Time perception device

Claim 2

Apparatus for performing a self-administered time perception test by a test subject, including: a plurality of individual light sources arranged in an array for providing a plurality of individual visual indications; first means coupled to the plurality of individual light sources for controlling the individual light sources to flash intermittantly and with all but one of the light sources controlled to flash at regular intervals and with one of the light sources controlled to flash at irregular intervals; a plurality of second means coupled to the plurality of individual light sources for selecting any individual one of the plurality of light sources judged by the test subject to be the light source flashing at irregular intervals; third means coupled to the first and second means for randomly selecting one of the plurality of light sources to flash at irregular intervals after one of the second means is selected by the test subject, coincidence means coupled to the first and second means to produce a coincidence signal when the test subject selects the particular one of the plurality of light sources flashing at irregular intervals; a first counter means coupled to the coincidence means for counting each production of a coincidence signal to count the number of correct selections by the test subject; and a visual indicator coupled to the first counter means for visually displaying the number of correct selections and additionally including lockable means, including locked and unlocked positions coupled to the visual display for shielding the visual display when in the locked position and exposing the visual display when in the unlocked position.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 additionally including a second counter means coupled to the second means for counting the total number of selections by the test subject.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 additionally including visual indicators coupled to the first and second counter means for visually displaying the number of correct selections and the total number of selections and additionally including lockable means including locked and unlocked positions coupled to the visual indicators for shielding the visual displays when in the locked position and exposing the visual displays when in the unlocked position.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 additionally including timer means coupled to the third means for controlling the third means to randomly select one of the plurality of light sources to flash at irregular intervals after a predetermined period of time, if no second means is selected by the test subject during the predetermined period of time.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 additionally including fourth means coupled to the first and third means for turning off the flashing light sources after a predetermined number of selections by the test subject.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first means controls the plurality of light sources to flash asymmetrically and with the one light source flashing in an irregular asymmetrical pattern.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first means controls the plurality of light sources to flash asynchronously relative to each other.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 1 additionally including a fourth means coupled to the first means for providing a control for selecting the degree of irregularity of the flashing of the one light source.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the plurality of first means include means for controlling the plurality of light sources to flash asynchronously and for providing the one light source to flash in an irregular asynchronous pattern and with the fourth means providing a control for selecting the degree of irregularity of the irregular asynchronous pattern.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 1 additionally including audio means coupled to the third means for producing an audible output after each selection by the test subject.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 1 additionally including audio means coupled to the first means for producing separate audible outputs representative of the light sources flashing at regular intervals and the one light sourse flashing at irregular intervals.

Claim 13

Apparatus for performing a self-administered time perception test by a test subject, including; a plurality of regular oscillators each producing oscillations at regular intervals; a plurality of selector gates corresponding in number to the plurality of regular oscillators and with each selector gate having at least first and second oscillator inputs and at least one gate input and with each selector gate receiving an input at the first oscillator input from one of the regular oscillators; at least one irregular oscillator producing oscillations at irregular intervals coupled to the second oscillator inputs of each of the plurality of selector gates; a random selector producing a select signal coupled to the gates to control one of the gates to output the irregular oscillations and the remaining selector gates to output the regular oscillations; a plurality of light sources corresponding in number to the selector gates and coupled to the outputs of the selector gates for flashing in accordance with the oscillations produced by the oscillators; a plurality of test buttons corresponding in number to the number of light sources for selecting any individual one of the plurality of light sources judged by the test subject to be the light source flashing at irregular intervals, and a plurality of coincidence detectors corresponding in number to the number of test buttons and with each coincidence detector coupled to one of the test buttons and with all of the coincidence detectors coupled to the random selector and receiving the select signal to have one of the coincidence detectors produce a coincidence signal when there is a coincidence between the select signal and the actuation of the one of the test buttons corresponding to the light source flashing at irregular intervals.

Claim 14

Apparatus for performing a self-administered time perception test by a test subject, including; a plurality of regular oscillators each producing oscillations at regular intervals; a plurality of selector gates corresponding in number to the plurality of regular oscillators and with each selector gate having at least first and second oscillator inputs and at least one gate input and with each selector gate receiving an input at the first oscillator input from one of the regular oscillators; at least one irregular oscillator producing oscillations at irregular intervals coupled to the second oscillator inputs of each of the plurality of selector gates; a random selector producing a select signal coupled to the gates to control one of the gates to output the irregular oscillations and the remaining selector gates to output the regular oscillations; a plurality of light sources corresponding in number to the selector gates and coupled to the outputs of the selector gates for flashing in accordance with the oscillations produced by the oscillators; a plurality of test buttons corresponding in number to the number of light sources for selecting any individual one of the plurality of light sources judged by the test subject to be the light source flashing at irregular intervals, and a plurality of coincidence detectors corresponding in number to the number of test buttons and with each coincidence detector coupled to one of the test buttons and with all of the coincidence detectors coupled to the random selector and receiving the select signal to have one of the coincidence detectors produce a coincidence signal when there is a coincidence between the select signal and the actuation of the one of the test buttons corresponding to the light source flashing at irregular intervals.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 12 additionally including detector means coupled to the plurality of test buttons and to the random selector for activating the random selector to produce a select signal to randomly select one of the selector gates to control the one of the gates to output the irregular oscillations.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 13 additionally including a timer coupled to the detector means for controlling the detector means to actuate the random selector to provide the select signal to randomly select one of the selector gates to output the irregular oscillations after a predetermined period of time if no test button is activated by the test subject during the predetermined period of time.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 13 additionally including test limit means coupled to the light sources and the detector means for turning off the flashing light sources after a predetermined number of selections of the test buttons by the test subject.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 13 additionally including audio output means coupled to the detector means for producing an audible output after each selection of a test button by the test subject

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 12 additionally including a first counter coupled to the plurality of coincidence detectors and responsive to any coincidence signals to count the number of correct selections by the test subject in accordance with the production of coincidence signals.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 17 additionally including a visual indicator coupled to the first counter for visually displaying the number of correct selections by the test subject and additionally including lockable means including locked and unlocked positions coupled to the visual display for shielding the visual display when in the locked position and exposing the visual display when in the unlocked position.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 17 additionally including a second counter coupled to the test buttons for counting the total number of selections by the test subject.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 19 additionally including visual indicators coupled to the first and second counters for visually displaying the number of correct selections and the total number of selections by the test subjects including lockable means including locked and unlocked positions coupled to the visual indicators for shielding the visual displays when in the locked position and exposing the visual displays when in the unlocked position.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the plurality of the oscillators control the plurality of light sources to flash asymmetrically and with the one light source flashing in an irregular asymmetrical pattern.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the plurality of oscillators control the plurality of light sources to flash asynchronously relative to each other.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 12 additionally including a manual control coupled to the irregular oscillator for providing a control for selecting the degree of irregularity of the flashing of the one light source.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the plurality of regular oscillators control the plurality of light sources to flash asynchronously and the irregular oscillator controls the one light source to flash in an irregular asynchronous pattern.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 12 additionally including audio output means coupled to at least one of the regular oscillators and the irregular oscillator for producing separate audible outputs representative of the oscillations at regular intervals and the oscillations at irregular intervals.