WO2007021291A2

WO2007021291A2 - System and method for interpretive garments

Info

Publication number: WO2007021291A2
Application number: PCT/US2005/036864
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dawne P. Weisman; Brian Elan Lee
Original assignee: Edoc Apparel Llc
Priority date: 2005-08-17
Filing date: 2005-10-12
Publication date: 2007-02-22
Also published as: WO2007021291A3; US20070050880A1

Abstract

An interpretive garment marking system and method allows for one or more garments to be used to convey messages or information, or otherwise provide forms of interaction with a first group of humans. Conveyance and interaction with the first group is done without conveyance and interaction with a second different group of humans even though the humans of both groups have substantially similar access to visually perceive the garments. Implementations include encryption, keying, camouflage, authentication, masking, selection, signing, manipulation, and/or combination.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERPRETIVE GARMENTS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Description of the Related Art

Some conventional garments are marked with text, which can be read by members of the general public and provide messages/information to all who care to read the text.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

Figure 1 is a substitution table containing an exemplary substitutional code used in an encryption based implementation of an interpretive garment marking system.

Figure 2 is an elevational front side view of a garment incorporating the exemplary substitutional code shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a keyed character table containing exemplary keyed characters used in a key based implementation of the interpretive garment marking system.

Figure 4 is an elevational front side view of a garment incorporating the exemplary keyed characters shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of an example message containing a camouflaged character based implementation of the interpretive garment marking system.

Figure 6 is an elevational front side view of a garment incorporating the exemplary camouflaged characters shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 a flowchart of an exemplary challenge-response authentication method for the interpretive garment marking system. Figure 8 is a schematic of an associated first implementation of the authentication method of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a schematic of an associated second implementation of the authentication method of Figure 7.

Figure 10 is a flowchart of an exemplary masking method for the interpretative garment marking system. Figure 11 is a schematic of an associated first implementation of the masking method of Figure 10.

Figure 12 are front side and back side elevational views of a garment associated with a second implementation of the exemplary masking method of Figure 10.

Figure 13 is an elevational front side view of the garment of Figure 12 during execution of the second implementation of the exemplary masking method of Figure 10.

Figure 14 is an elevational front side view of a pair of garments associated with a third implementation of the exemplary masking method of Figure 10.

Figure 15 is an elevational front side view of the pair of garments of Figure 14 during execution of the third implementation of the exemplary masking method of Figure 10.

Figure 16 is a schematic depicting exemplary symbols used in selection based implementations of the interpretive garment marking system.

Figure 17 is an elevational front side view of a garment incorporating the exemplary symbols shown in Figure 16 with a first selection based implementation of the interpretive garment marking system shown in use.

Figure 18 is an elevational front side view of a garment incorporating the exemplary symbols shown in Figure 16 with a second selection based implementation of the interpretive garment marking system.

Figure 19 is an elevational front side view of the garment of Figure 18 shown in use.

Figure 20 is a depiction of a hand in an exemplary position to be used with a signing based implementation of the interpretive garment marking system.

Figure 21 is an elevational front side view of a garment incorporating position markers for the exemplary hand position of Figure 20 for use with the signing based implementation of the interpretive garment marking system.

Figure 22 is an elevational front side view of a garment incorporating a physical manipulation implementation of the interpretive garment marking system shown in three degrees of message covering.

Figure 23 is an elevational front side view of a garment incorporating a single garment combination implementation of the interpretive garment marking system shown in an uncombined mode. Figure 24 is an elevational front side view of the garment of Figure 23 shown in a combined mode.

Figure 25 is an elevational front side view of a first garment used in a multiple garment combination implementation of the interpretive garment marking system shown in an uncombined mode.

Figure 26 is an elevational front side view of a second garment used in the multiple garment combination implementation of the interpretive garment marking system shown in an uncombined mode.

Figure 27 is an elevational front side view of the first garment of Figure 25 and the second garment of Figure 26 shown in a combined mode.

Figure 28 is an elevational front side view of a garment incorporating the exemplary camouflaged characters shown in Figure 5 and incorporating other symbols on the garment.

Figure 29 is an elevational front side view of the garment of Figure 28 further showing a portion of an interior surface containing a base message.

Figure 30 is a schematic of a correspondence involving the base message shown in Figure 29.

