Smart Refrigerator Nutritional Tracking via Automated Logging

Solution Overview

Problem

Consumers face challenges in accurately and efficiently tracking their nutritional intake, leading to frustration and abandonment of health tracking efforts due to the tedious nature of manual food diary logging and lack of accountability measures.

Innovation Solution

A smart refrigerator system with a processor and user interface that allows users to set nutritional objectives, track grocery purchases, and receive rewards when these objectives are met, utilizing a database to store and retrieve nutritional information and compare user input against set goals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual food diary logging is used to track nutritional intake, then users can monitor their food consumption, but the task becomes tedious and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenutritional intake tracking accuracyVSAvoidtime spent on food logging

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The refrigerator system automatically performs nutritional tracking without requiring user intervention. The processor monitors food items in the refrigerator, automatically logs consumption data, and calculates nutritional information, allowing the system to serve itself rather than requiring manual user input for each food item

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of writing down food items with an automated electronic monitoring system. The refrigerator uses sensors, processors, and databases to automatically detect, record, and analyze food consumption, substituting the manual diary-keeping mechanism with an automated computational system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If manual food diary logging is used to track nutritional intake, then users can monitor their food consumption, but users get tired and abandon the service

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenutritional intake tracking accuracyVSAvoiduser effort required for tracking

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The refrigerator system automatically performs nutritional tracking without requiring user intervention. The processor monitors food items in the refrigerator, automatically logs consumption data, and calculates nutritional information, allowing the system to serve itself rather than requiring manual user input for each food item

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides automatic feedback to users about their nutritional intake through the user interface. The processor compares logged consumption against nutritional objectives and notifies users of their progress, creating a closed-loop feedback system that motivates continued use without requiring manual effort from users

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If traditional tracking systems are used, then users can monitor their intake, but lack of accountability measures reduces effectiveness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenutritional tracking capabilityVSAvoidaccountability and goal achievement

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides automatic feedback to users about their nutritional intake through the user interface. The processor compares logged consumption against nutritional objectives and notifies users of their progress, creating a closed-loop feedback system that motivates continued use and ensures accountability for meeting health goals

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The refrigerator system acts as an intermediary between the user and their health goals. The processor continuously monitors consumption, compares it against objectives, and provides structured feedback, serving as a mediating system that enforces accountability rather than relying solely on user self-discipline

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10431115B2Systems and methods for using a smart refrigerator to implement accountability measures associated with intake objectives

Publication Date: 2019.10.01 MASTERCARD INT INC

AI summary

A smart refrigerator including a processor, a memory, and a user interface is described herein. The smart refrigerator is configured to receive user input of a nutritional objective from a user via the user interface, and receive user input of a grocery order including a plurality of grocery items via the user interface. The smart refrigerator is also configured to retrieve nutritional information associated with the plurality of grocery items, and compile a nutritional profile for the user from the retrieved nutritional information. The smart refrigerator is further configured to compare the nutritional profile to the nutritional objective to determine whether the user has met the nutritional objective, and release, when the user has met the nutritional objective, a reward to the user.