Baby monitor having a temporary mute function and method of use

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring a baby is disclosed incorporating a parent unit in communication with a baby unit. The parent unit includes a function operable to temporarily mute the substantial reproduction of baby sounds at the parent unit. The parent unit may additionally included a plurality of outputs including a digital display of the time remaining before the temporary mute function is disabled, a visual indication that the substantial reproduction of sound is muted, a visual display indicative of the volume of the baby sounds, and music played when the substantial reproduction of sound is muted. Embodiments of the invention also include a safety features operable to disable the temporary mute function in possible emergency situations.

1 . A baby monitor system, comprising:
 a baby unit configured to detect an audible sound and configured to transmit a signal representative of the detected audible sound via a communication link;   a parent unit configured to receive, via the communication link, the signal transmitted by the baby unit and configured to substantially reproduce the audible sound based on the received signal;   an actuator configured to activate a temporary muting function of the system for a determined period of time, the temporary muting function temporarily disabling the reproduction of the audible sound by the parent unit during the determined period of time;   a timer configured to time elapse of the determined period of time, wherein after an elapse of the determined time timed by the timer the temporary muting function is no longer activated, wherein actuating the actuator activates the temporary muting function and sets the timer to the predetermined time; and   wherein the determined period of time is one of a series of predetermined increases of time, wherein iterations of actuating the actuator cause sequential selection of the series of predetermined increases of time for the determined period of time.   
   
   
       2 . The baby monitor system of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a button disposed on the parent unit. 
   
   
       3 . (canceled) 
   
   
       4 . (canceled) 
   
   
       5 . The baby monitor system of  claim 1 , wherein the series of predetermined increases of time includes a maximum at an end of the series; and wherein an iteration of actuating the actuator after an iteration of the actuator that selects the maximum restarts the sequential selection of the series of predetermined increases of time at a start of the series. 
   
   
       6 - 9 . (canceled) 
   
   
       10 . A method of monitoring using a baby monitoring system, comprising:
 detecting an audible sound at a baby unit of the baby monitoring system;   transmitting a signal representative of the detected audible sound;   receiving the transmitted signal at a parent unit of the baby monitoring system;   based on the transmitted signal, substantially reproducing the audible sound at the parent unit when a temporary muting function of the baby monitoring system is not activated;   activating the temporary muting function for a predetermined period of time in response to a user input received by the baby monitoring system, wherein the determined period of time is one of a series of predetermined increases of time sequentially selected by iterations of the received user input; and   outputting no sound at the parent unit when the temporary muting function is activated.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 enabling a timer when the temporary muting function is activated, wherein an elapsing of the timer causes the temporary muting function to be deactivated; and   displaying a time remaining before the elapsing of the timer.   
   
   
       12 - 17 . (canceled) 
   
   
       18 . A baby monitor system, comprising:
 means for detecting an audible sound;   means for transmitting a signal representative of the detected audible sound;   means for receiving the transmitted signal remote from the means for detecting and the means for transmitting;   means for substantially reproducing the audible sound based on the received signal;   means for activating a temporary function of the system for a determined period of time, the temporary muting function temporarily disabling, during the determined period of time, reproduction of the audible sound by the means for substantially reproducing, wherein the determined period of time is one of a series of predetermined increases of time sequentially selected by iterations of the received user input.   
   
   
       19 . The baby monitor system of  claim 18  further comprising: means for timing a time interval that the temporary muting function remains activated, wherein after an expiration of the time interval the temporary muting function is no longer activated. 
   
   
       20 . The baby monitor system of  claim 18 , further comprising: means for providing output from the means for substantially reproducing when the temporary muting function is not activated. 
   
   
       21 . The baby monitor system of  claim 1 , wherein the temporary muting function temporarily disabling the reproduction of the audible sound by the parent unit during the determined period of time comprises disabling at least one of detection of the audible sound by the baby unit, transmitting of the signal by the baby unit, and receiving of the signal by the parent unit. 
   
   
       22 . The baby monitor system of  claim 1 , wherein the communication link comprises a radio frequency communication link. 
   
   
       23 . The baby monitor system of  claim 1 , wherein the communication link comprises a local area network. 
   
   
       24 - 26 . (canceled) 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the series of predetermined increases of time includes a maximum at an end of the series and an iteration of the received user input received after an iteration of the received user input that selects the maximum restarts the sequential selection of the series of predetermined increases of time at a start of the series. 
   
   
       28 . The baby monitor system of  claim 18 , wherein the series of predetermined increases of time includes a maximum at an end of the series and an iteration of the received user input received after an iteration of the received user input that selects the maximum restarts the sequential selection of the series of predetermined increases of time at a start of the series.