Adaptive signal routing in a personal protective equipment network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11744739-B1
Application number	US-202117905775-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 1, 2021
Priority date	Mar 9, 2020
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A control unit for a worker wearing personal protective equipment is presented. The control unit includes a PPE network creator that, when activated, creates a network. The control unit also includes a PPE device identifier configured to detect a first PPE associated with the worker and a second PPE associated with the worker. The first PPE has a first speaker and a first microphone. The second PPE has a second speaker and a second microphone. The control unit also comprises a PPE network joiner that facilitates the first and second PPE joining the network. The control unit also comprises a preferred configuration selector that automatically selects a preferred speaker for the worker and a preferred microphone for the worker. The preferred speaker is the first or second speaker. The preferred microphone is the first or second microphone. The control unit also comprises a network communication component that automatically communicates a first device parameter settings to the first PPE and a second device parameter settings to the second PPE. The first and second device parameter settings are based on the selected preferred speaker and microphone.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control unit for a worker wearing personal protective equipment, the control unit comprising:
a PPE network creator that, when activated, creates a network;
a PPE device identifier configured to detect a first PPE associated with the worker and a second PPE associated with the worker, wherein the first PPE has a first speaker and a first microphone, and wherein the second PPE has a second speaker and a second microphone;
a PPE network joiner that facilitates the first and second PPE joining the network;
a preferred configuration selector that automatically selects a preferred speaker for the worker and a preferred microphone for the worker, wherein the preferred speaker is the first or second speaker, and wherein the preferred microphone is the first or second microphone; and
a network communication component that automatically communicates a first device parameter settings to the first PPE and a second device parameter settings to the second PPE, wherein the first and second device parameter settings are based on the selected preferred speaker and microphone.

2. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein the network is a personal area network.

3. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein the PPE device identifier detecting the first or second PPE associated with worker comprises detecting that the first or second PPE is within range of the control unit.

4. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein the preferred configuration selector selects the preferred speaker and the preferred microphone based on a detected type of the first and second PPE.

5. The control unit of claim 4 , wherein the first PPE is selected from a group consisting of: an in-ear hearing protector, an over-ear hearing protector, a hood, a face shield, a face mask, a respirator, and a shoulder microphone.

6. The control unit of claim 4 , wherein the preferred speaker and preferred microphone are selected based on reducing expected interference, preserving audio fidelity, or remaining battery life.

7. The control unit of claim 1 , and further comprising:
an external communication component that receives incoming audio from a source outside of the network and sends outgoing audio from the microphone to the source.

8. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein communicating the first and second device parameter settings includes instructions to automatically implement the first and second device parameter settings.

9. The control unit of claim 1 , wherein the first PPE is a hearing protection device, the second PPE is a respirator; and wherein incoming audio is routed to the hearing protection device, and wherein a speaker of the respirator is turned off.

10. A method for controlling parameters of personal protective equipment, the method comprising:
detecting a new PPE device joining a network, wherein the network is controlled by a control unit;
identifying, using the control unit, a communication feature of the new PPE device, wherein the communication feature is a microphone or a speaker;
automatically comparing, using a comparison module of the control unit, the identified communication feature to a current signal routing configuration within the network, wherein the current signal routing configuration comprises a current microphone that captures speech and a current speaker that broadcasts incoming sound;
determining, based on the comparison, that the communication feature of the new PPE device is preferred over either the current microphone or the current speaker; and
adjusting device parameters, by sending a communication from the control unit to each of the new and current PPE, for the current PPE and the new PPE such that a preferred speaker broadcasts incoming sound and a preferred microphone captures speech.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein adjusting device parameters comprises automatically sending a current PPE configuration command to the current PPE and a new PPE configuration command to the new PPE to change device parameters.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the current PPE and new PPE change configurations automatically based on the received configuration commands, and wherein the adjustment is substantially seamless.

13. The method of any of claim 10 , and further comprising:
monitoring the network for new PPE.

14. The method of claim 10 , and further comprising:
detecting that either the current or the new PPE device has left the network;
determining a new preferred speaker and a new preferred microphone; and
adjusting device parameters to cause the new preferred speaker to broadcast incoming sound and the new preferred microphone to receive speech.

15. A personal protection equipment network comprising:
a first device with a first microphone and a first speaker;
a second device with a second microphone and a second speaker; and
a control unit that:
initiates the personal protection equipment network and joins the first and second devices to the network;
joins the first and second devices to the network;
selects a preferred microphone based on a comparison of the first and second microphones;
selects a preferred speaker based on a comparison of the first and second microphones; and
sends a control command to the first and second devices such that the preferred microphone and speaker are enabled; and

wherein the first device and the second device are both personal protection equipment devices.

16. The personal protection equipment network of claim 15 , wherein the first speaker is the preferred speaker, and the control command disables the second speaker.

17. The personal protection equipment network of claim 16 , wherein the first device is an in-ear hearing protector, the second device is an over-ear hearing protector, and wherein the current PPE configuration command and the new PPE configuration command comprise the current and new PPE entering a dual hearing protection mode.

18. The personal protection network of claim 16 , wherein the first device is a hearing protection device, and wherein the preferred microphone is the first microphone.

19. The personal protection network of claim 16 , wherein the first device is a respirator, and wherein the second speaker is the preferred speaker.

20. The personal protection equipment network of claim 15 , wherein the preferred speaker and preferred microphone are selected based on reducing expected interference, preserving audio fidelity, or remaining battery life.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Company

Inventors

• Henry Paul D

Classifications

• H04R1/1083

  Reduction of ambient noise (active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06) · CPC title

• H04R1/1016

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title

• H04R1/1008

  Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type · CPC title

• A61F11/145 Primary

  electric, e.g. for active noise reduction · CPC title

• A42B3/30

  Mounting radio sets or communication systems · CPC title