Wireless short range communication system

• US 20060286933A1
• Filed: 06/16/2005
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Consort Corporation
• Original Assignee: Consort Corporation
• Inventors: Ulm, Benton, Minter, Chad, Harkins, Donald
• Granted Patent: US 7,342,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.200
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/30 Mounting radio sets or communication systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3866 carried on the head
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks

Abstract

A wireless communications system defining an wireless personal area network enables reliable communications between members of workers in a group wearing compatible systems. Each member of a group is fitted with a communications system having a microphone, a transceiver and a speaker.

Claims

1. A short range communications apparatus for use with equipment including a face mask, comprising:

a wireless transmitter operatively associated with the face mask;

a transceiver capable of receiving signals from the transmitter and transmitting the received signals to other transceivers in a WPAN; and

a speaker associated with the transceiver so that signals broadcast from the transceiver may be audibly perceived.

2. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said transceiver is operable in a first receiving mode when not receiving signals from the transmitter so that said transceiver may receive signals from other transceivers in the WPAN, and in a second transmitting mode when receiving signals from said transmitter so that said signals are broadcast to other transceivers in the WPAN.

3. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the transceiver includes a voice-activated switch for switching between said first receiving mode when not receiving signals from the transmitter, and said second transmitting mode when receiving signals from the transmitter.

4. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the transceiver includes a manually activated switch for switching between said first receiving mode when not receiving signals from the transmitter, and said second transmitting mode when receiving signals from the transmitter.

5. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 1 including an activation switch on the transmitter, said activation switch including a lanyard attached to the switch.

6. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the lanyard extends beyond the periphery of the face mask.

7. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the transmitter is located entirely within the face mask.

8. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the transmitter is located externally of the face mask.

9. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the transceiver and the speaker are contained in a common housing configured to be worn by a user with the speaker in proximity to the user'"'"'s ear.

10. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the common housing is attached to a boom connected to the face mask.

11. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the common housing is attached to a headset.

12. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the common housing is attached to protective headgear.

13. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the common housing defines an earbud.

14. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the speaker is housed separate from the transceiver and is connected thereto with a wire.

15. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the transceiver is attached to an external surface of said face mask.

16. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 1 further including a data sensor configured for transmitting data signals comprising predetermined criteria to transceivers in the WPAN.

17. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the transmitter associated with the face mask is a transceiver in the WPAN, the transceiver displays information from the data sensor.

18. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the data signals comprise voice data.

19. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the data signals correspond to and are indicative of the status of equipment worn by a user.

20. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the data signals correspond to and are indicative of a predetermined health status of a user.

21. The short range communications apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the data signals correspond a predetermined environmental condition.

22. A method of facilitating short range communications among members of a working group where each member in the group is wearing emergency equipment including a face mask, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing each member of the group with

i) a wireless transmitter and locating the transmitter in a position relative to the user'"'"'s mouth to enable the transmitter to detect the user'"'"'s voice;

ii) a transceiver capable of receiving signals from the transmitter and transmitting the received signals to other transceivers worn by members; and

iii) a speaker associated with the transceiver so that signals broadcast from the transceiver may be audibly perceived; and

(b) transmitting signals from a transmitter to all of the transceivers in the working group.

23. The method according to claim 22 wherein the step of transmitting signals includes the step of canceling ambient noise in the environment.

24. The method according to claim 22 including the step of switching each user'"'"'s transceiver between a first receiving mode when not receiving signals from that user'"'"'s transmitter so that said transceiver may receive signals from other transceivers in the working group, and a second transmitting mode when receiving signals from that user'"'"'s transmitter so that said signals are broadcast to other transceivers in the working group.

25. The method according to claim 24 including the step of switching between said first receiving mode and said second transmitting mode with a voice-activated switch.

26. The method according to claim 25 including the step of manually switching between said first receiving mode and said second transmitting mode.

27. A communications apparatus for use in a noisy environment, comprising:

a face mask comprising a resilient material configured for providing an effective seal around a wearer'"'"'s mouth and nose to define an interior space between the face mask and the wearer;

a first wireless transmitter module associated with the face mask, said first transmitter module comprising a first microphone located entirely within the interior space;

a second module located externally of said interior space, said second module comprising a second microphone in communication with the first transmitter, and a second receiver, wherein said second microphone detects ambient noise and generates signals corresponding thereto.

28. The communications apparatus according to claim 27 in which the second receiver is operable to cancel said signals corresponding to ambient noise to thereby reduce ambient noise.

29. The communications apparatus according to claim 27 in which the second module includes a second wireless transmitter, and the first module includes a first receiver that is operable to cancel said signals corresponding to ambient noise to thereby reduce ambient noise.

30. The communications apparatus according to claim 27 wherein said second module includes a speaker.

31. The communications apparatus according to claim 27 configured for wireless transmission between a second microphone in a first apparatus and a receiver in a second apparatus within a WPAN.

32. The communications apparatus according to claim 27 wherein said second module includes a second wireless transmitter that is operable in a first receiving mode when not receiving signals from the first microphone so that said second transceiver module may receive signals from other transmitters in a working group, and in a second transmitting mode when receiving signals from said first microphone so that said signals are broadcast to other transceivers in the working group.

33. The communications apparatus according to claim 32 wherein the second module includes a voice-activated switch for switching between said first receiving mode when not receiving signals from the first microphone, and said second transmitting mode when receiving signals from the first microphone.

34. The communications apparatus according to claim 27 including an activation switch on the first microphone, said activation switch including a lanyard attached to the switch that extends out of the interior space.

35. The communications apparatus according to claim 34 wherein removal of the lanyard activates the switch to turn the transmitter on.

36. A communications apparatus for use with equipment worn by workers in dangerous environments wherein the equipment includes a face mask, comprising:

a wireless transmitter operatively associated with the face mask;

a transceiver capable of receiving signals from the transmitter and transmitting the received signals to other transceivers;

a speaker associated with the transceiver so that signals broadcast from the transceiver may be audibly perceived; and

an activation switch located entirely within the face mast associated with the transmitter, said activation switch including a lanyard attached to the switch wherein the lanyard extends beyond the periphery of the face mask.

37. A communications system for use by emergency workers defining a working group in a WPAN, comprising:

for each worker in the WPAN, a face mask, and a short range transmitter operatively associated with said face mask so that communications from a worker wearing said face mask are transmitted to other workers in the working group, said short range transmitter including a microphone, a short range receiver and a speaker associated with the receiver;

for at least one worker in the WPAN, a short range adaptor receiver, said short range adaptor receiver having an output connected to a relatively longer range transmitter, said short range adaptor receiver having an activation switch to switch said receiver between first and second modes;

wherein, in the first mode communications between workers in the WPAN are not broadcast from the longer range transmitter, and in the second mode, communications between workers in the WPAN are transmitted from the longer range transmitter.

38. The communications system according to claim 37 wherein in the first mode, said relatively longer range transmitter are broadcast to workers in the WPAN only when there are no communications ongoing between workers in the WPAN.