Urinal Target System

Abstract

A urinal target system provides a target to improve the sanitary conditions in the area of the urinal/toilet by encouraging better aim by a person as they urinate. In one embodiment, the urinal target system displays one or more digital images based upon the force and/or length of flow of urine hitting the target system. For example, one might use digital images of a political person, a boss or a family member, thereby providing entertainment value while also providing an interesting target that encourages better aim. In some embodiments, the display is a numeric display or graphical display and a score for the person urinating that a function of the length of time that the target is hit and/or the pressure exerted on the target is displayed. It is anticipated that a person with good aim is more likely to achieve a higher score than one with bad aim.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A urinal target system comprising:
 a base member having at least a back wall;   a cover member, the cover member having at least a front wall, the cover member is movably interfaced to the base member and the cover member is urged away from the base member by a resilient member such that a force directed upon the front wall of the cover member counteracts the resilient member proportional to the force, moving the cover member towards the base member; and   a display mounted within the urinal target system, a display area of the display visible through a window in the cover member;   a sensor coupled to the urinal target system such that the sensor detects the force and the sensor converts the force into an electrical signal, the electrical signal being proportional to the force of the flow of the urine;   a processor, the processor electrically interfaced to the display and the processor electrically interfaced to the sensor such that the processor receives the electrical signal from the sensor that is proportional to the force, software running on the processor generates a score value that is proportional to the force and/or a length of time of the force;   whereas the base member is interfaced to a wall of a toilet/urinal and the cover member is a target for a person urinating.   
     
     
         2 . The urinal target system of  claim 1 , further comprising software running on the processor, the software causes the processor to display the score value on the display. 
     
     
         3 . The urinal target system of  claim 1 , wherein the display is an alpha/numeric display, and the software causes the processor to display the score value on the display. 
     
     
         4 . The urinal target system of  claim 1 , wherein the display is a graphical display, and the software running on the processor selectively displays one or more images on the display corresponding to the score value, the images stored in a memory, the memory interfaced to the processor. 
     
     
         5 . The urinal target system of  claim 1 , wherein the display includes display elements, and the software running on the processor controls the processor to selectively illuminate one or more of the display elements based upon the score value. 
     
     
         6 . The urinal target system of  claim 5 , wherein the display elements are arranged as a bar-graph display. 
     
     
         7 . The urinal target system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a Hall Effect sensor affixed to the base member and a magnet affixed to an inside surface of the cover member; the Hall Effect sensor converts a magnetic field strength of the magnet into the electrical signal such that, as the cover member moves closer to the base member due to the force, the magnet moves closer to the Hall Effect sensor, thereby increasing the magnetic field strength around the Hall Effect sensor and changing the electrical signal proportional to the force. 
     
     
         8 . A method of improving aim of a person that is urinating, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) directing the flow of the urine towards an outside surface of a urinal target system, a back wall of a base member of the urinal target system is affixed to a urinal, the urinal target system further comprises:
 a cover member, the cover member having at least a front wall, the cover member is movably interfaced to the base member and the cover member is urged away from the base member by a resilient member such that a flow of urine applies a force to an outside surface of the front wall of the cover member thereby the force counteracts the spring, moving the front wall of the cover member closer to the back wall of the base member; 
 a sensor, the sensor coupled to the urinal target system such that the sensor detects the force from the flow of the urine and the sensor converts the force into an electrical signal, the electrical signal being proportional to the force of the flow of the urine; 
 a processor electrically interfaced to the sensor such that the processor receives the electrical signal; 
 a display, the display housed within the urinal target system and a display area of the display is visible through a window in the cover member; 
   (b) software running on the processor calculating a score value that is a function of at least the force of the flow of the urine;   (c) the software running on the processor illuminating the display dependent on the score value; and   (d) Repeating steps (b) and (c) until the force of the flow of the urine abates.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the score value is also a function of a length of time that the flow of the urine continues to apply the force on the cover member. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising after step (d), the step of (e) the software running on the processor delaying for a period of time and then the software running on the processor blanking the display. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the display is a numeric or alpha/numeric display and whereas the step of illuminating the display dependent on the score value includes displaying a numerical representation of the score value on the display. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the display is a graphical display and whereas the step of illuminating the display dependent on the score value includes selecting a graphical image from one or more graphical images based upon the score value and displaying the selected image on the display. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the display includes individual illuminatable areas and whereas the step of illuminating the display includes selectively illuminating one or more of the illuminatable areas based upon the score value. 
     
     
         14 . A urinal target system comprising:
 an enclosure;   means for measuring a force from a flow of urine applied to the enclosure;   means for calculating a score value as a function of the force;   means for displaying, a display area of the means for displaying visible through the enclosure; and   means for changing an output of the means for displaying dependent upon the score value.   
     
     
         15 . The urinal target system of  claim 14 , wherein the means for measuring the force converts the force into an electrical signal, the electrical signal being proportional to the force of the flow of the urine. 
     
     
         16 . The urinal target system of  claim 15 , wherein the means for calculating the score value further considers a time that the force persists. 
     
     
         17 . The urinal target system of  claim 14 , wherein the means for displaying is a numeric display and the means for changing the output controls the numeric display to display a numerical representation of the score value. 
     
     
         18 . The urinal target system of  claim 14 , wherein the means for displaying is a graphics display and the means for changing the output controls the graphics display to display an image, the image selected from one or more images based upon the score value. 
     
     
         19 . The urinal target system of  claim 14 , wherein the means for displaying is one of more illuminatable areas and the means for changing the output controls selectively illuminates one or more of the illuminatable areas based upon the score value. 
     
     
         20 . The urinal target system of  claim 19 , wherein the one of more illuminatable areas are two or more illuminatable areas arranged as a bar graph and the means for changing the output controls sequentially illuminates each of the illuminatable areas as the score value increases.