APPARATUS TO PROVIDE WIRELESS HEADSET AUDIO DEVICE ENCASED WITHIN A FORM FACTOR OF A HELMET SUCH AS A MOTORCYCLE HELMET, MILITARY HELMET, SKI OR SNOWBOARD HELMET, OUTDOOR ADVENTUREHELMET, OR CONSTRUCTION HELMET, OR A MODULE WHICH AUGMENTS ANY HELMET TO PROVIDE THIS CAPABILITY

APPAREIL SERVANT DE DISPOSITIF ECOUTEUR SANS FIL INCORPORE A UN CASQUE, PAR EXEMPLE UN CASQUE DE MOTOCYCLISTE, UN CASQUE MILITAIRE, UN CASQUE DE SKI ET/OU DE PLEIN AIR, UN CASQUE DE CONSTRUCTION, OU MODULE ACCESSOIRE DE CASQUE ASSURANT CETTE FONCTION

English Abstract

APPARATUS TO PROVIDE WIRELESS HEADSET AUDIO DEVICE ENCASED
WITHIN A FORM FACTOR OF A HELMET SUCH AS A MOTORCYCLE HELMET,
MILITARY HELMET, SKI OR SNOWBOARD HELMET, OUTDOOR ADVENTURE
HELMET, OR CONSTRUCTION HELMET, OR A MODULE WHICH AUGMENTS ANY
HELMET TO PROVIDE THIS CAPABILITY.

Claims

-4-
CLAIMS
THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A system and apparatus consisting of the following components:
A device to act as a wireless headset for connection to an audio
source, or a cellular phone such that the headset is in the form of a
helmet, such as a motorcycle helmet, military helmet, ski or snowboard
helmet, outdoor adventure helmet, or a construction safety helmet, or
as a module that convert existing helmets with this capability.
2. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein the wireless headset uses
Bluetooth
technology.
3. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein the wireless headset has one or
more
buttons for the use of indicating an action.
4. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein the wireless headset uses a
hanging
strap at the back or the side in order to provide a microphone to proximity to
the
throat.
5. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein the wireless headset uses
induction
power transfer in order to charge the batteries
6. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein the wireless headset in the
helmet uses
mechanical contacts so that the device or part of the device can be physically
inserted in the utility (cigarette lighter) plug of an automobile for
recharging.
7. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein the wireless headset uses a
photonic
display device within the helmet or the visor to display text or images to the
wearer of
the helmet, similar to the heads-up display used in combat aircraft.

Description

CA 02433248 2003-06-17
Fffe~ F 1'f~E f1/Elli'Tf~f~i
This invention relates to the field of wireless audio devices ouch as calf
phones and
audio players.
~SCRff~TI~fV F Pf~f~~L f~T
Cellular phone technology has become ubiquitous and part of common culture.
There is
~0 a need to have Bands free operation in certain jurisdictions currently when
operating a
motor vehicle. Typically the hands free unit consists of a microphone and ear
speaker
connected by wire to the set, with a single pushbutton switch to answer a
call. Typically
only a single pushbutton is provided, and tl~e option to ignor°e, or to
sent to voice mail, is
not provided. These headsets also preclude the abilii:y to use other audio
devices
concurrently, such as compact disc players and com~'ressed digital audio
players. Other
hands-free units exist that clamp a microphone in close proximity to the
phone's
earpiece, and then transmitting the audio through a short range A!~ or F~IVi
signal to a
nearby radio, typically the car stereo.
2~ There exists hands-tree cellular phone technology where the microphone is
embedded
within the earpiece itself and picks up the v~ice through the vibrations
travelling through
the head, thus requiring only a single module on the wire to the phone.
~luetooth technology is one recently put forward by the cellular phone
manufacturing
industries and the computer industries as a method of interli~lking devices
through
wireless communications. The aim was to øvliminate the need for additions!
wires for
related devices in extreme close proximity to each other in what was termed a
pico-net.
The communication !s mandated for the unlicensed 2.~.01~Iz radio band in a
modulation
and frequency-hopping algorithm specified in the standard, although future
30 enhancements may specify other frequencies or algorithms. examples of
~luetoozh
devices are cellular phones, headsets, computers, keyboards, mice, printers,
office
equipment, and automobiles, with many more are being thought of every day.
One of the benefits of ~luetooth technology is interchangeable headphone
technology
where any manufacturer's wireless headset can interoperate with any other
manufacturer's phone. ~ ~luetooth headset can link a phone as well as play
music from
a ~luetooth enabled audio player, s~rch as a compressed digital audio player,
or from a
computer streaming music from the Internet.
40 There are several wireless communication devices designed specifically for
motorcycles
that allow two or more riders to have a conversation using point-to-point
technology.
This is similar to a walkie-talkie using Citi~er~s hand (CiC~), General
IUlobile Ftadio service
(GfVIRS) or Family Radio service ~F~~), in a form that can be worn inside a
helmet, with
or without an external radio module.
The military has for many decades used radio communication as a key element of
their
battlefield technology. There are many examples of radio communications on
individual
combatants with or without da'ra transmission. All use point-to-point radio
technology
rather than the pico-net technology of ~luetootll, or l~li-f=i based
technology of X02.91.

