User-defined stimulation patterns for juvenile products

• US 10,324,460 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2016
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thorley Industries LLC
• Original Assignee: Thorley Industries LLC
• Inventors: Sandbothe, Erica, Dowling, Kevin, Koes, Mary J., Arora, Arjit, Joseph, Suraj, Thorne, Henry F., Daley, Robert D., McFadden, Mara, Juchniewicz, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Rampuria, Satish
• Application Number:
  US15/130,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20160302586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 700275-306
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 13/00 Other nursery furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 13/10 Rocking-chairs; Indoor Swings ; Baby bouncers
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 13/105 pivotally mounted in a frame
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 13/107 resiliently suspended or supported, e.g. baby bouncers
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 9/02 with rocking mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 9/057 driven by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2809 with additional tether connected to the top of the child seat and passing above the top of the back-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2812 for securing the child to the child seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2816 with additional belt accessories, e.g. belt tension detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2821 having a seat and a base part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2851 provided with head-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/286 forward facing B60N2/2866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2863 backward facing
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2875 inclinable, as a whole or partially
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2884 with protection systems against abnormal g-forces
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/2815 with additional belt accessories, e.g. a belt tension detector
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01252 Devices other than bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2072 : in children's seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/105 : for children adaptation of children's seats for seat belts B60N2/265, B60N2/2803
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/414 : Structure of the control system, e.g. common controller or multiprocessor systems, interface to servo, programmable interface controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23051 : Remote control, enter program remote, detachable programmer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36168 : Touchscreen
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 : characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 19/02 : characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 : Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 : Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 : using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 : Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

Systems and methods define a stimulation pattern for a juvenile product utilizing a mobile device that executes a mobile application that is linked to the juvenile product. The method comprises the step of recognizing, by the mobile device when executing the mobile app, the user-defined stimulation pattern for the juvenile product. The stimulation pattern can be a vibration pattern or a motion pattern, and can be detected in a number of different ways by the mobile device. The method further comprises the step of determining control signals for the actuator(s) of the juvenile product based on the user-defined stimulation pattern that is recognized by the mobile device. The method further comprises the step of, in response to receiving a command to execute the user-defined stimulation pattern, controlling the actuator(s) of the juvenile product based on the stored control signals for the user-defined stimulation pattern.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a juvenile product based on a user-defined stimulation pattern for a juvenile product, the method comprising:

recognizing, by one or more sensor systems of a mobile device, a user-defined stimulation pattern for the juvenile product that is recognized by the mobile device by recognizing tapping by a user on a touch screen of the mobile device, wherein the tapping on the touch screen of the mobile device defines the user-defined vibration pattern;

determining, by one or more processors, control signals for one or more actuators of the juvenile product based on the recognized, user-defined stimulation pattern; and

in response to receiving a command to execute the user-defined stimulation pattern, controlling the one or more actuators of the juvenile product to impart the user-defined stimulation pattern on the juvenile product.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the control signals comprises translating the recognized user-defined stimulation pattern to the control signals for the one or more actuators of the juvenile product.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the control signals comprises matching the recognized user-defined stimulation pattern to a pre-defined stimulation pattern of the juvenile product that is stored in a memory of the juvenile product.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one more sensor systems of the mobile device that recognize the user-defined stimulation pattern comprise a pressure-sensitive touchscreen.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one more sensor systems of the mobile device comprise a microphone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one more sensor systems of the mobile device comprise a camera.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the control signals for the one or more actuators of the juvenile product comprises:

determining, by one or more of the processors of the mobile device, the control signals for the one or more actuators of the juvenile product; and

uploading the determined control signals from the mobile device to the juvenile product.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the determined control signals from the mobile device are uploaded to the juvenile product via a wireless communication link.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the control signals for the one or more actuators of the juvenile product comprises:

determining, by one or more remote servers, the control signals for the one or more actuators of the juvenile product, wherein the one or more remote servers are in communication with the mobile device via a computer data network; and

uploading the determined control signals from the one or more remote servers to the juvenile product.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein uploading the determined control signals from the one or more remote servers to the juvenile product comprises:

transmitting the determined control signals to the mobile device via the computer data network; and

uploading the determined control signals from the mobile device to the juvenile product via a wireless communication link between the mobile device and the juvenile product.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing the control signal for the one or more actuators in a memory of the juvenile product.

