Abstract:
A device for weaning an addiction includes a housing, an indicator, a processor, and an actuator. The processor is configured to deliver a state signal to the indicator under control of an algorithm. The state indicates either an armed state or a wait state. The actuator is supported by the housing and is communicatively coupled to the processor. In response to actuation of the actuator, the algorithm delivers the state signal indicative of the wait state until the timing signal satisfies a threshold value. If actuated after the timing signal satisfies the threshold value, the algorithm delivers the state signal indicative of the armed state and increases the threshold value. A method for weaning an addiction such as a smoking habit includes the steps of providing a device as above, enabling the user to seek permission from the device, and selectively indicating permissions to the user.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to weaning an addiction, and, more particularly, to an electronic device for progressively lengthening wait intervals between permissions to engage in the addictive habit. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Unfortunately, some habits such as smoking are addictive and persons have difficulty breaking those habits. Many methods are known to assist in breaking habits, and these include quitting “cold turkey,” group counseling, medications (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,198,230), hypnosis and other aids. Many of these methods fail for a variety of reasons such as difficulty in following the regimen, demands on time, and cost. Nicotine patches, for example, are attendant with difficult regimens, side effects, and cost. 
   Thus, there is a need for a device to help persons wean an addiction which is simple to use, easy to carry and which gradually reduces the level of addiction over a period of time. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a device for weaning an addiction is described. The device includes a housing, an indicator, a processor, and an actuator. The processor is configured to deliver a state signal to the indicator under control of an algorithm. The state indicates either an armed state or a wait state. The actuator is supported by the housing and is communicatively coupled to the processor. In response to actuation of the actuator, the algorithm delivers the state signal indicative of the wait state until the timing signal satisfies a threshold value. If actuated after the timing signal satisfies the threshold value, the algorithm delivers the state signal indicative of the armed state and increases the threshold value. Preferably, the timing signal is reset. 
   In one preferred form, the housing is cylindrical and has the appearance of a cigarette. 
   In a particularly preferred arrangement, the threshold value tested by the algorithm is increased by a predetermined amount with actuations that are made while the timing signal satisfies the threshold value. The increases in threshold value preferably have a compounding effect on the magnitude of the timing signal necessary to deliver the state signal indicative of the armed state. 
   In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, a method for weaning an addiction such as a smoking habit is described. This method includes the steps of providing an electronic governor, enabling the user to seek permission from the governor by manually activating an activator associated with the governor, and selectively indicating permission to the user. Permissions are indicated if the interval since the last indicated permission exceeds a compoundingly increased interval between the permissions granted to the user. The governor includes an algorithm that provides such compoundingly increased intervals. 
   These and other aspects, features and advantages can be appreciated from the accompanying Drawing Figures and the Detailed Description that follows. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a circuit useful with the preferred embodiment; and 
       FIG. 3  is a timing and state diagram which illustrates the algorithm of the preferred embodiment. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   By way of overview and introduction, this invention concerns a device for weaning an addiction, which, in the exemplary embodiment, is discussed in connection with breaking a smoking habit. The device is reactive to user requests. In response to a user request, permissions are selectively granted to the user, allowing the user to engage in the habit that is being weaned, in this example, smoking. The time period between permissions gradually increases with “successful” actuations from a (preferably, prescribed) initial wait period. The device does not proactively notify the user when it is time to smoke again; instead, the user must do something to the device in order to request permission to smoke again. The device is always in one of two states during normal operation: it can indicate that the user has to wait additional time for a permission, which is the wait state, or it can indicate that it is o.k. to smoke, which is the armed state. This approach provides an elegant solution to weaning a habit because, if the user does not actuate the device as soon as the device has changed to the armed state, the user will not be notified of the fact that it is now permissible to smoke. Instead, the user will go for an additional, undefined time period without being made aware that a successful request could be made. Thus, the user “discovers” that the device  100  was in the armed state when the urge to smoke or otherwise engage in a habit arises. Once in the armed state, the moment that the user actuates the device, it will grant permission immediately and enter the next wait state. Critically, the wait interval between such successful requests progressively increases to further the weaning process. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of the invention is shown which is designed to help wean a smoking habit. The illustrated housing  110  has a cylindrical form, the interior not being shown. One end  120  is preferably attached to the housing  110  by a threaded or other connection  140  which allows the end  120  to be removed for battery replacement, and, optionally, to reset or change settings of the device  100 . In this embodiment, the end  120  is adorned to resemble the end of cigarette, such as the filter end of a cigarette. So, visually, the illustrated device  100  insinuates a cigarette and handling a so-constructed device provides a degree of psychological comfort to the user; however, the appearance of the device  100  is not important to the invention. 
   An actuator  150  is also provided which, in this embodiment, is a button that protrudes from one end of the housing  110 . The actuator is pressed to close a circuit contained within the housing. The user of the device  100  presses the actuator  150  to seek permission to engage in the habit being weaned. The actuator can be a capacitive or inductive switch, if desired, and can be positioned elsewhere on the house  110 . 
