DE102010038023A1 - Method for determining ingredients of consumption goods e.g. food, involves comparing stored record of goods with previously defined ingredient data to determine presence of incompatible ingredient in goods - Google Patents

Abstract

The ingredients of the goods (1) are stored as record in a database (11). An individual code is assigned to the stored record. The machine readable barcode label (2) is printed on the goods. The barcode is read from the goods using optical scanner. The stored record and associated codes in the database are accessed and stored record is assigned to read code. The stored record is compared with previously defined ingredient data to determine presence of incompatible ingredient in the goods. The determined result is output on display unit (10). An independent claim is included for device for determining ingredients of consumption goods.

Description

The invention relates to a method for the determination of ingredients of a product intended for consumption and to an apparatus for carrying out the method.

Many ingredients in foods, cosmetics, medicines, and nickel, pollen, and dust cause intolerance reactions in certain people. One distinguishes between allergy and intolerance. Food ingredient intolerance can be detected fairly quickly by allergy testing or other medical methods. Without wishing to go into a detailed medical essay, the clinical picture of celiac disease / sprue should be explained by way of example. Celiac disease, also called sprue in adulthood, is a life-long intolerance to gluten. Gluten is an adhesive protein that is found in almost all cereals. However, the sole avoidance of cereal products is not sufficient to prevent the ingestion of gluten. Gluten is used wherever food components are to be held together. Gluten is contained in stabilizers, emulsifiers, flavor enhancers, carriers, spices, but also in beer, ice cream, confectionery, sausages, and certain cheeses. You could expand the range as you like. Even in medicines and cosmetics, in toothpaste gluten may be included. To make matters worse, gluten does not yet have to be sufficiently declared. According to the current state of research celiac disease is not curable and only with the help of a gluten-free diet is the affected person a trouble-free life possible. Associations maintain databases in which all known products are included and provide their members with extensive material, eg. B. Food lists, which comprise several hundred pages in book form and must be constantly updated. Those affected or their relatives can use these books as an aid in shopping for and choosing gluten-free products, but this is very time-consuming because it is often cumbersome to find the product in the manufacturer's or grocery list.

The object of the invention is therefore to propose a method by which a person concerned can easily and safely avoid the intake of incompatible substances for him.

This object is achieved in that one or more ingredients of the product are stored in each case in a data record of a database. A product is thus assigned a data record containing one or more ingredients or ideally all ingredients of the product. This stored data record is assigned an individualizing code. The product is associated with a means that has the code in machine-readable form. The term machine readable also includes human readable writing. The readable means may be for example a label or a print on the product packaging. It can therefore also be an integral part of the product or the product packaging. By a suitable device, the code is read on the goods. Suitable are devices that can process data and read the code, for example by having an optical scanner. The device then accesses the database with the stored records and associated codes. The read code is assigned the associated data record. This identifies the goods and their ingredients. The data set is then subjected to a comparison with a previously defined and stored data filter. The data filter is used to determine the data relevant to the user from the data record. Thus, the consumer of the product is generally not interested in all ingredients, but only in those or those who are incompatible or can be for him. This or these ingredients are previously stored as a data filter. The data filter contains individual data for a specific consumer, namely which ingredients are incompatible for this consumer. The comparison thus determines whether there are any incompatible ingredients in the goods by comparing the data record of the goods with the data filter. Then, depending on the result of the comparison, a signal is generated and output in a form understandable to humans. This means that a classification of the comparison result takes place and the classification is output as a signal. For example, in its simplest form, the signal may be to turn on a red light emitting diode when the product contains one or more incompatible ingredients and to turn on a green light emitting diode when the product does not contain an incompatible ingredient. It may also display the name of the incompatible ingredient in plain text on a display. It is also possible to display all ingredients that are compatible, for example, in green letters and the incompatible in red letters. Here, the data filter is used to classify the goods by the output is formatted differently depending on the ingredients of the goods.

Further advantageous embodiments are described in the subclaims.

The database can be stored internally in the device. In a preferred embodiment, the database is stored on an external medium and the reader can access it via a wireless data connection. When the database is externally maintained and updated, it is advantageously ensured that the data is always up to date. Another advantage is that the device does not have to be manually updated by the user. The individual data filter can be stored in the device or also on the external data carrier.

The readable means having the code is a bar code tag or RFID tag. The feature bar code label also includes printed bar codes. For reading the bar code label, an optical scanner or a camera is used, for reading the RFID label a suitable reading unit with an antenna.

The invention further comprises a device having a processor, a command memory, a data memory, a unit for reading the readable means comprising the code and a display for outputting a signal, wherein the device for implementing the method described above is technically set up. The device can automatically execute the method steps d) to h) of claim 1 and / or the method of claim 2 or 3 by means of software or fixed hardware.

In a preferred embodiment, the device is designed as a mobile phone, in particular a smartphone, and the reading of the code having means, in particular of the bar code label, is carried out with a camera and an image recognition. The advantage is that a consumer or user usually carries these devices with him. The camera, which is built into almost all devices, photographs the bar code label and decrypts the code with an image identifier that includes a program for optical character processing. The barcode is thus converted into a string or sequence of numbers and used to determine the ingredients. The result is then output on the display of the mobile phone. This is possible in a particularly comfortable way with a smartphone. These devices have a large display, a camera and are programmable. If reading via the camera is not possible, the code can also be entered manually via the keyboard.

