Patent Application
20060286512
The present invention relates to a toy kit utilizing a computer to generate a pattern to be applied to a toy, such as a doll or stuffed animal.
There is no doubt that we are currently living in a computerized world. Since the advent of the personal computer, approximately twenty years ago, computers have found their way into every facet of our lives. Computers in the form of a standard personal computer, laptop, or portable “Blackberry” type device allow us to communicate with other individuals on an instantaneous basis. Computers are also utilized in conjunction with the internet to search for information provided on various web sites as well as to share information with other users in a peer-to-peer basis.
Additionally, computers have been utilized to control the activation of various appliances in one's home, either on an automatic basis or by remotely activating these computer controlled devices. Furthermore, computers have found their way into the vehicles that we drive with the operation as well as the navigation of many modern vehicles controlled by a computerized chip.
While computers have undoubtedly made the average person's life much easier, when it comes to utilizing a computer to entertain a child, the computer entertainment industry has come under attack for changing the manner in which children entertain themselves, to the detriment of a child's ability to amuse themselves in a traditional manner, when computers were not in vogue, as well as to interact with other children. Many times, a child would spend countless hours in front of a computer screen utilizing a keyboard or other input device to play either an individual or interactive computer game. The child would sit for hours in front of a computer screen hitting various buttons or other input devices without the necessity of utilizing the child's imagination or creativity during the play of the game.
Historically, prior to the advent of the computer used as an entertainment medium, children would use their imagination while they were engaged in play with their friends or would utilize various inanimate objects, such as dolls or stuffed toys. One example of such play, particularly for girls, would be the famous Barbie® doll produced by Mattel. When purchased, the original Barbie® doll would come with several outfits to be worn by the Barbie® doll, as well as a number of accessories. Additional outfits and accessories could be purchased separately. Thereafter, in play, the child would utilize its imagination to interact with other children and their dolls to create a particular environment of play. Based upon a scenario created by the children, various outfits or accessories would be worn. However, one drawback of this type of play would be that the child would be limited to the particular outfits or accessories which would then be applied to the doll. While the imagination of the child would be tapped during this type of play, relatively little creativity would be required of a child to produce original outfits or accessories.
As previously indicated, the computer industry has generated some negative publicity relating to the lack of imagination or creativity utilized during the primarily sedentary manner in which most computer games are played. However, when employed properly, the standard personal computer can have many beneficial attributes which would assist in utilizing a child's imagination and creativity during the play of a particular game or activity, particularly when this game or activity also includes the use of a non-computer generated inanimate object, such as a doll or a stuffed animal, as well as a computer generated pattern which can be utilized to produce a piece of clothing to be applied to the doll or stuffed animal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,643 to Powell shows an interactive design terminal for custom imprinted articles. The terminal includes a central processing unit 110, a manual input device 130, a video display 140, a dot matrix printer 151 as well as a laser printer 152. The interactive design terminal presents an ordered sequence of printed design choices to an operator via the video display 140. A display of the selections made by the operator can be shown as a graphic display. The laser printer 152 can provide a silk screen for imprinting a garment, such as is shown in
U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,286 to Ohba describes a dress design forming apparatus for interactively generating and visually displaying free curved surfaces for use in dress designing. As shown in
U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,585 issued to Spackova et al. describes a previewer used for the dynamic viewing of an article to be worn by the user. A video camera 13 would take a picture of the user and through the use of a computer 20, an image storage memory 25, as well as a monitor 16, the viewer would be able to preview the manner in which a particular style of clothing would look on the user. It is noted that no printer is utilized to produce a pattern of the clothing shown on the video screen and no provision is made to alter a particular basic pattern.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,246 issued to Goldman illustrates a system for specifying custom garments. A garment is produced which is related and scaled to a wearer's physical data. Terminal equipment includes an interactive graphics apparatus for developing the garment as well as providing various options for the garment. Once the finished garment is produced and is included on a terminal to be viewed by the wearer, the garment is transmitted to a central location unit for use in cutting a pattern for the garment's production. While various options can be utilized in the production of the pattern, no provision is made for allowing the garment to be sized to the dimension of a child's doll or stuffed animal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,081 issued to O'Brill et al. discusses an image composition system allowing a customer to see how a particular style of clothing would be visualized by the customer. A camera 40 coupled to a central processing unit 30 would store the digital image of the customer. The customer's image 23, along with a particular style of clothing as well as accessory items would be generated on a monitor 20. While the system of the O'Brill et al. patent would allow a customer to create various styles, including accessories and allow the customer to view the produced clothing on a digital image of the customer, no provision is made for providing a pattern of the clothing, including the accessory items as well as allowing the clothing to be sized for a doll or a stuffed animal in a manner such that the pattern could be applied to the doll or stuffed animal.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,283 issued to Sisler describes a doll kit initially provided with a blank form allowing a child to apply various features to the blank. This blank form can take the form of a humanoid, as well as an animal. However, the child is not given the opportunity to actually design a particular piece of clothing to be worn by the doll or stuffed animal. More precisely, as shown particularly in
U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,592 issued to Merino describes a kit including a doll onto which various clothes can be attached. The doll is provided with a plurality of slots which are used to affix a two-dimensional fabric clothing piece to the doll. However, similar to the doll kit shown in the patent to Sisler, no provision is made for allowing the child to design the particular dress worn by the doll.
