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 configured 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 is configured to determine a path along which the nail should 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 configured to receive a removable tip.
3. 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;
the applicator and coating reservoir combination is removable from the system.
7. The nail decorating system of claim 1, wherein a representation of the path is displayed on the display.
8. The nail decorating system of claim 1 further comprising memory, wherein the processor is configured to:
detect the path of the nail relative to the applicator;
record data for the travel path in the memory.
9. The nail decorating system of claim 1, wherein the system is connected to a network and the processor is configured to:
detect the path of the nail relative to the applicator;
send data representing the path over the network.
10. The nail decorating system of claim 1, wherein the system is connected to a network and the processor is configured to receive, through the network, the path along which the nail should be moved relative to the applicator.
11. The nail decorating system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:
instruct a user to practice the path without having the applicator apply a coating onto the nail;
detect that the user has a determined level of accuracy with respect to the path;
apply the coating onto the nail.
12. The nail decorating system of claim 1, further comprising:
a motor attached the applicator, wherein the processor is configured to control the motor to move the applicator.
13. The nail decorating system of claim 1, further comprising:
a plurality of motors attached the applicator, wherein the processor is
configured to control the motors to move the applicator.
14. The nail decorating system of claim 13 further comprising:
threaded shafts connected to the plurality of motors;
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.
15. The nail decorating system of claim 14, 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.
16. The nail decorating system of claim 12, wherein the motor is configured to move the applicator linearly.
17. The nail decorating system of claim 12, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the applicator about an axis.
18. The nail decorating system of claim 1 further comprising:
a portable electronic device, wherein the display is integrated with the portable electronic device.
19. 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.
20. The nail decorating system of claim 1, further comprising:
a portable electronic device, wherein the portable electronic device is
physically restrained in the system.
21. The nail decorating system of claim 1 further comprising a mirror placed within the field of view of the imaging system.
22. 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.
23. The nail decorating system of claim 1, further comprising a dryer mechanism.
24. The nail decorating system of claim 1, further comprising:
a touch sensitive surface configured to detect the presence of the nail;
wherein, the imaging system configured to acquire the image of the nail within the field of view of the imaging system upon detection of the presence of the nail by the touch sensitive surface;
wherein, the processor is further configured execute an application, the application configured to utilize the processor to analyze the image of the nail, and to perform a machine vision technique to determine a boundary of the nail.
25. The system of claim 24 wherein:
the applicator is configured to receive 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.
26. The system of claim 24, wherein the touch sensitive surface is configured to detect a position of the nail on the touch sensitive surface, and to communicate the position of the nail to the application.
27. The system of claim 26, further comprising:
a motor configured to move the applicator into position, relative to the nail;
wherein, the applicator is configured to receive 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.
28. The system of claim 26, further comprising:
a motor configured to move the imaging system into position, relative to the nail to bring the nail into the field of view.
29. The system of claim 24, 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 .
30. The system of claim 24, wherein the touch sensitive surface is a touch screen display.
31. The system of claim 25, further comprising:
a portable electronic device, wherein the touch sensitive surface, the imaging system, and the processor are components of the portable electronic device.
32. The system of claim 24, wherein the touch sensitive surface is configured to detect a location of the nail on the touch sensitive surface as it moves
33. The system of claim 24 further configured to give an instruction to a user, the instruction helping guide the user in moving their nail along a travel path.
34. 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 configured to receive a removable tip;
a motor attached the applicator and configured to manipulate a position of the applicator;
a processor operatively coupled to the imaging system, the applicator, and the motor;
wherein the processor is configured to determine a path along which the nail is to be moved relative to the applicator during the applying of the coating onto the nail.
35. The nail decorating system of claim 34 comprising:
a display configured to display the image of the nail acquired from the imaging system, the display being operatively coupled to the processor.
36. The nail decorating system of claim 34, wherein the processor is configured to control the motor to move the applicator over the nail.
37. The nail decorating system of claim 34, wherein the processor is configured 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.
38. The nail decorating system of claim 34, 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.
39. The nail decorating system of claim 38, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to execute an application thereon, the application being configured to display a preview of a painted nail.
40. The nail decorating system of claim 34, further comprising, a portable electronic device, the portable electronic device comprising:
a touch screen display configured to detect a location of the nail by sensing contact with the touch screen display;
wherein, the processor is integrated in the portable electronic device and is configured to locate an edge of the nail.
41. The nail decorating system of claim 40 wherein the processor is configured to control the applicator.
42. The nail decorating system of claim 40, wherein the touch screen display is further configured to present instructions to a user for moving the nail through an application zone of the applicator.
43. The nail decorating system of claim 22, further comprising:
a storage device having instructions stored thereon that when executed are effective to cause the processor to:
display an image of a decorated nail;
share the image of the decorated nail with a collection of users;
receive commentary from at least one of the collection of users on the image of the decorated nail
44. The nail decorating system of claim 43, wherein the storage device includes instructions stored thereon that when executed are effective to cause the processor to:
communicate with the nail decorating system.
45. The nail decorating system of claim 43, 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 the nail similar to the image of the displayed image of the decorated nail;
communicate the instructions to the nail decorating system.
46. The nail decorating system of claim 43, wherein the storage device includes instructions stored thereon that when executed are effective to cause the processor to:
receive the path from the nail decorating system, the path being one along which the nail should be moved.
47. The nail decorating system of claim 46, 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.
48. 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 configured to be fed to the receiving tape reel;
a cutter located between the feeding tape reel and the receive tape reel, the cutter being configured to receive and to make a cut out in the tape.
49. The nail decorating system of claim 48, wherein the feeding tape real and receiving tape reel are configured to position the cut out directly below the applicator.
50. The nail decorating system of claim 48, wherein:
the processor is configured to analyze the image of the nail, and to perform a machine vision technique to determine a boundary of the nail , wherein the processor sends information regarding the boundary to the cutter which is configured to make the cut out in the tape to correspond with the boundary.
51. A method comprising:
receiving from an imaging device an image of a nail;
performing digital image processing on the image to locate a boundary of the nail;
instructing an applicator to dispense 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.
52. The method of claim 51, wherein the applicator is connected to a removable coating reservoir.
53. The method of claim 51, wherein:
the path along which to move the nail is configured to move the nail into an application zone of the applicator in order to coat the entire nail; and
the method further comprises displaying the path on a display.
54. The method of claim 51, further comprising:
detecting the location of the nail by sensing a location of a digit using a touch sensitive surface to which the nail is affixed.
55. The method of claim 51, further comprising:
determining, using the located boundary of the nail, an efficient dispensing procedure for the applicator to follow to coat the nail.
56. The method of claim 55, wherein the efficient dispensing procedure includes an efficient path.