Patent Publication Number: US-2015061866-A1

Title: Infant monitoring apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims benefit of the following patent application, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety: GB 1315696.3 filed Sep. 4, 2013. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates infant monitoring apparatus. 
     BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 
     Infants, including babies, are often put to bed in one location while parents, or other carers, relax in another. In these circumstances it is desirable for the parent or carer to be able to monitor the condition of the infant without having to go the infant&#39;s bedside. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides a portable receiver of an infant monitoring apparatus as specified in claim  1 . 
     The invention also includes an infant monitoring apparatus as specified in claim  10 . 
     The invention also includes a method of operating a portable receiver of an infant monitoring apparatus as specified in claim  20 . 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the disclosure that follows, reference will be made to the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is shows an infant monitoring apparatus comprising a portable receiver and an infant monitoring device; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of the infant monitoring device; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration of the portable receiver; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear elevation of the portable receiver; and 
         FIG. 5  shows the portable receiver in use. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows an infant monitoring apparatus  10  comprising a portable receiver  12  and an infant monitoring device  14 . The infant monitoring device  14  is to be located at a first location, such as a bedroom, at which a infant has been placed, typically to sleep. The infant monitoring device  14  is configured to transmit infant monitoring data to the portable receiver  12 . The portable receiver  12  may be held by a user, such as a parent or other carer, at a second location remote from the first location. The first and second locations may be on different floors of a building, or the first may be within a building while the second is without. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the infant monitoring device  14  comprises a base  16  and a housing  18  mounted on the base. The connection  20  between the housing  18  and the base  16  comprises an articulation so that the housing can be moved relative to the base by a drive unit mounted in the housing. The drive unit comprises two motors  22 ,  24  that can be powered to cause the housing to pivot about the X and Y axes. The motors  22 ,  24  may be stepper motors. The drive unit further comprises a motor controller  28  to control actuation of the motors  22 ,  24 . The motor controller  28  may receive electric power from a power supply unit  30  and actuate the motors  22 ,  24  in response to command signals issued by a device controller  32  in response to command signals received from the portable receiver  12 . The power supply unit  30  may distribute electric power received from a mains supply via an ac/dc adapter provided in a plug  34  by which the infant monitoring device  14  can be connected to a mains electric supply. In other examples, the ad/dc adapter may be a part of the power supply unit  30 . In some examples, the power supply unit  30  may also distribute electrical power received from a battery supply  36  housed in a compartment provided in the infant monitoring device  14 . 
     The infant monitoring device  14  comprises an image capturing device  38 . The image capturing device  38  comprises a video camera having one or more lenses and a semi-conductor device that receives light via the lens(es) and records the received light electronically. The semi-conductor device may be a 1/6.5″ VGA CMOS image sensor. The image capturing device  38  is connected with the device controller  32 . The device controller  32  comprises a processor  40  that is operable to process digital video data output by the image capturing device  38  into digital video frame data for transmission to the portable receiver  12 . The processor  40  may be provided with an integral buffer memory to buffer the digital video frame data. Alternatively, a separate buffer memory may be provided. The buffer memory may comprise volatile RAM provided by an SRAM or DRAM module. The device controller  32  is connected with a signal transmitter/receiver  42  that is operable to convert the digital video frame data into a format suitable for wireless transmission to the portable receiver  12 . In the illustrated example, the format used is a frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) format. The transmission may be in the 2.4 GHz waveband. 
     The infant monitoring device  14  may further comprise a night vision unit  44 . The night vision unit  44  may comprise a plurality of LEDs activated automatically by a light sensor. In some examples, the night vision unit  44  may be actuated by a clock signal from the device controller  32  or a signal issued by the device controller in response to a command signal issued by a user using a suitably equipped portable receiver  12  (these optional or alternative modes are indicated in  FIG. 2  by a dashed line connection between the device controller  32  and night vision unit  44 ). In the illustrated example, the night vision unit  44  comprises an array of eight LEDs disposed at equi-spaced intervals on a pitch circle diameter so as to surround the image capturing device  38 . 
     The infant monitoring device  14  may further comprise an audio capturing device, such as a microphone  46 . The microphone  46  may be incorporated in the image capturing device  38 . In example in which a microphone is included in the image capturing device  38 , the image capturing device may be provided with an audio codec to encode analogue audio data as digital data for transmission to the portable receiver  12  with the digital video data. 
     The digital video frame data and, where obtained, digital audio data transmitted by the infant monitoring unit  14  comprises infant monitoring data that is received by the portable receiver  12  and output by the portable receiver  12  in a form a user can access so as to be able to monitor an infant&#39;s condition. 
     The infant monitoring device  14  may further comprise an audio output device  48 , such as a loudspeaker housed by the housing  18 . In examples provided with an audio output device  48 , the device controller  32  may be provided with an audio codec and output interface so as to be able to output an analogue signal to the audio output device. The audio output device  48 , when provided, can be used to output audio received from portable receivers  12  configured to transmit audio that is input contemporaneously by a user, or output soothing messages or other sounds stored in non-volatile memory accessible by the device controller  32 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the portable receiver  12  comprises a handheld housing  56 , a display  58 ( 1 ),  58 ( 2 ) and a non-contact temperature sensing device  60  housed by the housing. The portable receiver  12  may further comprise an audio output device  62 , an audio capturing device  64 , a transmitter/receiver  66 , a device controller  68  that includes a processor  70 , an input interface  72  and a power supply  74 . 
