WO2004107227A1

WO2004107227A1 - Monitoring system of supply of nutrients

Info

Publication number: WO2004107227A1
Application number: PCT/FI2004/000328
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eero Toivainen; Pertti VÄISÄNEN
Original assignee: Tuulia International Oy
Priority date: 2003-06-03
Filing date: 2004-05-28
Publication date: 2004-12-09
Also published as: FI20030829A; FI20030829A0; FI119486B; EP1634232A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for collecting and analysing the properties of foodstuffs bought by a consumer(s), such as information concerning nutrients, and for transmitting it to the consumer in order that he or she can make selections of food contributing to and maintaining his or her health, and for enabling the use of the collected history information for research purposes both for individuals and population groups. The system of the invention comprises a product (20) provided with a unique identifier, which is read using a reading device (21) and which is further transmitted to a cash system (22). In the system of the invention, arranged between the reading device (21) and the cash system (22) is a specific distribution cable (28) by means of which the information is transmitted also to a nutrient server (23). The nutrient server retrieves the nutrient compositions of the purchases from a database (24). The calculated results are presented on a web server (25) to which a client can connect using any terminal device (27) connected to the Internet. The properties of the purchased products are saved to the database (29) for each consumer specifically.

Description

MONITORING SYSTEM OF SUPPLY OF NUTRIENTS FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the monitoring and controlling of the supply of nutrients.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The trend of consumers' behaviour is clearly towards healthier eating habits and life styles. The content of nourishment such as nutrients and their supply and the monitoring of the supply play an ever growing role for the consumers . The consumers wish to contribute to their health and to improve their well- being by eating. This has lead e.g. to the generalisation of functional foodstuffs. The consumers also are concerned about the safety of food, such as the nutritional safety of food, as the supply of foodstuffs has increased and the products have become processed. This need for information of the consumers must be satisfied in a manner enabling the consumers not to do anything that would deviate from the present, everyday life. There is a need for an easy-to- use information-technological means for assembling a diet suitable for consumers without requiring of the consumer a lot of information and abilities. There is a need for a system that enables the implementation of a so-called learning meal system and the addition of interaction between different actors. In the monitor- ing of the supply of nutrients it is important that information about the consumption is available through a long period of time, which can be utilised when examining the supply of nutrients of an individual consumer or different population groups and the effects thereof. Auxiliary systems have been developed for the management of nutrition compositions. Publication US 5312564 discloses a system having a computer to whose memory, the compositions of all nutrients have been stored. The computer is arranged e.g. in conjunction with a shop a restaurant, so the group of nutrients is limited and maintainable. Each of the clients using the system is arranged a smart card with a memory, to which the new purchases made by the client are stored and the average consumption of the client is calculates utilising history information. The history information functions with a queue principle, so old information is deleted to make way for the new one. After the calculation, the computer tells the consumer the average consumption. The problem with the system of the publication is the need for a smart card. A separate smart card is expensive. Further, in the system in accordance with the invention, the consumption is shown to the client at a shop's cash desk. This jams the operation of cash desks, and it is not possible to make a more accurate analysis in peace. If a corresponding computer was arranged at home, one should provide the computer with a smart card reader. Further, maintaining a database would be very compli- cated, particularly in such a case that the client uses different shops and restaurants. Further, in the system in accordance with the invention the smart card is client-specific, although in reality, the client usually buys food for a number of persons, e.g. to his or her family. The system cannot be used for a more comprehensive study of the supply of nutrients.

The basic arrangements of publications US 6387049 and US 6024281 are similar to those of publication US 5412564, so also the basic problems are similar. Particularly the management of several motions is the problematic in the reference publications. The reference publications do not offer a solu- tion for the management of several persons by means of one client identifier. Further, the ensuring of the anonymity of the identifier remains unclear in the reference publications. Clients do not wish to be a part of a system based on which they could be identified as for many persons, eating and drinking habits are a sensitive issue.

OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the invention is to disclose a new type of system and method for collecting and analysing the properties of foodstuffs bought by consumers, such as information concerning nutrients, and for transmitting it to the consumer in order that he or she can make selections of food contributing to and maintaining his or her health, and for enabling the use of the collected history information for research purposes both for individuals and population groups.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a system and method for collecting and analysing the properties of food- stuffs bought by consumers, such as information concerning nutrients, and for transmitting it to the consumer in order that he or she can make selections of food contributing to and maintaining his or her health, and for enabling the use of the collected his- tory information for research purposes both for individuals and population groups.

The identification of the consumer is performed by means of an identifier which is used in conjunction with a payment transaction of foodstuffs and which can be used in conjunction with all payment transactions at cash desks having the identification arranged in order that the client could use the same unique identifier everywhere when buying foodstuffs. In a preferred implementation mode, a bar code such as e.g. an EAN or UPC bar code is used as the identifier, whereby the identifier is globally unique and can be read using bar code readers disposed in conjunction with cash desks .

An identifier that can be used almost everywhere enables the collection of information and combining thereof to form a whole, based on which the consumer gets an idea of what kind of properties the foodstuffs bought by him or her contain. The user identifier is unique and anonymous, so based on it one cannot make conclusions as to the identity of the user. The user identifier can be distributed to the clients so that one cannot combine the identifier with the personal data of the consumer. A unique identifier, however, enables the fact that a consumer can communicate with the system anonymously without his or her identity being revealed. A consumer can, for exam- pie, give information concerning himself/herself or his or her family via the Internet in order that the system or the consumer himself or herself can analyse the information for that particular consumer or household including more than one member. If desired, it is possible in the system to group different identifiers under one or a new identifier.

The system is also characterised by the fact that both the consumer's piece of identification information and the piece of identification information individualising the foodstuff are branched from the reading device of identification information such as e.g. a bar code reader to a nutrient server.

This nutrient server retrieves from the database the information on the properties of a foodstuff included in the database based on the identification information of a foodstuff. In the nutrient server, the information on the properties of the foodstuffs of one purchase time are calculated and can be saved under the piece of identification information of the consumer to be sent further to a web server.

Collected on the web server are, under the piece of identification information of each consumer, all the information on the properties of foodstuffs from different sources that have been individualised under this identifier. The consumer is able to browse the information on the web sites by means of his or her identifier and a password to be possibly attached.

The information collected on the web server can be used for research purposes both for individuals and population groups.

LIST OF FIGURES

Fig. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating one embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a system diagram illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Fig. 1 is a functional block diagram illus- trating one method of the invention. The method is started with the identification of a product, step 10. The identification of a product is used mean any identification of a product; it may be e.g. any foodstuff bought at a shop, or a restaurant meal. Typically, the product is identified based on a bar code or a magnetic adhesive label . In the embodiment of the invention, the information is transmitted to two different destinations. From the standpoint of the payment of the purchases, the information is transmitted to a cash system, step 15, from which further to be debited e.g. against a credit card, step 16. The payment arrangements are not substantial from the standpoint of the invention, instead any payment and cash system is suitable as long as the product information can be branched.

Once the products have been identified, the client is identified, step 11. The identification is preferably implemented using the same instruments as the identification of the products, e.g. by means of a bar code or a magnetic adhesive label. If necessary, a password can be added to the identification. After the identification of the client, the nutrient compositions of the purchased products are retrieved from the database based on the product identifier, step 12. The nutrient compositions of the products are calculated and analysed and put under the client's identifier, step 13. Finally, the nutritional values are presented to the client, step 14. Preferably, the presentation has been arranged on a web server, so the client may browse his or her information irrespective of the place. If necessary, the cli- ent can also modify his or her calculation using the browser. This is necessary e.g. in a such case when the client has purchased foodstuffs for such a function in which there more diners present than normally. In that case, the distribution of bigger amounts to more than one person can be easily implemented. The system as shown opens possibilities to many feasible further developments. It is e.g. possible to attach to the system an automatic submitter of food recommendations which can be used to control the dining, or it can be attached to other systems that contribute to the health.

Fig.2 shows one embodiment in accordance with the invention. The system as shown in the figure comprises a product 20 provided with a unique identi- fier, a reading device 21 of the identifier, a cash system 22, a nutrient server 23 for calculating the amounts of nutrients, a database 24 including the properties of the foodstuffs, a web server 25, a consumer-specific database including the properties of the purchased products 29; the web server being connected to the Internet 26, and a terminal device 27 which also is connected to the Internet.

