TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a person protective equipment (PPE) system for providing safety-related contextual information. The system can provide a remote user interface for an article of PPE. The system can provide user-centered and contextual, information related to safety and other topics through the user interface.

BACKGROUND

Maintaining the safety and health of workers is a major concern across many industries. Various rules and regulations have been developed to aid in addressing this concern. Such rules provide sets of requirements to ensure proper administration of personnel health and safety procedures. To help in maintaining worker safety and health, some individuals may be required to don, wear, carry, or otherwise use a personal protective equipment (PPE) article, if the individuals enter or remain in work environments that have hazardous or potentially hazardous conditions.

Consistent with evolving rules and regulations related to safety, safety is an important concern in any workplace requiring the use of PPE. Companies or businesses employing workers wearing articles of PPE also want to ensure that workers are complying with relevant laws, regulations and company policies related to proper use and maintenance of PPE.

Manually monitoring the use of PPE in a given workplace can be cumbersome and time consuming for supervisors or other individuals with safety inspection or compliance roles within an organization. Improved methods and systems for monitoring safety compliance, PPE maintenance, communicating with workers about various topics and providing safety-related contextual information in a work environment requiring the use of PPE would be welcomed.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure includes a PPE system with a remote user interface, and further includes a user-centered PPE system. The systems of the present disclosure provide several advantages over the status quo. For example, they enable communicating automated and customized reminders related to safety to workers using or wearing PPE or using or wearing a user device. The present disclosure provides real time information related to PPE status and safety needs to workers using or wearing PPE or using or wearing a user device. The present disclosure allows for simple and trackable reporting of PPE status through a user interface. The present disclosure allows for tracking of safety-related data to document compliance, create reports, and assess PPE replacement or maintenance needs. The present disclosure provides a communication medium for quickly communicating information to workers, and attracting workers to view such information. Other advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent to one of skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure.

In one instance, the present disclosure includes a personal protective equipment (PPE) system with a remote user interface. The PPE system comprises an article of PPE including an active wireless communication device for transmitting a signal and a controller for managing settings on the article of PPE. The PPE system further comprises a communication hub including a user interface, an electronic connection to a PPE management software, and a wireless communication device. When the wireless communication device of the communication hub detects that the article of PPE is in proximity to the communication hub, the communication hub displays information on the user interface. The information displayed on the user interface includes settings for the article of PPE, and the settings can be adjusted by a user through interaction with the user interface. The wireless communication device of the communication hub transmits information related to the adjusted settings to the wireless communication device of the article of PPE; and the controller adjusts the settings on the article of PPE.

In some instances, the article of PPE is in proximity to the communication hub when the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the signal from the active wireless communication device of the piece of PPE exceeds a threshold.

In some instances, the PPE system further comprises a user device including an active wireless communication device, wherein the communication hub further detects the presence of a user by detecting that a signal transmitted by a user device exceeds a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) threshold.

In some instances, the settings for the article of PPE displayed by the user interface are customized based on a user identifier in the signal transmitted by the user device.

In some instances, the communication hub can transmit a command or other data to an article of PPE within a signal range of the communication hub.

In some instances, the settings for the article of PPE displayed by the user interface are customized based on context information received from the PPE management software or from remote sensors.

In some instances, context information includes user personal information, environmental information, location based information, safety related information, task related information, PPE information, sensor information.

In another instance, the present disclosure includes a user-centered personal protection equipment (PPE) system. The PPE system comprises a communication hub including a user interface, an electronic connection to a PPE management software, and a wireless communication device; and a user device including an active wireless communication device. The active wireless communication device of the user device transmits a signal including a user identifier. When the wireless communication device of the communication hub detects that the user device is in proximity to the communication hub, the communication hub displays information on the user interface. The information displayed on the user interface includes user-specific information received from the PPE management software and based on the user identifier. The user interface provides the user the option to enter information related to a piece of PPE through interaction with the user interface.

In some instances, the information includes a unique message for the user.

In some instances, the information includes unique user health or safety data.

In some instances, the user interface provides an option for the user to provide performance feedback related to the piece of PPE through interaction with the user interface.

In some instances, the information includes information related to a game the user is participating in.

In some instances, the user interface allows the user to select attractive information to display on the user interface.

In some instances, the piece of PPE comprises an active wireless communication device.

In some instances, the information includes unique user productivity information.

In some instances, the user interface provides an option for the user to acknowledge a message by interacting with the user interface.

In some instances, the information includes unique user task information.

In some instances, the user is in proximity to the communication hub when the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the signal from the active wireless communication device of the user device exceeds a threshold.

In some instances, the communication hub can transmit a command to a user device in a signal range of the communication hub.

In some instances, the information includes context information received from the PPE management software or remote sensors.

In some instances, context information includes user personal information, environmental information, location based information, safety related information, task related information, PPE information, sensor information.

