Systems and methods for a consumer to determine food/medicine interactions

• US 7,805,319 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ellen Badinelli
• Original Assignee: Ellen Badinelli
• Inventors: Badinelli, Ellen
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor; Gerald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MISIASZEK, AMBER ALTSCHUL
• Application Number:
  US12/020,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20080263011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/3, 705/4
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention relates to systems and methods for detecting harmful and/or hazardous ingredients that may cause an allergic reaction, interfere with the effectiveness of a prescription drug, exacerbate symptoms associated with a chronic illness, and/or cause another undesired reaction.

Claims

1. A method for determining food or medicine interaction of a user, comprising:

a) populating, by a programmable device, a database, that correlates at least;

i) a first product identifier corresponding to at least one ingredients of a first product; and

ii) a second product identifier corresponding to at least one ingredients of a second product;

b) creating and maintaining via the Internet utilizing a web-based mechanism, at least a first user profile, comprising user health information for a plurality of users;

c) scanning a first product by at least one hand-held communication device, wherein the first product includes indicia associated with the first product identifier;

d) capturing, in real-time, the first product identifier;

e) transmitting, in real-time, the first product identifier from the at least one hand-held communication device to the database;

f) comparing, in real-time, the first user profile to the first product identifier corresponding to the at least one ingredients of the first product obtained from the database;

g) transmitting, in real-time, to the at least one hand-held communication device, the results of the comparison of the first user profile to the first product identifier corresponding to the at least one ingredients of the first product, wherein the results are used to;

(1) output an alert when the first product, based on the first user profile, includes a harmful ingredient; and

(2) output an alert when the first product, based on the first user profile, includes a recommended ingredient;

h) scanning a second product by the at least one hand-held communication device, wherein the second product includes indicia associated with the second product identifier;

i) capturing, in real-time, the second product identifier;

j) transmitting, in real-time, the second product identifier from the at least one hand-held communication device to the database;

k) comparing, in real-time, the first user profile to the second product identifier corresponding to the at least one ingredients of the second product obtained from the database; and

l) transmitting, in real-time, to the at least one hand-held communication device, the results of the comparison of the first user profile to the second product identifier corresponding to the at least one ingredients of the second product, wherein the results are used to;

(1) output an alert when the second product, based on the first user profile, includes a harmful ingredient; and

(2) output an alert when the second product, based on the first user profile, includes a recommended ingredient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user health information is selected from the group consisting of:

allergies, prescriptions, chronic illness, medical condition, and dietary preferences.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the users associated with the first user profile are in the same household.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps (results are further used to suggest a substitute ingredient.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the results are further used to suggest a substitute product.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps (c) through (1) are performed prior to the user'"'"'s use of the first and/or second products.