WO2019013397A1

WO2019013397A1 - Smart scale having feeding management function

Info

Publication number: WO2019013397A1
Application number: PCT/KR2017/011977
Authority: WO
Inventors: 김수진; 김민수; 성창화
Original assignee: 케이티하이텔 주식회사
Priority date: 2017-07-13
Filing date: 2017-10-27
Publication date: 2019-01-17
Also published as: KR20190007604A; CN109496268A; JP6691979B2; JP2019529864A

Abstract

Proposed is a smart scale having a novel function. The smart scale (100) of the present invention comprises a housing front for putting a feeding bottle thereon, wherein the housing front has a region for weighing the feeding bottle, and is also preferably equipped with a feeding lamp. The smart scale (100) of the present invention provides functions that are capable of appropriately measuring an amount of bottle-feeding actually fed (a feeding amount), and storing, managing and retrieving feeding history through pairing with a smartphone. In addition, the smart scale is beneficial to any parent caring for a child, by providing appropriate lighting even in a dark feeding environment during the night.

Description

Smart scale with feeding control function

The present invention relates to sensors and communication technologies, and more particularly to object Internet technology that incorporates such technologies into a method of lactation management.

Parents breast-feed milk or formula. If the mother is not breastfeeding directly, she usually breastfeeds using a bottle. In this case, proper temperature and proper feeding amount are important. Conventionally, the human body sensation was used to roughly measure the feeding temperature and the amount of feed. However, the temperature is gradually measured using the technique, and the number of feeding and the amount of feeding are recorded.

For example, there was a method of incorporating sensor technology to measure temperature into a bottle. For example, Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2011-012737 proposes a temperature indicating bottle. A thermometer is installed in the container of the bottle. Although these techniques differ in detail, there are Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2012-0122482 and Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 10-2008-0010074. However, such a conventional technique has a problem in that it is not possible to measure or manage the feeding amount. Parents are skilled at feeding, so the temperature of feeding is not a problem for the parents. Temperature is a problem at the moment of feeding, but as soon as you feed, the problem is resolved immediately. However, it is often forgotten how much she has fed. So now it happens when you do not know how much you should feed. In short, the biggest problem that harasses parents about breastfeeding was precise management of feeding.

On the other hand, even if the means for measuring the amount of milk is installed in the bottle, it is uncertain how to add it to the bottle. It is not well known in the prior art how to integrate and manage current feeding amounts, including past feeding / feeding frequency data. I can not think of utility as merely a bargain. I can not help but think about what is sacrificed for its effectiveness and what side effects are coming out. The inconvenience and difficulties of production, the economic side effects, the users who use the bottles should always look for the cleanliness, convenience and management they want.

Therefore, the inventors of the present invention have studied for a long time to solve these problems and have developed through trial and error, thus completing the present invention.

An object of the present invention is basically to provide a method for measuring a feeding amount and managing a feeding history. For this, it was possible to define a condition that short-range wireless communication with a user's smartphone installed with dedicated application software is required. However, the feeding bottle itself could not add the function of measuring and managing the feeding amount. This has the inconvenience of manufacturing a new concept bottle, which also violates the versatility of using the bottle. There is a need for a new device that can be managed while measuring the amount of feed. But I have been asked this question.

"Yes, let's create a new device, but will users really need that device?"

To further address these questions, the present inventors have further studied the feeding situation to the infant and considered the characteristics of the infant not eating, sleeping and wrapping separately . In addition, it was important not only for parents to separate the infants 'feeding, sleep, and bowel movements, but also for their parents' anxiety about all of these factors . If the new device provides an integrated technology solution that meets the characteristics of the parent of the infant as above, it will meet the needs of the user. That is another object of the present invention.

On the other hand, other unspecified purposes of the present invention will be further considered within the scope of the following detailed description and easily deduced from the effects thereof.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a smart balance which accommodates electronic devices inside a housing, the housing front having a region for measuring the weight of the bottle, and the housing including a display element and an input element,

The electronic devices may include a weight sensor for measuring the weight of the object, a wireless communication module for short range wireless communication with the external smartphone, a rechargeable or replaceable battery, and a controller for communicating with the weight sensor and the wireless communication module, And a controller

And the weight data of the bottle measured by the weight sensor is transmitted to the external smartphone of the user as the feeding history data.

In a smart balance according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the smart balance includes feeding,

The control unit may control the feeding state according to an input event of the feeding button.

In the smart balance according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the controller may transmit sleep history data generated according to an input event of the input element to the external smartphone through the wireless communication module.

