Wearable computer and garment system

Details Wearable computer and garment system Wearable computer and garment system

2001-04-10

2003-01-14

Schuberg, Darren (Department: 2835)

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...

For electronic systems and devices

C361S730000, C235S462490, C708S140000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06507486

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a wearable or body-worn computer or data input system and peripheral sensing devices wherein the system is incorporated into a garment intended to protect the wearer from threats to personal safety, such as from ballistic/puncture penetration, nuclear, biological, and chemical attack, perimeter penetration, presence of hostile threat, and personal vital signs/physical environment monitoring.
BACKGROUND ART
Military and law enforcement personnel are increasingly reliant on computing and communications equipment to enhance performance of their duties. An example of such, is the radio transceiver that is commonly attached to the shirt worn by police officers. Further, the military has moved into the realm of information-based warfare with its Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (usually referred to as C
4
I) system that, inter alia, allow remotely located commanders the ability to monitor and control military personal in the field. The types of C
4
I peripherals military personal would need include tactical video or audio equipment, scent, sound, or motion detection, video or audio capture, radios, listening devices, IR detection, night vision equipment, etc. Additionally, personnel are often mandated to wear protective body armor, such a ballistic vest, while on duty or in an elevated threat environment.
Currently, an individual wearing a protective garment and wanting the functionality of a computer would have to attach or carry a wearable computer and peripheral devices appended to the garment or person of the wearer. The problems associated with this arrangement include the lack of protection from shock due to blunt force trauma, the lack of protection from environmental effects, and vulnerability due to exposed wires, and physical encumbrance.
One type of protective garment is a ballistic vest which has been available in recent years as a protective panel having overlying layers of a fabric typically thought not exclusively made from woven high tensile strength ballistic resistant polymeric fibers or other protective material. An example of such woven fabrics is KEVLAR which has been used successfully in military and law enforcement armored ballistic vests because of the high energy absorption properties of the fabric material. Many other types of body armor contemplated for use in the instant invention employ a multiplicity of fabrics, ceramics, and material intended to protect the wearer such as but not limited to those produced by Second Chance Body Armor of Central Lake, Mich. The MONARCH Ultra PRO by Second Chance Body Armor offers ballistic protection against 9 mm, 0.357's, 0.40 caliber, 0.44 magnum handguns, etc. Another type of body armor that could be used for the instant invention is the type sold by Point Blank Body Armor, Inc. of Oakland Park, Fla. Any other suitable material may be used if it possesses these desirable characteristics. However, these garments have not been constructed to take advantage of the benefits of wearable computers.
Also known in the art are protective materials designed to shield the wearer from puncture wounds. This type of assault is different then ballistic projectiles in that the energy of the penetrating object is focused over a much smaller surface area, such as the tip of an ice pick, nail, or like pointed object. An example of such is U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,470 (Bachner) which is sold under the trademark PRISM by Second Chance Body Armor of Central Lake, Mich. Bachner discloses a puncture resistant garment which includes a plurality of flexible layers of woven sheets positioned to overlie one another forming a puncture resistant panel, in which each of the plurality of woven sheets is constructed of aramid fibers and in which the woven sheets have a weave of at least 60 said aramid fibers per inch in one direction and at least 60 said aramid fibers per inch in another direction transverse to the first direction. Any other suitable material may be used if it possesses these desirable characteristics. Again, garments of this type have not been constructed to take advantage of the benefits of wearable computers.
A still further type of protective garment is one that protects from nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) attack. These garments range in the protection provided to the wearer from protecting the whole body to just covering the neck and w head of the individual. They are usually constructed of a composite material, such as several layers of different co-extruded or laminated plastics as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,148. These garments also have not been constructed to take advantage of the benefits of wearable computers.
Wearable or user-supported personal computers are known in the art and are becoming increasingly important. Examples of user-supported personal computers include U.S. Pat. No. 5,305,244 (Newman I) which discloses a voice-activated, user-supported computer (mobile computer) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,844,824 (Newman II) which discloses a body-worn, hands-free computer system that does not rely upon keyboard input or activation apparatus both commonly assigned to Xybernaut Corporation of Fairfax, Va. The disclosures of these two commonly owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,305,244 and 5,844,824 are hereby incorporated by reference into this disclosure.
Also disclosing wearable computers are U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,398 (Janik I), U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,651 (Janik II), U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,492 (Janik III), U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,907 (Janik IV), U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,490 (Carroll I) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,401 (Carroll II). Each Janik patent discloses a belt computer containing the elements or components of a computer. For example, in Janik I, the plurality of computing elements are located on the belt and a flexible signal relaying means connects all of the elements for computing. A protective covering is used for enclosing said computer elements. In Janik II, a similar belt computer is described and claimed in which the signal relaying means, the length of which between any two computing elements, is greater than the length of the wearable member between any two computing elements. In each Janik patent, the flexible wearable computer is in the form of a relatively heavy belt comprising around its periphery sequentially positioned computer elements.
Both Carroll I and Carroll II disclose a wearable support and interconnection structure for a modular microcomputer system having a plurality of microcomputer cards housed in a plurality of microcomputer card pockets in a wearable garment. Examples of such garments include a pliable garment worn over the torso of the user (vest), a cap that fits snugly on user's head or in the form of a belt. In one embodiment, the pockets are linked by a plurality of channels extending from pocket to pocket that secure an electronic linking system to the wearable garment. The linking system includes a plurality of flat flexible cables encasing flexible circuitry and microcomputer card connectors. A card connector opens into each pocket to receive a microcomputer card. Each connector is operable, coupled to the cables such that when microcomputer cards are placed in the connectors and provided with power, an operational microcomputer system is created.
The wearable computers and garments of the Janik and Carrol patents are disclosed as being contained in a flexible or pliable housing. These are neither protected by a material that is resistant to penetration by ballistic projectiles nor integrated into a protective garment and therefore do not provide suitable level of protection for many law enforcement or military personnel activities.
Further examples of the incorporation of computing equipment and peripheral devices into a garment worn by the operator are discussed below. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,724, Suzuki describes a personal sound system concealed within garment, such as a jacket or vest. Specifically, the sound system is composed of battery power supply, amplifier, CD player, tape player, and loudspeakers which are di

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