Activity timer for meditation

• US 7,465,085 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Issued: 12/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael P. Mcdonough
• Original Assignee: Michael P. Mcdonough
• Inventors: McDonough, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska; Vit W
• Application Number:
  US11/523,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20070152799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 368/89, 368 93- 96, 368 97- 99, 368107-109
• US Class Current: 368/98
• 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

Abstract

The activity timer for meditation is a timing device having a hollow, oval shaped housing similar in shape and scale to a chicken egg. The housing has a frustoconical base including a flat bottom provided for resting the timer on a flat surface. Translucent radial channels are disposed circumferentially in the housing at predetermined axial distances from each other. A rotary tone selection dial, a rotary time duration selection dial, and a rotary tone volume control are respectively disposed within the radial channels. Logic, control circuitry, audio amplifier and lighting are disposed within the housing. A loudspeaker is located at the top of the housing. The rotary dials are used to select a desired tone, tone volume and timer duration. The device transmits the selected tone signaling the end of a user activity. All rotary dials and selection indicators are illuminated and raised to the touch for ease of use.

Claims

1. An activity timer, comprising:

a hollow oval shaped housing;

the housing having a frustoconical base including a flat bottom provided for resting the timer on a flat surface;

a loudspeaker disposed at a top of the housing;

a rotary volume dial having volume level indicia and being circumferentially disposed within a first radial channel located in a top section of the housing;

a volume selection indicator being located between the loudspeaker and the volume dial;

a rotary timer dial having time duration indicia and being circumferentially disposed within a second radial channel which is located in a mid section of the housing, axially below the rotary volume dial;

a time selection indicator being located directly above the timer dial and longitudinally in line with the volume selection indicator;

a rotary tone dial having a plurality of tone selection icons disposed along a circumference, while being circumferentially disposed within a third radial channel located in or near a horizontal plane that intersects the axial center of the housing;

a rotary tone selection indicator located directly above the tone dial and longitudinally in line with the volume and time selection indicators;

first logic and control circuitry disposed within the housing and responsive to the rotary tone volume dial whereby a selected volume controls the loudness of the activated selected tone;

second logic and control circuitry disposed within the housing and responsive to the rotary timer dial whereby the selected tone is activated after a selected time duration has elapsed;

third logic and control circuitry disposed within the housing and responsive to the rotary tone dial whereby a selected tone may be activated;

an amplifier disposed within the housing having an output connected to the speaker and control and tone inputs connected to the first and third logic and control circuitry, respectively;

wherein the selected activated tone is played through the loudspeaker at the selected volume to a user after the selected time duration has elapsed.

2. The activity timer according to claim 1, further comprising:

the first, second and third radial channels being translucent;

the rotary tone dial being translucent and comprising a rotary tone selection potentiometer;

wherein when a specific one of the plurality of tone selection icons is lined up with the tone selection indicator, a specific associated tone is selected for playback.

3. The activity timer according to claim 2, further comprising:

rotary timer dial being translucent and comprising a rotary time duration selection potentiometer;

wherein when a specific one of the time duration indicia is lined up with the time duration selection indicator, a specific associated time duration is selected for countdown before the specific associated tone is activated.

4. The activity timer according to claim 3, further comprising:

rotary volume dial being translucent and comprising a rotary volume selection potentiometer;

wherein when a specific one of the volume level indicia is lined up with the volume selection indicator, a specific associated volume is selected for playback of the specific associated tone.

5. The activity timer according to claim 1, further comprising:

the volume selection indicator being translucent;

the time selection indicator being translucent;

the tone selection icons being translucent; and

, the rotary tone selection indicator being translucent.

6. The activity timer according to claim 2, further comprising:

illumination means disposed within the housing so that when powered up, the translucent dial icons, the indicia and the selection icons are illuminated for ease of use under low lighting conditions.

7. The activity timer according to claim 1, further comprising:

downloading logic, control circuitry and port having the capability of downloading tones from an external device to the activity timer.

8. The activity timer according to claim 1, further comprising:

an internal recording device capable of recording environmental tones directly to memory of the activity timer, wherein the environmental tones may be user selectable for playback by the activity timer.

9. The activity timer according to claim 1, further comprising:

a remote control receiver capable of accepting remote control commands to power up and power down the activity timer.

10. The activity timer according to claim 6, wherein the means for illumination further comprises means for selection of an illumination color.

11. The activity timer according to claim 10, wherein the means for selection of an illumination color further comprises remote control receiving means for receiving an illumination color command from a remote control transmitter.

12. The activity timer according to claim 11, further comprising:

the remote control receiving means being capable of accepting remote control commands to power up and power down the activity timer; and

, the remote control transmitter being capable of transmitting the power up and power down commands to the activity timer.