Figure 31 is a schematic of a correspondence involving a message involving the symbols of Figure 28. Figure 32 is a schematic of a implementation using the garment of Figure

28 with a scenario involving inputting an decoded message from the symbols of Figure 28 into a computer.

Figure 33 is a table containing a floral code.

Figure 34 is an implementation using the floral code from the table of Figure 33.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An interpretive garment marking system and method allows for one or more garments to be used to convey messages or information, or otherwise provide forms of interaction with a first group of one or more humans (referred to herein as "the private group"). Conveyance and interaction with the first group is done without conveyance and interaction with a second different group of humans (referred to herein as "the public group") even though the humans of both the private group and the public group have substantially similar access to visually perceive the garments. The humans of the private and public groups differ in that the humans of the private group have an ability to acquire information through use of one or more marked garments of the system by interpretation including decryption, unlocking, decloaking, authentication, masking, selection, signing, manipulation, combining, and/or combinations thereof. Depending upon a particular implementation of the system, an ability to interpret the one or more garments used can be obtained through various ways including training, use of a reference, natural ability, and/or possession of a communication device along with visual access to the one or more garments.

The system has many uses. For example, the system could be used in an educational setting where children are encouraged to learn forms of abstract thinking through one or more mechanisms of interpretation available for implementation with the system. This abstract thinking could be encouraged through use of the system since children are typically motivated to be included within a group-private group in this case. In this example, to belong to the private group, one must be able to communicate with other members of the private group by either providing a message or other information to others in the private group through use of the system and/or interpret messages provided through the system. Thus a motivation to belong to a private group also motivates to acquire skill in interpretation and abstract thinking involved with the system. In another example, adolescents tend to seek forms of privacy in communication with one another. The system offers many forms of communication that can be performed in a private manner even while communication occurs in a public setting. Consequently, the system may assist with desired communication in settings that are otherwise less conducive to such communication. An encryption based implementation of the system can use a substitution table 100 such as that shown in Figure 1 containing a substitutional code with sufficient mapping information for encryption using at least in part a substitutionary approach. By the substitutionary approach, an original plaintext letter 102 of a word is replaced by a substitute ciphertext letter 104 when the word is being marked onto a garment. For example, a garment 106 depicted in Figure 2 has been marked with ciphertext words 108 that are encrypted according to the substitution table 100. The ciphertext words 108 are encrypted on the garment 106 as "mlgsrmt gl srwv." Through use of the substitution table 100 or by other ways, information can be acquired by decrypting the words 108 on the garment 106 to form a plaintext message "nothing to hide". Other plaintext messages, phrases, story elements, or other uses of an established language can be disguised or otherwise alternatively represented by marking ciphertext on a garment with encryption.

In general, substitution involves transforming at least a portion of a plaintext message into something else. Another method of encryption involves permutation, which involves moving portions of plaintext around. For example, an exemplary permutation method could reverse pairs of plaintext letters such that ABCD would become BADC. Other implementations can combine substitution with permutation to enhance encryption. A keyed character table 120 containing exemplary keyed characters 122 used in a key based implementation of the system is shown in Figure 3. For each keyed character 122, the keyed character table 120 further includes a key location 124 that shows location of a key 126 in the depicted example, the concave side of the curved interior lines, and a resolved character 128 that results when the key is utilized. In the depicted case, each of the keys 126 is utilized by covering of the key such as by with a digit of a hand to block a portion of the keyed character. The keys 126 show a person where to place a finger to block the view of the lines in that area of the keyed character 122, thus producing for the viewing by the user the change of the resolved character 128, which is readable as a letter. For example, the keyed message 132 of Figure 4, when the keyed characters 122 are all resolved, reads "NOTHING TO HIDE". The depicted implementation of the keyed characters 122 uses characters of a particular shape to be integrated with the keys 126 given the particular font of the keyed characters and placement and shape of the keys. Other fonts can be used for the keyed characters 122 and other shaping and placement of the keys 126 can also be used. Other implementations may use keyed signals and/or symbols, alone or in combination with the keyed characters 122. Other rules regarding formation or creation of characters, symbols, or signals can be used to produce other forms of the keys 126.

An example of a camouflaged message 140 having camouflaged characters 142 associated with a camouflaged character based implementation of the interpretive garment marking system is shown in Figure 5. The camouflaged characters 142 are positioned with respect to other elements displayed such as graphic elements 144 or other garment features so that the camouflaged characters are less apparent to an undiscerning eye. A garment 146 incorporating the exemplary camouflaged characters 142 is shown in Figure 6. Other styles of camouflage are used with other implementations in which characters, signals, and/or symbols are hidden from undiscerning eyes within graphic elements of the garment or other garment features.

