Hydration level measurement system and method

• US 9,818,309 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2015
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Humana Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Humana Incorporated
• Inventors: Snyder, Seth
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Sam
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUMPHREY, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US14/660,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20160358507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 434127, 434236, 434238
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 21/00 Details of weighing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0092 Nutrition
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/10 all student stations being capable of presenting the same information simultaneously G09B5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets

Abstract

A hydration level measurement system and method comprising a technology embedded scale that rewards individuals for drinking an appropriate amount of liquid throughout the day. In an example embodiment, a reusable water bottle is equipped with an RFID tag and assigned to an individual so that the user'"'"'s hydration level may be tracked. The RFID tag logs the individual'"'"'s access as well as “before-filling” and “after-filling” weights of the bottle when placed on the scale. A computer screen acknowledges the bottle'"'"'s owner, and then indicates the increased weight and how many points will be awarded to the user using an ounces-to-points conversion. Data may be transferred from the scale computer to a web server and aggregated at the server from multiple scales for multiple “hydration challenges.” A web application receives and processes user requests to display data related to each hydration challenge such as the current scores of the participants.

Claims

1. A hydration level measurement system comprising:

(a) a liquid containing vessel comprising a vessel identifier;

(b) a measuring device comprising a vessel identifier detecting device and a scale;

(c) a computer connected to said measuring device that;

(1) receives a plurality of user identifiers associated with a challenge, wherein said challenge has start date and an end date, and wherein each user identifier is associated with a challenge total point value that is created at the start date;

(2) receives from said measuring device the vessel identifier and a first weight reading associated with the liquid containing vessel;

(3) receives from said measuring device a second weight reading associated with the liquid containing vessel;

(4) calculates a point value based on a difference between the first weight reading and the second weight reading

(5) locates the user identifier associated with said vessel identifier;

(6) calculating a new total point value by adding said point value to the stored challenge total point value associated with said user identifier;

(7) stores at said computer said new total point value as the stored challenge total point value for said user identifier;

(d) a display in electronic communication with said computer that displays;

(1) said user identifiers associated with said challenge; and

(2) the stored challenge total point value for each user identifier associated with said challenge; and

(3) said user identifier and corresponding said new total point value in response to calculating a new point value.

2. The hydration level measurement system of claim 1 wherein said vessel identifier is an RFID tag.

3. The hydration level measurement system of claim 1 wherein said difference between said first weight reading and said second weight reading is measured in units selected from the group consisting of ounces, cups, milligrams, and grams.

4. The hydration level measurement system of claim 1 wherein said display in electronic communication with said computer displays a message indicating said computer is determining said user identifier associated with said vessel identifier.

5. The hydration level measurement system of claim 1 wherein said display in electronic communication with said computer displays a message indicating said computer is waiting for said measuring device to calculate said second weight reading.

6. The hydration level measurement system of claim 1 wherein said display in electronic communication with said computer displays a message instructing a user to remove said liquid containing vessel from said measuring device.

7. A hydration level measurement method comprising:

(a) receiving, at a computer from a measuring device, a vessel identifier identifying a liquid containing vessel, and a first weight reading corresponding to the weight of the liquid containing vessel;

(b) receiving at said computer from said measuring device a second weight reading corresponding to the liquid containing vessel;

(c) calculating at said computer a point value based on a difference between said second weight reading and said first weight reading;

(d) locating a user identifier associated with said vessel identifier;

(e) combining at said computer said calculated point value with a previously stored total point value associated with said user identifier to calculate a new total point value;

(f) storing at said computer said new total point value;

(f) locating a user identifier associated with said vessel identifier;

(g) displaying on a display said user identifier and said new total point value;

(h) locating a challenge identifier associated with said user identifier, wherein said challenge identifier identifies a group of user identifiers assigned to a challenge and wherein said challenge has a start date, and an end date;

(i) locating the plurality of user identifiers assigned to said challenge identifier;

(j) displaying on the display the plurality of user identifiers and the stored;

(k) after the end date, determining by said computer a winner, wherein the winner is the user identifier assigned to said challenge identifier with a highest total point value within the start and end dates;

(l) displaying on the display said winner and said highest total point value.

8. The hydration level measurement method of claim 7 wherein said measuring device is a scale.

9. The hydration level measurement method of claim 7 wherein said vessel identifier is an RFID tag.

10. The hydration level measurement method of claim 7 wherein said first weight reading and said second weight reading are in units selected from the group consisting of ounces, cups, milligrams, and grams.

11. The hydration level measurement method of claim 7 wherein said display in electronic communication with said computer displays a message indicating said computer is determining said user identifier associated with said vessel identifier.

12. The hydration level measurement method of claim 7 wherein said display in electronic communication with said computer displays a message indicating said computer is waiting for said measuring device to calculate said second weight reading.

13. The hydration level measurement method of claim 7 wherein said display in electronic communication with said computer displays a message instructing a user to remove said liquid containing vessel from said measuring device.

14. A hydration level measurement system comprising:

(a) a liquid containing vessel comprising a vessel identifier;

(b) a measuring device comprising a vessel identifier detecting device and a scale;

(c) a computer connected to said measuring device and having a display, said computer configured to;

(1) receive a start date and an end date associated with at least one challenge;

(2) receive a plurality of user identifiers associated with said challenge;

(3) beginning on said start date, record total point values for each of the plurality of user identifiers by;

(i) receiving from said measuring device the vessel identifier and a first weight reading associated with the liquid containing vessel;

(ii) receiving from said measuring device a second weight reading associated with the liquid containing vessel;

(iii) locating a user identifier associated with said vessel identifier;

(iv) calculating a point value based on a difference between the first weight reading and the second weight reading;

(v) updating the stored total point value by adding said point value to the stored total point value associated with said user identifier;

(vi) repeating steps (i)-(v) until said end date;

(4) determine a winner associated with said challenge, wherein said winner is the user identifier assigned to said challenge with the highest total point value after said end date; and

(5) display on the display said winner.

15. The hydration level measurement system of claim 14 wherein said user identifiers associated with said at least one challenge is displayed in a sorted order of user total point values.

16. The hydration level measurement system of claim 14 wherein said vessel identifier is an RFID tag.

17. The hydration level measurement system of claim 14 wherein said difference between said first weight reading and said second weight reading is measured in units selected from the group consisting of ounces, cups, milligrams, and grams.