Hydration Monitor

• US 20140311239A1
• Filed: 04/21/2014
• Published: 10/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2013
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Igor Marjanovic, Matej Marjanovic
• Original Assignee: Igor Marjanovic, Matej Marjanovic
• Inventors: Marjanovic, Matej, Marjanovic, Igor
• Application Number:
  US14/257,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20140311239A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/296
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 22/00 Methods or apparatus for measuring volume of fluids or fluent solid material, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/20 by measurement of weight, e.g. to determine the level of stored liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 17/04 for weighing fluids, e.g. gases, pastes
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 21/28 Frames, Housings
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/002 Means for correcting for obliquity of mounting for pendulum-weight apparatus G01G1/16

Abstract

A hydration monitor comprises a housing and an attachment mechanism. The housing comprises a processing unit, a power source adapter, weight sensor(s), orientation sensor(s), data interface(s), and a memory. The weight sensor(s) measure a composite weight comprising a container weight and a liquid weight. The orientation sensor(s) measure the orientation of the container relative to the weight sensor. The memory contains instructions to cause the processing unit to calculate a volume of liquid in the container using the composite weight when the container orientation is in a measurable orientation. The data interface communicates data to at least one external device. The external device may include a hydration monitoring application. The attachment mechanism attaches the housing to the container.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a. a housing comprising;

i. a processing unit communicatively coupled to a memory device;

ii. a power source adapter configured to connect a power source to power at least the processing unit;

iii. at least one weight sensor connected to the processing unit and configured to measure a composite weight, the composite weight comprising a container weight and a liquid weight, the liquid weight representing the weight of a liquid contained by a container, the container configured to dispense the liquid;

iv. at least one orientation sensor connected to the processing unit and configured to measure at least one orientation value of the container relative to the weight sensor;

v. machine executable instructions stored in the memory device and configured to cause the processing unit to;

1. determine a container orientation using the at least one orientation value; and

2. measure the composite weight when the container orientation indicates that the container is in a measurable orientation; and

vi. a data interface configured to communicate data associated with the composite weight to at least one external device; and

b. an attachment mechanism configured to mount the housing to the container.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container is a handheld bottle.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power source is a battery.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one weight sensor comprises at least one load cell.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one weight sensor is disposed inside the container.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the at least one weight sensor are configured as a grid.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the at least one weight sensor are configured as a grid inside the bottle.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing is a bottle carrier.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the orientation sensor comprises an accelerometer.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data comprises container orientation.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data comprises the composite weight.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data comprises user profile information.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data comprises a timestamp.

14. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data interface is a wireless data interface.

15. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the external device is at least one of the following:

a. a tablet;

b. a server;

c. a computer;

d. a wearable device;

e. a smart watch;

f. a mobile device;

g. a smartphone; and

h. a combination of the above.

16. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one external device is configured to operate a hydration monitoring application.

17. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container weight is determined through an initial weight measurement.

18. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the machine executable instructions are further configured to cause the processing unit to calculate the volume of liquid in the container by:

a. determining the liquid weight using the at least one composite weight and container weight; and

b. calculating the volume of liquid in the container using the liquid weight.

19. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the machine executable instructions are further configured to cause the processing unit to calculate the volume of liquid using a liquid density value.

20. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the machine executable instructions are further configured to cause the processing unit to calculate the volume of liquid using the composite weight, a maximum composite weight and a minimum composite weight.

21. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the attachment mechanism employs magnets.