Apparatus and method for controlling educational and amusement use of a television

A method for controlling educational and amusement use of a television comprising the steps of:

• displaying educational material on a television, the educational material containing at least one question;
• scoring a first user's responses to questions in the educational material;
• switching the television to amusement material, if the score is determined to equal or exceed a first threshold;
• timing the duration of time the television is switched to the amusement material;
• switching the television to the educational material when the duration of time equals a predetermined value;
• a second user entering a prize code identifier and establishing the prize code identifier at a station, the prize code identifier having the purpose of identifying the second user;
• the second user entering a second threshold for awarding a prize to the first user, if a score is determined to equal or exceed the second threshold;
• and
• displaying the prize code identifier to the first user on the television when the score is determined to equal or exceed the second threshold.

A method for controlling educational and amusement use of a television comprising the steps of:

• displaying educational material on a television, the educational material containing at least one question;
• scoring a first user's responses to questions in the educational material;
• switching the television to amusement material, if the score is determined to equal or exceed a first threshold;
• counting a number of times a game in the amusement material is played;
• switching the television to the educational material when the count of the number of times equals a predetermined value;
• a second user entering a prize code identifier and establishing the prize code identifier at a station, the prize code identifier having the purpose of identifying the second user;
• the second user entering a second threshold for awarding a prize to the first user, if a score is determined to equal or exceed the second threshold;
• and
• displaying the prize code identifier to the first user on the television when the score is determined to equal or exceed the second threshold.

An apparatus for controlling educational and amusement use of a television comprising:

• means for displaying educational material on a television, the educational material containing at least one question;
• means for scoring a first user's responses to questions in the educational material;
• means for a second user to enter a prize code identifier, the prize code identifier having the purpose of identifying the second user;
• means for the second user to enter a threshold for awarding a prize to the first user, if a score is determined to equal or exceed the threshold;
• and
• means for displaying the prize code identifier to the first user on the television when the score is determined to equal or exceed the threshold.

An apparatus for controlling educational and amusement use of a television comprising:

• means for displaying educational material on a television, the educational material containing at least one question;
• means for scoring a first user's responses to questions in the educational material;
• means for switching the television to amusement material, if the score is determined to equal or exceed a first threshold;
• means for timing the duration of time the television is switched to the amusement material;
• means for switching the television to the educational material when the duration of time equals a predetermined value;
• means for a second user to enter a prize code identifier, the prize code identifier having the purpose of identifying the second user;
• means for the second user to enter a second threshold for awarding a prize to the first user, if a score is determined to equal or exceed the second threshold;
• and
• means for displaying the prize code identifier to the first user on the television when the score is determined to equal or exceed the second threshold.

An apparatus for control ling educational and amusement use of a television comprising:

• means for displaying educational material on a television, the educational material containing at least one question;
• means for scoring a first user's responses to questions in the educational material;
• means for switching the television to amusement material, if the score is determined to equal or exceed a first threshold;
• means for counting a number of times a game in the amusement material is played;
• means for switching the television to the educational material when the count of the number of times equals a predetermined value;
• means for a second user to enter a prize code identifier, the prize code identifier having the purpose of identifying the second user;
• means for the second user to enter a second threshold for awarding a prize to the first user, if a score is determined to equal or exceed the second threshold;
• and
• means for displaying the prize code identifier to the first user on the television when the score is determined to equal or exceed the second threshold.

A method of controlling entertainment and educational use of a television having a screen, the method comprising the steps of:

• inhibiting use of the television screen for entertainment by enabling an educational device coupled to the television;
• initially displaying educational material and questions about the educational material on the screen when use of the television is desired;
• inputting to the educational device answers to the questions displayed on the screen;
• evaluating the inputted answers;
• and
• allowing use of the television screen for display of entertainment material instead of the educational material when the inputted answers satisfy a predetermined threshold number of correctly answered questions.

A system for controlling educational and entertainment use of a television having a screen comprising:

• a first source of electrical signals representing educational material and questions about educational material;
• a second source of electrical signals representing amusement material;
• switching means for connecting one of the sources to the television screen;
• means for operating the switching means to automatically connect the first source to the television so as to display the educational material and the questions on the screen initially upon activation of the system, thereby inhibiting display of the amusement material on the screen;
• a controller for inputting answers to questions displayed on the screen when the first source is connected to the television;
• means for evaluating the inputted answers;
• and
• means responsive to the evaluating means for automatically connecting the second source to the television to display the amusement material on the screen instead of the educational material and questions when the inputted answers satisfy a predetermined threshold number of correctly answered questions.