Method of illuminating an article

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016374171-A1
Application number	US-201514744180-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 19, 2015
Priority date	Jun 19, 2015
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An article of footwear may have an upper and a sole system secured to the upper. The sole system includes a bladder member with an illumination device. The bladder member is formed from at least a partially transparent or colored outer polymer layer that encloses a fluid. The illumination device is located within the sole system. Light from the illumination device may pass out the sole system by passing through the bladder member, thereby imparting the configuration of an illuminable fluid-filled bladder member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of operation for an illumination device comprising the steps of:
receiving input of a user-selected condition-responsive parameter; retrieving a threshold value related to the user-selected condition-responsive parameter; retrieving information related to a present value of the user-selected condition-responsive parameter from a sensor; wherein the illumination device operates in a first illumination mode when the present value is less than the threshold value; wherein the illumination device operates in a second illumination mode when the present value is greater than or equal to the threshold value; and wherein the first illumination mode and the second illumination mode are different.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the illumination device includes a first plurality of illuminable elements on a first end of the illumination device; the illumination device includes a second plurality of illuminable elements on a second end of the illumination device; and the first plurality of illuminable elements can be controlled independently of the second plurality of illuminable elements.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein:
the first plurality of illuminable elements are turned on in the first illumination mode; and the second plurality of illuminable elements are turned off in the first illumination mode.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein:
the second plurality of illuminable elements are turned on in the second illumination mode; and the first plurality of illuminable elements are turned off in the second illumination mode.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method includes emitting light in a steady state illumination effect in the first illumination mode.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the method includes emitting light in a dimming illumination effect in the second illumination mode.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first illumination mode is selected from a group consisting essentially of a temporal interval, an output location, and an output lighting color; and the second illumination mode is selected from a group consisting essentially of a temporal interval, an output location, and an output lighting color.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the condition-responsive parameter is selected from a group consisting essentially of a step-rate, a time of day, or a biological data point.

9 . A method of operation for an illumination device, disposed internally in a sole system of an article of footwear, comprising the steps of:
receiving input of a user-selected condition-responsive parameter; retrieving a threshold value related to the user-selected condition-responsive parameter; retrieving information related to a present value for the user-selected condition-responsive parameter from a sensor; wherein the illumination device illuminates a first region of the sole system in a predetermined first illumination mode when the present value is less than the threshold value; wherein the illumination device illuminates a second region of the sole system in a predetermined second illumination mode when the present value is greater than or equal to the threshold value; and wherein the first region is different than the second region.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the first region is a lateral side of the sole system, and the second region is a medial side of the sole system.

11 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the sensor is capable of detecting information related to a number of steps taken in a predetermined time interval.

12 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the sensor is capable of detecting ambient light conditions.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the user-selected condition-responsive parameter corresponds with the number of steps taken in the predetermined time interval.

14 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the illumination device illuminates a third region of the sole system in a predetermined third illumination mode according to a retrieved value related to a time of day.

15 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the first region includes a forefoot portion of the sole system.

16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the second region includes a heel portion of the sole system.

17 . A method of operation for an illumination device, disposed internally to a sole system of an article of footwear, comprising the steps of:
receiving input of a user-selected condition-responsive parameter; retrieving a threshold value for the user-selected condition-responsive parameter; receiving input of a user-selected first illumination mode; receiving input of a user-selected second illumination mode; retrieving information related to a present value for the user-selected condition-responsive parameter from a sensor; wherein the illumination device illuminates the sole system in the user-selected first illumination mode when the present value is less than the threshold value; wherein the illumination device illuminates the sole system in the user-selected second illumination mode when the present value is greater than or equal to the threshold value; and wherein the user-selected first illumination mode and the user-selected second illumination mode are different.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the first illumination mode is associated with a first lighting color.

19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the second illumination mode is associated with a second lighting color.

20 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the user-selected condition-responsive parameter is an ambient light condition.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Wilken Doug D
• Siagian Parluhutan

Classifications

• G05B15/02 Primary

  electric · CPC title

• H05B45/20

  Controlling the colour of the light · CPC title

• A43B13/20 Primary

  Pneumatic soles {filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas (inflatable linings for skiboots A43B5/0407)} · CPC title

• H05B47/19

  via wireless transmission · CPC title

• H05B47/1975

  Gesture control · CPC title