   The indicator  160  preferably comprises an LED. The indicator advises the user whether the device  100  is in a wait state or armed state in response to requests that are accepted by the device  100  using the actuator  150  as an input device. The actuator  150  preferably supports and contains, at least partially the indicator  160 . When the actuator  150  is pushed, the user can clearly and quickly be informed of the state of the device  100 . The LED can be positioned elsewhere. Other examples of the indicator can be an electroluminescent device, a light bulb, a buzzer, a flashing display of an icon, or a vibrator. Regardless of the indicator type, when the actuator  150  is pressed, the wait state and armed state are distinguished. In the preferred embodiment, the indicator is a flashing LED so that the user knows that the device  100  is working and the battery is functioning. 
   Other forms for the housing can be used if desired. For example, the housing  110 ′ can comprise a watch casing with the actuator  150 ′ comprising a button protruding from the case and the indicator  160 ′ being positioned on the face of the watch. Another form can be that of a pager in which the actuator button  150 ′ comprises a button on the pager and the indicator  160 ′ is part of the standard display panel (or is the pager&#39;s vibrator). Yet another example is a Personal Information Manager (PIM) or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) in which the actuator comprises a keyboard button or touch-sensitive icon on the display panel and in which the standard display panel serves as the indicator  160 ′. 
     FIG. 2  illustrates the circuit details of a governor circuit  200  that can be contained within the housing  200 . A processor  210  delivers a state signal  220  to the actuator  160  when the actuator  150  is pressed. A clock  260  delivers to the processor  210  a timing signal indicative of that time since the last wait state was initiated (T n ). A wait state is initiated in response to a user pressing the actuator  150  when the device  100  is in an armed state. The timing signal can be obtained by other means such as a crystal oscillator, 555 timer circuit, an RC timing circuit or through an embedded timer or software included on-board the processor  210  itself. The memory  270  is used by the processor to store the current value of the wait state, or the threshold value (t n ). The threshold value of this embodiment changes with every subsequent wait state, in accordance with the invention, to progressively wean the addictions by increasing successive wait intervals. Optionally, the memory can also store configuration settings for the device  100  and also data concerning the number of attempted actuations by a user while the device was still in the wait state. Such data can be used to control the transition (i.e., the time of the change over) to the armed state. An algorithm  250  is executed by the processor  210  and governs the comparison between the current threshold value (T n ) stored in memory  270  and the current elapsed time (T n ) from the clock  260 . If the current threshold value (t n ) is greater than the elapsed time value (T n ), the difference is the amount of time still required in order for the device to enter the armed state. 
   The processor will deliver a wait state signal  220  to the indicator  160  if the actuator  150  is pressed and if the algorithm determined that the timing signal does not yet satisfy the threshold value. On the other hand, if the elapsed time value (T n ) satisfies (that is, exceeds or equals the current threshold value (t n ), the difference in time is the amount of time that the user lost to have been able to smoke (l n ), but the processor will deliver an armed state signal  220  to the actuator under control of the algorithm  250 . When the elapsed time value exceeds the current threshold value, the lost time is referred to herein as lapsed time (l n ). Lapsed time is the amount of time that the device  100  has been in an active state and the user would have been permissioned to smoke if the actuator  150  had been pressed. The time left and the time lost will generally not be shown to the user, but can be retained in a memory  270  (optionally together with the algorithm) for statistical purposes utilized by the governor circuit  200 . 
   The processor  210  also uses the algorithm  250  to increment the wait state&#39;s current threshold value t n . The threshold value is increased each time a new wait state is triggered T n  while the device  100  is already in an armed state. An incremental increase in the current threshold value is used to slowly increase the intervals at which a user can smoke, and therefore weans the user of the addiction over time. 
   In this embodiment, the processor  210  uses the same algorithm  250  for both the function of determining whether to deliver the state signal and for updating the threshold valve. In addition, the timing signal is reset so that the newly computed current threshold value is compared against a new timing signal starting with the moment that a successful activation has been made (that is, a press of the actuator  150  that was made while the device is in the armed state). 
   The device is either in a wait state or in an armed state, depending on timing issues as described below. Different indications are provided to the user in response to pressing the actuator  150 , as a function of the present state of the device  100 . While in the wait state, there may be no indication at all, or the indication may be a flashing light. However, while in the armed state, a steady light can be the indication to the user. No matter how many times the button  150  is pushed in the wait state, there is preferably no effect on the duration of the waiting state or advancement/delay of the next armed state. Other configurations are possible in which the user is penalized with a longer wait for “unsuccessful” button presses. 
   In the illustrated embodiment, the processor delivers the wait state signal  220  such that the indicator  160  displays a flashing light. The armed state signal  220  can comprise a steady output at the indicator  160 . Optionally, an amplifier circuit  240  is provided to boost the state a signal to a voltage magnitude sufficient to drive the selected indicator device. The amplifier can be on-board the processor  210 . 
