U.S. patent application number 13/778019 was filed with the patent office on 2013-09-05 for methods of making lace garments, and systems, software and apparatuses for performing same, and garments made thereby.
This patent application is currently assigned to COMMANDO, LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is COMMANDO. LLC. Invention is credited to Kerry K. O'Brien.
Application Number | 20130227766 13/778019 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49041978 |
Filed Date | 2013-09-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130227766 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
O'Brien; Kerry K. |
September 5, 2013 |
Methods of Making Lace Garments, and Systems, Software and
Apparatuses for Performing Same, and Garments Made Thereby
Abstract
A method of making a garment that includes forming a patterned
precursor in a lace web. Depending on the nature of the garment,
the patterned precursor can be a partial patterned precursor or a
fully patterned precursor. When the garment includes a non-lace
portion, the partial patterned precursor is joined with one or more
non-lace components. When the garment is all lace, portions of the
fully patterned precursor can be joined with one another to form
the entire garment. A lace web containing multiple patterned
precursors can be produced using a programmable lace-making machine
that is programmed to create the patterned precursors in the lace
web.
Inventors: |
O'Brien; Kerry K.;
(Shelburne, VT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
COMMANDO. LLC |
S. Burlington |
VT |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
COMMANDO, LLC
S. Burlington
VT
|
Family ID: |
49041978 |
Appl. No.: |
13/778019 |
Filed: |
February 26, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61603470 |
Feb 27, 2012 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/406 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41B 9/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/406 |
International
Class: |
A41B 9/04 20060101
A41B009/04 |
Claims
1. A method of making a garment, comprising: forming a lace web
that includes a patterned precursor to a garment; separating the
patterned precursor from the web to create a separated patterned
precursor; and utilizing the patterned precursor to create the
garment.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein: said forming includes
forming a fully patterned precursor; said separating includes
separating the fully patterned precursor to create a separated
fully patterned precursor; and said utilizing includes joining
portions of the separated fully patterned precursor to one another
so as to form the garment.
3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said forming includes
forming a fully patterned precursor to an underwear garment, and
said joining includes joining portions of the separated fully
patterned precursor so as to form the underwear garment.
4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said forming includes
forming a fully patterned precursor to a full-lace thong, and said
joining includes joining portions of the separated fully patterned
precursor so as to form the full-lace thong.
5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said forming includes
forming a fully patterned precursor having a V-shape that includes
an apex and a pair of ends, said joining including joining the apex
to the pair of ends.
6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said forming includes
forming a fully patterned precursor having a pair of ends that
include corresponding respective tabs, said joining including
joining the apex to the tabs.
7. A method according to claim 1, wherein: said forming includes
forming a partial patterned and shaped precursor; said separating
includes separating the partial patterned and shaped precursor to
create a separated partial patterned precursor; and said utilizing
includes joining portions of the separated partial patterned
precursor to at least one non-lace component so as to form the
garment.
8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said forming includes
forming a partial patterned precursor to an underwear garment, and
said joining includes joining portions of the separated partial
patterned precursor to a non-lace component so as to form the
underwear garment.
9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said forming includes
forming a partial patterned precursor to a lace thong, and said
joining includes joining portions of the separated partial
patterned precursor to a non-lace component so as to form the
full-lace thong.
10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising forming a
non-lace component that has a first apex and a first pair of ends,
wherein said forming includes forming a partial patterned precursor
having a second apex and a second pair of ends, said joining
including joining the first and second apexes with one another and
joining the first pair of ends with the second pair of ends.
11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the first apex and the
first pair of ends are part of a first V shape and the second apex
and the second pair of ends are part of a second V-shape.
12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said forming includes
forming a lace web having a plurality of like patterned precursors,
and said separating includes separating the plurality of like
patterned precursors from one another.
13. A method according to claim 12, wherein said forming includes
forming a lace web having a plurality of like fully patterned
precursors, and said separating includes separating the plurality
of like fully patterned precursors from one another.
14. A method according to claim 1, wherein patterned precursor has
a shape and a lace pattern that is asymmetrical across the
shape.
15. A garment, comprising: a lace portion formed as a patterned
precursor in a lace web, said patterned precursor shaped to contour
to a portion of a wearer's body.
16. A garment according to claim 15, wherein said lace portion
forms substantially the entirety of the garment.
17. A garment according to claim 16, wherein the garment is an
undergarment.
18. A garment according to claim 17, wherein said lace portion
includes an apex and a pair of spaced ends, wherein said apex is
joined to said pair of spaced ends.
