GB2359137A

GB2359137A - Exercise motivator for rewarding a user with access to an audio or visual apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2359137A
Application number: GB0002925A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hugh Allden Thomas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-02-10
Filing date: 2000-02-10
Publication date: 2001-08-15
Also published as: GB0002925D0

Abstract

The 'Motivator' is to reduce the viewing we undertake and increasing the exercise we take by rewarding the user with access time to, television, music or a video game. The Motivator controls the functionality of audio or visual entertainment equipment, subject to pulses at the Motivators pulse input. The frequency of input pulses can be in proportion to the physical exertion made by the user e.g. electrical pulses derived from positive tasks or users detected heart beat which result in a pulse train being detected at the pulse input. The 'Square Ration' when used with the 'Motivator' controls access time to, television, music or video games for example. Merit worthy actions of the user of the 'Square Ration' can be rewarded by providing access time currently or in the future at the discretion of a key holder who can award 'units' of time. In the preferred embodiment described, in the absence of pulses at the pulse input results in no power being delivered to the associated device such as a T.V. or Video. A warning sounder or light indicates that if more positive activity is not detected at the pulse input then power to the associated device (T.V. Audio/Video) will be lost.

Description

1 Motivator and Square Ration

Background to the Invention

Common Problems 2359137 Revision 1 Peoples access to electronic media has escalated rapidly in recent years with the increasing use of television, video recordings, computer games, personal computers and the internet taking an ever increasing proportion of our time. When used with discrimination the opportunities to obtain knowledge and to be informed and educated have never been greater.

Electronic media are often used in an indiscriminate ways. This trend leads to people switching from television, to computer game, to the internet often without any clear objective being identifiecL no useful skill honed, and no achievement accomplished. Some people spend long periods of time using electronic media during which worldly stimulation and interaction can diminish, displacing involvement in creativity, social intercourse or physical activity.

The consequences of the time spent using electronic media or the effect of some content have been shown in research studies to have a detrimental efFect, on health and to the development of physical and mental function in young people. The passive nature of television viewing has been reported to be a significant factor that results in obesity and may also lead to under achievement at school. Other research suggests that video games can cause heart rate and blood pressure changes and even m trigger epileptic seizures in a smill number of players. Currently there seems to be no substitute for parental cognisance and selection of suitable content for viewing or video games. The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends limiting children's viewing to 1 to 2 hours per day and encouraging other activities including physical conditioning and athletics.

A low level of physical activity is one of the important causes of coronary heart disease. The most sedentary people have been found to have between 1. 2 and 3.6 times the colon cancer risk of the most physically active. For older people the lack of regular exercise can contribute to obesity, the loss of stamina, the incidence of hip fractures, and a clear increase in the risk of developing osteoporosis or the progression of arthritis. Many also find sitting in front of the television induces sleep.

The Health Education Authority has 2 complementary sets of recommendations regarding the amount of physical activity required for health gain. At least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity on at least 5 days a week to achieve health benefits to minimise mortality. At least 20 minutes of vigorous intensity activity on at least 3 days a week which maximises aerobic fitness as well as reducing mortality.

Regular participation in physical exercise is associated with raised selfesteem in children and adults. Exercise is associated with a decreased level of mild to moderate depression, to feel in good shape physically and to feel a sense of achievement. When combined with dieting, regular physical exercise is one of the most effective means of managing mild to moderate obesity. Higher levels of physical activity are associated with lower 'all-cause' mortality in populations. Regular endurance exercise has been found to reduce blood pressure by 10nunHg in patients with high blood pressure. There is also evidence to suggest that physical activity helps to defer or prevent the development of non insulin dependant diabetes mellitus.

2 A Solution Often the understanding of the benefits of attaining a greater degree of physical fitness alone is not enough to motivate us to change our daily routines. Parents can provide a positive environment where incentives can be awarded to children for achievements and tasks completed which can improve personal development and the quality of family life.

The 'Motivator' described below is proposed as step towards reducing the amount of indiscriminate viewing we undertake and increasing the amount of regular exercise we take, in our domestic environment without taking up more of our precious leisure time. The physical effort made by the user can be rewarded with access time to, for example, television, music or a video game. As the viewer is no longer passive but has to be active this encourages a more discriminating and rewarding selection of viewing or listening content and encourages a greater level of physical fitness and stamina.

The 'Square Ration' described below when used with the 'Motivator' controls access time to, television, music or video games for example. Merit worthy actions of the user of the 'Square Ration' can be rewarded by providing access time currently or in the future at the discretion of a key holder who can award 'units' of time. A 'Motivator' can be controlled by several 'Square Ration's motivating several individual users. In an advanced type of 'Square Ration' with a clock, a daily quota of access can be provided at times selected by the holder of the 'Square Ration' during previously selected time periods. The daily quota of time can be supplemented with additional blocks of time incremented by the use of a key by the key holder.

