Food content detector

• US 20100125180A1
• Filed: 11/14/2008
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Sweeney, Elizabeth A., Wood, Victoria Y.H., Leuthardt, Eric C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,285,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/40 with provisions for indicating, recording, or computing price or other quantities dependent on the weight indicating means for weighing apparatus G01G23/18; recording means for weighing apparatus G01G23/18; computers in general G06
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/56 combined with handles of tools or household implements
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3735 using a digital network

Abstract

A system may include utensil means for portioning a foodstuff into a first portion and a second portion, a means for detecting a first portion size for the first portion with the utensil means, a means for detecting a second portion size for the second portion with the utensil means, and a means for determining a cumulative amount of portioned foodstuff based upon the first portion size and the second portion size.

Claims

1-552. -552. (canceled)

553. A device, comprising:

a tool for presenting a portioned foodstuff for consumption by at least one user;

a detector coupled to the tool for detecting a portion size for the portioned foodstuff for consumption by the at least one user; and

a determination module coupled to the tool for determining a nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff.

554. The device of claim 553, wherein a tool for presenting a portioned foodstuff for consumption by at least one user comprises:

at least one of a serving dish, a utensil, or a vending machine.

555. The device of claim 554, wherein the at least one of a serving dish, a utensil, or a vending machine comprises:

at least one of a bowl, a chopstick, a cup, a fork, a glass, a knife, a ladle, a plate, a scoop, a spatula, a spoon, or tongs.

556. The device of claim 553, wherein a detector coupled to the tool for detecting a portion size for the portioned foodstuff for consumption by the at least one user comprises:

a detector for detecting the portion size for the portioned foodstuff, wherein the portioned foodstuff is sized by at least one of mass, volume, or weight.

557. The device of claim 553, further comprising:

a memory for storing the portion size for the portioned foodstuff.

558. The device of claim 557, wherein a memory for storing the portion size for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

at least one of flash memory, Random Access Memory (RAM), or Read Only Memory (ROM).

559. The device of claim 553, further comprising:

a reporter for reporting the portion size for the portioned foodstuff.

560. The device of claim 559, wherein a reporter for reporting the portion size for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

at least one of an audio signal, a tactile signal, or a visual signal.

561. The device of claim 553, further comprising:

a reporter for reporting that the portion size for the portioned foodstuff has reached a target amount.

562. The device of claim 561, wherein a reporter for reporting that the portion size for the portioned foodstuff has reached a target amount comprises:

an alarm for alerting a user when the target amount is reached.

563. The device of claim 553, further comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting the portion size for the portioned foodstuff.

564. The device of claim 563, wherein a transmitter for transmitting the portion size for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a transmitter for transmitting the portion size for the portioned foodstuff to a remote display.

565. The device of claim 563, wherein a transmitter for transmitting the portion size for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a transmitter for transmitting the portion size for the portioned foodstuff to a remote storage device.

566. The device of claim 553, further comprising:

a comparator for comparing the portion size for the portioned foodstuff to a target amount.

567. The device of claim 566, wherein a comparator for comparing the portion size for the portioned foodstuff to a target amount comprises:

a comparator for comparing the portion size for the portioned foodstuff to a goal amount.

568. The device of claim 566, further comprising:

a display for reporting a representation of the comparison.

569. The device of claim 566, further comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a representation of the comparison.

570. The device of claim 566, further comprising:

an alarm for alerting a user to the comparison.

571. The device of claim 553, wherein a determination module coupled to the tool for determining a nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a determination module for determining an energy density for the portioned foodstuff.

572. The device of claim 571, wherein a determination module for determining an energy density for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a determination module for determining a calorie density for the portioned foodstuff.

573. The device of claim 553, wherein a determination module coupled to the tool for determining a nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a determination module for determining a component concentration for the portioned foodstuff.

