Sound-activated playback device

• US 5,452,274 A
• Filed: 06/09/1994
• Issued: 09/19/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Barbara J. Thompson
• Original Assignee: Barbara J. Thompson
• Inventors: Thompson, Barbara J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sugarman, Scott J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, TAN X
• Application Number:
  US08/257,161
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 369/19, 369/20, 369/63, 369/64, 369/67, 367/197, 367/198, 367/199, 360/5, 381/42, 381/36, 381/51, 381/110
• US Class Current: 369/19
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 25/00 Audible advertising sound recording or reproducing per se G11B; public address systems H04R27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/06 by counting or timing of machine operations
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/00 Arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus with cameras or projectors G03B31/00 ; recording/reproducing of music for electrophonic musical instruments G10H1/0033; automatic arrangements for answering calls or for recording messages for absent subscribers H04M1/64; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with dictation recording and playback systems H04M11/10; connection of TV recorder with other related apparatus, e.g. TV camera or receiver, in which the TV signal is significantly involved H04N, e.g. H04N23/00, H04N5/765; combination of radio or TV with other apparatus, e.g. with vehicles H05K11/00

Abstract

A sound-activated playback device which generally includes a sound-activated circuit and an electrically driven playback device which plays a recording on a selected prerecorded medium. The sound-activated circuit includes a noise sensor for sensing the sound of a crying child and activating the playback device. The sound-activated circuit also includes a timer for selecting and limiting the duration of playback of the recording, a timer override switch for overriding the timer, and a prerecorded medium reset for resetting the prerecorded medium after the playback device stops playing. Further, the sound-activated circuit includes a means for turning off the noise sensor until the playback device has finished playing and the prerecorded medium is reset.

Claims

1. A sound-activated playback device for playback of a recording on a selected prerecorded medium, said sound-activated playback device comprising:

a noise sensor electrically connected to said playback device for detecting sound and generating an activating signal;

a microphone for receiving sounds and converting said sounds to an electrical signal;

a sound processing unit in electrical communication with said microphone for receiving and processing said electrical signal, said sound processing unit generating a processed signal;

a frequency filter in electrical communication with said sound processing unit and receiving said processed signal, said frequency filter generating a first enabling signal when said sounds received by said microphone define a frequency within a predetermined frequency range;

a noise level comparator in electrical communication with said sound processing unit and receiving said processed signal, said noise level comparator generating a second enabling signal when said sounds received by said microphone define a noise level at least as great as a predetermined noise level; and

a signal receiver in electrical communication with said frequency filter and said noise level comparator for generating said activating signal when said signal receiver receives said first enabling signal and said second enabling signal;

a timer in electrical communication with said signal receiver for receiving said activating signal, said timer for controlling a duration of playback of said recording;

a play switch in electrical communication with said timer for controlling said playback of said recording; and

a prerecorded medium reset for resetting said prerecorded medium to a starting point of said recording.

2. The sound-activated playback device of claim 1 which further includes a mode selector, said mode selector controlling an ON mode, an OFF mode and a sound-activated mode, said ON mode providing manual control of said playback device, said sound-activated mode for activating said noise sensor.

3. The sound-activated playback device of claim 1 which further includes a noise sensor controller in electrical communication with said play switch and said noise sensor for deactivating said noise sensor at least during said playback of said recording.

4. The sound-activated playback device of claim 1 wherein said noise sensor further includes

a microphone for receiving sounds and converting said sounds to an electrical signal;

a sound processing unit in electrical communication with said microphone for receiving and processing said electrical signal, said sound processing unit generating a processed signal;

a frequency filter in electrical communication with said sound processing unit and receiving said processed signal, said frequency filter generating a first enabling signal when said sounds received by said microphone define a frequency within a predetermined frequency range;

a noise level comparator in electrical communication with said sound processing unit and receiving said processed signal, said noise level comparator generating a second enabling signal when said sounds received by said microphone define a noise level at least as great as a predetermined noise level; and

a time delay circuit in electrical communication with said frequency filter and said noise level comparator for generating a third enabling signal when said time delay circuit receives said first enabling signal and said second enabling signal for a selected duration of time; and

a signal receiver in electrical communication with said time delay for generating said activating signal when said signal receiver receives said third enabling signal.

5. The sound-activated playback device of claim 1 wherein said timer includes a timer control, a timer circuit and a timer reset, said timer control for receiving said activating signal, said timer control setting a selected duration of operation of said timer circuit, said timer control generating a timer signal, said timer circuit in electrical communication with said timer control for receiving said timer signal.

6. The sound-activated playback device of claim 1 further comprising a timer override in electrical communication with said noise sensor, said timer and said play switch for overriding said timer, said timer override receiving said activating signal and sending said activating signal to said timer when said timer override is deactivated, said timer override signalling said play switch when said timer override is activated.

7. A sound-activated playback device for playback of a recording on a selected prerecorded medium, said sound-activated playback device comprising:

a noise sensor electrically connected to said playback device for detecting sound and generating an activating signal;

a timer override in electrical communication with said noise sensor for receiving said activating signal;

a timer in electrical communication with said timer override for receiving said activating signal and controlling a duration of playback of said recording when said timer override is deactivated;

a play switch in electrical communication with said timer and said timer override, said play switch for controlling said playback of said recording, said play switch being activated by said timer when said timer override is deactivated, said play switch being activated by said timer override when said timer override is activated; and

a prerecorded medium reset for resetting said prerecorded medium to starting point of said recording.

