Body attribute analyzer with trend display

• US 20020022773A1
• Filed: 07/20/2001
• Published: 02/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Adrian P. Alting-Mees, Darrel Drinan, Diethard Merz, Jeffrey I. Levatter
• Original Assignee: Adrian P. Alting-Mees, Darrel Drinan, Diethard Merz, Jeffrey I. Levatter
• Inventors: Merz, Diethard, Alting-Mees, Adrian P., Levatter, Jeffrey I., Drinan, Darrel
• Application Number:
  US09/910,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20020022773A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0468 Built-in electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4869 Determining body composition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

A body attribute analysis and display system provides a display of averaged data for selected body attributes, such as body weight, body fat percentage, and blood pressure, at a plurality of selected intervals over a period of time. The user'"'"'s body fat percentage is determined by measuring the user'"'"'s body impedance.

Claims

1. A system for measuring and displaying body attribute information comprising:

a measuring device for measuring a current value of at least one body attribute;

a storing device for storing the results of measurements of said at least one body attribute taken over a plurality of prior measuring intervals;

a computing device for computing an average value of said at least one body attribute measured during one or more of said prior measuring intervals in an event more than one such measurement of said at least one body attribute is made during said one or more prior measuring intervals and storing said average value as a prior measurement value; and

a display device operatively coupled to said storing device for displaying the results of the current measurement along with data representative of at least one prior measurement of said at least one body attribute.

2. The system of claim 1, in which said display device comprises a graphic display of the results of the current and at least one prior measurement of at least two body attributes.

3. The system of claim 2, in which said body attributes include body weight and body fat percentage.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a measuring unit for measuring the user'"'"'s body weight and bioimpedance, and a computing unit for computing the user'"'"'s body fat percentage from said measured weight and bioimpedance.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an input unit for inputting one of a plurality of user identification codes, each of said codes being associated with one of a corresponding plurality of potential users, said display device being operative to display body attribute data only for the user identified by the inputted personal identification code.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a comparing unit for comparing a current body attribute measurement against a stored value of body attribute measurement, and a preventing device for preventing access to the stored body attribute data if the stored body attribute data deviates from the current body attribute data by a predetermined amount.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a storing unit for storing body attribute measurement data only for data of a body attribute measurement taken during a predetermined period of time.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a base unit including said measuring device and a display unit remote from said base unit, said remote display unit including said display device, and a transmitting device in said base unit for transmitting current and prior body attribute data from said base unit to said remote display unit.

9. The system of claim 1, in which said body attribute includes one or more of body weight, body fat percentage, fat free mass, lean body mass, body mass index, total water content and blood pressure.

10. The system of claim 9, in which said display device comprises a graphic display of the results of the current and at least one prior measurement of at least two body attributes.

11. The system of claim 10, in which said body attributes include body weight and body fat percentage.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a measuring unit for measuring the user'"'"'s body weight, and means for computing the user'"'"'s bioimpedance and at least one other body attribute from said value of bioimpedance.

13. The system of claim 4, further comprising a base unit including said measuring device, and a display unit remote from said base unit and including said display device, and a transmitting unit in said base unit for transmitting the current and prior body attribute data from said base unit to said remote display unit.

14. The system of claim 13, in which said transmitting unit includes an infrared transmitter, and said display unit includes an infrared receiver.

15. The system of claim 4, comprising a base unit including said measuring unit, and a display unit remote from said base unit and including said display device, and a transmitting unit in said base unit for transmitting the current and prior body attribute data from said base unit to said remote display unit.

17. The system of claim 16, in which said body attributes include body weight and body fat percentage, said measuring device effective for measuring the user'"'"'s bioimpedance, and a signaling device for deriving from said measuring device a signal representative of the user'"'"'s body weight.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising an input device for inputting one of a plurality of personal identification codes, said display device being effective to display body attribute data only for a user identified by an inputted personal identification code.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising a computing unit for computing the average values of body weight and body fat percentage taken during one or more of said prior intervals in the event more than one of such measurements is made during that prior interval.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising an input device for inputting one of a plurality of personal identification codes, each of said codes being associated with one of a corresponding plurality of users, said display device, in response to said input code, displaying body attribute data only for a user identified by an inputted personal identification code.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a computing unit for computing the average values of body weight and body fat percentage taken during one of said prior intervals in the event more than one of such measurements is made during that interval.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising electrodes adapted to conduct a signal current transmitted through a user'"'"'s body, for measuring said user'"'"'s bioimpedance.

