Method for selecting shoes

A method for sensing the contour of a surface of an object, comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of upstanding sensing pins biased against axial movement;
• engaging the ends of the pins with a surface of the object;
• and
• storing a value to indicate a relative displacement for the end of each pin as the pin contacts a point on the surface of the object.

A method for sensing the contour of a surface of the human foot, comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of upstanding sensing pins biased against axial movement;
• engaging the ends of the pins with a surface of the foot;
• and
• storing a value to indicate a relative displacement for the end of each pin as the pin contacts a point on the surface of the foot.

A contour sensing apparatus, comprising:

• a base for holding a plurality of upstanding sensing pins biased against axial movement;
• means for providing relative movement between a surface of an object and the ends of said pins so that the ends of the pins engage points on said surface as the surface presses against the pins;
• means for counting predefined decrements of movement as the distance between the surface and pins decreases;
• and
• means for storing the value of the count for each pin at the time the pin contacts the surface of the object, the counts for said pins defining the sensed contour of the surface.

A foot contour sensing apparatus comprising:

• a base for holding an array of upstanding sensing pins biased against axial movement;
• a plate disposed above the ends of said pins for supporting a human foot, the plate having holes aligned with the ends of said sensing pins and being resiliently biased against axial movement toward the pins;
• means for counting predefined decrements of movement as the foot presses the plate downward toward the pins, the pins passing through the holes in the plate and engaging the undersurface of the foot as the plate is pressed down;
• and
• means for storing the value of the count for each pin at the time the pin contacts the undersurface of the foot, the stored counts for the pins defining the sensed contour of the undersurface of the foot.

A foot contour sensing apparatus, comprising:

• a base for holding an array of sensing pins biased against axial movement;
• means for mounting the base so that the ends of the pins move toward and engage a surface of the foot;
• means for counting predefined increments of movement as the base moves the ends of the pins into contact with the surface of the foot;
• and
• means for storing the value of the count for each pin at the time the pin contacts the surface of the foot, the stored counts for the pins defining the sensed contour of the surface of the foot.

A foot contour sensing apparatus, comprising:

• a base for holding an array of sensing pins biased against axial movement;
• means for providing relative movement between said base and a surface of said foot so that the ends of the pins move toward and engage the surface;
• means for measuring the relative movement of said base with respect to said surface as the pins engage the surface;
• and
• means for storing a movement value for each pin indicative of the point at which the pin contacts the surface of the foot, the stored values for the pins defining the sensed contour of the foot.

A method for sensing the contour of a surface of the human foot, comprising the steps of:

• providing a support for a plurality of sensing pins, each pin having a switch that generates an electrical pin actuation signal when the pin contacts a surface of the foot;
• measuring the relative displacement between the support and the surface of the foot as the pins move against the surface of the foot;
• and
• storing the value of the displacement measurement at the time that each pin generates said electrical pin actuation signal.

A method for sensing the contour of a surface of the human foot, comprising the steps of:

• providing a support for a plurality of sensing pins, each pin having a switch that generates an electrical pin actuation signal when the pin contacts a surface of the foot;
• counting fixed decrements in the distance between the support and the surface of the foot as the pins move toward the surface of the foot;
• and
• storing the count that occurs at the time that each pin generates said electrical pin actuation signal.

A method for sensing the contour of a surface of an object, comprising the steps of:

• providing a support for a plurality of sensing pins, each pin having a switch that generates an electrical pin actuation signal when the pin contacts a surface of the object;
• generating an electrical count signal for each fixed decrement in the distance between the support and the surface of the object as the pins move toward the surface of the object;
• multiplexing the pin actuation signals for input to a microcontroller;
• applying said electrical count signals to the microcontroller;
• and
• using the microcontroller to count the electrical count signals and store the count that occurs at the time that each pin generates its multiplexed pin actuation signal.

A method for sensing the contour of an object, comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of sensing pins;
• moving the object and sensing pins toward each other;
• detecting the relative displacement point at which each sensing pin contacts a surface of said object;
• storing the detected relative displacement points for at least the sensing pins that contact said object;
• and
• deriving information concerning a surface contour of the object from said stored relative displacement points.

A method for selecting shoes, comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of sensing pins;
• moving at least one human foot and the sensing pins toward each other;
• detecting the relative displacement point at which each sensing pin contacts a surface of the at least one foot;
• storing the detected relative displacement points for at least the sensing pins that contact said foot;
• and
• deriving information concerning the size of said at least one foot from said stored relative displacement points.

A method for selecting shoes, comprising the steps of:

• obtaining the size of the feet of a plurality of people;
• identifying the shoes purchased by said plurality of people;
• creating a database that includes information concerning the foot sizes and shoe purchases for said plurality of people;
• and
• selecting shoes for a particular person based at least in part upon the information of said database.

A method for sensing a surface contour of an object, comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of sensing pins;
• providing a switch for each pin arranged in a matrix of addressable rows and columns;
• actuating the switch for each pin when the pin contacts a surface of said object;
• matrix addressing said switches;
• reading the actuation state of each switch;
• detecting the relative displacement point at which each switch is actuated;
• storing the relative displacement points for at least the sensing pins with actuated switches;
• and
• deriving information concerning the contour of said surface from said stored relative displacement points.