Food content detector

• US 8,386,185 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2008
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• 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:
  US12/313,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20100125176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,565 Days
• Field of Search: 702/19
• US Class Current: 702/19
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/04 Spoons; Pastry servers
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 23/12 Consumption counters combined with table-ware or table-service

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 utensil for portioning a foodstuff into a first portion and a second portion;

a detector coupled to the utensil for detecting a first nutritional content for the first portion and detecting a second nutritional content for the second portion;

a processor coupled to the detector for determining a cumulative amount of nutritional content based upon the first nutritional content and the second nutritional content; and

a sensor coupled with the utensil for directly contacting the first portion and the second portion and for sensing an ingredient in at least one of the first portion or the second portion.

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

at least one of a chopstick, a cup, a fork, a glass, a knife, a ladle, a scoop, or a spoon.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein a detector coupled to the utensil for detecting a first nutritional content for the first portion and detecting a second nutritional content for the second portion comprises:

a detector for detecting the first nutritional content 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 nutritional content based upon the first nutritional content and the second nutritional content comprises:

a processor for adding the first nutritional content and the second nutritional content for a positive accumulation.

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

a processor for subtracting the first nutritional content and the second nutritional content for a negative accumulation.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory for storing the cumulative amount of the nutritional content.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein a memory for storing the cumulative amount of the nutritional content 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 nutritional content.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein a reporter for reporting the cumulative amount of the nutritional content 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 nutritional content has reached a target amount.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein a reporter for reporting that the cumulative amount of the nutritional content 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 nutritional content.

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

a transmitter for transmitting the cumulative amount of the nutritional content to a remote display.

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

a transmitter for transmitting the cumulative amount of the nutritional content to a remote storage device.

15. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a comparator for comparing the cumulative amount of the nutritional content to a target amount.

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

a comparator for comparing the cumulative amount of the nutritional content 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 for determining a nutritional parameter for the nutritional content.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein a determination module for determining a nutritional parameter for the nutritional content comprises:

a determination module for determining an energy density for the nutritional content.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein a determination module for determining an energy density for the nutritional content comprises:

a determination module for determining a calorie density for the nutritional content.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein a determination module for determining a nutritional parameter for the nutritional content comprises:

a determination module for determining a concentration of the ingredient for the nutritional content.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein a determination module for determining a concentration of the ingredient for the nutritional content 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.

25. The device of claim 20, wherein a determination module for determining a nutritional parameter for the nutritional content comprises:

a 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.