CA 02433248 2003-06-17
SIJNiI~IAIRY F THE IN1IEI~T'BI~
According to the invention, there is provided an apparatus c.ompromisingo
The hardware apparatus that can provide audio capabilities cor~nectir~g a
headset to
an audio source through wireless technology, such as kDut not limited to
Bluetooth
technology, in the form factor of helmets such as but r~ct limited to
motorcycle
helmets, military helmets, ski or snowboard helmet, outdoor adventure helmet,
or a
construction safety helmet, as well as modules that modify existing helmets
with
60 such capabilities.
Advantageously, the systerr: and apparatus according to the invention allows:
A method of obtaining hands-free cellular phone corr~rraL~nication while
riding a
motorcycle, while in a military operation, while skiing ! snowboarding ~ rock
climbing
etc., or while working on a construction site.
- A method of answering a call, or hangir3g up a call, that does not require
that the
7~ eyes of a rr3otorcycle rider to be averted from the direction of traffic.
A method of providing other forms of bidirectional communication both audio
and
data within a pica-net community of short range qualified electronics devices,
in a
secure manner.
~FtI~F ESt;IPT'I~~F THE C~f~A'~II
FIGo 1 illustrates the apparatv.os according to an emboclir~ent of the
invention used in the
~C typical manner.
FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the components of an embodiment of the
invention.
~SIrRiI~"fl~~F THE ~EFE&tRE~ E~II~iEN~'
The innovation incorporated within this patent is that the electronics in the
wireless
headset technology for ~luetooth is small erough to be enclosed within the
form factor
of a module that can augment any l~elrnet, or can be manufactured into a
helmet.
90 As shown in FIG. 1, a motorcycle helmet contains all the electronics of a
wireless
131uefooth headset. The audio is played through tiny speakers positioned near
the ears
and the microphone for the voice is positioned in the strap near the throat.
twitches at the two corners near the eyes or around the temples select whether
or not
to answer a call or to hang up the call and l car forward t~o voice mail.
Utlhich switch does
what is selectable by the user, as left-handed or r fight-handed people may
have different
preferences. These buttons are positioned where the hands can find and depress
a
button without averting the gage from the direction of traffic ire a vehicle.

CA 02433248 2003-06-17
_ 3 ._
t00 Bluetooth technology can be used so that prior to a calf the user can be
listening to
audio from a compressed digital audio player. When a call comes in, and the
user
selects to answer the call, the headset can notify the nompr~ssed digital
audio player to
pause prior to answering the call. once the call is cor~ciuded, the a:~dio
from the
compressed digital audio player can resume where it was paused.
The battery recharging circuitry can be included within so that the headset
can be
recharged by plugging the helmet into a standard ~12 \~olt automobile utility
(cigarette
lighter) socket without any additional equip~~ent. A 1~ \6olt ~~ transfor'mer
can be
provided separately with the socket of a cigarette lighter, or some other
connection in
t x0 order to recharge away from an automobile.
As shown in iriC. 2, the schematics of such a device are typ~.~cal for any
wireless hands
free cellular phone unit, such as a wireless Biuetooth headset. Some
semiconductor
manufacturers such as Motorola (vvww.mot.com), or Cambridge Silicon ~2adio
(www.csr.com~, use the wireless Bluetooth headset design as a reference design
for
their Bluetooth offerings.
Alternate designs may or may not include an ear plug design for better ar.~dio
fidelity.
I20 Alternate designs may or may not include an earplug microphone so that
there is no
need for a hanging microphone.
130
Alternate designs may or may not ir~ciude induction-charging capabilities, so
that there is
no exposed electronics and the device can be charged through magnetic
induction
power transfer. This reduces the likelihood of damage from immersion in
liquid.
Alternate designs may or may not include simply making all this electronics as
part of an
accessory package thaf can convert existing helmets and convert it to being
Bluetooth
enabled helmets.
Alternate designs may or may not also allow text or graphics data to be
displayed in the
visor of the helmet so that the ~nrearer~ can see heads-up information
floating in front of
the viewer. This is similar technology to that used in figi~rter jays s~ that
the pilof can see
vital information without averting h!s eyes from the direction of travel.
Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described in
detail herein
with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the
invention is
not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and
modifocations
can be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the
scope and
I40 spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims..

Representative Drawing