Eating utensil to monitor and regulate dietary intake

• US 10,143,420 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2015
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christine Contant
• Original Assignee: Christine Contant
• Inventors: Contant, Christine
• Primary Examiner(s): Downey, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): JIAN, SHIRLEY XUEYING
• Application Number:
  US14/884,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20160038082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 600300-301
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/02 Forks; Forks with ejectors; Combined forks and spoons; Salad servers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/363 Use of fiducial points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0462 Apparatus with built-in sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0475 Special features of memory means, e.g. removable memory cards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1125 Grasping motions of hands
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4542 Evaluating the mouth, e.g. the jaw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/744 Displaying an avatar, e.g. an animated cartoon character
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 : characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 : Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras

Abstract

Dietary intake regulating devices that can assist a user in measuring his or her dietary intake and optionally his or her physical activity are disclosed.

Claims

1. An electronic device for managing both a user'"'"'s dietary intake and physical activity, the device comprising:

a casing;

one or more sensors inside the casing configured t detect health-related activity of the user;

at least one processor unit inside the casing configured to execute instructions for analyzing sensory input received from the one or more sensors and

one or more extensions, the one or more extensions configured to be each detachably attached to the casing;

wherein the health-related activity detected by the one or more sensors comprises eating activity and physical activity;

wherein the electronic device operates in a first non-eating mode without an eating utensil extension attached thereto, or a second eating mode wherein an eating utensil extension is attached thereto;

such that the electronic device is configured to detect physical activity in the first mode, and to detect eating activity in the second mode, the electronic device further configured to inform the user on the detected eating activity and the physical activity.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is further configured to compute calories consumed based on the eating activity, calories burned based on the physical activity, and a caloric balance based on the calories consumed and burned to provide feedback related to the caloric balance to the user.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the device further includes a memory for storing information;

and wherein the device is further configured to store one or more caloric balance goals and the device is further configured to compare the stored caloric balance with one or more of the caloric balance goals.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is further configured to compute at least one of fat consumed or burned.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is further configured to detect bites of food with at least one of the one or more sensors.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is further configured to detect timing of each bite of food.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors is further configured to detect eating activity of the user by detecting a vertical location or vertical motion of the device.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors, includes a pressure sensor.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors includes a proximity sensor.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors includes an image sensor.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors includes a motion sensor.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors includes an optical or capacitive sensor.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors includes an infrared sensor.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors includes a touch sensor.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the eating utensil extension is shaped like fork, spoon or chopstick.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor unit is further configured to detect characteristics of bites of food with, at least, data received from the one or more sensors.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor unit is further configured to control an audio or video player.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor unit is further configured to control a game console or an electronic game.

19. An electronic device for managing a user'"'"'s health, the device comprising:

a first circuitry comprising a first rechargeable battery, the first rechargeable battery configured to supply power to the first circuitry;

a second circuitry comprising a second rechargeable battery, the second rechargeable battery configured a) to supply power to the second circuitry and b) to be connectable to an external power supply;

a casing configured to enclose the first circuitry;

a casing extension bracelet configured to enclose the second circuitry, the casing extension bracelet configured to be removably attachable to the casing and to the user;

one or more sensors configured to detect at least one health-related activity of the user, the first circuitry including at least one of the one or more sensors configured to detect eating activity or physical activity of the user, the first or second circuitry including at least one of the one or more sensors configured to detect sleep of the user; and

a processor unit in the first circuitry configured to execute instructions for analyzing sensory input received from the one or more sensors;

wherein the first circuitry in the casing is further configured to detect eating activity or physical activity of the user with at least one of the one or more sensors in the first circuitry;

wherein the electronic device is further configured to be removably attachable to the user with the casing extension bracelet to detect sleep of the user with at least one of the one or more sensors configured to detect sleep in the first or second circuitry when the casing extension is attached to the user and the casing;

wherein, when the casing is attached to the casing extension bracelet, the second rechargeable battery is further configured to be electrically coupled to the first circuitry to at least supply power to the first rechargeable battery or other electrical components of the first circuitry.

20. The device of claim 19, further comprising an additional casing extension configured for carrying food, the casing extension bracelet and the additional casing extension configured to be interchangeably attached to the casing that encloses the first circuitry.