Infant simulator

• US 8,414,346 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2003
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Realityworks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Realityworks, Inc.
• Inventors: Jurmain, Richard N., Jurmain, Mary M., Johnson, Charles F., Pelkus, Adrian
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cegielnik, Urszula M
• Application Number:
  US10/387,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20040077272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,680 Days
• Field of Search: 446/268, 446297-303, 446/175, 374/109
• US Class Current: 446/175
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/001 simulating physiological processes, e.g. heartbeat, breathing or fever with fluid ingestion or emission A63H3/24
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/24 Drinking dolls; Dolls producing tears; Wetting dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/28 Arrangements of sound-producing means in dolls; Means in dolls for producing sounds
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/28 for medicine
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/281 for pregnancy, birth or obstetrics G09B23/286 takes precedence

Abstract

An infant simulator capable of emulating the care requirements of an infant and recording the quality ot care and responsiveness of a person caring for the infant simulator and/or signaling the person caring for the infant simulator when care is required. The infant simulator is capable of sensing the unacceptable environmental conditions of exposure to direct sunlight and exposure to temperature extremes and to which the infant simulator is subjected. The infant simulator is also programmed with the ancillary features of multiple behavior modes based upon the historic level of care experienced by the infant, and/or the health of the infant, and perceptibly different demand and distress signals for each type of environmental event.

Claims

1. An infant simulator, comprising:

(a) a mannequin having a temperature sensor effective for sensing the environmental temperatures to which the mannequin is exposed;

(b) a means effective for recording the sensed temperature; and

(c) a means for generating a perceptible thermal exposure signal continuously throughout a thermal exposure when the sensed temperature falls outside a defined acceptable temperature range.

5. The infant simulator of claim 1 wherein the infant simulator has an approximate shape and weight of an infant.

9. The infant simulator of claim 1 wherein the temperature recording means is effective for recording the number of instances in which the sensed temperature falls outside the defined acceptable temperature range.

10. The infant simulator of claim 9 wherein the acceptable temperature range has a minimum temperature of between about 10 to 15°

C. and a maximum temperature of between about 35 to 40°

C.

11. The infant simulator of claim 1 wherein the recording means is effective for recording the duration of each thermal exposure period.

12. The infant simulator of claim 1 wherein the temperature recording means is effective for continually recording the environmental temperature to which the mannequin is exposed for the duration of an assignment period.

2. An infant simulator, comprising:

(a) a mannequin having a temperature sensor effective for sensing the environmental temperatures to which the mannequin is exposed; and

(b) a means for generating a perceptible thermal exposure signal continuously throughout a thermal exposure period when the sensed temperature falls above or below a defined acceptable temperature range wherein the acceptable temperature range has a minimum temperature of between about 10 to 15°

C. and a maximum temperature of between about 35 to 40°

C.

3. An infant simulator, comprising:

(a) a mannequin having a temperature sensor effective for sensing the environmental temperatures to which the mannequin is exposed; and

(b) a means for generating a perceptible thermal exposure signal continuously throughout a thermal exposure period when the sensed temperature falls above or below a defined acceptable temperature range, and,

(c) a means in communication with the thermal exposure signal generating means for escalating the intensity of the thermal exposure signal as the difference between the sensed temperature and the acceptable temperature range increases.

4. The infant simulator of claim 3 wherein the thermal exposure signal intensity-escalating means is effective for escalating the intensity of the thermal exposure signal to at least two higher intensity thermal exposure signals.

6. An infant simulator, comprising:

(a) a mannequin having a temperature sensor effective for sensing the environmental temperatures to which the mannequin is exposed; and

(b) a means for generating a perceptible thermal exposure signal continuously throughout a thermal exposure period when the sensed temperature falls above or below a defined acceptable temperature range, wherein the perceptible thermal exposure signal is shivering when the sensed temperature falls below the defined minimum acceptable temperature.

7. An infant simulator, comprising:

(a) a mannequin having a temperature sensor effective for sensing the environmental temperatures to which the mannequin is exposed; and

(b) a means for generating a perceptible thermal exposure signal continuously throughout a thermal exposure period when the sensed temperature falls above or below a defined acceptable temperature range, wherein the perceptible thermal exposure signal is expressed as an audible cry.

8. An infant simulator, comprising:

(a) a mannequin having a temperature sensor retained within the mannequin effective for sensing the environmental temperatures to which the mannequin is exposed; and

(b) a means for generating a perceptible thermal exposure signal continuously throughout a thermal exposure period when the sensed temperature falls above or below a defined acceptable temperature range.