# US 2013/0155111 A1 · Customized Design for an Article of Footwear > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0155111 A1 - Document ID: US20130155111A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/327,280 - Filed: 2011-12-15 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-15 - Assignees: NIKE, Inc. - Inventors: David J. Dirsa; Clifford B. Gerber; Petre Gheorghian; E. Scott Morris - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130155111A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/04817: using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) - A43B 3/0078: {provided with logos, letters, signatures or the like decoration (A43B23/24 takes precedence)} - G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) - G06Q 30/0621: {by configuring or customising goods or services} - G06Q 30/0643: {graphically representing goods, e.g. 3D product representation} - G06T 3/08: Projecting images onto non-planar surfaces, e.g. geodetic screens - A43D 2200/60: Computer aided manufacture of footwear, e.g. CAD or CAM - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - A43D: MACHINES, TOOLS, EQUIPMENT OR METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING OR REPAIRING FOOTWEAR ## Abstract A method of making an article of footwear is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing a customer with a pre-selected set of graphics, allowing a customer to choose a set of input graphics, and generating a set of morphed graphics based on a set of input graphics. The user can select a morphed graphic and apply it to an article. The method may further include the step of limiting the number of times a customized graphic may be selected and applied to an article. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of customization for an article, comprising: receiving information related to a first selected graphic; receiving information related to a second selected graphic; generating a morphed graphic based on information about the first selected graphic and the second selected graphic; and providing a customized article including the morphed graphic. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a graphical interface system is provided. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the graphical interface system is accessed through a website. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first selected graphic and the second selected graphic are both two dimensional graphics. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first selected graphic and the second selected graphic are both three dimensional graphics. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first selected graphic is a two dimensional graphic and the second selected graphic is a three dimensional graphic. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of generating a morphed graphic includes a step of generating a set of morphed graphics. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the set of morphed graphics includes two morphed graphics. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the set of morphed graphics includes three morphed graphics. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the set of morphed graphics includes more than three morphed graphics. ### Claim 11 A method of customization for an article, comprising: receiving information related to a first selected graphic; receiving information related to a second selected graphic; receiving a user selected value; generating a morphed graphic using information from the first selected graphic and the second selected graphic according to the user selected value; and providing a customized article including the morphed graphic. ### Claim 12 The method according to 11, wherein a graphical interface system is provided. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the graphical interface system includes a slider to control the user selected value. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the slider can be moved to a position between the first selected graphic and the second selected graphic. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the user selected value has a continuous range of values. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the user selected value has a discrete range of values. ### Claim 17 A method of customization for an article, comprising: receiving a user selected customized graphic; determining if a limit for the customized graphic has been reached; allowing the user selected customized graphic to be applied to an article if the limit has not been reached; and preventing the user selected customized graphic from being applied to an article if the limit has been reached. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein the method includes a step of determining if the customized graphic is limited. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein the limit is selected by a vendor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein a first graphic is associated with a first limit that is different from a second limit associated with a second graphic. ### Claim 21 A method of customization for an article, comprising: receiving information related to a first selected graphic; receiving information related to a second selected graphic; generating a plurality of morphed graphics using information from the first selected graphic and the second selected graphic; receiving a user selected graphic from plurality of morphed graphics; and providing a customized article including the user selected morphed graphic. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of morphed graphics includes two or more morphed graphics. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21, wherein the user selected graphic is selected from an approximately continuous range of morphed graphics. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of morphed graphics comprises a discrete set of morphed graphics. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21, wherein the position of the user selected graphic on an article of footwear can be chosen by a user. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21, wherein the size of the user selected graphic can be chosen by a user. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21, wherein the number of morphed graphics in the plurality of morphed graphics can be set by a user. ### Claim 28 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21, wherein the user selected value is associated with a numerical value in a range between 0 and 100 percent. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of morphed graphics comprise a range of graphics having different optical properties. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method according to claim 29, wherein the different optical properties are different opacities. ### Claim 31 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of morphed graphics comprise a range of graphics having different colors. ### Claim 32 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of morphed graphics comprise a range of graphics having different intensities. ### Claim 33 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of morphed graphics comprise a range of graphics having different three-dimensional reliefs. ### Claim 34 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21, wherein the step of generating the plurality of morphed graphics is followed by presenting the plurality of morphed graphics to the user. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The method according to claim 34, wherein the step of presenting the plurality of morphed graphics includes limiting the number of morphed graphics presented to the user according to a maximum number. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The method according to claim 35, wherein the maximum number is 12. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35) The method according to claim 35, wherein the maximum number is 10. ### Claim 38 (depends on 35) The method according to claim 35, wherein the maximum number is 8. ### Claim 39 (depends on 35) The method according to claim 35, wherein the maximum number is 6. ### Claim 40 (depends on 34) The method according to claim 34, wherein the number of morphed graphics presented is greater or equal to a minimum number. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The method according to claim 40, wherein the minimum number is 2. ### Claim 42 (depends on 40) The method according to claim 40, wherein the minimum number is 3. ### Claim 43 (depends on 40) The method according to claim 40, wherein the minimum number is 4. ### Claim 44 A method for customization of an article, comprising: receiving a user customized graphic; receiving a user availability preference associated with the user customized graphic; determining if the user wants to share the user customized graphic; allowing the customized graphic to be used by at least one other customer when the user wants to share the customized graphic; and otherwise preventing the customized graphic to be used by any other customer. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The method according to claim 44, wherein receiving the user availability preference is followed by checking to see if the customized graphic has been used previously. ### Claim 46 (depends on 44) The method according to claim 44, wherein the user customized graphic is uploaded to a database when the user wants to share the user customized graphic. ### Claim 47 (depends on 44) The method according to claim 44, wherein the user availability preference is retrieved from a database.