Monitoring system capable of generating audible messages

• US 7,427,921 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2004
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Van Woudenberg, Roel
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr.; John A
• Application Number:
  US10/557,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20070030155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/539.1, 340/539.15, 381/110
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 Detecting lung or respiration noise
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0208 Combination with audio or video communication, e.g. combination with "baby phone" function

Abstract

A system for generating an audible message to a human includes an apparatus having an input for receiving an audio message. The audio message is stored in a memory. An output may be used for rendering the audio message. The apparatus further includes a microphone and a controller. If a sound is received via the microphone, the controller causes the stored audio message to be rendered via the output.

Claims

1. A system for generating an audible message for a monitored human;

the system including an apparatus including;

a microphone;

an input for receiving different audio messages;

a memory for storing the received different audio messages;

an output for rendering the different audio messages; and

a controller for, in response to detecting a sound received via the microphone, causing the stored different audio messages to be rendered via the output in different sequences to reduce a likelihood that the monitored human may learn that the rendered different messages are stored.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a signal level detector for detecting a signal strength of an audio signal received via the microphone;

the controller being operative to cause the rendering in response to the signal level detector detecting that the signal strength exceeds a predetermined threshold.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a sound discriminator for detecting audio signals, received via the microphone, representative of a human sound;

the controller being operative to cause the rendering in response to a trigger from the discriminator.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input is coupled to the microphone for enabling a human operator to record the audio message.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a baby unit for rendering the stored audio message to a baby in response to a sound from the baby.

9. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sound discriminator is operative to detect sleep apnea by detecting at least one of silence.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the memory is operative to store at least one further audio message;

the message to be rendered being selectable by a human and/or selected by the controller.

13. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sound discriminator is operative to detect sleep apnea by detecting loss of characteristic sound patterns of sleep breathing.

14. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein, in response to detecting silence, the controller is configured to render one of the stored different audio messages at higher volume than other stored different audio messages to awaken the monitored human.

15. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein, in response to detecting snoring by the monitored human, the controller is configured to render one of the stored different audio messages at lower volume than other stored different audio messages to prevent awakening the monitored human.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a vibrator configured to be activated upon detection of the snoring.

6. A system for generating an audible message for a human;

the system including an apparatus including;

a microphone;

an input for receiving an audio message;

a memory for storing the received audio message;

a baby unit for rendering the stored audio message to a baby;

a controller for, in response to detecting a sound from the baby received via the microphone, causing the stored audio message to be rendered via the baby unit; and

a parent unit;

the baby unit and parent unit including respective communication means for establishing communication between the baby unit and parent unit;

the controller being operative to cause the stored audio message to be rendered immediately after detecting the sound, and to cause an alarm signal to be sent to the parent unit only after the sound has been detected for a predetermined period; and

the parent unit including an output for alerting a human; and

a parent unit controller for causing the human to be alerted in response to receiving the alarm signal from the baby unit.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the system includes at least one user interface for enabling a human operator to configure the predetermined period.

8. A system for generating an audible message for a human;

the system including an apparatus including;

a microphone;

an input for receiving an audio message;

a memory for storing the received audio message;

a baby unit for rendering the stored audio message to a baby;

a controller for, in response to detecting a sound received via the microphone, causing the stored audio message to be rendered via the output; and

a sound discriminator for detecting audio signals, received via the microphone, representative of a human sound;

the controller being operative to cause the rendering in response to a trigger from the discriminator;

wherein the sound discriminator is operative to distinguish between at least a first and second category of sound of the baby;

the controller being operative to send an alarm signal to a parent unit for a sound of the first category only after the sound of the first category has been detected for a predetermined period and to send the alarm signal to the parent unit for a sound of the second category in immediate response to detecting a sound of the second category.

10. The system for generating an audible message for a human;

the system including an apparatus including;

a microphone;

an input for receiving an audio message;

a memory if or storing the received audio message;

a baby unit for rendering the stored audio message to a baby;

a controller for, in response to detecting a sound received via the microphone, causing the stored audio message to be rendered via the output; and

a sound discriminator for detecting audio signals, received via the microphone, representative of a human sound;

the controller being operative to cause the rendering in response to a trigger from the discriminator;

wherein the sound discriminator is operative to detect at least one further human sound distinct from sleep apnea; and

wherein the controller is operative to cause rendering of the stored audio message at distinct volume levels, where a higher volume level is used rendering the stored audio message in response to detection of the sleep apnea than is used for rendering the stored audio message in response to detecting the further human sound.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the further human sound is human snoring.