Sleep training child night light

• US 10,300,242 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2018
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hush Buddy LLC
• Original Assignee: Hush Buddy LLC
• Inventors: Hanson, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Haissa
• Application Number:
  US15/895,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20180169374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3375 Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/63 Motion, e.g. physical activity
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device and method of training a child to go to sleep by providing a light which dims in response to a child sound or a presence other than the child and turns back on or brightens when the sound stops or the presence leaves.

Claims

1. A night light system for use in sleep training a child who sleeps with a night light on comprising:

a) a light dimming circuit;

b) a sensor designed to detect at least one of a sound of the child and a presence of someone in addition to the child or the child leaving a room or getting up; and

c) a connecting circuit for using the dimming circuit to dim the light when the sensor detects the child sound or presence of someone and turning the light up after a period of time when no child sound or presence is sensed by the sensor.

2. The light system according to claim 1 wherein the sensor is trained to detect a particular child'"'"'s sound.

3. The light system according to claim 1 wherein the dimming circuit dims the light in steps, including turning the light off.

4. The light system according to claim 1 wherein the connecting circuit is adjustable for at least one of time, length of sound, and sound intensity.

5. The light system according to claim 1 wherein the sensor is a Bluetooth sensor that senses the presence or absence of someone.

6. The light system according to claim 1 wherein the sensor is a digital assistant.

7. A method of training a child to be quiet and to go to sleep at night while using a night light, the method comprising:

a) engaging a sensor that detects at least one of when the child is making a sound or there is the presence of someone other than the child;

b) when the sensor detects the child sound or the presence, sending a signal to a dimming circuit on the night light which instructs the dimming circuit to lower the light intensity; and

c) engaging a timer to time how long it has been since the sound was detected last or the presence has left and increasing the light intensity once a selected time is reached.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the night light dims in stages until the light is off.

9. The method according to claim 7 wherein the light dims when someone other than the child is near the night light.

10. The method according to claim 7 wherein the sensor is a digital assistant which can instruct the dimming circuit.