N.B. For the purposes of this document a key switch is a user interface which utilises a degree of security which limits those who have the ability to enable that key switch and a key holder is a person who has the ability to enable that key switch.

3 The Motivator The Motivator is a means of controlling the availability of mains power derived from a standard mains outlet via a switched power supply output to the associated device (e.g. to audio or visual entertainment equipment, television, video game, VD.U) subject to the frequency of pulses detected at the Motivators pulse input.

The frequency of input pulses can be in proportion to the physical exertion made by the user e.g. electrical pulses derived from. the closure of a switch linked to the rotation of pedals on an exercise cycle the movement of part of a rowing machine, moving part on a multi-gy m, pressure on a pressure switch mat, a movement detector switch e.g. worn by the user or linked bouncing surface of a mini trampoline, a heart rate or ECG detector, telemetry etc. the 'Square Ration' see below The 'Motivator' can have an indicator light which flashes each time a pulse is detected at the input.

The Motivator has a means to average the frequency into a rate trend of the detected pulses and compare this average with three thresholds which can be called 'high', 'medium' and 'low'.

As the pulses increase their frequency from zero on the pulse input of the Motivator the average frequency of detected pulses increases and when this exceeds the 'high' threshold then the power supply to the switched outlet is turned on. While the pulse input frequency is maintained, the power supply to the switched outlet is maintained.

If the average frequency of detected input pulses falls below the 'medium' threshold, an audio and / or visual warning is indicated by the Motivator to advise the user that the power will be switched off if the trend of falling pulse input frequency is not reversed- While the pulse input frequency is maintained, the power supply to the switched outlet is maintained. The minimum time that the averaged pulse frequency trend takes to fall from the medium threshold to the low threshold in the Motivator is adequate to ensure that a video game can be shut down conventionally and where necessary saying the players progress, or in the case of an internet user, logoff and shut down the system.

If the average frequency of detected input pulses falls below the 'low' threshold the power supply to the switched outlet is turned off.

The Motivator's power outlet is such that the power plug of the equipment switched by the Motivator can be secured in position in the Motivator. Alternatively the type of power outlet socket used for the Motivator is unusual in a domestic situation. Access to several different pieces of equipment can be controlled, using a single Motivator when each equipment (e. g. audio or visual entertainment equipment, television, video game, VD.LT) is fitted with a plug compatible with the Motivator power outlet.

The Motivator's power outlet can also be turned on and off with a key switch providing a bypass function.

4 Motivator Description and Operation

It should be noted that the present disclosure should be considered as exemplifying the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the spirit or the scope of embodiments of the invention illustrated or the claims made. While the embodiment of the invention may take many different forms, there is shown in the following drawings and description, a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Positive tasks result in a pulse train being detected at the pulse input where pulses are converted if necessary into voltage pulses suitable for triggering the mono-stable UIC In the absence of pulses at the pulse input the output of the mono-stable remains low discharging C I through R4&5. When the voltage across C 1 is below the threshold defined by the reference resistor chain the Low comparator output is high Setting the Q output high and hence the Q bar output low on the Bistable which in turn ensures that the relay driver transistor Q1 is off and the relay RL 1 remains open, resulting in no power to the associated device (T.V. Audio/Video).

When pulses are detected at the pulse input, the mono-stable U 1 C is triggered producing a pulse whose width is defined by the variable resistor R9. This pulse width defines the duration of the mark and the frequency of the pulses detected at the pulse input define the duration of the space, in the mark / space ratio at the output of the mono-stable. The output mark 1 space voltage of the mono-stable is averaged (integrated) by R4&5 and Cl to provide a rate voltage proportional to the frequency of pulses detected at the pulse input but with the weighting (voltage) contributed by each pulse controlled by R9.

When the voltage across Cl is above the threshold defined by the reference resistor chain the High comparator output is high, Resetting the Q output low and hence the Q bar output High on the Bistable which in turn ensures that the relay driver transistor Q1 is on and the relay RL l to close resulting in a flow of power to the associated device (T.Y. AudioNideo,etc). Should the voltage across Cl fall below the threshold the Medium comparator threshold then its output is high. If both the Q bar output is High on the Bistable and the Medium comparator output is high then a sounder is activated warning the user that if more positive activity (or pulses) is not detected at the pulse input then power to the associated device (T.V. AudioNideo) will be lost.

If the frequency of pulses at the pulse input falls and the voltage across Cl falls below the threshold of the Low comparator, then its output is high, Setting Q bar output low on the Bistable which in turn ensures that the relay driver transistor Q1 is off and the relay RL 1 returns to be oper resulting in no power.to the associated device (T.V. Audio/Video).