     The display may comprise a TFT LCD screen  58 ( 1 ) to display video images derived from infant monitoring data received from the infant monitoring unit  14 . The display may additionally comprise an audio level indicator  58 ( 2 ). The audio level indicator  58 ( 2 ) may comprise an array of LEDs to provide a visual sound level indication for the audio output by the audio output device  62  or the audio signal captured by the audio capturing device  64 . The array of LEDs may comprise a series of LEDs arranged in line. 
     The transmitter/receiver  66  is configured to receive infant monitoring data transmitted by the infant monitoring device  14  and communicate it to the device controller  68  in a form the processor  70  can process for display via the screen  58 ( 1 ). In examples in which the infant monitoring device  14  is configured to transmit digital audio data to the portable receiver  12 , the device controller  68  is provided with an audio codec and output interface for outputting an analogue signal to the audio output device  62 . The audio output device  62  may be a loudspeaker housed by the housing  56 . Additionally, or alternatively, the audio output device  62  may be an output jack that allows the portable receiver  12  to be connected to an earphone or external speaker. 
     The audio capturing device  64  may comprise a microphone housed by the housing  56 . The audio capturing unit  64  may be connected with the device controller  68  to enable analogue audio data received from the microphone to be encoded as digital data for transmission by the receiver/transmitter  66  to the infant monitoring device  14 . Providing the portable receiver  12  with this facility allows a user, to send soothing messages to the infant via an audio output device of the infant monitoring device  14 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the non-contact temperature sensing device  60  may be housed by the housing  56  so as to point from a major face  80  of the housing disposed opposite the major face  82  ( FIG. 1 ) at which the display  58  is visible. The temperature sensing device  60  may be an infra red thermometer configured to output a digital signal indicative of a sensed temperature. The digital signals output the by the temperature sensing device  60  are communicated to the processor  70 , which is configured to process signals from the temperature sensing device  60  and output a signal to the display that causes a temperature reading to be displayed on the screen  58 ( 1 ). In other examples, the portable receiver  12  may be provided with a further display device to display the temperature reading. However, it is convenient and economic to display the temperature reading using the screen  58 ( 1 ). 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the interface unit  72  of the portable receiver  12  may comprise a plurality of buttons to allow a user, to input commands to the portable receiver. In the illustrated example, the interface unit  72  comprises:
         a power on/off button  84 ;   a video on/off button  86 ;   a temperature sensor on/off button  88 ;   an audio input device on/off and recording level adjustment button  90 ; and   a multi-function pad  92  operable to provide volume +/− and pan/tilt and zoom control inputs for the image capturing device  38 .       

     The power supply  74  distributes electrical power received from a battery supply housed in a compartment housed by the housing  56  and accessible via a cover  94  ( FIG. 4 ) provided in the major face  80 . The battery supply may be rechargeable by removal from the housing  56  and connection with a suitable battery charger. Alternatively, the portable receiver  12  may be provided with an input socket (not shown) to allow the battery supply to be connected to a charger unit that may be a part of a plug (not shown) that can be plugged into a mains electrical supply or allow the portable receiver to be plugged onto a charger cradle (not shown). In another example the battery supply may be recharged by an inductive charging system. 
     In use, a user can situate the infant monitoring device  14  in a room or area in which an infant is to be left, typically to sleep and go to another room or area with the portable receiver  12 . The portable receiver  12  can receive infant monitoring data transmitted by the infant monitoring device  14  allowing the user to view the infant via the screen  58 ( 1 ) and hear sounds via the audio output device  62 . By operation of the multi-function pad  92  the user can cause command signals to be transmitted to the infant monitoring device  14  to cause the image capturing device  38  to pan (pivot about the Y-Y axis), tilt (pivot about the X-X axis) or zoom in and out. The user can operate the button  90  to activate the audio capturing device  64  and send audio messages to the infant via the audio output device  48  of the infant monitoring device. Additionally, the user can take the portable receiver  12  to the infant and operate the button  88  to activate the non-contact temperature sensing device  60  and obtain a reading of the infant&#39;s temperature, which will be displayed on the screen  58 ( 1 ). This has the advantage that the temperature reading can be obtained without disturbing the infant and even in cases in which the infant is awake, avoids having to obtain the infant&#39;s cooperation in using a contact temperature sensor such as a mercury thermometer. It s to be understood that while the temperature sensing device  60  is intended primarily for obtaining an infant&#39;s temperature, it can be used to obtain non-contact temperature readings of other things. 
     Thus, although there have been described particular embodiments of the present invention of new and useful infant monitoring apparatus and portable receivers of infant monitoring apparatus, it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this invention except as set forth in the following claims.