US006259486B1
`(10) Patent No.:
`a2, United States Patent
`US 6,259,486 B1
`Mahvi
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Jul. 10, 2001
`
`
`(54) SENSOR UNIT FOR CONTROLLING
`TELEVISION SET OPERATION
`
`5,793,409
`5,805,201
`5,905,544 *
`
`8/1998 Tetsumura oo... ceceeeseeeeeeeeeseee 348/1
`9/1998 Fujiwara seceeee
`5/1999 Lee cvccssscssesssssssssssesssssessnseeese 348/730
`
`(76)
`
`Inventor: A. Pascal Mahvi, P.O. Box 529,
`Novelty, OH (US) 44072
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`*)
`
`Notice:
`
`Primary Examiner—Sherrie Hsia
`y,
`AS
`a}
`y
`74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Stetina Brunda Garred &
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`Brucker
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`US.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`A viewer-presence sensor unit for controlling operation of a
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/421,687
`television set. The sensor unit first includes a detector for
`.
`sensing presenceof a living being nearthe television set and
`(22)
`Filed:
`Oct.20, 1999
`—a timer for measuring the amountoftime of non-presence of
`(SL)
`TInt. C1 eeecceeeeescseseeneneees HO4N 5/44; HO4N 5/63.
`a living being. Second, the sensor unit incorporates a
`power
`:
`g
`g
`Tp
`Pp
`(52) U.S. C1. eee scceseseecseecssscneceneeseess 348/553; 348/730
`(58) Field of Search... 348/553, 730,_iMterruption switch activated by the detector for terminating
`348/552, 61, 152, 706, 180, 82, 125, 819;
`powerto the television set upon reaching a measurementof
`365/226, 227, 229; 340/310.06, 310.01,
`a term of time of non-presence of a living being. Preferably,
`517, 825.06; HO4N 5/44, 5/63
`the term of time is a selectable period, and can range from
`less than an hour to 24 hours depending upon the needs and
`viewing habits of a user. Detectors can non-limitedly be
`chosen from motion sensor and heat sensors, and preferably
`have utility up to a reasonable viewing distance from the
`television set. In this mannertelevision sets not in use are
`automatically turned off to thereby conserve resources oth-
`erwise expended as a result of non-viewed operating sets.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`3,764,819
`5,408,276
`5,495,302
`5,521,652 *
`5,541,664 *
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`10/1973 Muller cccccsscccsscesescssecssseees 307/116
`
`A/1995 Morales cocseccssscccsssssssssssssssoes 348/818
`Q/1996 ADIUNA cecccsccssesssecssssseseseesseess 348/819
`
`5/1996 Shalvi cece 348/819
`
`7/1996 Cuadrado wo.cecccecesseseeeees 348/553
`
`6 Claims, 1 Drawing Sheet
`
`/0
`
`(2
`
`
`
`TELEVISION
`
`
`POWER
`DELIVERY
`CIRCUIT
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ADJUSTABLE
`TIMER
`
`
`SWITCH
`
`SONY - Ex.-1018
`Sony Corporation - Petitioner
`
`1
`
`SONY - Ex.-1018
`Sony Corporation - Petitioner
`
`1
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 10, 2001
`
`US 6,259,486 B1
`
`(az
`
`/0
`
`
`TELEVISION
`
`
`POWER
`DELIVERY
`
` CIRCUIT
`ADJUSTABLE
`TIMER
`
`
`
`FIGURE 1
`
`2
`
`

