EP3868234B1 - Garment with signal function on object detection - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an item of clothing with electronic components according to the preamble of claim 1 and a method for producing such an item of clothing.

Generic items of clothing include, on the one hand, pattern parts that are each cut to size from a fabric and then sewn together, and, on the other hand, at least one electronic component. With such generic items of clothing, an increasing need is taken into account to add electronic functions to conventional items of clothing. On the one hand, the item of clothing should be able to be produced as cost-effectively as possible, have unrestricted comfort, an attractive design and unrestricted robustness, in particular with regard to normal wear and tear and washing cycles, while on the other hand, the electrical functions should provide a functionality that exceeds conventional ones Purpose of clothing, namely the visually appealing covering of parts of the body, go out. For example, uppers for running clothes are known from the company Sensoria, to which an externally accessible heart rate monitor is sewn, via which the heart rate can be measured during a sporting activity and transmitted to a smartphone. Running pants are also known from the company Lumo Run, for example, with a motion sensor detachably attached to the waistband, which can be used to determine movement data while running and send it to a smartphone, for example, so that a runner can evaluate his movement data and improve his running behavior. Articles of clothing are also known, for example, in which heating elements are provided which can be switched on by a user if required.

In particular, however, there is also a desire to add functionalities to items of clothing that can be used to ensure improved safety for the wearer of the item of clothing. For example, jackets are known on which signal lights are provided which can be switched on by a wearer of the jacket so that he is more visible in the dark. Shoes are also known, for example, in which lights are integrated, which light up when the shoe moves in a predefined manner in order to improve the perceptibility of a wearer of the shoe.

For example concerns WO 2018/187432 A1 various embodiments of a garment with electronic components for outputting signals that are dependent on measured values that are measured by a sensor unit from the environment. RU 189 212 U1 discloses a vest with a signaling unit that generates light signals or acoustic signals depending on light hitting the vest gives. U.S. 6,834,395 B2 relates to a garment for improved visibility of a wearer that communicates signals with an environment via electronic components incorporated into a fabric of the garment. In WO 2016/196483 A1 discloses a portable traffic warning system designed as a piece of clothing, which emits signals to a wearer of the piece of clothing or to the environment when a specific measured value is exceeded. U.S. 2018/304800 A1 discloses a piece of clothing for cyclists that emits certain light signals to the environment depending on a movement by the cyclist.

WO 2020/108996 A1 Finally, relates to semiconductor devices attached to a fabric of a garment and configured to emit light. This document and DE102016116028 disclose a set of sequins for the realization of a garment.

However, in the various approaches known in the prior art, the electrical components integrated into the garment, which are intended to improve the perceptibility of a wearer of the garment, always have a high energy consumption, which limits the useful life of the garments. In addition, the electrical components known from conventional items of clothing only provide insufficient protection for the wearer of the item of clothing.

The object of the present invention is to provide a piece of clothing, in particular a jacket, with which at least one disadvantage of conventional pieces of clothing is at least partially eliminated.

As a solution the invention proposes a garment with the features according to claim 1. The article of clothing according to the invention comprises a plurality of pattern parts which are each cut to size from a fabric and which are sewn together. As electronic components, the item of clothing has at least one sensor unit for detecting the presence of an external object, a control unit and an electronic signal transmitter unit. In general, in the present application, each part of the garment is referred to as an electronic component of the garment, through or to which electric current flows when the garment is used as intended in an operating phase of the garment, with each of the electronic components preferably being connected to the control unit, wherein in an operating phase of the item of clothing, a predefined current flow is provided between the control unit and the respective other electronic component. For example, an electronic component can be in the form of a conductor track, a sensor or a light source. Some of the electronic components can in particular include several electronic functional elements that are electrically conductively connected to one another in a functionally interacting manner, forming an electronic circuit that provides the function of the respective electronic components, whereas other electronic components can be designed in one piece and very simply. According to the invention, one of the electronic components is designed as a sensor unit for detecting the presence of an external object.

For this purpose, the sensor unit is designed to output measured values, with the sensor unit always outputting a different measured value when it detects the presence of an external object than when it does not detect the presence of an external object. For this purpose, the sensor unit can be configured in different ways. For example, the sensor unit can be designed to detect a light source as an external object. For this purpose, for example, the sensor unit can have a photodiode, the current output by the photodiode being output by the sensor unit as a measured value, the current value changing when a light source that emits light onto the photodiode is present. Depending on the application, the sensor unit can be tuned to light of a specific frequency, in particular to the detection of visible light in a frequency range of approximately 400 THz to 750 THz. Instead of or in addition to a photodiode, the control unit can include a CCD chip as a sensor, for example. In one embodiment, the sensor unit can include at least one TOF (Time Of Flight) sensor, which detects the presence of an external object in that an external object approaches the garment, since the time in which an emitted by the TOF sensor light returning to the TOF sensor is shortened. The sensor unit can also be designed, for example, as a conventional infrared motion detector or ultrasonic sensor. The signal transmitter unit is designed to emit a signal that can be perceived by the wearer of the item of clothing and/or to emit a signal that can be perceived by an external observer of the item of clothing. For example, the signal transmitter unit can have a light source that emits light and that an external observer can see the item of clothing particularly well. For example, the Signal generator unit include a tone generating unit that emits a signal tone, for example via a speaker. For example, the signal transmitter unit can include a vibration device that emits vibration signals as a perceptible signal. Such a vibration unit is particularly preferably provided on the inside of the garment facing the wearer of the garment, in particular on sensitive body parts of the wearer, such as the wrist or in the shoulder or neck area, so that the wearer can perceive the vibration signal particularly well. According to the invention, the control unit is designed to receive measured values from the sensor unit during an operating phase of the item of clothing and to transmit control signals generated as a function of the measured values read out to the signal transmitter unit. The signal transmitter unit is designed to output a predefined signal that can be perceived by a wearer of the item of clothing and/or by an external observer of the item of clothing upon receipt of a predefined control signal. In the garment according to the invention, measured values are thus read from the sensor unit via the control unit, and control signals are transmitted to the signal transmitter unit via the control unit in a targeted manner as a function of the measured values read out, with the signal transmitter unit preferably only receiving predefined control signals when predefined signals are transmitted to it spends These signals are then designed to be suitable for the wearer of the garment or the external viewer to be perceptible.

