Diagnosis and interpretation methods and apparatus for a personal nutrition program

• US 6,510,430 B1
• Filed: 02/24/1999
• Issued: 01/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Walgreen Co. (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Acumins, Inc. (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Inventors: Oberwager, Bradford S., Moguin, Brian P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Homere, Jean R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wassum, Luke S
• Application Number:
  US09/256,946
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 705/26, 709/217, 709/218, 707/10, 128/921
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/921 Diet management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for developing an ingestible formula through a network that operates according to a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP). A plurality of first statements inviting a plurality of first responses are received at a client computer system. The associated first responses are then received at the client computer system. A server computer system coupled over the network to the client computer system then receives the first responses. The server computer system processes the first responses according to a relational database to produce the ingestible formula. Various embodiments and features are disclosed.

Claims

1. An interactive method for formulating through a network, a unique ingestible nutritional supplement, not a model, for an individual, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of first statements inviting a plurality of first responses at a client computer system;

receiving the plurality of first responses at the client computer system;

receiving the plurality of first responses at a server computer system coupled over the network to the client computer system;

processing the plurality of first responses at the server computer system including an additional invitation for an additional response to supply data into a relational database to produce a unique formula for the ingestible supplement;

customizing the unique formula to the individual client by repeating the following steps as often as needed to meet the client'"'"'s needs, comprising;

returning the formula for the ingestible supplement to the client computer system as a proposed formula, and inviting modification of same by the client on the client computer system;

receiving modifications to the proposed formula for the supplement at the client computer system, subject to the relational database in the server computer system; and

processing the client-requested modifications, if any, to the proposed formula for the supplement at the server computer;

then

sending the proposed formula for the supplement to the client computer system for approval;

receiving client approval of the proposed formula for the nutritional supplement at the server computer system; and

processing the approved proposed formula for the nutritional supplement at the server computer system according to the relational database, and producing the formula as the unique ingestible nutritional supplement for the client.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is a network operating according to a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), and wherein the plurality of first statements are a plurality of first questions.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of second statements inviting a plurality of second responses at the client computer system;

receiving the plurality of second responses at the server computer system coupled over the network to the client computer system; and

processing the plurality of second responses at the server computer system including an additional invitation for an additional response to supply data into the relational database to produce the formula for the unique ingestible nutritional supplement.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the network is at least one of an Internet and an intranet.

5. In a method for formulating a unique ingestible nutritional supplement through a network operating according to a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) in accordance with claim 2, the method comprising the operations of:

receiving a plurality of first statements inviting a plurality of first responses at a client computer system;

receiving the plurality of first responses at the client computer system;

receiving the plurality of first responses at a server computer system coupled over the network to the client computer system; and

processing the plurality of first responses at the server computer including an additional invitation for an additional response to supply data into a relational database to produce the unique ingestible nutritional supplement from the formula, wherein the supplement is contained in at least one capsule comprising a plurality of ingredients, each of which is present in a quantity according to the supplement formula.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein during the operation of processing the plurality of responses at the server computer system and the operation of returning the formula to the client computer system, the method further comprising:

receiving advertising information at the client computer system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an order form at the client computer system inviting at least one response;

receiving the order form having at least one response at the server computer system; and

distributing the unique ingestible nutritional supplement as directed on the order form.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a user of the client computer system is an unrestricted public member, and wherein the relational database maintains a relationship between ingredients in the ingestible formula after modification of the proposed supplement formulation.

9. A server computer system for formulating through a network, a unique ingestible nutritional supplement, not a model, for a client, the server computer system comprising:

a processor;

a network interface coupled to the network and coupled to the processor, the network interface receiving from a remotely located client computer system a plurality of responses to a plurality of statements at the client computer system; and

a file storage device coupled to the processor, wherein the file storage device stores (i) copies of the plurality of responses under control of a file management system and (ii) a relational database that maintains relations between ingredients that are available in the unique adjustable formula, and wherein the processor automatically generates the formula for the unique ingestible nutritional supplement from the plurality of responses.

10. The server computer system of claim 9, wherein the network is a network operating according to a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).

11. A computer readable storage medium containing executable computer program instructions, which when executed cause a client computer system and a server computer system to perform a method comprising:

receiving a plurality of statements inviting a plurality of responses at a client computer system;

receiving the plurality of responses at the client computer system;

sending the plurality of responses to a server computer system coupled over the network to the client computer system; and

processing the plurality of responses at the server computer system including an additional invitation for an additional response to supply data into a relational database to produce a unique ingestible nutritional supplement according to a personalized formula, which is not based upon a model.

