Apparel design system including garment features with allocation insights

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11051571-B2
Application number	US-201916288036-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2019
Priority date	Feb 27, 2018
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

A system allows a user to create new designs for apparel and preview these designs before manufacture. Software and lasers are used in finishing apparel to produce a desired wear pattern or other design. As the user designs the garment, the system provides the user insight in their design process.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
providing a garment previewing tool that allows previewing on a computer screen of a garment base customized by a user with a finishing pattern created using a laser input file by a laser, wherein the garment previewing tool includes
providing an option for the user to select the garment base and upon the user's selection, showing a first garment preview image on the computer screen comprising a jeans base image for the selected garment base,
providing an option for the user to select a wear pattern from a menu of wear patterns,
after a wear pattern is selected, providing an option for the user to select a garment feature from a menu of garment features, wherein a garment feature comprises at least one of a label, fastener, buckle, embellishment, embroidery, grommet, heat transfer pattern, lace, patch, printing, foil, ribbon, tab, rivet, sequin, pocket, thread, or zipper,
showing a second garment preview image on the computer screen comprising the selected wear pattern in combination with the jeans base image and the garment feature, and the second garment preview image is generated by a method comprising
generating an adjusted base image from the jean base image without the selected wear pattern,
generating a pattern mask based on a laser input file associated with the selected wear pattern,
for a pixel at a pixel location of the second garment preview image, obtaining a first contribution by combining a first value associated with a pixel of the pattern mask at a pattern mask pixel location that corresponds to the pixel location of the second garment preview image and a value of a pixel of the jeans base image at a base image pixel location that corresponds to the pixel location of the second garment preview image,
for the pixel at the pixel location of the second garment preview image, obtaining a second contribution by combining a second value associated with the pixel of the pattern mask at the pattern mask pixel location that corresponds to the pixel location of the second garment preview image and a value of a pixel of the adjusted base image at an adjusted base image pixel location that corresponds to the pixel location of the second garment preview image,
combining the first contribution and second contribution to obtain a combined value for the pixel at the pixel location of the second garment preview image, and
displaying the pixel of the second garment preview image as a color on the computer screen, wherein the color of the pixel corresponds to the combined value, and
after a garment feature is selected, allowing the user to modify a sizing of the selected garment feature or a positioning of the selected garment feature relative to the jeans base image, wherein as the user makes changes, the modified sizing or positioning of the garment feature is displayed to the user; and
determining a manufacturing value for a customized garment comprising the user's selected garment base, selected wear pattern, and selected garment feature.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the garment base corresponds to a base fit fabric and the base fit fabric includes known characteristics regarding the suitability of the base fit fabric for finishing using the laser.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising:
after receiving an indication of an acceptance of the determined manufacturing value, providing a target garment corresponding to a selected garment base; and
based on a laser input file associated with the selected wear pattern, using a laser to create a finishing pattern on an outer surface of the target garment, wherein based on the laser input file, the laser removes selected amounts of material from the surface of a material of the target garment at different pixel locations of the target garment, and
for lighter pixel locations of the finishing pattern, a greater amount of an indigo ring-dyed cotton warp yarn is removed, while for darker pixel locations of the finishing pattern, a lesser amount of the indigo ring-dyed cotton warp yarn is removed.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising:
after receiving an indication of an acceptance of the determined manufacturing value, providing a target garment corresponding to a selected garment base; and
based on a laser input file associated with the selected wear pattern, using a laser to create a finishing pattern on an outer surface of the target garment, wherein when using the laser to create a finishing pattern, different laser levels are obtained by varying an output of the laser beam by altering a characteristic of the laser comprising at least one of a frequency, period, pulse width, power, duty cycle, or burning speed.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the target garment is made of at least one of a twill material or a cotton twill material.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected garment feature is a first selected garment feature, and the user selects an additional garment feature from the menu of garment features as a second selected garment feature, and the method includes
after the second selected garment feature is added, updating the manufacturing value for the customized garment to reflect the user's selected garment base, selected wear pattern, first selected garment feature, and second selected garment feature.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected garment feature is a first selected garment feature, and the user selects a different garment feature from the menu of garment features to use as a second selected garment feature, replacing the first selected garment feature, and the method includes
after the first selected garment feature is replaced, updating the manufacturing value for the customized garment to reflect the user's selected garment base, selected wear pattern, and second selected garment feature.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein with the garment previewing tool, the first and second selected garments features are positioned separately from each other, without overlapping.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein a method of manufacturing the target garment comprises:
assembling the target garment from fabric panels of a woven first material comprising a warp comprising indigo ring-dyed cotton yarn, wherein the fabric panels are sewn together using thread.

10. The method of claim 1 comprising generating a bill of materials report for the garment.

11. The method of claim 1 comprising:
determining an estimated production date for the customized garment.

12. The method of claim 1 comprising:
determining an estimated delivery date for the customized garment.

13. A method comprising:
providing a garment previewing tool that allows previewing on a computer screen of a garment base customized by a user with a finishing pattern created using a laser input file by a laser, wherein the garment previewing tool includes
providing an option for the user to select the garment base and upon the user's selection, showing a first garment preview image on the computer screen comprising a garment base image for the selected garment base,
providing an option for the user to select a wear pattern from a menu of wear patterns,
after a wear pattern is selected, providing an option for the user to select a garment feature from a menu of garment features,
showing a second garment preview image on the computer screen comprising the selected wear pattern in combination with the garment base image and the garment feature, and the second garment preview image is generated by a method comprising
generating an adjusted base image from the jean base image without the selected wear pattern,
generating a pattern mask based on a laser

Assignees

• Strauss Levi & Co

Inventors

• Schultz Jennifer
• Mahanty Debdulal
• Schultz Christopher
• Bell Benjamin
• Sights James Barton

Classifications

• G06F3/04845

  for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour · CPC title

• G06F3/04817

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title

• D06M10/005 Primary

  Laser beam treatment · CPC title

• A41H43/00 Primary

  Other methods, machines or appliances · CPC title

• D06C23/02

  by singeing, teasing, shearing, etching or brushing · CPC title