Further, in a smart balance according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the electronic devices include a storage unit for storing data,

Wherein the control unit stores data measured by the weight sensor or data determined according to an input event of the input element in advance in the storage unit when communication with the external smartphone is not performed, To transmit the data in the storage to the smartphone via the network.

In a smart balance according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the smart balance may further include a temperature sensor and / or a humidity sensor.

Further, in the smart scale according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the smart scale may further include a hook provided outside the housing and provided for holding or using the smart scale.

Further, in the smart balance according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the controller may transmit data on defecation generated according to an input event of the input element to the external smartphone through the wireless communication module .

According to the present invention as described above, it is possible to achieve the effect of achieving various purposes set forth above. With the new Smart Scale, you can measure the amount of milk you have, and you can create your desired environment using breast feeding (sleeping, etc.). In addition, the application installed in the own smartphone merely has a merit that various history related to various kinds of child care such as sleeping, defecation, and baby formula can be integrated and effectively managed as well as the feeding history.

On the other hand, even if the effects are not explicitly mentioned here, the effect described in the following specification, which is expected by the technical features of the present invention, and its potential effects are treated as described in the specification of the present invention.

1 shows a state of use of the smart balance 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows an example of the principle of gripping the smart balance 100. Fig.

3 shows an example of an outer housing configuration of the smart balance 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

4 schematically shows an overall system configuration according to any preferred embodiment of the present invention.

5 shows an example of an internal electronic configuration of the smart balance 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram conceptually showing the overall system relationship when the first system 1 and the second system 2 of FIG. 1 are integrated.

7 schematically shows the entire process of the lactation management method of the present invention.

8 to 11 illustrate an operation process for various functions performed in the smart balance of the present invention.

* The accompanying drawings illustrate examples of the present invention in order to facilitate understanding of the technical idea of the present invention, and thus the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto.

The present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may obscure the subject matter of the present invention.

First, an example of the configuration of the outer housing will be described in order to fully understand and understand what form or use the smart balance of the present invention can have.

FIG. 1 shows a state in which the smart scale 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is hung on the outer hook 40. The present inventors designed a circular housing having a diameter of approximately 100 to 200 mm, more preferably 140 to 170 mm, and a thickness of approximately 10 to 20 mm. These sizes and shapes are lightweight, easy to use, portable and easy to use anywhere. Since the feeding is not limited to the time and place, it is preferable that the smart balance 100 of the present invention provided for feeding is not limited to the time and place. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, it may be hung somewhere, as shown in FIG. 2, carried by hand, and placed on a plane as shown in FIG.

A groove 140 is formed in the circumferential direction of the circular housing between the housing front 130 of the smart balance 100 and the housing defecation. 1 shows that it can be hooked to the outer hook 40 by using the hook-shaped hooking means 141 accommodated in the groove 140. [ The smart balance 100 can be stored as shown in FIG. 1, or carried on the shoulder. In addition, as described later, there is an advantage in that feeding can be effectively effected to a sleeping child by turning on the feeding light 132 during feeding in this state. When feeding in the middle of the night, the child is sleeping with his / her eyes closed, so caregivers are unlikely to turn on the interior lights. The smart balance 100 of the present invention is provided with the milking light 132, so that it can be milked in an appropriate situation without turning on the room light.

Turning now to the configuration of the hanger means 141 of the smart balance 100 of the present invention in another direction, reference can be made to Fig. It is possible to form a ring shape by pulling the hooking means 141 housed in the circumferential groove of the housing, and it is possible to grasp the formed ring by holding it with fingers.

Consider the embodiment of FIG. Fig. 3 (a) shows a housing configuration of the smart balance 100 in a planar state, and Fig. 3 (b) shows an example of a housing configuration of the smart balance 100 in any aspect.

A region 131 for measuring the weight of the feeding bottle is provided in the vicinity of the center of the housing front 130 and a feeding light 132 is provided around the region 131. When the bottle is placed in the weighing area (131), the built-in weight sensor measures the weight of the bottle.

The housing front 130 is provided with one or more output means and one or more input means. The input means may preferably comprise one or more buttons. A plurality of predetermined functions can be implemented by one button 136 through a programmed function of the internal control unit of the smart balance 100. [ Of course, the power button and function selection button can be separated and installed separately. Preferably, a milk feeding button 137 may be additionally provided.

The output means includes a display made up of an LED, an LCD, and the like. The first display unit 133 may include numeric data (including characters) measured by the sensor, and the second display unit 134 may include display means for indicating various functions. These

display units

133 and 134 can display the information of the functions provided by the smart balance to the user. Icons indicating functions of icons such as a pairing status, battery status, pre-lactation, post-lactation, defecation, reason, sleep, temperature, and humidity can be displayed.