19. A garment according to claim 18, wherein said pair of spaced
ends includes a corresponding respective pair of tabs, wherein said
apex is joined to said pair of spaced ends.
20. A garment according to claim 15, wherein said lace portion is
joined with at least one non-lace portion.
21. A garment according to claim 20, wherein the garment is an
undergarment.
22. A garment according to claim 21, wherein the at least one
non-lace garment is a piece having a first apex and a first pair of
spaced ends and said lace portion has a second apex and a second
pair of spaced ends, said first and second apexes being joined to
one another and said first pair of spaced ends being joined to said
second pair of spaced ends.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION DATA
[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S.
Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/603,470, filed on Feb.
27, 2012, and titled "METHODS OF MAKING LACE GARMENTS, AND SYSTEMS,
SOFTWARE, AND APPARATUSES FOR PERFORMING SAME, AND GARMENTS MADE
THEREBY," which is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention generally relates to the field of
garment making. In particular, the present invention is directed to
methods of making lace garments, and systems, software, and
apparatuses for performing same, and garments made thereby.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Various garments, such as women's underwear, comes in a
variety of materials and configurations and combinations thereof.
Lace has been a popular material in the manufacture of underwear,
whether as a base material or as a finished edge material on a base
of another fabric.
[0004] The traditional manufacture of underwear containing lace can
experience the following shortcomings: (i) the use of lace to
finish a base material can cause uncomfortable and/or unsightly
digging into a person's thighs or waist when even one of the lace
material, the thread and stitching, or base material has slightly
different elasticity, and (ii) the lace has meaningful design
limitations given its manufacture in a typical series of parallel
strips with repeating patterns. As a result of typical
manufacturing of lace in a series of linear, generally parallel
strips each with repeating patterns along its length, the shape of
any undergarment (such as briefs, panties, thongs or shorts, all of
which involve material encircling the waist which then connects
between the person's legs) made from linear strips of material must
necessarily contain a number of seams, each of which impacts the
design of the garment and, to the extent the seams, can add to the
phenomenon of visible panty lines and/or discomfort from the wearer
feeling the seams.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0005] In one implementation, the present disclosure is directed to
a method of making a garment. The method includes forming a lace
web that includes a patterned precursor to a garment, separating
the patterned precursor from the web to create a separated
patterned precursor, and utilizing the patterned precursor to
create the garment.
[0006] In another implementation, the present disclosure is
directed to a garment. The garment includes a lace portion formed
as a patterned precursor in a lace web, the patterned precursor
shaped to contour to a portion of a wearer's body.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings
show aspects of one or more embodiments of the invention. However,
it should be understood that the present invention is not limited
to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the
drawings, wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a face view of conventional lace strips in a
unitary web using conventional lace fabricating equipment, showing
the lace strips prior to them being separated from one another;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a face view of a lace web made in accordance with
the present invention, showing the web as containing a plurality of
fully patterned precursors to corresponding-respective finished
garments, here, underwear thongs;
[0010] FIG. 3 is an elevational perspective front view of one of
the fully patterned precursors of FIG. 2, showing the precursor's
relation to a human wearer when the corresponding thong is
finished;
[0011] FIG. 4 is an elevational perspective back view of the fully
patterned precursor of FIG. 3, showing the precursor's relation to
a human wearer when the thong is finished;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a high-level schematic diagram of an exemplary
system for making the lace web of FIG. 2;
[0013] FIG. 6 is a plan view of a partial-lace garment prior to
finishing, showing the garment as having a lace portion and a
non-lace portion;
[0014] FIG. 7 is lateral front perspective view of the partial-lace
garment of FIG. 6 being worn;
[0015] FIG. 8 is a lateral rear perspective view of the
partial-lace garment of FIGS. 6 and 7 being worn;
[0016] FIG. 9 is a face view of a lace web made in accordance with
the present invention, showing the web as containing a plurality of
fully patterned precursors, each corresponding to the lace portion
of the partial lace garment of FIGS. 6 to 8; and
[0017] FIG. 10 is a high-level block diagram illustrating a
computing system that can be used to implement any one or more
aspects of a method of making fully patterned precursors of the
present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] Lace underwear and other garments made in accordance with
concepts disclosed herein are unique because their construction
incorporates a new method of making an entire pattern or a shaped
portion of a garment, such as underwear, on a web of lace, thereby
minimizing the number of seams and allowing a complete departure
from the typical design constraint of building such garments
piecemeal using strips or pieces of lace connected to a variety of
potential material. Importantly, the shape of the garment, or
shaped portion thereof, is built into the lace web of lace as a
fully patterned precursor to the garment. As used herein and in the
appended claims, the term "fully patterned precursor," and like
terms, mean that the piece of lacing that is shaped so that the
final finished garment is made by simply joining portions of the
precursor to one another. This minimizes the number of seams since
no other fabric pieces are needed to be attached to form the basic
shape of the garment. And the garment can be designed with a
finished edge which will not fray or unravel so that the same
garment that can be designed with the minimal possible seams will
also not require any extra thread or lace or elastic to be attached
to finish the garment, which seaming and finishing often result in
user discomfort or problematic visible panty lines. In addition, as
used herein and in the appended claims, the term "patterned
precursor" as it relates to a garment means a portion of the
garment (including the whole of a garment) includes an overall
complex shape that is not simply rectilinear in the manner of
conventional lace strips. FIG. 6 illustrates such a partial
patterned precursor, in the form of lace portion 601, that is a
portion of the garment 600 that is less than the whole garment. As
is readily seen in FIG. 6, lace portion that has a generally
V-shape that is not achievable with conventional techniques for
making lace-containing garments.
