Television monitor and control

• US 4,246,495 A
• Filed: 10/05/1978
• Issued: 01/20/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jerome Pressman
• Original Assignee: Jerome Pressman
• Inventors: Pressman, Jerome
• Primary Examiner(s): Hix, L. T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Application Number:
  US05/948,964
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 307/141, 307/141.8, 200/33 R, 200/35 R, 200/38 F, 200/38 FB, 200/38 D, 200/38 DA, 200/38 DB, 200/38 DC
• US Class Current: 307/141
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 43/02 Details

Abstract

The apparatus may be embodied as a self-contained unit associated with the television set or integrated into the television set. The control is basically in two functions, one which is set for programming the availability of use of the television set at predetermined time intervals of the day, and the other which is set for controlling total usage of the television set over a given period such as a 24-hour period. In the preferred embodiment the two functions are set and repeated automatically every day. In another version different settings are allowed for both control functions for weekdays and weekends. In still another version each day of the week may be set separately with regard to both control functions.

Claims

1. Apparatus for controlling the operating time of a utilization means having a switch for controlling the supply of power thereto, said apparatus comprising;

a first timer coupled with the control switch of the utilization means to accumulate the operating time of the utilization means over a predetermined interval,

means for setting a desired accumulation time in the first timer,

reset means for resetting the first timer to zero accumulated time at the end of the predetermined interval,

a second timer associated with the first timer for enabling operation of the utilization means only during a selection period of said predetermined interval,

and means for setting the desired selection period, which represents a portion of the predetermined interval, of the second timer,

said second timer including means for enabling operation of the first timer only during the said selection period,

whereby the utilization means is permitted operation during the selection period but only up to a time limit defined by the set accumulation time.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second timer enables operation of the utilization means by enabling operation of the first timer.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said second timer includes control switch means in series with the first timer to permit selective operation of the first timer.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 including a pair of power lines with the control switch for the utilization means, the first timer and the control switch means of the second timer being coupled in series between the power lines.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said second timer is coupled to the power lines to operate continuously as long as power is applied.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 including a control switch means associated with the first timer for interruption of power to the utilization means after a preselected accumulation registered by the first timer.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means responsive to a preselected accumulation registered by the first timer to interrupt power to the utilization means.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second timer enables operation during at least two separate segments of the predetermined interval.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein the control switch means of the second timer has separate switch elements and the control switch means of the first timer also has separate switch elements.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the second switch elements each demarcate a segment of the predetermined interval and the first switch elements are operated in a preset manner to demarcate accumulation in each segment.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including a mode switch for automatic operation and on and off operation.