Programmable digital scale

• US 6,538,215 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2000
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sunbeam Products, Inc. d/b/a Jarden Consumer Solutions (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sunbeam Products, Inc. d/b/a Jarden Consumer Solutions (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Dingler, Noah E. A., Montagnino, James G., Ward, Evan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy W.
• Application Number:
  US09/482,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20020134589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 177/25.16, 177/25.19, 600/547, 702/173, 128/921
• US Class Current: 177/25.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4146 for controlling caloric intake, e.g. diet control
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/44 for weighing persons
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/921 Diet management

Abstract

A programmable microprocessor-controlled digital scale capable of storing profiles of multiple users and respective user-specific weight management information includes a software program executed by the microprocessor to create and store a user profile for each user. The software program also allows the generation user-specific weight control information based on the user'"'"'s profile and weight, and displays the information to the user. The generated user-specific weight control information can include, for example: current weight; absolute as well as percentage change in weight; graph of the minimum and maximum weight for the average person matching the user'"'"'s profile; a thirty day rolling graph of the user'"'"'s weight history; information about the number of calories that should be consumed in order to either maintain weight, or lose one pound per week; and body fat measurements.

Claims

1. A digital weight measurement device, comprising:

a housing;

a weight sensor disposed in the housing;

a graphic display capable of displaying multiple sets of weight management information, the graphic display being mounted on an upper surface of the housing; and

a controller disposed in the housing and coupled to the weight sensor and the display,

wherein the controller comprises a microprocessor coupled to a memory and the microprocessor generates a user profile, a graph display, a number of calories to be consumed in order to achieve a predetermined weight, and a body fat value, and

wherein the controller causes at least one of a plurality of user-specific weight management information to be transmitted to the display.

2. The digital weight measurement device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of user-specific weight management information includes at least one of a current weight of the user, a percentage change in weight, a graph of a minimum and a maximum weight for an average person matching a profile of the user, a thirty day rolling graph of the user'"'"'s weight history, a number of calories to be consumed in order to achieve a predetermined weight, and a predetermined body fat measurement.

3. The digital weight measurement device of claim 1, wherein the weight sensor includes loadcell technology.

4. The digital weight measurement device of claim 1, wherein the memory includes a read only memory portion storing computer readable means for causing the microprocessor to perform at least one of:

generating the user profile,

generating a percent change value,

generating a weight change value,

generating an average user display,

generating a rolling graph display,

generating a graph overlay display,

generating a calorie count display,

generating the body fat value, and

displaying at least one of the user profile, the percentage change value, the weight change value, the average user display, the rolling graph display, the graph overlay display, the calorie count display and the body fat value.

5. The digital weight measurement device of claim 1, comprising a keypad disposed in the housing and coupled to the controller, the keypad providing for a user input of data.

6. The digital weight measurement device of claim 5, wherein the keypad provides for entry of alphanumeric data.

7. The digital weight measurement device of claim 1, comprising a radio frequency input port disposed on the housing and coupled to the controller, the radio frequency input port cooperating with a radio frequency handset, the radio frequency handset providing for a user input of data.

8. The digital weight measurement device of claim 1, comprising a contoured surface disposed on an upper surface of the housing substantially above the weight sensor, the contoured surface receiving feet of a user.

9. The digital weight measurement device of claim 1, wherein the display is movably mounted on a support extending from the upper surface of the housing.

11. The digital weight measurement device of claim 5, wherein the data includes at least one of a user sex, a user age, a user height, and a user frame, and the controller performs at least one of:

generating the user profile,

generating a percent change value,

generating the body fat value, and

displaying at least one of the user profile, the percentage change value, and the body fat value.

12. The digital weight measurement device of claim 5, wherein the keypad includes a set of user keys, each user key corresponding to a different user.

10. The digital weight measurement device of claim wherein the display includes one of a LCD display and a LED display.

13. A method of displaying, via a scale, weight management information to a user comprising:

receiving a user profile selection, wherein if the selected user profile does not exist, prompting the user to enter user profile information and creating the user profile based on input from the user;

determining the weight of the user and the body fat value of the user;

determining a number of calories to be consumed in order to achieve a predetermined weight;

generating at least one of a display of a minimum and a maximum weight of an average person matching a profile of the user, a rolling graph display, and a graph overlay display; and

displaying weight management information for the user.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the user profile includes an age, a height, and a sex.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the user profile includes a user identifier, and wherein multiple user profiles may be entered.

16. The method of claim 13 comprising:

if no specific weight management information request is received, displaying a predetermined weight management information value.

17. The method of claim 16 comprising:

displaying weight management information in a predetermined order.

18. The method of claim 14 comprising:

if no specific weight management information request is received, displaying a predetermined weight management information value.

19. The method of claim 14 comprising:

displaying weight management information in a predetermined order.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the weight management information includes the percent change in the user'"'"'s weight.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the weight management information includes a graph.

22. The method of claim 13 comprising:

if a specific weight management information request is received, displaying said specific weight management information.

23. A digital weight measurement device, comprising:

a housing;

a weight sensor disposed in the housing;

a graphic display capable of displaying multiple sets of weight management information, the graphic display being mounted on an upper surface of the housing; and

a controller disposed in the housing and coupled to the weight sensor and the display, wherein the controller comprises a microprocessor coupled to a memory and the microprocessor generates a number of calories to be consumed in order to achieve a predetermined weight and at least one of a current weight of the user, a percentage change in weight, a graph of a minimum and a maximum weight for an average person matching a profile of the user, a rolling graph of the user'"'"'s weight history, a graph overlay display, and a body fat value, and

wherein the controller causes at least one of these values to be displayed by the display in