Timing control apparatus

• US 5,212,672 A
• Filed: 11/20/1991
• Issued: 05/18/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Goodmorningf Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Goodmorningf Company Limited
• Inventors: Snider, Rod, Loisch, Julius A., Harriger, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit W.
• Application Number:
  US07/794,916
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 368/79, 368/67, 368/68, 368/239, 368/250, 368/256, 362/260, 362/373, 362/801
• US Class Current: 368/79
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 11/00 Producing optical signals at preselected times
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 15/006 for operating at a number of different times cigar or cigarette receptacles or boxes with means for limiting the frequency of smoking A24F15/005
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A timing control apparatus for selectively actuating at least one remote device, such as a variable intensity lamp, an audio device or an aroma generator at a selected future time, by generating a plurality of clock pulses of a known time duration at the selected time, and by counting the clock pulses to gradually increase the intensity of electrical current in response to the clock pulses counted, from an initial zero state to full intensity over time, such as one hour. The gradual increase in intensity provides a gradual increase in the light, sound or smell from selected remote devices, to gently awaken a user, without an abrupt on/off actuation found in alarm clocks, and other similar devices.

Claims

1. A timing control apparatus comprising:

a) a clock divider circuit for dividing an incoming source of electrical power into a plurality of timed pulses;

b) a variable resistor circuit for counting the output pulses from the clock divider circuit, and for decreasing the output resistance in proportion with the increasing count of pulses it receives from the clock divider circuit; and

c) a light dimmer circuit responsive to the output resistance of the variable resistor circuit for actuating a remote lamp source at an initial low light level, and for controllably increasing the intensity of the remote lamp source to a high light level over time in response to the decreasing output resistance from the variable resistor circuit.

2. The timing control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the clock divider circuit divides the incoming source of A.C. waveform electrical power into 1000 to 3000 timed pulses.

3. The timing control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the timing pulses provide an output pulse every 20 to 40 seconds.

4. The timing control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the clock divider circuit uses an integrated circuit to divide the incoming source of electrical power into a plurality of timed pulses, and the variable resistance circuit uses an integrated circuit to count the output pulses received from the clock divider circuit.

5. The timing control apparatus of claim 1, wherein an audio counter circuit counts the output pulses from the clock divider circuit, to accumulate a set number of output pulses, and to actuate a remote audio device upon receipt of the set number of output pulses from the clock divider circuit.

6. The timing control apparatus of claim 5, wherein the remote audio device is actuated at a pre-set low volume level, and the volume of the remote audio device increases over time to a preset high volume level.

7. The timing control apparatus of claim 5, wherein the remote audio source is actuated at a pre-determined time after the initial actuation of the remote lamp source.

8. The timing control apparatus of claim 5, wherein the set number of output pulses is 50 to 150.

9. The timing control apparatus of claim 1, wherein an electronic power switch turns off power to the clock divider circuit and to the variable resistor circuit, to turn off a remote device.

10. The timing control apparatus of claim 5, wherein an electronic power switch turns off power to the clock divider circuit, the variable resistor circuit and the clock divider circuit to turn off the remote lamp and a remote alarm clock.

11. A timing control apparatus comprising:

a) a clock divider circuit for dividing an incoming source of electrical power into a plurality of timed pulses;

b) a variable resistor circuit for counting the output pulses from the clock divider circuit, and for decreasing the output resistance in proportion with the increasing count of pulses it receives from the clock divider circuit;

c) a light dimmer circuit for controlling an increase in intensity of a remote lamp source over time in response to the decreasing output resistance from the variable resistor circuit;

d) an audio counter circuit for counting the output pulses from the clock divider circuit, to accumulate a set number of output pulses, and upon receipt of the set number of output pulses, a remote audio device is actuated.

12. The timing control apparatus of claim 11, wherein the clock divider circuit divides the incoming source of A.C. waveform electrical power into 1000 to 3000 timed pulses.

13. The timing control apparatus of claim 11, wherein the timing pulses provide an output pulse every 20 to 40 seconds.

14. The timing control apparatus of claim 11, wherein the clock divider circuit uses an integrated circuit to divide the incoming source of electrical power into a plurality of timed pulses, and the clock divider circuit uses an integrated circuit to count the timed pulses received from the clock divider circuit.

15. The timing control apparatus of claim 11, wherein the remote audio device is actuated at a pre-set low volume level, and the volume of the remote audio device increases over time to a preset high volume level.

16. The timing control apparatus of claim 11, wherein the remote audio source is actuated at a pre-determined time after the initial actuation of the remote lamp source.

17. A timing control apparatus, which comprises:

a) a clock divider circuit for dividing an incoming source of electrical power into a plurality of timed pulses selected from 1000 to 3000 pulses;

b) a variable resistor circuit for counting the output pulses from the clock divider circuit, and for decreasing the output resistance in proportion with the increasing count of pulses it receives from the clock divider circuit;

c) a light dimmer circuit for controlling an increase in intensity of a remote lamp source over time in response to the decreasing output resistance from the variable resistor circuit;

d) an audio counter circuit for counting the output pulses from the clock divider circuit, and for accumulating a set number of output pulses, and upon receipt of the set number of output pulses, for actuating a remote audio device;

e) a first electrical socket for for receiving a plug from a remote illumination device, for controlling the actuation of the remote illumination device;

f) a second electrical socket for receiving a plug from a remote audio device for controlling the actuation of the remote audio device.

18. The timing control apparatus of claim 17, wherein a third electrical socket is provided for receiving a plug from a aroma generating device.

19. The timing control apparatus of claim 17, wherein the incoming A.C. waveform is 60 Hz. and the clock divider circuit divides the incoming waveform into 2048 pulses.

20. The timing control apparatus of claim 17, wherein the timing pulses provide an output pulse every 34.13 seconds.