PROGRAMMABLE DIGITAL SCALE

• US 20020134589A1
• Filed: 01/13/2000
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunbeam Products, Inc. d/b/a Jarden Consumer Solutions (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sunbeam Products, Inc. d/b/a Jarden Consumer Solutions (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Dingler, Noah E.A., Montagnino, James G., Ward, Evan T.
• Granted Patent: US 6,538,215 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 177/25.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4146 for controlling caloric intake, e.g. diet control
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/44 for weighing persons
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/921 Diet management

Abstract

A programmable microprocessor-controlled digital scale capable of storing profiles of multiple users and respective user-specific weight management information includes a software program executed by the microprocessor to create and store a user profile for each user. The software program also allows the generation user-specific weight control information based on the user'"'"'s profile and weight, and displays the information to the user. The generated user-specific weight control information can include, for example: current weight; absolute as well as percentage change in weight; graph of the minimum and maximum weight for the average person matching the user'"'"'s profile; a thirty day rolling graph of the user'"'"'s weight history; information about the number of calories that should be consumed in order to either maintain weight, or lose one pound per week; and body fat measurements.

Claims

1. A digital weight measurement device, comprising:

a housing;

a weight sensor disposed in the housing;

a display mounted on an upper surface of the housing; and

a controller disposed in the housing and coupled to the weight sensor and the display, the controller causing a plurality of user-specific weight management information for a user to be transmitted to the display.

2. The digital weight measurement device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of user-specific weight management information includes at least one of a current weight of a user, a percentage change in weight, a graph of a minimum and a maximum weight for an average person matching a profile of the user, a thirty day rolling graph of the user'"'"'s weight history, a number of calories to be consumed in order to achieve a predetermined weight, and a body fat measurement.

3. The digital weight measurement device of claim 1, wherein the weight sensor includes loadcell technology.

4. The digital weight measurement device of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a microprocessor coupled to a memory via a bus.

5. The digital weight measurement device of claim 4, wherein the memory includes a read only memory portion storing computer readable means for causing the microprocessor to perform at least one of:

generating a user profile,

generating a percent change value,

generating a weight change value,

generating an average user display,

generating a rolling graph display,

generating a graph overlay display,

generating a calorie count display,

generating a body fat value, and

displaying at least one of the user profile, the percentage change value, the weight change value, the average user display, the rolling graph display, the graph overlay display, the calorie count display and the body fat value.

6. The digital weight measurement device of claim 1, comprising a keypad disposed in the housing and coupled to the controller, the keypad providing for a user input of data.

7. The digital weight measurement device of claim 6, wherein the keypad provides for entry of alphanumeric data.

8. The digital weight measurement device of claim 1, comprising a radio frequency input port disposed on the housing and coupled to the controller, the radio frequency input port cooperating with a radio frequency handset, the radio frequency handset providing for a user input of data.

9. The digital weight measurement device of claim 1, comprising a contoured surface disposed on an upper surface of the housing substantially above the weight sensor, the contoured surface receiving feet of a user.

10. The digital weight measurement device of claim 1, wherein the display is movably mounted on a support extending from the upper surface of the housing.

11. The digital weight measurement device of claim 10, wherein the display includes one of a LCD display and a LED display.

12. The digital weight measurement device of claim 4, wherein the microprocessor performs the steps of:

generating a user profile;

generating a body fat value; and

displaying the body fat value.

13. The digital weight measurement device of claim 6, wherein the data includes at least one of a user sex, a user age, a user height, and a user frame, and the controller performs at least one of:

generating a user profile,

generating a percent change value,

generating a body fat value, and

displaying at least one of the user profile, the percentage change value, and the body fat value.

14. The digital weight measurement device of claim 6, wherein the data includes a user sex and user age and the controller performs the steps of:

generating a user profile;

generating a body fat value; and

displaying the body fat value.

15. The digital weight measurement device of claim 6, wherein the keypad includes a set of user keys, each user key corresponding to a different user.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the user profile includes an age, a height, and a sex.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the user profile includes a user identifier, and wherein multiple user profiles may be entered.

19. The method of claim 16 comprising:

if no specific weight management information request is received, displaying weight management information.

20. The method of claim 19 comprising:

displaying weight management information in a predetermined order.

21. The method of claim 17 comprising:

if no specific weight management information request is received, displaying weight management information.

22. The method of claim 17 comprising:

displaying weight management information in a predetermined order.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the weight management information includes the percent change in the user'"'"'s weight.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the weight management information includes a graph.

16. A method of displaying, via a scale, weight management information to a user comprising:

the scale receiving a user profile;

determining the weight of the user; and

the scale displaying weight management information.