Alarm device

• US 20050058026A1
• Filed: 08/12/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Innovative, LLC
• Original Assignee: American Innovative, LLC
• Inventors: Hocherman, Adam B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,463,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/73
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 13/026 acting at a number of different times

Abstract

A programmable, microprocessor-based alarm clock apparatus provides seven independent alarms each one of which is specifically tied to one of the seven days of the week. Each alarm may be independently set in terms of appointed alarm-sounding time and active state (either on or off).

Claims

1. A method comprising

enabling a user to store two or more different alarm times for two or more corresponding days that belong to a repeating cycle of n days, each of the alarm times being applicable to as few as one of the days of the n days, and

when at least one of the set alarm times is active, triggering an alarm in response to the set alarm time.

2. The method of claim 1 in which n is 7.

3. The method of claim 1 in which there is at least one of the stored alarm times for each of the days and all of the stored alarm times are different.

4. The method of claim 1 in which the user is enabled to store the alarm times by decrementing a time setting or incrementing a time setting or both.

5. The method of claim 4 in which the decrementing or incrementing is enabled to occur in decrements or increments of more than one minute.

6. The method of claim 1 also including displaying to a user, for each of the n days, whether an alarm time is active.

7. The method of claim 1 also enabling the user to review the alarm times.

8. An apparatus comprising

controls to enable a user to set alarm times for two or more corresponding days that belong to a repeating cycle of n days, the controls including

a day selector to enable a user to select individual days from among the n days to which alarm times are to correspond, and

a time selector to enable a user to set an alarm time for each of the selected days.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 in which the day selector comprises a multiple position switch.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 in which the time selector enables the user to decrement or increment the alarm time.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 in which the time selector operates by rotation in one direction for incrementing the alarm time and in the other direction for decrementing the alarm time.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 in which the time selector is rotatable continuously in either direction.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 in which the time selector is biased to return to a center position and has a limited range of rotation in each direction.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 in which the day selector and the time selector comprise coaxial knobs.

15. The apparatus of claim 8 in which the time selector comprises other than a momentary contact switch.

16. The apparatus of claim 8 also including a switch that provides both snooze and alarm review functions.

17. The apparatus of claim 8 in which the time selector also provides adjustment of a frequency to which a radio is tuned or a volume to which a radio is set, or both.

18. A method comprising

enabling a user to set an alarm on a clock radio, the alarm to be triggered at a specific time, and to associate the set alarm with any selected day of the week.

19. A method comprising

enabling a user to selectively either interrupt an alarm or terminate the alarm by interacting with a single interface element of an alarm device.

20. An apparatus comprising

a device to inform a user of two or more different alarm times set by the user for two or more corresponding days that belong to a repeating cycle of n days, each of the alarm times being applicable to as few as one of the days of the n days.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 in which the device comprises a display including alarm indicators each associated with at least one of the n days.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 in which the alarm indicators exhibit one style for alarms that are active and another style for alarms that are inactive.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 in which the alarm indicators comprise lights.

24. A programmable clock apparatus, comprising:

a) a timekeeping mechanism for accurately keeping track of the time of day and day of week;

b) a means for storing seven independent and possibly unique daily alarm-sounding times, each of said alarm-sounding times corresponding to one day of the week; and

c) a means for triggering an alert when any of said stored daily alarm-sounding times is coincident with the actual time of day and day of week provided by said timekeeping mechanism and infinitely repeatable on a cycle of seven days

whereby a user of said apparatus may input a schedule of said daily alarm-sounding times, repeatable on said cycle of seven days, and be conveniently alerted at said times of day on said related days of week each time said cycle repeats.