Remote monitoring device and process

• US 7,266,347 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2004
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pineapple34, LLC
• Original Assignee: John N. Gross
• Inventors: Gross, John N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung; Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US10/863,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20040253926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.1, 455/67.11, 455/67.12, 455/41.2, 455/414.1, 455/422.1, 340/3.1, 340/573.1, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.15, 340/539.16, 340/539.17, 340/539.22, 340/539.26
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/10 of transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/20 of receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

A remote monitoring device is integrated as part of a cell phone or personal digital assistant. By sharing computing resources of a communications transceiver, the cost of a monitoring device can be significantly reduced, while still permitting sufficient functionality to effectively observe an area of interest, such as a child'"'"'s sleeping area. An alert is generated and transmitted to an observer using a separate transceiver when activity at the monitored area (i.e., sound or video activity) meets a specified threshold.

Claims

1. A wireless communications transceiver which includes an integrated monitoring circuit, the wireless communication transceiver comprising:

(a) a setup circuit for configuring and enabling a monitor mode for the wireless communications transceiver;

(b) a detection circuit for detecting sensory data signals originating from a monitored area when said monitor mode is enabled;

wherein said sensory data signals are processed by the communications transceiver and can be transmitted, at least when said monitor mode is enabled, over a time-delay sensitive wireless communications channel used by the transceiver for transmitting voice data signals;

(c) a set of selectable monitor mode control options within a control menu presented on a display of the wireless communications transceiver, which options include a user selectable threshold required for an alert to be triggered;

wherein said monitor mode includes an option for controlling the transceiver to enable said monitor mode only during a specified period, which begins at a first time and lasts for a first time duration;

further wherein monitor mode control options permit the user of the transceiver to transmit alerts over a separate communications channel from that used to transmit said sensory data signals;

(d) an alert generator circuit for generating an alert when said sensory data exceeds said user selectable threshold and when said monitor mode is enabled.

2. The wireless communications transceiver of claim 1, wherein said separate communications channel is a non-time-delay sensitive communication channel that supports a wireless application protocol for low bandwidth data.

3. The wireless communications transceiver of claim 1, wherein the time-delay sensitive wireless communications channel uses an FDMA, TDMA or CDMA signal protocol.

4. The wireless communications transceiver of claim 1, further including a monitor status display for communicating a status of said monitored area, including a presence of a received alert.

5. The wireless communications transceiver of claim 1, wherein said user selectable threshold can adjust a setting of a sound processor located at a remote server, and which sound processor is adapted for identifying a predetermined sound and generating said alert.

6. The wireless communications transceiver of claim 1, wherein said threshold corresponds to an amplitude level and an overall activity energy which must be met by said sensory data signals before said alert is generated.

7. The wireless communications transceiver of claim 1, wherein the detection circuit detects sensory data signals corresponding to sound signals originating from the monitored area.

26. The wireless communications transceiver of claim 1, wherein said display is adapted to present said sensory data signals and/or alerts at the same time as e-mail and/or advertising.

27. The wireless communications transceiver of claim 1, wherein said shared speech recognition unit is adapted to recognize crying by a specific child.

28. The wireless communications transceiver of claim 1, wherein said sensory data signals provide information on physical characteristics of the area monitored, including one or more of a temperature, a humidity, and/or a chemical present in such area.

29. The wireless communications transceiver of claim 1, wherein said setup circuit is adapted to calibrate the target sensory data signals to be captured and evaluated for alerts.

30. The wireless communications transceiver of claim 1, wherein said sensory data signals can be sent to an Internet server for storage.

31. The wireless communication transceiver of claim 30, wherein a sound processor at said Internet server is adapted to perform an evaluation of said sensory data signals and generate an alert.

8. A cellular telephone which includes an integrated monitoring circuit, the cellular telephone comprising:

(a) a setup circuit for configuring and enabling a monitor mode for the cellular telephone;

(b) a detection circuit for detecting sensory data signals originating from a monitored area when said monitor mode is enabled;

(c) an alert generator circuit for generating an alert when said sensory data exceeds a threshold when said monitor mode is enabled;

wherein said set up circuit, said detection circuit and said alert generator circuit are implemented in part by sharing a digital signal processor (DSP) and a firmware memory which are also used by the cellular telephone for communications tasks associated with receiving and transmitting voice and data signals over a wireless communications channel;

(d) a transmission circuit for transmitting said sensory data signals and said alert to a remote transceiver;

wherein said sensory data signals can be processed by the DSP and transmitted over a voice wireless communications channel used by the cellular telephone for transmitting voice data signals;

further wherein said transmission circuit includes a configurable option to transmit alerts at the same time as said sensory data signals over said voice wireless communications channel or a separate lower bandwidth communications channel.