It is to be understood that the shape of the figure and the approximate numerical value appearing visually are not a definite and accurate representation but rather an exaggeration in size and form proportion because the example of the present invention is easily understood. In addition, it goes without saying that the shape and size of the smart scale 100 described in FIGS. 1 to 3 and the arrangement of each configuration may be variously modified.

Before looking at the internal structure of the smart balance 100, let's consider the function of the smart balance 100 from a system viewpoint in a broader perspective. FIG. 4 shows a system configuration example according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Two different systems are included in the present invention.

The first system 1 is a communication system carried out in a short-range wireless communication network between the smart balance 100 and the external smartphone 150. Such short-range wireless communication networks may use Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and other technical standards. The main contents of the first system 1 are that the smart balance 100 transmits infant data measured by various sensors or infant data determined by the input event to the smartphone 150 , And may include a notification event that the smartphone 150 has received such data with the smart balance 100. In this case, This first system 1 is N (where N is an integer greater than one). That is, the first system 1 is a system in which the smart balance 100 and the external smartphone 150 are paired with each other.

The second system 2 is a network system between the smart phone 150 and the service server 200 in which communication is performed through the wireless Internet network. Although only the service server 200 is shown in the figure, this is an example, and the push server 300 may be included as well as the feeding database 210 as described below.

In the second system 2, communication is performed by executing the feeding management application software installed in advance in the smartphone 150. The smartphone 150 transmits the feeding data received from the smart balance 100 Or the infant data set according to the input event) to the service server 200. The service server 200 stores / manages the infant data in accordance with a predetermined rule, and the smartphone 150 A series of events for inquiring and browsing the feeding history information stored in the service server 200 is performed in this system.

The service server 200 includes a plurality of hardware and / or software devices. Thus, when an application is executed in the smartphone 150, the content is provided in a wireless communication with the smartphones 150 and ensuring the execution of the process.

In addition, the server 200 has a plurality of databases. The database 210 may record the feeding data received from the smartphones 150. [ At this time, the database 210 may generate and store the feeding history information by matching the user information and the time (date / time, etc.) information to the feeding data received from the smartphone 150. Other databases include a user information database for selectively storing information such as the user's smartphone number, user name, child's name, gender, age, weight, etc., and various logs performed in the second system 2 A log database, a content database for storing contents to be provided to the user through an application, and the like.

The push server 300 receives the request from the service server 200 and notifies the smart phone 150 of the notification event.

Now, the internal configuration of the smart balance 100 will be described. FIG. 5 schematically shows an example of the internal electronic configuration of the smart balance 100 included in the first system 1.

Preferably, the control unit 101, the weight sensor 102, the temperature sensor 103a, the humidity sensor 103b, the BLE module 107, the memory 105, the battery 106, the display element 110, (120) may be included.

The weight sensor 102 measures the weight of the bottle positioned in the weighing area of the housing front of the smart balance and transmits it to the control unit 101. Preferably, the pre-nursing bottle is placed on the weighing area and the pre-nursing amount is measured, then the post-nursing bottle is placed on the weighing area and the post-nursing amount is measured to determine exactly how much the child actually nursed.

The temperature sensor 103a and the humidity sensor 103b measure the room temperature and humidity and transmit the measured temperature and humidity to the control unit 101. [ The indoor temperature and humidity is very important information for a carer who raises a child. The smart rate 100 of the present invention not only measures the amount of infant feeding but also provides temperature and humidity information of a child's environment.

The smart balance 100 is provided with a wireless communication module. FIG. 5 presents the BLE module 107. FIG. It may be replaced by a Wi-Fi module. However, in terms of power consumption, low-power Bluetooth devices will be advantageous.

The memory 105 serving as a storage unit temporarily stores data determined according to a predetermined procedure by the feeding data measured by the weight sensor 102 and an input event of the input element 120.

The battery 106 provides power to the electronic components of the smart balance 100. A rechargeable battery is preferable considering that it is a device that is used by parents and is used anywhere and anytime. It is preferable to charge using a USB connector, and the battery, the charging circuit, and the connector can use known techniques. In other embodiments, a replaceable battery, i.e., a battery, may be used.

The display element 110 is constituted by one or more display means. And a display unit for displaying data measured by the sensor outside the smart balance 100. [ Further, it may further include display means for indicating the functional state of the smart balance 100, which can be described or easily added thereto. This is exemplarily shown in Figs. 1 and 3 as well.