The article of clothing according to the invention offers significant advantages compared to conventional articles of clothing. The inventors realized that a garment can particularly effectively contribute to the protection of its wearer and at the same time can consume as little energy as possible if both a control unit and a sensor unit and a signal transmitter unit are integrated into the garment, so that the signal transmitter unit emits signals selectively when the sensor unit has output measured values, classified as a potential hazard. Accordingly, the signal transmitter unit preferably only emits predefined signals, which are preferably perceptible to an external observer of the item of clothing and/or the wearer of the item of clothing, if it has received a predefined control signal from the control unit, which is then only sent via the control unit to the signal transmitter unit when the measured values read by the sensor unit have been evaluated in such a way that the presence of a hazard has been assigned to them. The item of clothing according to the invention thus reacts in a targeted manner to a predefined presence of objects relevant to the respective area of application of the item of clothing. The energy consumption is reduced as a result, since the signal transmitter unit does not, as for example in the case of conventional luminous jackets, continuously consume energy by emitting signals even when there is no danger. According to the invention, the control unit comprises at least one interface via which both the measured values of the sensor unit are read out and the control signals are transmitted to the signal transmitter unit. In one embodiment, the control unit includes a computing unit in which the measured values read out by the sensor unit are evaluated and in which the control signals are generated as a function of the measured values and are then output to the signal generator unit. In one embodiment, the control unit is designed as an interface, in particular as a standardized interface, for example as a wired interface, in particular as a USB interface, or as a wireless interface, in particular NFC or Bluetooth interface, in particular Bluetooth smart, Bluetooth smart ready or Bluetooth low energy (BLE) interface, during the operating phase to the control unit an external arithmetic unit is connected and the measured values read out by the sensor unit are transmitted to the external arithmetic unit via the interface, the measured values being evaluated in the external arithmetic unit and control signals being generated as a function of the measured values, which are sent via the interface and thus to the control unit be transferred to the signal transmitter unit. In general, at least one of the electronic components is particularly preferably integrated into at least one cut part, so that the electronic component is non-detachably connected to the respective cut part or parts. In a particularly preferred embodiment, all of the electronic components are integrated in at least one of the cut parts, in particular in a selection of the cut parts.

The inventors have also recognized that in particularly advantageous embodiments of the article of clothing according to the invention, thanks to the design according to the invention, the article of clothing can have particularly advantageous properties which qualify it as a highly functional article of clothing. For example, a waterproof or at least water-repellent piece of clothing, in particular a jacket, with the functional properties according to the invention can be realized with the configuration according to the invention, which, for example, at least in a spray test according to the DIN EN 24920 standard, meets the requirements for a standard-defined grade of at least 3 (wetting of the sprayed area only on small, separate areas), in particular of at least 4 (no wetting, only adhesion of small drops on the sprayed area), in particular for the standard top grade 5 (no wetting and no adhesion of small drops on the sprayed area).

In one embodiment, at least some of the electronic components are inseparably connected to the respective material from which the respective pattern part on which the respective electronic component is arranged is cut. Preferably, at least some of the electronic components extend across a plurality of pattern parts, being permanently connected in the garment to the respective fabric from which the respective pattern part is cut. A non-detachable connection is understood here to mean that the electronic component can only be detached by damaging the item of clothing. Particularly preferably, at least the sensor unit and the signal transmitter unit are inseparably connected to the respective material from which the respective patterned part is cut. In addition, the control unit is particularly preferably non-detachably connected to the respective material from which the respective pattern piece is cut. The control unit particularly preferably includes an electrical interface, in particular a standard interface, in particular a wired or wireless interface. A wireless interface can generally preferably be embodied, for example, as a Wifi interface or as a Bluetooth interface, in particular as a Bluetooth smart, Bluetooth smart ready or Bluetooth low energy (BLE) interface. Particularly preferably, the electronic components are at least partially printed on the respective substance, glued to the respective substance, in the embroidered, knitted or woven into the respective fabric. The electronic components particularly preferably comprise conductive yarns which are part of the respective fabric, for example by being glued on, embroidered, knitted in or woven in. By integrating the electronic components into the cut pieces, the garment can be made particularly robust and simple. In one embodiment, the garment is produced by first sewing the pattern parts together at least in sections and then integrating the electronic components into the pattern parts, with the pattern parts particularly preferably being sewn together at least at such points before the electronic components are integrated into the pattern parts , where the electronic components transition from the respective pattern parts to the adjacent pattern parts. In another embodiment, the electronic components are first integrated into the pattern parts before the pattern parts are then sewn together.

In one embodiment, the control unit includes a link to a computing unit in which evaluation logic is stored. The control unit is designed to evaluate the measured values read from the sensor unit with the stored evaluation electronics and to output control signals to the signal generator unit depending on an evaluation result achieved by the evaluation logic. In one embodiment, the control device includes the computing unit. For example, the link can be stored via a communication interface, in particular wireless or wired, via which the control unit can access a device separate from the pattern pieces stored programming accesses. In general, the dependency is preferably specified or can be specified. The programming is preferably stored on a mobile device including a GUI, via which the dependency can be changed by a user. In one embodiment, the processing unit is integrated into the pattern parts of the garment, ie is inseparably connected to the respective fabric from which the respective pattern part is cut. In one embodiment, the item of clothing is a set comprising pattern parts cut to size from a fabric, which are sewn together, and a separate processing unit in which the evaluation logic is stored and which can be reversibly and detachably connected to the components of the electronic components integrated in the pattern parts, in particular via a communication interface is.

According to the invention, the electronic components are integrated into the garment in such a way that the garment can be reversibly bent from any point where the electronic components are located within a distance of less than 3 cm, in particular less than 2 cm, in particular less than 1 cm and/or is foldable. The inventors have recognized that the comfort of the garment can be maintained particularly favorably with this embodiment. For example, to realize the electronic components, electrically conductive yarns can be used on the one hand and prefabricated electronic components on the other hand, the dimensions of which are so small that the explained flexibility and/or foldability is still guaranteed, with these prefabricated electronic components being inseparable, ie only with Destruction solvable, are connected to the other parts of the respective electronic component. Included the electronic components can also be bendable or foldable. For example, a corresponding electronic component can have parts that are hinged to one another and each have a correspondingly small size, preferably less than 3 cm in any direction, preferably less than 2 cm in any direction. According to the invention, at least one of the electronic components has at least one sequin, which is designed as a printed circuit board equipped with electronic functional elements. The sequin can, for example, form the electronic component or be one of several components of the electrical component. Printed circuit boards are used as standard equipped with electronic functional elements, for example electronic standard elements such as capacitors, transistors, conductor tracks, coils, diodes, converter circuits, loudspeaker modules and/or transformers are used as electronic functional elements. The production of a circuit board is an absolute industrial standard. For this purpose, a printed circuit board is equipped with the electronic functional elements. The printed circuit board is preferably rigid and therefore cannot be bent and/or folded. As is well known, foldable means that an article which is flat in its surface can be folded at a fold line in such a way that two portions of its previously flat surface, which were previously located on two different sides of the fold line, meet on the same side of the fold line lay. Because the sequin is designed as such a printed circuit board equipped with functional elements, the sequin simultaneously has the mechanical properties required for attachment to an article of clothing and the electronic properties required for its function as part of the electronic component. The printed circuit board, to which the electronic functional elements are attached directly, preferably forms the mechanical interfaces for attaching the sequin the garment. In particular, a sewn-on recess is provided as a mechanical interface, which is surrounded by a border, preferably surrounded in a closed manner, so that it is designed as a sewn-on hole. The sequin can be fastened to a cut part of the garment by means of a yarn via such a sewn-on recess in a very simple manner that is customary for the production of the garment. The sequin has an extent of less than 3 cm, in particular less than 2 cm, in all directions. As a result, the described advantageous reversible flexibility or foldability of the item of clothing is ensured in a particularly advantageous manner. Contacts are provided on the sequin, via which its electrical functional elements can be contacted. In the garment, the sequin is connected to the panel via its contacts with a conductive yarn which is connected to at least one of the panel parts and is thus fixed to the panel. The sequin has at least one sewing recess, the periphery of which is formed with one of the contacts, the conductive yarn passes through the sewing recess and abuts the periphery thereof, and fixes the periphery of the sewing recess to the pattern piece. The conductive thread, which is connected to the cutting part, thus simultaneously ensures electrical contacting of the electronic functional elements of the sequin and mechanical fixing of the sequin to the cutting part. In one embodiment, several sequins are integrated into the garment, which are connected to one another by the electrically conductive yarn, forming an electronic circuit whose Conductor tracks are at least partially formed by the electrically conductive yarn and the electronic functional elements are formed by the sequins. Of course, the electrically conductive yarn may comprise a plurality of separate yarn sections, each made of a suitable yarn material. In this case, each yarn section serves to provide part of the electrical conductor tracks of the electronic circuit. The electronic circuit can, for example, form one of the electronic components or form several of the electronic components. At least one of the electronic components preferably comprises a group of sequins, each of which forms at least one electronic functional element of this electronic component and which are connected to one another by the conductive yarn to form this electronic component. The functional elements of these sequins are therefore the functional elements of the electronic component. The inventors have recognized that the described use of sequins allows flexibility and in particular foldability, ie sharp buckling of the garment, at very close locations, which is particularly advantageous for wearing comfort, and that moreover as a result the production of a highly functional piece of clothing is particularly simplified and cheaper. This is because the sequins can be produced using a standard process for producing printed circuit boards with desired electronic functional elements and then connected to one another using the conductive threads, so that the cut parts practically represent a higher-level printed circuit board, with the conductive thread forming the conductor tracks arranged directly on this higher-level printed circuit board and the sequins the electronic ones Form functional elements of this higher-level printed circuit board, which are connected to one another via the conductive yarn as their conductor tracks. The realization of the garment according to the invention thus enables both the production of sequins using standard manufacturing processes from conventional circuit boards and the standard application of the sequins to a patterned part using conventional sequin embroidery machines, as a result of which complex electronic circuits can be integrated in the garment in a simple manner, without the garment loses comfort. Particularly preferably, the at least one sequin has a watertight cover in which the electronic functional elements of the sequin are encapsulated. This casing particularly preferably forms a completely closed interior space in which all functional elements of the sequin are arranged, with the contacts being arranged outside the casing and a conductor track extending from the contacts into the interior space. The provision of the waterproof cover ensures that the garment can be washed at 30° C. without water penetrating the interior space enclosed by the cover and thus being able to reach the functional elements, which makes it particularly easy to maintain all of the garment's functions.

