Diet and activity monitoring device

• US 20010049470A1
• Filed: 12/23/2000
• Published: 12/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microlife Medical Home Solutions Inc.
• Original Assignee: HealtheTech, Inc.
• Inventors: Gilmore, David, Mault, James R., Skoskiewicz, Andrzej, Givechi, Roshi, Pearce, Edwin, Grimmer, Neil, Ragan, Jeanne
• Granted Patent: US 6,513,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0204 of power management
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0295 adapted for recording user messages or annotations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0462 Apparatus with built-in sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0468 Built-in electrodes
• 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 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0017 transmitting optical signals transmission by light H04B10/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/222 combined with detection or measurement of physiological parameters, e.g. heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6813 Specially adapted to be attached to a specific body part A61B5/6802 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 : using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 : Instruments for auscultation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/00 : Measuring physiological parameters of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/497 : of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 : relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/921 : Diet management

Abstract

A diet and activity-monitoring device includes a timer which outputs a time-indicative signal. A body activity monitor monitors the body activity of a subject and outputs a signal indicative of the body activity. A consumption notation control is provided which the subject may operate to indicate when they consume food. An activity calculator receives the body activity signal and determines a body activity level for the subject. A consumption calculator communicates with the consumption notation control and receives the time-indicative signal. The consumption calculator determines and stores the times when the consumption location control is operated.

Claims

1. A device for monitoring the diet and activity of a subject comprising:

a timer operable to output a time indicative signal;

a body activity monitor for monitoring the body activity of the subject, the body activity monitor operable to output a signal indicative of the body activity of the subject;

a consumption notation control operable by the subject to indicate when the subject consumes food;

an activity calculator operable to receive the body activity indicative signal and to determine a body activity level for the subject; and

a consumption calculator in communication with the consumption notation control and operable to receive the time indicative signal, the consumption calculator further operable to determine and store the times when the consumption notation control is operated.

2. The monitoring device according to

claim 1

, wherein the body activity monitor comprises:

a heart rate monitor operable to determine the heart rate of the subject, the body activity indicative signal being a heart rate indicative signal.

3. The monitoring device according to

claim 1

, wherein the body activity monitor comprises:

a motion sensor operable to determine the motion of the subject, the body activity indicative signal being a body motion indicative signal.

4. The monitoring device according to

claim 1

, wherein the body activity monitor comprises:

a GPS based tracking device operable to determine the position of the subject, the body activity indicative signal being a position indicative signal; and

the activity calculator further being operable to receive the time indicative signal, the activity calculator determining the body activity of the subject by determining the changes in the position of the subject over a period of time.

5. The monitoring device according to

claim 1

, wherein the body activity monitor comprises:

a respiration sensor operable to sense respiration of the subject.

6. The monitoring device according to

claim 1

, wherein the consumption notation control comprises:

an audio recorder operable to receive audio notations from the subject.

7. The monitoring device according to

claim 1

, wherein the consumption notation control comprises:

a digital camera.

8. A portable device for recording diet and exercise data for a subject, the device comprising:

a housing configured to be carried by the subject;

a display for displaying information to the subject;

a body activity monitor operable to monitor the body activity of the subject;

an input operable by the subject to note when food consumption occurs;

a timer operable to output a time indicative signal;

a processor in communication with the input and operable to receive the time indicative signal, the processor further operable to determine and store the times when the input is operated by the subject.

9. The device according to

claim 8

, further comprising a microphone and a microphone control, the microphone control operable to receive and store an audio signal from the microphone whereby the subject can record an audio notation.

10. The device according to

claim 9

, further comprising voice recognition software operable to convert the audio signal into data representative of a text message.

11. The device according to

claim 8

, further comprising an optical imaging sensor and an imaging control, the imaging control operable to receive and store an optical signal from the imaging sensor.

12. The device according to

claim 8

, wherein the body activity monitor comprising a locating device operable to determine the location of the subject carrying the device.

13. The device according to

claim 12

, wherein the locating device is a global positioning system based locating device.

14. The device according to

claim 12

, wherein the body activity monitor is further operable to receive the time indicative signal and to determine the rate of change in the location of the subject and the body activity of the subject.

15. The device according to

claim 8

, wherein the body activity monitor comprises a heart rate monitor.

16. The device according to

claim 8

, wherein the body activity monitor comprises a body motion sensor.

17. The device according to

claim 8

, wherein the body activity monitor comprises a respiration sensor operable to sense respiration of the subject.

18. The device according to

claim 8

, further comprising a communication transceiver for communicating with a computing device.

19. A system for creating a consumption log for a subject comprising:

a portable device having a timer operable to output a time indicative signal and a consumption notation control operable by the subject to indicate when the subject consumes food, the portable device further having a processor in communication with the consumption notation control and operable to receive the time indicative signal, the processor further operable to determine and store the times when the consumption notation control is operated, the portable device further having a communication transceiver for transferring data indicative of the times when the consumption notation control was operated; and

a computing device having a display and a communication transceiver for receiving data from the portable device, the computing device operable to receive the data from the portable device and to display the times when the consumption notation control was operated.

20. The system according to

claim 19

, wherein the computing device is further operable to display consumption choices for each time when the consumption notation control was operated.

21. The system according to

claim 20

, wherein the computing device is further operable to create a consumption log and to determine caloric consumption for the subject.

22. The system according to

claim 19

, wherein the portable device further comprises a body activity monitor operable to monitor the body activity of the subject and to store data indicative of the body activity of the subject, the communication transceiver further operable to transfer the data indicative of the body activity.

23. The system according to

claim 22

, wherein the computing device is further operable to display information corresponding to the data indicative of the body activity.

24. The system according to

claim 23

, wherein the computing device is further operable to create an activity log and to determine an activity level for the subject.

25. A method of creating a consumption log for a subject comprising:

providing a portable device having a consumption notation control operable by the subject to record the times that the subject consumes food;

operating the consumption notation control each time the subject consumes food to record the consumption time;

providing a computing device operable to receive the recorded times from the portable device;

transferring the recorded times to the computing device;

displaying the recorded times to the subject; and

recording foods consumed for each of the recorded times.