METHOD, SYSTEM AND WIRELESS DEVICE WITH EVENT DETECTION FOR MONITORING PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR

• US 20120075095A1
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: THL Holding Company, LLC
• Original Assignee: THL Holding Company, LLC
• Inventors: Howard, John W., Cutler, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,896,457 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.12
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/44 Angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/10 for the head A63B71/081 takes precedence ; in the form of caps or hats A42B1/08; helmets A42B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0888 for indicating angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0891 with indication of predetermined acceleration values G01P15/135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/16 by evaluating the time-derivative of a measured speed signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/165 for measuring angular accelerations
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0244 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal delay or phase shift
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0247 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0272 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect exact location of child or item using triangulation other than GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0277 Communication between units on a local network, e.g. Bluetooth, piconet, zigbee, Wireless Personal Area Networks [WPAN]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

A wireless device includes a sensor module that generates sensor data in response to an impact to the protective headgear. A device processing module generates event data in response to the sensor data, wherein the device processing module includes an event detection module that analyzes the sensor data and triggers the generating of the event data in response to detection of an event in the sensor data. A short-range wireless transmitter transmits a wireless signal that includes the event data.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring protective headgear, the system comprising:

a first wireless device that includes;

a first sensor module, coupled to the protective headgear that generates first sensor data in response to an impact to the protective headgear;

a first device processing module, coupled to the first sensor module, that generates first event data in response to the first sensor data, wherein the first device processing module includes a first event detection module that analyzes the first sensor data and triggers the generating of the first event data in response to detection of a first event in the first sensor data; and

a first short-range wireless transmitter, coupled to the first sensor module and the first device processing module, that transmits a first wireless signal that includes the first event data; and

an adjunct device that includes;

an adjunct housing that is coupleable to a handheld communication device via a communication port of the handheld communication device;

an adjunct short-range wireless receiver, coupled to the adjunct housing, that receives the first wireless signal and recovers the first event data; and

an adjunct processing module that transfers the first event data the handheld communication device via the communication port of the handheld communication device.

2. The system device of claim 1 wherein the first sensor module includes an accelerometer and a gyroscope and wherein the first sensor data includes linear acceleration data and rotational acceleration data.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first event detection module analyzes the first sensor data by:

generating aggregate acceleration data from the first sensor data;

comparing the aggregate acceleration data to an acceleration threshold; and

determining an event window that indicates an event time period based on the comparing of the aggregate acceleration data to the acceleration threshold;

wherein the first event detection module triggers the generating of the first event data based on the event window.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the first event detection module triggers the generating of the first event data based on the event window after the event window ends and wherein the first device processing module generates the first event data in response to the first sensor data corresponding to the event window.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second wireless device that includes;

a second sensor module, coupled to the protective headgear that generates second sensor data in response to an impact to the protective headgear;

a second device processing module, coupled to the second sensor module, that generates second event data in response to the second sensor data, wherein the second device processing module includes a second event detection module that analyzes the second sensor data and triggers the generating of the second event data in response to detection of a second event in the second sensor data; and

a second short-range wireless transmitter, coupled to the second sensor module and the second device processing module, that transmits a second wireless signal that includes the second event data; and

wherein the adjunct short-range wireless receiver receives the second wireless signal and recovers the second event data; and

wherein the adjunct processing module transfers the second event data to the handheld communication device via the communication port of the handheld communication device.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the protective headgear includes a football helmet.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the protective headgear includes a first helmet and a second helmet, wherein the first sensor module is coupled to the first helmet and generates the first sensor data in response to the motion of the first helmet, and wherein the system further comprises:

a second wireless device that includes;

a second sensor module, coupled to the second helmet that generates second sensor data in response to motion of the second helmet;

a second device processing module, coupled to the second sensor module, that generates second event data in response to the second sensor data, wherein the second device processing module includes a second event detection module that analyzes the second sensor data and triggers the generating of the second event data in response to detection of a second event in the second sensor data; and

a second short-range wireless transmitter, coupled to the second sensor module and the second device processing module, that transmits a second wireless signal that includes the second event data; and

wherein the adjunct short-range wireless receiver receives the second wireless signal and recovers the second event data; and

wherein the adjunct processing module transfers the second event data to the handheld communication device via the communication port of the handheld communication device.

8. A wireless device for use in a system for monitoring protective headgear, the wireless device comprising:

a sensor module, coupled to the protective headgear that generates sensor data in response to an impact to the protective headgear;

a device processing module, coupled to the sensor module, that generates event data in response to the sensor data, wherein the device processing module includes an event detection module that analyzes the sensor data and triggers the generating of the event data in response to detection of an event in the sensor data; and

a short-range wireless transmitter, coupled to the sensor module and the device processing module, that transmits a wireless signal that includes the event data.

9. The wireless device of claim 8 wherein the short-range wireless transmitter transmits the wireless signal to an adjunct device that is coupled to a handheld communication device for processing of the event data by the handheld communication device.

10. The wireless device of claim 8 wherein the event detection module analyzes the sensor data by:

generating aggregate acceleration data from the sensor data;

comparing the aggregate acceleration data to an acceleration threshold; and

determining an event window that indicates an event time period based on the comparing of the aggregate acceleration data to the acceleration threshold;

wherein the event detection module triggers the generating of the event data based on the event window.

11. The wireless device of claim 10 wherein the event detection module triggers the generating of the event data based on the event window after the event window ends and wherein the device processing module generates the event data in response to the sensor data corresponding to the event window.

12. The wireless device of claim 8 wherein the protective headgear includes a football helmet.

13. A method for use in a system for monitoring protective headgear, the method comprising:

generating, via a sensor module, sensor data in response to an impact to the protective headgear;

analyzing the sensor data to detect an event in the sensor data;

generating event data in response to the sensor data when triggered by detection of the event in the sensor data; and

transmitting, via a short-range wireless transmitter, a wireless signal that includes the event data.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the wireless signal is transmitted to an adjunct device that is coupled to a handheld communication device for processing of the event data by the handheld communication device.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein analyzing the sensor data includes:

generating aggregate data from the sensor data;

comparing the aggregate data to an aggregate threshold; and

determining an event window that indicates an event time period based on the comparing of the aggregate acceleration data to the acceleration threshold;

wherein generating of the event data is triggered based on the event window.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein generating of the event data is triggered after the event window ends and wherein the event data is generated in response to the sensor data corresponding to the event window.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the protective headgear includes a football helmet.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein analyzing the sensor data includes:

identifying a first quiescent period and a second quiescent period that is subsequent to the first quiescent period; and

determining an event window that indicates an event time period based on the first quiescent period and the second quiescent period;

wherein generating of the event data is based on the event window.