A challenge-response authentication method 150 for the interpretive garment marking system is shown in Figure 7 along with an associated first example 160 shown in Figure 8 and an associated second example 180 shown in Figure 9. The method 150 receives a challenge (step 152) generally from a communication device. The challenge typically contains instructions to assist in acquiring information somehow through the use of or otherwise association with a garment of the system. For instance in the first example 160, a computer 162 displays a prompt

164 asking for a word found on John's bike. A user or other would then research this issue through on-line access, such as the Internet, or local access, information concerning a garment (step 154). In the first example 160, a garment 166 is entitled "John's bike" 168 and is marked with a representation 170 of a motorcycle having an indication 172 of a coded word, as depicted, coded according to the character table 120 of Figure 3 that when the coded word is decoded it reads "fit." As a result of the research step 164, the user would locate the garment and decode the word marked on the garment to read "fit." In other implementations other alphanumeric text or other symbology can be used. According to the method 150, the user or other would then provide a response (step 156) such as through use of the communication device. In the first example 160, the computer 162 is used to transmit a response 174 in the form of the word "fit."

The method 150 then involves having the user or other receive a reward (step 158). In the first example 160, the computer 162 transmits a message 176, which can be a portion of a story or other type of information. In other implementations reward content can be presented through a phone, television, film, book, other garments, short messaging service, or other media, communication device, or information providing system and/or service.

In the second example 180 of Figure 9, a garment 182 has a keyed message 132 that is camouflaged by graphic elements 144. A user or other researches the garment 182 (step 154) to acquire information pertaining to a message "NOTHING TO HIDE" contained within the keyed message 132 as described above with respect to Figures 3 and 4. In the second example 180, a short message service (SMS) of a cell phone 186 is then used to send a response (step 156) in the form of the first word "nothing" 188 of the message contained within the keyed message 132. The cell phone 186 is then used to receive a reward (step 158) in the form of an SMS message containing a portion of a story.

An exemplary masking method 200 for the interpretive garment marking system is shown in Figure 10 in which a mask is obtained (step 202). The mask has highlighting portions and non-highlighting portions that are aligned with emphasized portions and non-emphasized portions, respectively, of a garment (step 204). The non- highlighting portions are used to de-emphasize portions of a garment so that some markings on the garment are ignored in favor of markings that are emphasized by the highlighting portions of the mask, thereby data contained in markings on the garment can be perceived (step 206).

In some implementations, the non-highlighting portions can cover or at least partially obscure the non-emphasized portions of the garment so that visual perception of the markings within the non-emphasized portions is at least reduced if not eliminated. In other implementations, the non-emphasized portions may be resolved from another sort of distinction between how the non-highlighting portions and the highlighting portions engage with their respective portions of the garment to cause a distinction in how the non-emphasized portions and emphasized portions are visually perceived. This distinction may be caused by a distinction in coloring, shading, framing, obscuring or other action on the non-emphasized and/or emphasized portions of the garment depending upon the action involved. In some implementations, the highlighting portions of the mask are generally some sort of framed areas, windows, voids, openings, colored transparencies or other features to distinguish the emphasized portions of the garment from the non-emphasized portions of the garment.

A first example 210 of the masking method 200 is shown in Figure 11 in which a garment 212 has character based markings 214. A computer 216 is used to retrieve a displayed mask 218. A paper version of the mask 220 is printed having indications where openings 222 are to be cut out from the paper to form the highlighting portions of the mask whereas remaining portions 224 of the paper are used as the non- highlighting portions of the mask (step 202). The mask 220 is placed over the garment 212 to align the openings 222 with portions of the markings 214 to resolve the message "nothing to hide". A second example 230 of the masking method 200 is shown in Figures 12 and 13 in which a garment 232 has the markings 214 on a front side 234. The garment has a backside 236 that can be used as a mask. The backside 236 has several openings 238 that are highlighting portions. When the garment 232 is viewed from the front side 234 with rays of light (not shown) striking the backside 236, the openings 238 allow the rays of light to distinguish those parts of the markings 214 in alignment with the openings as emphasized portions 242 as shown in Figure 13. The garment is so fabricated to implement a predetermined alignment between the openings 238 and the emphasized portions 242 of the markings 214. A third example 250 of the masking method 200 is shown in Figures 14 and 15 in which a first garment 252 has the markings 214 on a front side 254. A second garment 256 has a front side 258 with openings 260 to be used as highlighting portions of a mask. When the second garment 256 is placed over the first garment 252, such as when the first garment is firstly put on by a human and the second garment is secondly put on by the human, a combination 262 is formed as shown in Figure 15. The combination 262 allows for alignment of the openings 260 with those portions of the markings 214 that result as emphasized portions 264 to resolve the message "nothing to hide".

