# US 11,432,602 B2 · Nighttime hand signal system and methods of use thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,432,602 B2 - Document ID: US11432602B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/399,764 - Filed: 2019-04-30 - Published: 2019-12-19 - Granted: 2022-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-14 - Applicants: David M. Cavender - Inventors: David M. Cavender - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11432602B2 ## CPC - A41D 19/0157: {with luminous or reflective means (protective garments with reflective or luminous safety means A41D13/01)} - A41D 19/0024: {with accessories} - G08B 5/004: {Reflective safety signalling devices attached on persons} - A41D 2600/20: for working activities - A41D: OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS ## Abstract A nighttime hand signal system, having primarily a glove or fingerless glove having a backside, one or more infrared (IR) reflective material patterns affixed to the backside of the glove, an infrared (IR) light source, a night vision optical viewer, and thus functions to have the glove used by forward personnel in a police or military unit to provide a variety of hand signal communications to rear personnel using night vision optical viewer, as well as identify friend verse enemy personnel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A nighttime hand signal communication system for a user's hand, said system comprising: a glove having a backside and adapted to be worn on the user's hand to communicate the hand signal communication, said backside having one or more infrared reflective material patterns affixed to said backside of said glove; an infrared light source positioned behind said glove; and a night vision optical viewer to view said infrared light source reflected off said infrared reflective material patterns affixed to said backside of said glove. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein a forward person displays the hand signal communication via said infrared reflective material patterns affixed to said backside of said glove. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein a rear personnel views said infrared light source reflected off said infrared reflective material patterns affixed to said backside of said glove. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein said rear personnel reads the hand signal communication via said night vision optical viewer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein said rear personnel identifies said forward person as friendly forces. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein said rear personnel takes action based on the hand signal communication. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said glove having finger sections and thumb section. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein said backside of each said finger sections and said thumb section having an elongated strip section of said infrared reflective material patterns mounted thereon to enable the hand signal communication. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein said glove further comprises a glove body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein said backside of said glove body having said infrared reflective material patterns mounted thereon to enable identification of said forward person. ### Claim 11 A method of nonverbal hand signal communication at night, said method comprising the steps of: providing a glove having a backside, finger sections, a thumb section and adapted to be worn on a user's hand, said backside having one or more infrared reflective material patterns affixed to said backside of said glove, an infrared light source positioned behind said glove, a night vision optical viewer to view said infrared light source reflected off said infrared reflective material patterns affixed to said backside of said glove; outfitting at least one forward personnel with said signaling glove; and outfitting at least one rear personnel with night vision optical viewer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of displaying said backside of said glove with said finger sections and said thumb sections positioned to display said one or more infrared reflective material patterns, the nonverbal hand signal communication. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of reflecting said infrared light source off said one or more infrared reflective material patterns affixed to said backside of said glove. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of reading said one or more infrared reflective material patterns, the nonverbal hand signal communication via said night vision optical viewer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of displaying said one or more infrared reflective material patterns, the nonverbal hand signal communication via said night vision optical viewer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of viewing said one or more infrared reflective material patterns, the nonverbal hand signal communication via said night vision optical viewer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of confirming an identity of said user based on said infrared reflective material patterns affixed to said backside of said glove. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of performing an action by a rear personnel based on said infrared reflective material patterns affixed to said backside of said glove of a forward personnel.