Abstract:
The present invention discloses a baby monitor system that incorporates into a receiver of the baby monitor circuitry that can remotely control an electric or electronic device when the output sound level of the receiver reaches a reference level. The control can be by infrared, radio frequency or hardwire transmission of a volume control command to the electric or electronic device. By incorporating this control system into the baby monitor, a parent is ensured to hear sounds of a baby.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a baby monitor, and more particularly to a baby monitor capable of controlling other devices. The baby monitor is capable of muting a television or other electronic device.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Baby monitors are well known. A standard baby monitor consists of a transmitter and a receiver, each of which can be powered by a battery or an A/C current source (usually with an inline transformer). The transmitter contains a microphone or other sound detecting device and is placed in a location near a baby. The receiver contains a speaker and placed in a location near a parent. A sound (e.g. a stirring or crying baby) detected by the transmitter is transmitted to the receiver for output to the parent to hear and respond to accordingly.  
           [0005]    Several versions of this standard model exist. One includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), which light in series to indicate the level of the sound received by the receiver. This acts as a visual alert for the parent in that as the sound level increases the number of LEDs that light also increases. As an added alert the color of the subsequently lit or higher sound-level LEDs is a different color from the lower sound-level LEDs (usually red and green, respectively). This visual alert is useful in an environment where there are other noises that may cause the receiver output to go unheard by the parent. These other noises can be sound from a television, radio, stereo, or other electronic device, that outputs the sound from a speaker. These external noises can also be from noise-making electric appliances, for example, an electric mixer, a blender, a washing machine, or the like.  
           [0006]    In either of the above models, if the external noises are greater that the output of the baby monitor receiver, the sounds of the baby can go unheard by the parent. And a problem with the LED model in particular arises when external noises are present and the receiver is out of the line-of-sight of the parent. In this case, along with the sound going unheard, the visual alert goes unseen. Thus, in either case the baby could be crying and the parent would be unaware of this potentially dangerous situation.  
           [0007]    The present invention solves this long-standing problem and provides a baby monitor that can insure that the parent hears the sounds under a variety of external noise conditions.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a baby monitor receiver that can control the volume level of other electronic devices.  
           [0009]    It is another aspect of the present invention to incorporate into the receiver of the baby monitor a control circuit that detects the sound level and, upon reaching a predetermined or user-set level, decreases or mutes the volume of another electronic device.  
           [0010]    It is yet another aspect of the present invention to control any electric noise-making device by incorporating an A/C control module into the present invention.  
           [0011]    These and other aspects of the present invention can be achieved by incorporating into a receiver of a baby monitor a system that can remotely control an electric or electronic device when the output sound level of the receiver reaches a reference level. The control can be by infrared, radio frequency or hardwire transmission of a volume control command to the electric or electronic device. By incorporating this control system into the baby monitor, a parent is ensured to hear sounds of a baby.  
           [0012]    More generally the invention comprises a monitor system, comprising a sound detector, a transmitter coupled to the sound detector for transmitting a signal upon said detector detecting a sound, and a control device that receives the signal and supplies a control signal to at least one device remote from the control device. A network can be interposed between the transmitter and the control device, wherein the network can be the Internet.  
           [0013]    The invention also comprises a method of monitoring a location, comprising the steps of detecting a sound, transmitting a signal upon detecting said sound, and controlling at least one device via said transmitted signal.  
           [0014]    The invention also comprises a method of enabling a user to monitor a location. By detecting a sound, transmitting to said user a signal upon detecting said sound, and controlling at least one device via said transmitted signal, the user can monitor a location.  
           [0015]    The invention further comprises software for a home network for processing an audio signal received from a sound detector, and controlling at least one device remote from the home network. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a front view of a baby monitor receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a side view of the baby monitor receiver depicted in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a baby monitor system according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the baby monitor receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is an operational flow chart of the baby monitor receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION  
       [0022]    Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail.  