[0019] In the case of garments made in accordance with the concepts
disclosed herein, the entire area of the garment or shaped portion
can be unique since the entire garment is the "unit of repeat" and
the repeated element on the web of lace is many such garments. With
this method, the front/back and right/left and top/bottom of the
garment need not be symmetrical or even consistent in design. This
allows specific design elements to be placed to the garment
designer's specification and allows the garment to avoid the
"fabric repeat" that characterizes strips of lace. The use of
traditional strips of lace (typically ranging in width from just
under an inch to a few inches, depending on the lace design)
involves a frequently repeating pattern (often, but not necessarily
with floral, paisley, or geometric elements) along the length of
the strip of lace. With strips cut into multiple pieces then sewn
together to form the garment, the repeating pattern of the lace
strip greatly constrains design and appearance, often valued
elements to the wearer. The virtually free-form nature of the
garment-forming process of the present disclosure removes virtually
all of such constraints.
[0020] FIG. 1 shows a conventional lace web 100 containing five
lace strips 104 made by a conventional lace-making machine, such as
various ones of the JACQUARDTRONIC.RTM. lace machines sold by Karl
Mayer Textil-Maschinen-Fabrik GmbH, Obertshausen, Germany. To use
lace strips 104, the strips are separated from one another by
suitably cutting and trimming the threads 108 connecting the
threads together. As can be readily seen in FIG. 1, the designs in
the individual strips 104 are highly uniform and repetitive in
nature. Arrows 101 indicate the direction of the web as it comes
off of the lace machine. To make a garment (not shown), such as
lace underwear, from lace strips 104, one or more of the strips are
cut from lace web 100. The strips are cut into appropriate lengths
that are then sewn together to create the finished garment. As
those skilled in the art can fully appreciate, highly shaped
garments such as underwear made from straight strips of material,
such as lace strips 104, result in many compromises on construction
and design.
[0021] FIG. 2 shows a lace web 200 made in accordance with the
present invention. In this example, lace web 200 includes a
plurality of fully patterned precursors 202 to a corresponding
plurality of lace underwear thongs, an unfinished example 300 of
which is illustrated with respect to a wearer 304 in each of FIGS.
3 and 4. As seen in each of FIGS. 3 and 4, thong 300 is unfinished
in that the several free ends are not connected to other parts of
the thong. However, the general shape of thong 300 can be readily
envisioned from FIGS. 3 and 4. In FIG. 3, arrows 301 represent how
the two lateral end tabs will wrap around a wearer 304. As can be
readily envisioned from FIG. 4, those end tabs are then brought
together and joined to one another, as generally indicated by
arrows 401. In FIG. 3, arrow 302 represents how the bottom portion
of fully patterned precursor 202 goes between the legs of wearer
304 and connects to the end tabs indicated in connection with
arrows 301 and 401 of FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively. As can be
readily envisioned from FIG. 4, the bottom portion is then joined
to the end tabs, as generally indicated by arrow 402.
[0022] Referring again to FIG. 2, the portion of lace web 200 shown
contains five full rows of four precursors 202 each and two partial
rows of four precursors. Those skilled in the art will readily
appreciate, however, that lace web 200 can be as long in the
machine direction as the manufacturing equipment allows. Similarly,
the width of lace web 200 in the cross-machine direction can be any
width that the corresponding manufacturing equipment can
accommodate.
