US4853854A — Human behavior modification which establishes and…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 91 words

A smoking reduction method for scheduling time intervals between active inducement of user smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said method comprising: tracking errant smoking event occurrences of the user with respect to said scheduled time intervals; establishing and generating a user adaptive withdrawal schedule which schedules and displays the time intervals between permitted smoking events over a plurality of days and in response to said errant smoking event occurrences; and visually indicating to the user the number of days left to go in said schedule.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 91 words

A smoking reduction method for scheduling time intervals between active inducement of user smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said method comprising: tracking errant smoking event occurrences of the user with respect to said scheduled time intervals; establishing and generating a user adaptive withdrawal schedule which schedules and displays the time intervals between permitted smoking events over a plurality of days and in response to said errant smoking event occurrences; and visually indicating to the user the number of days left to go in said schedule.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 99 words

A smoking-reduction system for scheduling time intervals between active inducement of user smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said system comprising: means for tracking errant smoking event occurrences of the user with respect to said scheduled time intervals; modification programming means for establishing and generating a user adaptive withdrawal schedule which schedules and displays the time intervals between permitted smoking events over a plurality of days and in response to said errant smoking event occurrences; and display means which includes a visual display indicating the number of days left to go in said schedule.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 99 words

A smoking-reduction system for scheduling time intervals between active inducement of user smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said system comprising: means for tracking errant smoking event occurrences of the user with respect to said scheduled time intervals; modification programming means for establishing and generating a user adaptive withdrawal schedule which schedules and displays the time intervals between permitted smoking events over a plurality of days and in response to said errant smoking event occurrences; and display means which includes a visual display indicating the number of days left to go in said schedule.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 148 words

Apparatus for stimulating human behavior modification, said apparatus comprising: event sensor means for generating an event signal representing the occurrence of a discrete event associated with a predetermined pattern of habitual human behavior; modification programming means connected to receive said event signals over a predetermined first time span during which the habitual behavior naturally occurs and to responsively generate a personalized program for modification of said habitual behavior including a programmed schedule of future occurrence times for said events to occur over a second time span; and output means connected to output a humanly sensible stimulus at said scheduled future occurrence times; wherein said modification programming means includes means for detecting during the second time span whether the event signals accurately follow the established programmed schedule of future occurrence times and, if not, for adaptively changing said programmed schedule of future occurrence times in response to detected deviations.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 148 words

Apparatus for stimulating human behavior modification, said apparatus comprising: event sensor means for generating an event signal representing the occurrence of a discrete event associated with a predetermined pattern of habitual human behavior; modification programming means connected to receive said event signals over a predetermined first time span during which the habitual behavior naturally occurs and to responsively generate a personalized program for modification of said habitual behavior including a programmed schedule of future occurrence times for said events to occur over a second time span; and output means connected to output a humanly sensible stimulus at said scheduled future occurrence times; wherein said modification programming means includes means for detecting during the second time span whether the event signals accurately follow the established programmed schedule of future occurrence times and, if not, for adaptively changing said programmed schedule of future occurrence times in response to detected deviations.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus as in claim 3 including further output means which includes, during the second time span, a visible indicator of the time remaining until the next scheduled event occurrence time.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 28 words

Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said output means includes a visible indicator of the time remaining in a least one of said first and second time spans.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 13 words

Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said output means comprises an audio transducer.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 71 words

Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein: said event sensor means comprises at least one manually activated electrical switch; said output means comprises audio and visual electro-transducers; and said modification programming means comprises a microprocessor based data processor including a digital memory and connected to receive inputs from the event sensor means and to responsively drive said output means in accordance with a predetermined computer control program stored in said digital memory.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 205 words

A method for evoking personalized modification of a human behavior denoted by behavioral events, by use of a programmable device with which a user interacts to create and implement a behavior modification plan, said method comprising: user-activating said programmable device upon the occurrences of said behavioral events; establishing an unmodified behavior baseline during a first predetermined period of time by recording the occurrences and times of at least one of said behavioral events during said first period; automatically establishing a behavior modification plan in accordance with a predetermined programmed algorithm stored in said device including: (i) establishing a second period of time for modifying said behavior; (ii) establishing the timing intervals of said behavioral events which said person is to be permitted to commit during said second period; signaling the user via said device, by at least one stimulus, so that the user is prompted to commit said permitted behavioral events at said timing intervals during said second period; user-activating said device at the time when said permitted behavioral event is actually committed; and revising said timing between said permitted behavioral events during said second period if the user records the commission of behavioral events with timing that substantially differs from said behavior modification plan.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 205 words

