Extensible Video Game Time Limiter

• US 20170065894A1
• Filed: 09/06/2016
• Published: 03/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2015
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Kenneth Mark Woog, Timothy Michael Woog
• Original Assignee: Kenneth Mark Woog, Timothy Michael Woog
• Inventors: Woog, Kenneth Mark, Woog, Timothy Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,279,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 allowing preset time extensions to the limiting of a user'"'"'s use of a video gaming system, the method comprising:

a. receiving from a specific user a request to power up and use the video gaming system, this request being made through input from a screen provided by a program running on a single board computer housed within the video gaming system enclosure, and

b. requesting of a program running on said single board computer with a limitation database by said single board computer permission to power said video gaming system, and

c. determining, based on limitation settings, whether video gaming system time is currently allowed for that user, and

d. If allowed, said single board computer, using general purpose I/O (GPIO) pins, pulses the power switch input to said video game system, switches the video display output to the video gaming system and switches the keyboard signals from the single board computer to the video gaming system. If not allowed, the program running on the single board computer displays an error message, and

e. monitoring how long the video gaming system is being used, and when there is less than 2 minutes of remaining time, signals time is running out through periodic blanking of the video output of the video gaming system, and

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

g. if an extension time is not set in said limitations database or if the number of extension requests exceeds the number allowed as configured in said limitations database, said single board computer, once the allowed time for the current login has expired, will, through signaling on GPIO pins, power down the video gaming system and switch both video and keyboard outputs back to the single board computer. The program running on the single board computer will again display a screen for user login, and

h. if an extension time is set in the limitations database and the number of extension request for that day does not exceed the number authorized for that day as configured in said limitations database, the time allowed for the present use of the video gaming system is extended by the amount configured in said database, and

whereby video game system usage time limits are automatically extended without requiring the intervention of others.