The problems and the deficiencies of the prior art are addressed by the present invention which utilizes a computer generated pattern in conjunction with a toy kit, allowing a child to employ his or her imagination to produce a particular style of clothing as well as to accessorize the clothing.
A plurality of clothing patterns, as well as accessories used with the clothing patterns, would be included on a removable memory associated with the computer. Alternatively, the various clothing designs, as well as accessories, would be included in a memory accessed by the user over the internet.
The user would have the ability to customize a particular design pattern, including changing the basic design of the pattern, adding various colors or designs to the body of the pattern, as well as adding various accessories, such as beading or fur trim to various portions of the design. Once a particular piece of clothing has been designed by the user, a printer associated with the computer would produce a basic pattern of the design. This basic pattern would include the basic shape of the pattern. Additional features such as the ornamental design of the pattern, including, for example, a series of polka dots, stripes or the like, as well as the location of various accessories to be applied, for example, to the hem of a dress pattern, could be included on the basic pattern.
The present invention could utilize a mannequin, in the shape of a humanoid, as well as other forms, such as stuffed animals, or even a paper doll. One or more cloth pieces would be included in the kit. These cloth pieces would be cut to the dimensions of the pattern. If the pattern, for example, was in the form of a dress, this pattern would be traced upon the cloth pieces. The child would then cut the cloth based upon the tracing. When used with mannequins or stuffed animals, the child would then glue the seam together as well as have the ability to color the pattern as well as to apply the various accessories as well as the ornamental pattern, such as stars, polka dots or the like to the cloth, either after the seam is glued in the manner to form the particular piece of clothing or prior to this step. At this point, the piece of clothing can be applied to the mannequin. Based upon the type of cloth utilized, the child might have the ability to remove both the colored ornamental design of the piece of clothing as well as the accessories. The child would then have the ability to change the appearance of the pattern.
A digital camera in communication with the computer could be used to customize the pattern further. For example, a picture can be taken of the child which would be used in conjunction with a figure displayed on the computer screen. This picture could include the child's face, allowing the child to view the pattern as if the child himself or herself was modeling the pattern.
A fuller understanding of the present invention and the features and benefits thereof, will be accomplished upon review of the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The present invention is directed to a system and method allowing a child to create a particular design for a piece of clothing. Although the present invention can be utilized for any type of clothing, for ease and simplicity of explanation, we will describe the present invention with respect to creating a particular design of a dress.
Initially, the dress will be designed utilizing a standard personal computer system 10 as illustrated with respect to
The operating system 28 would be utilized to operate the computer system 10 with the assistance of an application program 24 specific to the application of the present invention. Particular with respect to the application program 24, this program is generally provided on a CD-ROM which can be inserted into the central processing unit 12. This CD-ROM used as the applications program 24 would contain a multitude of design choices for different types of clothing, such as dresses, swimsuits, blouses, shirts, skirts, pants, and the like. It would also allow various colors, as well as designs, to be displayed on the exterior of the piece of clothing, in this case a dress. Furthermore, the applications program 24 would allow the basic design pattern to be altered utilizing any one of a multitude of input devices 18. The application program 24 would also allow various accessories to be added to the basic dress pattern.
Additions to the basic dress pattern would generally be made to a two-dimensional representation of the dress pattern appearing on the display 16. Once the dress pattern is completed, the computer system utilized by the present invention would allow this pattern to be displayed on a three-dimensional representation of a mannequin, stuffed animal or the like. At this point, the user would have the opportunity to make additional changes to the pattern either on the three-dimensional representation of the mannequin or the user can revert to the two-dimensional layout. Once the pattern is completed to the satisfaction of the user, a printer 20 would be utilized in conjunction with a print medium 22 to physically produce a representation of the pattern created by the user. While it is possible that the pattern printed on the print medium 22 would be a complete duplication, including color, design changes, as well as accessories created by the user, it is also possible that the pattern printed on the print medium 22 would only be a partial representation of the completed pattern. This partial representation would still have enough information to allow a child to physically produce the dress pattern utilizing the various implements of the kit of the present invention, as well as additional implements. This process will be explained in greater detail hereinbelow.