23. The system of claim 21, in which said computing unit for computing body fat percentage includes a measuring unit for measuring the user'"'"'s bioimpedance, said bioimpedance measuring unit including a current source, a first pair of electrodes coupled to said current source, a second pair of electrodes, and a voltage drop measuring unit for measuring the voltage drop across said second pair of electrodes.

24. The system of claim 16, in which said measuring unit and said computing unit are included in a base sensor unit, and said display device is included in a display unit remote from said base sensor unit, said base sensor unit comprising a transmitting device coupled to said computing unit for transmitting the computed body attribute data to said remote display unit.

25. The system of claim 24, in which said transmitting device includes an infrared transmitter, said display unit comprising an infrared receiver.

26. The system of claim 23, in which said measuring unit and said computing unit are included in a base sensor unit, and said display device is included in a display unit remote from said base sensor unit, said base sensor unit comprising a transmitting device coupled to said computing unit for transmitting the computed body attribute data to said remote display unit.

27. The system of claim 26, in which said transmitting device includes an infrared transmitter, said display unit comprising an infrared receiver.

29. The system of claim 28, in which a display device comprises a graphic display of the results of the current and at least one prior measurement of at least two body attributes.

30. The system of claim 29, in which a measuring device and said computing device are included in a base sensor unit, and said display device is included in a display unit remote from said base sensor unit, said base sensor unit comprising a transmitting device coupled to said computing device for transmitting the computed body attribute data to said remote display unit.

31. The system of claim 28, in which said security or identification device includes a comparing unit for comparing the current body attribute measurements with prior body attribute measurements for a user identified by the identification code entered by the current user.

32. The system of claim 28, further comprising a storing device for storing body measurement data only for measurements taken during a predetermined period of time.

16. A body attribute display system comprising:

a measuring and computing device for measuring and computing at least first and second different body attributes of a user;

a storing device coupled to said measuring and computing device for storing data representative of at least one measurement of said first and second body attributes made during at least one prior time interval; and

a display device coupled to said storing device for displaying said at least one prior measured value of said first and second body attributes, along with a display of current values of said first and second body attributes.

28. A system for measuring and displaying current and previously measured body attributes for a plurality of authorized users, said system comprising:

a security or identification device for comparing current body factor measurements and prior stored body attribute measurements; and

a preventing device effective to preclude a current user from gaining access to stored body attribute data, when the current and stored body attribute data deviate by more than a predetermined amount.

33. A system for measuring and displaying body attributes for a plurality of potential users comprising:

a display device for displaying the results of current and prior body attribute measurements;

an input device for inputting one of a plurality of user identification codes, each of said codes being associated with one of a corresponding plurality of potential users; and

a permitting device for permitting a display of stored body attribute information only for the user identified by the inputted user identification code.

34. The system of claim 33, further comprising a storing device for storing body measurement data only for measurements taken during a predetermining period of time.

35. The system of claim 33, further comprising:

a comparing device for comparing a current body attribute measurement a gainst a stored value of an authorized user'"'"'s body attribute measurement; and

a preventing device for preventing access to the stored measurement data when the stored measurement data deviates from the current measurement data by a predetermined amount.

36. The system of claim 34, further comprising:

a comparing device for comparing a current body attribute measurement against the stored value of an authorized user'"'"'s body attribute measurement; and

a preventing device for preventing access to the stored measurement data when the stored measurement data deviates from the current measurement data by a predetermined amount.

38. The system of claim 37, in which said body attribute includes one or more of body weight, body percentage, fat free mass, lean body mass, body mass index, total water content, and blood pressure.

39. The system of claim 37, further comprising:

a comparing device for comparing a current body attribute measurement against the stored value of an authorized user'"'"'s body attribute measurement; and

a preventing device for preventing access to the stored measurement data if the stored measurement data deviates from the current measurement data by a predetermined amount.

40. The system of claim 37, further comprising a display device for displaying a graphic display of the results of the current and at least one prior measurement of at least two body attributes.

41. The system of claim 37, in which said body attributes include body weight and body fat percentage.

42. The system of claim 37, further comprising a computing device and a display device, wherein said measuring device and said computing device are included in a base sensor unit;

and said display device is included in a display unit remote from said base sensor unit, said base sensor unit comprising a transmitting device coupled to said computing device for transmitting the computed body attribute data to said remote display unit.

43. The system of claim 42, in which said transmitting device includes an infrared transmitter and said display unit includes an infrared receiver.

