WO2000054636A1

WO2000054636A1 - Photo holder with age indicator

Info

Publication number: WO2000054636A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/006954
Authority: WO
Inventors: Odysseus Demetriadi
Original assignee: Odysseus Demetriadi
Priority date: 1999-03-16
Filing date: 2000-03-15
Publication date: 2000-09-21
Also published as: AU3752900A

Abstract

A device for displaying a photo or other likeness of an individual, such as a frame or album, includes an electronic timer that indicates the approximate age of the individual.

Description

PHOTO HOLDER WITH AGE INDICATOR

Background of the Invention Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a device for displaying a photo or other likeness of an individual, such as a frame or album, having an electronic timer or counter incorporated therein for measuring elapsed time. Description of the Related Art

Numerous devices exist which monitor the passage of time. Clocks, stopwatches and chronometers all enable users to monitor the passage of time over a given period. A resettable chronometer which provides an output indicative of elapsed time from a selected start time is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,058,085. U.S. Patent No. 4,630,935 discloses a timepiece for monitoring both natural time and "human time," that is, the time that takes place in human thought. A life expectancy timepiece, which monitors and displays the approximate time remaining in the user's life, is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,031 ,161. Each of these devices provides the user with a measurement of either the time elapsed from a particular starting point, or the time remaining until a particular timepoint occurs. The disclosures of each of the above mentioned U.S. patents are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. U.S. Design Patent No. Des. 257,231 shows the design of a combined clock and picture frame. This allows a person to combine the functional aspect of keeping time with an aesthetically appealing photograph or other visual display.

French Patent No. FR 2 669 443 discloses a device which enables an individual to monitor his or her own aging. The device is worn as a bracelet or pendant, and can function both as a normal watch to monitor the time of day, and as an indicator of the age of the wearer.

Each of the prior art devices allows the user to monitor the passage of time in one of many ways.

Summary of the Invention In one embodiment, the invention comprises a photo holder having a border region adjoining a photo mounting location and a counter attached to the border region. The counter includes a digital display of an elapsed time. In some advantageous embodiments, the photo holder holds an image of an infant, and the counter is an up-counter configured to indicate the approximate age of the infant.

The invention can also comprise a device for displaying a likeness of an individual. The device includes a timer or up-counter that indicates the age of the individual. The age display can be in digital form. The device can, for example, comprise a picture frame or a photograph album. Methods of displaying information about a person are also provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises displaying a photograph of a person, and displaying, in association with the photograph, a substantially continuously updated indication of the age of the person.

Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 A is a perspective view of a frame for a photograph having an electronic timer and digital display incorporated therein. FIG. 1 B is a perspective view of another embodiment of a frame for a photograph having an electronic timer and digital display incorporated therein.

FIG. 2 is a front view of one embodiment of a digital display field for indicating an elapsed time according to one embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3 is a rear view of a picture frame incorporating pushbuttons for initially setting an age display provided on the front of the picture frame.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention, wherein the electronic timer and digital display are incorporated into the cover of a photograph album.

Detailed Description of the Invention Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying Figures, wherein like numerals refer to like elements throughout. The terminology used in the description presented herein is not intended to be interpreted in any limited or restrictive manner, simply because it is being utilized in conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention may include several novel features, no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes or which is essential to practicing the inventions herein described.

In one advantageous embodiment, the present invention provides a device for monitoring and displaying the age of a child in conjunction with a photograph or other likeness of the child. When a child is born, his or her age is closely monitored by parents and others. The child's medical, psychological and social development is monitored in conjunction with the age of the child. Parents are frequently asked the age of their child throughout the child's early years. This interest in age continues throughout the person's life, but is of special importance during the first few years of a child's life.

Figures 1 A and 1 B illustrate two picture frame embodiments of the present invention. The frame 10 can include many conventional features such as a stand 12 and a border region 14 which adjoins a photo mounting location 16. As is well known, the border region 14 is often used for decorative purposes, and may take many forms and styles. Figures 1 A and 1 B illustrate two simple embodiments, but many others are possible. In the embodiments of Figures 1 A and 1 B, the border region 14 surrounds the photo mounting location 16, but in some cases, only a partial border can be provided. The frame 10 can be used to house and display a photograph or other likeness of a person. In some advantageous embodiments of the present invention, the photograph comprises a likeness of an infant, wherein the term infant is intended to mean a child less than approximately three years old. Of course, it will be appreciated that the invention may be utilized with a subject person of any age. Furthermore, the invention may indicate the elapsed time from some event other than a birth, such as a wedding, graduation, or other significant event. In these embodiments, the photograph may be a wedding picture or other suitable image of the event being memorialized.

The border region 14 of the frame 10 includes a counter or timer with a display 18 that indicates an elapsed time. The counter can be an up counter which measures elapsed time from zero upward, or a down-counter which measures time from a selected starting value down to zero In some advantageous embodiments, the display is in digital form. In one preferred embodiment, the display 18 is a liquid crystal display (LCD) having various fields which are described in additional detail with reference to Figure 2.

