Light-emitting ball

Abstract

A light-emitting ball includes an inflatable ball bladder, a transparent skin layer that encloses the ball bladder, and an electrically operable display module, such as a flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) display module, that is disposed between the ball bladder and the skin layer and that is operable to generate images visible through the skin layer.

1 . A light-emitting ball comprising:
 an inflatable ball bladder;   a transparent skin layer that encloses said ball bladder; and   an electrically operable display module that is disposed between said ball bladder and said skin layer and that is operable to generate images visible through said skin layer.   
   
   
       2 . The light-emitting ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said skin layer is made of a thermoplastic resin. 
   
   
       3 . The light-emitting ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said display module is attached to an inner surface of said skin layer. 
   
   
       4 . The light-emitting ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said display module is a flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) display module. 
   
   
       5 . The light-emitting ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said display module includes a remotely controllable battery-operated power supply unit for supplying electric power thereto. 
   
   
       6 . The light-emitting ball as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a backing layer disposed between said display module and said ball bladder. 
   
   
       7 . The light-emitting ball as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a controller coupled to said display module and operable to provide image data thereto, said display module being operable to generate the images based upon the image data received thereby. 
   
   
       8 . The light-emitting ball as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said controller includes a processor coupled to said display module and a data source coupled to said processor, said processor being operable to provide the image data to said display module based upon an output of said data source. 
   
   
       9 . The light-emitting ball as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said data source includes at least one of a gravitational accelerometer, a global positioning system receiver module, and an image library module. 
   
   
       10 . The light-emitting ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said display module includes a plurality of display units, each of which includes a remotely controllable battery-operated power supply unit for supplying electric power thereto. 
   
   
       11 . The light-emitting ball as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said skin layer includes a plurality of interconnected patch segments, each of said display units being attached to an inner surface of a corresponding one of said patch segments. 
   
   
       12 . The light-emitting ball as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising a controller coupled to each of said display units and operable to provide image data thereto, each of said display units being operable to generate the images based upon the image data received thereby. 
   
   
       13 . The light-emitting ball as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said controller includes a transmitter for transmitting the image data wirelessly to said display units, and each of said display units includes a receiver for receiving the image data from said controller. 
   
   
       14 . The light-emitting ball as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said controller further includes a processor coupled to said transmitter and a data source coupled to said processor, said processor being operable to provide the image data to said display units based upon an output of said data source. 
   
   
       15 . The light-emitting ball as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said controller further includes a remotely controllable battery-operated power supply unit for supplying electric power to said processor. 
   
   
       16 . The light-emitting ball as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said controller is disposed in said ball bladder and further includes a remotely controllable battery-operated power supply unit for supplying electric power thereto. 
   
   
       17 . The light-emitting ball as claimed in  claim 16 , further comprising a suspension mechanism for suspending said controller in said ball bladder, said suspension mechanism including a frame member, a set of first elastic components that interconnect said controller and said frame member, and a set of second elastic components that interconnect said frame member and said ball bladder.