Baby monitor with a soothing unit

• US 7,049,968 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2004
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mattel Europa BV (Mattel Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Gubitosi, Domenic T., Fitzgerald, Karen, Weppner, Mark H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US10/885,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20050035864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/539.1, 340/539.15, 340/568.1, 340/568.6, 446/227, 446/175, 381/94.1, 381/94.7
• 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 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission

Abstract

A baby monitor system with a parent unit communicable with a baby unit a soothing unit is provided. In an embodiment for the baby monitor system of the present invention, the baby unit is responsive to receiving a signal representative of an audible sound transmitted from the parent unit and the parent unit is responsive to receiving a signal representative of an audible sound transmitted from the baby unit. In an embodiment for a method of the present invention, a method for monitoring a baby is provided. The method includes the steps of receiving a signal representative of an audible sound at a baby unit from a parent unit, receiving a signal representative of an audible sound at a parent unit from a baby unit, and actuating a soothing unit included in the baby unit

Claims

1. A baby monitor system, comprising:

a parent unit; and

a baby unit including a soothing unit, said baby unit communicable with said parent unit, the soothing unit including a light source, an image projection unit, and a film disposed between said light source and said image projection unit;

said baby unit responsive to receiving a signal representative of an audible sound transmitted from said parent unit; and

said parent unit responsive to receiving a signal representative of an audible sound transmitted from said baby unit.

2. The baby monitor system of claim 1, wherein said baby unit is responsive to receiving a control signal from said parent unit to actuate said soothing unit.

3. The baby monitor system of claim 1, wherein said soothing unit includes an audio output unit.

4. The baby monitor system of claim 1, said baby unit comprising a housing having a substantially planar base.

5. The baby monitor system of claim 1, wherein said film is rotatable.

6. The baby monitor system of claim 1, said parent unit comprising:

a housing;

a flexible antenna having a proximal end coupled to said housing, a distal end and a body extending therebetween; and

a retainer coupled to said housing;

said antenna reconfigurable between a first configuration wherein said body is disposed away from said housing and a second configuration wherein said body is disposed adjacent to said housing within said retainer.

7. The baby monitor system of claim 6, wherein when said antenna is configured in said first configuration, said body is in a substantially straight configuration and wherein when said antenna is configured in said second configuration, said body is in an arcuate configuration.

8. The baby monitor system of claim 6, wherein said retainer includes a detent formed in said housing.

9. The baby monitor system of claim 6, wherein said retainer comprises a clip.

10. A baby monitor, comprising:

a baby unit including;

a transmitter configured to transmit a signal associated with an audible sound;

a housing;

a light source; and

a projector,

the light source being configured to project light through the projector, the projector being movably coupled to the housing and configured to move with respect to the housing from a first orientation to a second orientation different than the first orientation, the projector being configured to direct the projected light in a first direction with respect to the housing when the projector is in its first configuration and a second direction with respect to the housing different than the first direction when the projector is in its second configuration.

11. The baby monitor of claim 10, wherein the projector is pivotably coupled to the housing.

12. The baby monitor of claim 10, wherein the projector is configured to direct the projected light along a projection axis, the projector being pivotable with respect to the housing about an axis substantially perpendicular to the projection axis.

13. The baby monitor of claim 10, further comprising:

a remote actuator configured to actuate the light source of the baby unit.

14. The baby monitor of claim 10, further comprising:

a parent unit configured to actuate the baby unit, the parent unit being configured to receive the signal associated with an audible sound transmitted from the baby unit.

15. The baby monitor of claim 10, further comprising:

a parent unit configured to actuate the baby unit, the parent unit being configured to receive the signal associated with an audible sound transmitted from the baby unit,

the baby unit being configured to receive a signal representative of an audible sound transmitted from the parent unit.

16. The baby monitor of claim 10, wherein the baby unit includes an audio output unit.

17. The baby monitor of claim 16, further comprising:

a parent unit configured to actuate at least one of the light of the baby unit and the audio output unit of the baby unit.

18. The baby monitor of claim 10, further comprising:

a film disposed between the light source and a distal end of the projector.

19. The baby monitor of claim 10, further comprising:

a film disposed between the light source and a distal end of the projector, the film being movable with respect to the light source.

20. A method of using a baby monitor, the baby monitor including a baby unit having a transmitter configured to transmit a signal associated with an audible sound, a housing, a light source, and a projector, the light source being configured to project light through the projector, the projector being movably coupled to the housing, comprising:

disposing the projector in a first orientation such that the projected light is configured to be projected at a first angle with respect to the housing; and

moving the projector to a second orientation different than the first orientation such that the projected light is configured to be projected at a second angle with respect to the housing, the second angle being different than the first angle.

21. The method of claim 20, the baby monitor including a film disposed between the light source and a distal end of the projector, further comprising:

disposing the film in a first position with respect to the light source; and

moving the film to a second position with respect to the light source different than the first position.

22. The method of claim 20, the baby monitor including a remote actuator configured to communicate with the baby unit, further comprising:

actuating the light source via the remote actuator.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

transmitting a signal associated with an audible sound to a parent unit.

24. A baby monitor system, comprising:

a baby unit including;

a transmitter configured to transmit a signal associated with an audible sound;

a housing;

a light source; and

a projector,

the light source being configured to project light through the projector to a first location on a surface when the baby unit is in a first configuration, the light source begin configured to project light though the projector to a second location on the surface different than the first location when the baby unit is in a second configuration.

25. The baby monitor of claim 24, wherein the projector is movably coupled to the housing and configured to be disposed in a first position with respect to the housing when the baby unit is in its first configuration and a second position with respect to the housing different than the first position when the baby unit in its second configuration.

26. The baby monitor of claim 24, wherein the projector is pivotally coupled to the housing and configured to be disposed in a first position with respect to the housing when the baby unit is in its first configuration and in a second position with respect to the housing different than the first position when the baby unit in its second configuration.

27. The baby monitor of claim 26, wherein the projector is configured to direct the projected light along a projection axis, the projector being pivotable with respect to the housing about an axis substantially perpendicular to the projection axis.

28. The baby monitor of claim 24, further comprising:

a remote actuator configured to actuate the light source of the baby unit.

29. The baby monitor of claim 24, further comprising:

a parent unit configured to actuate the baby unit, the parent unit being configured to receive the signal associated with an audible sound transmitted from the baby unit.

30. The baby monitor of claim 24, further comprising:

a parent unit configured to actuate the baby unit, the parent unit being configured to receive the signal associated with an audible sound transmitted from the baby unit,

the baby unit being configured to receive a signal associated with an audible sound transmitted from the parent unit.

31. The baby monitor of claim 24, further comprising:

a film disposed between the light source and a distal end of the projector, the film being movable with respect to the light source.