One side of the sequin is particularly preferably designed as a broken side, which is designed as a broken edge. On its breaking side, the sequin has thus been broken off from an adjacent section previously attached to it. The formation of a rupture side is particularly advantageous, as this means that the sequin over the previously adjacent section during a work step, during which it was fixed to the pattern part, which particularly simplifies the fixing of the sequin to the pattern part, and because this section is subsequently removed, the dimensions of the sequin can be kept particularly small, which is ultimately particularly advantageous for the wearing comfort of the garment is. In one embodiment, the sequin has a first section designed as an electronics section and a second section arranged next to the first section and designed as a guide section. The electronics section of the sequin has the at least one sewing cut-out, in particular all sewing cut-outs via which the sequin is attached to the item of clothing, ie through which a yarn for attaching the sequin to the item of clothing runs, and all electronic functional elements of the sequin. The guide section has an area of at least 20 mm ² , in particular at least 30 mm ² , in particular an area of 20 mm ² to 50 mm ² . By providing the guide section that is independent of the electronics section, the sequin can be configured in a particularly targeted manner for standard sequin embroidery machines, which particularly simplifies and, in particular, speeds up the manufacture of the garment. By providing the electronics section that is independent of the guide section, this section can be specifically designed to ensure the required electronic functionalities without considering the mechanical attack of a sequin embroidery machine. The guide section and electronics section are arranged next to one another and therefore do not overlap. However, the electronics section and the guide section are rigidly connected to one another, so that by mechanically fixing the Guide section, the position of the electronics section is clearly defined. The guide section is preferably arranged in a predetermined direction next to the electronics section, with the guide section and electronics section being delimited from one another by a boundary running in a straight line and perpendicular to the predetermined direction. Electronics section and guide section are particularly preferably produced integrally in one piece, with the guide section preferably being formed by the circuit board carrier material of the circuit board as which the sequin is designed. A guide hole for a mandrel of a sequin embroidery machine is particularly preferably provided in the guide section. Such a mandrel is usually provided in conventional sequin embroidery machines, which entrains the sequins to be attached to a pattern part by engaging in a guide hole in the sequin, so that this mandrel can be used to feed the sequin to the pattern part and/or to align the sequin on the Cutting occurs before and/or while the sequin is attached to the garment by the sequin embroidery machine. The mandrel can be designed, for example, in the manner of a pin or as a lug of a lug wheel and is designed to engage in the guide hole. The provision of such a guide hole, preferably with a diameter of 0.8 mm-2 mm, is particularly advantageous for the particularly simple attachment of the sequin and thus for the cost-effective manufacture of the garment. Particularly preferably, the sequin is fixed to the pattern piece exclusively within its electronics section, so that the guide section is not used to mechanically fix the sequin to the pattern piece, but only to position the sequin for fixation during manufacture of the garment.

In one embodiment, the item of clothing has an outer fabric layer which, when the item of clothing is worn as intended, forms an outer side of the item of clothing that faces away from the wearer. The item of clothing also preferably has a base layer which, when the item of clothing is worn as intended, forms an inside of the item of clothing which faces the wearer. The backsheet layer is thus the innermost layer of the garment, ie the layer of the garment closest to the wearer. An intermediate space, in which the electronic components are arranged, is particularly preferably formed between the outer layer and the lower layer. The electronic components are particularly preferably arranged over at least 90%, in particular at least 95%, of their areal extent in this intermediate space. In one embodiment, the electronic components are located entirely within this space. For example, for this purpose the electronic components can be integrated in an intermediate layer formed from a plurality of cut parts of the garment, which is located in the space between the lower fabric layer and the outer fabric layer. For example, this intermediate layer can be designed as a lining or membrane, so that the electronic components are integrated into the lining or the membrane. In one embodiment, the electronic components are arranged on the side of the backing layer facing the outer fabric layer and/or on the side of the backing fabric layer facing the backing layer. In any case, arranging the electronic components in the intermediate space has the particular advantage that the electronic components are particularly well protected. Particularly preferred are only such sections electronic components outside the space which are electrically isolated and waterproof sealed in an operational state of the garment. For example, only an electronic component with only a cable connection device can extend out of the intermediate space, with the garment preferably having means suitable for isolating and sealing the cable interface.

