Devices, systems and methods to control caloric intake

• US 8,299,930 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2009
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Schmid-Schonbein, Geert W., Altshuler, Angelina, Gorish, Casey, Sukhija, Kunal, Williams, Amanda, Wu, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Toan N
• Application Number:
  US12/612,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20100109876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/691.1, 340/691.6, 340/3.1, 340/3.31, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 702/187, 702/189, 738/654, 434/127, 128/921
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets

Abstract

Devices, systems and methods are disclosed which relate to training a user in controlling and limiting total calorie consumption, and consequently body weight, by encouraging the user to perform specified consuming actions such as chewing slowly, adjusting a time interval between bites, detecting the early points of satiation, etc. The disclosure is therefore a “calorie pacer” that naturally reduces calorie consumption by re-teaching a user how to eat on a step-by-step basis. The slower eating pace results in a person feeling full before the intake of excessive food portions. The result is fewer calories consumed. Sensors and microcontrollers throughout a place setting are utilized to prompt the user, for example, when to take bites, how big of a bite to take, when to take a drink, etc and record the data in an efficient manner that allows for analysis, monitoring of progress, and personalized feedback.

Claims

1. A system for controlling caloric intake of a user, the system comprising:

a microcontroller including a processor and a memory;

an input in communication with the microcontroller;

an output in communication with the microcontroller;

a sensor in communication with the microcontroller; and

a logic unit on the memory, the logic including

detecting, via the sensor, a first consuming action performed by the user, and

prompting the user to perform a second consuming action after a time interval.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the input is one of a keyboard, a touchscreen, a scale sensor, and a microphone.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the output is one of a display, a speaker, a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), and a vibrator.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is one of a presence sensor, a light sensor, a weight sensor, and an accelerometer.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database stored on the memory, the database including a diet profile, the diet profile including one of a user profile associated with the user, and a meal profile.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a user profile includes a plurality of statistics for the user, the statistics including a height, weight, and sex of the user.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is coupled to a utensil.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of sensors are coupled with a smart place setting.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a tooth sensor in communication with the microcontroller.

10. A device for controlling caloric intake of a user, the device comprising:

a processor;

a memory in communication with the processor;

an input in communication with the processor;

an output in communication with the processor;

a sensor in communication with the processor; and

a logic unit on the memory, the logic including

detecting, via the sensor, a first consuming action performed by the user, and

prompting the user to perform a second consuming action after a time interval.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the sensor is one of a presence sensor, a light sensor, a weight sensor, and an accelerometer.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the input is one of a keyboard, a touchscreen, and a microphone.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the output is one of a display, a speaker, a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), and a vibrator.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the memory, processor, input, and output are enclosed within a housing that is adapted to be coupled to the utensil.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the housing includes a clip removably attachable to an end of the utensil.

16. The device of claim 10, further comprising a transceiver in communication with a tooth sensor.

17. A method for monitoring and regulating a caloric intake of a user, the method comprising:

detecting a first consuming action performed by the user during a consumption of a meal; and

prompting the user to perform a second consuming action after a time interval

wherein the first consuming action is detected by a sensor and the second consuming action is prompted by an output.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

detecting a time interval between the first consuming action and the second consuming action;

comparing the time interval with a stored time interval retrieved from a profile for the user; and

prompting the user to adjust the time between a subsequent set of consuming actions.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

defining a plurality of statistics for the user, the statistics including a height, weight, and sex of the user, and

storing the plurality of statistics in a user profile.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

recording a consumption pattern for the meal;

storing the consumption pattern in the user profile; and

generating a consumption trend for the user over a specified number of meals.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

defining a type of meal,

storing the type of meal in a meal profile, and

associating the meal profile with the user profile.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the detecting comprises:

measuring a weight of a meal;

measuring an incremental decrease in the weight of the meal;

measuring an amount of calories using the weight of the meal consumed;

prompting the user to adjust a bite size and the time interval between consuming actions based in part upon the incremental decrease; and

prompting the user to stop food consumption when satiation has been detected.