[0023] In this example, all of fully patterned precursors 202 are
for the same size thong, and the rows are staggered and overlapped
with one another. As will be readily appreciated, because of the
highly flexible nature of the process disclosed herein, a single
lace web made in accordance with the present invention can include
not only similar fully patterned precursors of differing sizes, but
also fully patterned precursors for more than one type of garment.
For example, fully patterned precursors for underwear briefs can be
intermingled or otherwise contained on the same lace web as
underwear thongs. Of course, many other possibilities abound.
[0024] In addition, because of the nature of fully patterned
precursors 202, the lace design embodied in each precursor can be
virtually any suitable design, include asymmetrical designs and
designs customized to the shape of the finished garment and/or the
location on the garment. Moreover, the lace design can be varied,
for example, from precursor-to-precursor or from one group of
precursors to another group of precursors, among other variations.
In order to make a garment using any of fully-formed precursors
202, that precursor is separated from the other precursors within
lace web 200, for example, by cutting and trimming the threads 203
that join the precursors together within the lace web.
[0025] FIG. 5 illustrates a system 500 suitable for creating lace
web 200 and similar lace webs of the present disclosure. System 500
includes a loom 504 and a loom controller 508. Loom 504 is
configured so that the loom can raise each warp thread
independently of the other warp threads. Correspondingly, loom
controller 508 is configured to execute one or more loom-control
programs 512 each designed and configured to cause loom 504 to
produce a web, such as web 200, containing at least one fully
patterned precursor to a finished garment. As those skilled in the
art will readily appreciate, in some embodiments of system 500 loom
controller 508 can be mechanical, in which case each program 512
can comprise one or more punched cards or other physical medium(ia)
encoded to control the movements of the warp threads in concert
with the weft thread(s) to create the at least one fully patterned
precursor in the web produced by loom 504. For example, relative to
lace web 200 of FIG. 2, program 512 encoded on the punch
card(s)/medium(ia) would be encoded so that loom 504 produces the
overlapping rows of fully patterned precursors 202 that each
contain four precursors.
[0026] As those skilled in the art will also readily appreciate, in
other embodiments of system 500 loom controller 508 can be
electronic, in which case each program 512 can comprises a set of
one or more software instructions that cause loom controller 508 to
control the movements of the warp threads in concert with the weft
thread(s) to create the at least one fully patterned precursor in
the web produced by loom 504. For example, relative to lace web 200
of FIG. 2, program 512 in the software would be encoded so that
loom 504 produces the overlapping rows of fully patterned
precursors 202 that each contain four precursors. Those skilled in
the art will readily understand that when loom controller 508 is
electronic, it can be embodied into an application specific
controller, into a general purpose computer, as well as into a host
of other types of electronic control schemes.
[0027] Whereas FIGS. 2 to 4 are directed to a garment, specifically
thong 300, made entirely of the lace material as described above,
FIGS. 6 to 9 illustrate that similar web-based lace-forming and
patterning techniques can be used to make parts of garments that
each include one or more non-lace components. FIGS. 6 to 8
illustrate such a partial-lace garment, here a thong 600 having a
lace portion 601 and a non-lace portion 603. Lace portion 601 is
made in same manner as the web-based process described above
relative to thong 300 of FIG. 3. However, instead of the web-based
lace precursor 900 (FIG. 9) for thong 600 being sized and
configured to make the entire thong, it is sized and configured to
be lace portion 601 (FIG. 6) of thong 600.
[0028] Referring briefly to FIG. 9, this figure shows a portion of
a lace web 904 that contains multiple copies of lace precursor 900
for making multiple instantiation of thong 600 of FIG. 6. Lace
precursors 900 can have any one or more of the unique attributes
described above relative to fully patterned precursors 202 of FIG.
2, including having the shape of the final lace portion 601 and
having virtually any desired lace pattern, whether symmetrical or
not. Indeed, the lace patterns can even vary from one instantiation
of precursor 900 to another on the same web 904. As with lace web
200 of FIG. 2, lace web 904 of FIG. 9 can be made using an
appropriate lace-making system, such as system 500 of FIG. 5.
