Patent Publication Number: US-6707383-B2

Title: Personal sensory reminder with customizable voice message

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/316,478, filed Aug. 31, 2001, entitled “Personal Sensory Reminder With Customizable Voice Message”. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a system that outputs an audible message at one or more predetermined times and/or in response to a predetermined event. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     It is well known that many individuals, either because of their age or condition, require prompting or reminding to perform one or more activities. For example, a person with Alzheimer&#39;s disease may need to be reminded to take medication at one or more times during the day. Similarly, teenage children may need to be reminded to telephone a parent or adult guardian upon arriving home from school. Still further, a person suffering from dementia who uses a walker may need to be reminded to use the walker when walking from one location to another location. Currently, absent the presence of a personal caregiver, no means presently exists for reminding individuals to perform one or more activities. 
     It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a personal sensory reminder with customizable voice message to enable messages to be delivered to individuals to remind them to perform one or more activities in the absence of a personal caregiver being present. Still other objects of the invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is a personal sensory reminder system that includes an audio circuit which stores an audio message and which is responsive to a first signal for outputting the audio message. The system includes means responsive to an event for outputting a second signal and a clock circuit which is responsive to (i) the second signal for outputting the first signal to the audio circuit (ii) the second signal for outputting the first signal to the audio circuit during an activation interval programmed into the clock circuit and for withholding or terminating the output of the first signal to the audio circuit during a deactivation interval programmed into the clock circuit, and (iii) a change from a deactivation interval to an activation interval for outputting the first signal to the audio circuit. 
     The means for outputting the second signal can include a latch circuit for supplying the second signal to the clock circuit and a means responsive to the event for triggering the latch circuit to output the second signal to the clock circuit. The triggering means can be one of a pressure sensitive mat, an infrared detector, a proximity switch, a break beam sensor, a heat sensor, a vibration sensor, a light level sensor and a fluid level sensor. 
     The system can further include means for amplifying the audio message and means for resetting the latch circuit. The clock circuit can further include means for programming the clock circuit with a time of day, each activation interval and each deactivation interval. 
     A display can be operatively connected to the clock circuit for displaying at least one of the time of day programmed into the clock circuit, an activation time programmed into the clock circuit and a deactivation time programmed into the clock circuit. 
     Means can be provided for inputting the audio message into the audio circuit. This input means can include a microphone connectable to the audio circuit, with the audio circuit storing the audio message received by the microphone when a record input of the audio circuit is connected to a reference voltage. Lastly, the audio circuit can be responsive to the connection of a reference voltage to a playback input of the audio circuit for outputting the audio signal independent of the first signal. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The FIGURE is a block diagram of a personal sensory reminder system in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to FIG. 1, a personal sensory reminder  2  in accordance with the present invention includes a record/playback or audio circuit  4  comprised of appropriate circuitry for digitally recording input received from a microphone  6  in response to activation of a record button  8 . Microphone  6  can be, for example, a miniature electret microphone. Record button  8  is connected between a record input  10  of record/playback circuit  4  and an appropriate reference voltage  12 , such as ground. In response to activation of record button  8 , reference voltage  12  is connected to record input  10  via record button  8 . Connecting reference voltage  12  to record input  10  causes record/playback circuit  4  to initiate recording an input signal received from microphone  6 . More specifically, in response to activating record button  8 , record/playback circuit converts the analog signal output from microphone  6 , in response to microphone  6  receiving an audio message, into a digital equivalent of the audio signal which record/playback circuit  4  stores in appropriate digital memory (not shown) for subsequent retrieval. Deactivation of record button  8  terminates digital recording of the output of microphone  6 . 
     A playback button  14  is connected between a playback input  16  of record/playback circuit  4  and a reference voltage  18 , such as ground. When playback button  14  is activated, reference voltage  18  is connected to playback input  16 . In response to connecting reference voltage  18  to playback input  16 , record/playback circuit  4  retrieves the digital data stored in the digital memory in the order in which it was stored in digital memory and converts the retrieved digital data into a low level analog signal which corresponds to the analog signal received from microphone  6  during activation of record button  8 . This low level analog signal is supplied to a playback output  20  of record/playback circuit  4 . 
     Playback output  20  is connected to low level input  22  of an audio amplifier  24 . Audio amplifier  24  amplifies the low level signal received at low level input  22  and outputs a high level signal on a high level output  26  of audio amplifier  24 . A speaker  28  is connected to receive the high level signal output from high level output  26  of audio amplifier  24 . Speaker  28  converts the high level signal into an audio message corresponding to the audio message received by microphone  6  when record button  8  was activated to store the digital data form of the audio message in the digital memory of record/playback circuit  4 . 
