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US 12,297,041 B1Granted
Smart diaper pail
AssigneeVerily Life Sciences LLC
InventorBrian Schiffer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A diaper pail is disclosed. The diaper pail includes a scale configured to determine a weight of an absorbent article. The diaper pail further includes a light source positioned to transmit light at an excitation wavelength of a biological substance. The diaper pail further includes a photodetector positioned to detect a measurement of light intensity within the range of emission wavelengths of the biological substance. The diaper pail includes a processor that is configured to execute processor-executable instructions to receive the weight of the absorbent article and the measurement of light intensity and to detect a presence of the biological substance on the absorbent article.
Claims13
A diaper pail comprising:
- a first chamber, a second chamber, and a door between the first chamber and second chamber, wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are vertically stacked and connected by the door, wherein the first chamber comprises a scale, wherein the second chamber comprises a light source, a photodetector, and a processor,
- wherein the scale is configured to determine a weight of an absorbent article, the absorbent article comprising sides;
- wherein the light source is positioned to transmit light directed at one or more sides of the absorbent article, wherein the light includes a peak excitation wavelength that corresponds to an excitation wavelength of a biological substance such that the light increases autofluorescence emission within a range of emission wavelengths and reduces autofluorescence emission of other substances or the absorbent article;
- wherein the photodetector is configured to detect light intensity within the range of emission wavelengths of the biological substance and to output a measurement of the light intensity, wherein the photodetector is positioned to detect light emitted from the one or more sides of the absorbent article;
- and
- wherein the processor is configured to execute processor-executable instructions to cause the processor to:
- receive, from the scale, the weight of the absorbent article;
- receive, from the photodetector, the measurement of the light intensity;
- compare the measurement of light intensity to a light intensity threshold or determine that the weight of the absorbent article is greater than a weight threshold;
- determine a presence of the biological substance on the absorbent article based on the comparing or determining;
- and
- transmit a message indicating the presence of the biological substance to an external device.
9 more elements
A method comprising:
- detecting, by a processor, a presence of an absorbent article in a first chamber of a diaper pail, wherein the diaper pail comprises the first chamber, a second chamber, and a door between the first chamber and second chamber, wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are vertically stacked and connected by the door, wherein the first chamber comprises a scale, wherein the second chamber comprises a light source, a photodetector, and the processor;
- obtaining, by the processor from the scale, a weight of the absorbent article;
- causing, at a first time by the processor, the light source to transmit light at one or more sides of the absorbent article, wherein the light includes a peak excitation wavelength that corresponds to an excitation wavelength of a biological substance such that the light increases autofluorescence emission of the biological substance within a range of emission wavelengths and reduces autofluorescence emission of other substances or the absorbent article;
- receiving, by the processor from a photodetector, a first measurement of light intensity within a first range of emission wavelengths of the biological substance;
- responsive to comparing the first measurement of light intensity to a light intensity threshold and determining that the weight of the absorbent article is greater than a weight threshold, identifying, by the processor, a presence of the biological substance on the absorbent article;
- and
- transmitting, by the processor, a message indicating the presence of the biological substance to an external device.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.