PORTABLE MEDICAL APPARATUS

• US 20100236839A1
• Filed: 03/23/2009
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mandometer AB
• Original Assignee: Mandometer AB
• Inventors: Sodersten, Per, Bergh, Cecilia
• Granted Patent: US 8,466,379 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 177/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4146 for controlling caloric intake, e.g. diet control
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/36 Indicating the weight by electrical means, e.g. using photoelectric cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3735 using a digital network
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0092 Nutrition
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/28 for medicine
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

The invention regards a portable medical apparatus made up of at least two devices (30, 32) adapted to measure eating rate utilized to teach persons to eat according to a predetermined graphic eating curve (10, 24) displayed on a screen and a method therefore. In a specific mode the predetermined graphic curve (24) describes a non linear descending rate of eating behaviour. The apparatus comprises a device with cellular capabilities (30), and a scale (32), which devices communicate through near field radiation such as Bluetooth or IR.

Claims

1. A portable medical apparatus made up of at least two devices adapted to measure eating rate utilized to teach persons to eat according to a predetermined graphic eating curve displayed on a screen, comprising:

a first pocket portable device with a screen storing said predetermined graphic eating curve in a memory, said first device having cellular phone capability and remote near field radiation capabilities for communication with a related second device;

said related second device being a portable scale adapted to communicate with said first device having cellular phone capability through similar remote near field radiation communication capabilities as said first device;

weighing food on said scale in a measurement session of a length of time, and transmitting the food weight to said first device through said near field radiation when food is removed from said scale by a person eating the food, and through means of software residing in said first device storing the amount of food removed during a session in said memory, displaying the weight of food removed as a measurement point on said screen when it is removed from said scale to make up a real time graphic eating curve to be compared with said predetermined eating curve; and

a software means utilized to transmit said stored session through said first device cellular phone capabilities to a remote computer for registration from an arbitrary place, having cellular coverage for said first device at least at one of a predetermined time, at the will of a person utilizing the medical apparatus, at the finishing of at least one session and at an arbitrary time.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said scale has a docking station for said first device, whereby at least the screen is visible to a person eating from said scale.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said scale has a docking station for said first device, whereby at least the screen is visible to a person eating from said scale, and wherein said docking station is equipped with a joint/hinge having an adapter to receive said first device having cellular phone capability, said joint/hinge being adapted to move said first device in a predetermined number of degrees around said first device center axes and/or between different elevation levels.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said joint/hinge is utilized to put said first cellular device in a slot/pocket on the back of said scale when not utilized.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said scale and said first device are integrated into a single device.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said scale has its scale measuring surface formed as a bowl or plate to be served food on.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said scale is pocket portable.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined graphic curve describes a non linear eating behaviour, which is found through science studies to mimic an eating behaviour that is favourable to human beings.

9. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said predetermined graphic curve describes a non linear descending rate of eating behaviour.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined graphic curve of satiety is displayed on said screen, to be compared with satiety ratings made during pre-set time intervals on said screen by a person utilizing said apparatus.

11. A portable medical apparatus made up of at least two devices adapted to measure eating rate utilized to teach persons to eat according to a predetermined graphic eating curve displayed on a screen, comprising:

a first pocket portable device with a screen storing said predetermined graphic eating curve in a memory, said first device having cellular phone capability and remote near field radiation capabilities for communication with a related second device;

said predetermined graphic eating curve describing a non linear descending rate of eating behaviour;

said related second device being a portable scale adapted to communicate with said first device having cellular phone capability through similar remote near field radiation communication capabilities as said first device;

weighing food on said scale in a measurement session of a length of time, and transmitting the food weight to said first device through said near field radiation when food is removed from said scale by a person eating the food, and through means of software residing in said first device storing the amount of food removed during a session in said memory, displaying the weight of food removed as a measurement point on said screen when it is removed from said scale to make up a real time graphic eating curve to be compared with said predetermined eating curve.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a software means is utilized to transmit said stored session through said first device cellular phone capabilities to a remote computer for registration from an arbitrary place, having cellular coverage for said first device at least at one of a predetermined time, at the will of a person utilizing the medical apparatus, at the finishing of at least one session and at an arbitrary time.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said scale has a docking station for said first device, whereby at least the screen is visible to a person eating from said scale.

14. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said scale has a docking station for said first device, whereby at least the screen is visible to a person eating from said scale, and wherein said docking station is equipped with a joint/hinge having an adapter to receive said first device having cellular phone capability, said joint/hinge being adapted to move said first device in a predetermined number of degrees around said first device center axes and/or between different elevation levels.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said joint/hinge is utilized to put said first cellular device in a slot/pocket on the back of said scale when not utilized.

16. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said scale and said first device are integrated into a single device.

17. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said scale has its scale measuring surface formed as a bowl or plate to be served food on.

18. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said scale is pocket portable.

19. A method utilizing a portable medical apparatus made up of at least two devices adapted to measure eating rate utilized to teach persons to eat according to a predetermined graphic eating curve displayed on a screen, comprising:

storing said predetermined graphic eating curve in a memory in a first pocket portable device with a screen, said first device having cellular phone capability and remote near field radiation capabilities for communication with a related second device;

describing said predetermined graphic eating curve through a non linear descending rate of eating behaviour;

said related second device being a portable scale adapted to communicate with said first device having cellular phone capability through similar remote near field radiation communication capabilities as said first device;

weighing food on said scale in a measurement session of a length of time, and transmitting the food weight to said first device through said near field radiation when food is removed from said scale by a person eating the food, and through means of software residing in said first device storing the amount of food removed during a session in said memory, displaying the weight of food removed as a measurement point on said screen when it is removed from said scale to make up a real time graphic eating curve to be compared with said predetermined eating curve.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein a software means is utilized to transmit said stored session through said first device cellular phone capabilities to a remote computer for registration from an arbitrary place, having cellular coverage for said first device at least at one of a predetermined time, at the will of a person utilizing the medical apparatus, at the finishing of at least one session and at an arbitrary time.