SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OBTAINING HEALTH AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION WITH A HANDHELD DEVICE

• US 20110139868A1
• Filed: 02/20/2011
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EPIC Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: EPIC Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Baker, Trent
• Granted Patent: US 8,275,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for obtaining health and financial information with a handheld device. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a system for obtaining real time financial information utilizing a bar code or RF ID reader on a handheld device. A bar code or RF ID reader is used to obtain the product identity of a particular product in a retail environment. The product identity is correlated with the particular retailer'"'"'s product price. This information can then be analyzed versus current financial budgets or recorded as part of a financial plan. In addition, real time financial advice and information can be given on the product including whether a competitor offers a lower price on a similar product, consumer reviews of the product, value rating, etc. A second embodiment of the present invention relates to a system for providing real time health information utilizing a bar code or RF ID reader on a handheld device. The bar code or RF ID reader could be used to obtain a product identity in a retail or home environment. Health information is correlated with the product based on the product'"'"'s identity. This information could then be used for a variety of health related purposes including ingredient alerts, high fat content, high calorie content, nutritional budgets, etc. Alternatively, products could be scanned before consumption in the home environment to assist in health budgets for particular nutritional values such as calories, fat, carbohydrate, or protein. The bar code or RF ID reader for both embodiments may be incorporated into any existing handheld device including a PDA, media player, cell phone, calculator, watch, or shopping device.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. A method for obtaining health information comprising the acts of:

using a computing device, scanning a product bar code and obtaining a product identity;

using the computing device, obtaining a health information corresponding to the product identity;

using the computing device, recording the health information and product identity;

using the computing device, assigning the recorded health information and the recorded product identity to a particular health category;

using the computing device, displaying a record over a particular time period including the recorded health information and product identity; and

wherein the acts are performed in the order listed above.

11. The method of claim 10 further including identifying at least one undesired ingredient in the corresponding health information and displaying a notification if the at least one undesired ingredient is contained in the product.

12. The method of claim 10 further including identifying at least one pre-programmed nutritional threshold value and displaying a notification if the product exceeds the at least one pre-programmed nutritional threshold value.

13. The method of claim 10 further including:

receiving a nutritional value budget;

adding a nutritional value from the corresponding health information of the scanned product to a tabulated budget value; and

displaying the budget value.

14. The method of claim 10 further including recording the corresponding health information and displaying a health record over a particular time period including the corresponding health information.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the act of scanning a product bar code and obtaining a product identity includes receiving a RF ID code.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the act of receiving a product bar code and obtaining product identity further includes disposing a bar code reader on a handheld device in close proximity to the product bar code.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the act of correlating the product identity with corresponding health information includes correlating the product identity with corresponding health information for non-scanned product identities.

18. A handheld device comprising:

a scanning device configured to obtain a product identity from a bar code;

a correlation module that is configured to correlate the product identity obtained by the scanning device with information about the product, wherein the information includes health information;

wherein the correlation module is configured to assign the product identity obtained by the scanning device and the information about the product correlated by the correlation module to a particular category;

a memory module configured to store the information about the product correlated by the correlation module; and

a display that is configured to visually display the information about the product stored by the memory module.

20. The handheld device of claim 18, wherein the scanning device is configured to receive radio frequency transmissions.

19. The handheld device of claim 19, wherein the correlation module further includes a data communication system.