In one embodiment, the sensor unit has at least one optical sensor which is designed to output a measured value as a function of a light intensity of light impinging on it. In one embodiment, the sensor is designed to output a binary measured value, the sensor being designed to emit a first signal when a minimum light intensity is exceeded and to emit a second signal when the light intensity falling on it is not reached. In one embodiment, the sensor is designed to output a measured value that changes continuously as a function of the light intensity. For example, the sensor can be designed as a photodiode, with the sensor outputting a photocurrent as a measured value depending on the light intensity. The control unit is particularly preferably designed to control the signal transmitter unit to emit a signal as a function of the value of the light intensity that is output as a measured value. For example, the control unit can be designed to output a predefined control signal to the signal generator unit as soon as a predefined value of the light intensity is reached, which it can assign to the measured value that was output by the sensor unit. In general, a link with an evaluation logic is preferably stored in the control unit, which the corresponding Performs evaluation of the measured value and thus determines the dependency with which it is determined which signal the signal transmitter unit outputs in response to a specific measured value output by the sensor. The dependency is particularly preferably defined or can be defined in such a way that when the value of the light intensity changes by more than a limit value, the signal transmitter unit is actuated to emit the signal. In this particularly advantageous embodiment, the control unit is designed in such a way that it continuously receives measured values from the optical sensor and only when the measured value, to which a specific value of the light intensity can be assigned, changes by more than a limit value, the signal transmitter unit for Delivery of the signal controls. This brings with it the particular advantage that background noise, ie background lighting in the present case, is effectively masked out during the evaluation. Thus, the garment can detect when a light source occurs that produces illumination on the optical sensor such that the total light intensity impinging on the sensor, resulting from the ambient light and the additional light source, increases. Accordingly, the particularly advantageous embodiment of the item of clothing can reliably detect when a light source is approaching the item of clothing or illuminates the item of clothing. This can be particularly advantageous for recognizing the approach of a luminous object, such as a car, in the dark.

The sensor unit particularly preferably forms a sensor surface, with at least 80%, in particular at least 90% of the sensor surface being arranged in an area on the garment, the outward-facing When worn as intended, the surface normal has an angle of at least 30°, in particular at least 45°, to the vertical, the vertical being defined by the direction of the weight force acting on the earth. When worn as intended, it is assumed that a wearer of the garment stands straight, ie stands along a vertical line parallel to the weight force acting on the earth, letting his arms hang straight down along the vertical line and directing his eyes to the horizontal line . In this context, it must be taken into account that the item of clothing should of course be worn in a predetermined manner by a healthy wearer, in particular a human being, which is the basis of the definition of "appropriate wear" in the present case. The sensor surface is particularly preferably the surface of the sensor unit via which the sensor unit can receive signals from the environment around the item of clothing, so that the sensor unit outputs measured values that relate exclusively to the influences to which the sensor unit is exposed on its sensor surface. The sensor surface can be formed in particular by discrete sensors of the sensor unit that are spaced apart from one another. The orientation of the sensor surface ensures in a particularly advantageous manner that the sensor unit experiences as little interference as possible from objects that are not relevant to the safety of a wearer of the item of clothing. The inventors have recognized that dangerous objects generally only approach the wearer of a piece of clothing in a direction that is essentially perpendicular to the force of weight. By aligning the sensor surface, interference, for example interference from street lamps when an optical sensor unit is provided, can be avoided particularly effectively. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the item of clothing is designed as a jacket. In this particularly preferred embodiment, the sensor unit preferably forms a sensor surface via which, as explained, the sensor unit can record influences from the environment, in particular via which only the sensor unit can record influences from the environment, as explained. The sensor surface is particularly preferably limited to a surface of the jacket that is at least 2%, in particular at least 3%, in particular at least 5%, in particular at least 10% spaced from the lower end of the jacket when worn as intended. The jacket particularly preferably has a side seam on each side running down from the sleeve attachment, which is covered by the sleeve when worn as intended, the jacket having a waist circumference with the sensor surface being reduced by at least 3%, in particular at least 4%, in particular at least 6%, in particular at least 10% of the waist circumference is spaced from the respective side seam. In this particularly preferred embodiment of a jacket according to the invention, it is particularly reliably ensured that a normal movement of a wearer of the jacket is not interpreted by the control unit as meaning that an external object is approaching and that an approaching object is actually detected.

In one embodiment, the signal transmitter unit has a current consumption of 500 mA to 3000 mA when the signal to be output upon receipt of the predefined control signal is output. Because of the particularly advantageous property of the item of clothing according to the invention, the signal transmitter unit can therefore only selectively emit a signal in response to the detected presence of an external object, a correspondingly high energy consumption when emitting the Have a signal without the useful life of the garment being disproportionately restricted. The item of clothing particularly preferably has an energy storage device, with the energy storage device guaranteeing a minimum operating time of three hours, in particular five hours, if the signal is continuously emitted by the signal transmitter unit. In general, in one embodiment, the energy store is integrated into the item of clothing, in particular into the fabric of the item of clothing or the fabrics of the item of clothing from which the cut pieces are made. The energy store is particularly preferably one of the electronic components of the item of clothing. In one embodiment, an energy supply interface is provided which can be connected to a conventional energy store, for example a smartphone or power bank, for example a USB interface, so that the signal transmitter unit, the sensor unit and the control unit receive their electrical energy via this energy supply interface in the operating phase. In one embodiment, the energy supply interface is also the interface of the control unit, via which the measured values are read out from the sensor unit and the control signals are transmitted to the signal transmitter unit. The energy supply interface is particularly preferably provided in an inner pocket of the garment, so that it opens into the inner pocket of the garment. The energy supply interface is particularly preferably a wireless interface, in particular an inductive interface.

In one embodiment, the control unit is designed to determine from measured values of the sensor unit whether fog is present in an area around the item of clothing, the control unit being designed to do so in the event that there is fog a detection of fog in the area to control the signal generator unit permanently to output the signal. The signal is particularly preferably a light signal, with the signal transmitter unit having a light source. For example, fog can be determined by providing a CCD chip as a sensor of the sensor unit and providing a corresponding evaluation logic. The embodiment described has the particular advantage that the item of clothing independently determines that the detection of external objects is difficult and then controls the signal transmitter unit to output the signal independently of the detection of the presence of an external object.

In one embodiment, the item of clothing includes a motion sensor, with the control unit being designed to read measured values from the motion sensor and to determine from a change in a measured value output by the motion sensor within a predetermined time whether the wearer of the item of clothing has fallen, the control unit doing this is designed to generate an emergency signal upon detection of a fall of the wearer. The control unit thus automatically determines, based on the measured values output from the motion sensor, whether the wearer of the item of clothing has fallen. For example, an evaluation logic or a link with an evaluation logic can be provided for this purpose in the control unit, which interprets this movement as a fall if there is a sufficiently jerky movement. If the measured values are interpreted as an indication of a fall, the control unit generates an emergency call signal. In one embodiment, the control unit generates an emergency call signal by controlling the signal transmitter unit to emit a loud signal tone. In one embodiment, the Control unit an emergency signal by the control unit sends a command to a mobile device to select an emergency call via a predetermined emergency number. In this particularly preferred embodiment, the item of clothing is designed to be coupled to an external mobile phone device, in particular a smartphone, during the operating phase, for example via a wireless interface or via a USB interface, or the item of clothing has an integrated mobile phone device. In this embodiment, a program that interacts with the control unit and makes the emergency call is stored in the mobile radio. A phone number to be dialed in the event of an emergency call can particularly preferably be stored in the program or in the control unit. The item of clothing particularly preferably also has a camera, with the camera being activated to take a photo when a fall is detected, and the photo being transmitted directly to a predetermined address with the emergency call. The camera is preferably provided by a sensor of the sensor unit.

