Patent ID: 7260025

Claim:
A bookmark having an integrated electronic timer circuit for tracking reading times for individuals, comprising: a substrate; a header integral with the substrate, the header including a time display and control panel, the time display having two digits for a first time readout and two digits for a second time readout, the control panel having a plurality of control buttons for starting time and stopping time and reversing counting direction; and an electronic timer circuit housed within the header for receiving commands from the control panel and providing a timer signal to the time display, the electronic timer circuit including, (a) an oscillator for generating a clock signal, (b) a timer receiving the clock signal to count elapsed time, the timer being configurable to track incremental times and cumulative times for each of a plurality of individual readers and for each of a plurality of books for each of the plurality of individual readers, (c) a memory circuit coupled to the timer for storing the incremental and cumulative times and calendar date and time of reading sessions for each of the plurality of individual readers, (d) a control interface having an input coupled to the control panel on the header and an output coupled to the timer, wherein the control interface receives commands to start time and stop time and reverse counting direction, (e) an audible alarm coupled to the timer for announcing a time sequence, (f) a display interface having an input coupled to the timer and an output coupled to the time display on the header, and (g) a sensor responsive to light conditions to start and stop the electronic timer circuit.