Systems and methods for managing the toilet training process of a child

• US 9,633,574 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2013
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Ruman, Marcille Faye, Jackson, Kelly Wade, Dreyer, Adam Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Utama, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zaman, Sadaruz
• Application Number:
  US13/921,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20140329213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 434236
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0076 Body hygiene; Dressing; Knot tying

Abstract

A computer system for managing toilet training of a person is provided. The computer system includes a memory device, an input device, a display device, and a processor. The processor is programmed to provide a first set of enhanced functionality configured in an enabled status, wherein the first set of enhanced functionality includes an event timer associated with a toilet training event. The processor is also programmed to disable the first set of enhanced functionality. The processor is further programmed to receive activation data from a user using the input device. The processor is also programmed to reconfigure the first set of enhanced functionality to an enabled status based at least in part on the activation data.

Claims

1. A computer system for managing toilet training of a person, the computer system comprising a memory device, an input device, a display device, a scanner, and a processor, wherein the processor is programmed to:

provide a first set of enhanced functionality configured in an enabled status, wherein the first set of enhanced functionality includes an event timer associated with a toilet training event, wherein the first set of enhanced functionality includes a first plurality of user-interactive functions;

disable the first set of enhanced functionality;

provide a second set of base functionality including a second plurality of user-interactive functions that is a smaller subset of the first plurality of user-interactive functions;

prompt a user to scan a product image associated with a toilet training product, wherein the product image is formatted to result in the retrieval of activation data to reconfigure the first set of enhanced functionality to an enabled status for a pre-determined length of time;

scan the product image associated with the toilet training product;

retrieve activation data based on the scan of the product image;

reconfigure the first set of enhanced functionality to an enabled status for a pre-determined length of time based at least in part on the activation data, wherein the activation data specifies a time period for display of the first set of enhanced functionality in the enabled status; and

notify the user that the first set of enhanced functionality is enabled for the pre-determined length of time.

2. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the input device is a camera device, and wherein receiving the activation data includes capturing a post-sale image using the camera device.

3. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the input device is a keyboard device, and wherein receiving the activation data includes the user entering a post-sale code using the keyboard device.

4. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the input device is a microphone device, and wherein receiving the activation data includes the user speaking a pre-defined speech pattern.

5. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to deny reconfiguration of the first set of enhanced functionality to an enabled status after capturing a post-sale image a pre-determined number of times.

6. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

create a counter associated with the activation data;

increase the counter after each receipt of the activation data; and

deny reconfiguration of the first set of enhanced functionality to an enabled status after receipt of the activation data if the counter exceeds a pre-determined number.

7. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein disabling the first set of enhanced functionality includes initiating the disabling based at least in part on a user-initiated event.

8. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein disabling the first set of enhanced functionality includes disabling the first set of enhanced functionality after a pre-determined amount of time has elapsed.

9. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

create a disable timer associated with the first set of enhanced functionality, wherein the disable timer has a time value that decreases with the passage of time; and

add a pre-determined amount of time to the disable timer after said receiving of activation data, wherein disabling the first set of enhanced functionality includes disabling the first set of enhanced functionality when the disable timer reaches zero.

10. A computer-based method for managing toilet training of a person, said method performed using a processor in communication with a memory device, an input device, and a display device, said method comprising:

providing, with the processor, a first set of enhanced functionality configured in an enabled status, wherein the first set of enhanced functionality includes an event timer associated with a toilet training event, wherein the first set of enhanced functionality includes a first plurality of user-interactive functions;

disabling the first set of enhanced functionality;

providing a second set of base functionality including a second plurality of user-interactive functions that is a smaller subset of the first plurality of user-interactive functions;

prompting a user to scan a product image associated with a toilet training product, wherein the product image is formatted to result in the retrieval of activation data to reconfigure the first set of enhanced functionality to an enabled status for a pre-determined length of time;

scanning the product image associated with the toilet training product;

retrieving activation data based on the scan of the product image;

reconfiguring the first set of enhanced functionality to an enabled status based at least in part on the activation data wherein the activation data specifies a time period for display of the first set of enhanced functionality in the enabled status; and

notifying the user that the first set of enhanced functionality is enabled for the pre-determined length of time.

11. The method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the input device is a camera device, and wherein receiving the activation data comprises capturing a post-sale image using the camera device.

12. The method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the input device is a keyboard device, and wherein receiving the activation data comprises the user entering a post-sale code using the keyboard device.

13. The method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the input device is a microphone device, and wherein receiving the activation data comprises the user speaking a pre-defined speech pattern.

14. The method in accordance with claim 10 further comprising denying reconfiguration of the first set of enhanced functionality to an enabled status after receiving the activation data a pre-determined number of times.

15. The method in accordance with claim 10 further comprising:

creating a counter associated with the activation data;

increasing the counter after said receiving; and

deny reconfiguration of the first set of enhanced functionality to an enabled status after said receiving if the counter exceeds a pre-determined number.

16. The method in accordance with claim 10, wherein disabling comprises initiating the disabling based at least in part on a user-initiated event.

17. The method in accordance with claim 10, wherein disabling comprises disabling the first set of enhanced functionality after a pre-determined amount of time has elapsed.

18. The method in accordance with claim 10 further comprising:

creating a disable timer associated with the first set of enhanced functionality, wherein the disable timer has a time value that decreases with the passage of time; and

adding a pre-determined amount of time to the disable timer after said receiving, wherein said disabling comprises disabling the first set of enhanced functionality when the disable timer reaches zero.

19. Computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein, when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

provide a first set of enhanced functionality configured in an enabled status, wherein the first set of enhanced functionality includes an event timer associated with a toilet training event, wherein the first set of enhanced functionality includes a first plurality of user-interactive functions;

disable the first set of enhanced functionality;

provide a second set of base functionality including a second plurality of user-interactive functions that is a smaller subset of the first plurality of user-interactive functions;

prompt a user to scan a product image associated with a toilet training product, wherein the product image is formatted to result in the retrieval of activation data to reconfigure the first set of enhanced functionality to an enabled status for a pre-determined length of time;

scan the a product image associated with the toilet training product;

retrieve activation data based on the scan of the product image;

reconfigure the first set of enhanced functionality to an enabled status based at least in part on the activation data, wherein the activation data specifies a time period for display of the first set of enhanced functionality in the enabled status; and

notify the user that the first set of enhanced functionality is enabled for the pre-determined length of time.

20. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 19, wherein the input device is a camera device, and wherein receiving the activation data includes capturing a post-sale image using the camera device.

21. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 19, wherein the input device is a keyboard device, and wherein receiving the activation data includes the user entering a post-sale code using the keyboard device.

22. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 19, wherein the input device is a microphone device, and wherein receiving the activation data includes the user speaking a pre-defined speech pattern.

23. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 19, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to deny reconfiguration of the first set of enhanced functionality to an enabled status after receiving the activation data a pre-determined number of times.

24. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 19, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

create a counter associated with the activation data;

increase the counter after said receiving; and

deny reconfiguration of the first set of enhanced functionality to an enabled status after receiving the activation data if the counter exceeds a pre-determined number.

25. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 19, wherein disabling comprises initiating the disabling based at least in part on a user-initiated event.

26. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 19, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

create a disable timer associated with the first set of enhanced functionality, wherein the disable timer has a time value that decreases with the passage of time; and

add a pre-determined amount of time to the disable timer after said receiving, wherein disabling the first set of enhanced functionality comprises disabling the first set of enhanced functionality when the disable timer reaches zero.