A method for evoking personalized modification of a human behavior denoted by behavioral events, by use of a programmable device with which a user interacts to create and implement a behavior modification plan, said method comprising: user-activating said programmable device upon the occurrences of said behavioral events; establishing an unmodified behavior baseline during a first predetermined period of time by recording the occurrences and times of at least one of said behavioral events during said first period; automatically establishing a behavior modification plan in accordance with a predetermined programmed algorithm stored in said device including: (i) establishing a second period of time for modifying said behavior; (ii) establishing the timing intervals of said behavioral events which said person is to be permitted to commit during said second period; signaling the user via said device, by at least one stimulus, so that the user is prompted to commit said permitted behavioral events at said timing intervals during said second period; user-activating said device at the time when said permitted behavioral event is actually committed; and revising said timing between said permitted behavioral events during said second period if the user records the commission of behavioral events with timing that substantially differs from said behavior modification plan.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 12 words

A method according to claim 8 wherein said behaviorism is habitual smoking.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 184 words

Apparatus for evoking modification of a predetermined human behavior, said behavior being denoted by a time sequence of behavioral events, by use of a programmable device with which a person interacts to create and implement a behavior modification time period, said apparatus comprising: means for activating said programmable device upon the occurrences of said events; means for establishing an unmodified behavior base line during a first predetermined period of time by recording the occurrences and timing of at least one of said first behavioral events during said period; means for establishing a behavior modification plan including (1) means for establishing a modification period of time for modifying said behaviorism, (ii) means for establishing the future timing intervals of said behavioral events which said person is permitted to commit during said modification period; means for informing the user via said device, of said established future timing of said behavioral events which said person is permitted to commit during said modification period; and means for revising said future timing intervals if the user commits behavioral events in a manner substantially differing from the behavior modification plan.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 184 words

Apparatus for evoking modification of a predetermined human behavior, said behavior being denoted by a time sequence of behavioral events, by use of a programmable device with which a person interacts to create and implement a behavior modification time period, said apparatus comprising: means for activating said programmable device upon the occurrences of said events; means for establishing an unmodified behavior base line during a first predetermined period of time by recording the occurrences and timing of at least one of said first behavioral events during said period; means for establishing a behavior modification plan including (1) means for establishing a modification period of time for modifying said behaviorism, (ii) means for establishing the future timing intervals of said behavioral events which said person is permitted to commit during said modification period; means for informing the user via said device, of said established future timing of said behavioral events which said person is permitted to commit during said modification period; and means for revising said future timing intervals if the user commits behavioral events in a manner substantially differing from the behavior modification plan.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 118 words

A smoking reduction system for scheduling time intervals between user smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said system comprising: a smoke event sensor means for generating an event signal representing occurrence of an actual user smoking event; timing means for generating a personalized program gradually increasing future time intervals between said smoking events including a programmed schedule of future smoking event occurrence times; output means connected to signal a user at scheduled future smoking event occurrence times; and program adaptation means, responsive to a comparison of the timing of actual smoking events and scheduled smoking events over a period of time, for temporarily suppressing further increased time intervals between future scheduled smoking events.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 118 words

A smoking reduction system for scheduling time intervals between user smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said system comprising: a smoke event sensor means for generating an event signal representing occurrence of an actual user smoking event; timing means for generating a personalized program gradually increasing future time intervals between said smoking events including a programmed schedule of future smoking event occurrence times; output means connected to signal a user at scheduled future smoking event occurrence times; and program adaptation means, responsive to a comparison of the timing of actual smoking events and scheduled smoking events over a period of time, for temporarily suppressing further increased time intervals between future scheduled smoking events.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 54 words

A smoking reduction system as in claim 11 wherein said timing means generates day-by-day schedules for future smoking events and wherein said program adaptation means includes means for repeating the current or an earlier day's schedule in response to detecting an excessive number of actual smoking events occurring substantially prior to scheduled occurrence times.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 144 words