[0029] Returning to FIG. 6, non-lace portion 603 can be made of any
suitable material, such as a stretch fabric or other type of
fabric, which can be cut, processed, and/or finished as needed
using conventional processes. Lace portion 601 and non-lace portion
603 can be joined together at a center seam 602 in any suitable
manner, such as by sewing. Likewise, each pair of free ends 604 on
lace and non-lace portions 601, 603 can be brought together and
joined using any suitable techniques to form corresponding
respective seams 700, 800 as seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, respectively.
Of course, those skilled in the art will understand that thong 600
is merely one example of partial-lace garments that can be made
using the unique lace precursors that can be made using the
web-based systems and methods disclosed herein.
[0030] As those skilled in the art will readily appreciate,
although the two explicit examples above are thong-style underwear,
various aspects, techniques, and features disclosed herein can be
used to make garments other than thong underwear. As a further
example, techniques described above can be used to create a
tank-top type garment in which one or more parts of the top (such
as the front panel, an outer layer, etc.) or the entire top can be
made from one or more lace precursors similar to the lace
precursors described above. While this is just one more example,
those skilled in the art will understand that the type of garment
that can be made using aspects, techniques, and features is limited
only be imagination.
[0031] It is to be noted that the aspects and embodiments described
herein may be conveniently implemented using a programmable
machines including hardware and special programming according to
the teachings of the present specification, as will be apparent to
those of ordinary skill in the computer arts. Appropriate software
coding for such programmable machines can readily be prepared by
skilled programmers based on the teachings of the present
disclosure, as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the
software arts.
[0032] Such software may be a computer program product that employs
a machine-readable storage medium. A machine-readable storage
medium may be any hardware medium that is capable of storing and/or
encoding a sequence of instructions for execution by a machine
(e.g., a computing device) and that causes the machine to perform
any one of the methodologies and/or embodiments described herein.
Examples of a machine-readable storage medium include, but are not
limited to, a magnetic disk (e.g., a conventional floppy disk, a
hard drive disk), an optical disk (e.g., a compact disk "CD", such
as a readable, writeable, and/or re-writable CD; a digital video
disk "DVD", such as a readable, writeable, and/or rewritable DVD),
a magneto-optical disk, a read-only memory "ROM" device, a random
access memory "RAM" device, a magnetic card, an optical card, a
solid-state memory device (e.g., a flash memory), an EPROM, an
EEPROM, and any combinations thereof. A machine-readable storage
medium, as used herein, is intended to include a single medium as
well as a collection of physically separate media, such as, for
example, a collection of compact disks or one or more hard disk
drives in combination with a computer memory. As used herein, a
machine-readable storage medium does not include a signal.
[0033] Such software may also include information (e.g., data)
carried as a data signal on a data carrier, such as a carrier wave.
Such a data signal or carrier wave would not be considered a
machine-readable storage medium. For example, machine-executable
information may be included as a data-carrying signal embodied in a
data carrier in which the signal encodes a sequence of instruction,
or portion thereof, for execution by a machine (e.g., a computing
device) and any related information (e.g., data structures and
data) that causes the machine to perform any one of the
methodologies and/or embodiments described herein.
[0034] Examples of a computing device include, but are not limited
to, a programmable controller, a computer workstation, a terminal
computer, a server computer, a handheld device (e.g., tablet
computer, a personal digital assistant "PDA", a mobile telephone,
etc.), a web appliance, a network router, a network switch, a
network bridge, any machine capable of executing a sequence of
instructions that specify an action to be taken by that machine,
and any combinations thereof.
[0035] FIG. 10 shows a diagrammatic representation of one exemplary
embodiment of a computing system 1000, within which a set of
instructions for causing one or more processors 1004 to perform any
one or more of the functionalities, aspects, and/or methodologies
of the present disclosure. It is also contemplated that multiple
computing systems may be utilized to implement a specially
configured set of instructions for performing any one or more of
the functionalities, aspects, and/or methodologies of the present
disclosure in a distributed computing matter.
[0036] Computing system 1000 can also include a memory 1008 that
communicates with the one or more processors 1004, and with other
components, for example, via a bus 1012. Bus 1012 may include any
of several types of bus structures including, but not limited to, a
memory bus, a memory controller, a peripheral bus, a local bus, and
any combinations thereof, using any of a variety of bus
architectures.
