# US 12,225,382 B2 · Connected helmet system and method of operating the same

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- Number: US 12,225,382 B2
- Document ID: US12225382B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/544,834
- Filed: 2023-12-19
- Published: 2024-04-25
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2018-11-01
- Assignees: Polaris Industries Inc.
- Applicants: Polaris Industries Inc.
- Inventors: Scott D. Taylor; Troy D. Kendrick
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12225382B2

## CPC

- H04W 12/50: Secure pairing of devices
- A42B 3/0433: {Detecting, signalling or lighting devices}
- A42B 3/30: Mounting radio sets or communication systems
- B60L 50/60: using power supplied by batteries (in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75)
- B60R 16/0231: {Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle (monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P)}
- B60R 16/037: for occupant comfort {, e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel}
- B60R 21/015: including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats {, and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use}
- H04B 1/385: {Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets}
- H04W 4/40: for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
- H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
- H04W 12/68: Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent
- B60L 2240/12: Speed
- B60L 2240/24: Steering angle
- B60L 2250/16: by display
- B60L 2250/20: by driver identification
- B60R 2021/0097: {Amusement vehicles}
- H04B 2001/3866: {carried on the head}
- H04W 4/027: {using movement velocity, acceleration information}
- H04W 4/48: for in-vehicle communication
- H04W 12/08: Access security
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- A42B: HATS; HEAD COVERINGS (headbands A41D20/00; head-scarves A41D23/00)
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A programming device includes an application for programming vehicle function settings of a vehicle. The programming device has a transmitter that communicates the vehicle function settings through a vehicle receiver to a vehicle controller. The vehicle function settings cause the controller to operate the vehicle when a device identifier is received from a moveable device associated with a vehicle user.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
a programming device comprising an application for programming vehicle function settings of a vehicle, said programming device comprising a transmitter communicating the first vehicle function settings for first helmet associated with a first device identifier and second vehicle function setting for a second helmet associated with the second device identifier through a vehicle receiver to a vehicle controller, said first vehicle function settings and said second vehicle function settings causing the controller to operate the vehicle differently when the first device identifier or the second device identifier is received from a helmet associated with a vehicle user.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter communicates using one of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, short range or long range communications and cellular communications.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the receiver comprises a Bluetooth® receiver.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the first vehicle function settings and the second vehicle function settings limit operation of the vehicle in response to the identifier.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the first vehicle function settings and the second vehicle function settings comprises disabling starting of the vehicle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the first vehicle function settings and the second vehicle function settings further comprise at least one of a top speed setting, a radio volume setting and a geographical setting.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the vehicle comprises a first display displaying the vehicle function settings.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system as recited in claim 7 wherein the programming device comprises a second display displaying a plurality of selectors for changing the vehicle function settings.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system as received in claim 8 wherein the plurality of selectors comprises at least one of a speed limit selector, and a radio volume selector, a ride height selector, a radio preset selector, a map setting selector and a steering effort selector.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a proximity sensor generating a proximity signal, said vehicle controller powering the vehicle receiver, in response to the proximity signal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the proximity sensor comprises a key press or a button press.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system as received in claim 1 wherein the programming device stores the first vehicle function settings or the second vehicle function settings in the helmet, said helmet stores the first vehicle function settings or the second vehicle function settings therein and communicates the first vehicle function settings or second vehicle function settings to the vehicle receiver.

### Claim 13

A method comprising:
programming first vehicle function settings and second vehicle function settings of a vehicle using a programming device;
communicating the first vehicle function settings associated with a first device identifier and the second vehicle function settings associated with a second device identifier to the vehicle using a transmitter of the programming device;
receiving the first vehicle function settings and the first device identifier and the second vehicle function settings and the second device identifier at a vehicle receiver disposed within the vehicle;
generating a helmet movement signal at a helmet in response to sensing movement of the helmet, communicating, by the helmet, a helmet identifier corresponding to one of the first device identifier or the second device identifier to the vehicle controller through the receiver in response to the helmet movement signal; and
controlling a vehicle function in response to the vehicle function settings.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 further comprising limiting an operation of the vehicle in response to the helmet identifier and the first vehicle function settings or the second vehicle function settings.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein controlling the vehicle comprises disabling starting of the vehicle, based on the first vehicle function settings or the second vehicle function settings.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein controlling comprises limiting at least one of a top speed setting, a radio volume setting and a geographical setting.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 further comprising generating a proximity signal at a proximity sensor and, powering the vehicle receiver, in response to the proximity signal.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method as recited in claim 17 wherein generating the proximity signal comprises pressing a key or button.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein the programming device comprises a second display displaying a plurality of selectors for changing the vehicle function settings, wherein the plurality of selectors comprises at least one of a speed limit selector, and a radio volume selector, a ride height selector, a radio preset selector, a map setting selector and a steering effort selector.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 further comprising storing the first vehicle function settings or the second vehicle function settings in the helmet, and communicating the function settings to the vehicle receiver.