IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,302,962
Granted Patent B2
US 12,302,962 · App. 17/128,456 · Granted May 20, 2025

Contextual personal protective equipment

Inventors: Aisha Walcott (Nairobi, KE); Michael S. Gordon (Yorktown Heights, NY); Komminist Weldemariam (Ottawa, CA)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
A41D13/11A41D31/14A61B5/01A61B5/6803A61B5/7282F21V33/0008
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,302,962
App. No.
17/128,456
Granted
May 20, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A face mask and a method for fabricating a face mask. The face mask may comprise an air permeable membrane having an exterior surface and an interior surface, and a thermometer affixed to the exterior surface of the air permeable membrane. The air permeable membrane may be adapted to overlay a wearer's mouth and nose. The thermometer may be adapted to measure a temperature of the wearer and to allow other people in close proximity to the wearer see the temperature of the wearer at a glance.

Claims (19)

1. A face mask, comprising:

an air permeable membrane having an exterior surface and an interior surface, wherein the air permeable membrane is adapted to overlay a wearer's mouth and nose; and

a thermometer affixed to the exterior surface of the air permeable membrane, wherein the thermometer is adapted to measure a temperature at the exterior, wherein the thermometer comprises a wireless interface adapted to communicate with an application, wherein the application comprises a machine learning model that is configured to correlate the temperature at the exterior surface with an actual body temperature of the wearer, wherein the machine learning model is trained on historical exterior surface body temperature measurements and historical core body temperature measurements, wherein the thermometer displays the actual body temperature of the wearer.

2. The face mask of claim 1 , wherein the thermometer is further adapted to share alerts of high temperatures to people in close proximity to the wearer.

3. The face mask of claim 1 , wherein the thermometer comprises a thermometer strip.

4. The face mask of claim 3 , further comprising an adhesive layer that attaches the thermometer strip to the exterior surface of the air permeable membrane.

5. The face mask of claim 3 , further comprising a hook and loop fastener that removably attaches the thermometer strip to the exterior surface of the air permeable membrane.

6. The face mask of claim 3 , further comprising a sleeve formed into the exterior surface of the air permeable membrane, wherein the sleeve is adapted to hold the thermometer strip near the wearer's mouth.

7. The face mask of claim 6 , further comprising a transparent window that covers the sleeve.

8. The face mask of claim 1 , wherein the thermometer comprises a thermometer chip.

9. The face mask of claim 8 , wherein the thermometer chip comprises the wireless interface adapted to communicate to the application executing on a smart phone.

10. The face mask of claim 9 , wherein the thermometer chip further comprises an identifier that associates the thermometer chip with the application.

11. The face mask of claim 8 , wherein the application is further adapted to collect a time series of temperature readings from the thermometer chip.

12. The face mask of claim 1 , wherein the application is further adapted to determine an activity of the wearer.

13. The face mask of claim 12 , wherein the machine learning model is further configured to correlate the temperature at the exterior surface with the actual body temperature of the wearer based on the determined activity.

14. The face mask of claim 11 , wherein the machine learning model further calculates a risk level associated with the time series of temperature readings from the thermometer chip.

15. The face mask of claim 14 , further comprising a light emitting diode coupled to the thermometer chip, wherein the light emitting diode activates when the calculated risk level exceeds a predetermined threshold.

16. The face mask of claim 8 , further comprising a light emitting diode coupled to the thermometer chip, wherein the thermometer chip activates the light emitting diode when the actual body temperature of the wearer exceeds a predetermined threshold.

17. The face mask of claim 1 , wherein the machine learning model is configured to correlate the temperature at the exterior surface with the actual body temperature of the wearer based on time of day.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 21, 2020
From: WALCOTT, AISHA; GORDON, MICHAEL S.; WELDEMARIAM, KOMMINIST
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054706/0925 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220192288A1 · Jun 23, 2022
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