         [0023]    As depicted in FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the baby monitor receiver  100  comprises a main body  104  and an antenna  105 . Incorporated into the main body  104  is a speaker grating  101  to allow the sound output from an internal speaker (not shown) to pass through the main body  104 . An ON/OFF-volume variable resistor dial  102  is located the side of the main body  104  to control the power to and the volume of the receiver. A power indicator light  106  is positioned on the front of the main body  104  to indicate a “power on” state of the receiver  100 . An infrared (IR) window  103  is located on the front of main body  104  to allow IR signals to be transmitted to and from the internal circuitry of the receiver (not shown).  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 is a side view of the baby monitor receiver  100  of FIG. 1. Depicted in FIG. 2 is slide switch  201 . Slide switch  201  is preferably a two-position slide switch. A first position of the slide switch  201  places the monitor into a normal operating mode and a second position of the slide switch  201  places the monitor into a learn mode. When in the learn mode the monitor, according to one embodiment of the present invention, can be programmed to control a particular electric or electronic device, as described below.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a baby monitor system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3, the system allows a parent  313  to monitor a baby  303 , and comprises a transmitter  300 , the receiver  100 , and a remote device to be controlled, shown here as television  310 , the operation of which is as follows. The transmitter  300  comprises a sound grating  301  to allow sound to pass through transmitter main body  304  to a microphone or other sound-detecting device (not shown) inside the transmitter  300 , an ON/OFF switch  302  to control the power to the transmitter, an antenna  305 , and a power indicator light  306 . When the baby  303  makes sounds  307  the microphone (not shown) inside the transmitter  300  detects the sound  307  and transmits it out through antenna  305 . Receiver  100  receives the sound through antenna  105  where it is processed. The sound  308  is output through the speaker (not shown) inside the receiver  100  through the speaker grating  101 . If noise  309  output from the television  310  is at a level higher than the sound  308  output from the receiver  100 , the parent  313  will not hear it and will be unaware of the cry of the baby  303 .  
         [0026]    The received sound is also processed by control circuitry internal to the receiver  100 , described in detail below with respect to FIG. 4. Upon detecting a sound level greater than a stored reference level, the receiver  100  transmits an IR command signal through window  103 . The IR command is received by television  310  through IR window  311 , where the internal circuitry of the television  310  processes the command signal and mutes the sound  309  coming from speaker  312  of television  310 , thus alerting parent  313  and allowing parent  313  to hear the output sound  308  of the receiver  100 .  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the baby monitor receiver  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4 the baby monitor receiver comprises the antenna  105  connected to an RF receiver  402 . The transmitter  300  (not shown) detects sound  307  and transmits the sound to the baby monitor receiver  100 . A signal transmitted from the transmitter  300  is received by the antenna  105  and processed by the RF receiver  402 . The RF receiver is connected to a speaker  404 . The sound  309  is output through speaker  404 .  
         [0028]    The signal received at antenna  105  is also forwarded to control circuitry  403 . When the slide switch  201  is in the normal operating mode (e.g. position 1), a central processing unit (CPU)  407  of the control circuitry  403  compares the level of the received signal with a reference level stored in a memory unit  408 , which can be preset or user-set. If the received signal is less than the reference level the control circuitry  403  does nothing and continues to monitor the received signals, while the sound  309  is output through speaker  404 . If the received signal is greater than the reference level, the CPU  403  sends a mute command signal stored in memory unit  408  to command circuitry  409 , which operates an IR emitter  405 , which in turn outputs the IR signal to an electronic device such as a radio, stereo, etc., or the television  310  of FIG. 4.  
         [0029]    In the preferred embodiment, which uses IR technology to transmit the mute command, line-of-sight is maintained between the transmitter and electronic device. In another embodiment, an RF signal could be used to transmit the mute command, thus eliminating the line-of-site limitation. And in yet another embodiment the transmitter can be hardwired to the electronic device or even incorporated into the electronic device itself.  
