Directional indicator for protective face masks

• US 10,058,721 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2015
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey L. Dykes
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey L. Dykes
• Inventors: Dykes, Jeffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US15/533,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20170361132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 3406918
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 9/006 Indicators or warning devices, e.g. of low pressure, contamination
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/12 Diving masks
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 2011/121 comprising integrated optical signalling means or displays for data or images
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/166 Mechanical, construction or arrangement details of inertial navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/08 responsive to the presence of persons in a body of water, e.g. a swimming pool; responsive to an abnormal condition of a body of water
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources

Abstract

An electronic directional indicator includes a microcontroller in electronic communication with an electronic compass, an electronic motion-detecting module and at least one light source that is controllably illuminable. A battery life of the electronic directional indicator is managed by monitoring the electronic motion-detecting module for motion within pre-defined time periods and reducing power to electronic components accordingly. The electronic directional indicator can be placed on the face shield portion of a self-contained breathing apparatus face mask to provide a constant source of orientation for fire-fighters in reduced- or zero-visibility environments.

Claims

1. A portable electronic directional indicator device, comprising:

a main body comprising front and rear sides, wherein said front side comprises at least one directional indicator;

a power source;

at least one light source configured to controllably illuminate said directional indicator;

an electronic compass module configured to determine a directionality of said portable directional indicator device;

an electronic motion-detecting module configured for detecting motion of said portable directional indicator device;

a microcontroller in electronic communication with said electronic compass module and said motion-detecting module;

a light sensor configured to measure a level of ambient light received through a window disposed on said main body; and

a circuit board supporting at least said microcontroller, and a gasket member disposed between said circuit board and said front side;

wherein said gasket member comprises at least one aperture to provide light communication between said light source and said at least one directional indicator and at least one aperture to provide light communication between said light sensor and the environment outside of the portable electronic directional indicator device;

wherein said microcontroller is configured to control an operational aspect of said at least one light source or said electronic compass based on one or more signals received from said electronic motion-detecting module.

2. The portable electronic directional indicator device of claim 1, wherein said microcontroller is configured to control an output intensity of said at least one light source based upon a measured level of ambient light.

3. The portable electronic directional indicator device of claim 1, wherein said microcontroller is configured to control an output color of said at least one light source based upon said level of ambient light.

4. The portable electronic directional indicator device of claim 1, wherein said operational aspect of said electronic compass is power consumption.

5. The portable electronic directional indicator device of claim 4, wherein said operational aspect of said electronic compass is one of:

a low-power, standby mode;

a reduced-power, slow mode; and

a full-power, active mode.

6. An electronic directional indicator, comprising:

a protective housing having a rear side configured to attach said electronic directional indicator to a shield and a front side, wherein said front side comprises a first plurality of individually-illuminable directional indicium corresponding to a number of compass directions equal to said first plurality; and

a microcontroller disposed on a circuit board within said protective housing configured to receive a directional measurement from an electronic compass module and activate an individually-controllable light source assigned to a unique compass direction that is associated with, and disposed proximal to a corresponding one of said first plurality of individually-illuminable directional indicium;

wherein said microcontroller is further configured to control power consumption to at least one of said electronic compass and each of said individually-illuminable light sources based upon signals received by an accelerometer in electronic communication with said microcontroller; and

wherein said microcontroller is configured to differentiate one or more accelerometer signals corresponding to an activation motion sequence versus a time-averaged accelerometer motion signal level value.

7. The electronic directional indicator of claim 6, wherein said shield is a face shield of a self-contained breathing apparatus face mask.

8. The electronic directional indicator of claim 6, wherein said activation motion sequence is motion engendered to said accelerometer through a tapping motion.

9. The electronic directional indicator of claim 6, wherein said microcontroller is configured to reduce available power to at least one of said electronic compass and each of said individually-illuminable light sources if an accelerometer signal has not been received by said microcontroller within a predefined time period.

10. The electronic directional indicator of claim 6, wherein said microcontroller is configured to reduce available power to at least one of said electronic compass and each of said individually-illuminable light sources if an accelerometer signal of a predefined signal type has not been received by said microcontroller within a predefined time period.

11. The electronic directional indicator of claim 10, wherein said accelerometer signal of a predefined signal type is one corresponding to crawling motion, substantially continuous motion while said electronic compass is oriented at a predefined range of tilt angles, or substantially continuous activity by a wearer of said directional indicator.

14. The electronic directional indicator of claim 6, further comprising:

a light sensor configured to measure a level of ambient light outside of said protective housing;

wherein said microcontroller is further configured to reduce an output intensity, control an output color, or both, of each of said individually-illuminable light sources based on a measured level of ambient light.

12. An electronic directional indicator, comprising:

a protective housing having a rear side configured to attach said electronic directional indicator to a shield and a front side, wherein said front side comprises a first plurality of individually-illuminable directional indicium corresponding to a number of compass directions equal to said first plurality; and

a microcontroller disposed on a circuit board within said protective housing configured to receive a directional measurement from an electronic compass module and activate an individually-controllable light source assigned to a unique compass direction that is associated with, and disposed proximal to a corresponding one of said first plurality of individually-illuminable directional indicium;

wherein said microcontroller is further configured to control power consumption to at least one of said electronic compass and each of said individually-illuminable light sources based upon signals received by an accelerometer in electronic communication with said microcontroller;

wherein

said protective housing comprises a first half comprising said rear side, and a second half comprising said front side, wherein each of said first and said second half are reversibly engageable through a twist-lock mechanism;

said rear side or said front side is configured to receive said circuit board in a predetermined orientation; and

wherein, when said first and said second half are engaged into an operational configuration, each of said individually-controllable light sources is necessarily aligned with its corresponding one of a plurality of illuminable directional indicia.

13. An electronic directional indicator, comprising:

a protective housing having a rear side configured to attach said electronic directional indicator to a shield and a front side, wherein said front side comprises a first plurality of individually-illuminable directional indicium corresponding to a number of compass directions equal to said first plurality; and

a microcontroller disposed on a circuit board within said protective housing configured to receive a directional measurement from an electronic compass module and activate an individually-controllable light source assigned to a unique compass direction that is associated with, and disposed proximal to a corresponding one of said first plurality of individually-illuminable directional indicium;

a compressible gasket confrontationally disposed between said circuit board and said front side, comprising;

an aperture per each individually-illuminable light source configured to substantially block light from illuminating a directional indicium adjacent to the directional indicium to which the individually-illuminable light source is assigned;

wherein said microcontroller is further configured to control power consumption to at least one of said electronic compass and each of said individually-illuminable light sources based upon signals received by an accelerometer in electronic communication with said microcontroller.

15. A method for providing a direction indication, comprising:

providing an electronic compass configured to determine a heading direction, an accelerometer, at least one directional indicator and a microcontroller;

configuring said microcontroller to receive said heading direction and illuminate one of said at least one directional indicators corresponding with the compass direction of said heading direction;

wherein said microcontroller is configured to continue providing a direction indication as long as a motion signal is received by said accelerometer within a predefined time period; and

wherein said microcontroller is configured to differentiate one or more accelerometer signals corresponding to an activation motion sequence versus a time-averaged accelerometer motion signal level value.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

configuring said microcontroller to reduce power consumption of at least one of said electronic compass and said directional indicator based on a measured accelerometer value.

17. he method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing a light source; and

configuring said microcontroller to control an output intensity of said directional indicator based on a measured ambient light value.