`

`US 6,259,486 B1
`
`1
`SENSOR UNIT FOR CONTROLLING
`TELEVISION SET OPERATION
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`Not Applicable
`
`STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED
`RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT
`
`Not Applicable
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`This invention relates in general to controlled operation of
`electrically powered devices, and in particular to controlled
`operation of a television set whereby a viewer-presence
`sensor unit having a detector for sensing presenceofa living
`being near the set automatically turns the set off after a
`period of time passes in which no viewer presence is
`detected.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`A generally accepted principle is that conservation of
`natural resources is important. These resources include
`water, fuel sources, air quality, land space, and the like,
`many of which are non-renewable and therefore very valu-
`able. A major commodity whose production can depend
`upon employment and/or destruction of one or more natural
`resourcesis electricity. This valuable asset powers thousands
`of devices throughout the world as daily activities proceed,
`many times without user concern about resource neglect. In
`a typical home, for instance, electricity is available for
`operating a myriad of appliances, audio and video
`equipment, and a host of miscellaneous apparatus.
`Chief among the electricity users are television sets
`singly, and more often plurally, present in every home. Thus,
`for example, one home may havea set in the living room,
`one or more sets in bedrooms,and a set in a recreation room
`or den. Especially where a plurality of sets are in a residence,
`typically more than one set is turned on and then left on,
`even when the viewer has left the room. While one such
`neglected and operating set causes hardly a measurable
`impact on electricity or resource use, millions of such
`neglected and operating sets significantly impact natural
`resource reserves associated with electricity production,
`land fill contributions due to premature set malfunctions,
`environmental pollution due to increased manufacturing in
`connection with the replacementof inoperative sets, and the
`like. Consequently, it is apparent that widespread television
`operation control can accomplish significant conservation
`by simply shutting down television sets that are not being
`viewed.
`
`In accord with the above considerations, it is a primary
`object of the present invention to provide a viewer-presence
`sensor unit for controlling operation of a television set and
`for terminating powerto the television set when a vieweris
`not present.
`Another object of the invention is to provide a viewer-
`presence sensor unit for controlling operation of a television
`set wherein the detector for sensing presence of a living
`being near the set is a motion or heat sensor.
`Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a
`viewer-presence sensor unit for controlling operation of a
`television set wherein a timer associated therewith termi-
`nates powerto the set upon reachinga set time period during
`which no viewerpresence is detected.
`
`2
`These and other objects of the present invention will
`become apparent throughout the description thereof which
`now follows.
`
`BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention is a viewer-presence sensor unit for
`controlling operation of a television set. The sensor unitfirst
`includes a detector for sensing presence of a living being
`within a viewable distance of the television set and a timer
`for measuring the amountof time of non-presence of a living
`being within that viewable distance. Second, the sensor unit
`incorporates a power interruption switch activated by the
`detector for terminating power to the television set upon
`reaching a measurementof a term of time of non-presence
`of a living being. Preferably, the term of time is a selectable
`period, and can range from less than an hour up to 24 hours
`depending upon the needs and viewing habits of a user. The
`detector can non-limitedly be chosen from a motion sensor
`and a heat sensor having sensing utility up to a viewable
`distance of the television set. In this mannertelevision sets
`
`not in use are automatically turned off to thereby conserve
`resources otherwise expended as a result of non-viewed
`operating sets.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL
`VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
`
`An illustrative and presently preferred embodimentof the
`invention is shownin the accompanying drawings in which:
`FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a viewer-presence
`sensor unit in association with a television set.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`
`Referring to FIG. 1, a standard television set 10 is in
`operable connection to a viewer-presence sensor unit 12.
`The electrically operable sensor unit 12 includes a standard
`powerdelivery circuit 14 thereof into which a power cord 16
`of the television set 10 is plugged, and a detector 18 for
`sensing presenceof a living being (not shown). The detector
`18 can be a conventional motion sensor or a conventional
`heat sensor. Preferably, sensing distance of the detector 18
`should be sufficient to adequately service a viewable dis-
`tance of the television set, such as may be represented in a
`distance of up to about 25 feet from the television set 10.
`The detector 18 is in communication with an adjustable
`timer 20, also in communication with the power delivery
`circuit 14, and relays a presence-signal to the timer 20 each
`time the detector 18 senses presence of a living being.
`Immediately after receiving such a presence-signal,
`the
`timer 20 begins counting downto a preset time period which
`has been entered by a user If another presence-signal is
`received by the timer 20 prior to expirationof the preset time
`period, the timer 20 automatically resets itself to once again
`begin counting down the full preset
`time period.
`It
`is
`preferred that the presettable time period choice includes
`increments such as 30-60 minutes up to 24 hours. If no
`presence-signalis received by the timer 20 prior to reaching
`the preset time period, the timer 20 relays a shut-downsignal
`to the power delivery circuit 14 which, in turn, activates a
`powerinterruption switch 22 to thereby terminate powerto
`the television set 10. Once the television 10 is so turned off,
`the reappearanceofa living being within the sensor range of
`the detector 18 does not result in re-establishment of power
`delivery to television 10. Rather, a viewer must activate
`powerdelivery which, in turn, automatically initiates opera-
`tion of the sensor unit 12. As is thus apparent, the viewer-
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`3
`
`

`

`US 6,259,486 B1
`
`3
`presence sensor unit 12 effectively controls operation of a
`television set through termination of power thereto when a
`viewer is not present for a reasonable period of time.
`While an illustrative and presently preferred embodiment
`of the invention has been described in detail herein, it is to
`be understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise
`variously embodied and employed and that the appended
`claims are intended to be construed to include such varia-
`
`tions except insofar as limited by the priorart.
`Whatis claimedis:
`
`1. Aviewer-presence sensor unit for controlling operation
`of a television set, the sensor unit comprising:
`a) a detector for sensing presence of a living being within
`a viewable distance of the television set and a timer for
`measuring the amount of time of non-presence of a
`living being to thereby provide a timer measurement;
`b) a powerdelivery circuit for delivering electricity to the
`television set and for receiving the timer measurement;
`and
`
`10
`
`15
`
`4
`c) a power interruption switch activated by the power
`delivery circuit for terminating powerto the television
`set upon reaching a timer measurement equal
`to a
`pre-set term of time.
`2. A viewer-presence sensor unit as claimed in claim 1
`wherein the pre-set term of time is a selectable period.
`3. A viewer-presence sensor unit as claimed in claim 2
`wherein the selectable period is between about 15 minutes
`and 60 minutes.
`
`4. A viewer-presence sensor unit as claimed in claim 2
`wherein the selectable period is 24 hours.
`5. A viewer-presence sensor unit as claimed in claim 1
`wherein the detector is a motion sensor.
`
`6. A viewer-presence sensor unit as claimed in claim 1
`wherein the detector is a heat sensor.
`
`4
`
`