Beverage containers with detection capability

• US 20110050431A1
• Filed: 09/02/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hood, Leroy E., Tegreene, Clarence T., Jung, Edward K.Y., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Sweeney, Elizabeth A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,024,766 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/603
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2227 with means for amusing or giving information to the user A47G23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/14 Beverages
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/163333 Organic [e.g., chemical warfare agents, insecticides, etc.]

Abstract

Methods and systems described herein include individual-use beverage containers including sensors and methods of their use. Beverage containers include: a vessel body configured to hold a beverage; and at least one sensor associated with the vessel body, the at least one sensor including a sensor configured to detect one or more substance in a fluid. Systems include: at least one beverage container including at least one sensor configured to detect one or more substance in fluid; and at least one external device including at least one port configured for communication with the at least one sensor. Methods include: detecting one or more substance within fluid with at least one sensor integral to a beverage container; and interfacing one or more of the at least one sensor with an external device.

Claims

1. A beverage container comprising:

a vessel body configured to hold a beverage; and

at least one sensor associated with the vessel body, the at least one sensor including a sensor configured to detect one or more substance in fluid.

4. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the vessel body comprises:

at least one signal emitter.

5. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the vessel body comprises:

at least one signaling element configured to signal contact with the fluid relative to at least one of time, presence of a target material, or presence of an amount of a target material.

6. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises:

at least one signal emitter.

11. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises:

at least one selective medium.

12. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises:

at least one gel.

14. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises:

at least one recognition element.

19. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the one or more substance comprises:

an indicator of a physiological state.

24. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein one or more of the at least one sensor comprises:

at least one chemical sensor.

29. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the beverage container includes modules.

31. The beverage container of claim 1, comprising:

one or more straw configured for drinking.

33. The beverage container of claim 1, comprising:

at least one transmucosal sampling mechanism.

34. The beverage container of claim 1, comprising:

one or more display.

35. The beverage container of claim 1, comprising:

sterile packaging.

36. The beverage container of claim 1, comprising:

one or more sensing device.

37. The beverage container of claim 1, comprising:

one or more taggant.

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39. A system, comprising:

at least one beverage container including at least one sensor configured to detect one or more substance in fluid; and

at least one external device including at least one port configured for communication with the at least one sensor.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the at least one beverage container comprises:

one or more drinking straw.

43. The system of claim 39, wherein the at least one beverage container comprises:

at least one signaling element configured to signal contact with the fluid relative to at least one of time, presence of a target material, or presence of an amount of a target material.

44. The system of claim 39, wherein the at least one beverage container comprises:

at least one selective medium.

45. The system of claim 39, wherein the at least one beverage container comprises:

at least one gel.

47. The system of claim 39, wherein at least a portion of the at least one beverage container is modular.

49. The system of claim 39, wherein the at least one beverage container comprises:

at least one transmucosal sampling mechanism.

50. The system of claim 39, wherein the at least one beverage container comprises:

at least one encapsulating material.

51. The system of claim 39, wherein the at least one beverage container comprises:

at least one signal emitter.

54. The system of claim 39, wherein the at least one beverage container comprises:

one or more taggant.

59. The system of claim 39, wherein the at least one sensor comprises:

at least one recognition element.

61. The system of claim 39, wherein the at least one sensor comprises:

at least one signal emitter.

63. The system of claim 39, wherein the at least one sensor comprises:

at least one chemical sensor.

67. The system of claim 39, wherein the one or more substance comprises:

an indicator of a physiological state.

68. The system of claim 39, wherein the one or more substance comprises:

at least one metabolite.

71. The system of claim 39, wherein at least a portion of the at least one sensor is in dehydrated form.

72. The system of claim 39, wherein the at least one external device is configured to communicate with at least one network.

73. The system of claim 39, wherein the at least one external device is configured to detect at least one signal from the at least one sensor.

74. The system of claim 39, comprising:

at least one user interface.

75. The system of claim 39, comprising:

at least one signal emitter.

77. The system of claim 39, comprising:

at least one sensing device.

78. The system of claim 39, comprising:

sterile packaging for at least a portion of the system.

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79. A method of detecting one or more substance in fluid comprising:

detecting one or more substance within fluid with at least one sensor integral to a beverage container; and

interfacing one or more of the at least one sensor with an external device.

80. The method of claim 79, wherein the detecting one or more substance comprises:

detecting at least one biological analyte.

82. The method of claim 79, wherein the detecting one or more substance comprises:

contacting beverage fluid with the at least one sensor.

83. The method of claim 79, wherein the detecting one or more substance comprises:

binding the one or more substance with a recognition element.

84. The method of claim 79, wherein the detecting one or more substance comprises:

sequestering the one or more substance.

86. The method of claim 79, wherein the detecting one or more substance comprises:

detecting at least one metabolite of a provided agent.

88. The method of claim 79, wherein the detecting one or more substance comprises:

detecting one or more substance within the fluid with at least one chemical sensor.

89. The method of claim 79, wherein the detecting one or more substance comprises:

detecting one or more substance directly.

92. The method of claim 79, wherein the detecting one or more substance comprises:

detecting one or more taggant.

93. The method of claim 79, wherein the detecting one or more substance comprises:

detecting one or more signal with at least one detector integral to the external device.

95. The method of claim 79, wherein the interfacing one or more of the at least one sensor with an external device comprises:

generating a signal configured to be detected by the external device.

96. The method of claim 79, comprising:

contacting the fluid with at least one signaling element configured to signal contact with the fluid relative to at least one of time, presence of a target material, or presence of an amount of a target material.

97. The method of claim 79, comprising:

providing at least one provided agent with the beverage container; and

detecting one or more metabolite of the provided agent with the at least one sensor.

98. The method of claim 79, comprising:

communicating information regarding at least one detection result to at least one system user.

99. The method of claim 79, comprising:

communicating information regarding at least one sensor result to at least one system user.

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