Object condition analysis and control techniques

• US 20140266630A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mymee Inc.
• Original Assignee: Group Mee, LLC
• Inventors: Beckman, Christopher V.
• Granted Patent: US 9,189,668 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

New consumption and inventory recording, tracking, analysis and control techniques are provided. In some aspects of the invention, multiple master tags and signal control elements manage the communication of unique signals indicating and managing inventory status and consumption activity. A master tag may bridge communication from a computer hardware and software control system to smaller, more shielded inventory tags, to assess unique identifying information and control actuation of various functions. In other aspects, drugs and other agents may be variably released and/or applied by a new form of actuable, consumable tag with multiple signal elements.

A computer display with specialized software may comprise part of the control system, and may reflect, provide, and/or receive modified data signals to and from such tags and signal elements.

In other aspects of the invention, an administrative user may use a GUI to access information concerning, and control, consumption by a consumer user.

Claims

1. A system for sensing, defining, recording, analyzing and controlling consumption of ingested or otherwise consumed food or other agents by a consumer user, comprising computer hardware and software for transmitting a signal to a master tag(s) within packaging for food or other agent-containing items, which itself is uniquely capable of further communicating a uniquely-identifiable signal to a control system, with embedded information concerning the food items and/or packaging, and is also capable of further communicating to and from other tag(s) and/or signal elements, associated with individual food or other agent items.

2. The system for sensing, defining, recording, analyzing and controlling consumption of ingested or otherwise consumed food or other agents by a consumer user of claim 1, further comprising in which said other tag(s) and/or signal elements are capable of responding to a unique signal with its own signal uniquely identifying the associated food or other agent-containing item, the food and/or other agent-containing item'"'"'s presence, and/or its comprised food or other agent type, any of which may condition efferent signal properties of the master tag in its further communication with a control system.

3. The system for sensing, defining, recording, analyzing and controlling consumption of ingested or otherwise consumed food or other agents by a consumer user of claim 2, further comprising in which said food and/or agent(s) in which tag(s) and/or signal elements are present contain(s) multiple tag(s) and/or signal elements embedded periodically throughout said food and/or agent(s) such that, when partially consumed, the remaining tag(s) and/or signal elements in the un-consumed section of said food and/or agent(s) may be used by a control system to infer the amount and/or percentage of a food and/or agent(s) consumed.

4. The system for sensing, defining, recording, analyzing and controlling consumption of ingested or otherwise consumed food or other agents by a consumer user of claim 3, further comprising in which a control system may further determine or infer the identity of the consumer user responsible for consuming said food and/or agent(s), or parts thereof, for example, by biometric data recognition or further tag(s) and/or signal elements held in association with the consumer/user, and the collocation of said further tag(s) and/or signal elements with the tag(s) and/or signal elements in consumed and unconsumed sections of food and/or agent(s)-containing items.

5. The system for sensing, defining, recording, analyzing and controlling consumption of ingested or otherwise consumed food or other agents by a consumer user of claim 2, further comprising in which said other tag(s) and/or signal elements may be of specific types, associated with and uniquely identify types of food and/or agent with which they are associated.

6. The system for sensing, defining, recording, analyzing and controlling consumption of ingested or otherwise consumed food or other agents by a consumer user of claim 5, further comprising in which said other tag(s) and/or signal elements of specific types may be associated with and uniquely identify types of food and/or agent within a single food and/or other agent item.

7. A system for sensing, defining, recording, analyzing and controlling consumption of ingested or otherwise consumed food or other agents by a consumer, comprising computer hardware and software for transmitting and/or receiving a uniquely identifiable signal to/from a consumable tag, further comprising a main signal element, which may communicate with a control system, and other signal elements, which may communicate exclusively with the main signal element.

8. The system for sensing, defining, recording, analyzing and controlling consumption of ingested or otherwise consumed food or other agents by a consumer of claim 7, further comprising in which said other signal elements respond to signals from the main signal element with their own uniquely-identifiable signals which, in turn, alter or otherwise condition signals from the main signal element to the control system.

9. The system for sensing, defining, recording, analyzing and controlling consumption of ingested or otherwise consumed food or other agents by a consumer of claim 8, further comprising wherein a control system may infer the presence of individual signal elements within said consumable tag.

10. The system for sensing, defining, recording, analyzing and controlling consumption of ingested or otherwise consumed food or other agents by a consumer of claim 9, further comprising in which said individual signal elements are placed in separated chambers with separate payloads and separate deployability.

11. The system for sensing, defining, recording, analyzing and controlling consumption of ingested or otherwise consumed food or other agents by a consumer of claim 10, wherein a control system may infer the status of deployment of food or other agent(s) in a consumer user.

12. The system for sensing, defining, recording, analyzing and controlling consumption of ingested or otherwise consumed food or other agents by a consumer of claim 10, wherein a control system may further individually and selectively actuate the deployment of said food and/or agent(s) from said chambers, in any order, at a time of the control system or a user'"'"'s choosing.

13. The system for sensing, defining, recording, analyzing and controlling consumption of ingested or otherwise consumed food or other agents by a consumer of claim 12, wherein a control system may individually and selectively control reaction energy or other catalysis of chemical reactions, or create mechanical actuation within, said chambers.

14. A system for sensing, defining, recording, analyzing and controlling consumption of ingested or otherwise consumed food or other agents by a consumer, comprising computer hardware and software for transmitting and/or receiving a uniquely identifiable signal to/from a consumable tag, further comprising a signal/response element which may selectively drive actuation of a sensor array, pump and channel for sensing the presence of food or another agent in a consumer/user'"'"'s digestive tract and/or bloodstream.

15. The system for sensing, defining, recording, analyzing and controlling consumption of ingested or otherwise consumed food or other agents by a consumer of claim 14, further comprising in which said pump comprises an ion drive pump.

16. The system for sensing, defining, recording, analyzing and controlling consumption of ingested or otherwise consumed food or other agents by a consumer of claim 14, further comprising in which said consumable tag comprises at least two sections.

17. The system for sensing, defining, recording, analyzing and controlling consumption of ingested or otherwise consumed food or other agents by a consumer of claim 14, further comprising in which said two sections comprise a payload section and a sensory section.

18. The system for sensing, defining, recording, analyzing and controlling consumption of ingested or otherwise consumed food or other agents by a consumer of claim 14, in which said pump and/or said sensor array are externally powered.