Weight scale and corresponding systems and methods for preventing advancement of congestive heart failure

• US 10,254,153 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2016
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medline Industries Incorporated (Medline Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Medline Industries Incorporated (Medline Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Moore, Martie, Roberts, Derek
• Primary Examiner(s): Huls, Natalie
• Application Number:
  US15/235,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20180045558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/44 for weighing persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/50 having additional measuring devices, e.g. for height
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3721 with particular representation of the result, e.g. graphic

Abstract

A weight scale (100) for assisting with management of congestive heart failure and other ailments includes a housing (101) that can define a substantially flat planar surface (102). A weight measurement device (202) measures a weight of a user. A control circuit (201) stores in a memory (203) a first predefined weight threshold (205) and a second predefined weight threshold (206). The scale includes light sources (107,108,109) operable with the control circuit to selectively present one of three color-coded indications. When the weight is between the below the first predefined weight threshold, the light sources present a first color indication. When the weight is between the first predefined weight threshold and the second predefined weight threshold, the light sources present a second color indication. When the weight is above the second predefined weight threshold, the light sources present a third color indication.

Claims

1. A weight scale, comprising:

a housing defining a substantially planar surface;

a weight measurement device measuring a weight of a predefined user when on the substantially planar surface;

a display disposed along the substantially planar surface;

control circuit operable with the display, the control circuit storing in a memory a first predefined weight threshold of the predefined user and a second predefined weight threshold corresponding the predefined user; and

a plurality of light sources, operable with the control circuit to selectively present one of three color-coded indications, wherein each of the plurality of light sources is separate from the display;

the control circuit further causing;

when the weight is below the first predefined weight threshold, at least one light source of the plurality of light sources to present a first color indication;

when the weight is between the first predefined weight threshold and the second predefined weight threshold, the at least one light source of the plurality of light sources to present a second color indication; and

when the weight is above the second predefined weight threshold, the at least one light source of the plurality of light sources to present a third color indication;

further comprising one or more audio output devices disposed along the housing, the control circuit outputting instructions for one or more of accomplishing self-management to prevent congestive heart failure complications or obtaining medical assistance to prevent the congestive heart failure complications.

2. The weight scale of claim 1, the control circuit further presenting the weight on the display.

3. The weight scale of claim 2, wherein the second color indication indicates the self-management is required to the prevent congestive heart failure complications.

4. The weight scale of claim 3, wherein the third color indication indicates the medical assistance is required to prevent the congestive heart failure complications.

5. The weight scale of claim 4, wherein the first color indication comprises green light, the second color indication comprises yellow light, and the third color indication comprises red light.

6. The weight scale of claim 5, wherein the plurality of light sources comprises three light sources.

7. The weight scale of claim 4, the control circuit recording the weight in a weight log stored in the memory.

8. The weight scale of claim 7, further comprising a wireless communication circuit operable with the control circuit, the control circuit transmitting the weight log to a remote electronic device with the wireless communication circuit.

9. The weight scale of claim 7, further comprising a selectively detachable memory device, the control circuit also recording the weight log to the selectively detachable memory device.

10. The weight scale of claim 4, at least one light source of the plurality of light sources comprising a touch sensitive user input device.

11. The weight scale of claim 10, the control circuit causing the display to present a prompt requesting food ingestion information on the display.

12. The weight scale of claim 11, the control circuit receiving the good ingestion information from the touch sensitive user input device in response to presentation of the prompt.

13. The weight scale of claim 1, further comprising a pressure sensor coupled to the housing and measuring a contact area of the predefined user with the substantially planar surface.

14. The weight scale of claim 13, the control circuit causing the display to present an indication of edema when the contact area exceeds a predefined threshold.

15. A method comprising:

measuring, with a weight measurement device coupled to a housing of a weight scale, a weight of a predefined user;

presenting, with control circuit, the weight on a display disposed along the housing;

comparing, with the control circuit, the weight to a first predefined weight threshold and a second predefined weight threshold; and

indicating with one or more output devices;

when the weight is between the first predefined weight threshold and the second predefined weight threshold, the predefined user requires self-management to prevent congestive heart failure complications; and

when the weight is above the second predefined weight threshold, the predefined user requires medical assistance to prevent the congestive heart failure complications.

16. The method of claim 15, the one or more output devices comprising a plurality of sources presenting a first color indication when the predefined user requires the self-management to prevent the congestive heart failure complications and a second color indication when the predefined user requires the medical assistance to prevent the congestive heart failure complications.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

measuring, with a pressure sensor, a contact area of the predefined user with the housing; and

causing one or more of the display or the one or more output devices to present an indication of edema when the contact area exceeds a predefined threshold.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising delivering, with one or more audio output devices, instructions for one or more of accomplishing the self-management to prevent the congestive heart failure complications or obtaining the medical assistance to prevent the congestive heart failure complications.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising recording, with the control circuit, the weight in a weight log and transmitting the weight log to another device.

20. A weight scale, comprising:

a housing defining a substantially planar surface;

a weight measurement device measuring a weight of a predefined user when on the substantially planar surface;

a display disposed along the substantially planar surface;

control circuit operable with the display, the control circuit storing in a memory a first predefined weight threshold of the predefined user and a second predefined weight threshold corresponding the predefined user; and

a plurality of light sources, operable with the control circuit to selectively present one of three color-coded indications, wherein each of the plurality of light sources is separate from the display;

the control circuit further causing;

when the weight is below the first predefined weight threshold, at least one light source of the plurality of light sources to present a first color indication;

when the weight is between the first predefined weight threshold and the second predefined weight threshold, the at least one light source of the plurality of light sources to present a second color indication; and

when the weight is above the second predefined weight threshold, the at least one light source of the plurality of light sources to present a third color indication;

further comprising a pressure sensor coupled to the housing and measuring a contact area of the predefined user with the substantially planar surface;

the control circuit causing the display to present an indication of edema when the contact area exceeds a predefined threshold.

21. A weight scale, comprising:

a housing defining a substantially planar surface;

a weight measurement device measuring a weight of a predefined user when on the substantially planar surface;

a display disposed along the substantially planar surface;

control circuit operable with the display, the control circuit storing in a memory a first predefined weight threshold of the predefined user and a second predefined weight threshold corresponding the predefined user; and

a plurality of light sources, operable with the control circuit to selectively present one of three color-coded indications, wherein each of the plurality of light sources is separate from the display;

the control circuit further causing;

when the weight is below the first predefined weight threshold, at least one light source of the plurality of light sources to present a first color indication;

when the weight is between the first predefined weight threshold and the second predefined weight threshold, the at least one light source of the plurality of light sources to present a second color indication; and

when the weight is above the second predefined weight threshold, the at least one light source of the plurality of light sources to present a third color indication;

at least one light source of the plurality of light sources comprising a touch sensitive user input device.

22. The weight scale of claim 21, the control circuit causing the display to present a prompt requesting food ingestion information on the display.

23. The weight scale of claim 22, the control circuit receiving the good ingestion information from the touch sensitive user input device in response to presentation of the prompt.