DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] The present invention provides various interactive and display improvements to articles of apparel including flexible displays. The improvements include personal device information displays integrated within the article of apparel. Such displays may include cellular telephone and other personal communication device displays such as pager, e-mail, personal digital assistant (PDA) displays, personal computer displays and the like. Generally, the display differs from prior art displays not necessarily in format or structure, but in programming, in that the display is programmed in an orientation for convenient viewing by the wearer of the article of apparel, rather than for viewing by others. Personal devices as defined in the context of the present application include all of the above-listed devices and other devices that present information to a person (the wearer) on a multi-pixel display. One embodiment of the invention in exception to the wearer orientation of the present invention is a novel use of a flexible display integrated in an article of apparel and a novel method and system for operating an article of apparel, whereby another person may view a response to a communication received from the other person on the flexible display of the wearer.

[0014] The present invention provides a display of information provided from the personal communication devices mentioned above, but also contemplates personal devices that are sensor devices such as exercise monitors and temperature sensors as well as completely contained devices such as timers, stopwatches and wristwatches and personal computing devices. Apparel as contemplated by the embodiments of the present invention include accessories such as wallets, purses, gym bags, luggage, belts as well as general clothing-type apparel such as shirts, shoes, jackets, pants, skirts, dresses and the like. The flexible display and associated control circuits may be made detachable so that transfer between various articles of clothing may be accomplished. An adhesive-backed display or VELCRO-attached display may be provided.

[0015] Referring now to FIG. 1A, a wallet 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is depicted. Wallet body 11 forms an“apparel body” on which a flexible light-emitting diode (LED) multi-pixel matrix display 13 is mounted. A visual display 15 is presented that can display video, text, static graphics, flashing lights, as well as any other lighted form that may be programmed to turn on pixels in LED display 13 in response to personal device information. For example, a cellular telephone display or e-mail content display may be provided on LED display 13 in response to a received network communication.

[0016] LED display 13 is generally an organic LED display forming a transparent plastic flexible membrane with the organic diode elements embedded therein. No back-lighting is required, as the LED elements generate radiated light as opposed to LCD elements that have been used in prior clothing article displays. Apparel in accordance with embodiments of the present invention are generally for wear by persons, but the techniques of the present invention may be applied to other clothing articles such as dog sweaters, horse cowls, and so forth generally in embodiments where the personal device information is provided by a person other than the animal wearer for view by the person.

[0017] Referring now to FIG. 1B, a shirt 10A in accordance with another embodiment of the invention is depicted. An apparel body 11A provides the bulk of the apparel item (shirt 10A) on which flexible multipixel LED display 13A is mounted for generating a visual display 15A, but in one embodiment, display 13A forms all of the exterior of the entire apparel item, so that an apparel body may not be required at all. Such apparel is suitable for use in full camouflage or partial camouflage clothing that may be programmed for various environments. A second display 13B is shown incorporated on a sleeve of shirt 10A, and the generated visual display is generated in an orientation easily readable to the wearer, as opposed to display 13A which is more likely visible to and generally oriented for display to another person. In the illustrative depiction, display 13B is implementing the function of a watch showing time 3:00.

[0018] Buttons 16, provided for controlling displays 13A and 13B, may be incorporated as graphics and/or text on 13B with sensors located at corresponding locations under the display or with a programmed response to a touch-screen matrix set to areas corresponding to button icons 16 or may be provided as discrete buttons such as membrane switches as shown.

[0019] Display 13A is illustrated as a display responsive to a wireless network interface. The present invention contemplates the use of a wireless network interface for providing weather information, stock quote information, video and animated data, and so forth for viewing by the wearer of the article of apparel. However, in the illustration, a graphical text display responsive to incoming e-mails is shown where the display text of a person's name (or other text) may be inserted in response to a received Internet e-mail transmission to an address associated with display 13A. Thus the present invention provides a personal device-responsive communication for viewing by the sender of a communication, as well as others.

