Radiation shielding device

• US 6,356,773 B1
• Filed: 07/08/1999
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eyal Rinot
• Original Assignee: Eyal Rinot
• Inventors: Rinot, Eyal
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): WASHINGTON, ERIKA ALISE
• Application Number:
  US09/350,046
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575, 455/550, 455/562, 455/568, 455/569, 455/90, 455/128, 455/129, 379/430, 379/433, 250/515.1, 250/505.1, 250/506.1, 343/718, 343/702, D14/137, D14/138, D14/140
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/245 with means for shaping the antenna pattern, e.g. in order to protect user against rf exposure
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/52 Means for reducing coupling between antennas; Means for reducing coupling between an antenna and another structure absorbing means H01Q17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/526 Electromagnetic shields
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/32 Vertical arrangement of element H01Q9/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3838 Arrangements for reducing RF exposure to the user, e.g. by changing the shape of the transceiver while in use
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets

Abstract

Antenna apparatus connects to a personal radio transmitting device for reducing RF emissions to a user, with the antenna apparatus including an antenna disposed above the head of the user, a shield disposed between the antenna and the head of the user, for blocking the RF emissions from penetrating therethrough toward the user, and a communication interface, connected to the antenna, for communicating between the antenna apparatus and the personal radio transmitting device.

Claims

1. Head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus for connecting to a personal radio transmitting device for shielding a user'"'"'s head from RF emissions, the head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus comprising:

a shield adapted to be placed on the user'"'"'s head;

an antenna mounted on said shield and configured to emit said RF emissions; and

a communication interface for communicating said antenna to said personal radio transmitting device;

wherein said shield is adapted to be disposed between said antenna and the user'"'"'s head, and only partially physically cover the user'"'"'s head to an extent sufficient to at least substantially entirely shield the user'"'"'s head from a path of said RF emissions emitted by said antenna.

2. The head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a shield support for supporting said shield on the head of said user.

3. The head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said shield support is selected from a list consisting of:

a headset;

a hat;

a helmet;

a harness;

a hair pin;

a hairpiece;

a spectacle frame; and

a visor.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said shield support is formed separately from said shield.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said shield support is not configured to shield the user'"'"'s head from said RF emissions emitted by said antenna.

6. The head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shape of said antenna is selected from a list consisting of:

a rod;

a pyramid;

a cone;

a curved plane; and

a flat plane.

7. The head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shape of said shield is selected from the list consisting of:

a substantially convex shape;

a substantially concave shape; and

a substantially flat shape.

8. The head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said shield is an integral part of an item selected from the list consisting of:

a headset;

a hat;

a helmet;

a harness;

a hair pin;

a hairpiece;

a spectacle frame; and

a visor.

9. The head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a radio communication component, connected to said antenna, for transmitting or receiving of radio transmissions conducted via said antenna.

10. The head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said radio communication component is disposed adjacent to said antenna.

11. The head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a power source for supplying power to said radio communication component.

12. The head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said power source is disposed adjacent to said radio communication component.

13. The head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said radio communication component is selected from the list consisting of:

a transmitter;

a receiver; and

a transceiver.

14. The head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a processor, connected to said radio communication component and to said communication interface, for controlling said radio communication component.

15. The head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said processor is disposed adjacent to said radio communication component.

16. The head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a user interface in communication with said processor.

17. The head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said user interface is selected from the list consisting of:

a display screen;

a keypad;

a touch-screen;

a microphone; and

an earphone.

18. The head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a visual indicator, for indicating to people in the vicinity of said user, the operation-state of said personal radio transmitting device.

19. The head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said operation-state includes said head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus being in a state selected from the list consisting of:

in use;

in standby mode; and

turned off.

20. A head-mounted wearable shielded personal communication device for, at least, transmitting RF emissions and shielding a user'"'"'s head from said RF emissions, said head-mounted wearable shielded personal communication device comprising:

a shield adapted to be placed on the user'"'"'s head;

an antenna mounted on said shield and configured to at least emit said RF emissions; and

a radio circuitry physically disposed on top and outside of said shield and communicated with said antenna;

wherein said shield is adapted to be disposed between said antenna and the user'"'"'s head to shield the user'"'"'s head from said RF emissions emitted by said antenna.

21. The head-mounted personal communication device according to claim 20, further comprising a shield support for supporting said shield between the head of said user and said antenna.

22. The head-mounted personal communication device according to claim 21, wherein said shield support is selected from a list consisting of:

a headset;

a hat;

a helmet;

a harness;

a hair pin;

a hairpiece;

a spectacle frame; and

a visor.

23. The head-mounted personal communication device according to claim 20, wherein the shape of said antenna is selected from a list consisting of:

a rod;

a pyramid;

a cone;

a curved plane; and

a flat plane.

24. The head-mounted personal communication device according to claim 20, wherein the shape of said shield is selected from the list consisting of:

a substantially convex shape;

a substantially concave shape; and

a substantially flat shape.

25. The head-mounted personal communication device according to claim 20, wherein said shield is an integral part of an item selected from the list consisting of:

a headset;

a hat;

a helmet;

a harness;

a hair pin;

a hairpiece;

a spectacle frame; and

a visor.

26. The head-mounted personal communication device according to claim 25, wherein the type of said hat is selected from the list consisting of:

a cylinder;

a cap; and

a yarmulke.

27. The head-mounted personal communication device according to claim 20, further comprising a radio communication component, connected to said antenna, for transmitting or receiving of radio transmissions conducted via said antenna.

