Floor tile scale with wall display

• US 6,781,067 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2002
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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: Murguia, Ricardo, Montagnino, James G., Wong, Anson
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy W.
• Application Number:
  US10/106,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20030178233A1
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10, 368/11, 177/25.13, 177/25.19, 177/142, 177/173, 177/177, 177/238, 177/245, 702/174, 600/301, 340/540, 340/573.1, 340/666
• US Class Current: 177/25.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/44 for weighing persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3728 with wireless means

Abstract

A body weigh scale that mounts into a floor of a room, for example in the floor of a bathroom, and that is designed to receive tiles or other floor covering materials thereon. A weighing mechanism of the body weigh scale generates weight information and transmits that weight information to a remote countertop or wall mounted display. The display may normally show a clock or another displayed item, and may convert its view to show weight units when a user steps on a platform. The display may also be configured to receive medical information from other medical devices, such as blood glucose monitors, heart rate monitors, or blood pressure monitors. The medical information may be shown by the display, may be received by the display and transmitted to another computer (e.g., at a hospital), or may be stored in the display for later transmission or evaluation.

Claims

1. A body weigh scale, comprising:

a weighing mechanism;

a radio frequency (RF) transmitter associated with the weighing mechanism and configured to send first wireless RF signals regarding weight information generated by the weighing mechanism;

a receiver configured to receive the first wireless RF signals sent by the transmitter; and

a display associated with the receiver, the display being configured to change from displaying a first image to displaying a second image responsive to the receiver receiving the first wireless RF signals, the first image being substantially independent of weight information, and the second image including information regarding the weight of the load based upon wireless signals sent by the transmitter.

2. The scale of claim 1, wherein the weighing mechanism is configured to be mounted in a floor of a building.

3. The scale of claim 2, wherein the weighing mechanism is configured to be mounted in a floor of a bathroom.

4. The scale of claim 1, wherein the display is configured to rest on a countertop.

5. The scale of claim 1, wherein the display is configured to hang on a wall.

6. The scale of claim 5, wherein the first image comprise a clock.

7. The scale of claim 6, wherein the first image comprises a digital clock having number locations, and wherein the second image comprises the weight information displayed at the number locations.

8. The scale of claim 1, wherein the first image comprises a digital clock having number locations, and wherein the second image comprises the weight information displayed at the number locations.

9. The scale of claim 5, wherein the display is further configured to receive medical information from a medical device, the medical information being independent of the weight information.

10. The scale of claim 9, wherein the display is further configured to store the medical information.

11. The scale of claim 10, wherein the display is further configured to display the medical information.

12. The scale of claim 9, wherein the display is further configured to forward the medical information to a monitoring component.

13. The scale of claim 12, wherein the display is further configured to forward the medical information via the Internet.

14. A body weigh scale, comprising:

a weighing mechanism configured to generate weight information in the form of a radio frequency (RF) signal responsive to a load on the weighing mechanism;

a radio frequency (RF) receiver for receiving the weight information via a wireless connection from the weighing mechanism;

a display, connected to the receiver, and configured to change from the display of a first image to the display of a second image including information related to the weight information, the first image being substantially independent of the weight information; and

means for changing the first image to the second image responsive to the receiver receiving the radio frequency (RF) signal.

15. The scale of claim 14, wherein the display is configured to hang on a wall.

16. The scale of claim 15, wherein the first image comprises a clock.

17. The scale of claim 14, wherein the first image comprises a clock.

18. The scale of claim 14, wherein the display is further configured to receive medical information from a medical device, the medical information being independent of the weight information.

19. The scale of claim 18, wherein the display is further configured to store the medical information.

20. The scale of claim 19, wherein the display is further configured to display the medical information.

21. The scale of claim 18, wherein the display is further configured to forward the medical information to a monitoring component.

22. The scale of claim 21, wherein the display is further configured to forward the medical information via the Internet.

23. A health monitoring system, comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) receiver for receiving medical information via a wireless connection from a medical device;

a display, connected to the receiver, and configured to change from the display of a first image to the display of a second image including the medical information, the first image being substantially independent of the medical information; and

means for changing the first image to the second image responsive to the receiver receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal.

24. The health monitoring system of claim 23, wherein the display is configured to hang on a wall.

25. The health monitoring system of claim 24, wherein the first image comprises a clock.

26. The health monitoring system of claim 23, wherein the first image comprises a clock.

27. The health monitoring system of claim 23, wherein the display is further configured to store the medical information.

28. The health monitoring system of claim 27, wherein the display is further configured to display the medical information.

29. The health monitoring system of claim 23, wherein the display is further configured to forward the medical information to a monitoring component.

30. The health monitoring system of claim 29, wherein the display is further configured to forward the medical information via the Internet.