Although not shown, it is preferable that the smart balance 100 further includes a circuit that can control ON / OFF and brightness / color temperature of the milk feeding device. Further, a speaker (not shown) capable of outputting a predetermined sound may be further included.

The input element 120 may be a button made of hardware and / or software, and an external input event generated through the input element 120 is transmitted to the control unit 101.

The control unit 101 controls the operation of the internal electronic configuration described above. In particular, the control unit 101 processes / stores / transmits data measured by various sensors and an event input by the input element 120 and outputs the data through the display element 110 or performs communication determined by an external smart phone The smart balance 100 is controlled. Preferably, the data measured by the weight sensor 102 is pre-stored in the memory 105 when the BLE module 107 is unable to communicate with the external smartphone (e.g., when the smartphone is not in close proximity) , And control the operation of the BLE module 110 to transfer data in the memory 105 to the external smartphone when communication with the smartphone is resumed.

FIG. 6 schematically shows the relationship of the entire system in which the first system 1 and the second system 2 described in FIG. 4 are integrated. And will be discussed only in terms of lactation management, which is one of the best embodiments of the present invention.

Let's start with Smart Balance 100 first. The smart balance 100 measures the weight of the bottle as an object and transmits the measured data to the feeding management application of the smartphone 150 via the short-range wireless communication network as the feeding data (a).

The smartphone 150 is provided with a feeding management application in advance. Major modules of the lactation management application software may include a module for executing a Bluetooth protocol, a module for transmitting and receiving the lactation data, a user interface module for inquiring lactation data through an application screen, and inputting various data. Further, additional functions for sleep management, defecation management, on / humidity management, and the like described later may be further included.

On the other hand, as a scenario of the app service provided through the feeding management application screen, the following feeding information can be provided to smartphone users:

- Number of times: If you eat this time 5 times

- Feeding: I took a total of 270ml.

- Comment: I ate 20 more than usual.

- Feeding history list: time, number of times, amount of feed

The smartphone 150 transmits the feeding data 99 to the service server 200 through the executed feeding management application. Then, the service server 200 records the collected data 97 in the feeding database 210.

Meanwhile, the service server 200 transmits the feeding history information to the smartphone 150. On the other hand, the service server 200 notifies the notification event to the smartphone, in which the predetermined event 96 is requested by the push module 230 and the push module 230 sends the notification event 95 to the push server 300). The APNS / GCM module of the push server 300 generates a notification message 94 and transmits it to the smartphone 150.

Through the whole system, the service server 200 can acquire milking data (including meaningful data that can be measured or recorded by the smart balance of the present invention with respect to other infants) from a large number of smartphones, It is possible to obtain meaningful big data by matching information such as age, sex, and weight of infants. In addition, even if parents do not write notes or memorize them in their notebooks, even if they do not always stay with their children while they are at work, they can easily find out their child's lactation history, growth environment and health information through their smartphone apps. do.

It is believed that the reader of the present patent document has now fully understood the spirit and exemplary configurations of the present invention. The present inventors will again summarize the basic process of lactation management in which the above-described two systems of the present invention are integrated and executed by referring to FIG.

The smart balance 100 transmits the measured feeding data using the weight sensor to the smartphone 150 paired with the Bluetooth communication, for example (S10).

Preferably, the smartphone 150 may notify the smart balance 100 that it has received the feeding data (S11).

Next, the smartphone 150 executes the feeding management application software and transmits the received feeding data to the service server (S20). Then, the service server 200 stores the milking data received from the smartphone in the milking database 210 for the N smartphones registered in advance (S30).

Then, the service server 200 transmits the storage result to the smartphone 150 as S31 and S32.

The above-described process is repeated every time when feeding is performed on one smartphone 150. Then, P (P is an integer equal to or greater than 1) meeting data base 210 is updated for at least N smartphones 150. That is, NxP amount of feeding data accumulates.

Also, this process is performed naturally through execution of the application and communication through the communication module. The service server 200 may send an event notification request to the push server 300 (S40). Then, the push server 300 commands the APNS / GCM module to send an event push (S41), and pushes a notification event to the smartphone number registered in advance through this (S42).

Meanwhile, the smartphone user can request the inquiry of the lactation history information of the self account by executing the application (S50). Then, the service server 200 inquires the lactation history information in the lactation database 210 (S60). Then, in S61 and S62, the smartphone 150 is notified of the feeding history information.