In other implementations of the masking method 200, other combinations of garments are used such is a combination of a tie, a hat, and a shirt, etc. A garment may contain another kind of mask or other decoding key within itself such as a Rosetta stone hidden somewhere on the garment. Other forms such as Web, phone, TV, film, books, other garments, SMS, etc. may contain unlocking mechanisms for a code (cipher, print, etc.) on a garment containing a word, thought, or phrase. A collection of symbols 270 used in exemplary selection based implementations of the interpretive garment marking system is shown in Figure 16. In this example, the collection 270 includes a happy face 272, a bored face 274, and a sad face 276. The collection 270 is shown in Figure 17 as marking a garment 278 with the symbols dispersed about the garment so that they are sufficiently separated from each other to allow for selection of a particular symbol out of the collection by pointing or otherwise gesturing to the area on the garment in which a particular symbol is located. By gesturing with respect to a particular symbol, a user can convey a ■ message or other information represented in this case by one of the collection of symbols 270. In other implementations, collections of other markings can be utilized. In the depicted example of the garment 278, a hand 280 of a wearer of the garment 278 is gesturing toward the happy face 272, which may be done to convey to a viewer familiar with the interpretive garment marking system a feeling of the wearer associated with happiness. A portion of the collection 270 is shown in Figure 18 as marking a garment 282 with the happy face 272 and the sad face 276 symbols dispersed about the garment. A portion of a sentence 284 is also marked on the garment 282 in which a selection of one of the symbols complements the sentence portion 284 to complete a sentence in the present depicted case concerning feelings of a wearer of the garment based upon a selection between the happy face 272 symbol and the sad face 276 symbol. A statement of these feelings is conveyed to others familiar with the interpretive garment marking system by covering all but one of the symbols.

As depicted in Figure 19, this covering is accomplished by the hand 280 of the wearer of the garment 282 being placed over the symbol to be excluded from consideration by others (in this case the sad face 276 symbol). As a result, the happy face 272 is the only symbol that remains uncovered so that the wearer of the garment 282 is able to undergo self-expression of happiness without having to vocalize such feelings.

Other selection based implementations of the interpretive garment marking system use other markings (sometimes of a more complex and less intuitive nature) to involve gesturing language with garments. Implementations using other placement of signals, characters, or symbols on one or more garments that indicate one or more words, thoughts, or phrases based on location and/or orientation of the wearer's limbs or digits are also included within the system. A depiction of a right hand 290 in an exemplary orientation 291 to be used with a signing based implementation of the interpretive garment marking system is shown in Figure 20. The right hand 290 is depicted as having a first digit (thumb) 292, a second digit 294, a third digit 296, a fourth digit 298, and a fifth digit 300. In the depicted orientation 291 of the right hand 290, the first digit 292, the second digit 294, and the fifth digit 300 are extended whereas the third digit 296 and the fourth digit 298 are retracted to convey a signing expression of "I love you." A garment 302 is shown in Figure 21 as having markings 304 with a first digit signing placement indicator 306, second digit signing placement indicator 308, and fifth digit signing placement indicator 310. The markings 304 are intended to guide placement of the first digit, the second digit, and the fifth digit of the wearer's hand on to the first digit signing placement indicator 306, the second digit signing placement indicator 308, and the fifth digit signing placement indicator 310, respectively, to cause the wearer's hand to assume the depicted orientation 291 of Figure 20 and thereby convey an expression by the wearer of the garment of "I love you" to a nearby visual observer without need of vocalization. The various signing placement indicators of the markings 304 can be further distinguished from one another by differences in shape, color, or other feature to additionally guide placement. Alternatively, the markings 304 could serve as a message to one or more trained observers independent of whether placement of the hand 290 occurs thereon. Other signing based implementations use other signing placement indicators for other orientations of one or more digits, hands, and/or limbs to convey various expressions.

