System and method for weighing food and calculating calorie content thereof

• US 8,330,057 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2010
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: King Fahd University Of Petroleum And Minerals
• Inventors: Sharawi, Mohammad Said, Rawashdeh, Osamah A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy W
• Application Number:
  US12/656,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20110168456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 177/25.16, 177/25.19, 177/238, 177/244, 177/262, 128/921
• US Class Current: 177/25.16
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4146 for controlling caloric intake, e.g. diet control
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3728 with wireless means

Abstract

The food calorie counting system relates to a calorie counting system that utilizes a container with at least one chamber for holding food materials, sensitive scales integrated into the chambers to weigh the food, and a processor to calculate the number of calories in the food items based on weight, type of food and method of preparation. The number of calories is then displayed on a display device to a user. The system may be used as a stand-alone device, or may further utilize an external central control unit where information from the container is transmitted to the external control unit for processing, food calorie calculation and transmission back to the containers for display.

Claims

1. A food calorie counting system, comprising:

a container having a plurality of compartments for holding food items, said container defining an open recess, at least one partition wall being received within the open recess to divide the open recess into the plurality of compartments, such that the plurality of compartments are positioned adjacent and contiguous to one another, wherein each said compartment is adapted for directly receiving and holding a unique one of the food items;

at least one electronic scale for measuring the weight of the food items in each of said compartments, the scale being embedded within the container, wherein said at least one electronic scale comprises a plurality of electronic scales, each said scale corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of compartments;

means for inputting information about the food items;

means for receiving the inputs;

means for calculating the number of calories in the food items;

means for receiving the calculated information about the food calories in the container; and

means for displaying the calculated information about the food calories in the container to a user.

2. The food calorie counting system of claim 1, wherein said means for calculating the number of calories comprises a computer readable memory for storing information and a processor for computing calories in the food items, the computer readable memory being connected to the processor.

3. The food calorie counting system of claim 1, wherein said electronic scales have an accuracy of at least one gram.

4. The food calorie counting system of claim 1, wherein the means for receiving inputs and the means for calculating calories are secured within the container by a waterproof seal.

5. The food calorie counting system of claim 1, wherein the means for inputting information is selected from the group consisting of selection buttons, control buttons and keyboards.

6. A food calorie counting system, comprising:

a plurality of containers, each having a plurality of compartments for holding food items, each said container defining an open recess, at least one partition wall being received within the open recess to divide the open recess into the plurality of compartments, such that the plurality of compartments are positioned adjacent and contiguous to one another, wherein each said compartment is adapted for directly receiving and holding a unique one of the food items;

at least one electronic scale for measuring the weight of the food items in each of said compartments, the electronic scale being embedded within the container, wherein said at least one electronic scale comprises a plurality of electronic scales, each said scale corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of compartments;

means for inputting information about the food items;

means for receiving the inputs;

means for storing the inputs;

an external central control unit, the central control unit comprising means for receiving and transmitting data, a computer readable memory for storing data, a processor for calculating the number of calories in the food items and a transmitter for transmitting the food calories calculated by the processor to the containers;

means for wirelessly transmitting data relating to the weight of the food and the information about the food items to the external central control unit; and

means for displaying the calculated information about food calories in the container to a user.

7. The food calorie counting system of claim 6, wherein said electronic scale has an accuracy of at least one gram.

8. The food calorie counting system of claim 6, wherein the means for receiving, storing and transmitting inputs are housed within the container by a waterproof seal.

9. The food calorie counting system of claim 6, wherein the means for inputting information to the external central control unit is selected from the group consisting of control buttons and keyboards.

10. The food calorie counting system of claim 6, wherein the means for displaying the calories is selected from the group consisting of a light emitting diode, a liquid crystal display and a plasma screen.