A smoking reduction system for scheduling time intervals between user smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said system comprising: a smoke event sensor means for generating an event signal representing occurrence of an actual user smoking event; timing means for generating a personalized daily program of future timing intervals between said smoking events including a programmed daily schedule of future smoking event occurrence times; said timing means including means for deducing a user's probable personal daily waking and sleeping pattern and for generating such daily future smoking event occurrence times as a function of the relative time within such waking and sleeping pattern; output means connected to signal a user at scheduled future smoking event occurrence times; and an on/off switch connected to said means for deducing for activation by the user in correspondence with the user's waking/sleeping pattern.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 144 words

A smoking reduction system for scheduling time intervals between user smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said system comprising: a smoke event sensor means for generating an event signal representing occurrence of an actual user smoking event; timing means for generating a personalized daily program of future timing intervals between said smoking events including a programmed daily schedule of future smoking event occurrence times; said timing means including means for deducing a user's probable personal daily waking and sleeping pattern and for generating such daily future smoking event occurrence times as a function of the relative time within such waking and sleeping pattern; output means connected to signal a user at scheduled future smoking event occurrence times; and an on/off switch connected to said means for deducing for activation by the user in correspondence with the user's waking/sleeping pattern.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 35 words

A smoking reduction system as in claim 13 wherein said means for deducing the user's waking and sleeping pattern is further responsive to the occurrence of time periods during which no event signals are generated.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 148 words

A smoking reduction system for scheduling time intervals between user smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said system comprising: a smoke event sensor means for generating an event signal representing occurrence of an actual user smoking event; timing means for generating a personalized daily program of future timing intervals between said smoking events including a programmed daily schedule of future smoking event occurrence times; said timing means including means for deducing a user's probable personal daily waking and sleeping pattern and for generating such daily future smoking event occurrence times as a function of the relative time within such waking and sleeping pattern; and output means connected to signal a user at scheduled future smoking event occurrence times; said means for deducing the user's waking and sleeping pattern being responsive to the occurrence of time periods during which no event signals are generated.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 148 words

A smoking reduction system for scheduling time intervals between user smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said system comprising: a smoke event sensor means for generating an event signal representing occurrence of an actual user smoking event; timing means for generating a personalized daily program of future timing intervals between said smoking events including a programmed daily schedule of future smoking event occurrence times; said timing means including means for deducing a user's probable personal daily waking and sleeping pattern and for generating such daily future smoking event occurrence times as a function of the relative time within such waking and sleeping pattern; and output means connected to signal a user at scheduled future smoking event occurrence times; said means for deducing the user's waking and sleeping pattern being responsive to the occurrence of time periods during which no event signals are generated.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 31 words

(Amended) A smoking reduction system as in claim 11, 12, 13, 15 or 14 further comprising: restart means for restaring the schedule, when activated, for a predetermined limited number of restarts.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 102 words

A smoking reduction method for scheduling time intervals between user smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said method comprising: generating an event signal representing occurrence of an actual user smoking event; generating a personalized program of future time intervals between said smoking events including a programmed schedule of future smoking event occurrence times; signalling a user at scheduled future smoking event occurrence times; and temporarily suppressing further changes in the time intervals between future scheduled smoking events responsive to a comparison of the timing of actual smoking events and scheduled smoking events over a period of time.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 102 words

A smoking reduction method for scheduling time intervals between user smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said method comprising: generating an event signal representing occurrence of an actual user smoking event; generating a personalized program of future time intervals between said smoking events including a programmed schedule of future smoking event occurrence times; signalling a user at scheduled future smoking event occurrence times; and temporarily suppressing further changes in the time intervals between future scheduled smoking events responsive to a comparison of the timing of actual smoking events and scheduled smoking events over a period of time.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 52 words

A smoking reduction method as in claim 17 wherein said generating step generates day-by-day schedules for future smoking events and wherein said temporarily suppressing step includes repeating the current or an earlier day's schedule in response to detecting an excessive number of actual smoking events occurring substantially prior to scheduled occurrence times.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 131 words

A smoking reduction method for scheduling time intervals between user smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said method comprising: generating an event signal representing occurrence of an actual user smoking event; generating a personalized daily program of future timing intervals between said smoking events including a programmed daily schedule of future smoking event occurrence times; deducing a user's probable personal daily waking and sleeping pattern and using such daily pattern to vary the daily schedule of future smoking event occurrence times as a function of the relative time within such waking and sleeping pattern; signaling a user at scheduled future smoking event occurrence times; and including use in said deducing step of an on/off switch activated by the user in correspondence with the user's waking/sleeping pattern.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 131 words

