Audio apparatus

• US 6,084,516 A
• Filed: 11/25/1998
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation (Pioneer Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation (Pioneer Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Koji, Cheng, Jun, Satoh, Hiroshi, Yasushi, Mitsuo, Yanagidaira, Masatoshi, Uchiyama, Kazuyuki, Takashima, Kayoko
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US09/199,373
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/691.8, 340/692, 340/666, 340/825.49, 340/825.5, 455/404, 455/527, 381/23.1, 381/312, 381/315, 381/81, 381/85
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home

Abstract

The living condition of a resident is prehended by a sensor disposed in a room. Identification information and vital information transmitted from a portable transreceiver carried by the resident are monitored. An audio signal favored by the resident is sequentially reproduced while the level is adjusted in accordance with the current living condition and physical condition of the resident.

Claims

1. An audio apparatus comprising:

vital information detecting means for detecting vital information of a resident;

a database which is configured by information based on the vital information, and in which at least vital information in a normal state of the resident is accumulated;

audio signal generating means for generating a normal audio signal and a warning audio signal;

comparing means for comparing the vital information in a normal state which is accumulated in said database, with the vital information detected by said vital information detecting means;

selecting means for, if vital information detected on the basis of a result of the comparison of said comparing means is information in a normal state, selecting the normal audio signal of said audio signal generating means, and, if the vital information is not information in a normal state, selecting the warning audio signal; and

audio signal producing means for producing the selected audio signal to the resident.

2. The audio apparatus of claim 1, wherein

said vital information detecting means is attached to a hearing aid.

3. The audio apparatus of claim 1, wherein, external data together with vital information are accumulated in said database, and the vital information in a normal state of the resident is set in accordance with the external data.

4. An audio apparatus comprising:

a position detection sensor which produces a detection signal corresponding to a position of a resident in a room;

audio signal generating means for generating an audio signal;

loudspeakers which are respectively disposed at predetermined places in the room, and which output the audio signal from said audio signal generating means; and

level setting means for, on the basis of the detection signal from said position detection sensor, setting the audio signal supplied to said loudspeakers to a predetermined level.

5. The audio apparatus of claim 4, wherein said position detection sensor comprises:

light emitting means carried by the resident; and

light receiving means, respectively disposed at predetermined places in the room, for receiving light from said light emitting means.

6. An audio apparatus comprising:

identification signal producing means, carried by a resident, for producing an identification signal for identifying the resident;

common audio signal generating means for generating a common audio signal;

common audio signal producing means for producing the common audio signal in a first room;

individual audio signal generating means for generating a plurality of individual audio signals corresponding to the identification signal of the resident;

identification signal receiving means, disposed in a second room, for receiving the identification signal from said identification signal producing means;

selecting means for, from said individual audio signal generating means, selecting an individual audio signal corresponding to the identification signal received by said identification signal receiving means; and

individual audio signal producing means for producing the selected individual audio signal in said second room.

7. The audio apparatus of claim 6, wherein said identification signal producing means is attached to a hearing aid.