GB2424083A

GB2424083A - Reminding electronic timer device and method for losing weight

Info

Publication number: GB2424083A
Application number: GB0505190A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nasser Malekyazdi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-03-11
Filing date: 2005-03-11
Publication date: 2006-09-13
Also published as: GB2424084A; GB0505190D0; GB0604562D0

Abstract

Method and Apparatus for reminding a person to perform the act of fidgeting or do specific movements without doing any physical exercises or gym apparatus, in desired time interval to lose body weight, having an electronic timer device 1, that counts down a specified time period which is set by user and induces an alarm in form of vibration, light and sound when the electronic timer has reached the prescribed time. The user resets the device and again it alerts the user at the same desired time interval unless it is turned off or set for a new cycle time. The invention includes a timer unit and case 1, hand strap 8, 9, battery compartment (12, Fig 2), alarms (vibration device (11, Fig 2) visual light indicator 3 and audible speaker 4, visual LCD 2 and Buttons : On/Off (14, Fig 3), set (15, Fig 3), time set increase (16, Fig 3), time set decrease (17, Fig 3), start 5, stop 6 and Sound/light 7.

Description

1 2424083

Description

Fidgety reminding electronic timer device and method for losing weight

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The invention relates to fidgety reminding method and an electronic timer device for losing body weight. This apparatus and method are specifically and solely are designed for purpose of losing weight through act of fidgeting and movements by reminding a person by setting a desired count down time interval to fidget or do certain short movements as simple day to day movements that can be perform by even old peoples and are not associated by physical exercise like weight lifting or aerobics.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

It is known that fidgeting with short movements causes a person to lose body weight even better and more efficient than doing physical exercise, that is why people who do by habit or action of their job fidgeting are normally thinner that people who have no movement known as couch potatoes. Most people wants to fidget and lose weight but either they have no encouragement or can not remember to fidget at regular times, but by using this fidgety reminding electronic timer device, they can sense the vibration and other alarms and remember and be encouraged to do some movements at any position that they already are.

This invention can seriously help people to lose body weight in their own pace by simply, reminding and encouraging them to do some ordinary day to day activities more often.

It can save them money and time; specially for people who have no access to sport facilities or cannot buy expensive exercise equipments or join the gyms or have no extra time for physical exercise and people who have medical problems and disabilities.

Also for older people who may have problems in taking long walks specially on slippery pavements and are not comfortable to use tiring sport facilities or have some kind of problem doing physical exercise.

For example a method of fidgety movement could be a simple fidgeting, which may include getting up and sitting down or getting up and walking few meters back and forth to sitting down again or getting up to perform few house working duties and sitting down again. Or placing the fidgety reminding electronic timer device, few meters away from the user sitting area, as the alarm beeps for each time interval, user shall getup and walk toward the device to stop the alarm and then come back to sitting area again and wait for the next cycle.

There are several alert timers exist for different purposes. However, there exist no devices that simply and effectively indicate and remind a person to do the act of fidgeting and movements and continuously provide vibration, audible and visual alerts after specified time periods, solely for purpose of losing weight through fidgeting.

"Timer and alarm apparatus of US Patent number 2003206496 designed for use in physical exercises to signal the user of the time to resume exercise after given rest period, comprising: a casing, an electronic timer circuit, alarm systems, power supply, battery and its holder, A push Button, a speaker hole, its timing IC is set to count a predetermined length of time within 10200 Seconds (170 minutes).

According to the design; count down is in seconds but not in minutes, it has no visual display, it has only one push button, setting is not required by the user and importantly it is designed for use as a timer in physical exercise action like weight training.

On the contrary the present invention is not for signaling the user to resume the exercise after rest Period but to remind and encourage by signaling the user to fidget in set intervals for long period of time for example 16 hours, which has nothing to do with physical exercise or resting. The present invention is not just an electronic timer to act as a reminder but it is also a new concept that uses a special designed electronic timer to promote act of fidgeting to lose weight.

The primary object of this invention is to promote and remind act of fidgeting in young and old people.

Another objective of this invention is to use fidgeting instead of physical exercise to lose weight, particularly for people who have problem with doing sport.

