Internet weight reduction system

• US 6,336,136 B1
• Filed: 12/24/1999
• Issued: 01/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harris Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Scott C Harris
• Inventors: Harris, Scott C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cardone, Jason D.
• Application Number:
  US09/471,297
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/205, 709/219, 709/229, 709/227, 128/920, 128/921, 600/300, 424/400, 705/16, 434/236, 434/237
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/921 Diet management

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for a diet system which is carried out over the Internet. A server, over a network, stores at least one weight reduction program, including information from which a specific weight reduction plan can be selected. The server receives user information, from a client, that includes a current image of the user. The server compares the current image to a previous image of the user to verify at least part of the information from the user. The server determines a weight reduction program based on the information by the user and the image comparison.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a weight reduction program over a network, comprising:

storing, on a server computer of the network, information related to at least one weight reduction program, including information from which a specific weight reduction plan can be selected;

obtaining information from a user related to the weight reduction program in a client computer, said obtaining information comprising obtaining a current image of said user,

sending said information from said client computer to said server comouter;

comparing said current information about said user with previous information about said user, by determining a current outline of a user represented by said image as said current information, comparing said outline with a previous outline representing said previous information, to determine a relationship between said current outline and said previous outline;

using said relationship to verify at least part of said information in said client computer; and

determining, in said server computer, a weight reduction program plan based on information obtained by the client computer and said relationship.

2. A method as in claim 1, further comprising storing an initial user profile.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein said initial user profile includes a starting weight and a desired weight.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein said client computer includes an electronic camera attached thereto, and further comprising obtaining an image of the user with said camera;

annotating said image to simulate a weight loss; and

displaying an annotated image.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein an annotated image is a simulated picture of the user having lost said amount of weight.

6. A method as in claim 1, further comprising providing identity information from the client to the server, wherein the server obtains a user'"'"'s profile from said identity information.

7. A method as in claim 6, wherein said identity information is via biometrics.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein said client and said server are connected over the Internet.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein said verifying comprises automatically obtaining a weight of the user.

10. An apparatus comprising a machine-readable storage medium having executable instructions for entering diet related information to a remote server computer from a client computer, the instructions enabling the client computer to:

obtain information from a user;

send said information to a remotely-located client computer;

receive information about weight reduction based on said information from said user;

display said information about weight reduction on said client computer; and

wherein said Instructions further enable the client to verify information that is entered by said user by obtaining a current image indicative of said user, and determining a current outline of a user represented by said image, and comparing said outline with a previous outline representing said previous information, to determine said relationship, said relationship being based on said current outline and said previous outline; and

using said relationship to verify at least part of said information in said client computer.

11. An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said instructions further enable the client to measure a parameter related to weight for said verify of said information.

12. An apparatus as in claim 10 wherein said instructions enable the computer to automatically determine a fat content of the user to verify said information.

13. A method of conducting weight reduction, comprising:

storing weight reduction information on a server;

manually entering information into a client;

accessing the server using information from the client to obtain information from the server indicating a recommended weight reduction procedure based on said information from the client; and

obtaining current information about said user including a current image of the user, and determining a current outline of a user represented by said image, and comparing said outline with a previous outline representing said previous information, to determine a relationship between said current information and said previous information, to verify at least part of said information in said client computer.