37. A system for measuring and displaying measured body attributes comprising:

a measuring device for measuring body attributes;

a storing device for storing the results of current and prior body attribute measurements; and

a storing unit for storing in said storing device only the results of a body attribute measurement taken during a predetermined period of time.

44. A system for measuring and displaying at least one body attribute comprising:

a base unit including a measuring device for measuring said at least one body attribute;

a storing device for storing the result of the measurement of said body attribute;

a display unit remote from said base unit, said remote display unit including a display device for displaying the results of a current and at least one prior measurement of said body attribute; and

a transmitting device in said base unit for transmitting stored and current body attribute information to said remote display unit.

45. The system of claim 44, in which said body attribute includes one or more of body weight, body fat percentage, fat free mass, lean body mass, body mass index, total water content, and blood pressure.

46. The system of claim 44, in which said body attributes include body weight and body fat percentage.

47. The system of claim 45, further comprising electrodes adapted to conduct a signal current transmitted through a user'"'"'s body, for measuring said user'"'"'s bioimpedance.

48. The system of claim 45, in which said measuring device includes a measuring unit for measuring a user'"'"'s bioimpedance, said measuring unit including a current source, a first pair of electrodes coupled to said current source, a second pair of electrodes, and a voltage measuring device for measuring the voltage drop across said second pair of electrodes.

49. The system of claim 44, in which said display device comprises a graphic display of the results of the current and at least one prior measurement of at least two body attributes.

50. The system of claim 49, in which said body attributes include body weight and body fat percentage.

51. The system of claim 44, further comprising an input device for inputting one of a plurality of user identification codes, each of said codes being associated with one of a corresponding plurality of potential users, said display device displaying body attribute data only for the user identified by the inputted personal identification code.

52. The system of claim 44, further comprising a comparing device for comparing a current body attribute measurement against the stored value of an authorized user'"'"'s body attribute measurement, and a preventing device for preventing access to the stored measurement data if the stored measurement data deviates from the current measurement data by a predetermined amount.

53. The system of claim 52, further comprising a storing unit for storing body measurement data only for measurements taken during a predetermined period of time.

54. The system of claim 44, in which said transmitting device includes an infrared transmitter, said display unit comprising an infrared receiver.

55. A system for measuring and displaying at least one body attribute of an individual comprising:

a measuring device for measuring the individual'"'"'s bioimpedance; and

a modifying device for modifying the measured bioimpedance by an amount based on the time of day the measurement is made.

56. The system of claim 55, in which said body attribute is body fat percentage.

57. The system of claim 55, in which said measuring device is included in a base sensor unit, and further including a display device for displaying the measured body attribute, said display device being included in a display unit remote from said base sensor unit.

58. The system of claim 57, in which said base sensor unit includes a transmitting device operatively coupled to said measuring device for transmitting data representative of the measured body attribute to said display unit.

60. The system of claim 59, in which said display device comprises a graphic display of the results of the current and said at least one prior measurement of the user'"'"'s body fat percentage and of at least one additional body attribute.

61. The system of claim 60, in which said additional body attribute includes body weight.

62. The system of claim 59, further comprising a measuring unit for measuring the user'"'"'s body weight and bioimpedance, and a computing device for computing the user'"'"'s body fat percentage from the measured weight and bioimpedance.

63. The system of claim 59, further comprising an input device for inputting one of a plurality of user identification codes, each of said codes being associated with one of a corresponding plurality of potential users, said display device being operative to display body attribute data only for the user identified by the inputted personal identification code.

64. The system of claim 59, further comprising:

a comparing device for comparing a current body attribute measurement against a stored value of body attribute measurement; and

a preventing device for preventing access to the stored body attribute data when the stored body attribute data deviates from the current body attribute data by a predetermined amount.

65. The system of a claim 59, further comprising:

a base unit including said measuring device and a display unit remote from said base unit, said remote display unit including said display device; and

a transmitting device in said base unit for transmitting current and prior body attribute data from said base unit to said remote display unit.

59. A system for measuring and displaying body attribute information comprising:

a measuring device for measuring the current value of a body attribute which includes at least a user'"'"'s body fat percentage;

a storing device for storing the results of a measurement of said body attribute taken during at least one prior interval; and

a display device operatively coupled to said storing device for displaying the results of the current measurement of the user'"'"'s body fat percentage along with data representative of said at least one prior measurement of the user'"'"'s body fat percentage.