COMMUNICATION APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS

• US 20100039229A1
• Filed: 09/06/2007
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Savox Communications Oy Ab Ltd
• Original Assignee: Savox Communications Oy Ab Ltd
• Inventors: Westerlund, Mikael, Sinivaara, Hasse
• Granted Patent: US 8,207,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/08 Component parts for gas-masks or gas-helmets, e.g. windows, straps, speech transmitters, signal-devices eye-pieces for protective goggles A61F9/02; composition of materials for the windows or other transparent parts A62D7/00

Abstract

A self-contained breathing apparatus safety mask, a system and a method is disclosed providing radio frequency identification tag reader arranged to communication with a radio frequency tag so that the breathing apparatus can obtain an identification of the user for wireless radio group communication with breathing apparatuses of another users. The identifier contains information for establishing and changing the group communication parameters. The system comprises also a remote speaker microphone in short range radio communication with the mask. The RSM may be connected to private mobile system.

Claims

1. A breathing apparatus for user, comprising a radio frequency identification tag reader arranged to communicate with a radio frequency tag so that the breathing apparatus can obtain an identification of the user for wireless radio group communication with breathing apparatus of another user.

2. A breathing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said radio frequency tag further comprises means for allocating radio channels for the group communication.

3. A breathing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said radio frequency tag further comprises means for changing the group channel allocations for the communication.

4. A breathing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said radio frequency tag further comprises means for frequency allocation for the group communication.

5. A breathing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said radio frequency tag further comprises means for transmission power settings for the group communication.

6. A breathing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said radio frequency tag further comprises the identifier identifying said breathing apparatus for the group communication.

7. A breathing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said radio frequency tag further comprises IP network settings or group identity.

8. A breathing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said radio frequency tag further comprises Bluetooth pairing data arranged to establish Bluetooth connection between the breathing apparatus and a Bluetooth based device.

9. A breathing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless radio group communication between the breathing apparatuses comprises WLAN.

10. A breathing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

at least one wireless radio communications unit arranged to

the two-way wireless radio group communication with another wireless radio communications unit of the another breathing apparatus,

two-way short range wireless communication with a short range wireless communications unit attachable to said user, and short range wireless radio communication with the radio frequency identification tag.

11. A breathing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the two-way short range wireless communication is further arranged to provide the breathing apparatus with communications with a mobile communications system such as TETRA.

12. A breathing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said breathing apparatus comprises a self-contained breathing apparatus for a fire fighter.

13. A breathing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a single device in the breathing apparatus is arranged to carry out the radio communications.

14. A breathing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least two or three devices in the breathing apparatus are arranged to carry out the radio communications.

15. A breathing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a detector to sense a speech of the user so that a transmission by the communications can be activated respectively.

16. A breathing apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising means for transmitting a header or protocol and substantially no data packet when the speech is not sensed.

17. A system comprising:

a low power communication device,

a safety mask for a user arranged to higher power communication with another safety mask, wherein the safety mask and the low power communication device are arranged to communicate with each other, and

a radio frequency identification tag reader arranged to communicate with a radio frequency tag so that the safety mask can obtain an identification of the user for wireless radio group communication with the another safety mask.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein said low-power wireless radio communication device is further arranged to communicate with a mobile communications system such as TETRA.

19. A system according to claim 17, wherein the safety mask or the low power communication device comprises the radio frequency tag reader.

20. A method for group communications comprising:

obtaining radio frequency identification tag based data information,

establishing a wireless two-way data radio connection between at least two safety masks in accordance with said data information.

21. A method according to claim 20, further comprising

establishing a short-range wireless two-way data radio connection between one of the safety masks and a terminal capable of mobile phone communications.