PERMISSION-STATUS CONDITIONING SYSTEM APPARATUS AND METHOD

Abstract

A permission-status conditioning apparatus and method for conditioning a trainee to obtain and wait for permission from a trainer before touching a target object, providing a control unit having a wireless permission-transmitting unit adapted to transmit the granting of permission by the trainer, and a permission unit adapted to be worn by the trainee by incorporation onto an article of clothing, such as a glove, neck strap, band, or badge, having a permission-receiving unit to receive a wireless signal sent by the permission-transmitting unit indicating whether permission is granted by the trainer, and at least one permission indicator, such as a light or sound, indicating to the trainee whether permission is granted by the trainer.

Claims

1. A permission-status conditioning apparatus for conditioning a trainee to obtain and wait for permission from a trainer before touching a target object, the permission-status conditioning apparatus comprising: (i) a control unit adapted to transmit the granting of permission by the trainer, further comprising a permission-transmitting unit adapted to transmit a wireless signal indicating such granting of permission; (ii) a permission unit adapted to be worn by the trainee by incorporation onto an article of clothing; (iii) a permission-receiving unit incorporated into said permission unit adapted to receive a wireless signal sent by said permission-transmitting unit indicating whether permission is granted by the trainer; and (iv) at least one permission indicator incorporated into said permission unit adapted to indicate to the trainee whether permission is granted by the trainer.

2. The permission-status conditioning apparatus of claim 1, where said permission indicator further comprises a positive indicator light.

3. The permission-status conditioning apparatus of claim 1, where said permission indicator further comprises a sound indicator.

4. The permission-status conditioning apparatus of claim 1, where said permission indicator further comprises a negative indicator light.

5. The permission-status conditioning apparatus of claim 1, where said at least one permission indicator further comprises at least two said permission indicators.

6. The permission-status conditioning apparatus of claim 1, where said permission unit adapted to be worn by the trainee by incorporation onto an article of clothing further comprises incorporation onto a glove.

7. The permission-status conditioning apparatus of claim 1, where said permission unit adapted to be worn by the trainee by incorporation onto an article of clothing further comprises incorporation onto a neck strap.

8. The permission-status conditioning apparatus of claim 1, where said permission unit adapted to be worn by the trainee by incorporation onto an article of clothing further comprises incorporation onto a band.

9. The permission-status conditioning apparatus of claim 1, where said permission unit adapted to be worn by the trainee by incorporation onto an article of clothing further comprises incorporation onto a wearable badge.

10. The permission-status conditioning apparatus of claim 1, where said control unit adapted to transmit the granting of permission by the trainer further comprises an application implemented on an existing communications device.

11. A permission-status conditioning method comprising: (i) providing a permission-status conditioning apparatus, further comprising: (a) a control unit adapted to transmit the granting of permission by the trainer, further comprising a permission-transmitting unit adapted to transmit a wireless signal indicating such granting of permission; (b) a permission unit adapted to be worn by the trainee by incorporation onto an article of clothing; (c) a permission-receiving unit incorporated into said permission unit adapted to receive a wireless signal sent by said permission-transmitting unit indicating whether permission is granted by the trainer; and (d) at least one permission indicator incorporated into said permission unit adapted to indicate to the trainee whether permission is granted by the trainer; and (ii) using said permission-status conditioning apparatus for conditioning a trainee to obtain and wait for permission from a trainer before touching a target object.

12. The permission-status conditioning method of claim 11, where said permission indicator further comprises a positive indicator light.

13. The permission-status conditioning method of claim 11, where said permission indicator further comprises a sound indicator.

14. The permission-status conditioning method of claim 11, where said permission indicator further comprises a negative indicator light.

15. The permission-status conditioning method of claim 11, where said at least one permission indicator further comprises at least two said permission indicators.

16. The permission-status conditioning method of claim 11, where said permission unit adapted to be worn by the trainee by incorporation onto an article of clothing further comprises incorporation onto a glove.

