Breathminder

• US 7,199,700 B1
• Filed: 09/24/2004
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mcpherson Enterprises LLC
• Original Assignee: Mcpherson Enterprises LLC
• Inventors: McPherson, Joel N., McPherson, Janice A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hunnings; Travis R.
• Application Number:
  US10/950,247
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 340/407.1, 340/309.15, 340/573.1, 368/10
• US Class Current: 340/407.1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/185 Rhythm indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]

Abstract

Breathing reminder device and method of using the device. The device is housed in a case sized and adapted to be worn discreetly under the clothing of a user. The case holds a microprocessor, a tactile alarm, and batteries, which power the microprocessor and the tactile alarm. The device is devoid of any display or control mechanism other than a single “On/Off”switch. The novel device and method can include activating a vibratory sequence every selected time period. The vibratory sequence can include an approximately 4 second continuous vibration followed by an approximately 8 second pause followed by another approximately 4 second vibration. Every approximately 15 minutes the vibratory sequence is automatically repeated.

Claims

1. A breathing reminder device adapted for reminding a user to practice measured breathing, comprising:

a plastic housing having no visual displays;

a tactile vibration alarm in the housing that is pre-set with fixed setting that are factory programmed to solely emit an identical vibration sequence cycle at approximately every 15-minute intervals, the tactile vibration alarm not emitting any vibration emissions during the 15 minute intervals;

a battery positioned inside the housing for supplying power to the tactile alarm;

a single switch for activating both the power supply and the tactile vibration alarm, the housing having no other switches, the single switch for immediately activating a vibration activating sequence when the single switch is turned on indicate to the user that the device is ready to operate; and

an attachment portion for attaching the housing to a user, wherein activation of the alarm at the selected timed intervals is a reminder to the user to practice measured breathing.

2. The reminder device of claim 1, wherein the attachment portion includes:

a clip for attaching the housing to a belt worn by the user.

3. The reminder device of claim 1, wherein the activation sequence includes:

a continuous vibration over a first short time period followed by a silence over another short time period followed by another continuous vibration over a second short time period.

4. The reminder device of claim 3, wherein the first short time period for the continuous vibration is approximately 4 seconds, the silence time period is approximately 2 seconds and the second short time period for the another vibration is approximately 4 seconds.

5. The reminder device of claim 1, wherein the vibration sequence cycle includes:

an approximately 4 second vibration, followed by an approximately 8 second pause, followed by another approximately 4 second vibration, wherein the vibration sequence cycle repeats every approximately 15 minutes.

6. The reminder device of claim 1, wherein the battery includes:

two AAA batteries.

7. A breathing reminder device, comprising:

a case sized adapted to be worn under the clothing of a user, the case having no visual displays;

a pre-programmed microprocessor, a tactile vibratory alarm, and AAA batteries within the case, the batteries supplying power to the microprocessor and the tactile alarm, wherein the pre-programmed microprocessor is pre-set with fixed settings that are factory programmed, to activate and to solely emit an identical vibratory sequence from the tactile vibratory alarm at approximately every 15 minute intervals to remind the user to practice breathing at every 15 minute intervals, the tactile vibratory alarm emitting no vibration emissions during the 15 minute intervals, and the case having only a single activation switch.

8. The reminder device of claim 7, wherein each vibratory sequence includes:

an approximately 4 second vibration followed by an approximately 8 second pause followed by another approximately 4 second vibration.

9. A method of reminding users to practice a body function, comprising the steps of:

providing a discrete case that houses a pre-programmed tactile alarm with fixed settings that are factory programmed the case having no visual displays, and the case having an internal power supply for the alarm;

attaching the case discretely to a user;

turning the alarm to an onstate solely with a single switch, the case having no other switch;

immediately activating a single vibration activating sequence when the single switch is turned on indicate to the user that the device is ready to operate; and

continuously activating an identical vibratory alarm sequence from the tactile alarm that is activated to emit at approximately every 15 minute intervals, wherein the vibratory alarm allows the user to practice body measured breathing at approximately every 15 minute intervals.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the activating of the vibratory sequence step includes the steps of:

emitting a first continuous vibration over a first time period;

pausing vibratory emissions after the first time period; and

emitting a second continuous vibration after the pause, wherein the vibratory sequence is repeated at the selected periods.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the steps of the immediately activating of the vibratory sequence step includes the steps of:

emitting a first continuous vibration over approximately 4 seconds;

emitting silence after the first vibration for approximately 8 seconds; and

emitting a second continuous vibration after the pause for approximately 4 seconds, wherein the vibratory sequence is repeated every approximately 15 minutes.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of attaching includes the step of:

clipping the case onto the belt of the user.