Liquid container systems and methods for monitoring user hydration

• US 10,433,666 B1
• Filed: 08/17/2016
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama (University of Alabama System)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama (University of Alabama System)
• Inventors: Jovanov, Emil
• Primary Examiner(s): Odom, Curtis B
• Application Number:
  US15/239,810
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2227 with means for amusing or giving information to the user A47G23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2019/2238 with illumination means
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2019/2244 with sound emitting means
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/18 Drinking straws or the like as integral parts of drinking containers A47G19/2266; for therapeutic purposes A61J15/00 ; adapted to emerge from drinking containers when opened B65D77/283
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 23/16 combined with drinking vessels or with lids therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/76 for fluid level
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0076 Medicament distribution means with pill counting devices A61J7/02; with time indication A61J7/04; containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0436 resulting from removing a drug from, or opening, a container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/0202 without integral tamper element
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/265 for discrete levels

Abstract

A smart beverage container may be used to monitor user hydration. The container has at least one sensor for sensing an amount of liquid within the container. The liquid is monitored over time to determine an amount of liquid consumed by a user, and feedback is provided to the user indicating whether the user'"'"'s liquid consumption is within a desired range according to a predefined profile of consumption. Such feedback may include information for indicating when the user is to consume additional liquid in order to remain in compliance with a desired liquid consumption regimen, as well as reminders to take additional liquid or warn the user if too much liquid had been consumed.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring user hydration, comprising:

a beverage container for holding a liquid;

at least one sensor coupled to the container and configured to sense at least one parameter indicative of an amount of the liquid within the beverage container;

memory for storing data defining a target hydration profile indicating a desired amount of the liquid to be consumed over a time period; and

at least one processor configured to track consumption of the liquid by a user based on the at least one parameter, the at least one processor further configured to compare an amount of the liquid consumed by the user during the time period to the desired amount indicated by the target hydration profile and to initiate a warning in response to a determination that the amount consumed by the user is inconsistent with the target hydration profile defined by the data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a capacitive sensor coupled to the container, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a value indicative of the amount of the liquid within the beverage container based on a capacitance sensed by the capacitive sensor.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the capacitive sensor comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode having a first plurality of fingers and the second electrode having a second plurality of fingers interleaved with the first plurality of fingers.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising a temperature sensor coupled to the beverage container and positioned to sense a temperature of the liquid, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the value based on the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising an impedance sensor configured to sense an impedance of the liquid within the beverage container, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a type of the liquid within the beverage container based on the impedance sensed by the impedance sensor and the capacitance sensed by the capacitive sensor.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein at least a first portion of the capacitive sensor is positioned on a side of the beverage container and at least a second portion of the capacitive sensor is positioned on a bottom of the beverage container.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein a third portion of the capacitive sensor is positioned on a side of the beverage container, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a value indicative of the amount of the liquid within the beverage container based on the at least one parameter, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to compensate the value for tilting of the beverage container based on measurements by the first, second, and third portions of the capacitive sensor.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor coupled to the beverage container.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the temperature sensor is positioned to sense a temperature of the liquid.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine whether the liquid is suitable for consumption based on the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor and to provide a warning when the liquid is determined by the at least one processor to be unsuitable for consumption.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the temperature sensor is positioned to sense a temperature of ambient air.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is configured to update the desired amount indicated by the data based on the temperature of the ambient air sensed by the temperature sensor.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a humidity sensor coupled to the beverage container.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is configured to update the desired amount indicated by the data based on a humidity sensed by the humidity sensor.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a value indicative of the amount of the liquid within the beverage container based on the at least one parameter and a humidity sensed by the humidity sensor.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the beverage container comprises an inner container positioned within an outer container, wherein the inner container is removable from the outer container.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one processor comprises a processor mounted on the outer container.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a capacitive sensor coupled to the inner container.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a first interface capacitor having a first electrode on the inner container and a second electrode on the outer container; and

a second interface capacitor having a third electrode on the inner container and a fourth electrode on the outer container,

the first interface capacitor, the second interface capacitor, and the capacitive sensor are electrically coupled in series, and wherein the processor mounted on the outer container is coupled to the second electrode and the fourth electrode.

20. A system for monitoring user hydration, comprising:

a beverage container for holding a liquid;

means for sensing at least one parameter indicative of an amount of the liquid within the beverage container;

memory for storing data defining a target hydration profile indicating a desired amount of the liquid to be consumed over a time period; and

means for tracking consumption of the liquid by a user based on the at least one parameter, the tracking means configured to compare an amount of the liquid consumed by the user during the time period to the desired amount indicated by the target hydration profile and to initiate a warning in response to a determination that the amount consumed by the user is inconsistent with target hydration profile indicated by the data.

21. A method for monitoring user hydration, comprising:

sensing, with at least one sensor coupled to a beverage container, at least one parameter indicative of an amount of liquid within the beverage container;

storing, in memory, data defining a target hydration profile indicating a desired amount of the liquid to be consumed over a time period; and

tracking consumption of the liquid by a user based on the least one parameter with at least one processor, the tracking comprising;

determining an amount of the liquid consumed during the time period based on the sensing;

comparing the desired amount indicated by the target hydration profile to the amount of the liquid determined to be consumed during the time period; and

providing a warning when the amount of the liquid determined to be consumed during the time period is inconsistent with the target hydration profile defined by the data.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a capacitive sensor, wherein the determining is based on the capacitive sensor.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the capacitive sensor comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode having a first plurality of fingers and the second electrode having a second plurality of fingers interleaved with the first plurality of fingers.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising sensing a temperature of the liquid with a temperature sensor coupled to the beverage container, wherein the determining is based on the sensed temperature.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising sensing a temperature of the liquid with a temperature sensor coupled to the beverage container.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

determining whether the liquid is suitable for consumption based on the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor; and

providing a warning when the liquid is determined to be unsuitable for consumption.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising sensing a humidity of ambient air with a humidity sensor coupled to the beverage container.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising updating the desired amount of the liquid to be consumed based on the humidity sensed by the humidity sensor.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the beverage container comprises an inner container positioned within an outer container, and wherein the method further comprises removing the inner container from the outer container.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the at least one processor comprises a processor mounted on the outer container.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a capacitive sensor coupled to the inner container, and wherein the determining is based on the capacitive sensor.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the capacitive sensor is electrically coupled in series to a first interface capacitor and a second interface capacitor, the first interface capacitor having an electrode on the inner container and an electrode on the outer container, the second interface capacitor having an electrode on the inner container and an electrode on the outer container.