     Record/playback circuit  4  has a second playback input  30  connected to a binary output  32  of a clock circuit  34 . Clock circuit  34  can have outputs  36  connected to a numerical display  38  that is capable of displaying a time of day. Clock circuit  34  preferably includes a real time clock generator (not shown) and necessary inputs (not shown) for connection to buttons B, switches S, and the like for setting clock circuit  34  to an appropriate time of day. Clock circuit  34  can also be configured so that by appropriate activation of the buttons B and switches S connected to clock circuit  34 , activation times/intervals or deactivation times/intervals (discussed hereinafter) can be recorded in clock circuit  34  for subsequent use. 
     Clock circuit  34  can be configured so that when the time of day enters an activation time/interval, clock circuit  34  outputs on binary output  32  a signal that causes record/playback circuit  4  to initiate the retrieval and conversion of the digitally stored data into the low level signal for amplification by audio amplifier  24 . In this manner, the audio message stored digitally in record/playback circuit  4  can be generated at appropriate times during the day for any desired purpose, such as to remind an Alzheimer&#39;s patient to take medication at prescribed times. 
     Clock circuit  34  can also include a binary input  40  connected to a binary output  42  of a flip-flop or latch circuit  44 . Clock circuit  34  can be configured so that in response to receiving an appropriate binary signal at binary input  40  from flip-flop  44  during an activation time/interval of clock circuit  34 , clock circuit  34  outputs to record/playback circuit  4  a corresponding binary signal which causes record/playback circuit  4  to initiate the retrieval and conversion of the digital data stored therein into the low level signal supplied to audio amplifier  24 . 
     Flip-flop circuit  44  includes a binary input  46  that can be connected to an appropriate reference voltage  48 , such as ground, via a triggering means  50 . In response to activation of triggering means  50 , reference voltage  48  is connected to binary input  46  of flip-flop circuit  44  whereupon binary output  42  changes from a first binary state to a second binary state in a manner known in the art. If the time of day established by the real time clock of clock circuit  34  corresponds to an activation time/interval of clock circuit  34 , or if clock circuit  34  is configured in a bypass mode whereupon any binary signal received on binary input  40  results in a corresponding signal output on binary output  32 , in response to binary input  40  of clock circuit  34  receiving the binary changing signal from binary output  42  of flip-flop circuit  44 , the corresponding binary changing signal is output on binary output  32  of clock circuit  34 . This binary changing signal output on binary output  32  causes record/playback circuit  4 , audio amplifier  24  and speaker  28  to coact to generate the audio message corresponding to the digital data stored in record/playback circuit  4 . 
     If, however, the binary changing signal output on binary output  42  of flip-flop circuit  44  is received by binary input  40  of clock circuit  34  at a time of day corresponding to a deactivation time/interval of clock circuit  34 , a corresponding binary signal is not produced on binary output  32  of clock circuit  34  until the time of day corresponds to an activation interval of clock circuit  34 . In this manner, the audio message will only be produced during an activation interval of clock circuit  34 . It should be noted, however, that if triggering means  50  is activated during a deactivation interval of clock circuit  34 , upon clock circuit  34  entering into an activation interval, the binary changing signal received at binary input  40  during the deactivation interval of clock circuit  34  will produce a corresponding binary changing signal on binary output  32  when clock circuit  34  exits the deactivation interval and enters the activation interval. 
     From the foregoing, it can be seen that clock circuit  34  has a variety of different operation modes, namely, a bypass mode where a signal is produced at binary output  32  in response to receipt of a binary changing signal at binary input  40 ; an activation/deactivation time/interval mode where a signal received at binary input  40  when clock circuit  34  is in an activation interval causes clock circuit  34  to produce a change in the binary state of binary output  32 ; and an activation time mode where clock circuit  34  causes binary output  32  to change binary state in response to the time of day programmed into clock circuit  34  entering an activation time/interval, regardless of the state of the binary signal, if any, at binary input  40 . 
     Audio amplifier  24  includes a reset output  52  connected to a reset input  54  of flip-flop circuit  44 . Audio amplifier  24  is configured so that each time a low level signal is received from record/playback circuit  4 , audio amplifier  24  generates a binary reset signal at reset output  52 . This binary reset signal causes flip-flop circuit  44  to initialize to a starting state in preparation to be responsive to the next activation of triggering means  50 . 
     Lastly, a power supply  56  is provided to supply electrical power to record/playback circuit  4 , audio amplifier  24 , clock circuit  34 , numerical display  38  and flip-flop circuit  44 . Power supply  56  can be a self-contained power supply, such as a battery, or a converting power supply which converts AC power from an electrical outlet into DC power usable by the components of personal sensory reminder  2 . 
     Triggering means  50  can be any suitable device that can connect binary input  46  of flip-flop circuit  44  to reference voltage  48 . Examples of such devices can include, without limitation, a pressure sensitive mat, an infrared detector, a proximity switch, a break beam sensor (infrared, laser, incandescent, optic, and the like), a heat detector, a vibration sensor, a day/night sensor or a fluid level sensor. 
     As can be seen, the present invention provides a personal sensory reminder with customizable voice message that enables messages to be delivered to individuals to remind them to perform one or more activities in the absence of a personal caregiver being present. 
     The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment. Obvious modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.