9. The cellular telephone of claim 8, further including a sound template memory for storing a specific sound which must be identified and recognized in the monitored area by a shared speech recognition unit within the cellular telephone before generating an alert.

10. A personal digital assistant (PDA) which includes a wireless transceiver communications capability and an integrated monitoring circuit, the PDA comprising:

(a) a setup circuit for configuring and enabling a monitor mode for the PDA;

(b) a detection circuit for detecting sensory data signals originating from a monitored area when said monitor mode is enabled;

(c) a journaling circuit configured to store a monitoring session of data sensory signals, which monitoring session only includes a selected time period in which said monitor mode is enabled;

(d) an alert generator circuit for generating an alert when said sensory data exceeds a threshold when said monitor mode is enabled;

wherein said set up circuit, said detection circuit and said alert generator circuit are implemented in part by sharing a digital signal processor (DSP) and a firmware memory which are also used by the PDA for communications tasks associated with receiving and transmitting voice and data signals over a wireless communications channel;

(e) a transmission circuit for transmitting said sensory data signals and said alert to a remote transceiver;

wherein said sensory data signals are processed by the DSP and transmitted over a voice wireless communications channel used by the PDA for transmitting voice data signals;

further wherein said transmission circuit includes a configurable option to transmit alerts at the same time as said sensory data signals over said voice wireless communications channel or a separate lower bandwidth communications channel.

11. A method of remotely monitoring an area using a wireless communications transceiver which includes an integrated monitoring circuit, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) configuring and enabling a monitor mode for the wireless communications transceiver;

(b) specifying monitor mode control options within a control menu presented on a display of the wireless communications transceiver, which options include a user selectable threshold required for an alert to be triggered;

wherein said monitor mode control options include an option for controlling the transceiver to enable said monitor mode only during a specified period, which begins at a first time and lasts for a first time duration;

(c) detecting sensory data signals originating from a monitored area when said monitor mode is enabled;

(d) generating an alert when said sensory data exceeds said user selectable threshold and when said monitor mode is enabled;

wherein said sensory data signals are processed by the communications transceiver and are transmitted, at least during certain when said monitor mode is enabled, over a time-delay sensitive wireless communications channel used by the wireless communications transceiver for transmitting voice data signals;

further wherein monitor mode control options permit the user of the transceiver to transmit alerts over a separate communications channel from that used to transmit said sensory data signals.

12. The method of claim 11, further including a step:

transmitting said sensory data signals on a continuous basis to said second transceiver in a first communications session.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein a second communications session is automatically initiated in the event of a failure in said first communication session.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said sensory data signals are combined with other subscriber-related data from a wireless service provider and routed to a second transceiver, said subscriber-related data including e-mail and/or advertising.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said alert is combined with other subscriber-related data from a wireless service provider and routed to a second transceiver, said subscriber-related data including e-mail and/or advertising.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein a channel used for transmitting said alert is subject to time delays.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein ringing features of said wireless communication transceiver are automatically disabled when it is set to a monitor mode.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein said sensory data signals are stored at an Internet service provider server during at least portions of said monitor mode.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein said wireless communication transceiver is a cell phone or personal digital assistant.

20. A method of remotely monitoring an area using a wireless communications transceiver which includes an integrated monitoring circuit, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) configuring and enabling a monitor mode for the wireless communications transceiver for a subscriber;

(b) detecting sensory data signals originating from a monitored area when said monitor mode is enabled and transmitting the same over a first wireless communications channel also used for sending voice data signals;

(c) generating an alert to said subscriber when said sensory data exceeds a predetermined threshold when said monitor mode is enabled;

(d) transmitting said alert over a second wireless communications channel and to a communications link controlled by an Internet server;

wherein said alerts can be configured to be sent at the same time as said sensory data signals over said first wireless communications channel or separately over a second lower bandwidth communications channel;

(e) combining said sensory data signals and/or said alert with provided by the Internet server relating to the subscriber, including email and/or advertising, and communicating the same to a second wireless communications transceiver.

21. The method of claim 20, further including a step:

(f) journaling said alerts at said Internet server.

22. The method of claim 20, further including a step:

(f) journaling said sensory data signals at said Internet server.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said alert is transmitted over a channel which is not a full duplex channel.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein said monitor mode can be programmed for a specified period of time on the wireless communications transceiver.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein said Internet server includes a sound processor for identifying a target sound which should trigger said alert.