Patent ID: 8242631

Claim:
A programmable portable electronic timer, comprising: a housing, including a plurality of function buttons disposed on an outer surface of the housing, a display disposed on the outer surface to visually display timer information, a first electrical power connector disposed on the outer surface to receive AC power from a local power grid, and a second electrical power connector disposed on the outer surface to provide AC power to an external electrical device; wherein the timer further includes internal electronic circuitry, including an AC/DC converter electrically connected to the first electrical power connector and having DC power output connected to the display, a memory electrically connected to the DC power output, and a controller electrically connected to the memory and to the DC power output; and wherein the second electrical power connector is automatically provided AC power by the controller from the local power grid during a selected time period in response to timer control information previously inputted and stored in the memory, such that start and stop times for the selected time period vary over sequential days of operation of the timer, and such that the second electrical power connector is provided AC power by the controller at a start time selected at random by the controller from a range of start time values, the range being bounded by a first start time and a second start time manually input by a user.