Weight control system with meal plan and journal

• US 20040171925A1
• Filed: 03/10/2004
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WW.com LLC (WW International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Weightwatchers.com Incorporated (WW International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller-Kovach, Karen, Sheppard, Amy, Kirchhoff, David, Kelly, Sheila, Crook, Anna, Connelly, Lisa, Semmelbauer, Thilo, Perl, Amie, Posillico, Palma
• Granted Patent: US 8,595,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4146 for controlling caloric intake, e.g. diet control
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3735 using a digital network
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3742 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• 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 70/60 relating to pathologies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/921 Diet management

Abstract

A weight control software system and method may provide an interactive software environment to a user via a network to enhance the ability of users to follow a weight control program. The weight control software system may generate meal plans that are automatically updated based on an updated weight of the user following the weight control program. A variety of tools may be integrated into the weight control software system and be interoperable to utilize information entered by the user or generated by the system in controlling body weight of the user. Such tools may include journal and meal planning functionality.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating the control of body weight of a person, said system comprising:

a processor operable to execute software that maintains a meal plan for the person;

a memory unit operable to store data associated with the meal plan;

an input/output device operable to provide an interface for the person to operate the software and receive an updated body weight from the person; and

a display operable to present the meal plan to the person, the meal plan being automatically altered by the processor based on the updated body weight.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a network coupled to the system; and

wherein the input/output unit is operable to communicate the data associated with the meal plan across the network.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the network is the Internet.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the software being executed by the processor is further operable to generate the meal plan based on characteristics associated with the person.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the characteristics include demographics.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the display periodically or from time to time presents to the person a reminder to enter the updated body weight.

7. A method for facilitating the control of body weight of a person, said method comprising:

receiving an initial body weight of the person;

determining a target food consumption plan for the person based at least in part on the initial body weight;

receiving an updated weight of the person; and

automatically altering the target food consumption plan for the person based at least in part on the updated weight of the person.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said determining a target food consumption plan includes:

determining a range of values based at least in part on the initial body weight of the person; and

selecting food for the person to consume on a daily basis based on the range of values.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising selecting a meal plan from a predetermined set of foods.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined set of foods is composed of a pre-established set of foods and a user supplied set of foods.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the pre-established set of foods include foods prepared by consumer restaurants.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the pre-established set of foods include branded foods.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein at least some of the predetermined set of foods are meals.

14. The method according to claim 7, further comprising communicating a message to the user based on the updated weight of the person.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the message provides at least one of the following:

congratulations, encouragement, suggestions, warnings, and feedback information.

16. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

providing a user selectable indicia operable to be utilized by the person in times of weight control difficulty;

receiving a notification upon the user selectable indicia being selected by the person; and

providing the person at least one selectable element associated with underlying information.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the user selectable indicia is a panic button.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the at least one selectable element is a hyperlink.

19. The method according to claim 7, further comprising receiving at least one of height and age of the person.

20. The method according to claim 7, further comprising receiving demographical information associated with the person.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising altering the target food consumption plan of the person based on the demographical information associated with the person.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the demographical information includes at least one of the following:

gender, race, and ethnicity.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein said determining of the target food consumption plan is further based at least in part on the demographical information associated with person.

24. The method according to claim 7, wherein said determining of the target food consumption plan is based on decreasing weight of the person.

25. The method according to claim 7, wherein said determining of the target food consumption plan is based on maintaining weight of the person.

26. The method according to claim 7, wherein said determining of the target food consumption plan is based on increasing weight of the person.

27. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

providing indicia of selectable activities for the person to engage; and

receiving a selection of at least one selectable activity from the user.

28. The method according to claim 27, further comprising utilizing the selection to alter the amount of consumable food to satisfy the target consumption plan.

29. The method according to claim 27, further comprising altering the target food consumption plan of the person based on the selection.

30. The method according to claim 7, wherein said automatically altering the target food consumption plan is performed by a computing device.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the computing device is a hand-held computing device.

32. The method according to claim 7, further comprising communicating the altered food consumption plan across a network.

33. The method according to claim 7, further comprising receiving at least one other characteristic of the person.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein said determining of the target food consumption plan for the person is additionally based on the at least one other characteristic.

35. The method according to claim 7, further comprising reminding the person periodically or from time to time to enter the updated weight of the person.

36. A system for facilitating the control of body weight of a person, said method comprising:

means for receiving an initial body weight of the person;

means for determining a target food consumption plan for the person based at least in part on the initial body weight;

means for receiving an updated weight of the person; and

means for automatically altering the target food consumption plan for the person based at least in part on the updated weight of the person.

37. The system according to claim 36, further comprising means for selecting a meal plan from a predetermined set of foods.

38. The system according to claim 36, further comprising means for communicating a message to the user based on the updated weight of the person.

39. The system according to claim 36, further comprising:

means for providing a user selectable indicia operable to be utilized by the person in times of weight control difficulty;

means for receiving a notification upon the user selectable indicia being selected by the person; and

means for providing the person at least one selectable element associated with underlying information, suggestions, and commentary.

40. The system according to claim 36, further comprising means for receiving demographical information associated with the person.

41. The system according to claim 40, further comprising means for altering the target food consumption plan of the person based on the demographical information associated with the person.

42. The system according to claim 40, wherein the target food consumption plan is further based at least in part on the demographical information associated with person.

43. The system according to claim 36, further comprising:

means for providing indicia of selectable activities for the person to engage; and

means for receiving a selection of at least one selectable activity from the user.

