Reminder device

• US 5,554,967 A
• Filed: 07/08/1994
• Issued: 09/10/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Smithkline Beecham Corporation (GlaxoSmithKline PLC)
• Original Assignee: Smithkline Beecham Corporation (GlaxoSmithKline PLC)
• Inventors: Hawley, Edward T., Cook, David C., Weitzel, Douglas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US08/272,504
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 340/309.14, 340/309.4, 340/573, 368/1, 368/10, 364/413.02
• US Class Current: 340/309.7
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 15/005 with means for limiting the frequency of smoking, e.g. with time-control, counting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0472 of the count-down type, i.e. counting down a predetermined interval after each reset
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 1/005 using electronic timing, e.g. counting means pulse time delay arrangements H03K5/13; modifications of electronic switches for introducing a time delay before switching H03K17/28
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

A reminder device for notifying a user when to take a dosage of medication. The credit card size device includes a first time counter for maintaining an elapsed program time and a second time counter for maintaining a current interval time. An alarm notifies the user of the expiration of the current interval. The user takes a dosage of medication in response to the alarm. A switch is provided for resetting the second time counter after the user takes a dosage of medication.

Claims

1. A reminder device for notifying a user of the expiration of a first predetermined time period and of the expiration of an interval time period, the device comprising:

a first timer for updating an elapsed interval time;

a second timer for updating a current interval time;

a memory for storing a plurality of predetermined interval time periods, said predetermined interval time periods being of generally increasing duration;

a logic unit for selecting one of said plurality of predetermined interval time periods;

a register for storing said selected one of said plurality of predetermined interval time periods;

a first comparator for comparing the current interval time to said selected one of said plurality of predetermined interval time periods and generating a first compare signal therefrom;

a second comparator for comparing the elapsed interval time to the first predetermined time period and generating a second compare signal therefrom to cease operation of the device when the elapsed interval time and the first predetermined time period are the same;

an alarm responsive to the first compare signal for notifying the user that the current interval time is equal to said selected one of said predetermined interval time periods signifying the expiration of said predetermined interval time period; and

a first switch for disabling the alarm and signalling the logic unit to select one of said predetermined interval time periods and store said selected predetermined interval time period in said register, reset the current interval time and restart the second timer.

2. A reminder device for notifying a user of the expiration of a first predetermined time period and of the expiration of an interval time period, the device comprising:

first timing means for updating an elapsed interval time;

second timing means for updating a current interval time;

means for determining and storing a predetermined interval time period;

first means for comparing the current interval time to the predetermined interval time period and generating a first compare signal therefrom;

second means for comparing the elapsed interval time to the first predetermined time period and generating a second compare signal therefrom to cease operation of the device when the elapsed interval time is the same as the first predetermined time period;

an alarm responsive to the first compare signal for notifying the user that the current interval time is equal to the predetermined interval time period signifying the expiration of the predetermined interval time period; and

a first switch for disabling the alarm and signalling the means for determining to determine and store a new predetermined interval time period, reset the current interval time and restart the second timing means.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the device further comprises a reset flag for preventing the device from being reset and restarted more than one time after the expiration of the first predetermined time period.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a second switch for temporarily disabling the alarm.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a third switch means for initiating device operation.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the third switch means comprises a pull tab for interconnecting a device power source to the device.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means for determining and storing the predetermined interval time period comprises a lookup table stored in the apparatus, the lookup table comprising a plurality of interval time periods of successively longer duration.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein at least a portion of the elapsed interval time is used as an index pointer for pointing to a location in the lookup table, said location containing the predetermined interval time period.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the device is packaged in a credit-card sized package and the first timing means, second timing means, means for determining and storing, first means for comparing, and second means for comparing comprise a microprocessor with a preprogrammed memory.

10. A smoking cessation program comprising:

a predetermined amount of nicotine chewing gum; and

a reminder device for notifying a user when to chew a piece of said chewing gum and of the expiration of a first predetermined time period, said reminder device further comprising;

first timing means for updating an elapsed interval time;

second timing means for updating a current interval time;

means for determining and storing a predetermined interval time period;

first means for comparing the current interval time to the predetermined interval time period and generating a first compare signal therefrom;

second means for comparing the elapsed interval time to the first predetermined time period and generating a second compare signal therefrom and for ceasing operation of the device when the elapsed interval time is the same as the first predetermined time period;

an alarm responsive to the first compare signal for notifying the user that the current interval time is equal to the predetermined interval time period signifying the expiration of the predetermined interval time period, thereby notifying the user to chew a piece of said chewing gum; and

a first switch for disabling the alarm and signalling the means for determining to determine and store a new predetermined interval time period, reset the current interval time and restart the second timing means.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the device further comprises a reset flag for preventing the device from being reset and restarted more than one time after the device ceases operating.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a second switch for temporarily disabling the alarm.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a third switch means for initiating device operation.

14. A method of reminding a user when to chew a piece of gum as part of a smoking cessation program, the program being of a fixed length having a predetermined program end point and including a plurality of predetermined intervals, the user chewing a piece of gum upon the expiration of an interval, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a timing device having an elapsed time counter for continuously maintaining the length of time that the user has been taking part in the smoking cessation program, an interval time counter for maintaining a current interval time, a comparator for determining the expiration of an interval and the expiration of the program, an alarm for notifying the user of the expiration of an interval, and a first switch for resetting the interval time counter and determining a new interval time;

(b) initiating device operation by starting the elapsed time counter and the interval time counter;

(c) actuating the first switch in response to the alarm notifying the user that an interval has ended, thereby disabling the alarm, resetting the interval time counter and determining a new interval time, the user chewing a piece of gum in response to the alarm; and

(d) repeating step (c) until the comparator determines the expiration of the program, thereby signifying that the program has ended.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the timing device further comprises a second switch for temporarily disabling the alarm, the method further comprising the step of actuating the second switch to temporarily disable the interval time counter.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of resetting the device after the program has ended for initiating a new program, wherein resetting the device causes a reset flag to be set so that the device cannot be reset more than once.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the piece of gum contains nicotine.

18. A method of reminding a user when to take a dosage of medication over a predetermined time period, the time period being of a fixed length having a predetermined end point and including a plurality of predetermined intervals, the user taking a dosage of medication upon the expiration of an interval, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a timing device having an elapsed time counter for continuously maintaining the time from inception of the predetermined time period, an interval time counter for maintaining an interval time, comparator means for determining the expiration of an interval and the expiration of the program, an alarm for notifying the user of the expiration of an interval, and a first switch for resetting the interval time counter and determining a new interval time and a second switch for disabling the alarm;

(b) initiating device operation by starting the elapsed time counter and the interval time counter;

(c) actuating the first switch in response to the alarm notifying the user that an interval has ended, thereby disabling the alarm, resetting the interval time counter and determining a new interval time, the user taking a dosage of medication in response to the alarm; and

(d) repeating step (c) until the comparator determines the expiration of the program, thereby signifying that the program has ended.