# US 10,441,018 B2 · Helmet for communications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,441,018 B2 - Document ID: US10441018B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/753,737 - Filed: 2016-08-31 - Published: 2018-09-06 - Granted: 2019-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2015-09-01 - Assignees: BAE SYSTEMS plc - Applicants: BAE SYSTEMS plc - Inventors: Mohammed-Asif Akhmad; James Edwin Gerard - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10441018B2 ## CPC - A42B 3/30: Mounting radio sets or communication systems - A42B 3/0473: {Neck restraints} - H04R 1/1075: {Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones} - H04R 1/1083: {Reduction of ambient noise (active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06)} - H04R 5/0335: {Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests (for monophonic headphones H04R1/105)} - H04R 2201/107: Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication - H04R 2420/07: Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones - H04R 2460/13: Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers - A42B: HATS; HEAD COVERINGS (headbands A41D20/00; head-scarves A41D23/00) - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) ## Abstract A helmet for communications comprising: a helmet member for at least partially covering the user's head; a strap for extending around the user's lower jaw and thereby securing the helmet member to the user; wherein the strap comprises a transducer unit for contacting the user's lower jaw and thereby transmitting vibrations to the user. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A helmet for communications, the helmet comprising: a helmet member for at least partially covering a user's head; a strap for extending around the user's lower jaw and thereby securing the helmet member to the user; a transducer unit attached to the strap and for contacting the user's lower jaw and thereby transmitting vibrations to the user; and a communication module operably coupled to the transducer unit and being adapted to receive an audio bearing electrical signal, and convert the audio bearing electrical signal to an electrical audio signal that is applied to the transducer unit, wherein the communication module is further adapted to communicate wirelessly with a mobile communication device, and wherein the communication module is within a chin guard. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The helmet according to claim 1 wherein the transducer unit for contacting the user's lower jaw is operable to, in response to the electrical audio signal, generate sound waves in the human hearing range. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The helmet according to claim 1 wherein the transducer unit for contacting the user's lower jaw is operable to, in response to the electrical audio signal, generate sound waves across a sufficient band of the human hearing range such that voice messages may be transmitted and understood. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The helmet according to claim 1 wherein the transducer unit is within the chin guard. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The helmet according to claim 4 wherein the chin guard is part of or slideably attached to the strap. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The helmet according to claim 1 wherein the strap further comprises a chin guard, and wherein the transducer unit is housed at the chin guard. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The helmet according to claim 6 wherein the transducer unit comprises a contact member arranged to protrude from a surface of the chin guard and thereby contact the user. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The helmet according to claim 1 wherein the transducer unit comprises a haptic unit for generating vibrations below the human hearing frequency range. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The helmet according to claim 1 wherein the transducer unit comprises at least two individually operable transducers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The helmet according to claim 1 wherein the transducer unit comprises an array of individually operable transducers. ### Claim 11 A helmet for communications, the helmet comprising: a helmet member for at least partially covering the user's head; a strap for extending around the user's lower jaw and thereby securing the helmet member to the user; a transducer unit attached to the strap and for contacting the user's lower jaw and thereby transmitting vibrations to the user; and an auditory canal isolation device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The helmet according to claim 11 the transducer unit being for generating sound waves in the human hearing range, the helmet further comprising: a communication module operably connectable to the transducer unit and being adapted to receive or generate an electrical signal for conversion into a sound wave in the human hearing range; and at least one microphone, the microphone being operably connected to the communication module such that ambient sounds picked-up by the microphone may be converted to electrical signals and fed to the transducer unit. ### Claim 13 A headset system comprising: a strap for extending around a user's lower jaw and thereby securing a helmet member; a transducer arranged at the strap for contacting the user's lower jaw and transmitting vibrations into the user's lower jaw; a communications module operably connected to the transducer and comprising an antenna and a receiver, wherein the communications module is within a chin guard; and a portable communication device arranged to transmit signals to the communications module, wherein the portable communication device comprises an antenna and transmitter, such that the portable communication device is arranged to transmit signals to the communications module wirelessly. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The headset system according to claim 13 further comprising the helmet member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The headset system according to claim 13 wherein the portable communications module is arranged to receive signals from a remote base station. ### Claim 16 A helmet for communications, the helmet comprising: a helmet member for at least partially covering a user's head; a strap for extending around the user's lower jaw so as to secure the helmet member to the user, the strap including a chin guard; and a transducer unit within the chin guard of the strap so as to be proximate the user's lower jaw, the transducer unit including a contact member arranged to protrude from a surface of the chin guard and thereby transmit vibrations to the user's lower jaw in response to an input signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The helmet according to claim 16, further comprising: a receiver circuit operably connected to the transducer unit and adapted to receive wireless audio bearing electrical signals and to convert those audio bearing electrical signals into input signals which are fed to the transducer unit. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The helmet according to claim 17 wherein the receiver circuit is adapted to receive the wireless audio bearing electrical signals from a mobile communication device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The helmet according to claim 16 where the transducer unit is configured to generate sound waves in the human hearing range, the helmet further comprising: a receiver circuit operably connected to the transducer unit and adapted to receive wireless audio bearing electrical signals and to convert those audio bearing electrical signals unit into a sound wave in the human hearing range; and at least one microphone, the microphone being operably connected to the receiver circuit such that ambient sounds picked-up by the microphone may be converted to electrical signals and fed to the transducer unit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The helmet according to claim 16 wherein the transducer unit comprises an array of individually operable transducers.