[0020] Electronic displays 13A and 13B may share common driver circuits and a processor programming displays 13A and 13B may select a particular one of the displays for activation, or displays 13A and 13B may be multiplexed to reduce the amount of driver circuitry required. Driver circuit including internal personal devices 14A is shown incorporated in the lining of shirt 10A and may include a battery power source. Alternatively, or for providing a battery power source ancillary to driver circuit 14A, a belt or waistband clipped electronics pack 14B including internal personal devices may be connected to shirt 10A. Controls may be further incorporated on pack 14B for controlling programming of visual display 15A and programming of display 13B and an external connector may be provided on electronics pack 14B and/or driver circuit 14A for interface to a personal device (including sensors) providing input for controlling displays 13A and 13B.

[0021] Referring now to FIG. 2, a shoe 20 in accordance with another embodiment of the invention is depicted. The body of shoe 21 provides a structure for attaching a flexible multi-pixel LED display 23. Display 23 is shown oriented for viewing by a wearer of shoe 20 and visual display 25 provided thereon is displaying the current temperature (+70) in response to a sensor coupled to driver electronics 24.

[0022] In addition to the locations described above as examples, a visual display in accordance with other embodiments of the present invention may be provided in other locations on an apparel body. For example; the top of the leg or knee of a pair of pants, dress, skirt or other leg-covering article of apparel may have a display mounted thereon for providing a convenient location for viewing by the wearer. Additionally, the display may be mounted on a front shirt tail, providing a means for hiding the visual display when the shirt tail is tucked in and wherein the visual display may be oriented upside-down for viewing then the shirt tail is flipped up toward the viewer. Other“flap” type articles of apparel or additions to articles of apparel may be provided, for example on the front of a shirt or blouse, so that the user may“flip-up” a visual display that is oriented for viewing by the wearer when such“flap” is flipped so as to face the user.

[0023] Referring now to FIG. 3, driver circuits 30 suitable for use within apparel articles 10, 10A and 20 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention are shown in a block diagram. Displays 31 and 31A which are affixed to an apparel article, are coupled to a set of matrix drivers 32. Displays 31 and 31A may each comprise a further plurality of electronic displays all connected to matrix driver 32 and may be individually selectable via matrix drivers 32. Matrix drivers 32 are coupled to processor 33 for receiving information corresponding to text, graphics and colors displayed on display 31 and processor is coupled to a memory 34 for storing program instructions for execution by processor 33 and data corresponding to graphical images, text and colors for display on display 31.

[0024] A wireless network node 39A, which may be an Internet node, is coupled to processor 33 to provide receipt of wireless communications and information such as web page viewing, time, weather and stock information as well as interactivity via e-mail, pager and the like as described above. Other information types receivable and displayable include maps and navigation direction information, movie theatre times, traffic information, newswire information and home appliance status and control information. In general, any type of broadcast information (unsolicited transmissions) or polled information (solicited transmissions) that are suitable for visual display output may be decoded and displayed. The information may be provided by any wireless mechanism compatible with the broadcasting or poll-response mechanism employed in the broadcasting or responding system, such as radio-frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) transmission/reception.

[0025] Sensor/switch input interface 36 is coupled to processor 33 and may be coupled to exercise data sensors (such as heart rate monitors), switches or buttons mounted on the apparel (such as buttons 16) or electronics housing for control of display 31 or connected to temperature sensors, etc. Sensor/switch input interface 36 also couples any provided touch-screens integrated with displays 31 and 31A. Internal personal devices and sensors 37 are coupled to processor 33 for providing information for programming displays 31 and 31A. External devices and sensors 40 may be coupled to processor 33 via an interface connector 35A. Power for displays 31 and driver circuit 30 may be provided by a battery, and solar cells or kinetic electrical devices may be used to either re-charge the battery, or may be used in some embodiments for providing all of the power source.

[0026] While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form, and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.