Monitor and a method for monitoring a baby in a vehicle

• US 10,467,877 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2018
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DSP Group Ltd. (Synaptics Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: DSP Group Ltd. (Synaptics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Elyakim, Ofer, Blanka, Lior
• Primary Examiner(s): Trieu, Van T
• Application Number:
  US15/993,650
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1672 using sonic detecting means, e.g. a microphone operating in the audio frequency range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0202 Child monitoring systems using a transmitter-receiver system carried by the parent and the child
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0208 Combination with audio or video communication, e.g. combination with "baby phone" function
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0277 Communication between units on a local network, e.g. Bluetooth, piconet, zigbee, Wireless Personal Area Networks [WPAN]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/028 Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/181 due to failing power supply

Abstract

A method for monitoring, the method may include constantly operating, within one or more sensing periods, a microphone and a trigger sensor of a monitor that is installed in a vehicle, even when an processor of the monitor is asleep; receiving by the microphone, while the processor is asleep, initial audio signals; converting the initial audio signals to initial electrical signals representative of the initial audio signals; searching, by the trigger sensor and in the initial electrical signals, for a voice trigger that is related to a sound made by the baby; when finding the voice trigger then awakening the processor; searching, by the processor, for the sound made by the baby in at least one out of the initial audio signals, and following audio signals. When finding the sound made by the baby then executing a baby in vehicle response.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring, the method comprises:

constantly operating, within one or more sensing periods, a microphone and a trigger sensor of a monitor that is installed in a vehicle, even when a processor of the monitor is asleep;

wherein a power consumption of the trigger sensor is lower than a power consumption of the processor when the processor is awake;

receiving by the microphone, while the processor is asleep, initial audio signals;

converting, by the microphone, the initial audio signals to initial electrical signals representative of the initial audio signals;

receiving, by the trigger sensor, the initial electrical signals representative of the initial audio signals;

searching, by the trigger sensor and in the initial electrical signals, for a voice trigger that is related to a sound made by a baby;

when finding the voice trigger then awakening the processor;

searching, by the processor, for the sound made by the baby in at least one out of (a) the initial audio signals, and (b) following audio signals sensed by the microphone after the awakening of the processor;

when finding the sound made by the baby then executing a baby in vehicle response.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the preforming of the baby in vehicle response comprises generating and transmitting outside of the vehicle one or more messages indicative of the sensing the sound made by the baby.

3. The method according to claim 2 when at least one of the one or more messages comprises an audio recording of the sound made by the baby that was sensed by the microphone.

4. The method according to claim 2 when at least one of the one or more messages comprises an audio recording of the sound made by the baby that was sensed by the microphone after the awakening of the processor.

5. The method according to claim 2 when at least one of the one or more messages comprises an audio recording of the sound made by the baby that was sensed by the microphone, starting before the awakening of the processor.

6. The method according to claim 2 comprising storing or retrieving contact information for contacting a computerized device located outside the vehicle, and sending at least one of the one or more messages using the contact information.

7. The method according to claim 2 comprising sending at least one of the one or more messages using a predefined list of receivers that is stored in a vehicle database.

8. The method according to claim 2 comprising retrieving from a vehicle system, contact information for contacting a computerized device located outside the vehicle, and requesting a communication component of the vehicle to send at least one of the one or more messages using the contact information.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the preforming of the baby in vehicle response comprises playing, by a speaker, an audio recording of the sound made by the baby that was sensed by the microphone.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the preforming of the baby in vehicle response comprises instructing or requesting, by the processor, a speaker of the vehicle to play an audio recording of the sound made by the baby that was sensed by the microphone.

11. The method according to claim 1 comprising putting to sleep the processor when failing to find the sound sound made by the baby.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the preforming of the baby in vehicle response comprises unlocking the vehicle.

13. The method according to claim 1 wherein the preforming of the baby in vehicle response comprises performing at least one out of activating hazard lights of the vehicle and generating generate hazard noises by the vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 1 wherein the preforming of the baby in vehicle response comprises broadcasting a baby in vehicle message.

15. The method according to claim 1 wherein at least one sensing period of the one or more sensing periods overlap a shut down period of the vehicle during which the vehicle is shut down.

16. The method according to claim 1 wherein at least one sensing period of the one or more sensing periods overlap a turn on period of the vehicle during which the vehicle is turned on.

17. The method according to claim 1 comprising receiving, by the monitor and from a vehicle computer status information about a status of the vehicle;

and determining, based on the status of the vehicle, whether to start a sensing period of the one or more sensing periods.

18. The method according to claim 1 comprising searching, by the trigger sensor and in the initial electrical signals, for another voice trigger that is related to a burglary attempt;

when finding the other voice trigger then awakening the processor;

searching, by the processor, for a sound that is related to the burglary attempt in at least one out of the initial audio signals, and the following audio signals;

when finding the sound that is related to the burglary attempt then performing a burglary attempt response.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the burglary attempt response comprises locking the vehicle when finding.

20. The method according to claim 18 wherein the burglary attempt response comprises generating and transmitting outside of the vehicle one or more messages indicative of the burglary attempt.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores instructions that once executed by a monitor that is installed in a vehicle, cause the monitor to execute the steps of:

constantly operating, within one or more sensing periods, a microphone and a trigger sensor of the monitor, even when a processor of the monitor is asleep;

wherein a power consumption of the trigger sensor is lower than a power consumption of the processor when other processor is awake;

receiving by the microphone, while the processor is asleep, initial audio signals;

converting, by the microphone, the initial audio signals to initial electrical signals representative of the initial audio signals;

receiving, by the trigger sensor, the initial electrical signals representative of the initial audio signals;

searching, by the trigger sensor and in the initial electrical signals, for a voice trigger that is related to a sound made by a baby;

when finding the voice trigger then awakening the processor;

searching, by the processor, for the sound made by the baby in at least one out of (a) the initial audio signals, and (b) following audio signals sensed by the microphone after the awakening of the processor; and

when finding the sound made by the baby then executing a baby in vehicle response.

22. A monitor that comprises a processor, a microphone and a trigger sensor;

wherein the microphone and the trigger sensor are configured to constantly operate, within one or more sensing periods, even when the processor of the monitor is asleep;

wherein a power consumption of the trigger sensor is lower than a power consumption of the processor when other processor is awake;

wherein the microphone is configured to (i) receive, while the processor is asleep, initial audio signals; and

(ii) convert the initial audio signals to initial electrical signals representative of the initial audio signals;

wherein the trigger sensor is configured to (i) receive the initial electrical signals representative of the initial audio signals;

(ii) search in the initial electrical signals, for a voice trigger that is related to a sound made by a baby; and

(iii) participate in awakening the processor when finding the voice trigger;

wherein the processor is configured to (i) search for the sound made by the baby in at least one out of (a) the initial audio signals, and (b) following audio signals sensed by the microphone after the awakening of the processor; and

(ii) assist in executing a baby in vehicle response, when finding the sound of the cry of the baby.