E-fit monitor

• US 6,135,950 A
• Filed: 05/20/1999
• Issued: 10/24/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tadd O. Adams
• Original Assignee: Tadd O. Adams
• Inventors: Adams, Tadd O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser, Robert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Astorino, Michael
• Application Number:
  US09/314,931
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 434/127, 600/586, 128/904, 128/903
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets

Abstract

A diet aid which has a pager size device worn by a user to aid them in controlling their daily food intake. The device monitors their daily food intake and sounds an alarm when the volume of food reaches a set point limit. In addition the device utilizes a sensor placed near the user'"'"'s Adams apple to monitor the swallowing rate and another sensor placed near the user'"'"'s heart to monitor their heart rate.

Claims

1. A diet monitor comprising:

a central processing unit,

a memory chip means connected to said central processing unit for storing sound, and

a sound chip means connected to said central processing unit for receiving sounds from at least two external sources and sending said sounds to said central processing unit, and

means connected to said sound chip means for collecting sounds and sending said sounds to said sound chip means wherein said diet monitor has an alarm means for indicating to a person wearing said diet monitor that said person is eating too much.

2. The diet monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means connected to said sound chip means for collecting sounds is a pair of microphones.

3. The diet monitor as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pair of microphones are connected to separate channels within said sound chip means,

one of said microphones has means for connecting it to a persons throat, and another of said microphones has means for connecting it to a persons chest.

4. The diet monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said diet monitor has an alarm means for indicating to a person wearing said diet monitor that said person'"'"'s activity rate is below a selected level.

5. The diet monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said diet monitor has a visual display means for sending a message to a person wearing said diet monitor relating to said person'"'"'s eating.

6. The diet monitor as claimed in claim 4, wherein said diet monitor has a visual display means for sending a message to a person wearing said diet monitor relating to said person'"'"'s activities.

7. A method of using a diet monitor,

said diet monitor comprising:

a central processing unit,

a memory chip means connected to said central processing unit for storing sounds, and

a sound chip means connected to said central processing unit for receiving sounds from at least two external sources and sending said sounds to said central processing unit, and

means connected to said sound chip means for collecting sounds and sending said sounds to said sound chip means, and

wherein said means connected to said sound chip means for collecting sounds is a pair of microphones, and

wherein said diet monitor includes alarm means and a visual display means,

said method comprises;

attaching said diet monitor to a person,

attaching one of said microphones to said person'"'"'s throat,

attaching another of said microphones to said person'"'"'s chest,

sending said person'"'"'s throat sounds through one of said microphones to said sound chip means which sends said throat sounds to said central processing unit,

sending said person'"'"'s chest sounds through another of said microphones to said sound chip means which sends said chest sounds to said central processing unit,

recording said throat sounds and said chest sounds in said memory chip means,

using said central processing unit to calculate limit set points based on the throat sounds and the chest sounds,

monitoring said persons throat sounds through said microphone attached to said person'"'"'s throat,

comparing said person'"'"'s throat sounds with the calculated limit set points, and

sounding a warning by means of said alarm means if the person'"'"'s throat sounds exceed the calculated limit set points, and

flashing a visual message by means of said visual display means, and

monitoring said persons chest sounds through said microphone attached to said person'"'"'s chest,

comparing said person'"'"'s chest sounds with the calculated limit set points, and

sounding a warning by means of said alarm means if the person'"'"'s chest sounds exceed the calculated limit set points, and

flashing a visual message by means of said visual display means.