Patent Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for displaying digital images on an article worn by a user to allow for clothing of all types to display digital information. A screen that can display computer-generated animations can attach to clothing. The screen can be thin, lightweight, and flexible for integration with the article of clothing. The screen can display clear, sharp static and moving images. The visual content displayed on the clothing can be changed by a user by using a wired interface to a computer or by receiving the content via a short- or long-range wireless transmission.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates generally to portable electronic and computing devices that interface with an outboard computer and display content and imagery on an attached display (screen) and, more specifically, to “intelligent” clothing and such devices that are worn by the user, as well as any device involved in the visual display of electronic content, including advertising.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    As portable and hand-held technological devices become more integral in people&#39;s lives, apparel and accessory designers are adding features to accommodate the new requirements. There are special pockets in shirts and bags for mobile phones, laptop carrying cases that look like purses and belt clips for CD players. This trend is evolving into a new industry, “smart clothes” or “wearable electronics.” These products involve the sophisticated practice of integrating technology and apparel, thereby increasing the utility of the clothing. Instead of having a pocket in a jacket for a phone, “smart clothes” have speakers built into the hood or a microphone integrated into the collar. “Wearable electronics” is a fledgling industry. Currently, smart clothing is focused on improving utility in the following areas: Health sector for clothes that can monitor vital statistics; information and communications sector for incorporating common electronic devices into clothing; and industrial sector for improving efficiency and communications on the job.  
           [0005]    It is desirable to project an individualized message, design, or moving animation on an article of clothing, while retaining the ability to change the displayed imagery to new designs at any time for enabling content to be controlled and changed remotely during use.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for displaying digital images on an article worn by a user to allow for clothing of all types to display digital information. A screen that can display computer-generated animations can attach to clothing. The screen can be thin, lightweight, and flexible for integration with the article of clothing. The screen can display clear, sharp static and moving images. The visual content displayed on the clothing can be changed by a user by using a wired interface to a computer or by receiving the content via a short- or long-range wireless transmission.  
           [0007]    Components of the system include: a wearable article having a display attached to the article, means for generating an image and means for displaying the image. Particular components can include a microcomputer, power source, onboard battery, software for driving the display, wired and/or wireless computer hardware interface, personal computer-based software for loading images into an on-board computer, and Internet-based tools for selecting and creating images to download and play on the display.  
           [0008]    In typical operation, a user establishes a connection to a remote programming device through a connection method. Using software installed on the remote programming device, the user can select an image content file to be displayed on the article. The image content file can be loaded into read/write memory of the microcomputer. The computer can be disconnected from the wearable article and the article would be ready to display the selected image. The user would then put on the article and activate the system to display the selected image on the screen attached to the article.  
           [0009]    In addition, the present invention provides a method of creating or changing images, delivering program med image content to users and sharing images among users. Users can establish a connection between a remote programming device, such as a personal computer, and the microcomputer through which connection they can transfer image content to display on an article to be worn by a user. The user can then terminate the connection with the remote programming device and display the content on the display while wearing the display.  
           [0010]    Alternatively, the article can automatically receive broadcast image content sent to it via a short- or long-range wireless connection. In this mode, an image could be transmitted to the article from a remote programming device while the article is being worn and operated by the user. For example, this embodiment is useful for displaying advertising messages on garments worn by athletes or fans at a sporting event.  
           [0011]    The invention will be more fully described by reference to the following drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a global perspective view of an apparatus for displaying images on an article worn by a user in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of components of the apparatus.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of steps for playing the displayed designs and communicating with applications.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a flow diagram for loading display content into the apparatus.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a website tool for creating and downloading display content.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6A is an image of the apparatus attached to an article of clothing.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6B is an image of the apparatus attached to an article of clothing.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]    During the course of this description, like numbers will be used to identify like elements according to the different figures which illustrate the invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 illustrates apparatus for displaying digital images on an article worn by a user  10 , in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Apparatus  10  includes display  11  attached with attachment  12  to article  13 , thereby display  11  becomes a layer of article  13 . Attachment  12  can be a hook and loop or other standard snap attachment and can be detached from article  13  to allow for washing.  
         [0021]    Display  11  can be formed of a material which is flexible enough to roll and bend without being damaged for integrating display  1   1  on article  13 . For example, display  11  can be formed of a polymer organic light-emitting diode (Poly-OLED) including a polymer (plastic) base material which provides the display ability to flex and bend. Suitable Poly-OLED displays are manufactured by DuPont Displays as “Plastic Poly-OLED Display Module”, Phillips and Universal Display Corporation.  
         [0022]    Article  13  can be worn by a user. In different implementations, display  11  can be in the form of a screen which can cover the entire article  13  or be attached only to a portion of article  13  which is the desired viewing area. Display  11  can display digital image  14 . Digital image  14  has image content which can be text, moving text, static graphical images, or moving images or any combination thereof. Digital image  14  can be an advertising message. Display  11  displays digital image  14  in color or black and white.  
         [0023]    Circuit board  15  is coupled to display  11 . Wired connection  17  can be used to connect remote programming device  16  to circuit board  14 . Alternatively, wireless connection  18  can be used to connect remote programming device  16  to circuit board  15 . Circuit board  15  can be a conventional circuit board with wired connections. Alternatively, circuit board  15  can be a “flex circuit” which is integral to display  11 . Transceiver  19  can be used to communicate between remote programming device  16  and circuit board  15  using wireless connection  18 .  
         [0024]    Remote programming device  16  can connect to Internet  20 . For example, remote programming device  16  can be a personal computer. Internet software modules  21  are available on Internet  20 , as described in detail below.  
