Colour variant selection method using a mobile device

A method of selecting the most probable variant of a matching paint candidate color standard for vehicle repair using a mobile device having a color display and an input unit and which is capable of data exchange with a central computer via an at least partly wireless communication line, the method comprising,

• a) entering in the mobile device identification criteria that can be associated with the color of the vehicle,
• b) sending the identification criteria via the at least partly wireless communication line to the central computer, wherein the central computer comprises a color database,
• c) causing the software on the central computer to select one or more candidate color standards matching the entered identification criteria and sending, via the at least partly wireless communication line, information on the selected candidate color standards to the mobile device,
• d) displaying information on the selected candidate color standards on the display of the mobile device, wherein the information includes images of the selected candidate color standards,
• e) visually comparing one or more physical chips painted with the candidate color standards with the color of the vehicle to be repaired,
• f) selecting a matching candidate color standard, inputting the selection in the mobile device, and transmitting the selection to the central computer via the at least partly wireless communication line,
• g) causing the software on the central computer to identify variants of the selected candidate color standard,
• h) if at least one variant has been identified, providing verbal or symbolic characterizations describing visual differences between the selected candidate color standard and each identified variant, and displaying these characterizations on the display of the mobile device,
• i) selecting the best matching variant based on (1) visual comparison of the vehicle to be repaired and the selected candidate color standard and (2) the displayed verbal or symbolic characterizations,
• j) transmitting via the at least partly wireless communication line the selected variant from the mobile device to the central computer, and
• k) transmitting via the at least partly wireless communication line a paint formula or a link to a paint formula corresponding to the selected variant from the central computer to the mobile device.