Systems and apparatuses including alterable characteristics and methods of altering and coordinating such characteristics

• US 8,941,332 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2012
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eminvent LLC
• Original Assignee: Eminvent LLC
• Inventors: Gerszberg, Seth M.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHILOGENE, HAISSA
• Application Number:
  US13/718,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20130271809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 315/297, 315/307, 315/312, 315/316, 315/318, 315/362, 362/221, 362/227, 362/231, 362/233, 362/236, 362/240, 362/249.02, 362/543, 362/545, 362/800
• US Class Current: 315/312
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/23 for the control of the colour G02F1/03 - G02F1/21 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided that include alterable characteristics and such alterable characteristics may be coordinated. Such systems, apparatuses, and methods may include wearable apparatuses and such alterable characteristics may relate to illumination conditions or coating colors. In one example, a wearable apparatus includes an output device such as an illumination device or coating that may be manually manipulated between two different conditions. In another example, two wearable apparatuses may each include an output device such as an illumination device or a coating, and operation of the two illumination devices or coatings may be coordinated. In a further example, operation of an apparatus may be controlled by a third party or venue. Still another exemplary system may include a capturing device for capturing a characteristic of an object and controlling an output device of an apparatus to operate with the same characteristic as the captured characteristic.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an input device manually manipulatable to change the input device between a first input condition and a second input condition;

a coating adapted to be a first color with the input device in the first input condition and a second color with the input device in the second input condition, wherein the first color is different than the second color; and

a power source adapted to supply a first level of current to the coating with the input device in the first input condition and a second level of current to the coating with the input device in the second input condition, wherein the first level of current is different than the second level of current.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input device is a mechanical actuator and is manually moveable between the first input condition and the second input condition.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input device is one of a switch, actuator, dial, and keypad manually manipulatable between the first input condition and the second input condition.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is one of a wearable apparatus, a watch, headwear, jewelry, footwear, a belt, a piece of furniture, an appliance, an electronic device, and a structural material.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input device is a sensor and the sensor is adapted to be activated to change between the first input condition and the second input condition.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coating is a first coating, the apparatus further comprising a second coating, and wherein the first and second coatings are controlled in a coordinated manner.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver;

a coating adapted to change between a first color and a second color different than the first color;

a power source adapted to supply the coating with a first level of current and a second level of current, wherein the coating has the first color when supplied with the first level of current and has the second color when supplied with the second level of current; and

a processor in communication with the receiver, the power source, and the coating;

wherein the receiver is adapted to receive a signal and communicate the signal to the processor, and wherein the processor is configured to have the power source supply the coating with one of the first level of current and the second level of current based on the signal received by the receiver.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the receiver is adapted to receive a plurality of signals and communicate the signals to the processor, and wherein the processor is configured to have the power source supply the first level of current to the coating based on a first signal of the plurality of signals and have the power source supply the second level of current to the coating based on a second signal of the plurality of signals.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the receiver receives the signal from a sensor and the sensor is activatable to communicate the signal to the receiver.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus is one of a wearable apparatus, a watch, headwear, jewelry, footwear, a belt, a piece of furniture, an appliance, an electronic device, and a structural material.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the coating is a first coating, the apparatus further comprising a second coating, and wherein the first and second coatings are controlled in a coordinated manner.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus receives the signal from a communication device including a processor and a transmitter, wherein the communication device is adapted to communicate with the apparatus to control the first and second coatings in the coordinated manner.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the communication device is one of a cellular phone, a smart phone, a tablet, a personal computer, a laptop computer, and an interactive entertainment device.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus receives the signal from a communication device including a processor and a transmitter, wherein the communication device is adapted to communicate with the apparatus to control the coating.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the communication device is one of a cellular phone, a smart phone, a tablet, a personal computer, a laptop computer, and an interactive entertainment device.

16. A system comprising:

a first apparatus including

a first receiver,

a first power source,

a first coating adapted to change color based on a level of current supplied to the first coating from the first power source, and

a first processor in communication with the first receiver, the first power source, and the first coating;

a second apparatus including

a second receiver,

a second power source,

a second coating adapted to change color based on a level of current supplied to the second coating from the second power source, and

a second processor in communication with the second receiver, the second power source, and the second coating; and

a communication device including a processor and a transmitter, wherein the communication device is adapted to communicate with the first apparatus and the second apparatus to control the first coating and the second coating in a coordinated manner.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the coordinated manner includes one of providing the first coating and the second coating in the same color, similarly altering color of the first coating and the second coating, providing the first coating and the second coating in complementary colors, and providing the first coating and the second coating to form a pattern.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the first and second apparatuses are wearable.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the communication device is one of a cellular phone, a smart phone, a tablet, a personal computer, a laptop computer, and an interactive entertainment device.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the communication device wirelessly communicates with the first apparatus and the second apparatus.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the communication device communicates with the first and second apparatuses through a wired connection.

22. A system comprising:

an apparatus including

a receiver,

a power source,

a coating adapted to change color based on a level of current applied to the coating by the power source, and

a processor in communication with the receiver, the power source, and the coating; and

a venue communication device including a processor and a transmitter and adapted to communicate with the apparatus to change a color of the coating, wherein the venue communication device has a limited range of communication associated with a venue and communicates with the apparatus to change the color of the coating with the apparatus within the limited range of communication.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the venue communication device wirelessly communicates with the apparatus.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is one of a wearable apparatus, a watch, headwear, jewelry, footwear, a belt, an electronic device, a wireless communication device, and a drinking container.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is one of a cellular phone, a smart phone, and a tablet.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the venue communication device is adapted to communicate with the apparatus to perform at least one of changing a color of the coating, changing a color intensity of the coating, and pulsating the color of the coating with the apparatus within the limited range of communication.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is a first apparatus, the receiver is a first receiver, the power source is a first power source, the coating is a first coating, and the processor is a first processor, the system further comprising a second apparatus including

a second receiver,

a second power source,

a second coating adapted to change color based on a level of current supplied to the second coating by the second power source, and

a second processor in communication with the second receiver, the second power source, and the second coating;

and

wherein the venue communication device is adapted to communicate with the second apparatus to change a color of the second coating with the second apparatus within the limited range of communication.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the venue communication device controls the first and second coatings in a coordinated manner.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the venue communication device wirelessly communicates with the first apparatus and the second apparatus.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the first and second apparatuses are wearable.

31. A system comprising:

a communication device including

a power source,

a transmitter,

a capturing device, and

a processor in communication with the transmitter, the power source, and the capturing device, wherein the capturing device is adapted to capture a color of an object and transmit data associated with the captured color; and

an apparatus including

a receiver,

an apparatus power source,

a coating adapted to change color based on a level of current supplied by the apparatus power source, and

a processor in communication with the receiver, the apparatus power source, and the coating, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the data transmitted by the communication device and the processor is configured to have the apparatus supply a level of current to the coating such that the coating is the same color as the captured color associated with the object.