A smoking reduction method for scheduling time intervals between user smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said method comprising: generating an event signal representing occurrence of an actual user smoking event; generating a personalized daily program of future timing intervals between said smoking events including a programmed daily schedule of future smoking event occurrence times; deducing a user's probable personal daily waking and sleeping pattern and using such daily pattern to vary the daily schedule of future smoking event occurrence times as a function of the relative time within such waking and sleeping pattern; signaling a user at scheduled future smoking event occurrence times; and including use in said deducing step of an on/off switch activated by the user in correspondence with the user's waking/sleeping pattern.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 129 words

A smoking reduction method for scheduling time intervals between user smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said method comprising: generating an event signal representing occurrence of an actual user smoking event; generating a personalized daily program of future timing intervals between said smoking events including a programmed daily schedule of future smoking event occurrence times; deducing a user's probable personal daily waking and sleeping pattern and using such daily pattern to vary the daily schedule of future smoking event occurrence times as a function of the relative time within such waking and sleeping pattern; and signaling a user at scheduled future smoking event occurrence times; wherein said deducing step is responsive to the occurrence of time periods during which no event signals are generated.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 129 words

A smoking reduction method for scheduling time intervals between user smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said method comprising: generating an event signal representing occurrence of an actual user smoking event; generating a personalized daily program of future timing intervals between said smoking events including a programmed daily schedule of future smoking event occurrence times; deducing a user's probable personal daily waking and sleeping pattern and using such daily pattern to vary the daily schedule of future smoking event occurrence times as a function of the relative time within such waking and sleeping pattern; and signaling a user at scheduled future smoking event occurrence times; wherein said deducing step is responsive to the occurrence of time periods during which no event signals are generated.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 35 words

A smoking reduction method as in claim 17, 18, 19 or 20 further comprising the step of: restarting the schedule when requested by a user but only for a predetermined limited number of restart request.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 152 words

A smoking reduction system for scheduling time intervals between user smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said system comprising: a smoke event sensor means for generating an event signal representing occurrence of an actual user smoking event; timing means for generating a personalized daily program of future timing intervals between said smoking events including a programmed daily schedule of future smoking event occurrence times; said timing means including means for deducing a user's probable personal daily waking and sleeping pattern from activation of an on/off switch of a device for recording said event signals and from the occurrence of time periods during which no smoke event signals are generated and for generating such daily future smoking even occurrence times as a function of the relative time within such waking and sleeping pattern; and output means connected to signal a user at scheduled future smoking event occurrence times.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 152 words

A smoking reduction system for scheduling time intervals between user smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said system comprising: a smoke event sensor means for generating an event signal representing occurrence of an actual user smoking event; timing means for generating a personalized daily program of future timing intervals between said smoking events including a programmed daily schedule of future smoking event occurrence times; said timing means including means for deducing a user's probable personal daily waking and sleeping pattern from activation of an on/off switch of a device for recording said event signals and from the occurrence of time periods during which no smoke event signals are generated and for generating such daily future smoking even occurrence times as a function of the relative time within such waking and sleeping pattern; and output means connected to signal a user at scheduled future smoking event occurrence times.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 139 words

A smoking reduction method for scheduling time intervals between used smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said method comprising: generating an event signal representing occurrence of an actual user smoking event; generating a personalized daily program of future timing intervals between said smoking events including a programmed daily scheduled of future smoking events occurrence times; deducing a user's probable personal daily waking and sleeping pattern and using such daily pattern from activation of an on/off switch of a device for recording said event signals and from the occurrence of time periods during which no smoke event signals are generated to vary the daily schedule of future smoking event occurrence times as a function of the relative time within such waking and sleeping pattern; and signaling a user at scheduled future smoking event occurrence times.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 139 words

A smoking reduction method for scheduling time intervals between used smoking events so as to gradually reduce a user's smoking habit, said method comprising: generating an event signal representing occurrence of an actual user smoking event; generating a personalized daily program of future timing intervals between said smoking events including a programmed daily scheduled of future smoking events occurrence times; deducing a user's probable personal daily waking and sleeping pattern and using such daily pattern from activation of an on/off switch of a device for recording said event signals and from the occurrence of time periods during which no smoke event signals are generated to vary the daily schedule of future smoking event occurrence times as a function of the relative time within such waking and sleeping pattern; and signaling a user at scheduled future smoking event occurrence times.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 137 words

