Embedding intelligent electronics within a motorcyle helmet

• US 9,445,639 B1
• Filed: 11/08/2012
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elias W. Aloumanis, Peter Aloumanis
• Original Assignee: Elias W. Aloumanis, Peter Aloumanis
• Inventors: Aloumanis, Peter, Aloumanis, Elias W.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, JENNIFER T
• Application Number:
  US13/671,646
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 345/7, 345/8, 359/630, 359/618, 359/709, 359/717, 359/646, 349/11
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/042 Optical devices night vision goggles G02B23/12
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/0426 Rear view devices or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/0453 Signalling devices, e.g. auxiliary brake or indicator lights
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications

Abstract

A motorcycle helmet can include one or more internally mounted sensors within the motorcycle helmet. The sensors can be positioned within an embedded electronics layer which can include electronic components. The components can include logic processing components. The layer can be sandwiched between an outer shell of the helmet and an inner shell of the helmet. A software program executing within the logic processing components can receive input from the sensors in real-time. The software can automatically execute a programmatic action in response to receiving the input.

Claims

1. An intelligent motorcycle helmet comprising:

a motorcycle helmet comprising a plurality of internally mounted sensors within the motorcycle helmet, wherein the plurality of sensors is positioned within an embedded electronics layer, wherein the layer comprises logic processing components, wherein the layer is sandwiched between an outer shell of the helmet and an inner shell of the helmet;

a compressible liner positioned between the outer shell and the inner shell, wherein the compressible liner houses the embedded electronics layer, wherein the embedded electronics layer of the compressible liner is removable permitting components embedded in the electronics layer to be diagnosed, repaired, replaced, and upgraded;

a non-transitory software program executing within the logic processing components receiving input from the plurality of sensors in real-time; and

the non-transitory software program automatically executing a programmatic action responsive to the receiving.

2. The helmet of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is a forward oriented camera and backward oriented camera, wherein the forward oriented camera is configured to capture a scene in front of a wearer, wherein the backward oriented camera is configured to capture a scene behind the wearer.

3. The helmet of claim 1, further comprising

a software platform configured to manage a diagnostics functionality associated with the helmet.

4. The helmet of claim 1, further comprising:

a data store embedded within the layer able to persist at least one of a video media, an audio media, and an image media, wherein the layer comprises of at least one of a internally mounted Global Positioning System transceiver, a three-axis accelerometer, a volatile storage element, a non-volatile storage element, a near field communication transceiver, a microphone, and a data connector.

5. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the outer shell is a rigid material, wherein the inner shell is an expanded polystyrene layer or a polyurethane layer.

6. The helmet of claim 1, further comprising:

a heads up display (HUD) within the visor of the helmet, wherein the HUD is configured to present at least one of a plurality of camera streams, a collision notification, a media stream, an instrumentation information, a navigation map, and an accelerometer reading; and

,

a sensor within the layer positioned to detect an object within a blind spot of the wearer, wherein the blind spot is a field of view which exceeds the maximum field of view at which the wearer is able to see and identify prominent proximate objects.

7. The helmet of claim 1, further comprising:

a removable memory component able to persist media associated with at least one of a wearer, a motorcycle, and a proximate computing device.

8. The helmet of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless fidelity (WiFi) component able to permit communication between the electronic components within the layer and external computing devices.

9. The helmet of claim 1, further comprising:

a data port configured to permit communication between the electronic components within the layer and external computing devices.

10. A method for a motorcycle heads up display comprising:

identifying at least one internally mounted sensor within a motorcycle helmet, wherein the sensor is positioned within an embedded electronics layer, wherein the layer comprises of a plurality of electronic components, wherein the layer is sandwiched between an outer shell of the helmet and an inner shell of the helmet;

receiving at least one data stream from the sensor in real-time;

processing the data stream into a human readable data format to determine that a gear change is recommended for a motorcycle being ridden by a rider who is wearing the motorcycle helmet;

presenting the data format within a display communicatively linked to the helmet to notify the rider of the recommended gear change; and

analyzing another data stream from the sensor of the embedded electronics layer to detect a collision event has occurred, wherein the collision event is traffic collision.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the display is a heads up display (HUD), wherein the HUD is a portion of a visor of the helmet.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

automatically notifying an emergency contact responsive to the collision event.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

analyzing another data stream from a sensor of the embedded electronics layer to forecast a collision event with an object.

14. The method of claim 13, presenting a warning notification within the display of the helmet, responsive to the forecast.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

automatically communicating at least one of a portion of the data stream associated with the helmet with a remote entity.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

automatically communicating an inertial navigational system data associated with the helmet with a remote entity.

17. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising:

computer usable program code stored in a storage medium, if said computer usable program code is executed by a processor it is operable to manage a plurality of internally mounted sensors within a motorcycle helmet, wherein the plurality of sensors is positioned within an embedded electronics layer, wherein the layer comprises of a plurality of electronic components, wherein the layer is sandwiched between an outer shell of the helmet and an inner shell of the helmet, wherein the computer usable program code includes diagnostic code for performing diagnostics of components of the embedded electronics layer, wherein computer usable code executed by the processor is able to continue to provide functionality dependent on a physical component of the embedded electronics layer even when that physical component is diagnosed by the diagnostic code as a malfunctioning component by using a redundant component within the embedded electronics layer to the malfunctioning component; and

a smart engine of the embedded electronics layer, configured to handle at least one of a communication, an input, a heads up display presentation, and a diagnostics functionality associated with the motorcycle helmet.