In one embodiment, the garment has a central switch that is integrated in particular into the fabric or fabrics from which the pattern pieces are cut. The wearer can use the switch to switch at least one function of the electronic components of the item of clothing on and off. The wearer can particularly preferably switch all electronic components of the garment on and off via the switch. The wearer can thus use the switch to determine whether or not the item of clothing is in the operating phase described above. When the electronic components are deactivated, the garment is no longer in the operating phase. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the electronic switch as Touch switch formed, which can be operated from the outside of the garment by touch. The switch is particularly preferably designed as a capacitive switch or as a resistive switch. The item of clothing is particularly preferably designed as a jacket, with the switch being integrated into a sleeve, in particular on a forearm part of the sleeve, of the jacket. The switch is particularly preferably integrated in the sleeve of the jacket at a point which, when worn as intended, points outwards away from the wearer. In general, the switch is particularly preferably integrated into the garment at a location that is optically identified on the outside of the garment, with the switch itself preferably not being located on the outward-facing surface of the garment but being triggered merely by touching the marked area.

In one embodiment, the signal transmitter unit has a plurality of light sources arranged distributed over the item of clothing. A light guide is particularly preferably connected to at least some, in particular to the majority, in particular to all of the light sources. The light guide is particularly preferably designed in such a way that it ensures that light is emitted over an area of more than 10 mm ² , with precisely one LED preferably being connected to the light guide in order to radiate light into this light guide. At least one of the light guides is preferably rod-like, with one oblong side being designed as a light output side, with exactly one light source, in particular an LED, preferably being arranged at one end of the rod-like light guide and radiating light into the light guide in the illuminated state. In one embodiment, the light sources are via an at least partially transparent intermediate layer connected to an outside of the garment. The outer side of the item of clothing is preferably formed by the outer fabric layer of the item of clothing, as explained above. By providing the transparent intermediate layer, the light sources are particularly advantageously protected against external influences. The light guides particularly preferably form a section of the outside of the garment, and each light source is particularly preferably protected from external influences by a light guide assigned to it. Particularly preferably, the light sources and in particular the light guides are distributed on the item of clothing in such a way that when the item of clothing is worn as intended, when the signal is emitted by the signal transmitter unit, light is emitted in any direction that is perpendicular to the vertical, so that at a distance at least 5 m from the garment along any direction perpendicular to the vertical when the signal transmitter unit outputs the signal, a light intensity emitted by the light sources of the signal transmitter unit can be measured at the vertical height of the garment. Particularly preferably, at least two light sources, in particular at least three light sources, in particular four light sources, are arranged on the front of the garment when it is worn as intended and on the rear of the garment.

In one embodiment, the signal transmitter is designed to emit a pulsed signal as the signal output on receipt of a predefined control signal, the pulse rate being less than a third, in particular less than a fifth. The signal transmitter unit is thus in interaction with the Control unit designed such that when the signal to be output is emitted, the signal is only emitted as a signal pulse, the signal pulse being followed by a rest period in which no signal is emitted, after which a new signal pulse occurs. The signal pulse and the subsequent idle time form a period of the pulsed signal. The pulse rate describes the proportion of time that the pulsed signal has over the entire period. The energy consumption can be kept particularly low by the signal transmitter unit emitting a pulsed signal, and the item of clothing can also be particularly easy to perceive as a result. Furthermore, the signal transmitter is generally preferably designed to output a signal, in particular a pulsed signal or continuous signal, with a fixed or definable total signal time (in the case of a pulsed signal, the rest times between the pulses count) of at least ten seconds as the signal output on receipt of a predefined control signal. in particular to send out at least fifteen seconds.

In one embodiment, the electronic components are integrated into the garment in such a way that the garment is washable at 30°C. Washing instructions are preferably provided on the item of clothing, with the item of clothing being washable at 30° C. in accordance with the washing instructions. The garment is preferably machine washable at 30°C. Target-oriented measures are known to the person skilled in the art to ensure such machine washability of the garment. For example, parts of the electronic components can be plastic encapsulated for this purpose and/or a watertight intermediate space can be provided in which the electronic components are arranged. In a Embodiment, the garment on an energy storage, which is to be separated from the other electronic components before the wash cycle. In another embodiment, the energy store is integrated into the item of clothing and remains connected to the other electronic components during the wash cycle, suitable measures, in particular one of the suitable measures explained, being provided for protecting the electronic components.

In general, the control unit particularly preferably has an interface for coupling a mobile electronic device. The mobile electronic device can be a mobile phone, in particular a smartphone, an energy store or an MP3 player, for example. The interface is particularly preferably designed as a wireless interface, in particular as an NFC interface. The interface is particularly preferably designed as a data exchange interface via which data can be transmitted both from the control unit to the mobile electronic device and from the mobile electronic device to the control unit. The item of clothing particularly preferably has an operating device via which the mobile electronic device can be operated in an operating phase in which the mobile electronic device is coupled to the control unit via the interface. The operating device is preferably designed as a resistive or capacitive operating device and can in particular also include a display, in particular an OLED display. In one embodiment, the item of clothing is designed as a jacket, with the operating device being arranged on a sleeve of the jacket, in particular on a forearm section of the sleeve of the jacket, and being accessible from the outside of the jacket. General has special the item of clothing preferably has communication means, in particular a microphone or headphones, which can be connected to the mobile electronic device via the interface. The item of clothing is particularly preferably designed to prevent data traffic between the communication means and the mobile electronic device when the signal transmitter unit is activated to emit a signal. This has the particular advantage that if the presence of an external object is detected, the attention of the wearer of the item of clothing is not distracted by communication influences received via the mobile electronic device.

In one embodiment, the item of clothing is designed as a jacket. A jacket has a back, a front and two sleeves as standard. The sensor unit preferably extends at least partially over the rear and the front. In addition, the sensor unit particularly preferably extends over the sleeves. The signal transmitter unit particularly preferably extends at least partially over the rear and the front. In addition, the signal transmitter unit particularly preferably also extends over at least one of the sleeves. The signal transmitter unit is particularly preferably designed to emit a mechanical signal to the wearer, with the signal transmitter unit extending on at least one sleeve or on at least one shoulder or in the collar area of the jacket. The provision of the signal transmitter unit, which emits a mechanical signal to the wearer, on the sleeve and/or shoulder and/or collar area has proven to be particularly advantageous since a wearer is usually particularly sensitive at these points. The signal transmitter unit for outputting the mechanical signal is particularly preferred arranged in those parts of the jacket that are in close contact with the wearer when worn as intended. For example, the signal transmitter unit can be designed as a vibration unit in sections in which it is designed to output a mechanical signal.

