Timing device for blocking television signals

• US 5,917,256 A
• Filed: 01/30/1998
• Issued: 06/29/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Frederick J. Broadbent II
• Original Assignee: Frederick J. Broadbent II
• Inventors: Broadbent, Frederick J. II
• Primary Examiner(s): PALADINI, ALBERT WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US09/015,958
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 307/141, 307/139, 968/813, 968/975, 968/976, 200/33 R, 200/43.08, 200/43.11, 348/725, 348/730
• US Class Current: 307/141
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/166 Passage/non-passage of the television signal, e.g. jamming, band suppression scrambling and descrambling H04N7/167

Abstract

A timing device for television that controls television viewing by interrupting the input signal, or input signals, to a remote television during a predetermined time or times of day. A user selects and manually presets the timer to automatically close or open an internal switch that alternately connects and interrupts transmission of an input signal, or input signals, to a remote television.

Claims

1. A timing device for blocking an electromagnetic signal comprising:

a housing having a body and a planar back wall;

an input terminal for connecting to means external to said housing for carrying an incoming electromagnetic signal;

an output terminal for connecting to means external to said housing for carrying an outgoing electromagnetic signal to a remote audiovisual device;

a switch disposed within said housing and operably connected between said input terminal and said output terminal, said switch having an on position forming a closed circuit between said input terminal and said output terminal and having an off position causing an open circuit between said input terminal and said output terminal;

a clock disposed within said housing for counting time;

set means for manually setting said clock to a current time and for manually setting at least a first reference time and a second reference time, said set means controlling said switch to change to the on position at said first reference time and to the off position at said second reference time and thereby maintain said closed circuit therebetween;

a cover pivotally attached to said housing for enclosing said set means, said input terminal and said output terminal;

locking means for locking said cover to said housing;

a power plug adapted to engage a standard electrical receptacle, said power plug operably connected to said clock and attached to said back wall of said housing, said back wall further defining an aperture for passage of a screw for threadably engaging a mating aperture of the standard electrical receptacle; and

an accessory electrical receptacle operably coupled to said power plug.

2. The timing device as defined in claim 1 wherein the switch is selected from the group consisting of a pressure switch, a micro switch, and a solenoid switch.

3. The timing device as defined in claim 1 wherein the set means and clock are chosen from the group consisting of analog and digital devices.

4. The timing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said power plug includes two sets of electrical plugs;

and said accessory electrical receptacle includes at least two appliance outlets.

5. The timing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said accessory electrical receptacle is attached to said body of said housing, said cover disposed free of interference with said accessory electrical receptacle while pivotally operated to permit access thereto.

6. The timing device as defined in claim 5 wherein said cover defines a cutout portion about said accessory electrical receptacle.

7. The timing device as defined in claim 1 wherein

said body of said housing is substantially a box having a front wall opposing said planar back wall,

said clock includes a rotatable clock face disposed for manual operation externally to said front wall, and

said set means includes at least two positionable set pins disposed about said clock face for selecting said first reference time and said second reference time, each said set pin selectively fixed about said clock face so as to revolve in a predetermined path with rotation of said clock face.

8. The timing device as defined in claim 7 wherein

said switch is a mechanical, normally-open switch having a shunt arm, and

said set pins depend from said clockface into said housing;

and further including

a shaft fixedly disposed within said housing;

a trip cam rotatably mounted on said shaft, said trip cam configured and dimensioned to engage each set pin as it passes said trip cam on said predetermined path of revolution, to depress said shunt arm to said closed position at said first reference time and to release said shunt arm to said open position at said second reference time.

9. The timing device as defined in claim 8 wherein the set means includes a time reference point located externally to said front wall in a position corresponding to the position of said trip cam within said housing.

12. The timing device as defined in claim 1 wherein the locking means comprises a lock and a key, said lock comprising a first mating component attached to said cover and a second mating component attached to said housing.

13. The timing device as defined in claim 12 further including manual override means for controlling said switch and maintaining said switch in a closed position, operably coupled to said locking means.

10. A timing device for blocking an electromagnetic signal comprising:

a housing having a body and a planar back wall;

an input terminal for connecting to means external to said housing for carrying an incoming electromagnetic signal;

an output terminal for connecting to means external to said housing for carrying an outgoing electromagnetic signal to a remote audiovisual device;

a switch disposed within said housing and operably connected between said input terminal and said output terminal, said switch having an on position forming a closed circuit between said input terminal and said output terminal and having an off position causing an open circuit between said input terminal and said output terminal;

a clock disposed within said housing for counting time;

set means for manually setting said clock to a current time and for manually setting at least a first reference time and a second reference time, said set means controlling said switch to change to the on position at said first reference time and to the off position at said second reference time and thereby maintain said closed circuit therebetween;

a cover pivotally attached to said housing for enclosing said set means, said input terminal and said output terminal;

locking means for locking said cover to said housing;

a power plug adapted to engage a standard electrical receptacle, said power plug operably connected to said clock;

a securing means for securing said housing to the standard electrical receptacle;

an accessory electrical receptacle operably coupled to said power plug; and

manual override means for controlling said switch and temporarily maintaining said switch in a closed position.

11. The timing device as defined in claim 10 wherein said override means are operably coupled to the operation of said locking means.

14. The timing device as defined in claim 11 wherein

said first mating component rotatably receives said key and includes a male member rotating through its longitudinal axis responsive to rotation of said key,

said second mating component receives said male member and locks responsive to rotation of said key;

said switch is a mechanical, normally-open switch having a shunt arm, and

said override means comprises

a faceplate defining an hourglass opening, said faceplate rotatably positioned to permit said first mating component to pass through said hourglass opening and be received by said second mating component, said faceplate rotating responsive to contact with said male member rotating in a first direction and said face non-responsive and remaining stationary with said male member rotating in a second opposing direction;

a depressor assembly attached to said faceplate disposed proximate said shunt arm for mechanically causing said shunt arm to be depressed from said off position to said on position.

15. The timing device as defined in claim 14 wherein the depressor assembly is a rod attached perpendicular to said fin and said fin is perpendicularly disposed relative to both said male member and said shunt arm so that said rod passes over said shunt arm;

and

wherein said faceplate when rotated causes said rod to prescribe an arc which crosses said shunt arm, thereby permitting said shunt arm to be depressed to a closed position and released to an open position with opposing rotation of said key with said male member.