Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-20
2004-04-13
Swarthout, Brent A. (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S286050, C345S008000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06720878
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to a data communications system with a data display in a mask or helmet visor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A respirator with a display unit for transmitting measured data via a display field of the display unit into the field of view of a user of the apparatus is described in DE 44 25 262 C1. The display field comprises an LC (liquid crystal) display transparent at least to the transmission radiation. An optical concentrator is provided as the transmission radiation source.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,987 describes a transparent eye shield for swimmers with an LC (liquid crystal) data display arranged therein, so that the visibility of the data being displayed is ensured directly by the ambient light. None of these prior-art arrangements discloses a data communication with external peripheral devices.
The users of respirators, e.g., the personnel of firefighting or mine rescue teams, but also racing cyclists, motorcyclists or pilots, are usually equipped during the mission with respirators or head protectors, i.e., masks or helmets. The data necessary for carrying out the mission, e.g., the current pressure in the cylinder of the compressed air breathing apparatus, the remaining mission time, ambient temperature, measured data from relevant sensors, e.g., gas measuring devices, altimeters, velocity sensors, pressure gauges, or other information, such as retreat signals, instructions for actions to be taken, are usually made available to the user in separate display instruments. This also applies to camera displays of video cameras or infrared cameras, which are used during firefighting or rescue missions. The display instruments are often not in the direct field of view of the user and can be read only when the instruments have been additionally brought into the field of view. The communications exchange with the environment or the mission center takes place in the usual manner by means of communications systems which are known per se and are used in parallel by the mask or helmet user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a data communications system with a data display in a mask or helmet visor, which displays various data as needed.
According to the invention, a data communications system is provided with a data display in a mask or helmet visor. The mask or a helmet has a voice transmitter with a microphone as well as a transmitter unit on the output side. The mask or a helmet has a receiver unit for the data display on the input side. An evaluating unit is equipped with a receiver unit and a transmitter unit for data communication with the transmitter and receiver units of the mask or of the helmet. The evaluating unit receives the measured data from at least one measuring device via associated transmitter units. The evaluating unit has stored, preset voice patterns and is voice-controlled, so that depending on the voice signals received by means of the receiver unit and after comparison with the stored, preset voice patterns, it transmits selected measured data to the receiver unit, and these measured data are displayed in the data display.
One essential advantage of the present invention is the voice-controlled activation and visualization of data from various sources in various representations on the data display in the field of view of the mask or helmet user. The data display is preferably transparent, and the data are displayed by means of an LC (liquid crystal) display or OLED (organic light-emitting display). The data display may be designed as a transparent OLED.
The data communication between the transmitter and receiver units may take place in a wireless manner in the infrared frequency range or in an ISM (Industrial Scientific Medical) frequency range, especially at 2.4 or 5.8 GHz.
The microphone may additionally be connected to a radio transmitter and receiver unit for transmitting voice to a mission center.
The data display may have a second, inner pane at a spaced location from the visor, so that the data display is protected from mechanical effects and fogging is reduced.
The measuring device may be an infrared camera, a pressure gauge, a temperature sensor or a gas measuring device.
The mask or the helmet may have a control unit for setting the data display.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.
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Dräger Safety AG & Co. KGAA
McGlew and Tuttle , P.C.
Swarthout Brent A.
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