The invention also relates to a method for producing an article of clothing according to the invention, with the features of claim 19. In the method according to the invention, several pattern parts, each cut to size from a fabric, are sewn together, with several electronic components being integrated into at least one of the pattern parts, i.e. inseparably with be connected to the respective cutting part. In the method according to the invention, to implement an electronic component integrated in one of the cut parts, a sequin designed as a circuit board equipped with electronic functional elements, which has an electronic section and a guide section rigidly connected to this electronic section, the electronic section having all the electronic functional elements of the sequin, by means of a Sequin embroidery machine fixed to the pattern piece. During the working step, the sequin embroidery machine with a guide device grasps the sequins at its guide portion. For example, the guiding device comprises a mandrel which engages in a guiding hole provided in the guiding portion for gripping the sequin at its guiding portion. The guide device can, for example, alternatively or additionally, have a gripping device which grips the guide section laterally. In one embodiment, the guide device grips the guide section exclusively with the mandrel. By grabbing the Guide section allows the guide device to position the guide section and thus the entire sequin. The gripping thus entails a mechanical fixation of the sequin via its guide section on the guide device. With the guide device, the sequin embroidery machine guides the sequin to a predetermined position relative to the pattern piece. Subsequently, ie after realizing the predetermined position, the sequin embroidery machine fixes the sequin to the pattern part by means of an electrically conductive thread, which guides it through at least one sewing projection provided in the electronics section. By guiding it through the sewing recess and placing the electrically conductive yarn on the border of the recess, a mechanical fixation of the sequin within its electronics section on the pattern part is ensured, since the electrically conductive yarn thereby defines a relative position of the sequin within its electronics section to the pattern part, such as this is the case with conventional embroidery processes. Then, preferably by means of the sequin embroidery machine, further sequins with the electrically conductive yarn are mechanically fixed to the cut part, which can each be configured as for the various embodiments explained above and can therefore have, for example, electronic functional elements, an electronic section and a guide section. Since both the first-mentioned sequins and the other sequins are fixed to the pattern part by means of the electrically conductive yarn, the mechanical fixing of these sequins also results in electrically conductive contacting of the sequins with one another, so that the sequins are electrically conductive with one another by means of the electrically conductive yarn are connected and therefore also the functional elements covered by them are connected to one another in an electrically conductive manner, so that by fixing the sequins to the cut part using the electrically conductive thread, an electronic circuit is produced, the conductor tracks of which are at least partially formed by the electrically conductive thread and the functional elements of which are formed by the sequins. More preferably, after mechanically fixing the electronics section, the guide section is broken off and removed from the pattern piece so that a garment free of the guide sections of Pa 32a is produced.

The invention also relates to a set of sequins for realizing an article of clothing according to the invention, with the features of claim 21. Each of the sequins has a first section designed as an electronic section and a second section arranged next to the first section and designed as a guide section. Each of the sequins has a group of electronic functional elements, with capacitors, transistors, conductor tracks, coils, diodes, converter circuits, loudspeaker modules and/or transformers, for example, being provided as functional elements, and each of the sequins has contacts via which its electronic functional elements can be contacted each of said spangles having at least one sewing recess (511) on the periphery of which one of its contacts is formed. The electronics section of the sequin has all of the sewing cutouts and all of the electronic functional elements of the sequin. The guide section has an area of at least 20 mm ² . The guide sections of all the sequins in the set are of identical design, with the set having a plurality of different sequins which all differ from one another in the design of their electronics section differentiate. Each of these different sequins thus has an electronics section that differs from the electronics sections of all other sequins in this plurality of different sequins. The electronics sections of the different sequins each have a different group of electronic functional elements. Preferred the electronic sections of the different sequins differ only in the electronic functional elements provided on them. A group of electronic functional elements comprises at least one electronic functional element in each case. Particularly preferably, the electronics sections of the different sequins each have an identical arrangement of sewn-on cutouts. For example, a first sequin can comprise a light source as an electronic functional element, a second sequin can comprise a microcontroller as an electronic functional element and a third sequin can comprise a sensor element as an electronic functional element. The set according to the invention enables a particularly inexpensive and simple realization of an item of clothing which at the same time ensures a high degree of wearing comfort and which can contain a complex electronic circuit for implementing complex functions of the item of clothing. The set of different sequins provides an electronic construction kit, with the sequins enabling simple fixing and electrical contacting on a cut part through their guide section and providing a desired electronic function through their electronics section. The set according to the invention and the method according to the invention can each have features that are apparent to the person skilled in the art from the above explanations of embodiments of the article of clothing according to the invention, but can also be used independently of the article of clothing according to the invention to implement an electronic function on a textile.

Figur 1:

in einer schematischen Prinzipdarstellung eine Ansicht einer Vorderseite einer Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Kleidungsstückes;

Figur 2:

in einer schematischen Prinzipdarstellung eine Ansicht einer Rückseite einer Ausführungsform gemäß Figur 1;

Figur 3:

in einer schematischen Prinzipdarstellung ein Schnittmuster einer weiteren erfindungsgemäßen Ausführungsform;

Figur 4:

in einer schematischen Prinzipdarstellung eine Paillette einer Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Kleidungsstücks.

The invention also relates to a method for controlling a signal transmitter unit that is in an item of clothing according to the invention is integrated, with the features of claim 18. In the method according to the invention, measured values are read out and evaluated from a sensor unit which is integrated in the garment. Depending on an evaluation of the measured values, a predefined control signal is output, with which the signal transmitter unit is controlled to output a signal assigned to the predefined control signal. The method according to the invention can have further features which are evident from the above explanation of the most varied embodiments of a garment according to the invention. The invention also relates to the use of an item of clothing according to the invention and in particular a computing unit for carrying out the method according to the invention. The use can have features that are evident from the above explanations of embodiments of a garment according to the invention and a method according to the invention. The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to three figures using exemplary embodiments. Show it:

Figure 1:

in a schematic representation of principle a view of a front side of an embodiment of a garment according to the invention;

Figure 2:

in a schematic basic representation a view of a rear side according to an embodiment figure 1 ;

Figure 3:

in a schematic basic representation a pattern of a further embodiment according to the invention;

Figure 4:

in a schematic representation of the principle Sequin of an embodiment of a garment according to the invention.

In the Figures 1 and 2 an embodiment of an article of clothing according to the invention, which is designed as a jacket 1, is shown schematically. In figure 1 the obverse is 100 in figure 2 the back 200 of this jacket 1 is shown. Below are the Figures 1 and 2 explained together.

The jacket 1 according to the invention has an outer layer, a lower layer and an intermediate layer. All layers are made from cut pieces that are sewn together. The jacket 1 has two sleeves 30 and extends vertically upwards from a lower end 10 along the vertical. The jacket 1 has shoulders 40 at its top. In the described embodiment, the jacket 1 comprises a signal transmitter unit 2, 6, which on the one hand has light emitter units 2, each comprising an LED and a light guide, and a vibration unit 6. All elements of the signal transmitter unit 2, 6 are electrically conductively connected to the control unit 4 of the jacket 1. The control unit 4 has an interface via which the control unit 4 can send control signals to all elements of the signal generator unit 2 , 6 . The jacket 1 also has a sensor unit, which in the present case is in the form of optical sensors 7, each of which is in the form of a CCD chip. In the present embodiment, four light emitter units 2 of the signal generator unit 2, 6 are provided on the front and back 100, 200 of the jacket 1 and are distributed and aligned in such a way that light emitted by the light emitter units 2 at a distance of 5 m from the jacket 1 from each Viewing direction is visible perpendicular to the vertical Z, as long as the viewer is along the vertical Z at a height with the jacket 1. All sensors 7 of the sensor unit are also connected to the control unit 4 of the jacket 1 . Two of the sensors 7 are provided on the back 200 and one on the front 100 of the jacket 1 . A movement sensor 3 , a touch switch 5 and the vibration unit 6 of the signal generator unit 2 , 6 are connected to the control unit 4 .

