Universal device for monitoring and reporting fluid consumption and method using same
AssigneeThirsti Ltd
InventorsPhillip Daneshyar, Alexander Edward Smith, Tyrone Bedessy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A liquid intake tracking device for removable insertion into a beverage container in order to track an amount of liquid consumed, the rate of liquid consumption over time, and to provide alerts to the user. The device connects wirelessly to an application executing on an external electronic device which provides user with liquid consumption data and reports concerning the user's interaction with the beverage container. Methods for tracking liquid intake are also disclosed.
Claims19
A liquid intake tracking device that detects changes in a volume of liquid within a beverage container and that wirelessly communicates detected information to an external electronic device, comprising:
- a pressure sensor sized and shaped to be received within the beverage container and configured to emit a signal in response to pressure imparted on the pressure sensor by any liquid in the beverage container;
- a liquid level detection circuit connected to the pressure sensor and operative to measure the pressure of the sealed volume and output at least a first measurement value concerning a first calibration, a second measurement value concerning a second calibration, and a current volume measurement value, wherein the first calibration measurement value is indicative of the beverage container being empty, the second calibration measurement value is indicative of the beverage container being filled, and the current volume measurement value is indicative of a current liquid volume in the beverage container;
- a control circuit having a processor and a memory unit configured to receive and store the first calibration measurement value, the second calibration measurement value, and the current volume measurement value;
- and
- a wireless communication module configured to communicate at least the first calibration measurement value, the second calibration measurement value, and the current volume measurement value to the external electronic device,
- wherein the control circuit of the liquid intake tracking device is configured to provide at least the current volume measurement value to the external electronic device in an autonomous manner.
A liquid intake tracking device that detects changes in a volume of liquid within a beverage container and that wirelessly communicates detected information to an external electronic device, comprising:
- a housing sized and shaped to be received within the beverage container and defining an interior region separated from any liquid within the beverage container;
- a pressure sensor disposed within the housing;
- a liquid level detection circuit connected to the pressure sensor and operative to measure the pressure of the sealed volume and output at least a first measurement value concerning a first calibration, a second measurement value concerning a second calibration, and a current volume measurement value, wherein the first calibration measurement value is indicative of the beverage container being empty, the second calibration measurement value is indicative of the beverage container being filled, and the current volume measurement value is indicative of a current liquid volume in the beverage container;
- and
- a wireless communication module configured to communicate at least the first calibration, second calibration and current volume values to external electronic device.
A method for tracking liquid intake using a device being sized to be received within a beverage container to detect changes in a volume of liquid in the beverage container, comprising the steps of:
- disposing the device within the beverage container, the device including:
- a pressure sensor;
- a wireless communication module configured to communicate one or more measurement values to an external electronic device;
- calibrating the device relative to the beverage container by processing pressure readings while the beverage container is indicated by a user operating the external electronic device as being empty of any liquid and while the beverage container is indicated by the user operating the external electronic device as being full;
- receiving atmospheric pressure data from at least one barometric sensor in communication with the external electronic device;
- calculating the difference between the pressure reading obtained while the beverage container is empty and the received atmospheric pressure data,
- adjusting the pressure reading obtained while the beverage container is full in response to the calculation;
- detecting changes in pressure within the sealed interior volume using the pressure sensor, the pressure being a function of a proportion of amount of liquid within the beverage container at the time of detection;
- and
- wirelessly transmitting the measured pressure information to the external electronic device using the wireless communication module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.