Shoe device with electronic graphic designs

• US 8,464,442 B1
• Filed: 05/27/2010
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James A. Alford II
• Original Assignee: James A. Alford II
• Inventors: Alford, James A. II
• Primary Examiner(s): Kavanaugh, Ted
• Application Number:
  US12/788,662
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 361/37, 361/36, 36/1
• US Class Current: 36/137
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0027 made at least partially from a material having special colours
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0078 provided with logos, letters, signatures or the like decoration A43B23/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/36 with light sources

Abstract

A shoe device comprising a shoe component; at least one electronic display disposed on a portion of the shoe component, the electronic display is constructed from at least three layers including a center layer constructed from a flexible organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display for providing active color and graphics, a waterproof outer layer, and a fabric inner layer, the outer layer and inner layer sandwich the center layer; a universal serial bus (USB) port; a microprocessor operatively connected to the flexible OLED display and USB port, the microprocessor is configured to send output commands to the flexible OLED display to cause the flexible OLED display to display graphic data; and one or more control buttons for manipulating the microprocessor and flexible OLED display.

Claims

1. A shoe device comprising:

(a) a shoe component having a protective pad disposed at a tip of the shoe component;

(b) an electronic display disposed on a top portion of the shoe component, a first side of the shoe component, a second side of the shoe component, a back of the shoe component, and a tongue of the shoe component, wherein the electronic display is constructed from at least three layers including a center layer constructed from a flexible organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display for providing active color and graphics, a waterproof outer layer, and a fabric inner layer, the outer layer and inner layer sandwich the center layer, wherein the flexible OLED display is divided into independently operating electronic display zones, wherein the fabric inner layer is effective to provide padding and comfort;

(c) a universal serial bus (USB) port disposed in a heel area of the shoe component;

(d) a microprocessor disposed in the shoe component operatively connected to both the flexible OLED display and the USB port, the microprocessor comprises a memory component for storing graphic data, the microprocessor is configured to send output commands to the flexible OLED display to cause the flexible OLED display to display the graphic data, wherein the USB port functions to transfer alternate graphic data from a source to the memory component of the microprocessor;

(e) one or more control buttons disposed on the tongue of the shoe component and operatively connected to the microprocessor, the microprocessor is configured to receive input signals from the control buttons and subsequently send output commands to the flexible OLED display to manipulate the flexible OLED display; and

(f) a power source operatively connected to microprocessor and the flexible OLED display;

wherein the independently operating electronic display zones are controlled either independently or in conjunction with each other, wherein the flexible OLED display is adapted to display static graphic data, dynamic graphic data, or a combination thereof.

2. The shoe device of claim 1, wherein the inner layer comprises a moisture barrier to protect the flexible OLED display.

3. The shoe device of claim 1 further comprising a logo component disposed on the shoe component, wherein the logo component is an independent flexible OLED display.

4. The shoe device of claim 1, wherein the power source is a battery.

5. A shoe device consisting of:

(a) a shoe component having a protective pad disposed at a tip of the shoe component;

(b) an electronic display disposed on a top portion of the shoe component, a first side of the shoe component, a second side of the shoe component, a back of the shoe component, and a tongue of the shoe component, wherein the electronic display is constructed from at least three layers including a center layer constructed from a flexible organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display for providing active color and graphics, a waterproof outer layer, and a fabric inner layer, the outer layer and inner layer sandwich the center layer, wherein the flexible OLED display is divided into independently operating electronic display zones, wherein the fabric inner layer is effective to provide padding and comfort;

(c) a universal serial bus (USB) port disposed in a heel area of the shoe component;

(d) a microprocessor disposed in the shoe component operatively connected to both the flexible OLED display and the USB port, the microprocessor comprises a memory component for storing graphic data, the microprocessor is configured to send output commands to the flexible OLED display to cause the flexible OLED display to display the graphic data, wherein the USB port functions to transfer alternate graphic data from a source to the memory component of the microprocessor;

(e) one or more control buttons disposed on the tongue of the shoe component and operatively connected to the microprocessor, the microprocessor is configured to receive input signals from the control buttons and subsequently send output commands to the flexible OLED display to manipulate the flexible OLED display; and

(f) a power source operatively connected to microprocessor and the flexible OLED display;

wherein the independently operating electronic display zones are controlled either independently or in conjunction with each other, wherein the flexible OLED display is adapted to display static graphic data, dynamic graphic data, or a combination thereof.