The query of the external database with the ingredients and codes is advantageously carried out via an Internet connection. The database is located on an external server that is connected to the Internet. Most mobile phones and smartphones can access the Internet over a wireless connection.

Alternatively, the device may be designed as a reading pen with a bar code reader and a data interface. The reading pen can take the form of a ballpoint pen. It is regularly connected to the Internet via a data interface to load the latest product data on manufacturers and ingredients. Preferably, it has a USB interface, which does not allow an update of the corresponding data but also the charging of the battery. The integrated scanner reads the product identification number, e.g. For example, the EAN or pharmaceutical central number and can assign them to the corresponding goods. The microprocessor carries out the comparative operations according to the method and, depending on the result, switches on one of three light-emitting diodes. With a traffic light function, the compatibility of the goods is displayed.

The invention will be described by way of example in a preferred embodiment with reference to a drawing, wherein further advantageous details are shown in the figures of the drawing.

1 shows a schematic representation of a set up for carrying out the method smartphone; and

2 shows a schematic representation of a stick for performing the method.

1 shows a standard smartphone 9 with a processor, a command memory, a data memory, a display and a camera 14 , In addition, the smartphone has 9 via a wireless internet connection 12 which is set up when needed. Such smartphones 9 offer the possibility to install and run programs, so-called applications. On the smartphone 9 an application is installed which is designed to carry out the method according to the invention. After starting, the application first builds an internet connection 12 and contacts a server with an external disk 11 on. On the disk 11 is a database with a record and an individualizing code stored for each commodity. If the smartphone 9 with the camera 14 to a product intended for consumption 1 is directed, the camera takes 14 the reflected light 7 the goods with a barcode 2 as pictures. An image recognition software searches on the recorded images for the printed bar code 2 and decrypt this. Advantageously, the bar code for the EAN (European Article Number) can be used to identify the goods 1 used, since most goods are already marked with an EAN. As the goods 1 individualizing code according to the method described above is thus used directly the EAN.

The smartphone 9 sends the identified EAN over the internet connection 12 to the external disk 11 , There the code or the EAN is assigned to the stored data record. The data set is then subjected to a comparison with a previously defined data filter. The data filter is used to determine the data relevant to the user from the data record, ie those in the product 1 for the consumer incompatible ingredients are selected. The goods and the incompatible ingredients will then be on display 10 of the smartphone 9 output.

Before this process can proceed, the user must enter the incompatible ingredients. This is done by a software, with a corresponding input mask 8th can be called. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the data for each user also in the database on the disk 11 saved by the server. The input can be made via the Internet with the browser of a PC (not shown). Likewise, the input mask 8th directly via the smartphone 9 be called.

At the in 1 the embodiment shown, the selection of data by the defined data filter on the external server. Alternatively, the data filter can also be found in the smartphone 9 stored and the selection of the relevant data or ingredients are made there. In this case, so would the external disk 11 all ingredients of the product 1 transmitted, but only the incompatible on the display 10 displayed and / or a corresponding signal is output on the display.

2 shows a schematic representation of a reading pen 3 to carry out the process. Through a reflex light scanner 5 is from the reading pen 3 the barcode 2 detected and with an integrated microprocessor with the via USB interface 6 linked database. A tricolor LED 4 displays the detected status. The integrated power supply with accumulator can via the existing USB interface 6 getting charged. A software provides an input mask 8th available, which are necessary for the selection of the data. For allergies, they are incompatible ingredients. Product groups can be selected to reduce the data volume to the desired level. These selected data can also be transmitted via the data interface 6 be loaded directly. The software will become the data mask after creating the data connection in transmission mode 8th start, through which the relevant data can be selected. After disconnection of the data interface 6 The loaded data is linked to the scanned data to output product-dependent information.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Would

2

barcode

3

Stick

4

LED

5

Reflex Light Scanner

6

USB interface

7

flare

8th

input screen

9

Smartphone

10

display

11

disk

12

Internet connection

14

camera

Claims (7)

Method for the determination of ingredients of a product intended for human consumption ( 1 ), characterized in that a) one or more ingredients of the product ( 1 ) is stored in a database in each case as a record, b) an individualizing code is assigned to the stored data record, c) a means ( 2 ) with the goods ( 1 ), which has the code in machine-readable form, d) the code on the goods ( 2 ) is read by a suitable device, e) the device accesses the database with the stored data records and the associated codes, f) the associated code is assigned to the code read, g) the data record is subjected to a comparison with a predefined data filter, and h) output the result of the comparison as a signal in a human understandable form. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the database is stored on an internal data carrier of the device or preferably on an external data carrier ( 11 ) and the device on it via a wireless data connection ( 12 ) can access. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the readable means comprising the code comprise a bar code label ( 2 ) or RFID tag. Device having a processor, a command memory, a data memory, a unit ( 14 . 4 ) for reading the readable means containing the code and a display ( 10 . 4 ) for outputting a signal, characterized in that the device for carrying out the method according to claim 1, in particular the method steps d) to h) or for implementing the method according to claim 2 or 3 is set up. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that this as a mobile phone, in particular smartphone ( 9 ), and reading the code having means, in particular the bar code label ( 2 ), with a camera ( 14 ) and image recognition. Device according to claims 4 to 5, characterized in that the query of the external database with the ingredients and codes via an Internet connection ( 12 ) he follows. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that it acts as a reading pen ( 4 ) with a bar code reader ( 5 ) and a data interface ( 6 ) is formed, wherein for the signal output at least one LED ( 4 ), preferably a plurality, in particular in at least one traffic light color, are provided.

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