Method for Customizing Cover for Electronic Device

• US 20080313552A1
• Filed: 05/12/2006
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skinit Acquisition, LLC
• Original Assignee: Imbibo Ncorporated
• Inventors: Buehler, Doyle, Burke, Ronald A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,261,195 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/760
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/021 Adaptations for printing on specific media
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method and system for customizing a cover for an electronic device is provided. A plurality of templates associated with a plurality of electronic devices are provided. A client may select a template. The client may create and edit images on the template associated with a model of an electronic device. The method including printing or manufacturing the customized cover using the template.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

12-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A method of customizing a cover for a surface of an electronic device, comprising:

at a server, providing an interactive web-based customization tool to a client through a network;

at the client, implementing the customization tool including;

selecting a device among a plurality of electronic devices;

displaying a template associated with the selected electronic device, the template including one or more than one section, each section defining an opening of the cover or a transparent part of the cover; and

creating one or more than one image on the template to produce a customized cover, and

printing or manufacturing the customized cover.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of printing comprises printing the customized cover onto a flexible sheet.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of printing is implemented by thermal printing, solvent printing or a combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein thermal printing comprises a printing process using a resin based film, a ribbon or a foil.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein solvent printing comprises a vinyl printing process utilizing liquid ink.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of printing further comprises applying one or more than one laminate on the printed sheet.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of printing comprises sending the customized cover to a printer at the client without uploading the customized cover to the server.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of printing comprises uploading the customized cover to the server for printing.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising cutting the printed sheet based on the template used for the customized cover.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of cutting comprises removing from the sheet one or more than one portion associated with the opening.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of cutting comprises cutting the sheet by at least one of punching, die-cutting, contour cutting, or liner cutting.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more than one image includes a background image, a text image, or a combination thereof.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of creating comprises at least one of manipulating, editing or modifying each of the one or more than one image independently.

28. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of creating comprises providing the client with a preview web page once the customization is completed.

29. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of creating comprises at least one of:

selecting an image from a library provided by the server; and

selecting an image from a hard drive of the client.

30. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of creating comprises at least one of:

cropping the one or more than one image on the template;

rotating the one or more than one image on the template;

resizing the one or more than one image on the template;

sliding the one or more than one image on the template;

dragging the one or more than one image on the template;

implementing image coloring, image blurring, contrast changing, brightness changing or combinations thereof to the one or more than one image on the template; and

removing, replacing, adding or forming a visible object in the one or more than one image on the template.

31. The method of claim 16, wherein the sheet is made of vinyl, plastic, silicon, rubber, acrylic or combinations thereof.

32. The method of claim 16, wherein the sheet further comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive layer.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising wrapping the printed sheet around one or more portions of the electronic device.

34. The method of claim 15, further comprising applying the cover to at least a part of a single side or a part of the surface of the electronic device.

35. The method of claim 15, further comprising, saving the customized cover at the server.

36. The method of claim 15, wherein in the step of selecting, one or more than one surface of the electronic device is selected, and the template associated with the one or more than one surface is provided in the step of displaying.

37. The method of claim 23, wherein the template includes a trace line that is utilized by the creating step, the printing step, the cutting step, or combinations thereof.

38. The method of claim 15, further comprising implementing the management of an order from the client, the management of a client profile, or a coupon management.

39. A method of customizing a cover for a surface of an electronic device, comprising:

preparing a plurality of templates for a plurality of electronic devices, the templates including one or more than one section, each section defining an opening of the cover or a transparent part of the cover;

providing one of the templates in response to a request from a client;

providing an editing tool to the client to allow the client to create one or more than one image on the selected template, and

providing a printing or manufacturing service to produce the customized cover.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the step of providing a printing service comprises printing the customized cover onto a flexible sheet.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising managing the customized cover transferred from the client.

42. A method of customizing a cover for a surface of an electronic device, comprising:

selecting a device among a plurality of electronic devices, a template associated with the selected electronic device being provided on a client, the template including one or more than one section, each section defining an opening of the cover or a transparent part of the cover; and

creating and manipulating one or more than one image on the template to produce a customized cover.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the one or more than one image includes a background image, a text image or a combination thereof.

44. A system for customizing a cover for a surface of an electronic device, comprising:

a customization module including;

a module for selecting an electronic device among a plurality of electronic devices;

a module for displaying a template associated with the selected electronic device, the templates including one or more than one section, each section defining an opening of the cover or a transparent part of the cover; and

a module for creating and manipulating one or more than one image on the template to produce a customized cover.

45. The system of claim 44, further comprising a device for printing the customized cover onto a flexible sheet.

46. The system of claim 45, further comprising a device for cutting a flexible sheet based on the template used for the customized cover.

47. The system of claim 44, further comprising an order management system for managing an order from a client for the customer;

and

a customer management system for managing a profile of the customer.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the customer management system comprises a coupon management system.