Television monitor

• US 4,484,220 A
• Filed: 09/29/1981
• Issued: 11/20/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Idea Research Development Corporation
• Original Assignee: Idea Research Development Corporation
• Inventors: Beetner, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin, John C.
• Application Number:
  US06/306,862
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: 358/190, 358/194.1, 358/188, 358/114, 358/191.1, 455/231, 307/141, 307/222 R, 368/109
• US Class Current: 348/730
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 15/003 acting only at one preselected time or during one adjustable time interval
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers

Abstract

A monitor for restricting the operating time of electronic apparatus, such as a television set, is formed of an outer case of sufficiently small size to set atop a television set. The case includes on its outer surface a display of the time remaining of the predetermined operating time. The case also includes a chamber for enclosing time setting controls, the chamber having a locking cover for securing the controls from tampering by children. A slot in a wall of the chamber permits passing of a power cord of a television into the chamber while preventing the egress of the plug of the cord upon a locking of the cover to the chamber. A timer and power sensor within the case to measure the amount of time that power flows into the television, such power flow being an indication of operating time. A relay within the case switches off the power upon detection of a timing signal indicating conclusion of the predetermined operating time.

Claims

1. A monitor for restricting the operating time of electronic apparatus accessible to children comprising:

a sensor of power flow to said apparatus;

a timer presettable to a predetermined amount of said operating time, said timer being activated by said sensor upon a sensing of said power flow;

means for switching said power, said switching means being responsive to a timing signal of said timer for terminating said power flow upon the conclusion of said predetermined operating time;

means coupled to said timer for presetting the length of said operating time;

wherein said timer comprises a counter counting down in response to clock pulses incident upon said counter, and wherein said presetting means comprises;

an up-down counter, a pulse generator, and switching means coupling pulses of said generator to said up-down counter;

said pulse switching means including switch contacts for activating an up-down control terminal of said up-down counter;

said presetting means further including means for enabling a presetting of said down counter, said up-down counter being coupled to a preset terminal of said down counter whereby the starting count of said down counter is preset to the value of the output count of said up-down counter.

2. A monitor according to claim 1 wherein said enabling means comprises a switch for manually enabling said down counter and a clock means for automatically presetting said down counter, said clock means including means for displaying the time of day.

3. A monitor according to claim 2 further comprising means coupled between said timer and said display of said clock means for alternatively displaying the time remaining in said predetermined operating time along with said time of day.

4. A monitor for restricting the operating time of electronic apparatus accessible to children comprising:

a sensor of power flow to said apparatus, said sensor being coupled to a power cord of said apparatus, said sensor comprising a transformer with a resistor coupled across input terminals of said transformer and being serially connected within a conductor of said power cord for developing a voltage drop proportional to current in said conductor, said sensor further comprising a diode bridge circuit coupled across an output terminal-pair of said transformer, a transistor, and a resistor-capacitor filter coupled between said diode bridge circuit and said transistor and a relay having a coil energized by current from said transistor;

a timer presettable to a predetermined amount of said operating time, said timer comprising a counter which counts down in response to clock pulse incident upon a clock input terminal of said counter, said counter being coupled at its clock input terminal to contacts of said relay of said sensor for being activated by said sensor upon a sensing of said power flow;

means for switching said power, said switching means being responsive to a timing signal of said timer for terminating said power flow upon the conclusion of said predetermined operating time;

means coupled to said timer for displaying a remaining portion of said operating time;

means coupled to said timer for presetting the length of said operating time, said timer comprising a counter counting down in response to clock pulses incident upon said counter, said presetting means comprising;

an up-down counter, a pulse generator and switching means coupling pulses of said generator to said up-down counter;

said pulse switching means including switch contacts for activating an up-down control terminal of said up-down counter;

said presetting means further including means for enabling a presetting of said down counter, said up-down counter being coupled to a preset terminal of said down counter whereby the starting count of said down counter is preset to the value of the output count of said up-down counter;

said presetting means further comprising clock means for automatically presetting said down counter, said clock means including means for displaying the time of day;

means coupled between said timer and said display of said clock means for alternatively displaying the time remaining in said predetermined operationg time along with said time of day;

means coupled between said timer and said switching means for detecting zero remaining time in said predeterminted operating time, said detecting means comprising a transistor for energizing said switching means, and a diode fan-in circuit coupling said diodes from respective stages of said timer to a terminal of said transistor; and

wherein said switching means comprises a relay having a coil energized by current of said transistor; and

wherein said power is conducted to said switching means by an AC current and an electric conductor, said timer further comprising clock pulse means being coupled between said conductor and said counter, the clock input terminal of said counter being coupled to said clock pulse means via said contacts of said sensor relay, said clock pulse means comprising;

a transformer and a series connections of a resistor and a zener diode connected across a winding of said transformer, a counter serving as a frequency divider, an input terminal of said frequency-divider counter being coupled to a voltage of said zener diode for generating a set of clock pulses at a frequency lower than the repitition of pulses of said AC current; and

said monitor further comprising a case for enclosing said sensor, said timer and said switching means, said case including means accessible by a lock for securing a terminus of a power cord of said apparatus to said switching means.