Method of monitoring sleeping infant

• US 20050053262A1
• Filed: 07/22/2004
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ronjo Company
• Original Assignee: Ronjo Company
• Inventors: Szuba, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,035,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/04 Babies, e.g. for SIDS detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1128 using image analysis A61B5/1127 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0476 Cameras to detect unsafe condition, e.g. video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

A method of detecting high risk movements of an infant relating to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome includes generating a reference image of an infant by signaling a controller a location of a first plurality of pixels. The first plurality of pixels are stored in a controller generating a reference image. A second electronic image of the infant is generating a second plurality of pixels that are signaled to the controller. The controller compares the second electronic image to the first electronic image by determining a correlation between the first plurality of pixels to the second plurality of pixels for determining if the infant has made a high risk movement.

Claims

1. A method of detecting high risk movements of a infant relating to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, comprising the steps of:

generating a first electronic image of an infant by signaling a controller a location of a first plurality of pixels;

storing the location of said plurality of pixels thereby generating a reference image;

generating a second electronic image of the infant by signaling said controller the location of a second plurality of pixels; and

comparing said second electronic image to said first electronic image by determining a correlation between said first plurality of pixels to said second plurality of pixels thereby identifying a high risk movement.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, further including the step of generating sequential electronic images thereby monitoring the movement of the infant over a period of time.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, further including the step of generating a distress signal if said first plurality of pixels is substantially the same as said second plurality of pixels.

4. The method as set forth in claim 2, further including the step of transmitting said distress signal to a remote location.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, further including the step of transmitting non-visible light waves onto the infant thereby enhancing said first and said second electronic image.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5, wherein said step of generating said first and second electronic images is further defined by receiving said non-visible light waves.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, further including the step of distinguishing the infant from static pixels generated by an electronic image of static background.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said steps of generating said first and said second electronic images is further defined by providing a camera for generating said first and said second electronic images.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein said step of providing a camera is further defined by providing a charge-coupled camera.

10. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein said step of providing a camera is further defined by providing an high dynamic range camera.

11. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein said step of providing a camera is further defined by providing an active pixel camera.

12. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein said step of providing a camera is further defined by providing an complementary metal oxide semiconductor camera.

13. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said steps of generating said first and said second electronic images is further defined by obtaining said first and said second electronic images by detecting electromagnetic radiation.

14. A method of anticipating a risk of an infant contracting sudden infant death syndrome, comprising the steps of:

generating a reference image;

storing said reference image in a controller;

generating an active image of the infant;

transmitting said active image of the infant to said controller;

comparing said active image with said reference image for determining if said alarm situation exists; and

transmitting an alarm to a remote location if said alarm situation exist.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14, further including the step of generating sequential active images thereby determining the movements of the infant over a period of time.

16. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein said step of generating a reference image is further defined by generating an image of a doll.

17. The method as set forth in claim 14, further including the step of transmitting non-visible light waves onto the infant thereby enhancing said active electronic image.

18. The method as set forth in claim 17, wherein said step of generating said active image is further defined by receiving said non-visible light waves.

19. The method as set forth in claim 14, further including the step of distinguishing the infant from static pixels generated by an electronic image of static background.

20. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein said steps of generating said reference and said active electronic images is further defined by providing a camera for generating said first and said second electronic images.

21. The method as set forth in claim 20, wherein said step of providing a camera is further defined by providing a charge-coupled camera.

22. The method as set forth in claim 21, wherein said step of providing a camera is further defined by providing an high dynamic range camera.

23. The method as set forth in claim 21, wherein said step of providing a camera is further defined by providing an active pixel camera.

24. The method as set forth in claim 23, wherein said step of providing a camera is further defined by providing a complementary metal oxide semiconductor camera.

25. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein said steps of generating said active electronic image is further defined by obtaining said active electronic image by detecting electromagnetic radiation.