The jacket 1 can be put into its operating phase by the touch switch 5 or be put from its operating phase into the resting phase. The touch switch 5 is a capacitive touch switch 5. When the jacket 1 is in its operating phase, the control unit 4 continuously reads measured values from the sensor unit and evaluates them. Evaluation logic is stored in the control unit 4, with the control unit 4 sending control signals to both the light emitter units 2 and the vibration unit 6 of the signal generator unit 2, 6 if the evaluation shows that the light intensity incident on at least one of the optical sensors 7 of the sensor unit falls, increases within one second by at least 50% based on the previously determined measured value. Here, the driving signals cause the light emitting units 2 to emit pulsed light at a pulse rate of one tenth each being supplied with a current of 150 mA during the light pulse, and moreover, the driving signals cause the vibrating unit 6 to generate a vibration signal. Since the vibration unit 6 is located on a sleeve area, which is intended to be in close contact with the wearer when worn as intended, the jacket according to the invention at the explained Detection of the presence of an external light source, which is equated here with the presence of an external object, by the signal transmitter unit 2, 6, both the wearer is warned and the approaching, light-generating external object is warned. This is because the light emitter units 2 emit a light signal to the outside which can be perceived by the external object, ie for an outside observer, and the vibration unit 6 emits a signal to the wearer which can be perceived by the wearer.

From the Figures 1 and 2 It can also be seen that the sensor unit is exposed to environmental influences exclusively via such a sensor surface, namely via the surface formed by the optical sensors 7, which are sufficiently spaced both from the side seams 20 and from the lower end 10 of the jacket 1. This avoids the functionality or detection rate of the sensor unit being reduced, based on the intended wearing, with various normal movements of a wearer.

The illustrated embodiment of a jacket 1 according to the invention also has a movement sensor 3 which is also connected to the control unit 4 . The control unit 4 continuously reads the movement sensor 3 . Upon detection of a movement sequence of the movement sensor 3, which is defined as a fall in the evaluation logic of the control unit 4, the control unit 4 controls the sensor unit to take photos via its optical sensors 7. The control unit 4 also has a wireless Bluetooth interface via which it can be coupled to a smartphone. If the control unit 4 detects a fall, the control unit 4 transmits the photos to the connected smartphone and sends these photos to a specified address and initiates an emergency call to a specified emergency number, the address and the emergency number being specifiable via wireless programming of the control unit 4 or via an app stored in the smartphone.

In figure 3 is shown schematically the cutting pattern of an embodiment of the invention. Based on the in figure 3 The cutting pattern shown is intended to illustrate in which areas of an embodiment of a garment according to the invention sensors 7 of the sensor unit are preferably arranged so that these sensors 7 can preferably fulfill their function without malfunctions when the garment is used as intended. At the in figure 3 The pattern shown is a pattern for a jacket 1. In figure 3 it can be seen that the jacket 1 has a front 100 and a back 200 . In figure 3 sensor-free areas 12 of the jacket 1 are drawn in with strong lines, as well as sensor areas 11. The sensor-free areas 12 extend in the vicinity of the side seam 20 and at the lower end 10 of the jacket 1, whereas the sensor areas 11, where sensors 7 of the sensor unit are preferably placed are, extend over the further planar course of the jacket 1. From the exemplary embodiment described it can be seen that with the targeted arrangement of the sensor surface of the sensor unit it can be deliberately avoided that the functionality of the sensor unit is unduly restricted when a garment according to the invention is worn and used as intended.

In figure 4 is a schematic representation of a sequin 50 of an embodiment of a Garment 1 according to the invention shown. The sequin 50 comprises an electronics section 51 and a guide section 52 arranged next to the electronics section 51 in an intended direction. The electronics section 51 is rigidly connected to the guide section 52 via webs 53 . In the described embodiment, and generally advantageously, the electronics section 51 and the guide section 52 are integrally formed as a one-piece piece from circuit board substrate. While the guide section 52 is free of electronic functional elements, the electronics section 51 has conductor tracks 512 and a microprocessor 510 as electronic functional elements. The electronics section 51 also has sewn-on recesses 511, which in the present case are designed as sewn-on holes. These sewing cutouts 511 are delimited by an electrically conductive border, which is electrically conductively connected to a section of a conductor track 512 and forms a contact of the sequin 50 . Correspondingly, by fixing the electronics section 51 by means of an electrically conductive yarn, which runs through its sewn-on recesses 511 and rests against the border thereof, the electronics section 51 can be mechanically fixed to a cut part and electrical contact can be made at the same time. The guide section 52 has a guide hole 520 for a mandrel of a sequin embroidery machine. In a production method according to the invention, the sequin 50 is gripped by the mandrel of the sequin embroidery machine by arranging the mandrel in the guide hole 520 and then aligning it relative to a cut part, after which the electronic section 51 is fixed and thus also directly electrically contacts the cut part . The guide section 52 is then separated from the electronics section 51 on the webs 53 canceled. In the embodiment described and generally advantageous according to the invention, a predetermined breaking point is provided between the guide section 52 and the electronics section 51, which is provided directly adjacent to the electronics section 51, so that the formation of sharp edges on the electronics section 51 is avoided as far as possible and thus the electronics section 51 Cancel the guide portion 52 is as small as possible. In the exemplary embodiment described, the webs 53 have a thinning on their side facing the electronics section 51, via which they can be easily broken off from the electronics section 51.

Reference List

1

Jacket

2

light emitter unit

3

motion sensor

4

control unit

5

touch switch

6

vibration unit

7

sensor of the sensor unit

10

lower end

11

sensor area

12

sensor-free area

20

side seam

30

sleeve

40

shoulder

50

sequin

51

electronics section

52

guide section

53

web

100

front

200

back

510

microprocessor

511

sewing recess

512

trace

520

guide hole

Z

vertical

Claims (21)

1. A garment, in particular a jacket (1), comprising a plurality of cut parts which are each cut to size from a fabric and which are sewn together, wherein the garment has electronic components, wherein the garment comprises as electronic components at least one sensor unit for detecting a presence of an object, a control unit (4) and an electronic signaling unit (2, 6), wherein the control unit (4) is designed for receiving measured values from the sensor unit during an operating phase of the garment and to transmit drive signals generated as a function of the read-out measured values to the signaling unit (2, 6), the signaling unit (2, 6) being designed to output, on receipt of a predefined drive signal, a predefined signal which can be perceived by a wearer of the garment and/or by an external observer of the garment
   characterized in that
   the electronic components are integrated in the garment in such a way that the garment, starting from any point at which the electronic components are located, can be reversibly bent and/or folded within a distance of less than 3 cm, in particular less than 2 cm, at least one of the electronic components having at least one sequin (50) formed as a printed circuit board equipped with electronic functional elements, in particular a capacitor, transistor, conductor track, coil, diode, microprocessor, microcontroller, converter circuit, loudspeaker module and/or transformer, and which has an extension of less than 3 cm, in particular less than 2 cm, in all directions, and on which contacts are provided via which it is connected to a conductive yarn connected to at least one of the cut parts, the sequin (50) having at least one sewing recess (511) at the border of which one of the contacts is formed, wherein the conductive yarn runs through the sewing recess (511) while resting against the border thereof and fixes the border of the sewing recess (511) to the cut part, wherein in particular the electronic functional elements of the sequin (50) are encapsulated in a waterproof casing.
2. Garment according to claim 1,
   characterized in that
   at least some of the electronic components, in particular at least the sensor unit and the signaling unit (2, 6) and in particular the control unit (4), are non-detachably connected to the respective fabric from which the respective cut part is cut to size, on which the respective electronic component is arranged, these electronic components being in particular printed, glued, embroidered, knitted or woven onto the fabric.
3. Garment according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   the control unit (4) comprises a link to a computing unit in which an evaluation logic is stored, the control unit (4) being designed to evaluate the measured values read out from the sensor unit with the stored evaluation logic and to output actuation signals to the signaling unit (2, 6) as a function of an evaluation result obtained by the evaluation logic.
4. Garment according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   a plurality of sequins (50) are integrated into the garment, which sequins are interconnected by the electrically conductive yarn to form an electronic circuit, the conductor tracks (512) of which are at least partially formed by the electrically conductive yarn and the electronic functional elements of which are formed by the sequins (50), wherein in particular at least one of the electronic components comprises a group of sequins (50), each of which forms at least one electronic functional element of these electronic components and which are interconnected by the conductive yarn to form this electronic component.
5. Garment according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that