7 illustrates the process in terms of a network, FIG. 8 illustrates the process in terms of devices. There is a user, and there is a scale (for convenience, the scale is also the subject of this process and is displayed like a person). When the user presses the function selection button for measuring the amount of milk in the smart balance (S100), the pre-feeding capacity check (S101) procedure is executed first. When the user puts the bottle in the weighing area of the smart balance, the weight sensor measures the weight before feeding and displays the weight on the display and stores it. The user presses the button one more time. The control unit can determine the feeding progress and display the feeding progress on the display unit (S102).

Once the feeding is complete, the user again places the bottle in the weighing area and measures the weight after feeding (S103). The weight sensor measures the volume after feeding and delivers the control unit, and the control unit calculates the difference between the pre-feeding capacity and the post-feeding capacity by the feeding amount. When the button is pressed again, the control unit judges that the feeding is completed (S104) and stores the data (S105).

The process of Fig. 8 can be guided intuitively by the user through the display unit interface. On the other hand, the process of feeding the baby formula as well as feeding the baby formula using the bottle can proceed in the same way.

(1) Various functions can be added to the present invention. The control unit can execute a preset function in accordance with an input event of the input element. 9-11 present a simplified process of such additional functionality in another embodiment of the present invention. Various functions that are not shown but may be applied may be incorporated into the present invention.

(2) As shown in Fig. 9, the user can press the button for selecting the management function of the bowel movement in the smart balance every time the child views the bowel movement (S110). Then, the control unit records the defecation event and the time and stores it in the memory (S120). The process of FIG. 9 may be implemented as a large / urine event.

(3) The embodiment of Fig. 10 illustrates the functional process of the Smart Balance for sleep management. As described above, the smart scale according to any one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention is provided with a milk supply or the like. It is possible to provide a good sleeping environment for the child by using the feeding. When the user presses a power button such as feeding (S120), the water surface or the like is turned on (S121). When it is pressed again (S122), the water surface or the like is turned off (S124). It is advisable to provide a button to adjust the brightness / color temperature. The present invention is not limited to merely providing illumination, but has a stronger point in that data can be managed by a process of communicating with an external smartphone as described above. For this purpose, the smart balance stores a sleep event every time the sleeping light is turned on / off (S129). And provides the stored data to an external smartphone in a timely manner.

(4) It goes without saying that sleeping, etc., can be used for feeding. When pressing a power button such as feeding on the smart balance housing front side (S130), feeding assistance which is helpful when feeding during midnight is turned on (S131), presses again (S132), and feeding is turned off (S133). 11 and 10 are basically carried out in the same process.

It is also possible to control the brightness of the sleeping, etc., in the app of the paired smartphone.

(5) Also, the on / humidity mode can be applied. The user can enter the on / humidity mode through the physical buttons on the housing front. It is possible to display the time on the display unit by taking the time value when pairing with an external smartphone. The time value is not displayed when the pairing is not performed.

(6) The unit measured by the weight sensor of the present invention can be measured by the weight (g) and the volume (ml), and the unit measured according to the input event of the user can be changed. The measured value is displayed in the display element.

The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the description and the expression of the embodiments explicitly described in the foregoing. It is again to be understood that the present invention is not limited by the modifications or substitutions that are obvious to those skilled in the art.

Claims

A smart balance for receiving electronic devices inside a housing, the housing front having a region for measuring the weight of the bottle, and the housing being provided with a display element and an input element,

The electronic devices may include a weight sensor for measuring the weight of the object, a wireless communication module for short range wireless communication with the external smartphone, a rechargeable or replaceable battery, and a controller for communicating with the weight sensor and the wireless communication module, And a controller

And the weight data of the bottle measured by the weight sensor is transmitted to the external smartphone of the user as the feeding history data.
The method according to claim 1,

The smart balance includes feeding, etc.,

Wherein the control unit adjusts a state such as feeding according to an input event of the feeding button.
The method according to claim 1,

Wherein the control unit causes the sleep history data generated according to the input event of the input element to be transmitted to the external smartphone through the wireless communication module.
The method according to claim 1,

The electronic devices include a storage unit for storing data,

Wherein the control unit stores data measured by the weight sensor or data determined according to an input event of the input element in advance in the storage unit when communication with the external smartphone is not performed, To transmit the data in the storage to the smartphone via the smart card.
The method according to claim 1,

Wherein the smart scale further comprises a temperature sensor and / or a humidity sensor.
The method according to claim 1,

Further comprising a hook provided on the outside of the housing and provided for holding or hanging the smart scale.
The method according to claim 1,

Wherein the control unit is configured to transmit data on defecation generated according to an input event of the input element to the external smartphone through the wireless communication module.