Dining plate system sensing food characteristics, sending data to the internet, and displaying information on a handheld communication device

• US 9,782,027 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2016
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illumidine, Inc.
• Original Assignee: James F. Kramer
• Inventors: Kramer, James F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Omer S
• Application Number:
  US15/387,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20170099968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 293 Days
• Field of Search: 34087007
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/025 with means for amusing or giving information to the user
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2227 with means for amusing or giving information to the user A47G23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2019/2238 with illumination means
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2019/2244 with sound emitting means
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2019/225 vessels with thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/00 Table-ware crumb trays A47L13/52; table knives B26B
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/023 Forks; Forks with ejectors
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/04 Spoons; Pastry servers
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 23/0306 with means for amusing or giving information to the user A47G23/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 23/0309 Illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 43/28 Other culinary hand implements, e.g. spatulas, pincers, forks or like food holders, ladles, skimming ladles, cooking spoons; Spoon-holders attached to cooking pots
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4146 for controlling caloric intake, e.g. diet control
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 21/22 Weigh pans or other weighing receptacles; Weighing platforms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0092 Nutrition
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/84 Measuring functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A dining plate active foodware system senses food characteristics, such as weight and calories. Removable dining plates are placed on an underplate comprising sensing and wireless communication components. The system may include a camera. Data related to the food is sent to the internet as well as displayed on the visual stimulating component of a handheld communication device, such as a mobile phone. Auditory and haptic stimuli may also be provided.

Claims

1. An active foodware system comprising:

a dining surface supported by a dining plate, said dining surface being recessed in relation to a region surrounding said dining surface, said dining surface recessed for receiving solid food and preventing spillage from said dining surface;

a sensing component and a wireless communication component, wherein said sensing component is for sensing while a diner is dining and for providing related visual, auditory, or haptic stimulation to a recipient or said diner while said diner is dining, said sensing component for sensing weight of said food;

wherein said wireless communication component is for wirelessly sending data for providing visual, auditory, or haptic stimulation to said recipient or said diner while said diner is dining;

an underplate having positioning structure for removably mating with said dining plate and simultaneously mating with a plurality of dining plates not contacting with each other, said underplate comprising said sensing component for sensing the weight of said food while said diner is dining and said wireless communication component;

wherein said sensing component further comprises a plurality of load cells for sensing the weight of said food, and wherein each load cell of said plurality of load cells is associated with a separate said dining plate of said plurality of dining plates.

2. The active foodware system according to claim 1, providing said visual, auditory, or haptic stimulation to said diner while dining to provide encouragement to eat, rewards for eating, minatory messages, educational messages, or directions concerning food selection.

3. The active foodware system according to claim 1, wherein said sensing component further comprises a camera for providing information about preparation of said food or about said diner.

4. The active foodware system according to claim 1, wherein said sensing component is for sensing calories while said diner is dining.

5. The active foodware system according to claim 1, further comprising a mobile computing device for wirelessly receiving data from said sensing component while said diner is dining.

6. The active foodware system according to claim 5, wherein said mobile computing device comprises a visual stimulating component for displaying information while said diner is dining about ongoing consumption of said food.

7. A method employing an active foodware system employing a dining surface supported by a dining plate, said dining surface being recessed in relation to a region surrounding said dining surface, said dining surface recessed for receiving solid food and preventing spillage from said dining surface, said active foodware system further employing a sensing component, a wireless communication component for wirelessly sending data, a processor component, and an underplate having positioning structure for removably mating with said dining plate and simultaneously mating with a plurality of dining plates not contacting with each other, said underplate having said sensing component and said wireless communication component, said method comprising the steps of:

mating said dining plate with said positioning structure of said underplate;

said sensing component providing sensing data based on consumption of a diner while dining;

wirelessly sending said sensing data for providing visual, auditory, or haptic stimulation to a recipient or said diner while said diner is dining;

said processor component processing said sensing data for providing related visual, auditory, or haptic stimulation to said recipient or said diner;

said underplate comprising said sensing component for sensing weight of said food while said diner is dining; and

wherein said sensing component further comprises a plurality of load cells for sensing the weight of said food, and wherein each load cell of said plurality of load cells is associated with a separate said dining plate of said plurality of dining plates.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of sensing calories of said food while said diner is dining.

9. The method according to claim 8 employing a mobile computing device, said method further comprising the step of:

said mobile computing device wirelessly receiving and processing said sensing data from said sensing component while dining.

10. The method according to claim 7, further employing computer memory external to said active foodware system, said method further comprising the steps of:

transferring data from said computer memory to said processor component;

said processor component processing said data from said computer memory with said sensing data to provide processed data; and

displaying, playing, or operating said processed data.