Dietary Restrictions/Preferences Tracking and Meal Planning Process and System

• US 20060271394A1
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Joanne T. Kelly
• Original Assignee: Joanne T. Kelly
• Inventors: KELLY, JOANNE T.
• Application Number:
  US11/420,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20060271394A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

Software resident in a computer- or Web-accessible database allows event planners, hosts and hostesses to track their guests'"'"' food and beverage restrictions and preferences. Individuals enter their dietary needs/restrictions/preferences in the database. When a host or hostess enters a list of potential attendees to an event, the invention generates a plurality of recipes that are consistent with the potential attendees'"'"' dietary needs/restrictions/preferences.

Claims

1. A system for planning food to be served at an event that is compatible with the food preferences and/or restrictions of at least a substantial portion of the potential attendees of the event comprising:

a computer-accessible database system comprising;

a first portion for storing a plurality of food profiles, each food profile being associated with a different individual and defining the food restrictions and/or preferences of such an individual;

a second portion for storing a plurality of recipes, at least some of said plurality of recipes being compatible with food restrictions and/or preferences that can potentially be identified in an individual'"'"'s food profile; and

a computer-based interface associated with said computer-accessible database system for allowing a user to interact with said computer-accessible database system for use in planning an event at which food is to be served.

2. A system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said computer-based interface comprises a potential attendee interface that allows a potential attendee of an event to create a food profile that is individualized to said potential attendee.

3. A system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said computer-based interface comprises a potential attendee interface that allows a potential attendee of an event to alter a pre-existing food profile that is associated with the potential attendee.

4. A system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said computer-based interface comprises a potential attendee interface that allows a potential attendee of an event to provide an identified host/hostess of the event with access to a food profile associated with the potential attendee.

5. A system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said computer-based interface comprises a host/hostess interface that allows a host/hostess of an event to identify potential attendees of the event.

6. A system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said computer-based interface comprises a host/hostess interface that allows a host/hostess of an event to determine whether or not said host/hostess has access to a food profile associated with each potential attendee of the event.

7. A system, as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said host/hostess interface allows a host/hostess to e-mail a potential attendee of the event to request that said potential attendee establish a food profile and/or grant access to an existing food profile for said potential attendee to said host/hostess.

8. A system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said computer-based interface comprises a host/host interface that allows a host/hostess of an event to identify whichever recipes are in said second portion of said computer-accessible database system are compatible with at least a substantial portion of the potential attendees of the event.

9. A system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said computer-based interface comprises a host/host interface that allows a host/hostess of an event to receive recipes for whichever recipes are in said second portion of said web-accessible database system are compatible with at least a substantial portion of the potential attendees of the event.

10. A method for planning food to be served at an event that is compatible with the food preferences and/or restrictions of at least a substantial portion of the potential attendees of the event comprising:

receiving, at a device associated with a host/hostess of a proposed event at which food is to be served and that is capable of computer-based communication, an interface that provides the host with the ability to identify the proposed event, a proposed attendee list for the event, a type of meal, and courses associated with the meal;

transmitting, from a device associated with a host/hostess of a proposed event at which food is to be served and that is capable of computer-based communication, event identification information and a proposed attendee list for the event;

receiving, at a device associated with a host/hostess of a proposed event at which food is to be served and that is capable of computer-based communication, a list for each course of the proposed type of meal of possible recipes that, based on food restrictions and/or preferences provided by at least some of the proposed attendees, is consistent with the dietary preferences and/or restriction of at least a substantial portion of the proposed attendees.

11. A method, as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, at a device associated with a proposed attendee of the event at which food is to be served and that is capable of computer-based communication, an interface for identifying dietary restrictions and/or preferences.

12. A method, as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting, from a device associated with a proposed attendee of the event at which food is to be served and that is capable of computer-based communication, dietary restrictions and/or preference for the proposed attendee.

13. A method, as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting, from a device associated with a host/hostess of the event at which food is to be served and that is capable of computer-based communication, a recipe selected from a list of recipes for a course of the type of meal.

14. A method, as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

receiving, at a device associated with a host/hostess of the event at which food is to be served and that is capable of computer-based communication, an instruction set for said recipe selected from said list of recipes.

15. A method, as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, at a device associated with a host/hostess of the event at which food is to be served and that is capable of computer-based communication, an interface for reviewing data associated with past events at which food was served.

16. A method, as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, at a device associated with a host/hostess of the event at which food is to be served and that is capable of computer-based communication, an interface for reviewing individual or aggregate dietary preferences and/or restrictions for potential attendees of the event.

17. A method, as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, at a device associated with an individual that is a member of a group of individuals that have each provided a food profile to a database system and that is capable of computer-based communication, aggregate dietary restrictions and/or preferences for said group or a subset of said group that are planning an event at which food is to be served.

18. A system for storing dietary profiles of individuals and providing access to one or more stored dietary profiles comprising:

a computer-accessible database for storing a plurality of food profiles, each food profile being associated with a different individual and defining the food restrictions and/or preferences of such an individual;

a computer-based interface associated with said computer-accessible database system for allowing an individual to interact with said computer-accessible database system to define a food profile that is associated with said individual.

19. A system, as claimed in claim 18, wherein:

said computer-based interface also allowing an individual to modify a pre-existing food profile that is associated with said individual.

20. A system, as claimed in claim 18, wherein:

said computer-based interface also for allowing an individual to permit a different individual to access their food profile.

21. A system, as claimed in claim 18, wherein:

said computer-based interface comprising a second party interface that allows a different individual to access a food profile associated with said individual.

22. A system, as claimed in claim 18, wherein:

said computer-based interface comprises at least one of the following;

a personal computer, a device for communicating over a computer network, and a device for communicating over the Web.