Device for monitoring the rate of use of an electrical appliance
First Claim
1. A use monitor for an electrical appliance for providing a continuous report of appliance use time during a specific moving time interval immediately prior to the report, said monitor comprising:
- (a) a sensor for detecting when said appliance is in use;
(b) a register operatively connected to said sensor which records a continuous pulse train indicative of sequential periods of use or non-use of said appliance over said time interval;
(c) counter means for counting the periods of use represented by said pulse train; and
,(d) utilization means connected to said counter means for utilizing the results therefrom.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A usage monitor is provided for electrical appliances, primarily for televisions, which keeps track of appliance usage during a moving time interval, such as the week immediately prior to the instant moment, and provides a readout of a number of hours per unit time that the device has been on. In the television implementation illustrated and claimed, a power interfacing box is used into which the television plug is inserted, and the box has a key-operated switch which enables the time monitoring to be temporarily deactivated in the event the parents wish to watch some television.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A use monitor for an electrical appliance for providing a continuous report of appliance use time during a specific moving time interval immediately prior to the report, said monitor comprising:
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(a) a sensor for detecting when said appliance is in use; (b) a register operatively connected to said sensor which records a continuous pulse train indicative of sequential periods of use or non-use of said appliance over said time interval; (c) counter means for counting the periods of use represented by said pulse train; and
,(d) utilization means connected to said counter means for utilizing the results therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A use monitor for an electrical appliance for providing a continuous report of appliance use time during a specific moving time interval immediately prior to the report, said monitor comprising:
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(a) a sensor for detecting when said appliance is in use and producing a pulse representing a pre-set time interval for each of said time intervals in which said appliance is in use; (b) a timer means which detects and signals the passing of successive fixed time periods; (c) a counting device operatively connected to said timer means which, when signalled by said timer means that one of said successive fixed time periods has passed, counts the number of pulses in said passed succesive fixed time period; and
,(d) read-out means indicating to the user a number which is a function of the present number of pulses in said counting device.
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Specification