Electronic assistant and method

• US 20080074951A1
• Filed: 09/14/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joseph Thomas Hubicki
• Original Assignee: Joseph Thomas Hubicki
• Inventors: Hubicki, Joseph Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,428,189 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 13/026 acting at a number of different times

Abstract

An electronic assistant issues audible, spoken, digitally recorded, medication reminders at programmed times, entered using a microphone and a recessed rotary switch that requires a tool for access. The device repeats medication reminders, and, if the reminders are not acknowledged within a predetermined time, it generates an audible alarm as well as an electronic signal that summons help and includes GPS-derived location information. A spoken medical history can be recorded digitally in the same device for playback by emergency personnel.

Claims

1. An electronic assistant comprising:

a memory for recording voice messages;

a clock;

a loudspeaker connected to the memory for audibly reproducing said recorded messages;

a programmable control responsive to the clock, and connected to the memory, for causing recorded voice messages to be reproduced at predetermined times through the loudspeaker; and

a manually operable clear switch connected to the programmable control;

wherein the programmable control causes the reproduction of each recorded message to be repeated at least a predetermined plural number of times unless said clear switch is operated.

2. An electronic assistant according to claim 1, including an alarm generator, in which the programmable control causes the reproduction of each recorded message to be repeated a predetermined plural number of times, and causes an audible alarm to be produced by the alarm generator if the clear switch is not operated within a predetermined interval beginning at the time the playing of a recorded message begins.

3. An electronic assistant according to claim 1, including an alarm generator, in which the programmable control causes the reproduction of each recorded message to be repeated a predetermined plural number of times, and causes an audible alarm to be produced by the alarm generator if the clear switch is not operated before the completion of the repetition of said recorded message.

4. An electronic assistant according to claim 1, comprising a case, and in which said programmable control comprises a multi-position switch having a mechanically movable switch-operating element, said mechanically movable element being located in a recess in said case at a position such that it is inaccessible by an individual'"'"'s finger, and operable only by insertion of a tool into said recess.

5. An electronic assistant according to claim 1, comprising a case, and in which said programmable control comprises a multi-position rotary switch having a screwdriver-operable switch-operating element, the switch-operating element being located in a recess in said case at a position such that it is inaccessible by an individual'"'"'s finger, and operable only by insertion of a screwdriver into said recess.

6. An electronic assistant according to claim 1, including a microphone, and in which said programmable control comprises a multi-position switch, each one of a plurality of positions of the switch being associated with a different time of day, the switch being connected to the microprocessor and operable to enable an individual to select a particular time of day for reproduction of a voice message, and to enter said voice message into the memory by speaking into the microphone so that the entered voice message is associated with the particular selected time of day and reproduced through the loudspeaker at that particular selected time of day.

7. An electronic assistant according to claim 6, in which said multi-position switch includes a position in which it allows an additional voice message to be recorded in said memory, and including a second manually operable switch connected to the microprocessor for causing the additional voice message to be reproduced whenever the second manually operable switch is operated.

8. An electronic assistant comprising:

a memory for storing audio messages;

programmable means for reproducing audible, stored, reminder messages from said memory at preprogrammed times;

means for entering an acknowledgment of a reminder message; and

means for generating an alarm when a reminder message is not acknowledged within a predetermined interval of time.

9. An electronic assistant according to claim 8, including manually operable means for causing a stored message other than said audible reminder messages to be reproduced audibly from said memory.

10. A method of assisting an individual to remember an event schedule, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a portable, handheld, electronic device containing a clock, a loudspeaker, a microprocessor, and a memory;

programming event times into said electronic device;

recording audio messages into the memory that correspond to said event times; and

retrieving an audio message from said memory that corresponds to an event time and reproducing said message audibly through said loudspeaker when said event time occurs,

11. The method according to claim 10, further including the step of recording the individual'"'"'s medical history into said memory as an audio message.

12. The method according to claim 11, further including the step of retrieving the individual'"'"'s medical history by reproducing the medical history audibly through said loudspeaker.

13. The method according to claim 10, in which the reproduction of the retrieved message is repeated and the repetition of the message is discontinued by manual operation of a clear switch on the portable, handheld, electronic device.

14. The method according to claim 13, in the microprocessor causes an alarm to be generated if said clear switch is not operated within a predetermined time following the beginning of reproduction of a retrieved message.

15. The method according to claim 13, in which the alarm is an audible alarm.

16. The method according to claim 13, in which the alarm is a radio signal.

17. The method according to claim 13, including the step of determining the location of the device by means of a global positioning system receiver in said device, and in which the alarm is a radio signal that includes information concerning the location of the device derived from the global positioning system receiver.

18. The method according to claim 10 in which said event times are programmed into the electronic device by operation of a switch operating element of a rotary switch, the switch operating element being inaccessible by said individual'"'"'s finger and accessible by manually operable tool.

19. The method according to claim 10, including the step of determining the location of the device by means of a global positioning system receiver in said device, and the step of activating an alarm by manual operation of an alert button included in said device, and thereby transmitting a radio signal that includes information concerning the location of the device derived from the global positioning system receiver

20. The method according to claim 10, including the step of determining the location of the device by means of a global positioning system receiver in said device, and further including the step of transmitting a radio signal that includes information concerning the location of the device derived from the global positioning system receiver when the individual has not interfaced with the device for a predetermined interval of time.