Vibrating monitor system

• US 20030067390A1
• Filed: 10/04/2001
• Published: 04/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Brown, Bryan M., Fitzgerald, Karen, Weppner, Mark H., Gubitosi, Domenic Thomas
• Application Number:
  US09/969,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20030067390A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• 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 23/00 Alarms responsive to unspecified undesired or abnormal conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

The present invention discloses a system and method for monitoring a child in a remote location by providing a monitoring system comprising two units which transmit audio signals from the child'"'"'s location to the parent'"'"'s location and the system vibrates when the audio signals reach a threshold level.

Claims

1. A monitor system comprising:

a remote unit including;

an audio input transducer for converting an acoustic input into an input signal; and

a transmitter for transmitting said input signal; and

a local unit including;

a receiver for receiving said input signal from said transmitter;

a vibration element, wherein said vibration element is activated

when said input signal is greater than a pre-determined threshold level; and

an output transducer for converting said input signal into an acoustic output.

2. The monitor of claim 1 wherein said monitor system has a first operating mode and a second operating mode wherein when said monitor system is in said first operating mode said input signal is converted into an acoustic output and wherein when said monitor system is in said second operating mode said input signal is converted into an acoustic output and said vibration element is activated when said input signal is greater than said threshold level.

3. The monitor system of claim 1 wherein said local unit further includes a vibration termination control.

4. The monitor system of claim 1 wherein said threshold level is selectively adjustable by a user.

5. The monitor system of claim 4 wherein said remote unit includes a threshold level selector for selectively adjusting said threshold level by the user.

6. The monitor system of claim 4 wherein said local unit includes a threshold level selector for selectively adjusting said threshold level by the user.

7. The monitor system of claim 1 wherein said local unit further includes a display.

8. The monitor system of claim 7 wherein said display produces visible output corresponding to a signal level of said input signal.

9. The monitor system of claim 1 wherein a vibration level of said vibration element is proportional to a signal level of said input signal.

10. The monitor system of claim 1 wherein said acoustic signal is a sound generated by a child.

11. A method for remotely monitoring an acoustic sound with a monitor having a local unit and a remote unit comprising the steps of:

placing said remote unit in a location remote from said local unit;

receiving an acoustic sound at said remote unit;

transmitting a signal representative of said acoustic sound from said remote unit to said local unit;

audibly outputting said acoustic sound at said local unit; and

activating a vibration element in said local unit when said signal is greater than a threshold level.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said local unit further includes a vibration termination switch and wherein said method further includes the step of terminating activation of said vibration element.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said activating step further includes the step of adjusting said threshold level.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said method further includes the step of displaying a visible output corresponding to a signal level of said signal.