Method, apparatus, and system for remote baby monitoring with additional functions

• US 7,009,520 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2001
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Graco Children's Products, Inc. (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Burlington Basket Company
• Inventors: Thompson, Rick L.
• Primary Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US09/957,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20020101350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,628 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/539, 340/531, 340/407.1, 340/965, 340/825.19, 340/692, 367/197, 367/198, 367/199, 381/56, 381/57, 381/58, 381/122
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0208 Combination with audio or video communication, e.g. combination with "baby phone" function
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system for remote baby monitoring is disclosed. The invention includes a non-audio alert such as a vibrator. In one embodiment the invention includes an intensity adjustment or a sensitivity adjustment.

Claims

1. A new remote unit for baby monitoring comprising:

a vibrating unit for providing a vibrating notification that sound associated with a baby exceeds a threshold;

a receiver for receiving transmitted sounds emitted from a baby;

a discriminator for determining whether the transmitted sounds are above the threshold and activating the vibrating unit when the transmitted sounds are above said threshold;

the discriminator operatively connected to the vibrating unit and the receiver, and

a speaker for outputting the transmitted sounds, the speaker operatively connected to the receiver.

2. The remote unit of claim 1 wherein the threshold is adjustable.

3. The remote unit of claim 1 further comprising a user selectable frequency switch and wherein the receiver operates at a user-selectable frequency.

4. The remote unit of claim 1 wherein the receiver operates at a frequency at or above approximately 900 megahertz.

5. A system for remote baby monitoring comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting audio of a baby; and

a remote unit, the remote unit having a receiver for receiving the audio at a first level, the receiver electrically connected to a discriminator for determining when the received audio is above a second level, the discriminator electrically connected to a vibration unit, the discriminator activating the vibration unit when the first level is above the second level, the receiver electrically connected to a speaker for transducing the received audio.

6. A new method of baby monitoring comprising:

transducing sound associated with a baby;

transmitting the sound to a remote location;

receiving the sound at the remote location;

transducing the sound at the remote location while selectively activating a vibration unit based on a predetermined threshold volume level.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of selectively activating is adjusting an intensity of vibration to correspond with a sound volume.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising manually adjusting a level of vibration.

9. A new remote unit for baby monitoring comprising:

a vibrating unit;

a receiver for receiving an audio signal associated with a baby being monitored; and

a sensitivity input for selecting the volume of sound that activates the vibrator unit, the sensitivity input operatively connected to the vibrating unit and the receiver;

a speaker operatively connected to the receiver for transducing the audio signal.

10. The remote unit of claim 9 wherein the receiver has a soft antenna.

11. The remote unit of claim 9 further having a switch to select one of a plurality of frequencies for operation of the receiver.

12. The remote unit of claim 9 further having a speaker for outputting the audio signal.

13. The remote unit of claim 12 further having an adjustable volume control.

14. A system for remote baby monitoring, comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting audio of the sounds emitted from a baby;

a receiver for receiving the audio of the sounds emitted from the baby;

a speaker operatively connected to the receiver for transducing the audio of the sounds emitted from the baby; and

a vibration unit operatively connected to the receiver for providing vibratory notification that the audio exceeds a threshold audio level.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the threshold audio level is adjustable.

16. The system of claim 14 further comprising a volume adjustment operatively connected to the speaker.

17. The system of claim 14 further comprising a microphone operatively connected to the transmitter.

18. A system for remote baby monitoring, comprising:

a transmitter unit having a microphone electrically connected to a transmitter for transmitting an audio signal associated with a baby;

a remote unit having a receiver in operative communication with the transmitter for receiving the audio signal associated with the baby, a speaker operatively connected to the receiver for transducing the audio signal, and a vibration unit operatively connected to the receiver for providing vibratory notification that the audio signal exceeds a threshold audio level.

19. A system for remote baby monitoring, comprising:

a transmitter unit having a microphone for transducing sounds emitted from a baby to an audio signal of the baby and a transmitter for transmitting the audio signal;

a remote unit having a receiver in operative communication with the transmitter for receiving the audio signal of the baby, a speaker operatively connected to the receiver for transducing the audio signal of the baby and a vibration unit operatively connected to the receiver for providing vibratory notification that the audio signal of the baby exceeds a threshold level;

wherein the remote unit is adapted for simultaneously transducing the audio signal of the baby and providing vibrating notification.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the threshold level is user adjustable.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the remote unit includes a volume adjustment operatively connected to the speaker.

22. A new method of baby monitoring that provides for remote monitoring of a baby even in a noisy environment, comprising:

receiving sounds associated with a baby at a first unit;

transmitting the sounds associated with the baby to a second unit;

reproducing the sounds associated with the baby at the second unit;

determining that the sounds associated with the baby have reached a threshold at the second unit and thereafter activating a vibration at the second unit.