Apparatus for stimulating human behavior modification, said apparatus comprising: event sensor means for generating an event signal representing the occurrence of a discrete event associated with a predetermined pattern of habitual human behavior; modification programming means connected to receive said event signals over a predetermined first time span during which the habitual behavior naturally occurs and to responsively generate a personalized program for modification of said habitual behavior including a programmed schedule of future occurrence times for said events to occur over a second time span; and output means connected to output a humanly sensible stimulus at said scheduled future occurrence times; wherein said modification programming means includes means responsive to operator request for recycling said program means for a predetermined number (at least one) of reuse cycles but which is thereafter rendered incapable of further reuse.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 137 words

Apparatus for stimulating human behavior modification, said apparatus comprising: event sensor means for generating an event signal representing the occurrence of a discrete event associated with a predetermined pattern of habitual human behavior; modification programming means connected to receive said event signals over a predetermined first time span during which the habitual behavior naturally occurs and to responsively generate a personalized program for modification of said habitual behavior including a programmed schedule of future occurrence times for said events to occur over a second time span; and output means connected to output a humanly sensible stimulus at said scheduled future occurrence times; wherein said modification programming means includes means responsive to operator request for recycling said program means for a predetermined number (at least one) of reuse cycles but which is thereafter rendered incapable of further reuse.

Claim 39

Independent Claim 180 words

A method for evoking personalized modification of a human behavior denoted by behavorial events, by use of a programmable device with which a user interacts to create an implement a behavior modification plan, said method comprising: user-activating said programmable device upon the occurrences of said behavioral events; establishing an unmodified behavior baseline during a first predetermined period of time by recording the occurrences and times of at least one of said behavioral events during said first period; automatically establishing a behavior modification plan in accordance with a predetermined programmed algorithm stored in said device including: (i) establishing a second period of time for modifying said behavior; (ii) establishing the timing intervals of said behavioral events which said person is to be permitted to commit during said second period; signaling the user via said device, by at least one stimulus, so that the user is prompted to commit said permitted behavioral events at said timing intervals during said second period; and repeating all the above-stated steps upon request by the user but only for a predetermined limited number of restart requests.

Claim 40

Independent Claim 180 words

A method for evoking personalized modification of a human behavior denoted by behavorial events, by use of a programmable device with which a user interacts to create an implement a behavior modification plan, said method comprising: user-activating said programmable device upon the occurrences of said behavioral events; establishing an unmodified behavior baseline during a first predetermined period of time by recording the occurrences and times of at least one of said behavioral events during said first period; automatically establishing a behavior modification plan in accordance with a predetermined programmed algorithm stored in said device including: (i) establishing a second period of time for modifying said behavior; (ii) establishing the timing intervals of said behavioral events which said person is to be permitted to commit during said second period; signaling the user via said device, by at least one stimulus, so that the user is prompted to commit said permitted behavioral events at said timing intervals during said second period; and repeating all the above-stated steps upon request by the user but only for a predetermined limited number of restart requests.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 139 words

Apparatus for stimulating human behavior modification, said apparatus comprising: event sensor means for generating an event signal representing the occurrence of a discrete event associated with a predetermined pattern of habitual human behavior; modification programming means connected to receive said event signals over a predetermined first time span during which the habitual behavior naturally occurs and to responsively generate a personalized program for modification of said habitual behavior including a programmed schedule of future occurrence times for said events to occur over a second time span; output means connected to output a humanly sensible stimulus at said scheduled future occurrence times; and means for generating on-off signals representing the waking/sleeping schedule of the user and wherein said modification programming means is connected to use the schedule of said on-off signals in generating said programmable schedule of future occurrence times.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 139 words

Apparatus for stimulating human behavior modification, said apparatus comprising: event sensor means for generating an event signal representing the occurrence of a discrete event associated with a predetermined pattern of habitual human behavior; modification programming means connected to receive said event signals over a predetermined first time span during which the habitual behavior naturally occurs and to responsively generate a personalized program for modification of said habitual behavior including a programmed schedule of future occurrence times for said events to occur over a second time span; output means connected to output a humanly sensible stimulus at said scheduled future occurrence times; and means for generating on-off signals representing the waking/sleeping schedule of the user and wherein said modification programming means is connected to use the schedule of said on-off signals in generating said programmable schedule of future occurrence times.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 31 words

