Helmet and method of use for emergency notification

• US 9,922,536 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2016
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Choprix LLC
• Original Assignee: Choprix LLC
• Inventors: Cholhan, Hilary J, Cholhan, Remy
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US15/277,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20170018169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 34053913, 340506, 34053927, 3405731, 340 1324
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A wearable emergency alert apparatus includes a communication device configured to communicate an alert to a node on a communications network external to the wearable emergency alert apparatus, a shock sensor in communication with the communication device, where the shock sensor is pre-configured to send a message to the communication device based on experiencing pressure from a source external to the wearable emergency alert apparatus exceeding a pre-determined threshold, and where the communication device is configured to communicate the alert based on receiving the message. The apparatus also includes a microcontroller communicatively coupled to one or more of: the communication device, or the shock sensor and a heat sensor communicatively coupled to the microcontroller. Based on the heat sensor obtaining a heat value exceeding a given threshold, the microcontroller activates one or more of: the communication device, or the shock sensor. A power source is also electronically coupled to the communication device and the microcontroller.

Claims

1. A wearable emergency alert apparatus, comprising:

a helmet, the helmet comprising;

a communication device configured to communicate an alert to a node on a communications network external to the wearable emergency alert apparatus;

a shock sensor in communication with the communication device, wherein the shock sensor is pre-configured to send a message to the communication device based on experiencing pressure from a source external to the wearable emergency alert apparatus exceeding a pre-determined threshold, and wherein the communication device is configured to communicate the alert based on receiving the message;

a microcontroller communicatively coupled to one or more of;

the communication device, or the shock sensor;

a heat sensor communicatively coupled to the microcontroller, wherein based on the heat sensor obtaining a heat value exceeding a given threshold, the microcontroller activates one or more of;

the communication device, or the shock sensor;

a static portion; and

a removable portion, wherein the removable portion connects to the static portion, the removable portion comprising;

a power source electronically coupled to the communication device and the microcontroller, and

a manual alert button communicatively coupled to the microcontroller, wherein upon activation, the manual alert button is configured to send the message to the communication device.

2. The wearable emergency apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat sensor is positioned adjacent to the head of a wearer and obtains the heat value based in part upon sensing the body temperature of the wearer.

3. The wearable emergency apparatus of claim 1, the helmet further comprising:

a plurality of heat sensors, each heat sensor configured, based on obtaining the heat value exceeding a given threshold, to activate one or more of;

the communication device, or the shock sensor; and

a plurality of shock sensors in communication with a transceiver communicatively coupled to the communication device, wherein each shock sensor is pre-configured to send an alert to the communication device based on experiencing pressure from a source external to the wearable emergency alert apparatus exceeding the pre-determined threshold.

4. The wearable emergency apparatus of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is communicatively coupled to the communication device and the shock sensor, and wherein the microcontroller is configured to relay communication between the shock sensor and the communication device, and wherein the microcontroller is further configured to supplement communications through the microcontroller with additional data.

5. The wearable emergency apparatus of claim 4, the helmet further comprising:

a location device communicatively coupled to the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller obtains location information from the location device, and wherein the alert comprises the location information.

6. The wearable emergency apparatus of claim 5, the location device comprising an accelerometer, wherein the location device is configured to send a message to the communication device based on the accelerometer indicating motion outside of an expected pattern, and wherein the communication device is configured to communicate the alert based on receiving the message.

7. The wearable emergency apparatus of claim 1, wherein the activation comprises engaging the manual alert button for a predetermined interval.

8. The wearable emergency apparatus of claim 7, wherein the microcontroller is configured to produce feedback responsive to the activating.

9. The wearable emergency apparatus of claim 1, the removable portion further comprising:

a visual indicator coupled to the power source and configured to indicate power source availability; and

a port coupled to the power source for use in charging the power source.

10. The wearable emergency apparatus of claim 1, wherein when the removable portion is connected to the static portion, an outer surface of the removable portion is flush with an outer surface of the helmet, and the manual alert button is accessible to a wearer of the helmet.