Figure 2 shows the preferred embodiment of the invention's circuit diagram in more detail.

In the top right hand corner of the circuit diagram the mains power can be seen entering the apparatus and a mains outlet to the associated device (T.V. Audio/Video) where the live power feed is switched by RL 1.

For reasons of economy a conventional power supply with transformer has been avoided. The mains voltage is dropped by R1 1 and rectified by D4 to provide a suitable Direct Current voltage for RL 1 and the rest of the circuitry regulated by W2 and smoothed by C7. RIO further drops the DC: voltage regulated by ZI) 1 and smoothed by CS & 6.

Voltage pulses at the pulse input CONNI are filtered by C4 and applied across the LED of the optocoupler OTLI QIP FICNW136) and LEDI with R8 Inniting the current. D2 protects the LEDs from reverse polanties. The current from the output transistor of the opto- coupler OTL 1 is converted to a voltage by RI. The opto- coupler OTLI isolates the pulse input from the mains voltages used elsewhere.

Nand Gate' U1 D (4000 series C-MOS IC CD4093B) are configured as a pulse discriminator. The opto-coupled input pulses cause negative going pulses across RI. If the pulses are too frequent, or of too long in duration, then C8 becomes discharged reducing the amplitude of the pulses at UI D which then fails to re-cross the switching threshold of U1 D pin1O. R13 keeps C8 charged for correct pulses. Pulses of the correct duration and frequency are inverted to positive going pulses at U 1 D pinll. When the pulse at UI D pinl 1 is high C2 is discharged through R12 which limits the current intoUlCpin9. When the pulse at U1 Dpinll is Low C2 is chargedthroughR2 and R9. NandGate' Ul C is configured as a mono-stable. Pin 10 of UIC, is high until C2 charges through R9 and R2 to the threshold of U I C when pin 10 returns to its low state.

The mono-stable pulse output is applied via R4 and 5 to Cl which averages (integrates) the voltage making a voltage proportional to the input pulse frequency. D 1 is only fitted where a more rapid switch ON response to input pulses is required. IC 1 A (C-MOS 7556 Dual Timer IQ contains the High and Low comparators, the reference resistor chain and the bistable described above. IC 1 A does not provide a Q bar output so this function is achieved by using U 1 A as an inverter. The relay RL 1 is controlled by the transistor Q 1, the base of which is driven via R7 which limits the base current from IC 1 A (Q bar output). D3 protects Q 1 from the effects of the back ENT produced when RL 1 is turned off.

As IC 1 A does not provide a Medium threshold comparator output this function is achieved by using U I B. The voltage drive for the sounder is sourced from the charge in C3 which is turned on by the discharge transistor of IC 1B pin 13, which is turned on only when C3 reaches the control voltage threshold This is only achieved when C3 is charged by both UlA pin.3 (Q bar high) via R6 and UIB pin4 (Cl voltage Less than Medium threshold) via R3. This results in the sounder beeping at intervals to warn the user that more effort (or higher input pulse frequency) is required In this way the current for driving the sounder is derived from the charge in C3 reducing the maximum load to the power supply rails.

6 The Square Ration The Square Ration provides a means of controlling when the Motivator pro- vrides power to its power outlet socket and a means of storing 'units' of time (see below). The 'Square Ration' may share the same enclosure as the Motivator or be packaged in a separate housing but in either case can be linked to the Motivator's pulse input.

During the Square Ration's ON periods it produces a pulse at the Motivator's pulse input, at a frequency that exceeds the Motivator's 'high' threshold. During the Square Ration's OFF periods it produces no pulse train The pulse train output is gated subject to the state of timers or counters, one or more of which may be present. The Square Ration can be configured so that all of the timers present must be 'ON' to enable the pulse U-din.

Basic Type Advanced Type Quota Counter A counter that is incremented by 1 unit (e.g. 15 minutes per unit) for each momentary closure of a key. The counter is decremented by one unit for each unit time period that the output pulse train is gated 'ON'. When the accumulated number of units falls to zero the Quota counter gates the pulse train OFF. A 'Pause' switch may be provided which when enabled gates the pulse train OFF. The output pulse train can also be turned on with a long key closure providing a bypass function.

Time of day timer Provides a conventional time of day (/and week) time switch function, with restricted access to the time setting and timed 'ON' period settings.

Quota counter timer A counter that is incremented (or not subject to a restricted access setting) with a regular quota (period e.g. daily) accumulating a number of units of time (e.g. 15 minutes per unit). The regular quota of time units can be supplemented with additional units of time incremented for each momentary closure of a key. The timer is decremented by one unit, for each unit time period that the output pulse train is gated 'ON'. When the accumulated number of units falls to zero the Quota counter timer turns OFF. At the end of each regular quota period the remaining quota units are zeroed and replaced with a new quota of units of time.

