Communications: electrical – Systems – Timer control
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-16
2001-02-13
Lieu, Julie (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Systems
Timer control
C340S309400, C368S010000, C368S108000, C368S111000, C368S244000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06188311
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is related to novelty items having timers.
BACKGROUND
Parents often want to know how old their child is at any given moment. Relying on personal memory is often not satisfying, particularly when there are many children to keep track of or when a fine resolution of the child's age, e.g., in terms of months, weeks, and days, is desired. Timers such as those found in general purpose stop watches can be used to track relatively short periods of time, i.e., hours and minutes. However, these battery operated devices are not suitable for tracking the relatively long period of time, months and years, associated with the life of a living being. There are other devices such as personal digital assistants which can be programmed to count down to an event, such as the year 2000 A.D., from months in advance. However, these are also for general purpose use and do not include certain functionality that is dedicated to the needs of prospective parents and their new born child.
SUMMARY
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an electronic apparatus and a method of its use are provided to keep track of events and elapsed time, during the life of a child, from a time prior to the child's birth. The apparatus has the functionality that helps satisfy the needs of parents who wish to commemorate events in the life of their child. Once the current time of day and/or date and the expected delivery date of the child have been programmed, the apparatus counts down the remaining period of time until birth in terms of months, weeks, and days. Upon reaching zero (delivery), the apparatus can be configured to perform certain celebratory acts, such as flash the display and play a tune. The apparatus then automatically switches to counting upwards and at any given moment thereafter will display the newborn's instantaneous age. The apparatus preferably displays the instantaneous age of the child in terms of months, weeks, and days. The apparatus may also include a log which allows the selection of one or more previously programmed events that relate to milestones in the child's life, to be recorded with a time of day and/or date stamp indicating when the event actually occurred.
As an alternative to the preferred method of use for tracking maternity and the delivery of a child, the user may program the apparatus with another type of expected event, such as an upcoming wedding, retirement, religious ceremony, or release from prison date. The apparatus will count down the remaining period of time until the expected event, and upon reaching zero will then automatically count up to display the elapsed time since occurrence of the expected event. This allows the user to instantly know how long it has been since her wedding, retirement or other special event. The apparatus is also expected to be a desirable gift item, particularly when combined as part of a wrist watch, a plush toy, or other novelty item.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows below.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4742500 (1988-05-01), Luce
patent: 5229981 (1993-07-01), Maschi
patent: 5691932 (1997-11-01), Reiner et al.
patent: 5888117 (1999-03-01), Sutton
patent: 5929747 (1999-07-01), Rosenblatt et al.
patent: 5999492 (1999-12-01), Teixeira
Blakely , Sokoloff, Taylor & Zafman LLP
Lieu Julie
RWL Millennium LLC
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