28. The head-mounted personal communication device according to claim 27, wherein said radio communication component is disposed adjacent to said antenna.

29. The head-mounted personal communication device according to claim 27, further comprising a power source for supplying power to said radio communication component.

30. The head-mounted personal communication device according to claim 29, wherein said power source is disposed adjacent to said radio communication component.

31. The head-mounted personal communication device according to claim 27, wherein said radio communication component is selected from the list consisting of:

a transmitter;

a receiver; and

a transceiver.

32. The head-mounted personal communication device according to claim 27, further comprising a processor, connected to said radio communication component and to said communication interface, for controlling said radio communication component.

33. The head-mounted personal communication device according to claim 32, wherein said processor is disposed adjacent to said radio communication component.

34. The head-mounted personal communication device according to claim 32, further comprising a user interface in communication with said processor.

35. The head-mounted personal communication device according to claim 33, wherein said user interface is selected from the list consisting of:

a display screen;

a keypad;

a touch-screen;

a microphone; and

an earphone.

36. The head-mounted personal communication device according to claim 20, further comprising a visual indicator, for indicating to people in the vicinity of said user, an operation state of said personal communication device.

37. The head-mounted personal communication device according to claim 36, wherein said operation state includes said personal communication device being in a state selected from the list consisting of:

in use;

in standby mode; and

turned off.

38. A personal communication device, comprising:

a head-mounted unit including a shield adapted to be placed on a user'"'"'s head, an antenna mounted on said shield, and a radio circuitry communicated to said antenna, wherein said shield is adapted to be disposed between said antenna and the user'"'"'s head to shield the user'"'"'s head from RF emissions emitted by said antenna;

a remote unit physically remote from said head-mounted unit and including a user interface; and

a link for communicating said head-mounted unit with said remote unit.

39. The device of claim 38, wherein said user interface includes at least one of a display and a key pad.

40. The device of claim 38, wherein said remote unit is a cellular device having at least one of a transceiver, a microphone, and an earphone.

41. The device of claim 40, wherein said at least one of the transceiver, microphone, and earphone is disabled when said link is activated.

42. The device of claim 38, wherein said remote unit further includes a receiving antenna, and said antenna of said head-mounted unit is configured to exclusively transmit said RF emissions.

43. The device of claim 38, wherein said link is a wireless link configured exclusively for signal communication between said head-mounted unit and said remote unit.

44. The device of claim 38, wherein said link is a wired link configured for both signal communication and power supply between said head-mounted unit and said remote unit.

45. The device of claim 38, wherein said radio circuitry of said head-mounted unit includes a transceiver.

46. The device of claim 45, wherein said radio circuitry of said head-mounted unit further includes a processor coupled to and for controlling said transceiver.

47. The device of claim 46, wherein said radio circuitry of said head-mounted unit further includes a voice interface coupled to said processor.

48. The device of claim 46, wherein said remote unit further includes a processor coupled to and for controlling said transceiver of said head-mounted unit via said link.

49. The device of claim 48, wherein said remote unit further includes a voice interface coupled to said processor.

50. The device of claim 38, wherein said remote unit comprises a hand-held unit.

51. The device of claim 38, wherein said remote unit comprises a finger-mounted unit.

52. A head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus for connecting to a personal radio transmitting device for shielding a user'"'"'s head from RF emissions, the head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus comprising:

a shield adapted to be placed on the user'"'"'s head;

an antenna mounted on said shield and configured to emit said RF emissions; and

a communication interface for communicating said antenna to said personal radio transmitting device;

wherein said shield is adapted to be disposed between said antenna and the user'"'"'s head to shield the user'"'"'s head from said RF emissions emitted by said antenna; and

wherein said shield includes a RF signal reflective surface facing said antenna.

53. The device of claim 52, wherein said reflective surface is roughened.

54. A head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus for connecting to a personal radio transmitting device for shielding the user'"'"'s head from RF emissions, the head-mounted wearable shielded antenna apparatus comprising:

a shield adapted to be placed on the user'"'"'s head;

a shield support adapted to support said shield on the user'"'"'s head;

an antenna mounted on one of said shield and said shield support, and configured to emit said RF emissions; and

a communication interface for communicating said antenna to said personal radio transmitting device;

wherein said shield is adapted to be disposed between said antenna and the user'"'"'s head to shield the user'"'"'s head from said RF emissions emitted by said antenna; and

wherein said shield support is not a portion of a helmet.

55. A head-mounted wearable shielded personal communication device for, at least, transmitting RF emissions and shielding a user'"'"'s head from said RF emissions, said head-mounted wearable shielded personal communication device comprising:

a shield adapted to be placed on the user'"'"'s head;

an antenna mounted on said shield and configured to at least emit said RF emissions; and

a radio circuitry communicated with said antenna;

wherein said shield is adapted to be disposed between said antenna and the user'"'"'s head, and only partially physically cover the user'"'"'s head to an extent sufficient to at least substantially entirely shield the user'"'"'s head from said RF emissions emitted by said antenna.

56. A method of shielding a user'"'"'s head from RF emissions emitted by a personal communication device, comprising the steps of

mounting an antenna on a shield;

supporting said shield on the user'"'"'s head so that said shield only partially physically covers the user'"'"'s head to an extent sufficient to at least substantially entirely shield the user'"'"'s head from said RF emissions emitted by said antenna;

communicating said antenna to said personal communication device; and

using said antenna, at least, as a transmitting antenna for said personal communication device.