The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 23, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 02, 2000
Kurt R. Thomas, Durand, IL (US);
Other;
Abstract
A switching apparatus is disclosed for switching on a TV as a reward when a user is achieving a predetermined performance level on an exercise apparatus. The switching apparatus includes a pulse generator for generating pulses commensurate with the amount of work expended by the user on the exercise apparatus and a transmitter for transmitting the pulses. A transceiver TV module receives the pulses from the transmitter, the transceiver module including a pulse counter for counting the pulses received from the transmitter, a power sensor for sensing the power status of the TV and a comparator circuit connected to the pulse counter and the power sensor such that when the power sensor senses the status of the TV as being inactive, the comparator circuit compares the pulses counted by the counter with a threshold level which corresponds with the predetermined factory preset performance level so that when the pulses reach the threshold level, a signal is generated and when the power sensor senses the status of the TV as being active, the comparator circuit compares the pulses with the threshold level such that when the pulses reach below the threshold level, a further signal is generated so that the module transmits the signal and the further signal accordingly. A receiver is disposed in operable proximity to the TV. The arrangement is such that when the receiver receives the signal, the TV is activated and when the further signal is received by the receiver, the TV is inactivated such that overriding the status of the TV is inhibited so that watching the TV without reaching the predetermined performance level is prevented.