Garment with programmable video display unit

• US 5,912,653 A
• Filed: 07/29/1997
• Issued: 06/15/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Squib International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Stephan J. Fitch
• Inventors: Fitch, Stephan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOW, DOON Y
• Application Number:
  US08/902,392
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 345/7, 345/8, 345/87, 345/9, 345/30, 345/55, 40/586, 40/541, 362/103, 362/108
• US Class Current: 345/87
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/02 by a carrier person or animal
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/023 fixed on clothing
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/026 Advertising carried by a person, e.g. carried on the shoulders
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/35 being liquid crystals G09F9/302 takes precedence; liquid crystal materials C09K19/00; liquid crystal panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell per se G02F1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/04 Electronic labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3611 Control of matrices with row and column drivers

Abstract

A garment with a programmable microcontroller to control digital and analog video signals which are displayed on flexible flat panel color liquid crystal display (LCD), embedded into the garment. The LCD is locked onto the garment by means of a locking slide fastener and is programmable through use of the microcontroller unit. The microcontroller unit is used to control display of digitally recorded and analog video sequences. Images can also be programmed to display based on environmental conditions as well as other trigger methods. The garment comes with a built-in Global Positioning System (G.P.S.) for security against theft. Garments can navigate owner through programming of microcontroller through voice navigation for and can be initialized to respond to the owners voice-print. Garments come with peripheral input capability allowing input of such analog and digital devices as miniature cameras, computers, CD-ROMS, etc. . . . All signals can be set to a broadcast frequency allowing other receiving jackets operating on the same frequency to access and display the broadcasters images.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

(a) a garment;

(b) at least one video image display including a flexible flat panel liquid crystal display disposed on an outside surface of said garment for displaying a moving video image within said at least one video image display, said flexible flat panel liquid crystal display being arranged on said outside surface of said garment such that said flexible flat panel liquid crystal display faces away from said outside surface of said garment and the moving video image is displayed by said liquid crystal display in a manner such that the moving video image faces away from said outside surface of said garment, said moving video image comprising a plurality of different shaped objects each having a plurality of different shades so as to distinguish said different shaped objects from each other;

(c) a storage device for storing at least one video program including data for generating said moving video image;

(d) a video drive connected to said at least one video image display and said storage device for receiving said at least one program and sending signals to said at least one video image display to display said moving video image on said at least one video image display.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting element for mounting said at least one video image display onto the garment.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one video program comprises at least one of a digitally recorded program and an analog video program.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a video antenna and a receiver being attached to said garment and connected to said at least one video image display for showing broadcast video programs on said at least one video image display.

5. The system according to claim 4, further comprising an audio output for generating audio output signals to be received by a head phone.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a control mounted in said garment for selectively connecting a program to said driver, a control input connected to said control for operating said control and a program input connected to the control for receiving programs from external sources, selected from the group consisting of tapes, CD, peripheral computers and broadcast frequencies, and cellular telephone.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a global positioning system attached to said garment, whereby information as to a location of the garment can be broadcast.

8. A system comprising:

a garment;

at least one video image display including a flexible flat panel liquid crystal display disposed on a surface of said garment for displaying moving video images within said at least one video image display, said flexible flat panel liquid crystal display being arranged on said outside surface of said garment such that said flexible flat panel liquid crystal display faces away from said outside surface of said garment and the moving video image is displayed by said liquid crystal display in a manner such that the moving video image faces away from said outside surface of said garment, the video image comprising a plurality of different shaped objects each having a plurality of different shades so as to distinguish said different shaped objects from each other;

a source of video signals including a video program containing data for generating said moving video images;

a connector for connecting said video program signals to said at least one video image display for displaying said video images on said at least one video image display so that said video program is shown on said surface of said garment.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said garment comprises a jacket.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein said source includes a plurality of different programs, and said connector selectively connects said program signals to said display.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said connector is adapted to be operated manually by an operator or by a stored program.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein said at least one video image display and said switch are removably mounted on said garment.

13. A system comprising:

a garment;

at least one video image display disposed on a surface of said garment for displaying a moving video image within said at least one video image display, said flexible flat panel liquid crystal display being arranged on said outside surface of said garment such that said flexible flat panel liquid crystal display faces away from said outside surface of said garment and the moving video image is displayed by said liquid crystal display in a manner such that the moving video image faces away from said outside surface of said garment, said the moving video image comprising a plurality of different shaped objects each having a plurality of different shades so as to distinguish said different shaped objects from each other;

a source of video signals including a video program containing data for generating said moving video image;

a connector for connecting said video program signals to said at least one video image display for displaying said moving video image on said at least one video image display so that said video program is shown on said surface of said garment;

wherein said connector has an input for operation thereof;

said system further comprising a transducer mounted on said garment said transducer having an input for sensing an ambient condition, and an output connected to said input for operating a switch and said programs displayed on said garment in accordance with said sensed ambient conditions.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said ambient conditions to be sensed are selected from the group consisting of humidity, heat, sound, and touch.

15. A system adapted to be installed on a garment comprising:

(a) a garment,

(b) at least one video image display including a flexible flat panel display disposed on an outside surface of said garment, and forming a part of said garment, said flexible flat panel liquid crystal display being arranged on said outside surface of said garment such that said flexible flat panel liquid crystal display faces away from said outside surface of said garment and the moving video image is displayed by said liquid crystal display in a manner such that the moving video image faces away from said outside surface of said garment, said at least one video image display being adapted to display a moving video image within said at least one video image display, the moving video image comprising a plurality of different shaped objects each having a plurality of different shades so as to distinguish said different shaped objects from each other;

(c) a memory connected to said at least one video image display and storing a plurality of video programs;

(d) a video driver connected to said at least one video image display for sending signals to said at least one video image display in accordance with one of said video programs stored in said memory;

(e) a control unit mounted in said garment for selectively connecting said programs to said driver and thus changing said programs to be shown on said at least one video image display, and

(f) an input to said control unit for operating said control unit.