574. The device of claim 573, wherein a determination module for determining a component concentration for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a determination module for determining a concentration of at least one of a carbohydrate, a monosaccharide, a disaccharide, an oligosaccharide, a polysaccharide, a cellulose component, a fiber component, a sugar component, a dairy component, a fat, a saturated fat, an unsaturated fat, a polyunsaturated fat, a trans fat, a cholesterol component, a lipoprotein, a mineral, a peanut component, a protein, a salt, a triglyceride, or a vitamin.

575. The device of claim 553, wherein a determination module coupled to the tool for determining a nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a determination module for determining the nutritional parameter on at least one of a per-mass basis, a per-volume basis, or a per-weight basis.

576. The device of claim 553, wherein a determination module coupled to the tool for determining a nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a sensor for measuring the nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff.

577. The device of claim 576, wherein a sensor for measuring the nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

at least one of a calorimeter, a conductivity sensor, an electrical lead, an enzymatic sensor, a biosensor, a chemical sensor, a microchip sensor, an Enzyme-Linked Assay sensor, an infrared (IR) spectroscopy sensor, a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) sensor, an optical sensor, a permittivity sensor, a gas sensor, a Radio Frequency (RF) sensor, an electronic nose sensor, an electronic tongue sensor, a multi-frequency RF sensor, a cantilever sensor, an acoustic wave sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, a responsive polymer-based sensor, a quartz microbalance sensor, a metal oxide sensor, an X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) sensor, a nucleic acid-based sensor, or a regenerable sensor.

578. The device of claim 553, wherein a determination module coupled to the tool for determining a nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a receiver for receiving the nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff.

579. The device of claim 578, wherein a receiver for receiving the nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

at least one of a barcode reader, a database, a label reader, a meal-specific association, or a user input.

580. The device of claim 553, further comprising:

a calculator for calculating a nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff utilizing the nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff and the portion size for the portioned foodstuff.

581. The device of claim 580, wherein a calculator for calculating a nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff utilizing the nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff and the portion size for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a calculator for calculating a nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff utilizing an energy density for the portioned foodstuff and the portion size for the portioned foodstuff.

582. The device of claim 580, wherein a calculator for calculating a nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff utilizing the nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff and the portion size for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

calculator for calculating a nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff utilizing a component concentration for the portioned foodstuff and the portion size for the portioned foodstuff.

583. The device of claim 580, further comprising:

a memory for storing the nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff.

584. The device of claim 583, wherein a memory for storing the nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

at least one of flash memory, Random Access Memory (RAM), or Read Only Memory (ROM).

585. The device of claim 580, further comprising:

a reporter for reporting the nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff.

586. The device of claim 585, wherein a reporter for reporting the nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

at least one of an audio signal, a tactile signal, or a visual signal.

587. The device of claim 580, further comprising:

a reporter for reporting that the nutritional content of the portioned foodstuff has reached a target amount.

588. The device of claim 587, wherein a reporter for reporting that the nutritional content of the portioned foodstuff has reached a target amount comprises:

an alarm for alerting a user when the target amount is reached.

589. The device of claim 580, further comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting the nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff.

590. The device of claim 589, wherein a transmitter for transmitting the nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a transmitter for transmitting the nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff to a remote display.

591. The device of claim 589, wherein a transmitter for transmitting the nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a transmitter for transmitting the nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff to a remote storage device.

592. The device of claim 580, further comprising:

a comparator for comparing the nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff to a target amount.

593. The device of claim 592, wherein a comparator for comparing the nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff to a target amount comprises:

a comparator for comparing the nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff to a goat amount.

594. The device of claim 592, further comprising:

a display for reporting a representation of the comparison.

595. The device of claim 592, further comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a representation of the comparison.

596. The device of claim 592, further comprising:

an alarm for alerting a user to the comparison.

597. The device of claim 553, further comprising:

a sensor for determining a type of the portioned foodstuff;

a database for referencing the type of the portioned foodstuff against a stored nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff; and

a calculator for calculating a nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff utilizing the stored nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff and the portion size for the portioned foodstuff.

598. The device of claim 597, wherein a sensor for determining a type of the portioned foodstuff comprises:

at least one of a barcode reader, a database, a label reader, a meal-specific association, or a user input.