Apparatus as in claim 26 wherein said modification programming means ignores event signals occurring during apparent waking/sleeping schedules corresponding to unusually short or long days during said first predetermined time span.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 23 words

Apparatus as in claim 26 wherein said modification programming means ignores unusually long periods of inactivity in said event signals and on/off activations.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 47 words

Apparatus as in claim 26 wherein said modification means also schedules recurrent curfew periods during which no events are scheduled to occur, determined as a function of detected on-off times and wherein said output means includes a visible indicator of the existence of such a curfew period.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 132 words

Apparatus for stimulating human behavior modification, said apparatus comprising: event sensor means for generating an event signal representing the occurrence of a discrete event associated with a predetermined pattern of habitual human behavior; modification programming means connected to receive said event signals over a predetermined first time span during which the habitual behavior naturally occurs and to responsively generate a personalized program for modification of said habitual behavior including a programmed schedule of future occurrence times for said events to occur over a second time span; and output means connected to output a humanly sensible stimulus at said scheduled future occurrence times; wherein said modification programming means includes means for also initiating at least one uniquely distinquishable further humanly sensible stimulus via said output times significantly different than said scheduled occurrence times.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 132 words

Apparatus for stimulating human behavior modification, said apparatus comprising: event sensor means for generating an event signal representing the occurrence of a discrete event associated with a predetermined pattern of habitual human behavior; modification programming means connected to receive said event signals over a predetermined first time span during which the habitual behavior naturally occurs and to responsively generate a personalized program for modification of said habitual behavior including a programmed schedule of future occurrence times for said events to occur over a second time span; and output means connected to output a humanly sensible stimulus at said scheduled future occurrence times; wherein said modification programming means includes means for also initiating at least one uniquely distinquishable further humanly sensible stimulus via said output times significantly different than said scheduled occurrence times.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 247 words

Apparatus for actively stimulating human behavior modification, said apparatus comprising: event sensor means for generating an event signal representing the occurrence of a discrete event associated with a predetermined pattern of habitual human behavior; modification programming means connected to receive said event signals over a first time span during which the habitual behavior naturally occurs and to responsively generate a personalized program for modification of said habitual behavior including a programmed schedule of future occurrence times for actively prompting said events to occur over a second time span; and output means connected to actively signal a human user to engage in another occurrence of said discrete event by outputting a humanly sensible stimulus at said scheduled future occurrence times, which stimulus is capable of interrupting the human user activity to actively stimulate such further occurrence even though the apparatus may be out of the user's sight; wherein said predetermined pattern of human behavior is a time sequence of cigarette smoking events and wherein said modification programming means monitors the existing pattern of cigarette smoking events over said first time span comprising a first plurality of days and then schedules a graduated reduction in the frequency of scheduled future cigarette smoking events over a subsequent second time span comprising a second plurality of days, the elapsed time between scheduled future events increasing according to a prescribed first withdrawal curve from day-to-day and increasing in accordance with a second withdrawal curve within each day of the second time span.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 247 words

Apparatus for actively stimulating human behavior modification, said apparatus comprising: event sensor means for generating an event signal representing the occurrence of a discrete event associated with a predetermined pattern of habitual human behavior; modification programming means connected to receive said event signals over a first time span during which the habitual behavior naturally occurs and to responsively generate a personalized program for modification of said habitual behavior including a programmed schedule of future occurrence times for actively prompting said events to occur over a second time span; and output means connected to actively signal a human user to engage in another occurrence of said discrete event by outputting a humanly sensible stimulus at said scheduled future occurrence times, which stimulus is capable of interrupting the human user activity to actively stimulate such further occurrence even though the apparatus may be out of the user's sight; wherein said predetermined pattern of human behavior is a time sequence of cigarette smoking events and wherein said modification programming means monitors the existing pattern of cigarette smoking events over said first time span comprising a first plurality of days and then schedules a graduated reduction in the frequency of scheduled future cigarette smoking events over a subsequent second time span comprising a second plurality of days, the elapsed time between scheduled future events increasing according to a prescribed first withdrawal curve from day-to-day and increasing in accordance with a second withdrawal curve within each day of the second time span.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-07-31	1993-01-30	1993-08-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-07-31	1997-01-30	1997-08-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-07-31	2001-01-30	2001-08-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Human behavior modification which establishes and generates a user adaptive withdrawal schedule

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