Baby monitoring system

• US 8,094,013 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Min Soo Han, Taek Kyu Lee
• Original Assignee: Min Soo Han, Taek Kyu Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Taek Kyu, Han, Min Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Shirley
• Application Number:
  US12/415,035
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.15, 340/573, 340/586, 600/25
• US Class Current: 340/539.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/04 Babies, e.g. for SIDS detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A baby monitoring system for remotely monitoring a child'"'"'s breath rate and body orientation is disclosed. The system comprises, in one embodiment, a parent unit retained by a supervisor, a sensor unit removably engaged around the child'"'"'s abdomen, and a nursery unit positioned proximal the child, preferably in the same room. The sensor unit provides at least two tri-axial accelerometers positioned and configured such that each is independently capable of measuring both the child'"'"'s breath rate and body orientation, even where the child'"'"'s body is oriented such that movement of at least one of the accelerometers is restricted. The sensor unit then wirelessly transmits this information to the nursery unit, which performs necessary calculations and transmits this data to the parent unit, which displays the data on a display screen. Additionally, the system is capable of recording and reproducing a heart beat sound of the child'"'"'s mother.

Claims

1. A baby monitoring system for remotely monitoring a child'"'"'s breath rate and body orientation, the system comprising:

a nursery unit, a sensor unit, and a parent unit each configured and interoperably connected for wireless communication;

the nursery unit comprising;

a nursery transceiver in wireless communication with the sensor unit and the parent unit;

a nursery processor connected to the nursery transceiver and configured for processing a sensor signal received from the sensor unit, determining the child'"'"'s breath rate and body orientation, and generating an appropriate display signal for sending to the parent unit; and

a nursery speaker configured for generating audible alerts where an alert situation is detected;

the sensor unit comprising an elongate strap configured for removable engagement around the child'"'"'s abdomen, the strap providing;

at least two tri-axial accelerometers positioned such that, when the strap is engaged around the child'"'"'s abdomen, a first one of the accelerometers is positioned substantially adjacent the child'"'"'s belly button, and a second one of the accelerometers is positioned substantially adjacent the child'"'"'s side each of the accelerometers independently collecting and outputting data related to both the child'"'"'s breath rate and body orientation, the child'"'"'s body orientation being one of at least a face-down position, a face-up position, and a sitting-up position;

a sensor processor connected to the accelerometers and configured for receiving outputs from the accelerometers and generating the sensor signal based on the outputs; and

a sensor transceiver connected to the sensor processor and configured for transmitting the sensor signal to the nursery unit; and

the parent unit comprising;

a parent transceiver configured for receiving the display signal from the nursery unit;

a parent processor connected to the parent transceiver and configured for processing the display signal and generating appropriate display data;

a display connected to the parent processor and configured for displaying the display data; and

a parent speaker connected to the parent processor and configured for generating audible alerts where an alert situation is detected;

whereby, with the sensor unit removably engaged on the child, the nursery unit positioned proximal the child'"'"'s location, and the parent unit in the possession of a supervisor, the supervisor is able to remotely monitor the child'"'"'s breath rate and body orientation.

2. The baby monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the strap of the sensor unit further provides a sensor power supply interconnected with the accelerometers, sensor processor, and sensor transceiver.

3. The baby monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the sensor power supply is a flexible thin film rechargeable battery.

4. The baby monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the strap is configured with at least one selectively openable pocket for receipt therein of the accelerometers, the sensor processor, the sensor transceiver, and the sensor power supply.

5. The baby monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the parent unit and nursery unit each further provide a microphone connected to the respective parent processor and nursery processor for enabling audible communication between the child and the supervisor.

6. The baby monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the display data includes at least one of the child'"'"'s breath rate per minute, the child'"'"'s current body orientation, an alert message, the wireless signal strength between each of the sensor unit, nursery unit and parent unit, the sensor unit'"'"'s battery life, the parent unit'"'"'s battery life, the nursery unit'"'"'s power status, and the sensor unit'"'"'s power status.

7. The baby monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the parent unit further provides an at least one breath rate light configured for flashing in conjunction with the child'"'"'s breath rate.

8. The baby monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the nursery unit further provides a plurality of indicator lights for displaying system status information.

9. The baby monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the system status information includes at least one of the wireless signal strength between each of the sensor unit, nursery unit and parent unit, the sensor unit'"'"'s battery life, the parent unit'"'"'s battery life, the sensor unit'"'"'s power status, and the parent unit'"'"'s power status.

10. The baby monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the nursery unit further provides a means for storing and reproducing a heart beat sound.

11. The baby monitoring system of claim 10, wherein the parent unit further provides a record button located on a parent unit housing of the parent unit and electrically connected to the parent processor, the record button triggering the recording of the heart beat sound through a microphone connected to the parent processor, the recorded heart beat sound then being transmitted to the nursery unit by way of the parent and nursery transceivers in cooperation with the parent and nursery processors.

12. A baby monitoring system for remotely monitoring a child'"'"'s breath rate and body orientation, the system comprising:

a sensor unit, a nursery unit, and a parent unit each configured and interoperably connected for wireless communication;

the sensor unit configured for removable engagement about the child'"'"'s abdomen and comprising;

at least two tri-axial accelerometers positioned such that, when the sensor unit is engaged about the child'"'"'s abdomen, a first one of the accelerometers is positioned substantially adjacent the child'"'"'s belly button, and a second one of the accelerometers is positioned substantially adjacent the child'"'"'s side, each of the accelerometers independently collecting and outputting data related to both the child'"'"'s breath rate and body orientation;

a sensor processor connected to the accelerometers and configured for receiving a plurality of outputs from the accelerometers and generating a sensor signal based on the outputs; and

a sensor transceiver connected to the sensor processor and configured for transmitting the sensor signal to the nursery unit;

the nursery unit comprising;

a nursery transceiver in wireless communication with the sensor unit and the parent unit; and

a nursery processor connected to the nursery transceiver and configured for processing the sensor signal received from the sensor unit, determining the child'"'"'s breath rate and body orientation, and generating an appropriate status signal for sending to the parent unit; and

the parent unit comprising;

a parent transceiver configured for receiving the status signal from the nursery unit;

a parent processor connected to the parent transceiver and configured for processing the status signal and generating appropriate status data; and

a means for communicating the status data, said means selected from at least one of a display connected to the parent processor and configured for displaying the status data, and a speaker connected to the parent processor and configured for generating audible alerts where an alert situation is detected;

whereby, with the sensor unit removably engaged on the child, the nursery unit positioned proximal the child'"'"'s location, and the parent unit in the possession of a supervisor, the supervisor is able to remotely monitor the child'"'"'s breath rate and body orientation.