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; and
a processor operatively coupled to the imaging system, the display, and the applicator.
2. The nail decorating system of claim 1, wherein the applicator comprises a tip that can impart coating on the surface of the nail when the tip touches 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.
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; and
the applicator and coating reservoir combination is removable from the system.
7. The nail decorating system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine a nail travel path for which the nail should be moved relative to the applicator.
8. The nail decorating system of claim 7, wherein a representation of the nail travel path is displayed on the display.
9. The nail decorating system of claim 1 further comprising memory, wherein the processor is configured to:
detect a nail travel path of the nail relative to the applicator; and
record the travel path data in the memory.
10. The nail decorating system of claim 1, wherein the system is connected to a network and the processor is configured:
detect a nail travel path of the nail relative to the applicator; and
send data representing the nail travel path over the network.
11. 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, a nail travel path for which the nail should be moved relative to the applicator.
12. The nail decorating system of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to: instruct a user to practice the nail travel 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 nail travel path; and
apply the coating onto the nail.
13. 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.
14. 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.
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 is configured to move the applicator linearly.
18. The nail decorating system of claim 13, wherein the motor is configured to rotate 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 20 further comprising a mirror placed within the 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. A system comprising:
a touch sensitive surface configured to detect the presence of a digit;
an imaging system configured to record an image of the digit within the field of view of the imaging system upon detection of the presence of the digit by the touch sensitive surface; and
a processor configured execute an application, the application configured to utilize the processor to analyze the image of the digit, and to perform a machine vision technique to determine a boundary of a nail on the digit.
26. The system of claim 25 further comprising:
a coating applicator configured to receive an 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. 27. The system of claim 25, wherein the touch sensitive surface is configured to detect a position of the digit on the touch sensitive surface, and to communicate the position of the digit to the application. 28. The system of claim 27, further comprising:
a coating applicator configured to receive an 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; and
a motor configured to move the coating applicator into position, relative to the nail. 29. The system of claim 27, further comprising:
a motor configured to move the imaging system into position, relative to the digit to bring the digit 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 a nail on the digit. 31. The system of claim 25, wherein the touch sensitive surface is 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 configured to detect a location of the digit on the touch sensitive surface as it moves over time, and to report the location of the digit to the application over time. 34. The system of claim 26 further configured to give an instruction to a user, the instruction helping guide the user in moving their digit along a travel 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;
a motor attached the applicator and configured to manipulate a position of the applicator; and
a processor operatively coupled to the imaging system, the applicator, and the motor.
36. The nail decorating system of claim 35 comprising:
a display configured to display 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 configured to control the motor to move the applicator over the nail.
38. The nail decorating system of claim 35, 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.
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 configured to execute an application thereon, the application being configured to display a preview of a painted nail. 41. 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; and
instructing an applicator to dispense a coating onto the nail.
42. The method of claim 41, further comprising:
determining a travel path for moving the nail into an application zone of the applicator in order to coat the entire nail.
43. The method of claim 42, further comprising:
displaying the travel path on a display.
44. The method of claim 41, 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.
45. The method of claim 41, further comprising: determining, using the located 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. A portable electronic device comprising:
a touch screen display configured to detect a location of a nail by sensing a location of a digit in contact with the touch screen, the nail is affixed to the digit;
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; and
a processor configured to process the captured image to locate an edge of the nail.
48. The portable electronic device of claim 47 wherein the processor is configured to control an applicator.
49. The portable electronic device of claim 47, wherein the display is further configured to present instructions to a user for moving the digit through an application zone of the applicator.
50. A portable electronic device comprising:
a processor; and
a storage device includes instructions stored thereon that when executed are effective to cause a processor to:
display an image of a decorated nail;
share the image of the decorated nail with a collection of users; and receive commentary from at least one of the collection of users on the image of the decorated nail.
51. The portable electronic device of claim 50, wherein the storage device includes instructions stored thereon that when executed are effective to cause a processor to:
communicate with a nail painting robot.
52. The portable electronic device of claim 50, wherein the storage device includes instructions stored thereon that when executed are effective to cause a processor to:
acquire instructions effective to instruct a nail painting robot to paint a nail similar to the image of the displayed image of the decorated nail; and
communicate the instructions to a nail painting robot.
53. The portable electronic device of claim 50, wherein the storage device includes instructions stored thereon that when executed are effective to cause a processor to:
receive a recorded nail travel path from a nail painting robot, the nail travel path being a path a digit was guided through an application zone of an applicator.
54. The portable electronic device of claim 53, wherein the storage device includes instructions stored thereon that when executed are effective to cause a processor to:
share the nail travel path with the collection of users.
55. A device comprising:
a nail coating applicator;
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; and
a cutter located between the feeding tape reel and the receive tape reel, and configured to receive and to make a cut out in the tape.
56. The device of claim 55, wherein the feeding tape real and receiving tape reel are configured to position the cut out directly below the nail coating applicator.
57. The device of claim 55, comprising:
an imaging system configured to record an image of a digit with the field of view of the imaging system;
a processor configured execute an application, the application configured to utilize the processor to analyze the image of the digit, and to perform a machine vision technique to determine a boundary of a nail on the digit, wherein the processor sends the nail boundary information to the cutter which is configured to receive the nail boundary information and make the cut out in the tape to correspond with the nail boundary.