         [0025]    Core system  22  comprises a plurality of components attached or coupled to circuit board  15 , as shown in FIG. 2. Core system  22  includes microcomputer  23  with read/write memory  24 . Microcomputer  23  is connected to display driver  25  of display  11  by flexible conduit  26 . Microcomputer  23  runs software  40  for communicating with remote programming device  16  and interacting with display driver  25  for displaying image content on display  11 , as described in detail below. Software  40  is resident in microcomputer  23 . Video signal output  28  is routed from microcomputer  23  to display driver  25  via flexible conduit  26 .  
         [0026]    Battery  30  is resident on circuit board  14 . Battery  30  can be light weight. For example, battery  30  can be a small lithium battery that can be recharged and provides adequate power to microcomputer  23  and display  11 . Switch  31  is coupled to battery  30 . Switch  31  is used to turn display  11  on or off. Outboard power adapter  32  connects to circuit board  15  for recharging from a conventional power receptacle. Power from battery  30  supplies system components such as microcomputer  23 , communications interface assembly  36 , wireless transceiver  34 , and display  11  via conduit  33 .  
         [0027]    Core system  22  includes a means for communicating with remote programming device  16  by way of wireless transceiver  34  or interface port  35 . Communications interface assembly  36  is connected to the microcomputer  23  and also to wireless transceiver  34  or interface port  35 . Communications interface assembly  36  allows communication via interface port  35  through wired connection  17 , or via wireless transceiver  34  through wireless connection  18  to remote programming device  16  which runs the image-loading software. Both the wired and wireless communications options are shown, but any particular embodiment of the present invention may only include one of these options, or it may include both.  
         [0028]    In one embodiment, wireless connection  18  can be achieved using a standard wireless networking protocol such as, but not limited to, Bluetooth, Infrared, or 802.11b (known as “WiFi”). Other wireless protocols can be used to provide communication. Wireless transceiver  34  communicates with transceiver  19  connected to remote programming device  16 . Alternately, or in concert with this connection method, wired connection  17  can be provided via interface port  35  that can accept cable  37  with a standard interface plug on the other end for connecting to available ports on remote programming device  16  which can be a personal computer. Wired connection  17  can include, but is not limited to, a Universal Serial Bus, IEEE 1394 (known as “Firewire”), and a standard 9-pin Serial Port.  
         [0029]    Software  40  to achieve communication with remote programming device  16  is executed by microcomputer  23 . FIG. 3 illustrates modules of software  40 . When remote programming device  16  attempts to open a connection with core system  22 , software  40  runs module  41  to establish a connection through wired connection  17  or wireless connection  18  with remote programming device  16 . Remote programming device  16  then transmits an image content file to core system  22  and software  40  accepts the file in module  42 . Software  40  stores the content data of the image content file in module  43  in read/write memory portion  24  of microcomputer  23 . It should be appreciated that the communications software  40  will utilize appropriate error-checking techniques to ensure reliable data transfer.  
         [0030]    Software  40  also performs functions related to displaying the image content of the image display  11 . When a user switches on power switch  29  in module  44 , module  45  reads the files of content data from read/write memory  24 . Module  46  assembles video instructions. Module  47  delivers video signal output  28  to drivers  25  for enabling display of the image on display  11 .  
         [0031]    Software  50  can reside in remote programming device  16 . Software  50  can be used for organizing, selecting and loading image content to be displayed on the article to be worn by the user. FIG. 4 illustrates modules of operations that software  50  performs. In module  51 , a user can view a list of available images that are stored in remote programming device  16 . In module  52 , a user can add a new file to the list. In module  53 , a user can rename a file in the list. In module  54 , a user can remove a file from the list. In module  55 , a user can select a file from the list and play a demonstration of the file on a screen of remote programming device  16 , enabling them to preview the design before loading it into microcomputer  23 . In module  56 , a user can connect to core system  22 . Once a connection with core system  22  is established over wired connection  17  or wireless connection  18 , module  57  can show one or more names of one or more corresponding image files currently loaded and stored in read/write memory  24  of microcomputer  23 . In module  58 , a user can select an image file from the list of available images and load the image into read/write memory  24  by transferring the image over wired connection  17  or wireless connection  18  that has been established.  
         [0032]    Users can locate, customize, create, and download image files using Internet software modules  21  made available on Internet  20 . Internet software modules  21  can provide web-based applications including cataloging of image files that users can choose from, downloading of one or more image files to remote programming device  16 , and loading of images into article  13 . Internet software modules  21  include module  61  in which a user can register for a service to create an online account at a website, as shown in FIG. 5. Once their account is created, in module  62  a user can login to the website. In module  63 , a user can browse or select from a list of image or design categories. In module  64 , a user can view samples of image content. Once the user has identified a design that they want to use, a user can select the chosen image in module  65 . In module  66 , a user can indicate whether they want to customize the design or not. When the options are selected, module  68  creates a file. If the user desires to customize the image, module  67  can be used to edit the available options for the image file such as speed, number of objects displayed, the text of a message to be displayed, and the like. In module  69 , a user can transfer the selected image from module  65  or customized image from module  68  to remote programming device  16 .  
         [0033]    Illustrated in FIGS.  6 A- 6 B are representations of articles  13  including display  11 . In this embodiment, the content is animated and, therefore, moves through a sequence in a similar manner to a computer “screen saver” animation. Vest  71  is shown in FIG. 6A. Cap  72  is shown in FIG. 6B. It will be appreciated that the invention can be adapted to any type of clothing or wearable item.  
         [0034]    In general, the present invention can be used in advertising, entertainment, sport promotion, leisure and self-expression and other contexts.  
         [0035]    It is to be understood that the above described embodiments are illustrative of only a few of the many possible specific embodiments which can represent applications of the principles of the invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be readily devised in accordance with these principles by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 3