     FIG. 3  is a timing and state diagram which illustrates the algorithm of the exemplary embodiment. In this diagram, the current value for the amount of time necessary to satisfy the wait state is indicated by t n  and is called the current threshold value. The time period during which the threshold value is not exceeded is called the wait state  330 , and each subsequent wait state is indicated by a letter (e.g.  330   a ,  330   b , wherein the designation for the first wait state is  330   a ). Once the current threshold value has been exceeded, the device  100  enters into an Armed State  340 , and each subsequent armed state is indicated by a letter ( 340   a ,  340   b , etc.). Depending on the present state of the device, presses of the activator  150  have different results. Presses  310  of the button  150  while the device  100  is in the Wait State  330  are indicated differently in the diagram from presses  320  of the button  150  while the device  100  is in the Armed State  340 . When the urge arises, a user presses  310  the button  150  to get permission, say, to smoke. If the device  100  is in the wait state, the indicator  160  will indicate to the user that it is not yet time (e.g. by doing nothing or by blinking, etc.). When the user presses  320  the button  150  when the device  100  is in an armed state, however, the user gets a different indication than when the device was in the wait state (e.g., a steady light for 1 second). Further, because the elapsed time has satisfied the algorithm  250 , that activation causes a triggering event which places the device in the next wait state with (optionally) a new timing signal starting from that moment. Each subsequent press  320  of the button  150  while in the Armed State is indicated on the diagram as event T n , which indicates a successful actuation that delivers a permission to the user and starts a new wait state t n+1 . 
   The initial start time is indicated by T 0 , which is that time at which the user pushed the button  150  for the first time on the device  100  and was permitted to smoke a cigarette. The device  100  enters into a wait state  330   a  for a duration of the first (current) threshold value t 1 . Since the device  100  does not indicate to the user the current state, the user presses the activator  150  at various times  310  to learn if the next cigarette is allowed. The device indicates back to the user that it is still in a wait state  330   a  and the user must wait to smoke a cigarette. The device  100  will be in that wait state  330   a  until the timing signal from the clock has arrived at the (current) threshold value t 1 . At that time, the device  100  will enter the armed state  340   a . When the user next presses the activator  150  he or she shall discover a permission has been issued by virtue of the processor delivering the state signal indicative of the armed time. 
   Once the threshold value t 1  has been exceeded, the device  100  goes into an armed state  340   a , during which the elapsed time l 1  is lost until the user presses the button  150  indicated by  320   a . Since the device  100  is passive and does not affirmatively alert the user to the fact that it is already in an armed state  340   a  and is ready to grant permission to engage in the habit being weaned, that elapsed time l 1  defines a window during which the user could have had another cigarette. In this circumstance, the device  100  does not trigger a new state T n+1  until the user has depressed the button  150 . Therefore, there will be a time period for which the user loses the ability to smoke forever, indicated in  FIG. 3  by l 1 , l 2  and l 3 . The elapsed time l n  can be very extremely small, e.g., if the user presses the button  150  at the moment the device  100  exceeds the threshold value t n  and goes into the armed state  340   a ,  340   b  or  340   c.    
   At time t 1+ l 1 , the user has just pressed  320   a  the button  150  while the device  100  was in the armed state  340   a . As a result, the device  100  enters the wait state  330   b  for a duration of t 2 . The current threshold time duration t 2  is calculated using the algorithm  250  in the processor  210  by taking the previous threshold time duration value t 1  and incrementing it by incremental value D n . D n  is a predetermined percentage increase value that will assist the user in slowly weaning the cigarette habit. Preferably, the percentage increase is small so that it is reasonable for the user to slowly get acclimated to the fewer number of cigarettes being smoked over time. It is anticipated that the device will be able to assist a 4-pack-a-day cigarette smoker wean down to 1-cigarette-a-day during, say, a 5-month period. The percentage rate increase is given as an example, there could be different permutations of incremental value D n  available in different devices  100  or it could be a configurable, different predetermined increment. 
   After the time duration for threshold value t 2  has been reached, the device  100  again enters the next armed state  340   b  and waits for the user to press  320   b  the button  150 . The threshold value t 2 , and more generally, t n+1 , is larger than the prior threshold period. This cycle continues. When the user presses  320   b  the button  150  while the device  100  is in the armed state  340   b , the device  100  enters the wait state  330   c  for a duration of t 3 . Once again, the next threshold time duration t 3  is be calculated using the algorithm  250  by taking the previous threshold time duration value t 2  and incrementing it by incremental value D n . After the time duration for threshold value t 3  has been reached, the device  100  enters the next armed state  340   c  and waits for the user to press  320   c  the button  150 , until which time the elapsed time l 3  indicates the time lost in which the user could have smoked had the user known. 
   As a result, the increase in the current threshold value has a compounding effect on the magnitude of the timing signal that is necessary to deliver an Armed State signal. 
   The invention can be embodied other than described in the foregoing detailed description and is defined solely by the claims appended hereto.