If the photo mounting location 16 holds an image of an infant, the counter may advantageously be configured to track and display the approximate age of the infant. In this embodiment, the counter can be substantially continuously updated to provide a real-time display of the age of the infant. The display can be updated every second, every hour, or every day, for example, depending on the character of the display fields provided. Electronic timers capable of counting up or down from a specific reference point are well known, are commercially available as standard or custom built parts from many commercial vendors, and accordingly the details of their construction is not described in further detail herein. As is described in more detail below with reference to Figure 3, the timer and display 18 can be set by the user to display the exact age of the child at any given point in time. The increasing age of the infant is then automatically monitored and displayed in association with the photograph or other likeness of the infant mounted to the frame 10

Figure 2 illustrates the fields which may be displayed by the timer or counter 18. Referring now to this Figure, the display may comprise two sections, each containing multi segment LCD displays, for example. A first section 20 may provide a date from which the elapsed time is being incremented. In many embodiments, this date will be a person's birth date. It may alternatively be a wedding date or other event, as described above. A second section 22 may also be provided which indicates the elapsed time This second section will generally comprise a plurality of fields. A first field 23 of the display may be used to indicate the number of seconds elapsed since the birth of the child. The next field 24 may display the number of minutes elapsed since the birth of the child The next field 25 may display the number of hours elapsed, and the next field 26, the number of days. If desired, an additional field 28 can be added to indicate the number of months elapsed since the birth of the child, and a sixth field 30 may be added to indicate the number of years elapsed since the child's birth. Of course, fewer fields can be used to indicate the age of the child less precisely. For example, a single field having only days, or two fields displaying months and days may be utilized. It will be appreciated that any combination, relative orientation or position, and size of display fields may be provided according to the preference of the user Furthermore, it will be appreciated that as illustrated in Figure 2, words or abbreviations may be associated with the fields as well as numbers. For example, the day field 26 may display the word "days" in addition to a number indicating the age of the child in days. Similarly, the hour field 24 may display the word "hours" or an abbreviation such as "hr" in addition to a number of hours. As can be also seen in the alternative embodiment of Figure 4 described below, the relative sizes, orientation, and labeling of the presented information can make the display easier to read and interpret than if it contained merely a set of numbers.

When the counter and display 18 are utilized to indicate the age of an infant pictured in the frame 10, the user must initially set the counter and display in accordance with the current age of the infant Accordingly, and as shown in Figure 3, a set of push buttons 32 can be provided on the rear of the frame 10 for this purpose. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, the frame 10 includes a "SET" push-button 34 which can be used to initiate the counter set process. An "INCREMENT" button 36 can be used to quickly increment the display 18 to the desired starting value, and a "START" button 38 can be provided to begin the counter or timer, thus initiating the tracking of the infant's age. A "RESET" button 40 can also be provided to zero out the counter and display prior to performing or re-performing the set operation. A wide variety of timer set protocols can be utilized in addition to that illustrated and described with reference to Figure 3. For example, a keypad for entering the date and time of the infant's birth and the current date and time can be used. In these embodiments, memory and/or other circuitry are provided in association with the counter which stores a calendar so as to calculate the appropriate display values.

In addition, a battery compartment 42 can be provided on the rear of the frame 10, although the power requirements of an LCD display will typically be low enough that user replacement of a battery will not be necessary. It is also contemplated that audio capability may be added to the above described timer circuitry. For example, the circuit may be configured to play "Happy Birthday" or other tune at designated times during the day, such as noon and 6:00 pm, on each detected birthday or anniversary date.

It will be appreciated that other forms of photo holders can include the timer and display described above in conjunction with Figures 1 through 3, and Figure 4 illustrates one such alternate embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the timer and display 46 are associated with the cover of a photo album 48. The photo album 48 can be filled with photos of the child taken at various times during its life, while the timer and display 46 accurately monitors and displays the approximate age of the child at any particular moment in time.

The foregoing description details certain embodiments of the invention. It will be appreciated, however, that no matter how detailed the foregoing appears in text, the invention can be practiced in many ways. As is also stated above, it should be noted that the use of particular terminology when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being re-defined herein to be restricted to including any specific characteristics of the features or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated. The scope of the invention should therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims and any equivalents thereof.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

I . A photo holder comprising: a border region adjoining a photo mounting location; and an counter attached to said border region. 2. The photo holder of Claim 1, wherein said counter comprises an up-counter configured to display an elapsed time from a selected starting point.

3. The photo holder of Claim 2, wherein said up-counter is digital.

4. The photo holder of Claim 1 , wherein said border region comprises a picture frame.

5. The photo holder of Claim 1, wherein said border region comprises a photo album cover. 6. The photo holder of Claim 1, additionally comprising a photograph of an infant mounted to said photo mounting location.

7. The photo holder of Claim 6, wherein said counter tracks and displays the approximate age of said infant.

8 The photo holder of Claim 7, wherein said approximate age is indicated in days, hours, minutes, and seconds.

9. A method of displaying information about a person comprising: displaying a photograph of said person; and displaying, in association with said photograph, a substantially continuously updated indication of the age of said person. 10. The method of Claim 9, wherein said person is an infant.

I I. The method of Claim 9, wherein said indication is updated once per second.

12. A device for displaying a likeness of an individual, said device having an electronic timer that indicates the age of the individual in digital form.

13. The device of Claim 12, wherein said device comprises a picture frame. 14. The device of Claim 12, wherein said device is the cover of a photograph album.

15. A photograph holder comprising: at least one photo mounting location; means for indicating an elapsed time; and means for initially setting said elapsed time such that said elapsed time is indicative of an individual's approximate age.