12. A distributed readable storage medium containing executable computer program instructions, which when executed cause a client computer system and a server computer system to perform a method for formulating through a network a unique ingestible nutritional supplement, not a model, for a client, the medium comprising:

receiving a plurality of first statements inviting a plurality of responses at a client computer system;

receiving the plurality of responses at the client computer system;

sending the plurality of responses to a server computer system coupled over the network to the client computer system; and

processing the plurality of responses at the server computer system including an additional invitation for an additional response to supply data into a relational database to produce the formula for the ingestible supplement;

customizing the unique formula to the individual client by repeating the following steps as often as needed to meet the client'"'"'s needs, comprising;

returning the formula for the ingestible supplement to the client computer system as a proposed formula, and inviting modification of same by the client on the client computer system;

receiving modifications to the proposed formula for the supplement at the client computer system, subject to the relational database in the server computer system;

processing the client-requested modifications, if any, to the proposed formula for the supplement at the server computer;

then

sending the proposed formula for the supplement to the client computer system for approval;

receiving client approval of the proposed formula for the nutritional supplement at the server computer system; and

processing the approved proposed formula for the nutritional supplement at the server computer system according to the relational database, and producing the formula as the unique ingestible nutritional supplement for the client.

13. The distributed readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the plurality of first statements are a plurality of first questions, and wherein each question invites a yes response or a no response.

14. The distributed readable storage medium of claim 13, the medium further comprising:

receiving a plurality of second statements inviting a plurality of second responses at a client computer system;

receiving the plurality of second responses at a server computer system coupled over the network to the client computer system; and

processing the plurality of second responses at the server computer system according to a relational database to produce the formula for the unique ingestible nutritional supplement.

15. The distributed readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the network is at least one of an Internet and an intranet.

16. The distributed readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein a user of the client computer system is an unrestricted public member and wherein the network is a network operating according to a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).

17. The distributed readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein during the operation of processing the plurality of responses at the server computer system and the operation of returning the formula to the client computer system, the medium further comprises:

receiving advertising information at the client computer system.

18. The distributed readable storage medium of claim 12, the medium further comprising:

receiving an order form at the client computer system inviting at least one response;

receiving the order form having at least one response at the server computer system; and

distributing the unique ingestible nutritional supplement as directed on the order form.

19. A method for formulating a unique ingestible personal supplement, which is not based upon a model, wherein the method comprises:

receiving a plurality of responses;

comparing each response to at least one criteria;

assigning at least one condition keyword to each response that satisfies at least one criteria;

comparing each condition keyword to at least one condition associated with a first formula for the supplement, and to at least one condition associated with a second formula for the supplement;

then if the condition associated with the second supplement formula is satisfied by the condition keyword;

selecting the second formula for the supplement as a proposed formula for the personal supplement, otherwise

selecting the first formula for the supplement as the proposed formula for the personal supplement; and

recharacterizing the proposed formula for the personal supplement as a unique formula for the personal supplement from which the unique ingestible personal supplement is produced.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first formula for the supplement and the second formula for the supplement are in a first package, the method further comprising:

comparing each condition keyword to at least one condition associated with a third formula for the supplement and to at least one condition associated with a fourth formula for the supplement, wherein the third formula for the supplement and the fourth formula for the supplement are in a second package; and

if the condition associated with the fourth formula for the supplement is satisfied by the condition keyword,

combining the fourth formula for the supplement with the recharacterized proposed formula for the personal supplement as the unique formula for the personal supplement, otherwise

combining the third formula for the supplement with the recharacterized proposed personal formula for the supplement as the unique personal formula for the supplement from which the unique ingestible personal supplement is produced.

21. A method of creating a package of nutritional supplements from the personalized formula for the supplement derived in accordance with the method of claim 19, from an array of pre-mixed nutritional components, the method comprising:

selecting a first nutritional component having a pre-mixed formulation of at least a first ingredient in a first amount and a second ingredient in a second amount;

selecting a second nutritional component having a pre-mixed formulation of at least the first ingredient in a third amount and a third ingredient in a fourth amount; and

assembling the first nutritional component and the second nutritional component into at least one package.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the second nutritional component comprises the second ingredient in a fifth amount and wherein the first and the second nutritional components are intended to be consumed together to provide the sum of the first amount and the third amount of the first ingredient and to provide the sum of the second amount and the fifth amount of the second ingredient upon ingestion.

23. A method as in claim 21, wherein the array of pre-mixed nutritional components is assembled to provide substantially all of the possible nutritional supplement formulations used by a majority of the possible people who may consume a package of nutritional supplements, and wherein the package is assembled after a client responds to health related questions to create a personalized formula for the unique ingestible nutritional supplement.