Referring to
As shown in
Once the basic pattern 40 is projected onto the display device 16, several changes can be made to the basic design. For example, the length of the dress can be altered from one which might initially end at the knee when attached to a mannequin, as will be described hereinbelow, or the dress can end several inches above the knee, or several inches below the knee. Another of the multitude number of changes that can be made to the basic design pattern 40 is illustrated in
Once these ornamental designs are made, the user would have the opportunity to accessorize various portions of the dress, such as, adding beads or fur to various portions of the dress design. The dress shown in
Once the user has completed his or her design, the user would have the opportunity to graphically display the dress on a doll or mannequin-like figure illustrated on the display screen 16. This doll-like
All of the final designs would be stored in a particular memory, allowing the user to recall these designs at a later time, for review or alterations. Some or all of these designs can be printed in a form allowing the user to produce a portfolio of these designs.
A further feature of the present invention would utilize a digital camera in communication with the computer to include the user's face in the doll-like figure shown in
The print medium 22 which would be utilized to print the design pattern could be accomplished utilizing paper. If this was the case, and a color printer would be utilized, both the main color of the dress pattern, as well as the colors of the various ornamentation and accessories would be printed thereon.
Alternatively, the print medium could be more substantial than the previously described paper medium. This medium could be a relatively light plastic material. If this is the case, the pattern printed by the printer 20 might just include the dress design shown in
Regardless of the print medium 20 utilized, when the dress design is printed, it would be in a flat two-dimensional state. The present invention could include a kit which would be provided, for example, with a plurality of different blanks, as well as various implements for affixing accessories to the dress. Additionally, a number of marking pens or pencils may also be included. The kit would also be provided with one or more mannequins which could take the form of a doll or stuffed animal 80 shown in
The two-dimensional pattern printed by the printer is then attached in some manner to one of the blanks, such as by glue or paste. The pattern is then cut from the blank by the user employing a pair of scissors or similar implement. Alternatively, the pattern can be traced upon the blank, at which point the pattern is cut from the blank. The user would then have the opportunity to apply the various colors, ornamentations and accessories directly to the pattern applied to or cut from the blank. The positioning of the accessories, coloring and ornamentation would be provided on the pattern as it is printed from the printer 20. Alternatively, the pattern could still be provided on the monitor screen 16 as shown in
It is further noted that the kit could include various implements for affixing various ornamentations or accessories to the basic dress pattern. For example, if the ornamentation and accessories included various beaded portions, an implement including variously colored beads could be provided. This implement would act as a dispenser for dispensing beads to various portions on the dress pattern, to which glue or a similar adherent has been directly applied. Additionally, the kit could also include various of the accessories, such as ruffles, fur or the like, as well as marking devices for coloring the pattern.
The method of creating a particular design, such as a dress to be applied to a mannequin is illustrated in
Once the applications memory is inserted into the computer and the computer is initialized, or connected to a remote memory, the user can access various design choices at step 90. These design choices would include the specific type of clothing, such as dresses, swimsuits, shirts, skirts, pants and the like. The user would be presented with a menu containing these grouping of design choices, or, in the alternative, these design categories would be pictorially projected onto the computer screen. At this point, the user would then choose one of the design categories at step 92. Once this is accomplished, a second menu would be presented allowing the user to alter the design of the particular piece of clothing chosen at step 94. Subsequently, various other menus can be presented to the user allowing the user to customize the particular design including the addition of ornamentation and accessories at step 96. These additions would also include choosing a color or colors for the piece of clothing. Once this step has been completed, the user, at step 98, would have the ability to preview the customized design pattern on a computer generated figure shown at step 98. The user would also at this step as well as at step 96 have the ability of changing the design choices that he or she made.
Once the customized design pattern is completed, the user would then print this customized design pattern at step 100. The printed pattern could include all of the ornamentation and accessories chosen by the user at step 96, including the chosen color or colors. Alternatively, a “bare bones” design would be printed, with the design including various portions to which ornamentation and accessories would be applied by the user utilizing various accessories such as beads, fur and ruffles included in the kit. Once this step has been completed, the customized design pattern would then be applied to a fabric blank at step 102. This application step could include physically adhering the customized design pattern to the fabric blank through the use of glue or paste. Alternatively, particularly if the printed pattern is bereft of most of the ornamentation and accessories, the user would have the opportunity of tracing the design pattern onto the fabric blank and cutting the pattern from the fabric blank at step 104. At this point, the user would also have the opportunity to apply the ornamentation and accessories to the design pattern at step 106. Once this is accomplished, the completed design pattern would be applied to a doll, toy or similar structure at step 108.
Both the customized design pattern, as well as the “bare bones” design would be applied to variable forms including, but not limited to, mannequins, stuffed animals, as well as paper dolls.
The present invention has been described with respect to the drawings describing a kit for allowing a user to design a pattern of clothes to be applied to a doll, stuffed animal or the like. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications of an obvious nature may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and all such changes and modifications are considered to fall within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
