WIRELESS DEVICE FOR MONITORING PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR

• US 20120306641A1
• Filed: 08/15/2012
• Published: 12/06/2012
• 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 9,129,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/046 Means for detecting hazards or accidents
• 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 for monitoring protective headgear includes a short-range wireless receiver that receives alarm data from the protective headgear in response to an alarm event at the protective headgear. A user interface emits a first detectable alert signal in response to the alarm data to assist the user in the monitoring of the protective headgear.

Claims

1. A wireless device for monitoring protective headgear, the wireless device comprising:

a short-range wireless receiver that receives alarm data from the protective headgear in response to an alarm event at the protective headgear; and

a user interface, coupled to the short-range wireless receiver, that emits a first detectable alert signal in response to the alarm data to assist the user in the monitoring of the protective headgear.

2. The wireless device of claim 1 further comprises:

a battery, coupled to provide power to the short-range wireless receiver and the user interface.

3. The wireless device of claim 2 further comprising:

a charging port, coupled to the battery, for coupling a power signal from an external power source to charge the battery.

4. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the charging port operates in accordance with a universal serial bus (USB) interface.

5. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the short-range wireless receiver is paired to the protective headgear via a pairing procedure.

6. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the short-range wireless receiver is paired to the protective headgear via a pairing procedure and wherein the protective headgear includes a plurality of protective headgear warn by different wearers.

7. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the short-range wireless receiver receives alarm data from the protective headgear via a bridge device.

8. The wireless device of claim 1 further comprising a short-range wireless transmitter.

9. The wireless device of claim 8 wherein the short range wireless receiver receives a polling signal and wherein the short-range wireless transmitter transmits status data in response to the polling signal.

10. The wireless device of claim 9 further comprising a battery, coupled to provide power to the short-range wireless receiver, the short range wireless transmitter and the user interface, and wherein the status data includes a battery charge status.

11. The wireless device of claim 1 further comprising:

a charging port for charging the battery by harvesting energy from an external source, and wherein the external energy source includes one of;

a magnetic power source, a radio frequency power source, a mechanical power source, and a solar power source.

12. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the short-range wireless transmitter transmits status data indicating that the wireless device is operating normally.

13. A wireless device for monitoring protective headgear, the wireless device comprising:

a short-range wireless receiver that receives alarm data from the protective headgear in response to an alarm event at the protective headgear;

a user interface, coupled to the short-range wireless transceiver, that emits a first detectable alert signal in response to the alarm data to assist the user in the monitoring of the protective headgear;

a battery, coupled to provide power to the short-range wireless transceiver and the user interface; and

a charging port, coupled to the battery, for coupling a power signal from an external power source to charge the battery.

14. The wireless device of claim 13 wherein the charging port operates in accordance with a universal serial bus (USB) interface.

15. The wireless device of claim 13 wherein the short-range wireless transceiver is paired to the protective headgear via a pairing procedure.

16. The wireless device of claim 13 wherein the short-range wireless transceiver is paired to the protective headgear via a pairing procedure and wherein the protective headgear includes a plurality of protective headgear warn by different wearers.

17. The wireless device of claim 13 wherein the short-range wireless transceiver receives the alarm data from the protective headgear via a bridge device.

18. The wireless device of claim 13 wherein the short-range wireless transceiver is paired to the bridge device via a pairing procedure

19. The wireless device of claim 13 wherein the short range wireless transceiver receives a polling signal and wherein the short-range wireless transceiver transmits status data in response to the polling signal.

20. The wireless device of claim 19 wherein the status data includes a battery charge status.