11. The wearable emergency apparatus of claim 1, the removable portion further comprising an on/off control, wherein the control initiates at least one of:

the microcontroller, the power source, or the communication device.

12. The wearable emergency alert apparatus of claim 1, wherein based on the heat sensor obtaining a heat value of less than a given threshold, the microcontroller de-activates one or more of:

the communication device, or the shock sensor.

13. A wearable emergency alert apparatus, comprising:

a helmet, the helmet comprising;

a memory configured to store a unique identifier;

a processor in communication with the memory;

a trigger in communication with the processor;

a heat sensor in communication with the trigger;

a location device in communication with the processor;

a static portion;

a removable portion, wherein the removable portion connects to the static portion, the removable portion comprising;

a power source electronically coupled to the location device and the processor;

a manual alert button communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein upon activation, the manual alert button is configured to communicate to an alert system;

a visual indicator coupled to the power source and configured to indicate power source availability; and

a port coupled to the power source; and

a transponder in communication with the processor, wherein the wearable emergency alert apparatus is configured to perform a method, the method comprising;

initializing the alert system, the alert system comprising a trigger responsive to the heat sensor sensing heat at a pre-determined threshold;

obtaining, by the processor, data from the trigger;

determining, by the processor, that the data indicates an emergency condition;

based on the determining, obtaining, by the processor, location information from the location device;

based on the determining, obtaining, by the processor, the unique identifier from the memory; and

communicating, by the processor, the location information and the unique identifier to a node via a network connection by accessing the transponder.

14. The wearable emergency apparatus of claim 13, wherein the heat sensor is positioned adjacent to the head of a wearer and obtains the heat value based in part upon sensing the temperature adjacent to an inner surface of the helmet adjacent to the head of the wearer.

15. The wearable emergency apparatus of claim 14, wherein the determining comprises applying, by the processor, at least one pre-configured threshold to evaluate whether the data from the trigger exceeds the pre-configured threshold.

16. The wearable emergency apparatus of claim 14, the helmet further comprising:

a receiver in communication with the processor, wherein the obtaining of the data from the trigger comprises receiving the data by the receiver.

17. The wearable emergency apparatus of claim 14, the helmet further comprising:

a plurality of sensors in communication with the processor, wherein the trigger comprises a pre-defined number of the plurality of sensors experiencing a pre-defined threshold of pressure.

18. The wearable emergency apparatus of claim 13, wherein when the removable portion is connected to the static portion, an outer surface of the removable portion is flush with an outer surface of the helmet, and manual alert button is accessible to a wearer of the helmet.

19. The wearable emergency alert apparatus of claim 13, the method further comprising:

de-activating the alert system responsive to the heat sensor, having previously sensed heat at the pre-determined threshold, no longer sensing heat at the pre-determined threshold.

20. A wearable emergency alert apparatus, comprising:

a helmet, the helmet comprising;

a shock sensor in communication with a communication device, wherein the shock sensor is pre-configured to send a message to the communication device based on experiencing pressure from a source external to the wearable emergency alert apparatus exceeding a pre-determined threshold;

a microcontroller communicatively coupled to one or more of;

the communication device, or the shock sensor;

a location device comprising an accelerometer communicatively coupled to the microcontroller, wherein the location device is pre-configured to send a message to the communication device based on the accelerometer indicating motion outside of an expected pattern;

a heat sensor communicatively coupled to the microcontroller, wherein based on the heat sensor obtaining a heat value exceeding a given threshold, the microcontroller activates one or more of;

the communication device, or the shock sensor;

the communication device configured to communicate an alert to a node on a communications network external to the wearable emergency alert apparatus, wherein the communication device is configured to communicate the alert based on receiving the message from the shock sensor and the message from the location device;

a static portion; and

a removable portion, wherein the removable portion connects to the static portion, the removable portion comprising;

a power source electronically coupled to the communication device and the microcontroller; and

a manual alert button communicatively coupled to the microcontroller, wherein upon activation, the manual alert button is configured to send the message to the communication device.