8. The sound-activated playback device of claim 7 which further includes a mode selector, said mode selector controlling an ON mode, an OFF mode and a sound-activated mode, said ON mode providing manual control of said playback device, said sound-activated mode for activating said noise sensor.

9. The sound-activated playback device of claim 7 which further includes a noise sensor controller in electrical communication with said play switch and said noise sensor for deactivating said noise sensor at least during said playback of said recording.

10. The sound-activated playback device of claim 7 wherein said noise sensor further includes

a microphone for receiving sounds and converting said sounds to an electrical signal;

a sound processing unit in electrical communication with said microphone for receiving and processing said electrical signal, said sound processing unit generating a processed signal;

a frequency filter in electrical communication with said sound processing unit and receiving said processed signal, said frequency filter generating a first enabling signal when said sounds received by said microphone define a frequency within a predetermined frequency range;

a noise level comparator in electrical communication with said sound processing unit and receiving said processed signal, said noise level comparator generating a second enabling signal when said sounds received by said microphone define a noise level at least as great as a predetermined noise level; and

a signal receiver in electrical communication with said frequency filter and said noise level comparator for generating said activating signal when said signal receiver receives said first enabling signal and said second enabling signal.

11. The sound-activated playback device of claim 7 wherein said noise sensor further includes

a microphone for receiving sounds and converting said sounds to an electrical signal;

a sound processing unit in electrical communication with said microphone for receiving and processing said electrical signal, said sound processing unit generating a processed signal;

a frequency filter in electrical communication with said sound processing unit and receiving said processed signal, said frequency filter generating a first enabling signal when said sounds received by said microphone define a frequency within a predetermined frequency range;

a noise level comparator in electrical communication with said sound processing unit and receiving said processed signal, said noise level comparator generating a second enabling signal when said sounds received by said microphone define a noise level at least as great as a predetermined noise level; and

a time delay circuit in electrical communication with said frequency filter and said noise level comparator for generating a third enabling signal when said time delay circuit receives said first enabling signal and said second enabling signal for a selected duration of time; and

a signal receiver in electrical communication with said time delay for generating said activating signal when said signal receiver receives said third enabling signal.

12. The sound-activated playback device of claim 7 wherein said timer includes a timer control, a timer circuit and a timer reset, said timer control for receiving said activating signal, said timer control setting a selected duration of operation of said timer circuit, said timer control generating a timer signal, said timer circuit in electrical communication with said timer control for receiving said timer signal.

13. A sound-activated playback device for playback of a recording on a selected prerecorded medium, said sound-activated playback device comprising:

a noise sensor electrically connected to said playback device for detecting sound and generating an activating signal;

a microphone for receiving sounds and converting said sounds to an electrical signal;

a sound processing unit in electrical communication with said microphone for receiving and processing said electrical signal, said sound processing unit generating a processed signal;

a frequency filter in electrical communication with said sound processing unit and receiving said processed signal, said frequency filter generating a first enabling signal when said sounds received by said microphone define a frequency within a predetermined frequency range;

a noise level comparator in electrical communication with said sound processing unit and receiving said processed signal, said noise level comparator generating a second enabling signal when said sounds received by said microphone define a noise level at least as great as a predetermined noise level;

a signal receiver in electrical communication with said frequency filter and said noise level comparator for generating an activating signal when said signal receiver receives both said first enabling signal and said second enabling signal;

a timer override in electrical communication with said signal receiver for receiving said activating signal;

a timer in electrical communication with said timer override for controlling a duration of playback of said recording when said timer override is deactivated;

a play switch in electrical communication with said timer and said timer override, said play switch for controlling said playback of said recording, said play switch being activated by said timer when said timer override is deactivated, said play switch being activated by said timer override when said timer override is activated; and

a prerecorded medium reset for resetting said prerecorded medium to a starting point of said recording.

14. The sound-activated playback device of claim 13 which further includes a mode selector, said mode selector controlling an ON mode, an OFF mode and a sound-activated mode, said ON mode providing manual control of said playback device, said sound-activated mode for activating said noise sensor.

15. The sound-activated playback device of claim 13 which further includes a noise sensor controller in electrical communication with said play switch and said microphone for deactivating said microphone at least during said playback of said recording.

16. The sound-activated playback device of claim 13 which further includes a time delay circuit in electrical communication with said frequency filter and said noise level comparator for generating a third enabling signal when said time delay circuit receives said first enabling signal and said second enabling signal for a selected duration of time, said signal receiver in electrical communication with said time delay circuit for generating said activating signal when said signal receiver receives said third enabling signal.

17. The sound-activated playback device of claim 13 wherein said timer includes a timer control, a timer circuit and a timer reset, said timer control for receiving said activating signal, said timer control setting a selected duration of operation of said timer circuit, said timer control generating a timer signal, said timer circuit in electrical communication with said timer control for receiving said timer signal.