Use Duration Timer During the period that the pulse train output is gated 'ON', a counter is incremented accumulating the number of units of time (e.g. 15 minutes per unit) and the Use Duration Timer is 'ON'. When the accumulator reaches a predetermined threshold the timer turns 'OFF' and remains 'OFF' until a predetermined quantity of time units have passed.

7

Claims

Claims

I)Apparatus for motivating a user to exercise or to undertake a creditworthy task by rewarding via controlling the amount of listeninglviewing possible on an associated audio/video device without the use of currency or tokens, the apparatus comprising of:

a Pulse Input means at which the frequency of pulses is proportional to the physical effort expended by the user, or the pulses are of near constant frequency but present for a period of time determined by a keyholder (person setting the counters and duration of a timers at their discretion)., a Pulse Frequency Integrator means for computing the average pulse rate at the pulse input means; a Comparator means for comparing the averaged pulse rate from the pulse frequency integrator means with thresholds:

High threshold - when average pulse rate exceeds the ffigh threshold the control means is turned ON, Medium threshold -when control means is ON and the average pulse rate falls below the Medium threshold a warning indication is made (giving the user adequate warning of impending loss of mains power to the associated audiolvideo device), Low Threshold - when average pulse rate falls below the Low threshold the control means is turned OFF; a Control means for electrically controlling the utilisation of the associated audiolvideo device subject to the state of the Comparator means.
2) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the weighting of each pulse at the said Pulse Input means can be varied by a control when computing the average pulse rate by the said Pulse Frequency Integrator means ( the control which may be calibrated in terms of user age, level of fitness, workload, target heart rate, rate, frequency, or calories used per time interval).
3))Apparatus for motivating a user to exercise or to undertake a creditworthy activity by rewarding via controlling the amount of listening/viewing possible on an associated audioMdeo device without the use of currency or tokens wherein the apparatus detects current or previous creditworthy activity and controls a warning indication being generated for a period of time (giving the user adequate warning of possible impending loss of function of the associated audiolvideo device so that the associated audiolvideo device can be shut down in the correct sequence and saving wanted data without compromise or loss of data, information, achievement progress, position, score, story or other data of value to the user, present on the associated audiolvideo device, or for the user to effect an increase in detected creditworthy activity thus cancelling the warning indication), that indication provided by:- the activation of an audible sound, further comprising of a sound emitting warning means and 1 or that indication provided by the activation of a visual indicator, further comprising light enfitting indicator means.
4) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the said Control means may be enabled ON as dictated by a bypass means.
5) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the said Control means further comprising of a relay that switches the electrical mains supply to the associated audiolvideo device.
6) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the said Control means further comprising a relay switched feed to an electrical mains power outlet is such that the power plug of the associated audiolvideo device switched by the apparatus can be secured in position in the apparatus.
8 7) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the said Control means flulher comprising a relay switched feed to an electrical mains power outlet socket (which is of a type that is unusual in a domestic situation), controlling the utilisation to several difFerent pieces of equipment (e.g. audio or visual entertainment equipment, television, video game, Visual Display Unit) each fitted with a plug compatible with the apparatus power outlet socket.
8) A pulse generator device that produces pulses of near constant frequency, applied to the compatible Pulse Input means of the apparatus in claim 1, present for a period of time determined by a key-holder (person whose objective is motivating a user to undertake a creditworthy task by rewarding via controlling the amount of listeningMewing time available to the user of an associated audiolvideo device without the use of currency or tokens, the setting of the counters and duration of timers being at the key holders discretion) consisting of.. - a Key Switch means by which:- a reward of one 'time unit' is created a bypass function turning the pulse generator means ON; a 'Time Unit' Counter means by which the number of 'firne unit' credits are stored, incremented for each 'thne unit' created as a reward, decremented for each 'time unit' spent with the pulse generator means ON, when the 'Time Unit' Counter reaches zero the pulse generator means is turned OFF, when the 'Time Unit' Counter is greater than zero the pulse generator means is ON, unless a Pause Switch means is activated by the user turning the pulse generator means OFF (this enables 'time units' to be saved for spending later); a Timer means which defines the duration of each 'Time Unif; a Pulse Generator means that produces pulses of near constant frequency subject to the state of the Pause Switch means the 'Time Unit' Counter means, and time of day time switches means if present.
9) The device of claim 8 wherein the said 'Time Unit' Counter means when incremented or decremented, momentarily activates an indication provided by a sound emitting means.

10) 7he device of claim 8 wherein the said 'Time Unit' Counter means is provided with a display indicating the count of the number of unused 'Time Units' credits stored.