WO1997028738A1

WO1997028738A1 - Portable apparatus for monitoring food intake

Info

Publication number: WO1997028738A1
Application number: PCT/IL1997/000046
Authority: WO
Inventors: Awni Zuabe
Original assignee: Awni Zuabe
Priority date: 1996-02-07
Filing date: 1997-02-05
Publication date: 1997-08-14
Also published as: AU1455997A; IL117064A0; IL117064A

Abstract

A portable diet calculator (10) includes a database (15) of food product data arranged alphabetically, and a scale for weighing the food item and determining its weight. Cumulative food property threshold(s) and food consumption data and a time stamp relating to consumption of each specified food item are stored together with a respective maximum daily allowance of each food property. A cumulative intake of each food property is computed in respect of each food item consumed in a given time interval, and a warning signal is generated if any cumulative food property intake exceeds the respective food property maximum allowance. A food item is displayed together with database data and is selected via two pairs of scroll keys (41-44) which provide coarse and fine location of a desired food item from the database (15) and which operate in conjunction with a CONFIRM key (45) for selecting a displayed food item.

Description

Portable apparatus for monitoring food intake

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an apparatus for monitoring the intake by a user of specific food products such as, for example, calories, carbohy¬ drates, vitamins etc. In particular, it relates to such an apparatus for aiding a person in controlling and maintaining a diet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Devices for monitoring the food calorific intake of a user, particularly for medical diagnostic purposes, are known. Thus, for example. U.S. Patent No. 4,321,674 (Krames et al.) discloses a device for accumulat¬ ing and displaying nutritional values which has first and second display units, each of which displays carbohydrate, protein, fat and calorie values. Food items to be consumed are keyed into the device on a keyboard and the values assigned by the device to those items are displayed on the first display unit. When an entry key is pressed, the values for the newly entered items are added to the values of items previously entered for the day, and the new totals are displayed on the first display unit. A desired daily calorie limit is selected by a selector button and the second display unit shows this limit and also the values assigned by memory to that limit. If the calorie total displayed by the first display unit exceeds the calorie limit displayed by the second display unit, an alarm is activated.

In order to enter data into the device, the user must consult a table which provides approximate calorific values, carbohydrate, protein and fat content of different food products from which the relevant information may be keyed into the device. Such an approach is time consuming and prone to error. Furthermore, the food calorific data is approximate at best, and it is difficult to allow for food products which are not specifically itemized in the food composition table. U.S. Patent No. 4. 686,624 (Blum et al. ) provides an improved apparatus wherein the food product data is permanently stored within the device itself, thereby avoiding transcription errors in entering the data manually. Furthermore, the apparatus disclosed by Blum et al. may be coupled to an external data processing unit, so that specific data entered by a user into the apparatus may be transferred to the external data processing unit whilst allowing instructions from the external data processing unit to be fed to the apparatus.

Typically, the external data processing unit is a hospital computer, the apparatus being, in effect, a monitoring device for enabling a patient to keep track of his food calorific intake during the day so as to permit a doctor or dietician to analyze the stored data for diagnostic purposes, at a later date.

Whilst both of the above-mentioned devices aid a doctor in monitoring a patient's food calorific intake, neither actually assists the user in planning a menu according to predetermined criteria. Thus, whilst both of the above-mentioned devices are capable of informing a user of his total daily food calorie intake to date, neither can actually advise him as to what foods he may safely eat in the remaining part of a day, for example, without exceeding his maximum allowed food calorie intake.

A further drawback with such devices is that quantities of a food product are typically entered on a per unit basis which is prone to inaccura¬ cy when dealing with food products such as fruit, bread rolls and the like whose calorie and vitamin contents are a function of weight which varies according to individual size, and is thus unpredictable.

Attempts have been made to address some of the drawbacks associated with the above-mentioned devices and to so produce a more user- friendly device which lends itself to home use by non-specialists. For example, U.S. Patent No. 4,575,804 (Ratcliff) discloses a hand-held diet calculator for use by cooks, dieters and the like which may also include an integral scale for use in the kitchen. The calculator permits instant access to counting of calories, carbohydrates and/or proteins and adding the amount of each item consumed so as to maintain a daily tally thereof. In the scale version, a weighing machine is incorporated to accurately weigh each item to be consumed. In such case, the weight of a selected food item may be displayed together with its calorie, carbohydrate and protein content. The effect of modifying the weight of the selected food product may be determined simply by re-weighing a different quantity and re-displaying the constituent calorie, carbohydrate and protein contents. The device disclosed by Ratcliff is based on a conventional pocket calculator which is modified in accordance with the specific requirements of the diet calculator. In fact, depressing a particular button enters into the internal calculator chip a number representing a per unit calorie content of the selected food item. After entering each item, the total calorie content must be calculated by depressing the [+] key so as to add the individual items consumed, thus permitting the dieter to see on the calculator display a running total of the items consumed. By depressing different function buttons, similar totalling may be effected for different food properties such as proteins, carbohydrates and so on. The user interface thus required is cumbersome since a large number of individual buttons are required each in respect of a specific menu option or food type groups. However, because in practice the number of separate buttons which may be accommodated is obviously limited, some buttons must necessarily serve multiple functions or correspond to a plurality of different food products each having substantially identical calorie or carbohydrate contents per unit quantity. All of these factors militate against the convenience of the device as well as its accuracy.

Attempts have been made to address these problems. Most notably is U.S. Patent No. 4.911,256 (Attikiouzel) which discloses a dietetic measurement apparatus comprising a computer, a user interface and a weighing scale. The user interface includes an alphabetic keyboard for allowing selection of food items by character string of the name of the food item. A memory connected to the computer stores data corresponding to food items and their nutrient levels as well as instructions for allowing the computer to correlate a weighing signal derived by the weighing scale with data for a food item selected via the user interface.

Specifically, a food item can be selected by typing the significant part of its name using the alphabetic keyboard so as to locate a food item from the database matching the alphabetic characters entered by the user. Thereafter, Scroll Up and Scroll Down keys may be employed so as to locate either the next or the previous food item in the database, as required, until the desired food item is displayed. Whilst this is a convenient way for locating a food item, it requires that the user interface include at least 26 keys: one for each letter of the alphabet; thus resulting in a large and somewhat cumbersome front panel and generally increasing the size of the apparatus to an unwarranted degree.

It is considered desirable to dispense altogether with the alphabetic keyboard in order to reduce the bulk of the apparatus. However, as will be clear from the foregoing explanation, the use of alphabetic keys permits very fast location of a desired food item from the database assuming, of course, that all food items are stored in the database in alphabetical order. Thus, dispensing with the alphabetic keys and employing only two Scroll keys as provided by Attikiouzel would result in an unnecessarily lengthy and cumbersome search procedure in respect of any food items which were not either towards the beginning or the end of the database, thus permitting relatively quick access using the Scroll Up or Scroll Down keys respectively. In effect, the alphabetic keyboard provided by Attikiouzel provides for very fast coarse location of a desired food item whilst permitting the fine location thereof to be accomplished using the Scroll keys. Consequently, merely dispensing with the alphabetic keys without providing some form of coarse location would reduce the size of the apparatus but at the expense of unacceptably increasing the search time for locating a desired food item from the database.

It is also worthy of note that Attikiouzel provides a "zero" function key which allows a plate or other receptacle to be placed on the weighing scale such that pressing the "zero" function key zeroes the weighing scale so that subsequent weighing of a food item placed on the plate or in the receptacle provides for an accurate measurement of the weight of the food item only.

However, there are other drawbacks associated with Attikiouzel as well as with the other prior art references of which we are aware. For example, it would appear that hitherto proposed diet control apparatus is directed to forward monitoring of a user's food intake so as to keep track of the various constituent food properties (such as calories, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and so on) consumed by the user during a specified time interval. To this end, the user may be aided in preparing a menu and many devices will alert the user in the event that he exceeds, or is liable to exceed, a predetermined threshold of a particular food property. However, once data has been entered into the memory of the device by a user, its subsequent correction is difficult if not impossible. Attikiouzel does provide a DELETE function key for removing typographical errors; however, this is merely equivalent to the conventional backspace key on a regular computer keyboard. He also provides a CLEAR function key which, so far as we understand it, allows for the deletion of a complete string of alphabetic characters both from the internal RAM as well as from the display. Thus, the DELETE and the CLEAR keys provided by Attikiouzel merely provide for fast correction of typographical errors during data entry. They do not actually allow for the deletion from a user's internal record of accumulated food intake in the event that, for example, the user changes his menu before actually consuming a food item once that food item has been entered into the memory. Likewise, if the user only partially consumes a food item, prior art devices make no allowance for the subsequent correction of the actual quantity of the food item consumed.

Yet a further consideration so far as prior art devices are concerned is that specialized medical data must usually be determined in advance and then entered manually by the user. This may, for example. require a visit to a doctor in order to determine the user's blood pressure and other data relevant to permitted and forbidden food products so that such data can then be entered into the internal memory of the device for subsequent use in accordance with the instruction set stored therein. Such medical data typically relates only to those foods which are forbidden for a particular user. It is relatively easy to flag such food items and then simply to render then unavailable to a particular user. However, some medical conditions require merely a reduction in the daily consumption of a food property without prohibiting it in its entirety. For example, high blood pressure requires a commensurate reduction in daily salt intake: the permitted salt intake being a function of the user's blood pressure. However, without knowing accurately the user's blood pressure, which may well fluctuate periodically, it is difficult to provide the required adjustment to the daily intake of such foods without, possibly, being unnecessarily conservative.

Much of the emphasis in prior art devices of this kind is directed to the control of a user's diet and to monitoring his food intake over a period of time. Thus, principally the device serves a medical or quasi-medical need. To this extent, once a user has achieved his desired dietary goal, the device may become less significant or possibly even redundant altogether. Also, it would be most unusual if all members of a household suffered from a dietary problem requiring each of them to monitor and control his or her food intake. To this extent, it would be preferable if the monitoring and control of food intake were only one of the device's many functions: other functions being provided of more general interest and relevance to all members of the household.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for monitoring the intake of specific food properties which overcomes the drawbacks associated with hitherto proposed apparatus of this sort.

According to the invention there is provided a portable apparatus for monitoring food intake and informing a specified user of foods which may be eaten such that a cumulative intake of at least one food property does not exceed a respective predetermined threshold in a given time, said apparatus comprising: a first memory for storing therein a database of food product data arranged alphabetically including type and specific content of each of said at least one food property, an integral scale for weighing said food item and determining a weight thereof, a clock for measuring an elapsed time period, a second memory coupled to the clock for storing therein said cumulative food property threshold(s) and food consumption data and a time stamp relating to consumption of each specified food item, a third memory for storing in respect of each food property a l spective maximum allowance per unit time, computing means coupled to the scale and to the first, second and third memories for computing a cumulative intake of each food property in respect of each food item between a given time interval and. whilst at least one cumulative food property intake exceeds the respective food property maximum allowance, for generating a warning signal, a display means coupled to the computing means for displaying a food item, an input means comprising first and second pairs of scroll keys for providing coarse and fine location and display of a desired food item from the first memory and which operate in conjunction with a CONFIRM key for selecting a displayed food item, and an alarm means coupled to the computing means and responsive to the warning signal for producing a warning message.

Thus, the apparatus according to the invention may be employed prior to eating a meal in order to provide a menu of food items which may safely be consumed bv the user without exceeding his maximum allowed daily intake of the specified food items such as, for example, calories, carbohydrates, proteins and so on; as well as after preparing a meal for accumulating a daily total of calorie, carbohydrate and proteins associated with the meal. Since the actual food content is precisely specified, if necessary, by weighing the actual food being prepared, the inaccuracies associated with hitherto proposed devices allowing entry of unit quantities only are significantly reduced. Furthermore, since food items are displayed for direct selection by the user, the resulting interface is very simple allowing for forward and backward scrolling by a pair of function keys.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a clearer understanding of the invention, and to understand how the same may be carried out in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. la is a block diagram showing functionally the principal compo¬ nents in an apparatus according to the invention;

Fig. lb is a pictorial representation of a front panel of the apparatus shown in Fig. la; Fig. 2 is a flow diagram showing the principal operating steps associated with an initial menu displayed by the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 3 to 6 are flow diagrams showing the principal operating steps associated with subsidiary menus derivative to the initial menu shown in Fig. 2: Figs. 7a and 7b are a flow diagram showing the principal operating steps associated with a particular use of the user interface for locating and displaying a desired food item;

Fig. 8 is a flow diagram showing the principal operating steps associated with setting up a user profile; and Fig. 9 is a flow diagram showing the principal operating steps associated with a "cook book" option for providing food recipes and storing food product data relating to actual quantities of prepared food.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Fig. la shows an apparatus depicted generally as 10 comprising a central processing unit (CPU) 11 coupled via respective data and address buses 12 and 13, respectively, to a read-only memory (ROM) 14 and operating in accordance with an instruction set stored therein. A non¬ volatile memory (NOVRAM) 15 is coupled to the CPU 11 and stores therein a database (constituting a master database) of food product data including name thereof, by means of which each product can be uniquely identified and the specific content contained therein of each of several vital food properties.

Likewise, a memory card 16 is coupled to the CPU 1 1 and stores supplementary data relating to a specific user. Such data may include a supplementary database in respect of food items not contained in the master database within the NOVRAM 15 as well as limiting factors associated with the specific user, such as, for example, health profile, food preferences, fitness rating, age, sex and so on. The master database in the NOVRAM 15 together with the supplementary database in the memory card 16 together constitute a database for storing therein food product data and their associated food properties. Typical food properties include calories, cholesterol, starch, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Thus, stored in the database for each food item is a per-unit content of each property so that the actual content of each of these properties may easily be determined for a given quantity of the food item by multiplying the per-unit content by the actual quantity.

The database is indexed not only in respect of each food item but also in respect of each of the food properties, so that if it be desired to locate within the database a food item having no more than a specific calorific or carbohydrate content, all food items in the database answering to such a criterion may easily be located.

Additionally, there is stored in the NOVRAM 15 a table of standard weights in respect of a range of ages for different physical characteristics such as, for example, sex, age, activity level, frame, and so on. For each standard weight a recommended daily intake in respect of each food quantity is also stored and which serves as a default value in the event that either no memory card 16 is provided or the data stored therein does not override the default data stored in the NOVRAM 15. Both the NOVRAM 15 and memory card 16 are powered by an internal battery 17 connected across a jack socket IS via a 3-12 V d.c converter 19 in parallel with a current limiter 20. The resulting output voltage is preset to be greater than the supply voltage of the apparatus 10 and is clipped to the correct value by a regulator 21 which maintains the d.c. supply voltage at the correct level. An external charger (not shown) may be inserted into the jack socket 19 for recharging the battery 17. Alternatively, the apparatus 10 may be powered by a source of mains electricity, suitably transformed and rectified and coupled to the jack socket 19 so as to power the apparatus 10 whilst maintaining the internal battery 17 fully charged. A weighing scale depicted generally as 22 comprises a conven¬ tional Whetstone bridge arrangement having a strain gage in each branch thereof. In two adjacent branches the strain gages are variable thus allowing factory calibration of the scale 22. A highly accurate voltage reference 23 is connected across the battery 17 for supplying a precisely calibrated voltage reference across opposing branches of the Whetstone bridge, opposing outputs of which are fed to an amplifier 24 whose output is coupled to an Analog-to-Digital (A/D) Converter 25. Thus, an amplified analog output voltage proportional to a weight of a food item placed on the weighing scale 22 is converted to a digital representation by the A/D Converter 25 and fed to the CPU 11.

A quartz crystal 26 is coupled to the CPU 11 and constitutes a clock for providing timing data thereto. A display monitor in the form of an LCD display 27 connected to the CPU 11 permits data to be visually displayed, whilst a printer 28 allows displayed data to be printed on hard copy so as to permit a permanent record of displayed data to be produced.

A user interface 29 is connected to the CPU 11 via the data bus 12 for entering data in accordance with the instruction set stored in the ROM 14 and as is described more fully in the following description relating to Figs. 2 to 5 of the drawings. Also connected to the CPU 1 1 is an audible alarm 30 for alerting the user that a given quantity of a selected food item would exceed the user's daily allowance of one or more food properties, such as vitamin, calorie etc. The alarm 30 also allows for an audible warning to be given in the event of a hardware fault such as, for example, discharged battery, memory loss and so on.

A temperature gauge depicted generally as 31 comprises a conventional Whetstone bridge arrangement in three branches of which are precision, equal value resistances and in the fourth branch of which is a thermistor 31 whose resistance changes as a known function of ambient temperature. The temperature gauge 31 is connected between GND and the supply rail V_r of the accurate voltage reference 23 and opposing outputs of the temperature gauge 31 are fed to an amplifier 34 whose output is coupled to an Analog-to-Digital (A/D) Converter 35 which, in turn, is fed to the CPU 11. Thus, an amplified analog output voltage proportional to the ambient temperature as measured by the temperature gauge 31 is converted to a digital representation by the A/C Converter 35 and fed to the CPU 11. Thermal printers suffer from the drawback that their print density is dependent on operating temperature, such that too high an operating temperature results in the print density being correspondingly high and eventually causes damage to the print head. In the event that the printer 28 is a thermal temperature, its print head may be coupled to the temperature gauge 31 so as automatically to adjust the print density as a function of ambient temperature. A Blood Pressure gauge 36 is coupled to the CPU 11 and comprises an inflatable collar which is placed on a user's arm near his or her biceps and a suitable blood flow sensor which operates in conjunction with the inflatable cuff for detecting blood flow through the user's arm. Use of the Blood Pressure gauge 36 is controlled by the CPU 11 and allows the inflatable cuff to be inflated until the blood flow sensor no longer detects blood flow in the user's arm. The pressure of the inflatable cuff is then equal to the systolic pressure. The pressure in the inflatable cuff is now automatically reduced until the blood flow sensor again detects blood flow- through the user's arm, whereupon the measured pressure in the inflatable cuff is now equal to the diastolic pressure. The measured values are then recorded in the NOVRAM 15 in respect of the specified user ID.

Fig. lb is a pictorial representation of a front panel 40 of the apparatus 10 and having thereon a pair of LEFT and RIGHT SCROLL keys 41 and 42 (constituting a first pair of scroll keys) and a pair of UP and DOWN SCROLL keys 43 and 44 (constituting a second pair of scroll keys) which, together, allow for coarse and fine location and display of a desired food item as will be described below with particular reference to Figs. 7a and 7b of the drawings. Upon location and display of a desired food item, the food item is selected by pressing a CONFIRM key 45. A ZERO key 46 allows for zeroing of the weighing scale 22 so that the self-weight of a vessel or container having food therein may be disregarded. An END key 47 provides a fast way of jumping between menu items as well as serving as the main ON/OFF switch and also allows various in-built functions of the apparatus 10 to be selected and displayed such as, for example, ambient temperature and real-time clock data.

The user interface 29 requires minimally the LEFT and RIGHT SCROLL keys 41 and 42, respectively, for scrolling forward and backwards between menu options or food items displayed on the LCD display 28 until a required menu option or food item is displayed for selection by the CONFIRM key 45. If desired, the END key 47 may also serve for cancelling the currently selected food item or for cancelling the current menu item, thereby effectively scrolling back to the previous menu. By means of such an interface it is very simple, under control of the instruction set stored within the ROM 14, to select a required menu option or food item without requiring special skills on the part of the user. In particular, there is no provision of customized function keys in respect of different classes of food. Instead, different classes of food such as fruit, vegetables, cereals, fish, meat and so on may be scrolled until a required food class is reached. This is selected by depressing the CONFIRM key 45, whereupon specific food types corresponding to the selected class of food are cyclically displayed upon suitable depression of the SCROLL keys and, again, a particular food type may be selected by depressing the CONFIRM key when the desired food type is displayed. Fig. 2 shows the principal operating steps associated with the instruction set stored within the ROM 14 shown in Fig. 1. Thus, after an initialization procedure, there is displayed an initial menu option USER PROFILE. By depressing the forward scroll key, the next menu option VITAMIN BREAKDOWN is displayed, whereupon pressing the backward scroll key causes the previous menu option USER PROFILE again to be displayed or depressing the forward scroll key displays the next menu option CALORIE BREAKDOWN. By such means it is possible to scroll to the subsequent menu options SUGGESTIONS, USER ID and PRINT and when a desired option is displayed, to select it by depressing the CONFIRM key. Each of these menu options will now be described in more detail.

Fig. 3 shows the principal operating steps associated with the initialization procedure shown in Fig. 2. Whenever the apparatus 10 is switched on, a battery test is performed and a memory test initiated. A timeout check is then performed in order to determine whether the apparatus 10 has been used during the previous 60 seconds (or any other predeter¬ mined time period) and, if not, an automatic shutdown procedure is initiated.

Upon entering a USER ID, the computer determines whether a user profile for that ID exists in the NOVRAM and, if so, accesses the personal user data so as to determine permitted daily allowances of different food properties such as, for example, calories, carbohydrates and so on.

This having been done, a standard weight table in the NOVRAM

15 or the memory card 16 is cross-referenced in order to determine the maximum daily recommended quantities of each food item for a person answering the physical characteristics of the user. This provides an upper threshold which may not be exceeded without altering the user to this effect.

Fig. 4 shows the principal steps associated with the menu option VITAMIN BREAKDOWN. A food type is selected as explained above. Typically this requires scrolling through a series of displayed options so that food class may first be defined, allowing subsequent display of food types within the selected class until the required food type is displayed for selection. In order that the apparatus may know correctly the amount of the selected food item to be consumed, the food item is now placed on the weighing scale and is weighed, whereupon the CPU 11 calculates component food data for the actual quantity of food which the user proposes now to consume. A check is then performed in order to determine whether a user profile exists for the current user and, if so, whether the cumulative vitamin consumption for each vitamin type exceeds the user's daily allowance. If so, the CPU 11 sends a signal to the alarm 30 so as to sound an audible warning that consuming the proposed quantity of the selected food item would exceed the user's daily allowance of one or more vitamins.

Otherwise, if the selected food item does not exceed the user's allowable daily vitamin consumption, the selection is accepted and each of the calculated constituent vitamin quantities in the food item is now added to the cumulative daily tally stored in the NOVRAM 15.

Fig. 5 shows the principal steps associated with the menu option CALORIE BREAKDOWN. A food type is selected as explained above with regard to Fig. 4 of the drawings. In order that the apparatus may know correctly the amount of the selected food item to be consumed, the food item is now placed on the weighing scale and is weighed, whereupon the CPU 11 calculates component food data for the actual quantity of food which the user proposes now to consume. A check is then performed in order to determine whether a user profile exists for the current user and, if so. whether the cumulative calorie consumption exceeds the user's daily allowance. If so, the CPU 11 sends a signal to the alarm 30 so as to sound an audible warning that consuming the proposed quantity of the selected food item would exceed the user's daily calorie allowance.

Otherwise, if the selected food item does not exceed the user's allowable daily calorie consumption, the selection is accepted and the calculated calorie content of the food item is now added to the cumulative daily tally stored in the NOVRAM 15.

Fig. 6 shows the principal steps associated with the menu option SUGGESTIONS. This menu option allows the user, in effect, to browse through the database stored in the NOVRAM 15 or the memory card 16 in order to compile menus which conform to his dietary requirements. Initially, there are displayed for selection in the normal manner the sub- options BREAKFAST, LUNCH and DINNER. If BREAKFAST is selected, then an internal register within the NOVRAM 15 is initialized for keeping track of a user's daily consumption of various characteristic food properties such as calories, vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates and so on.

Thereafter, a food type is selected and an estimated amount thereof specified using the various scroll keys, as explained above. Typically, a user wishes to compile a "theoretical" menu without actually setting aside quantities of food, since until a particular menu configuration is decided upon, the user may opt not to consume a selected food item. For this reason, the quantity of the food item which the user proposes to consume, or at least wishes to investigate, is not actually weighed but is estimated by displaying specimen values or ranges of values which may be incremented or decremented by using the SCROLL keys.

For each food item thus selected, the CPU 11 accesses the database and calculates the constituent calorie, carbohydrate, protein, vitamin content and so on and determines a cumulative daily total of each constitu- ent food property. If this exceeds the user's daily allowance for any particular food property, the alarm 30 is sounded and the user is allowed to discard the present selection. When a selected food item is discarded, its constituent calorie, carbohydrate, protein, vitamin contents etc. are decremented from the current totals stored in the register and the user may then suggest a smaller quantity of the same food item or select a different food item. Otherwise, further food types are displayed for selection and the loop is repeated, permitting the user to compile a menu configuration according to his or her personal taste and profile. The alarm 30 is sounded if the apparatus is switched on for more than a predetermined time interval without any key having been depressed, so as to prevent discharge of the battery. Likewise, if any of the daily cumulative food properties exceeds the calculated threshold, the alarm 30 is sounded. If desired, a sound module may be connected to the CPU 11 so as to allow for pre-recorded vocal messages to be relayed according to circumstance.

If desired, instead of, or in addition to, sounding an audible alarm, a warning message may be displayed on the LCD display so as to provide a more detailed warning to the user.

Figs. 7a and 7b are a flow diagram showing the particular operation of the SCROLL keys 41 to 44 shown in Fig. lb. Consider the case where a particular food type is displayed on the display 27. The food classes as well as the specific food items in each class are indexed in the database according to alphabetical order. When the device is first switched on. the first food class in the database is displayed. For example, if the food classes stored in the database relate to beverages, cereals, condiments, desserts, fish, fruit, meat and vegetables, then the first food class to be displayed would be "beverages" since it starts with the smallest alphabetical letter of all of the food classes. Depressing the LEFT SCROLL key 41 causes the previous food class to be displayed, going backwards through the database. Thus, in this case, the last food class "vegetables" would now appear on the display 27. Alternatively, pressing the RIGHT SCROLL key 42 causes the next food class in the database to be displayed, i.e. "cereals". By such means, the LEFT and RIGHT SCROLL keys 41 and 42 may be employed in order to scroll forwards and backwards, as desired, through the food classes until the appropriate food class corresponding to a desired food item is displayed. This is then selected by pressing the CONFIRM key 45. Once this is done, the first food item in the selected food class is displayed, also according to its alphabetical arrangement in the database. For example, "beverages" might be organized into the following drinks: apple juice, beer, chocolate, coffee, cola, diet cola ... vodka, whiskey. Depressing the LEFT and RIGHT SCROLL keys 41 and 42 scrolls backwards or forwards through the database so as to display, respectively, previous or subsequent food items. Thus, if the first food item "apple juice" is displayed, then pressing the LEFT SCROLL key 41 causes the last food item in the database "whiskey" to be displayed. Alternatively, depressing the RIGHT SCROLL key 42 would cause the next food item "beer" to be displayed and so on. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 7b, depressing the UP and DOWN SCROLL keys 43 and 44 jumps to the food item in the database commencing with the next or previous alphabetic character. For example, if "apple juice" is displayed, then pressing the UP SCROLL key 43 jumps to "beer". Depressing the UP SCROLL key 43 again jumps to "chocolate": this being the first food item in the database commencing with the alphabetic character "c". Similarly, depressing the DOWN SCROLL key 44 jumps to the previous alphabetic character and thus displays, in turn, "beer", "apple juice", "whiskey" and so on. By such means, the SCROLL keys provide coarse and fine location and display of a desired food item; whilst a displayed food class or food type may be selected by depressing the CONFIRM key 45.

Fig. 8 shows the principal operating steps associated with the USER PROFILE option shown in Fig. 2, allowing a profile of a user to be defined and stored in the NOVRAM 15. As is the case with all main menu option, different sub-menu options are displayed for selection using the LEFT and RIGHT SCROLL keys 41 and 42 in conjunction with the CONFIRM key 45. USER ID allows a unique identity to be entered so that data can be stored in the database in respect of a plurality of different users. PERSONAL DATA allows for the entry in respect of a specific user of personal data such as weight, age, sex, height, frame, activity level and so on, as well as critical foods or food types in accordance with which special action must be taken. Thus, for example, diabetics would indicate their low tolerance to high sugar levels. In each case, specimen values or ranges of values are displayed and may be incremented or decremented by using the SCROLL keys. Specifical- ly, the first pair of scroll keys permits scrolling of the main menu options, while the second pair of scroll keys allows scrolling within a selected menu option of values associated therewith. EXCEPTIONS allows specified food items in the database to be flagged as unavailable for the specified user. For example, a user suffering from diabetes would specify sugar as one of the exceptions so that, during subsequent use of the device, any food item containing sugar would be unavailable for selection by the user. The BLOOD PRESSURE option allows the user to measure and record his blood pressure using the blood pressure sensor 36 which operates in accordance with the instruction set stored within the CPU 11. The maximum daily permitted amounts of critical food items such as, for example, salt may then be adjusted in accordance with standard functions stored in the ROM 14 based on the pre-recorded blood pressure associated with a particular user. Selection of the PRINT option allows the complete user profile to be printed by the printer 28. Mention has been made of the memory card 16 containing supple¬ mentary data relating to a specific user. If desired, the memory card 16 may contain a selection of food recipes permitting the apparatus 10 to function as an electronic "cookbook". If desired, separate memory cards can be provided, each in respect of a different user and containing only those recipes which are suitable for that user based on medical data, food preferences, and so on. Alternatively, the memory card 16 may contain food recipes which are not directed to a specific user and are thus available to all members of a household: although selection of a specific food recipe may require use of a food item which is prohibited to a specific user, thereby activating the alarm 30.

Fig. 9 is a flow diagram showing the principal operating steps associated with the preparation of vegetable soup. Upon selection of COOKBOOK from the main menu shown in Fig. 2, a desired recipe is selected using the SCROLL keys 41 to 44 as explained above with reference to Figs. 7a and 7b of the drawings. Thus, here again, food recipes may be arranged according to food class and different recipes within each class. Upon selection of a specific recipe by means of the CONFIRM key 45, there is displayed on the display 27 the first instruction, e.g. WEIGH 50g POTATOES. In practice, a pan or other receptacle may be placed on the weighing scale 22, whereupon pressing the ZERO key 46 resets the weighing scale 22 to zero, thereby disregarding the self-weight of the pan itself. Approximately 50 g of potatoes may now be taken, washed, sliced and placed in the pan so that the weighing scale 22 now displays the actual weight of potatoes placed therein. Depressing the CONFIRM key 45 records the actual weight of the potatoes thus added and stores this value in the NOVRAM 15. Pressing the CONFIRM key 45 also causes the next instruction in the recipe to be displayed: WEIGH 50g CARROTS. The same procedure is repeated in respect of successive ingredients: each instruction being displayed, and each actual weight of displayed food item being weighed and recorded upon depression of the CONFIRM key 45. In the specimen recipe shown in Fig. 9, the last instruction is WEIGH 3 CUPS WATER. Upon pressing the CONFIRM key 45, the CPU 11 calculates the constituent food values associated with the actual quantity of soup mixture now in the pan. If a large quantity of soup (or other food recipe) is thus prepared, then a particular user can record the respective food properties associated with an individual serving as follows. First, he places his soup bowl on the weighing scale 22 and presses the ZERO key 46 in order to zero the weighing scale 22. Thereafter, he adds a desired quantity of soup to the soup bowl and presses the CONFIRM key 45. This allows the actual weight of soup added to the soup bowl to be measured and recorded in the NOVRAM 15 whereupon the actual quantities of constituent food values may easily be determined on the assumption that, on average, the same proportion of each food item is present in the individual serving as is present in the complete recipe as previously recorded in the NOVRAM 15. By such means, a user can record the actual food values associated with his individual serving based on the actual weights of constituent food items, thereby providing a very accurate indication of his daily food intake and, at the same time, allowing accurate control thereof.

It not infrequently occurs that people, particularly those who are weight-conscious, leave some of their meal uneaten. With conventional diet calculators, no correction for the amount of unconsumed food is possible once a particular quantity of a selected food item has been recorded within the internal memory of the device in respect of a particular user. However, in the apparatus 10 according to the invention, any individual food item or food product containing a mixture of food items in known proportion can be decremented from the NOVRAM 15 as follows. First, in the case the apparatus 10 is configured for use with multiple users, the user specifies his unique ID and thus obtains a USER PROFILE menu similar to that described above with reference to Fig. 8 of the drawings. One of the menu items shown therein is EXCEPTIONS which includes, inter alia, special food items or composites thereof which are not included per se in the database. In the case where a recipe has been selected from the COOKBOOK menu and has been prepared and recorded as described above with reference to Fig. 9 of the drawings, this recipe is considered an "exception" and is stored in the NOVRAM 15 in a separate indexed file, representing supplementary food data. Pressing EXCEPTIONS in the sub-menu shown in Fig. 8 allows for the display of different food classes associated with the food items stored in the indexed file of "exceptions", thus allowing selection of a particular food item using the SCROLL keys 41 to 44. The manner in which this is done corresponds to that described above with reference to Figs. 7a and 7b of the drawings, although it will be understood that if only a small number of food items is stored in the indexed file, there may be no mileage in classifying them into food classes and, in these circumstances, it may be more expedient to use only the LEFT and RIGHT SCROLL keys 41 and 42 in order to select a desired food item from the indexed file of "exceptions". Thus, in the foregoing example where soup was prepared according to a known recipe, the soup constituents would be stored in the indexed file in such a way that the per-quantity food values are known. This having been done, an empty soup bowl can be placed on the weighing scale 22 and the ZERO key 46 depressed in order to zero the weighing scale. Replacing the empty dish with a similar dish containing a quantity of unfinished soup causes the weighing scale 22 to determine the weight of the remaining soup which the user did not consume. The LEFT SCROLL key 41 is now depressed, whereupon the pro-rata constituent food values are determined and deleted from the user's daily consumption data stored in the NOVRAM 15. Alternatively, instead of zeroing the weighing scale as described, the dish containing unfinished soup may first be placed on the weighing scale and the LEFT SCROLL key 41 pressed; the dish may now be emptied of its contents, replaced on the weighing scale and the RIGHT SCROLL key 42 pressed. This combined action results in the correct weights of food properties being decremented in respect of the specified user.

It is thus seen that the invention provides a compact multi¬ function diet calculator having a particularly simple user interface employing a minimum of operator keys providing coarse and fine location of menu options and, in particular, of food classes and food items.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1- A portable apparatus for monitoring food intake and informing a specified user of foods which may be eaten such that a cumulative intake of at least one food property does not exceed a respective predetermined threshold in a given time, said apparatus comprising: a first memory for storing therein a database of food product data arranged alphabetically including type and specific content of each of said at least one food property, an integral scale for weighing said food item and determining a weight thereof, a clock for measuring an elapsed time period, a second memory coupled to the clock for storing therein said cumulative food property threshold(s) and food consumption data and a time stamp relating to consumption of each specified food item, a third memory for storing in respect of each food property a respective maximum allowance per unit time. computing means coupled to the scale and to the first, second and third memories for computing a cumulative intake of each food property in respect of each food item between a given time interval and, whilst at least one cumulative food property intake exceeds the respective food property maximum allowance, for generating a warning signal, a display means coupled to the computing means for displaying a food item, an input means comprising first and second pairs of scroll keys for providing coarse and fine location and display of a desired food item from the first memory and which operate in conjunction with a CONFIRM key for selecting a displayed food item, and an alarm means coupled to the computing means and responsive to the warning signal for producing a warning message.

2. The apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein: the first pair of scroll keys allows for coarse location of the desired food item according to its first alphabetic character so as to display a food item whose name commences with the same alphabetic character, and the second pair of scroll keys allows for fine location of the desired food item by searching forwards or backwards through the database so as to display each subsequent or previous food item.

3. The apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein an initial menu options or food item is displayed on the display means and the input means is adapted to scroll through the displayed items until a desired menu option or food item is displayed for selection.

4. The apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising a fourth memory for storing in respect of a user a personal identity code, as well as personal data which might influence an allowed consumption of a specified food item in said given time; the computing means being coupled to the fourth memory and being responsive to said personal data for computing the respective food property maximum per unit time allowance for the user.

5. The apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the first memory is erasable and there is further included a coupling means for coupling the computing means to an external computer so as to load data stored in the external computer into the first memory.

6. The apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said at least one food property is selected from a group including calories, cholesterol, starch, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals.

7. The apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the computing means includes means for browsing the database as well as for browsing a history of daily intakes of each food property over a predetermined period of time.

8. The apparatus according to Claim 1, further including an integral printer for printing the cumulative intake of each of the food properties selected by the user.

9. The apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein the printer is a thermal printer and there is further included: a temperature sensor for providing a temperature signal representative of ambient temperature, and a thermal print density adjustment device coupled to the temperature sensor and to the thermal printer and responsive to the temperature signal for adjusting a print density of the printer in accordance with measured ambient temperature.

10. The apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the computing means is responsive to said cumulative intakes being less than the respective food property maximum allowance for said predetermined time period for incrementing the respective cumulative intake of the food property stored in the second memory.

11. The apparatus according to Claim 10, wherein the display means is responsive to the computing means for displaying an amount of the respective food property associated with the selected food item.

12. The apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the computing means is responsive to said cumulative intakes being less than the respective food property maximum allowance for said predetermined time period for displaying an amount of the respective food property associated with the selected food item and for maintaining a daily total of the respective cumulative intake of the food property stored in the second memory.

13. The apparatus according to Claim 1, further including a zero setting means for initializing the weight recorded by the weighing scale to zero.

14. The apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein pressing a first one of the scroll keys increments food properties associated with a displayed food item to an accumulative daily intake relating to the specified user and pressing a second one of the scroll keys decrements said food properties from the accumulative daily intake relating to the specified user.

15. The apparatus according to Claim 1, further including a "cook book" option allowing for display of sequential steps for preparing a selected food recipe, for weighing actual quantities of constituent food items and for storing respective food properties associated with said food items in an indexed filed within the second memory.

16. The apparatus according to Claim 15, wherein a desired quantity of the selected food may be placed on the weighing scale for permitting direct calculation of the pro-rata quantities of constituent food items and for accumulating respective food properties associated with said food items in the second memory in respect of the specified user.

17. The apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the alarm means is at least partially constituted by the display means for displaying a visible warning message.

18. The apparatus according to Claim 1, further including a blood pressure gauge coupled to the computing means for automatically determin¬ ing the user's blood pressure.

19. The apparatus according to Claim 18, wherein the blood pressure gauge comprises: an inflatable collar for placing on the user's arm near his or her biceps, and a blood flow sensor which operates in conjunction with the inflatable cuff for detecting blood flow through the user's arm; the inflatable cuff being responsively coupled to the computing means for inflating until the blood flow sensor no longer detects blood flow in the user's arm so as to determine the systolic pressure and the pressure in the inflatable cuff being then reduced until the blood flow sensor again detects blood flow through the user's arm, so as to determine the diastolic pressure.