A substantial part of one embodiment of the invention is a distribution cable 28, which is connected between the reading device 21 and the cash system 22 and the nutrient server 23. In this manner, the information on the nutrients can be easily distributed into two systems independent of each other. If necessary, the distribution cable can be provided with an amplifier.

In the embodiment of the invention, a product is identified by means of a bar code, which is a rather common embodiment. Due to this, it is worthwhile to use a bar code also in the identification of the client as it does not cause additional device requirements. If in a shop, a magnetic adhesive label is used instead of bar codes, the identification can be performed using such a label. A client may be given a card with the identifier coded in both ways.

The nutrient server 23 of the system is connected to a nutrient database 24. The database may be a database of one shop or a common database of more shops that has been divided between several different shops. The nutrient server 23 calculates the nutrient composition of the purchases made by the client based on the information in the database. The client can browse his or her information using a terminal device 27. The terminal device can be any terminal device provided with a browser. The client connects to a web server 25 which has a user interface to the client's nutrient data. The client logs into the web server 25 by using the same unique identifier by means of which he or she was identified in the shop. In case the client has got means for reading the bar codes, the iden- tifier can be read in the same manner as in the shop. Typically, a client usually inputs his or her identifier using a keyboard. The identifier to be used is unique and random, so it is not possible to find out the identity of the client using just the identifier. Further, the web server checks whether there are one or more members included in the household of the client and distributes the nutrients based on the instructions given by the client. The invention is not limited solely to the embodiment examples referred to above, instead many variations are possible within the scope of the invention defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A system for calculating a nutrient composition, the system comprising: a cash system (22) having reading means (21) of a unique identifier; a database (24) including the nutritional values of the products to be sold; and a nutrient server (23) for calculating the nutrient composition for the client; c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the system further comprises: a branching (28) which is connected to branch the payment system and the nutrient composition system of the system to form wholes independent of each other; and the reading means (21) of the cash system (22) are arranged to identify the client.

2. The system as defined in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the unique product identifier is a bar code.

3. The system as defined in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the unique product identifier is a magnetic adhesive label.

4. The system as defined in claim 1, 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that there is an attempt to find out the properties of a foodstuff by means of the product identifier.

5. The method as defined in claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the properties of a foodstuff comprise nutrients.

6. The system as defined in claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the properties of a foodstuff comprise other additives.

7. The system as defined in any one of claims 1-6, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the system further comprises a web server (25) for browsing and processing the nutrient composition in a database (29) to which the properties of the purchased foodstuffs are stored for each consumer specifically.

8. The system as defined in claim 7, ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that arranged in the sys- tem are means for distributing the client's nutrient composition to several persons.

9. A method for calculating a nutrient composition, the method comprising the steps of: reading the unique identifiers of the prod- ucts to a cash system; retrieving from the database the nutrient values of the aforementioned products; and calculating the nutrient composition of the client's purchases based on the nutrient values of the aforementioned products; c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the method further comprises the step of: identifying the client based on the unique, anonymous identifier using the product identification means of the cash system; and sending a notification informing of the purchased nutrients to an independent nutrient system.

10. The system as defined in claim 9, ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that the client and the products are identified based on a unique bar code.

11. The system as defined in claim 9, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the client and the products are identified based on a unique magnetic adhesive label.

12. The method as defined in claim 9, 10 or

11, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that there is an attempt to find out the properties of a foodstuff such as nutrients by means of the product identifier.

13. The method as defined in any one of pre- ceding claims 9-12, ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that nutrient compositions are processed and browsed using a web server.

14. The method as defined in any one of preceding claims 9-13, cha r a c t e r i s e d in that the client's nutrient composition is distributed to several persons.

15. The method as defined in any one of preceding claims 9-14, ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that the information of the foodstuffs purchased in different places is gathered in one place for the client to form one whole.

16. The method as defined in any one of preceding claims 9-15, ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that the purchasing behaviour of foodstuffs of anonymous consumers is monitored for research purposes.

17. The method as defined in any one of pre- ceding claims 9-16, ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that anonymous consumers are given advice for the consumption of nutrients .