Another objective of this invention is to provide fidgety reminding electronic timer device and method, which fore example can be worn by people like a normal watch showing two digit LCD, representing time in minutes to count down for each time interval and alert them by means of an electronic vibration alert, a visual light alert indicator and an electronic audible alert generator, according to any desired count down time interval in order that the user fidget and make a short movement to lose body weight.

Preferably the casing of fidgety reminding electronic timer is made of plastic or metal material, similar to a watch, the timer circuit itself can be made from designed miniature semiconductors; includes plus generator, logic gates, out put relay circuits and all necessary connections to LCD, vibration alert device, audible alert generator, visual indicator, or voice generator IC, battery and its compartments. A time showing circuit and display can also be joined to this fidgety reminding electronic timer device to use also as normal watch when is desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which disclose at least one embodiment of the present invention. And the drawings are designed for the purpose of illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views: FIGURE 1 shows a front face view of the whole fidgety reminding electronic timer device.

FIGURE 2 shows a back side view of the whole fidgety reminding electronic timer device.

FIGURE 3 shows side view of the whole fidgety reminding electronic timer device.

FIGURE 4 shows Flow chart of the electronic processes within the fidgety reminding electronic timer device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 shows front face view of circular housing of the fidgety reminding electronic timer device I comprises a two digits LCD 2 displaying; flashing on and off "88" when second actuating element marked "Set" 15 is depressed once, amount of time cycle interval in minutes and count down of the minutes. Also having a visual alert indicator 3 (preferably a LED) to display red or orange light when the alarm is activated and an audible alert speaker 4 to generate a beep or other sounds when the alarm is activated.

A fifth actuating element marked "Start" 5 extends from front face of circular housing of the fidgety reminding electronic timer device I to start and activate the time cycle in minute interval which has already set by the user.

A sixth actuating element marked "Stop" 6 extends from front face of circular housing of the fidgety reminding electronic timer device 1 to stop and reset all the alarms which already are activated and enables another time count down cycle.

A seventh actuating element marked "SoundlLight" 7 extends from front face of circular housing of the fidgety reminding electronic timer device I to enable or disable the visual light alert indicator 3 and audible alert speaker 4 when the time cycle interval is prescribed. This is useful if the user only wants to be privately and quietly alarmed by the vibration device 11 alone or wants to be alarmed same time by all three vibration 11, audible 4 and visual indicator 3 devices.

Also Figure 1 shows a hand strap 8, 9 connected to two opposite sides of surrounding edge of circular housing as it can be dismantled a instead a chain or other material be attached or use without any attachments.

Figure 2 shows back side view of circular housing of the fidgety reminding electronic timer device 10 comprises a vibration alert generator device 11 and having a battery compartment 12 and hand strap 8, 9 connected to two opposite sides of surrounding edge of circular housing.

Figure 3 shows side view of surrounding edge of circular housing of the fidgety reminding electronic timer 13 comprises a first actuating element marked "ON/OFF" 14 wherein depressing to On or Off position will activate the electric power to electronic timer and lit the visual LCD 2 or disconnect and deactivate the electric power to electronic timer and unlit the visual LCD 2.

Also having a second actuating element marked "Set" 15 wherein depressing it once will activate the set mode and the visual LCD 2, digits starts to display flashing on or off and enables the third 16 and forth 17 actuating elements to perform.

Then by depressing and holding the third actuating element marked "+" 16 or the forth actuating element marked "-" 17, LCD 2 digits stop flashing and begin to increase or decrease the specified time in minutes on the LCD 2.

Also Figure 3 shows a hand strap 8, 9 connected to two opposite sides of surrounding edge of circular housing.

Figure 4 shows the flow chart, actions of said fidgety reminding electronic timer device which desired time cycle intervals in minute can be set by the user.

Accordingly, while at least one embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the sprite and scope of the invention as defmed in the appended claims.

Claims

Claims What is claimed is: 1. A fidgety reminding electronic timer device

for losing weight comprising: A circular housing having a front face, a back face and surrounding edge, similar shape to a hand watch.

An electronic timer that counts down a desired specified time period disposed within said circular housing.

An electronic sensory vibration alert device disposed in said circular housing and in communication with said electronic timer, wherein said electronic vibration alert device, activates when said electronic timer has reached prescribed time.