44. The system according to claim 0.43, further comprising means for utilizing the selection to alter the amount of consumable food to satisfy the target consumption plan.

45. The system according to claim 43, further comprising means for altering the target food consumption plan of the person based on the selection.

46. The system according to claim 36, further comprising means for receiving at least one other characteristic of the person, said means for determining the target food consumption plan further basing the target food consumption plan on the at least one other characteristic.

47. The system according to claim 0.36, further comprising means for reminding the person periodically or from time to time to enter the updated weight of the person.

48. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions, the sequences of instructions including instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive an initial body weight of the person;

determine a target food consumption plan for the person based at least in part on the initial body weight;

receive an updated weight of the person; and

automatically alter the target food consumption plan for the person based at least in part on the updated weight of the person.

49. A method for managing data utilized by an online personalized weight control program, said method comprising:

receiving identification of a user;

receiving an initial profile representative of characteristics of a user,

forming a dataset based on the initial profile associated with the user;

providing a plurality of interoperable selectable weight control elements for access by the user to personalize the dataset;

receiving data associated with the weight control elements;

updating the dataset in accordance with the received data; and

storing the updated dataset, the updated dataset being utilized by the user to follow a personalized weight control program.

50. The method according to claim 49, wherein the interoperable selectable weight control elements include at least one of food and exercise items.

51. The method according to claim 49, wherein said forming of the dataset is a function of a predetermined set of rules operable to control weight.

52. The method according to claim 49, wherein the dataset includes predetermined meals each having a total food value associated therewith.

53. The method according to claim 49, wherein said updating is performed automatically.

54. The method according to claim 49, wherein the interoperable selectable weight control elements include a journal interface operable to provide a daily listing of foods for consumption in accordance with the personalized weight control program.

55. The method according to claim 54, wherein the foods are selectably alterable to establish a different daily listing of foods for consumption.

56. The, method according to claim 54, further comprising crediting future daily listings based on a total food value of the daily listing being below a target value.

57. The method according to claim 56, wherein the target value is a maximum number of values as a function of food consumption and activities allotted by the weight control program.

58. The method according to claim 56, wherein said crediting is performed for a predetermined number of days.

59. The method according to claim 49, wherein said updating of the dataset is performed by a computing device in communication with a network.

60. A system for managing data utilized by an online personalized weight control program, said system comprising:

a memory for storing the data utilized by the online personalized weight control program; and

a processor coupled to said memory and operable to execute instructions of the personalized weight control program to;

receive identification of a user,

provide a plurality of interoperable selectable weight control elements for access by the user to personalize the dataset;

receive data associated with the weight control elements;

update the dataset in accordance with the received data; and

store the updated dataset, the updated dataset being utilized by the user to follow a personalized weight control program.

61. The system according to claim 60, wherein the interoperable selectable weight control elements include at least one of food and exercise items.

62. The system according to claim 60, wherein the formed dataset is a function of a predetermined set of rules operable to control weight.

63. The system according to claim 60, wherein the dataset includes predetermined meals each having a total food value associated therewith.

64. The system according to claim 60, wherein the interoperable selectable weight control elements include a journal interface operable to provide a daily listing of foods for consumption in accordance with the personalized weight control program.

65. The system according to claim 64, wherein the foods are selectably alterable to establish a different daily listing of foods for consumption.

66. The system according to claim 64, wherein the processor is further operable to execute instructions to credit future daily listings based on a total food value of the daily listing being below a target value.

67. The system according to claim 66, wherein the target value is a maximum number of values as a function of food consumption and activities allotted by the weight control program.

68. The system according to claim 66, wherein the credited future daily listings are provided for a predetermined number of days.

69. A system for facilitating control of body weight of a person, said system comprising a computing device operable to execute a software program having a plurality of software elements operable to facilitate control of body weight of the person, the software elements operable to facilitate control of body weight of the person utilizing at least two sources of input, a first input source being a planned set of food items to be consumed based on a current weight of the person and a second input source being an actual set of food items consumed by the person, the software elements further operable to receive updated weight of the person to alter the planned set of food items for future food item consumption.

70. The system according to claim 69, wherein the software elements are further operable to facilitate control of body weight of the person utilizing a third source of input being actual activities performed by the person.

71. The system according to claim 70, wherein one software element is a journal operable to maintain information associated with the input sources.

72. The system according to claim 69, wherein the software elements are Operable to compute a food consumption value to be consumed based on food values associated with the actual food items consumed by the person.

73. A system for facilitating the control of body weight of a person, said system comprising:

a processor operable to execute software that maintains a meal plan for the person;

a memory unit operable to store data associated with the meal plan;

an input/output device operable to provide an interface for the person to operate the software; and

a display operable to present the meal plan to the person, the meal plan being displayed in a multi-day format and including a user selectable indicia operable to be utilized by the person in order to display the meal plan for a particular one of the days displayed in the multi-day format.

74. The system according to claim 73, wherein the input/output device is further operable to receive an updated body weight from the person, and wherein the meal plan is automatically altered by the processor based on the updated body weight.

75. The system according to claim 74, wherein the display periodically or from time to time presents to the person a reminder to enter the updated body weight.

76. The system according to claim 73, further comprising a network coupled to the system, and wherein the input/output unit is operable to communicate the data associated with the meal plan across the network.

77. The system according to claim 76, wherein the network is the Internet.

78. The system according to claim 77 wherein the user selectable indicia comprises a hyperlink.

79. The system according to claim 73, wherein the software being executed by the processor is further operable to generate the meal plan based on characteristics associated with the person.

80. The system according to claim 79, wherein the characteristics include demographics.