System and method for determining sleep status of a baby in a cradle and controlling movement of the cradle

• US 20090062622A1
• Filed: 11/16/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Premier Image Technology China Ltd (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Premier Image Technology China Ltd (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lin, Cing-Shin
• Application Number:
  US11/985,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20090062622A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 9/02 with rocking mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/06 Children, e.g. for attention deficit diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not

Abstract

A computer-based method for determining sleep status of a baby in a cradle and controlling movement of the cradle is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: obtaining an image of the baby'"'"'s face at fixed intervals through a digital camera, and storing the image in the digital camera; finding the baby'"'"'s face in the image; locating the eyes in the image of the baby'"'"'s face and framing the opening of the eyelids; determining the openness of the baby'"'"'s eyes by calculating a ratio of a height of a rectangle framing the opening of eyelids to a width of the rectangle, and comparing the result with the preset threshold; judging whether the baby is asleep according to the comparison; sending a corresponding command to the motor for controlling the movement of the cradle. A related system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for determining sleep status of a baby in a cradle and controlling movement of the cradle, the system comprising a motor and a digital camera, the motor and the digital camera being installed on a beam of a stand of the cradle, the motor being connected to the digital camera, the digital camera comprising a sensor and a detecting module, the sensor being configured for obtaining an image of the baby'"'"'s face, the detecting module comprising:

a face-detecting sub-module configured for finding the baby'"'"'s face in the image;

an eyes-detecting sub-module configured for locating the eyes in the image of the baby'"'"'s face and framing the opening of the eyelids; and

an analyzing sub-module configured for determining the openness of the baby'"'"'s eyes by calculating a ratio of a height of a rectangle framing the opening of eyelids to a width of the rectangle, comparing the result with the preset threshold, judging whether the baby is asleep according to the comparison, and sending a corresponding command to the motor for controlling the movement of the cradle.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the face-detecting sub-module finds the baby'"'"'s face in the image by using an skin color model in YCbCr space.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the eyes-detecting sub-module finds the location of the eyes in the baby'"'"'s face by using the Sobel algorithm and the Snake algorithm.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the compared result generated by the analyzing sub-module includes:

if the ratio is greater than the preset threshold, the analyzing sub-module judges the baby is not asleep; and

if the ratio is less than or equal to the preset threshold, the analyzing sub-module judges the baby is asleep.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the analyzing sub-module sends a corresponding command to the motor for controlling the movement of the cradle includes:

controlling the motor to stop running if the baby is asleep; and

controlling the motor to continue running if the baby is not asleep.

6. A method for determining sleep status of a baby in a cradle and controlling movement of the cradle, the method comprising:

obtaining an image of the baby'"'"'s face at fixed intervals through a digital camera, and

storing the image in the digital camera, the digital camera being connected to a motor mounted on the cradle;

finding the baby'"'"'s face in the image;

locating the eyes in the image of the baby'"'"'s face and framing the opening of the eyelids;

determining the openness of the baby'"'"'s eyes by calculating a ratio of a height of a rectangle framing the opening of eyelids to a width of the rectangle, and comparing the result with the preset threshold;

judging whether the baby is asleep according to the comparison; and

sending a corresponding command to the motor for controlling the movement of the cradle.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the baby'"'"'s face in the image is found by using an skin color model in YCbCr space.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the location of the eyes in the baby'"'"'s face is found by using the Sobel algorithm and the Snake algorithm.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the compared result includes:

if the ratio is greater than the preset threshold, judging the baby is not asleep; and

if the ratio is less than or equal to the preset threshold, judging the baby is asleep.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of sending a corresponding command to the motor for controlling the movement of the cradle includes:

controlling the motor to stop running if the baby is asleep; and

controlling the motor to continue running if the baby is not asleep.