An electronic audible alert generator and speaker disposed in said circular housing and in communication with said electronic timer, wherein said electronic audible alert generator, activates when said electronic timer has reached prescribed time.

A visual light alert indicator such as LED (Light Emitting Diode) disposed on said front face of said circular housing and in communication with said electronic timer, wherein said visual light alert activates and illuminates when said electronic timer has reached prescribed time.

A visual LCD disposed on said front face of circular housing and in communication with said electronic timer, where in said LCD comprising a screen on which shows two digits number, specifies an amount of time set by user in minutes left to activate the alarm for each time cycle interval.

A first actuating element marked "ON/OFF" disposed on said surrounding edge of said circular housing and in communication with said electronic timer, wherein depressing said first actuating element to on or off position will activate the electric power to said electronic timer and lit said visual LCD or disconnect and deactivate the electric power to said electronic timer and unlit said visual LCD.

A second actuating element marked "Set", third actuating element marked "+ " and forth actuating element marked "-"disposed on said surrounding edge of said circular housing and in communication with said electronic timer, wherein depressing said second actuating element once will activate the set mode, wherein the visual LCD digits start to display flashing "88"on and off and enables the third and forth actuating elements to perform, wherein depressing and holding said third or forth actuating element will stop the LCD digit to flash on and off and will increases or decreases the said specified time in minutes on the LCD.

A fifth actuating element marked "Start" disposed on said front face of said circular housing and in communication with said electronic timer, wherein depressing said fifth actuating element once will activate start cycle of count down of the specified time in minute set by said third and forth actuating elements.

A sixth actuating element marked "Stop" disposed on said front face of said circular housing and in communication with said electronic timer, wherein depressing said sixth actuating element once will reset and halt operation of said alert systems by deactivating electric current to said electronic vibration alert device, electronic audible alert generator and visual light alert indicator for only one time cycle interval wherein immediately count down, starts for the next cycle.

when said specified count down time cycle has reached, and alarm is activated, if user do not depress the said sixth actuating element marked "stop", then said electronic timer automatically after one minute halts operation of said alarm systems by disconnecting and deactivating, electric current to said electronic vibration alert device, electronic audible alert generator and visual light alert indicator and immediately count down starts for the next cycle.

A seventh actuating element marked "Sound/Light" disposed on said surrounding edge of said circular housing and in communication with said electronic timer, wherein depressing said seventh actuating element downward to on or upward to off position enables said electronic audible alert generator and said visual light alert indicator to active or inactive state by connecting or disconnecting electric power to said electronic audible alert generator and said visual light alert indicator to give a choice to the user if only quiet vibration alarm is desired.

A battery disposed in a battery compartment in said back face of said circular housing for powering the said fidgety reminding electronic timer device.
2. The fidgety reminding electronic timer device of claim I additionally comprising a hand strap which can be made of leather or plastic or metal disposed on two opposite sides of said surrounding edge of said circular housing for fastening to the person hand as like normal time watch or instead of hand strap can be hanged by a chain or string like shape material disposed on two opposite sides of said surrounding edge said circular housing as a necklace or can be without any attachments to keep in a pocket or placed on a table.
3. The fidgety reminding electronic timer device of claim 1 can also be electronically connected to a 24 hours time clock circuit in the same casing to be used also as a normal digital watch to show the time, as the two digits visual LCD can be alter to a four digits visual LCD to represent minutes and seconds.
4. the fidgety reminding electronic timer device claim 1 can also be connected to a voice generator IC circuit for extra alarm choice for example to say "Fidget Now".
5.The fidgety reminding electronic timer device claim 1, is designed to be used by every body, specially by medical problem, disable and older people to replace physical exercises, instead reminding and encouraging them to do more fidgeting and normal every day house work duties to lose body weight.
6. A method for reminding a person to perform the act of fidgeting or do specific motions and movements, in said desired time interval to lose body weight comprising: A fidgety movement could be a simple fidgeting, which may include getting up and sitting down or getting up and walking few meters back and forth to sitting down again or getting up to perform few house working duties and sitting down again.

A method of fidgety movement may be; placing the fidgety reminding electronic timer device of claim 1, few meters away from the user sitting area, as the alarm beeps for each time interval, user shall getup and walk toward the device to stop the alarm and then come back to sitting area again and wait for the next cycle.