[0037] Memory 1008 may include various components (e.g.,
machine-readable storage media as defined above) including, but not
limited to, a random access memory component (e.g., a static RAM
"SRAM", a dynamic RAM "DRAM", etc.), a read only component, and any
combinations thereof. In one example, a basic input/output system
1016 (BIOS), including basic routines that help to transfer
information between elements within computing system 1000, such as
during start-up, may be stored in memory 1008. Memory 1008 may also
include (e.g., stored on one or more machine-readable hardware
storage media) instructions (e.g., software) 1020 embodying any one
or more of the aspects and/or methodologies of the present
disclosure. In another example, memory 1008 may further include any
number of program modules including, but not limited to, an
operating system, one or more application programs, other program
modules, program data, and any combinations thereof.
[0038] Computing system 1000 may also include a storage device
1024, such as, but not limited to, the machine readable storage
medium described above. Storage device 1024 may be connected to bus
1012 by an appropriate interface (not shown). Example interfaces
include, but are not limited to, SCSI, advanced technology
attachment (ATA), serial ATA, universal serial bus (USB), IEEE 1394
(FIREWIRE), and any combinations thereof. In one example, storage
device 1024 (or one or more components thereof) may be removably
interfaced with computing system 1000 (e.g., via an external port
connector (not shown)). Particularly, storage device 1024 and an
associated machine-readable medium 1028 may provide nonvolatile
and/or volatile storage of machine-readable instructions, data
structures, program modules, and/or other data for computing system
1000. In one example, software instructions 1020 may reside,
completely or partially, within machine-readable hardware storage
medium 1028. In another example, software instructions 1020 may
reside, completely or partially, within processors 1004.
[0039] Computing system 1000 may also include an input device 1032.
In one example, a user of computing system 1000 may enter commands
and/or other information into computing system 1000 via one or more
input devices 1032. Examples of an input device 1032 include, but
are not limited to, an alpha-numeric input device (e.g., a
keyboard), a pointing device, a joystick, a gamepad, an audio input
device (e.g., a microphone, a voice response system, etc.), a
cursor control device (e.g., a mouse), a touchpad, an optical
scanner, a video capture device (e.g., a still camera, a video
camera), touch screen, and any combinations thereof. Input
device(s) 1032 may be interfaced to bus 1012 via any of a variety
of interfaces (not shown) including, but not limited to, a serial
interface, a parallel interface, a game port, a USB interface, a
FIREWIRE interface, a direct interface to bus 1012, and any
combinations thereof. Input device(s) 1032 may include a touch
screen interface that may be a part of or separate from display(s)
1036, discussed further below. Input device(s) 1032 may be utilized
as a user selection device for selecting one or more graphical
representations in a graphical interface as described above.
[0040] A user may also input commands and/or other information to
computing system 1000 via storage device 1024 (e.g., a removable
disk drive, a flash drive, etc.) and/or network interface device(s)
1040. A network interface device, such as any one of network
interface device(s) 1040 may be utilized for connecting computing
system 1000 to one or more of a variety of networks, such as
network 1044, and one or more remote devices 1048 connected
thereto. Examples of a network interface device include, but are
not limited to, a network interface card (e.g., a mobile network
interface card, a LAN card), a modem, and any combination thereof.
Examples of a network include, but are not limited to, a wide area
network (e.g., the Internet, an enterprise network), a local area
network, a telephone network, a data network associated with a
telephone/voice provider, a direct connection between two computing
devices, and any combinations thereof. A network, such as network
1044, may employ a wired and/or a wireless mode of communication.
In general, any network topology may be used. Information (e.g.,
data, software instructions 1020, etc.) may be communicated to
and/or from computing system 1000 via network interface device(s)
1040.
[0041] Computing system 1000 may further include one or more video
display adapter 1052 for communicating a displayable image to one
or more display devices, such as display device(s) 1036. Examples
of a display device include, but are not limited to, a liquid
crystal display (LCD), a cathode ray tube (CRT), a plasma display,
a light emitting diode (LED) display, and any combinations thereof.
Display adapter(s) 1052 and display device(s) 1036 may be utilized
in combination with processor(s) 1004 to provide a graphical
representation of any suitable aspect of the present invention. In
addition to a display device, computing system 1000 may include one
or more other peripheral output devices including, but not limited
to, an audio speaker, a printer, and any combinations thereof. Such
peripheral output devices may be connected to bus 1012 via a
peripheral interface 1056. Examples of a peripheral interface
include, but are not limited to, a serial port, a USB connection, a
FIREWIRE connection, a parallel connection, and any combinations
thereof.
[0042] Exemplary embodiments have been disclosed above and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood by
those skilled in the art that various changes, omissions and
additions may be made to that which is specifically disclosed
herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention.
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