Extensible video game time limiter

• US 10,279,268 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2016
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kenneth Mark Woog, Timothy Michael Woog
• Original Assignee: Kenneth Mark Woog, Timothy Michael Woog
• Inventors: Woog, Kenneth Mark, Woog, Timothy Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Harper, Tramar
• Application Number:
  US15/257,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20170065894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/49 Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/75 Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories

Abstract

A video gaming system includes a motherboard with video display output, a USB and video switching board and a single board computer. The single board computer connects to the front panel power and reset switches, the switching board and the motherboard power switch input. Upon user input to the software program running on the single board computer, a limitations database is accessed. If time is allowed, the program powers the motherboard and switches the USB keyboard and video outputs to the motherboard. During the last minutes of allowed time, the program periodically flashes the display warning the user and, through power and reset switch presses, a time extension can be requested. If allowed, according to the database, use time is extended by the predefined setting. Otherwise time runs out normally and the motherboard is powered off and the USB and video circuits switched back to the single board computer.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring and allowing a qualified request for preset time extensions to a preset time limit for use of a video gaming system, the method comprising:

a. receiving from a specified user a request to power up and use a the video gaming system on an existing digitally programmed operating system of an electronic device configured for playing video games communicating with a separately programmable video gaming time control system, the request being made through a user login input from a display of a screen for user login provided by a program running on the programmable video gaming time control system, wherein the programmable video gaming time control system which comprises a single board computer having a microprocessor housed within a locked enclosure inaccessible to the specified user;

b. requesting of a program running on the single board computer having a limitation database permission to power said video gaming system;

c. determining, via the single board computer, based on limitation settings of the limitation database, whether video gaming system time is currently allowed for the specified user;

d. if the determined video gaming system time is currently allowed, the single board computer, using general purpose input and output pins, pulsing a power switch input to the existing video game system, switching a video display output to the video gaming system and switching keyboard signals from the single board computer to the video gaming system, or alternately, if the determined video gaming system time is currently not allowed for the specified user, the single board computer displaying an error message,

e. monitoring, via the single board computer, how much of the video gaming system time is being used on an independently powered timing device communicating with the single board computer, and when there is less than a predetermined amount of the video gaming system time remaining, the single board computer signaling that time is running out through periodic blanking of the video output of the video gaming system;

f. receiving from the current specified user a request for an automatic extension of allowed time, this request being made through a combination of a front panel power and reset button presses;

g. determining, via the single board computer, based on limitation settings of the limitation database, whether a number of extension requests exceeds a number of extension requests allowed for the specified user for the current day;

h. if the number of extension requests exceeds the number allowed as configured in said limitations database, the single board computer, once the allowed video gaming system time for the current specified user login has expired, through signaling on GPIO pins, powering down the video gaming system and switching both video and keyboard outputs back to the single board computer, the program running on the single board computer again displaying a screen for user login; and

i. alternately if the number of extension requests for the current day does not exceed the number authorized for the current day as configured in the limitations database, the single board computer automatically extending the video gaming system time allowed for the present use of the video gaming system by the amount configured in the database; and

wherein the automatic extension of the video game system time occurs without requiring the intervention of others.