Record and playback means for footwear

• US 5,615,111 A
• Filed: 05/16/1996
• Issued: 03/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Buster Brown & Company
• Original Assignee: Solefound Incorporated
• Inventors: Schuver, Steven S., Raskas, Eric J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Application Number:
  US08/650,004
• Time in Patent Office: 313 Days
• Field of Search: 364/410, 364/20, 364/69, 36/136, 36/132
• US Class Current: 36/136
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/00 Footwear characterised by the shape or the use
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/48 with transmitting devices, e.g. GSM or Wi-Fi®
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/50 with sound or music sources

Abstract

Record and playback apparatus for footwear adapted to be incorporated in the footwear is disclosed which comprises circuitry for receiving signals, circuitry for recording the signals and storing the signals in a memory, circuitry for playing back the recorded signals from the memory, circuitry for controlling the recording circuitry for recording the signals and the playback circuitry for playing back the signals from the memory, and circuitry for receiving the recorded signals from the playback circuitry for transmitting the recorded signals.

Claims

1. Record and playback apparatus for footwear comprising a shoe having an upper portion and a sole having a side and a cavity and the shoe having incorporated therein a removable memory module, means for retaining the memory module within the cavity of the sole, the memory module comprising a memory means having stored therein signals, means for playing back the stored signals from the memory means, means for controlling the playback means to retrieve from the memory means the stored signals, the controlling means further comprising switch means positioned on the side of the sole, means for receiving the stored signals from the playback means for transmitting the stored signals, the apparatus further comprising means for receiving audio signals, means for recording the audio signals and storing the recorded audio signals in the memory means, the playback means for playing back the recorded audio signals from the memory means, the controlling means for controlling the recording means and the playback means, and the transmitting means for transmitting the recorded audio signals.

2. The record and playback apparatus for footwear of claim 1 further comprising input means for activating the playback means.

4. The record and playback means of claim 1 wherein the playback apparatus comprises a controller circuit.

5. The record and playback apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory module is replaceable with other memory modules.

6. The record and playback apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sole comprises means for retaining the memory module within the sole.

7. Record and playback apparatus of claim 6 wherein the memory module further comprises means for releasing the module from the retaining means within the sole.

3. The record and playback apparatus 2 wherein the controlling means comprises a microcontroller connected to the input means for receiving signals from the input means for controlling activation of the playback means.

8. Record and playback apparatus for footwear comprising a shoe having an upper portion and a sole and the shoe having incorporated therein means for receiving audio signals, a first memory means, means for recording the audio signals and storing the recorded audio signals in the first memory means, means for playing back the recorded audio signals from the first memory means, a second memory means for storing therein signals, means for controlling the recording means for recording the audio signals and storing the recorded audio signals in the first memory means and the playback means for playing back the audio signals from the first memory means or the stored signals from the second memory means, means for receiving the audio signals from the first memory means or the stored signals from the second memory means from the playback means for transmitting the audio signals or the stored signals, the sole having a side and a cavity and the second memory means comprising a module which is inserted into the cavity, the controlling means further comprising switch means positioned in the side of the sole.

9. The record and playback apparatus of claim 8 further comprising input means for selecting activation of the recording means and the playback means.

10. The record and playback apparatus of claim 9 wherein the controlling means comprises a microcontroller connected to the input means for receiving signals from the input means for controlling activation of the recording means and the playback means.

11. The record and playback apparatus of claim 8 wherein the sole further comprises means for retaining the second memory means within the cavity.

12. The record and playback apparatus of claim 11 wherein the module of the second memory means is removable from the retaining means and replaceable with other modules having different signals stored therein.

13. The record and playback apparatus of claim 11 wherein the module of the second memory means further comprises means for releasing the module from the retaining means within the sole.

14. The record and playback apparatus of claim 11 further comprising means for supplying power to the controlling means, the recording means, and the playback means, and wherein the supplying means is incorporated within the module of the second memory means.