US 12,663,412 B2Granted

Toilet, testing, and monitoring systems

AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

InventorsJoshua Coon, Michael Westphall, Ian Miller, Lloyd Smith, Keaton Mertz

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Systems for monitoring metabolites may include a sample collection system and a urinalysis system of or for a toilet. The sample collection system may be automated to collect sample urine from a toilet or toilet area, transport the sample to the urinalysis system, and/or the sample urine for analysis at a later time or after analysis by the urinalysis system. The urinalysis system may be automated by proactively providing test material on which a subject may provide a urine sample. Once the urine sample has been provided the urinalysis system may provide the test material to an analyzer for analysis. Results of the analysis of the test material and sample urine may be provided to a mobile device of the subject and/or a remote server. The urinalysis system may provide a urine sample to a mass spectrometry unit for analysis.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A toilet system comprising:

a toilet, the toilet defining a basin for receiving urine from a subject;
an automated urinalysis system, the automated urinalysis system comprising:
a test material holder configured to expose a test material to a sample of urine from the subject;
a sample collection unit configured to collect a predetermined volume of the sample of urine for exposure to the test material;
an analyzer configured to receive the test material after the test material is exposed to the predetermined volume of the sample of urine;
a controller in communication with the test material holder and the analyzer,
wherein the controller is configured to determine when the test material has been exposed to the predetermined volume of the sample of urine based on a sensed current,
wherein the controller is configured to automatically cause the test material holder to provide the test material to the analyzer in response to determining the test material has been exposed to the predetermined volume of the sample of urine, and
wherein the analyzer is configured to perform a colorimetric test on the test material using one or more image capturing devices.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/074,060Filed 2 Dec 2022 · continuation
Priority: 5 Jun 2020
Published: US 2023/0096779 A130 Mar 2023
Granted: 23 Jun 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

G01N 33/493
Of liquid biological material: urine
E03D 11/11
Water-closet bowls ; Bowls with a double odour seal optionally with provisions for a good siphonic action; siphons as part of the bowl: bowls…
E03D 13/005
Urinals ; Means for connecting the urinal to the flushing pipe and the wastepipe; Splashing shields for urinals: accessories specially adapted for…
G01N 35/04
Using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations: details of the conveyor system