APPARATUS FOR MONITORING THE CONDITION OF AN OPERATOR AND RELATED SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20140072136A1
• Filed: 09/11/2012
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Saunders, Jeffrey H., Tenenbaum, Carl N., Strickland, Julie N., Wilds, Andrew M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,129,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/74
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

An apparatus includes a headset having one or more speaker units. Each speaker unit is configured to provide audio signals to an operator. Each speaker unit includes an ear cuff configured to contact the operator'"'"'s head. The headset further includes multiple sensors configured to measure one or more characteristics associated with the operator. At least one of the sensors is embedded within at least one ear cuff of at least one speaker unit. The sensors could include an electrocardiography electrode, a skin conductivity probe, pulse oximetry light emitting diodes and photodetectors, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a temperature sensor. The apparatus could also include a processing unit configured to analyze audio signals captured by a microphone unit of the headset to identify respiration by the operator or at least one voice characteristic of the operator.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

one or more speaker units, each speaker unit configured to provide audio signals to an operator, each speaker unit comprising an ear cuff configured to contact the operator'"'"'s head;

a support structure configured to secure the apparatus to the operator'"'"'s head; and

multiple sensors configured to measure one or more characteristics associated with the operator, at least one of the sensors embedded within or attached to at least one ear cuff of at least one speaker unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensors include electrocardiography electrodes embedded in or attached to lower portions of multiple ear cuffs.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensors include at least one skin conductivity probe embedded in or attached to a rear portion of at least one ear cuff.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensors include multiple pulse oximetry light emitting diodes and photodetectors embedded in or attached to at least one ear cuff.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensors include at least one of an accelerometer and a gyroscope configured to measure head tilt of the operator.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensors include at least one temperature sensor embedded in or attached to at least on ear cuff.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a processing unit configured to analyze audio signals captured by a microphone unit to identify one or more of;

respiration by the operator and at least one voice characteristic of the operator.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a vibrating motor embedded within or attached to at least one ear cuff and configured to provide vibratory feedback to the operator.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a processing unit configured to analyze measurements of the one or more characteristics of the operator to identify a measure of operator awareness associated with the operator, compare the measure of operator awareness to a threshold value, and trigger feedback to the operator if the measure of operator awareness violates the threshold value.

9. A system comprising:

one or more speaker units, each speaker unit configured to provide audio signals to an operator, each speaker unit comprising an ear cuff configured to contact the operator'"'"'s head;

a support structure configured to secure the apparatus to the operator'"'"'s head;

multiple sensors configured to measure one or more characteristics associated with the operator, at least one of the sensors embedded within or attached to at least one car cuff of at least one speaker unit; and

at least one processing unit configured to analyze measurements of the one or more characteristics to identify a measure of operator awareness associated with the operator.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein a control unit comprises the at least one processing unit and an active noise reduction processing unit, the at least one processing unit configured to receive audio signals captured by a microphone unit in parallel with the active noise reduction processing unit.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the control unit comprises a push-to-talk button.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one processing unit is further configured to analyze audio signals captured by a microphone unit to identify one or more of:

respiration by the operator and at least one voice characteristic of the operator.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the sensors include:

electrocardiography electrodes embedded in or attached to lower portions of multiple ear cuffs; and

at least one skin conductivity probe embedded in or attached to a rear portion of at least one ear cuff.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the sensors include at least one of:

multiple pulse oximetry light emitting diodes and photodetectors embedded in or attached to at least one ear cuff; and

at least one temperature sensor embedded in or attached to at least one ear cuff.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the sensors include at least one of an accelerometer and a gyroscope configured to measure head tilt of the operator.

16. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a transmitter or transceiver configured to provide the measurements of the one or more characteristics from the sensors to the at least one processing unit.

23. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one processing unit is further configured to analyze measurements of the one or more characteristics of the operator to identify a measure of operator awareness associated with the operator, compare the measure of operator awareness to a threshold value, and trigger feedback to the operator if the measure of operator awareness violates the threshold value.

17. A method comprising:

providing audio signals to an operator using one or more speaker units, each speaker unit comprising an ear cuff configured to contact the operator'"'"'s head, a support structure configured to secure the one or more speaker units to the operator'"'"'s head; and

measuring one or more characteristics associated with the operator using multiple sensors, at least one of the sensors embedded within or attached to at least one ear cuff of at least one speaker unit.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

analyzing measurements of the one or more characteristics of the operator to identify a measure of operator awareness associated with the operator.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

comparing the measure of operator awareness to a threshold value; and

taking corrective action if the measure of operator awareness violates the threshold value.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein taking corrective action comprises providing feedback to the operator.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a cover configured to be placed over at least a portion of a speaker unit, the speaker unit configured to be secured to an operator'"'"'s head;

wherein the cover comprises at least one sensor configured to measure one or more characteristics associated with the operator, the at least one sensor embedded within or attached to the cover.