A garment 312 having a left sleeve 314 utilizing a physical manipulation implementation of the interpretive garment marking system is shown in a first stage, a second stage, and a third stage of message covering in Figure 22. As shown, the first stage 316 involves the sleeve 314 fully unrolled so that no message is shown. With the second stage 318, the sleeve's end portion is rolled or flipped up a first degree to reveal a portion of its inner surface with a marking having a first message thereon (e.g. "Nothing" for the case depicted in Figure 22). Care is used in rolling or flipping the sleeve so that the end portion of the sleeve 314 is turned inside out with one fold so that the first message is not otherwise covered up in the rolling process.

In the third stage 320, the sleeve 314 is rolled or flipped up a second degree larger than the first degree to reveal a second marking positioned on the inner surface of the sleeve with a second message thereon (e.g. "to Hide" for the case depicted in Figure 22) along with the first message. Again, the sleeve is further turned inside out with still one fold so that both the first message and the second message are visible. Other physical manipulation implementations can be used in which garments are physically manipulated in other ways to decode or reveal characters, symbols, or other sorts of information or messages through such operations as folding, rolling, pulling strings, turning portions of garments or turning whole garments inside-out to either wear or display, or other sorts of manipulation of garments. Of course, while the message "NOTHING TO HIDE" has been used as an example for several embodiments described, the messages and information may be used with the interpretive garment marking system.

A garment 322 incorporating a single garment combination implementation of the interpretive garment marking system is shown in an uncombined mode 323 in Figure 23. The garment 322 has a trunk 324 having first markings 326 and a left sleeve 328 with second markings 330. In the uncombined mode 323, the first markings 326 and the second markings 330 are both fully visible. As shown in Figure 24, when the garment 322 is positioned in a combined mode 332, the left sleeve 328 is folded to bring it across the trunk 324. In the combined mode 332, the left sleeve 328 blocks some of the first markings 326 from view and the second markings 330 remain visible to complement that portion of the first markings that also remains visible. In the depicted implementation of the combined mode 332, the second markings 330 combine with the visible portion of the first markings 326 to produce recognizable characters "edoc" 334 and a symbol 336 (a cross in a circle). In other implementations, other garments are used in particular physical configurations to uncover, reveal, or otherwise decode hidden messages. The combination mode 332 may be achieved while wearing the garment 322 by crossing the left arm of the wearer over his chest to combine the second markings 330 with the first markings 326. A first garment 338 having first markings 340 shown in an uncombined mode in Figure 25 and a second garment 342 having second markings 344 shown in an uncombined mode in Figure 26 are both used in a multiple garment combination implementation of the interpretive garment marking system. The first garment 338 and the second garment 342 are shown in Figure 27 being brought side by side with each other in a combined mode 346. In the combined mode 346, the first markings 340 and the second markings 344 combine to form a group of characters "edoc" 348 and a symbol 350 (a cross in a circle). In the depicted implementation and other multiple garment combination implementations, two or more people wearing associated garments decode or otherwise uncover the message by interacting with one another, being adjacent to, or being in proximity with one another. This can be accomplished by such circumstances as the persons standing next to each other or having one person's arm around another person to reveal an association between markings on their respective garments. Another exemplary implementation includes a garment 352 shown if Figure 28 as having the camouflaged characters 142 and the graphic elements 144 as used in other implementations discussed above. The garment 352 further has symbols 354 partially hidden within the camouflaged characters 142 and/or the graphic elements 144. In an exemplary scenario, a user locates the garment 352 and finds a hang tag 356 with instructions 357 affixed to the garment.

In the exemplary implementation, the instructions 357 reveal that a base message is located on the garment 352, such as on an interior surface of the garment, for instance, on an inside front bottom surface 358 as shown in Figure 29. The instructions 357 may reveal that the base message is somehow coded or otherwise concealed. Alternatively, the instructions may just indicate a general location of the base message and leave it to a user to discover the nature of the base message, which also include a series of symbols, characters and/or images.

