Food content detector

• US 8,229,676 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2008
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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:
  US12/313,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20100125418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 702/19
• US Class Current: 702/19
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/00 Table-ware crumb trays A47L13/52; table knives B26B
• 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: A61J 7/0015 Devices specially adapted for taking medicines
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4146 for controlling caloric intake, e.g. diet control
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/56 combined with handles of tools or household implements
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3735 using a digital network
• 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 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 portioned foodstuff based upon the first portion size and the second portion size; and

a sensor for directly contacting the portioned foodstuff and for sensing at least one ingredient of the portioned foodstuff.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein a tool for portioning a foodstuff into a first portion and a second portion comprises:

at least one of a bowl, a chopstick, a container, a cup, a fork, a glass, a knife, a ladle, a plate, a scoop, a serving dish, a spatula, a spoon, tongs, or a utensil.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein 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 comprises:

a detector for detecting the first portion size for the first portion, wherein the first portion is sized by at least one of mass, volume, or weight.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein a processor coupled to the detector for determining a cumulative amount of portioned foodstuff based upon the first portion size and the second portion size comprises:

a processor for adding the first portion size and the second portion size for a positive accumulation.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein a processor coupled to the detector for determining a cumulative amount of portioned foodstuff based upon the first portion size and the second portion size comprises:

a processor for subtracting the first portion size and the second portion size for a negative accumulation.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

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

7. The device of claim 6, wherein a memory for storing the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff comprises:

at least one of flash memory, Random Access Memory (RAM), or Read Only Memory (ROM).

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

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

9. The device of claim 8, wherein a reporter for reporting the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff comprises:

at least one of an audio signal, a tactile signal, or a visual signal.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

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

11. The device of claim 10, 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.

12. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

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

13. The device of claim 12, wherein a transmitter for transmitting the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a transmitter for transmitting the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff to a remote display.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein a transmitter for transmitting the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a transmitter for transmitting the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff to a remote storage device.

15. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

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

16. The device of claim 15, wherein a comparator for comparing the cumulative amount of the portioned foodstuff to a target amount comprises:

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

17. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

a display for reporting a representation of the comparison.

18. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a representation of the comparison.

19. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

an alarm for alerting a user to the comparison.

20. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a determination module coupled to the tool for determining a nutritional parameter for the portioned foodstuff, the determination module for determining an energy density for the portioned foodstuff.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the determination module for determining an energy density for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a determination module for determining a calorie density for the portioned foodstuff.

22. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

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

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the determination module for determining a component concentration for the portioned foodstuff comprises:

a determination module for determining a concentration of at least one of a carbohydrate, a monosaccharide, a disaccharide, an oligosaccharide, a polysaccharide, a cellulose component, a fiber component, a sugar component, a dairy component, a fat, a saturated fat, an unsaturated fat, a polyunsaturated fat, a trans fat, a cholesterol component, a lipoprotein, a mineral, a peanut component, a protein, a salt, a triglyceride, or a vitamin.

24. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

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

25. The device of claim 1, wherein a processor coupled to the detector for determining a cumulative amount of 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.

26. The device of claim 25, 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.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein 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 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.

28. The device of claim 25, further comprising:

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

29. The device of claim 25, further comprising:

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

30. The device of claim 25, further comprising:

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

31. The device of claim 25, further comprising:

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

32. The device of claim 31, wherein a comparator for comparing the nutritional content for the portioned foodstuff to a target amount comprises:

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

33. The device of claim 31, further comprising:

an alarm for alerting a user to the comparison.

34. The device of claim 1, 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.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein a second sensor for determining a type of the portioned foodstuff comprises:

at least one of a barcode reader, a database, a label reader, a meal-specific association, or a user input.