Food calorie counting system

• US 20110168456A1
• Filed: 01/13/2010
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Sharawi, Mohammad Said, Rawashdeh, Osamah A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,330,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 177/25.16
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4146 for controlling caloric intake, e.g. diet control
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3728 with wireless means

Abstract

The food calorie counting system relates to a calorie counting system that utilizes a container with at least one chamber for holding food materials, sensitive scales integrated into the chambers to weigh the food, and a processor to calculate the number of calories in the food items based on weight, type of food and method of preparation. The number of calories is then displayed on a display device to a user. The system may be used as a stand-alone device, or may further utilize an external central control unit where information from the container is transmitted to the external control unit for processing, food calorie calculation and transmission back to the containers for display.

Claims

1. A food calorie counting system, comprising:

a container having at least one compartment for holding food items;

an electronic scale for measuring the weight of the food in the at least one compartment, the scale being embedded within the compartments of the container;

means for inputting information about the food items;

means for receiving the inputs;

means for calculating the number of calories in the food items;

means for receiving the calculated information about the food calories in the container; and

means for displaying the calculated information about the food calories in the container to a user.

2. The food calorie counting system of claim 1, wherein said means for calculating the number of calories comprises a computer readable memory for storing information and a processor for computing calories in the food items, the computer readable memory being connected to the processor.

3. The food calorie counting system of claim 1, wherein said electronic scales have an accuracy of at least one gram.

4. The food calorie counting system of claim 1, wherein the means for receiving inputs and the means for calculating calories are secured within the container by a waterproof seal.

5. The food calorie counting system of claim 1, wherein the means for inputting information is selected from the group consisting of selection buttons, control buttons and keyboards.

6. A food calorie counting system, comprising:

a plurality of containers having at least one compartment for holding food items;

an electronic scale for measuring the weight of the food in the at least one compartment, the electronic scale being embedded within the compartment of the container;

means for inputting information about the food items;

means for receiving the inputs;

means for storing the inputs;

an external central control unit, the central control unit comprising a means for receiving and transmitting data, a computer readable memory for storing data, a processor for calculating the number of calories in the food items and a transmitter for transmitting the food calories calculated by the processor to the containers

means for wirelessly transmitting data relating to the weight of the food and the information about the food items to the external central control unit; and

means for displaying the calculated information about food calories in the container to a user.

7. The food calorie counting system of claim 6, wherein the said electronic scale has an accuracy of at least 1 gram.

8. The food calorie counting system of claim 6, wherein the means for receiving, storing and transmitting inputs are housed within the container by a waterproof seal.

9. The food calorie counting system of claim 6, wherein the means for inputting information to the external central control unit is selected from the group consisting of control buttons and keyboards.

10. The food calorie counting system of claim 6, wherein the means for displaying the calories is selected from the group consisting of a light emitting diode, a liquid crystal display and a plasma screen.

11. A method for counting food calories, comprising the steps of:

weighing food items in a container having an electronic scale for measuring the weight of the food, the scale being embedded within the container;

providing the weight and other data about the food to an electronic processing circuit;

recording the data provided and the weight of the food in computer readable memory;

calculating calories in the food based on the weight of the food, the data provided about the food, and information related to calories associated with food types and methods of preparation held in computer readable memory; and

displaying the calories in the food to a user.

12. The method of counting food calories according to claim 11, wherein the step of providing data about the food to the electronic system comprises the step of providing information about the food type and method of food preparation.

13. The method of counting food calories according to claim 11, wherein the electronic processing circuit is external to the container, the method further comprising the step of exchanging the weight, the information relating to the type of food and food preparation method, and the calculated calorie content of the food between the electronic processing circuit and the container by wireless transmission.