digital image processing on the image to locate a boundary of the nail; instructing an applicator to dispense the coating onto the nail; wherein, the applicator comprises a tip that can impart coating on the nail; determining a path along which to move the nail relative to the applicator during the dispensing of the coating onto the nail.
42. The method of claim 41, wherein, the applicator is connected to a removable coating reservoir.
43. The method of claim 41, further comprising: displaying the path on a display.
44. The method of claim 41, further comprising: using a touch sensitive surface for detecting the location of the nail by sensing a location of a finger to which the nail is affixed.
45. The method of claim 41, further comprising: determining, using the boundary of the nail, an efficient dispensing procedure for the applicator to follow to coat the nail.
46. The method of claim 45, wherein the efficient dispensing procedure includes an efficient path.
47. The nail decorating system of claim 35, further comprising, a portable electronic device, the portable electronic device, comprising: a touch screen display to detect a location of the nail by sensing contact with the touch screen display; an imaging system configured to capture an image of the nail when the digit to which the nail is affixed is in contact with the touch screen, wherein the imaging system views the nail through a mirror; wherein, the processor is integrated in the portable electronic device and is able to locate an edge of the nail.
48. The nail decorating system of claim 47 wherein the processor is able to control the applicator.
49. The nail decorating system of claim 47, wherein the touch screen display presents instructions to a user for moving the nail through an application zone of the applicator.
50. The nail decorating system of claim 35, further comprising: a storage device having instructions stored thereon that when executed are effective to cause the processor to: display an image of the nail which has been decorated; share the image of the nail which has been decorated with a collection of users; receive commentary from at least one of the collection of users on the image of the decorated nail.
51. The nail decorating system of claim 50, wherein the storage device includes instructions stored thereon that when executed are effective to cause a processor to: communicate with the nail decorating system.
52. The nail decorating system of claim 50, wherein the storage device includes instructions stored thereon that when executed are effective to cause the processor to: acquire instructions effective to instruct the nail decorating system to paint a nail similar to the image of the displayed image of the decorated nail; communicate the instructions to the nail decorating system.
53. The nail decorating system of claim 50, wherein the storage device includes instructions stored thereon that when executed are effective to cause the processor to: receive the path from the nail painting system, the path being one along which the nail should be moved.
54. The nail decorating system of claim 53, wherein the storage device includes instructions stored thereon that when executed are effective to cause the processor to: share the path with the collection of users.
55. The nail decorating system of claim 1, further comprising: a feeding tape reel and a receiving tape reel, wherein tape on the feeding tape reel is to be fed to the receiving tape reel; a cutter located between the feeding tape reel and the receive tape reel, to receive and to make a cut out in the tape.
56. The nail decorating system of claim 55, wherein the feeding tape real and receiving tape reel to position the cut out below the applicator.
57. The nail decorating system of claim 55, wherein: the processor analyzes the image of the nail, and performs a machine vision technique to determine a boundary of the nail, wherein the processor sends information regarding the boundary to the cutter which is able to make the cut out in the tape to correspond with the boundary.
58. The method of claim 41, further comprising: rendering a second image having a preview of the coating on the nail, the nail coating including a nail color or a nail design.
59. The method of claim 58, further comprising, illustrating, in the second image, where a finger is to be placed to dispense the coating on the nail of the finger.
60. The method of claim 58, further comprising: wherein, the second image includes an overlay to show where the finger is to be placed to dispense the coating on the nail of the finger; wherein, the overlay includes a crosshair or an outline.
61. The method of claim 41, further comprising: capturing a nail image of the nail which has been coated; sharing the nail image with other users.
62. The method of claim 41, further comprising: capturing a nail image of the nail which has been coated; sharing the nail image with other users; wherein, the nail image is presented with a formula to be shared with the other users.
63. The method of claim 62, wherein the formula includes sequencing information to dispense multiple layers of coatings to the nail.
64. The method of claim 62, wherein, the formula includes timing information which indicates the time delay between multiple layers of coatings to be dispensed on the nail.
65. The method of claim 61, further comprising: hosting a social network platform; wherein, the nail image of the nail which has been painted is shared with other users via the social network platform.
66. The method of claim 65, further comprising: broadcasting a video screen capture of a session when the nail is being coated.
67. The method of claim 66, further comprising: hosting live nail parties amongst users of the social network platform, the live nail parties including audio and video data.
68. The method of claim 58, further comprising: facilitating sales and purchases of components used to coat the nail.
69. The method of claim 58, further comprising: storing a user profile for a user whose nail is to be coated; wherein, the user profile includes usage information of the user.
70. The method of claim 69, wherein the usage information includes a log of a coating reservoir.
71. The method of claim 69, wherein the usage information includes one or more of, color preferences, art preferences, a log of media consumption.
72. The method of claim 69, further comprising, presenting targeted advertisements to the user based on the user profile.
73. The method of claim 69, further comprising, tracking purchase habits of the user of the components used to coat the nail; suggesting purchase of the components used to decorate the nail in a timely fashion based on the purchase habits and the usage information.
74. The method of claim 58, further comprising: presenting entertainment content while the nail is being coated; providing the user with help, feedback or comments relating to the coating of the nail.
75. A nail decorating system comprising: an imaging system for acquiring an image of a nail to be decorated; a display to display the image of the nail; an applicator for applying a coating onto the nail; a processor operatively coupled to the imaging system, the display, and the applicator; wherein the processor determines a path along which the nail should be moved relative to the applicator.
76. The nail decorating system of claim 75, wherein a representation of the path is depicted on the display.
77. The nail decorating system of claim 75, further comprising memory, wherein the processor: detects the path of the nail relative to the applicator; records data for the travel path in the memory.
78. The nail decorating system of claim 75, wherein the system is connected to a network and the processor: detects the path of the nail relative to the applicator; sends data representing the path over the network.
79. The nail decorating system of claim 75, wherein the system is connected to a network and the processor receives, through the network, the path along which the nail should be moved relative to the applicator.