Light emitting head accessory

• US 7,942,543 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2009
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael Larry Ritter
• Original Assignee: Michael Larry Ritter
• Inventors: Ritter, Michael Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi; Ali
• Application Number:
  US12/364,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20090241243A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 362/103, 362/105, 362/106, 362/570, 362/561, 362/812, 315/312, 315/316, 315291-298, 315/362, 315/307, 340/573, 340/693
• US Class Current: 362/103
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 1/244 Means for mounting lamps

Abstract

A light emitting head accessory includes an array of light emission devices positioned on a front surface of a strip of flexible material, a logic circuit, a power source, and an input device. The logic circuit is connected to the array of light emission devices and programmed to create arrangements on the array of light emission devices by illuminating a plurality of light emission devices in the array of light emission devices. The power source provides power to the array of light emission devices and the logic circuit. The input device is connected to and instructs the logic circuit to display various arrangements on the array of light emission devices.

Claims

1. A light emitting head accessory comprising:

a strip of flexible material having a front surface, the strip sized to fit around a head of a person;

an array of light emission devices positioned on the front surface;

a logic circuit electrically coupled to the array of light emission devices and programmed to selectively illuminate at least some of the light emission devices in the array of light emission devices to form an arrangement of illuminated light emission devices;

a power source connected to and providing power to the array of light emission devices and to the logic circuit; and

at least one input device connected to the logic circuit and operable to adjust the arrangement of illuminated light emission devices.

2. The light emitting head accessory of claim 1, wherein the array of light emission devices is selected from the group comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (“

LED”

), a liquid crystal display (“

LCD”

) panel, a plurality of light bulbs, an organic light emitting diode (“

OLED”

) panel, and an electronic paper (“

e-paper”

) display.

3. The light emitting head accessory of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of strands attached to the strip of flexible material, wherein the strands are positioned to hang downward below the strip of flexible material; and

a second array of light emission devices attached to the strands, wherein the logic circuit is electrically coupled to and controls the second array of light emission devices.

4. The light emitting head accessory of claim 1, further comprising:

a first fastening device positioned on a first end of the strip of flexible material; and

a second fastening device positioned on a second end of the strip of flexible material opposite the first end, wherein the first fastening device is configured to fasten with the second fastening device.

5. The light emitting head accessory of claim 1, further comprising a third fastening device attached to the strip of flexible material and configured to attach to another piece of headwear.

6. The light emitting head accessory of claim 5, wherein the third fastening device is a hook and loop fastener.

7. The light emitting head accessory of claim 5, wherein the third fastening device is a plurality of grommet holes.

8. The light emitting head accessory of claim 5, wherein the strip of flexible material is connected to an athletic hat by the third fastening device.

9. The light emitting head accessory of claim 6, wherein the strip of flexible material is connected to a beanie by the third fastening device.

10. The light emitting head accessory of claim 1, wherein the logic circuit is configured through depression of the at least one input device to illuminate the array of light emission devices to form the arrangement selected from the group comprising:

blinking the array of light emission devices on and off continuously, scrolling a message across the array of light emission devices, displaying a static image, and displaying an animated image.

11. The light emitting head accessory of claim 10, wherein the message is an advertisement.

12. The light emitting head accessory of claim 1, wherein the logic circuit is configured through depression of the at least one input device to rotate between a plurality of different display arrangements by displaying each of the plurality of different arrangements for a set period of time and consecutively advancing to the next in the series of the plurality of different arrangements.

13. The light emitting head accessory of claim 1, further comprising a data connection device electrically coupled to the logic circuit.

14. The light emitting head accessory of claim 13, wherein the data connection device is selected from the group comprising:

a wire, a communication port, and a wireless receiver.

15. The light emitting head accessory of claim 14, wherein the communication port comprises a Universal Serial Bus port.

16. The light emitting head accessory of claim 14, wherein the wireless receiver is a Bluetooth communication device.

17. A light emitting head accessory comprising:

a strip of flexible material having a front surface;

a first array of light emission devices positioned on the front surface, wherein the array includes a plurality of rows and columns of the light emission devices;

a plurality of strands of material attached to the strip of flexible material, wherein the strands are positioned to hang downward below the strip of flexible material;

a second array of light emission devices attached to the plurality of strands of material;

a logic circuit electrically coupled to the first array of light emission devices and to the second array of light emission devices and programmed to illuminate a first plurality of light emission devices in the first array of light emission devices and a second plurality of light emission devices in the second array of light emission devices, wherein the first plurality of illuminated light emission devices constitutes an arrangement selected from the group comprising text, images, animations, videos, and characters;

a power source connected to and providing power to the first array of light emission devices, the second array of light emission devices, and the logic circuit;

at least one input device connected to the logic circuit, wherein the at least one input device controls the arrangements displayed on the array of light emission devices;

a first fastening device positioned on a first end of the strip of flexible material; and

a second fastening device positioned on a second end of the strip of flexible material opposite the first end, wherein the first fastening device is configured to fasten with the second fastening device to arrange the strip of flexible material into a closed loop.

18. The light emitting head accessory of claim 17, wherein the first array of light emission devices is selected from the group comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes, a liquid crystal display panel, a plurality of light bulbs, an organic light emitting diode panel, and an electronic paper display.

19. A method of displaying a graphical arrangement on a light emitting head accessory, the method comprising:

arranging a light emitting head accessory on a head of a person, the light emitting head accessory including a flexible strip of material forming a closed loop around the head;

receiving an input with an input device from a user;

determining with a logic circuit device a first graphical arrangement to be displayed; and

displaying the first graphical arrangement with an array of light emission devices, the light emission devices being electrically coupled to the logic circuit and positioned on a front surface of the strip of flexible material.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein displaying occurs for a predetermined amount of time.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving a second input with an input device from the user;

determining with a logic circuit device a second graphical arrangement to be displayed; and

displaying the second graphical arrangement with the array of light emission devices.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving an input comprises receiving an input from an external device selected from the group comprising:

a mobile telephone, a handheld computer, a smart phone, a portable digital assistant, a cellular telephone network, a satellite, and a remote control device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the input defines the first graphical arrangement.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising determining if a subscription fee has been paid before displaying the first graphical arrangement.