Food content detector

• US 8,355,875 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2008
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Kare, Jordin T., Leuthardt, Eric C., Sweeney, Elizabeth A., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Wood, Victoria Y. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): BHAT, ADITYA S
• Application Number:
  US12/313,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20100125179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,523 Days
• Field of Search: 702/19
• US Class Current: 702/19
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/02 Food

Abstract

A system may include utensil means for portioning a foodstuff into a first portion and a second portion, a means for detecting a first portion size for the first portion with the utensil means, a means for detecting a second portion size for the second portion with the utensil means, and a means for determining a cumulative amount of portioned foodstuff based upon the first portion size and the second portion size.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a tool for presenting a portioned foodstuff for consumption by at least one user;

a sensor coupled to the tool for directly contacting the portioned foodstuff and for sensing at least one ingredient in the portioned foodstuff; and

a reporter coupled to the sensor for reporting information concerning the at least one ingredient in the portioned foodstuff.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein a tool for presenting a portioned foodstuff for consumption by at least one user comprises:

at least one of a serving dish, a utensil, or a vending machine.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein a sensor coupled to the tool for directly contacting the portioned foodstuff and for sensing at least one ingredient in the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a sensor for sensing at least one of a carbohydrate, a fat, a mineral, a protein, a salt, a triglyceride, or a vitamin.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein a sensor coupled to the tool for directly contacting the portioned foodstuff and for sensing at least one ingredient in the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a sensor for determining a concentration of the at least one ingredient in the portioned foodstuff.

5. The device of claim 4, further comprising:

a detector for detecting a portion size for the portioned foodstuff for consumption by the at least one user; and

a processor coupled to the detector for determining a cumulative amount of the at least one ingredient based upon the portion size and the concentration of the at least one ingredient.

6. The device of claim 4, further comprising:

a utensil for separating the portioned foodstuff into a first portion and a second portion and delivering it to the at least one user;

a detector coupled to the utensil for detecting a first portion size for the first portion and detecting a second portion size for the second portion; and

a processor coupled to the detector for determining a cumulative amount of the at least one ingredient based upon the first portion size, the second portion size, and the concentration of the at least one ingredient.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a utensil for portioning a foodstuff into a first portion and a second portion;

a detector coupled to the utensil for detecting a first portion size for the first portion and detecting a second portion size for the second portion; and

a processor coupled to the detector for determining a cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff based upon the first portion size and the second portion size.

8. The device of claim 7, further comprising:

a memory for storing the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff.

9. The device of claim 7, further comprising:

a reporter for reporting the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff.

10. The device of claim 7, further comprising:

a reporter for reporting that the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff has reached a target amount.

11. The device of claim 7, further comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff.

12. The device of claim 7, further comprising:

a comparator for comparing the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff to a target amount.

13. The device of claim 7, further comprising:

a determination module for determining a nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein a determination module for determining a nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a determination module for determining an energy density for the portioned foodstuff.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein a determination module for determining a nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a determination module for determining a component concentration for the portioned foodstuff.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein a determination module for determining a nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a receiver for receiving the nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff.

17. The device of claim 7, wherein a processor coupled to the detector for determining a cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff based upon the first portion size and the second portion size comprises:

a calculator for calculating a nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff utilizing a nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff and the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein a calculator for calculating a nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff utilizing a nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff and the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a calculator for calculating a nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff utilizing an energy density for the portioned foodstuff and the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein a calculator for calculating a nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff utilizing a nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff and the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a calculator for calculating a nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff utilizing a component concentration for the portioned foodstuff and the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff.

20. The device of claim 17, further comprising:

a reporter for reporting that the nutritional content of the portioned foodstuff has reached a target amount.

21. The device of claim 17, further comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting the nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff.

22. The device of claim 17, further comprising:

a comparator for comparing the nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff to a target amount.

23. The device of claim 7, further comprising:

a second sensor for determining a type of the portioned foodstuff;

a database for referencing the type of the portioned foodstuff against a stored nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff; and

a calculator for calculating a nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff utilizing the stored nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff and the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff.

24. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a tool for portioning a foodstuff into a first portion and a second portion;

a detector coupled to the tool for detecting a first portion size for the first portion and detecting a second portion size for the second portion;

a processor coupled to the detector for determining a cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff based upon the first portion size and the second portion size; and

a determination module coupled to the tool for determining a nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff.

25. The device of claim 24, further comprising:

a reporter for reporting the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff.

26. The device of claim 24, further comprising:

a reporter for reporting that the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff has reached a target amount.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein a reporter for reporting that the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff has reached a target amount comprises:

an alarm for alerting a user when the target amount is reached.

28. The device of claim 24, further comprising:

a comparator for comparing the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff to a target amount.

29. The device of claim 24, wherein a determination module coupled to the tool for determining a nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a determination module for determining an energy density for the portioned foodstuff.

30. The device of claim 24, wherein a determination module coupled to the tool for determining a nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a determination module for determining a component concentration for the portioned foodstuff.

31. The device of claim 24, wherein a determination module coupled to the tool for determining a nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a determination module for determining the nutritional parameter on at least one of a per-mass basis, a per-volume basis, or a per-weight basis.

32. The device of claim 24, wherein a processor coupled to the detector for determining a cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff based upon the first portion size and the second portion size comprises:

a calculator for calculating a nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff utilizing the nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff and the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff.

33. The device of claim 32, further comprising:

a memory for storing the nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff.

34. The device of claim 32, further comprising:

a reporter for reporting the nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff.

35. The device of claim 32, further comprising:

a reporter for reporting that the nutritional content of the portioned foodstuff has reached a target amount.

36. The device of claim 32, further comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting the nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff.

37. The device of claim 32, further comprising:

a comparator for comparing the nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff to a target amount.

38. The device of claim 24, further comprising:

a second sensor for determining a type of the portioned foodstuff;

a database for referencing the type of the portioned foodstuff against a stored nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff; and

a calculator for calculating a nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff utilizing the stored nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff and the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff.