Weighing scales – Computer – Electrical
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-04
2003-11-18
Gibson, Randy (Department: 2841)
Weighing scales
Computer
Electrical
C177S025160, C177S136000, C177S025190, C177S144000, C128S921000, C180S313000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06649848
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle having an on-board vehicle driver dieter's and passenger-dieter's weight progress control method and system that manages the measurements of the dieter's weight during a trip and provides dieting information to conserve the time of the user.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are a number of weight control systems and methods. Many weight control plans are available to individual users from which the user can select a particular program designed to control the weight of that individual and, associated with such programs are programs involving exercise and like physical activities.
Many different kinds of electrical scales have also been suggested for diet and weight control plans. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,447 entitled “Diet Scale with Weight Progress Indicator” issued to Northcutt in 1982, discloses a diet scale with a digital readout and microcomputer that is used to enable a dieter to enter a diet program having an objective weight and a given time interval. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,423,792 entitled “Electronic Scale Apparatus and Method of Controlling Weight” issued to Cowan in 1984, discloses an apparatus that includes an electronic circuit in which the weight of the individual at the selected point in time can be compared against the base weight. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,244 entitled “Dieter's Weighing Scale” issued to Zeigner et al in 1986, discloses a talking electronic scale with microprocessor that compares the goal weight with the present weight to actuate a voice synthesis device to provide preselected comments appropriate to the comparison.
Selecting food and counting the consumption of food calories is a common function of many weight control systems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,350 entitled “Nutritional Microprocessor and Method” issued to Williams in 1998, discloses a microcomputer and method for selecting food, nutrients, vitamins, and physical activities from different databases and compares the user's daily dietary and physical activities to the user's recommended dietary allowance. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,564 entitled “System and Method for Diet Control” issued to Ecer in 1995, there is disclosed a diet control system that employs “smart cards” having memory and microprocessor for writing information at a food store or a restaurant check-out counter for collecting electronically the dietary nutritional consumption. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,691 entitled “Apparatus to Control Diet and Weight Using Human Behavior Modification Techniques” issued to Abrams et al in 1997, there is disclosed a hand-held computer which prepares and monitors a goal-oriented weight, nutrition, and exercise control program. In Abrams et al the preferred embodiment can be applied to manage a low cholesterol diet, a diabetic's diet, and a hypertension control diet. Abrams et al suggest that the disclosed embodiment must be redesigned in each case if different diet plans are to control.
All the above described patents require the dieter to have the scale on the floor at home and have the same weighing procedure. Thus the dieter has to find time to step up on the scale. As a result, the described patents do not help a dieter who is busy and highly active to choose a diet and lose weight and keep health in a good condition. These activities often depend on a mood, physical state, and free time of the individual. As a result, individual very often does not obey the requirements of the lose weight program and exercise plans on time or does not accomplish them.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,559 entitled “Portable Weighing Scale” issued to Fish et al in 1977, discloses a weighing scale of reduced size to permit the weighing of an individual while standing with one foot on the platform of the scale. This kind of scale helps a dieter a little bit to work with the diet plan because it shortens the time and reduces the facilities for the weight measurement.
Furthermore, many people travel much by the car. They are often on a business trip or are driving during holidays, vacations, or weekends. It is very hard for them to check and control their weight during that period of time.
One more shortcoming of the Abrams et al and the other described systems is that the computer is programmed with only a sample of selectable menu choices, but not rather with the different diet plans themselves. Thus the dieter often cannot select a diet plan which then will be followed to generate the choices very fast.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is the principal object of the present invention to expand the utility of a motor vehicle, especially a passenger vehicle such as an automobile, a van and even a boat, so that the time spent in the vehicle can be utilized more efficiently and the interaction of the vehicle with the driver and/or passenger can be improved.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved weight progress identifying and control system which can utilize time of a dieter which is often wasted and which can reliably assist in weight control and monitoring without requiring the dieter to set aside specific times for that purpose or to travel to a specific location as a precondition for such monitoring.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method of weight control which avoids drawbacks of earlier methods and which can be practiced more conveniently than earlier methods.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are attained, in accordance with the invention, in an automotive vehicle equipped to provide an automatic weighing of the driver and/or passenger and provided with the ability to monitor that weight, manage a weight control program, and provide whatever information may be required for the dieter in that regard. The invention utilizes computer facilities which can normally be present in a modern automotive vehicle and is enhanced by a touch screen input device which allows dialoging between the on-board computer and the driver and/or passenger.
While the preferred weighing device for the driver or a passenger is the weight-responsive unit used to control operation of an air bag, it can be a unit which is separate from the air bag control system. It may, for example, be a floor unit which is engaged by the user with only one foot.
Prior to the present invention, there was no the on-board vehicle weight progress control method and system that could identify and monitor weight progress of a driver dieter and passenger dieters to establish weight goals for each dieter in a vehicle.
The present invention provides an on-board vehicle weight progress control system (BOVECS) that identifies the weight progress of a dieter in the vehicle independently from the seasonal changes of the clothing and/or footwear of the dieter by a weight identifier.
The on-board vehicle weight progress control system manages measurement of the dieter's weight during a time when he or she is in the vehicle seat during a trip and does not waste extra time for this procedure and cannot forget about and miss the weight measurement. That makes the BOVECS more reliable than other weight management systems.
The present invention provides a safety service for the driver dieter by the use of an algorithm of availability during a trip and a traffic recognition routine.
The on-board system of the present invention is thus a more reliable weight progress control system and method that will help the driver dieter to shorten the time and attention of the dieter's activities to lose weight and manages health in a good condition.
The present invention is the on-board vehicle weight progress identifying and control system that allows the driver-dieter to choose a diet plan and exercises from the plurality of the diet plans and exercises in the memory of the on-board vehicle microcomputer.
The on-board vehicle microcomputer is coupled to an microcomputer controlled driver weighing device upon which the driver-dieter is weighed. As a driver weighing device,
Dubno Herbert
Gibson Randy
LandOfFree
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