12. A system comprising:

a juvenile product that comprises;

a juvenile-supporting structure;

at least one actuator for imparting movement on the juvenile-supporting structure; and

one or more juvenile product processors;

a mobile device that is in communication with the juvenile product, wherein the mobile device comprises;

one or more sensor systems;

one or more mobile device processors; and

a mobile application that is executed by the one or more processor, wherein;

the one or more sensor systems of the mobile device are configured to recognize a user-defined stimulation pattern for the juvenile product in at least one of the following manners;

recognizing tapping by a user on a touch screen of the mobile device, wherein the tapping on the touch screen of the mobile device defines the user-defined vibration pattern;

recognizing drawing by a user on a touch screen of the mobile device, wherein the drawing on the touch screen of the mobile device defines the user-defined movement pattern; and

recognizing movement by a user of the mobile device in free space, wherein the movement of the mobile device in free space defines the user-defined movement pattern; and

the one or more juvenile product processors and/or the one or more mobile device processors are configured to determine control signals for the at least one actuator of the juvenile product based on the recognized, user-defined stimulation pattern for later execution by the juvenile product in response to the juvenile product receiving a command to execute the user-defined stimulation pattern.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more juvenile product processors and/or the one or more mobile device processors are configured to determine the control signals by translating the recognized user-defined stimulation pattern to the control signals for the at least one actuator of the juvenile product.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more juvenile product processors and/or the one or more mobile device processors are configured to determine the control signals by matching the recognized user-defined stimulation pattern to a pre-defined stimulation pattern of the juvenile product.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the one more sensor systems of the mobile device that recognize the user-defined stimulation pattern comprise one or more accelerometers.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the one more sensor systems of the mobile device that recognize the user-defined stimulation pattern comprise a pressure-sensitive touchscreen.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the one more sensor systems of the mobile device that recognize the user-defined stimulation pattern comprise a microphone.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one actuator comprises a vibration motor that imparts vibrations on the juvenile-supporting structure of the juvenile product.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one actuator comprises a motor that moves the juvenile-supporting structure of the juvenile product in at least one dimension.

20. The juvenile product of claim 12, wherein the at least one actuator is for imparting motion on the juvenile-supporting structure.

21. The juvenile product of claim 12, wherein the at least one actuator is for imparting vibration on the juvenile-supporting structure.

22. A method of controlling a juvenile product based on a user-defined stimulation pattern for a juvenile product, the method comprising:

recognizing, by one or more sensor systems of a mobile device, a user-defined stimulation pattern for the juvenile product is recognized by the mobile device by recognizing drawing by a user on a touch screen of the mobile device, wherein the drawing on the touch screen of the mobile device defines the user-defined movement pattern;

determining, by one or more processors, control signals for one or more actuators of the juvenile product based on the recognized, user-defined stimulation pattern; and

in response to receiving a command to execute the user-defined stimulation pattern, controlling the one or more actuators of the juvenile product to impart the user-defined stimulation pattern on the juvenile product.

23. A method of controlling a juvenile product based on a user-defined stimulation pattern for a juvenile product, the method comprising:

recognizing, by one or more sensor systems of a mobile device, a user-defined stimulation pattern for the juvenile product that is recognized by the mobile device by recognizing movement by a user of the mobile device in free space, wherein the movement of the mobile device in free space defines the user-defined movement pattern;

determining, by one or more processors, control signals for one or more actuators of the juvenile product based on the recognized, user-defined stimulation pattern; and

in response to receiving a command to execute the user-defined stimulation pattern, controlling the one or more actuators of the juvenile product to impart the user-defined stimulation pattern on the juvenile product.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the one more sensor systems of the mobile device that recognize the user-defined stimulation pattern comprise one or more accelerometers.