   one side of the sequin (50) is formed as a broken side, which is formed as a broken edge,
   or that

   the sequin (50) has a first section formed as an electronics section (51) and a second section formed as a guide section (52) arranged next to the first section, wherein the electronics section (51) of the sequin (50) has the at least one sewing recess (511) and all the electronic functional elements of the sequin (50) and the guide section (52) has an area of at least 20 mm², wherein in particular a guide hole (520) for a mandrel of a sequin embroidery machine is provided in the guide section (52) and/or the sequin (50) is fixed to the cut part exclusively within its electronics section (51).
6. Garment according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   garment comprises an upper fabric layer which forms an outer side facing away from the wearer when the garment is worn as intended, and a bottom fabric layer which forms an inner side of the garment facing towards the wearer when the garment is worn as intended, wherein an intermediate space is formed between the upper fabric layer and the bottom fabric layer in which the electronic components are arranged.
7. Garment according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   the sensor unit has at least one optical sensor (7) which is designed to output a measured value as a function of a light intensity of light impinging on it, in particular the control unit (4) being designed to activate the signaling unit (2, 6) as a function of the value of the light intensity output as a measured value in order to output a signal, in particular the dependency being defined in such a way that, in the event of a change in the value of the light intensity by more than a limit value, the signaling unit (2, 6) is activated in order to output the signal.
8. Garment according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   the sensor unit forms a sensor surface, at least 80%, in particular at least 90%, of the sensor surface being arranged in a region on the garment, the outwardly facing surface normal of which has an angle of at least 30°, in particular at least 45°, of the vertical (Z) when the garment is worn as intended, in which the wearer stands up straight along a vertical (Z) running parallel to the weight force acting on the earth, allows his arms to hang straight down along the vertical (Z) and directs his eyes into the horizontal.
9. Garment according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   the signaling unit (2, 6) has a current consumption of 500 mA to 3000 mA when the signal is output and/or in that the garment has an energy store which is integrated in particular into the fabric of the garment, the energy store ensuring a minimum operating time of 3 hours, in particular 5 hours, when the signal is output continuously by the signaling unit (2, 6).
10. Garment according to any one of the preceding claims
    characterized in that
    the control unit (4) is designed to determine from measured values of the sensor unit whether fog is present in an environment around the garment, the control unit (4) being designed, in the event of fog being determined in the environment, to permanently actuate the signaling unit (2, 6) to output the signal.
11. Garment according to any one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that
    the garment comprises a movement sensor (3), the control unit being designed to read measured values from the movement sensor (3) and to determine from a change in a measured value output by the movement sensor (3) within a predetermined time whether the wearer of the garment has fallen, the control unit (4) being designed to generate an emergency signal when a fall of the wearer is determined.
12. Garment according to any one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that
    the garment has a central switch, in particular integrated into the fabric, wherein the wearer can switch at least one function of the electronic components of the garment on and off via the switch.
13. Garment according to any one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that
    the signaling unit (2, 6) has a plurality of light sources distributed over the garment, in particular a light guide being connected to at least some of the light sources, in particular the light sources being connected to an outer side of the garment via an at least partially transparent intermediate layer, in particular the light guides forming a portion of the outer side of the garment.
14. Garment according to any one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that
    the signal generator is adapted to output a pulsed signal as the signal output upon receipt of the predefined drive signal, wherein the pulse rate is less than one third, in particular less than one fifth.
15. Garment according to any one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that
    the electronic components are integrated into the garment such that the garment is washable at 30°.
16. Garment according to any one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that
    the control unit (4) has an interface for coupling a mobile electronic device, in particular a mobile telephone, the interface being designed in particular as a wireless interface.
17. Garment according to any one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that
    the garment is a jacket (1), wherein the sensor unit (4) extends at least partially over the back (200), the front (100) and in particular the sleeves (30) and/or the signaling unit (2, 6) extends at least partially over the back (200), the front (100) and in particular the sleeves (30), wherein in particular the signaling unit (2, 6) is designed to output a mechanical signal to the wearer and the signaling unit (2, 6) extends on at least one sleeve (30) or on at least one shoulder (40).
18. Method of controlling a signaling unit (2, 6) being integrated in a garment according to any one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that
    measured values are read out from a sensor unit which is integrated in the garment and are evaluated, a predefined control signal being output as a function of an evaluation of the measured values, with which control signal the signaling unit (2, 6) is controlled to output a signal which is assigned to the predefined control signal.
19. Method of manufacturing a garment according to any one of claims 1 to 17,
    characterized in that
    a plurality of cut parts, each cut to size from a fabric, are sewn together, wherein, in a working step for realizing an electronic component integrated in one of the cut parts, a sequin (50) formed as a printed circuit board equipped with electronic functional elements and having an electronics section (51) and a guide section (52) rigidly connected to this electronics section (51), the electronics section (51) having all the electronic functional elements of the sequin (50), is fixed to the cut part by means of a sequin embroidery machine, wherein the sequin embroidery machine grips the sequin (50) at its guide section (52) during the working step by means of a guide device and guides it into a predetermined position relative to the cut part and then mechanically fixes the sequin (50) through at least one sewing recess (511) provided in the electronics section (51) by means of an electrically conductive yarn, and wherein subsequently further sequins (50) are mechanically fixed to the cut part with the electrically conductive yarn, wherein, in particular, after the mechanical fixing of the electronics section (51), the guide section (52) is broken off from the latter and removed from the cut part.
20. Method according to claim 19,
    characterized in that
    during the working step, the guide device engages with a guide mandrel in a guide hole (520) provided in the guide section (52).
21. Set of sequins (50) for realizing a garment according to claim 1, wherein each of the sequins (50) comprises a group of electronic functional elements, wherein the functional elements provided are, for example, capacitors, transistors, conductive tracks, coils, diodes, converter circuits, loudspeaker modules and/or transformers, and wherein each of the sequins has contacts via which its electronic functional elements can be contacted, each of the sequins having at least one sewing recess (511), on the border of which one of its contacts is formed, each of the sequins (50) having a first section which is designed as an electronics section (51) and a second section which is arranged next to the first section and is designed as a guide section (52), wherein the electronics section (51) of the sequin (50) comprises all of the sewing recesses (511), on the border of each of which one of the contacts of the sequin (50) is formed, and all of the electronic functional elements of the sequin (50), and the guide section (52) has an area of at least 20 mm², wherein the guide sections (52) of all of the sequins (50) are identically formed, wherein the set comprises a plurality of different sequins (50), which all differ from each other by the design of their electronics section (51), wherein the electronics sections (51) of the different sequins (50) each comprise a different group of electronic functional elements and, in particular, each comprise an identical arrangement of sewing recesses (511).

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