17. The permission-status conditioning method of claim 11, where said permission unit adapted to be worn by the trainee by incorporation onto an article of clothing further comprises incorporation onto a neck strap.

18. The permission-status conditioning method of claim 11, where said permission unit adapted to be worn by the trainee by incorporation onto an article of clothing further comprises incorporation onto a band.

19. The permission-status conditioning method of claim 11, where said permission unit adapted to be worn by the trainee by incorporation onto an article of clothing further comprises incorporation onto a wearable badge.

20. The permission-status conditioning method of claim 11, where said control unit adapted to transmit the granting of permission by the trainer further comprises an application implemented on an existing communications device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0014] Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals, and wherein:

[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the permission-status conditioning apparatus and method in use where permission has been granted;

[0016] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the permission-status conditioning apparatus and method in use where permission has not been granted;

[0017] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the permission-status conditioning apparatus and method where the invention has been incorporated onto a glove and the target object is a breakable figurine;

[0018] FIG. 4 is an illustration of different embodiments of the permission-status conditioning apparatus; and

[0019] FIG. 5 is an illustration of differently configured embodiments of the permission-status conditioning apparatus incorporated onto a glove.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Referring to FIG. 1 & FIG. 2, schematic illustrations of the permission-status conditioning apparatus and method 100 of the invention in use are shown. The target objects are displayed on shelves. The trainee, such as a child, wears a glove incorporating a permission unit 10 on the back. In the schematic illustration of FIG. 1, the trainer, such as a parent, has set the control unit 13 to grant permission for the child to touch one or more of the objects on the shelves. The permission indicator 20 of the permission unit 10 indicates that permission is granted, in the illustrated embodiment, by lighting a positive indicator light 21 and sounding a sound indicator 22. The granted state of permission is transmitted wireles sly from the permission-transmitting unit 12 of the control unit 13 to the permission-receiving unit 11 of the permission unit 10. With such permission granted, the trainee or child is allowed to touch the target object or objects. In FIG. 2, the trainer has set the control unit 13 to deny or withhold granting of permission. This denial status has been wirelessly transmitted to the permission unit 10, through the permission-transmitting unit 12 and permission-receiving unit 11. The permission indicators in this embodiment, the positive indicator light 21 and the sound indicator 22, are unlighted and silent. With permission denied or withheld, the trainee or child is not allowed to touch the target object or objects.

[0021] Referring to FIG. 3, the permission unit 10 can provide only a single permission indicator 20, which in the illustrated embodiment is a positive indicator light 21, or can provide more than one permission indicator 20.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 4, the permission unit 10 can be incorporated into a variety of different wearable items. Preferably, the permission unit 10 should be incorporated into an article of clothing that will stay with the trainee or child, in a location where the permission indicator 20 is visible or audible. Illustrated are incorporation onto a glove, a neck band or necklace, a band, such as a wrist band or an arm band, and upon a badge that can be affixed to a garment or to a hat, and can be transferred from garment to garment.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 5, different types and different numbers of permission indicators 20 can be used, including a positive indicator light 21, a sound indicator 22, and a negative indicator light 23 that lights up when there is no permission given. The sound indicator 22 can emit a simple buzzer or chime tone. Although continuing to emit the sound during the entire period of granted permission would likely be an irritant, it may be desired in some situations where audial indication is desired. Alternatively, a combination of a continuous light, from a positive indicator light 21, plus a momentary sound from a sound indicator 22, may be a favored combination.

[0024] In another embodiment of the permission-status conditioning apparatus, the sound indicator 22 can be used to play speech or music. This speech or music can be electronically generated, or may be pre-recorded for incorporation into the apparatus. For example, a trainer parent can record an oral granting of permission, or of permission regarding a specific target object, and the recording can be played by the sound indicator 22 when appropriate.

[0025] Many other changes and modifications can be made in the system and method of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof. I therefore pray that my rights to the present invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.