         [0030]    Also, the command signal does not have to be limited to a mute command, as it can be any number of other commands, for example, an “off” command, a particular volume level command, or other command to decrease or eliminate the output sound from the device. The invention can also be incorporated into a separate electronic device that is placed in-line with an A/C current for an electric appliance. The baby monitor receiver would transmit an “off” command and upon receipt of the “off” command the electronic device would disconnect power to the appliance, eliminating the noise generated thereby.  
         [0031]    Referring again to FIG. 4., when slide switch  201  is in the learn mode (e.g. position 2), the control circuitry  403  enters into a learn mode to store or program a mute command code particular to the electronic device sought to be controlled. The control circuitry  403  contains the memory unit  408  to store one or more commands depending on the particular embodiment of the present invention. The memory unit  408  can be preprogramned to control a particular electronic device, an embodiment which would not require the slide switch  201  as no learn mode would be required by the user. The memory unit  408  can also be user-programmable to allow for the storage of one or more commands and to control one or more devices.  
         [0032]    When the slide switch  201  is moved from position 1 to position 2 the monitor  100  enters into the learn mode. The CPU  407  activates learning circuitry  410  to receive a command input through an IR detector  406 . The command to be stored or learned is input by pointing an IR emitter of a remote control of a remote device (not shown) at the IR detector  406  and pressing a button on the remote control corresponding to the command the user desires to store in the monitor. The CPU  407  accepts the command signal from the learning circuitry  410  and stores the command in the memory unit  408 . Various additional programming methods are well known in the art and are not included herein.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 5 is an operational flow chart of the baby monitor receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention. When the power of the baby monitor receiver  100  is turned on, the CPU  407  in step  501  checks to determine if the receiver is in normal operating mode. If the receiver  100  is in normal operating mode, the system in step  502  waits for a signal to be received from the transmitter  300 . If no signal is received, the system returns to the start to wait for a received signal. If a signal is received, the system in step  503  outputs the sound through the speaker  404  and the CPU  407  compares the level of the received signal with the reference level stored in memory unit  408 . Then in step  504  the CPU  407  determines if the level of the received signal is greater than the reference level. If the level of the received signal is not greater than the reference level, the system returns to step  501 . If the level of the received signal is greater than the reference level, the control circuitry  403  in step  505  transmits the stored IR mute command through the command circuitry  409  and IR emitter  405  and returns to step  501 .  
         [0034]    If in step  501  the CPU  407  determines that the receiver is not in the normal operating mode, the CPU  407  enters in step  506  into the learn mode to store the user-entered commands. In step  507  the CPU  407  activates the IR detector  406 . The system then in step  508  checks if an IR signal command is received and if so, the system in step  509  stores the IR signal command in the memory unit  408  and returns to step  501 . If no signal command is received in step  508 , the system returns to step  501 .  
         [0035]    Several variations to the above-described system can be implemented that are also included within the scope of the invention. First, the above system can be used to monitor people and things other than a baby. The invention can be utilized to monitor a person who is sick or infirm. Also, the system can be readily modified to monitor an animal or any object where an alert to the user is desired when a sound is produced.  
         [0036]    Another modification to the invention relates to the transmitter. Where in the above-described embodiment the receiver compares the received sound to the stored reference signal, the transmitter can perform the comparison and transmit the control signal itself, directly to the controlled device or to a receiver for further transmission. Also, the signal (the sound signal and/or the central signal) can be transmitted via a computer network (including a home computer network), the Internet, etc., which may be interposed at any point between the receiver and the controlled device. Software can be used in a network, for example, to perform the audio and/or signal processing of the transmitter and/or receiver and direct them accordingly.  
         [0037]    As for the controlled device itself, the invention is not limited to reducing or muting its volume. For example, when a user is located in a noisy environment, the system can detect the noise level in the environment and amplify a audio signal accordingly, for example the ringing of a telephone, such that the user can hear the audio signal regardless of the noise level in the environment.  
         [0038]    While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.