The instructions may also state what the content of the base message is by expressing the content in a predicted functional language of a likely user type. For instance, in the case of the present depicted implementation, for an likely user having English as the user's functional language, the instructions may indicate that message content may be "nothing to hide," with the equivalent base message being the keyed message 132, coded as shown in Figure 29. A user knowing the that the base message is coded could then examine the base message to determine how it was coded by using the knowledge of the message content conveyed by the instructions 357. The depicted case of the base message involves the keyed message 132 having a message content of "nothing to hide" as the decoded message with the resolved characters 128 as shown in Figure 30. A user may deduce a translation procedure using a correspondence 360 providing the corresponding keyed locations 124 of the keyed characters 122 and offering keys 126 to guide decoding of the keyed message 132. With this gained knowledge regarding coding of the base message as provided by the correspondence 360, the user could then examine the symbols 354 on the garment to decode them. For the depicted case, a correspondence 368 for a keyed message 370 is shown in Figure 31 with an associated decoded message having the resolved characters 379, "scream."

A user can then enter the decoded message, "scream," into a computer 376, shown in Figure 32, or other device, having a monitor 378 displaying an entry screen 380. Upon entry of the decoded message, "scream," a reward, such as a story content 382 can be supplied by the computer 376.

Some implementations use a floral code 382 shown in Figure 33 having floral symbols 384 associated with an alphabet 386 and a numerical order 388. An exemplary floral code implementation 390 of the word "deified" having seven letters of the floral code 382 is shown in Figure 34 having a first floral symbol 392-1 through a seventh floral symbol 392-7 corresponding to a first of the seven letters 394-1 of

"deified" through a seventh of the seven letters 394-7. The floral code implementation

390 has a symmetrical configuration due to the symmetrical nature of the word "deified." With other words the resultant floral code implementation would take on another configuration depending upon the word, phrase, sentence or other alphanumeric text to be coded.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS The invention claimed is

1. A system comprising: a garment having markings, the markings including encrypted symbols.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the encrypted symbols are encrypted at least in part in association with a substitution table.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the encrypted symbols include encrypted characters.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the garment is a shirt.

5. A system comprising: a garment having markings, the markings including keyed characters, each keyed character having a portion indicating a placement.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the placement is a placement of a digit of a hand on the portion to observe the portion and reveal a resolved character.

7. A system comprising: a garment having markings, the markings having symbols and graphic elements, the graphic elements shaped and arranged with respect to the symbols to at least partially conceal the symbols from ready perception by a human.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the symbols are characters.

9. A method comprising: receiving a challenge; researching a garment to determine a response to the challenge; providing the response; and receiving a reward based upon the response.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the reward is associated with content presented by a mobile device.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the mobile device presents audio content.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the mobile device presents content through a display.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the mobile device is a cell phone.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the reward is associated with online content.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the researching a garment includes accessing at least one of the following: an on-line network or a local storage.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the researching a garment includes one of the following: decrypting symbols on the garment, unlocking symbols on the garment, decloaking symbols on the garment, masking symbols on the garment, manipulating the garment, combining a first portion of the garment with a second portion of the garment, or combining a portion of a first garment with a portion of a second garment.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein the receiving is done with a communication device.

18. A method comprising: acquiring a mask; aligning a mask with markings on a garment; and perceiving information from a portion of the markings on the garment emphasized by the mask when the mask is positioned relative to the garment.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the mask is a sheet of paper.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the mask is another garment.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the mask is a portion of the garment.

22. A method comprising: marking a garment with a plurality of symbols each representing different information; and indicating a selected one of the symbols.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the indicating includes gesturing toward the selected one of the symbols.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the indicating includes covering all but the selected one of the symbols.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the covering includes covering with a hand.

26. A method comprising: marking a garment with signing placement indicators; and placing portions of a human body on each of the signing placement indicators.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the portions of the human body are digits of a hand and the signing placement indicators cause the digits of the hand to assume the position of a hand sign.

28. A method comprising: positioning a marking on a garment to hide the marking while wearing the garment in a first stage; and manipulating a portion of the garment to be worn in a second stage to uncover the marking to be visible by someone other than the wearer.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the garment has a sleeve with an inner surface and the positioning places the marking on the inside surface of the sleeve.

30. A garment comprising: a first portion having a first marking; a second portion having a second marking, the first marking and the second marking configured to visibly display a combined symbol when the first portion is placed over the second portion.

31. The garment of claim 30 wherein the combined symbol includes at least one character.

32. A system comprising: a first garment having a first portion with a first marking; a second garment having a second portion with a second marking, the first marking and second marking configured to visibly display a combined symbol when the first portion is placed in an orientation with respect to the second portion.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the orientation includes placement of the first and second garments adjacent one another.