OF INTAKE OF LIQUIDS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to a drinking vessel accessory and a system comprising a drinking vessel, a drinking vessel accessory and a remote server or software backend, where the drinking vessel accessory is configured to monitor the intake of liquid for a person and, if neccesary, to motivate the person to drink more. More specifically, the invention relates to a drinking vessel accessory that is configured to wirelessly send and receive data to a software backend or remote server that forms part of the system and to provide data that are relevant in connection with a person’s use of the drinking vessel and drinking vessel accessory.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Poor hydration can increase the risk of disease (falls and accidents, bowel, metabolic and kidney diseases), disability (cognitive function, physical performance and headache) and ultimately death.

According to the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), experts recommend an intake of 2,5 litre of water for men and 2,0 litres for women. With age, the ability to feel thirst and thus remember to drink liquid is reduced. A British cohort study of the Dehydration and clinical outcome in hospitalized older adults by A.M. El-Sharkawy et al from 2016 states that dehydration was noted in 8.9% of all patients and was the primary cause of admission in 0.6% of the cases. It is therefore important to make a product that elderly people will use.

Recent figures from Eurostat (2016) shows that 19,2% of the EU-28 population are over 65 years old and 32,1% of them live alone so it is very important to be able to motivate seniors on a distance to drink liquids in order not to get dehydrated. There is therefore good reason and need for a system that helps people to stay hydrated.

Mainly the sports equipment industry has driven the development of “intelligent drinking vessels” fuelled by the growth of health awareness and people looking for smart solutions. PR Newswire has forecasted a worldwide market of US$ 10,4 billion by 2025 for the Smart Bottle market. There are multitudes of bottles available that, using different measurement technologies, monitors the intake of fluids, and consolidate and visualize data via an app. Some brands on the market include Thermos, Trago, LifeFuels, HidrateSpark, HydraCoach, H20pal, lcewater and Equa. The trend has spread to “smart cups” which are more suitable for use in an office environment but with the same functionality as the bottles. Some brands on the market include 0nlyH20, Lihoo, Hoof, Ember, Gynne-Cup and MyVessyl.

Two different “Smart glasses” for beer (from Glassify and Rastal) use the same principle: A small near-field sensor attaches to the stem and foot of the glass. The sensor works a simple counter so that it is possible to see how may time it has been in the proximity of beer tap (and thus counting the refills).

Further, there are scales available in the shape of a coaster (Cupad), an alarm clock with accelerometer (Ulla) which alerts the user with a buzz and light in case of inactivity and the smart lid (Water-io) makes existing bottles upgradable. Other brands such as TheHug and Droplet attaches to an existing bottle.

Especially, although not exclusively, within health care systems and institutions, there is a need for a drinking vessel system that can ensure that a user, for instance an elderly or handicapped person living at home or i a nursing home or a patient at a hospital, actually obtains the required amount of liquid for instance per day, whitout day care personel or others necessarily having physically to monitor the user’s intake of liquid. In a large nursing home or hospital, manual supervision of the user’s liquid intake requires much work and places a large work load and administration on personel. Also, home care service organizations serving large geographical areas would benefit from a system that obviates the need of actual physical supervision of for instance elderly or handicapped persons dayly intake of liquid.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention is to fulfill the above need for a system (and devices, accessories etc.) that allows for remote supervision of person’s liquid intake.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide such systems, devices and accessories that can make the person that use the invention himself aware of whether or not he or she is obtaining the required amount of liquid.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system, device or accessory that facilitates the gathering of information about the drinking patterns of users and to facilitate analysis of such drinking patterns, thereby the inprove procedures for liquid administration to users, especially, although not exclusively, to elderly, handicapped or other users that need supervision of for instance their daily intake of liquid.

The above objects and advantages are provided by a system, device and accessory according to the different aspects of the present invention as set out below. The idea behind the invntion is to add technical functionallity to aesthetically pleasing drinking vessels in classic materials such as ceramic cups and mugs, glassware, bottles and stemware by adding a separate drinking vessel accessory, that nay be battery driven, to the vessel, which accessory is provided with suitable sensors configured to measure relevant data and provided with a wireless transmitter configured to send and receive data to a backend server where data can be collected, analyzed and visualized by relevant stakeholders such as the user, family, friends and caretaking personel. From the backend of the system, the accessory can be controlled. It may further be possible to show key data on a display or other means on or associated with the accessory. The accessory can preferably make remainders or alarms via light and/or sound signals and send warnings wirelessly.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a drinking vessel accessory configured to be releasably attachable to a drinking vessel or the like, where the accessory is configured to wirelessly send and receive data to and from a software backend or remote server for instance via the internet, where the accessory is provided with means configured to determine the amount of liquid present in a drinking vessel attached to the accessory and with means configured to elicit an alarm in the event that the change as a function of time of the amount of liquid present in the drinking vessel is not sufficient to indicate that the user of the drinking vessel has drunk enough liquid during a given period of time.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, the amount of liquid is determined by means of a weight cell that is attached to the accessory in such a manner that it can masure the weight of the accessory and a drinking vessel attached to the accessory.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, the accessory is provided with attachment means configured to attach the accessory releasably to the drinking vessel, where the attachment means comprises one or more magnets provided at or in the vicinity of a top cover of the accessory, such that this or these magnets can interact with a ferromagnetic material provided at a corresponding portion of the drinking vessel.

The accessory according to the first aspect of the invention plus a drinking vessel attached to the accessory form a module, such that advances in sensor technology will not make the drinking vessel obsolete, only the accessory itself, which reduces the environmental impact as it is energy intensive to manufacture the drinking vesssel, which for instance could be made of glass. Further, if the drinking vessel os lost or broken, the accessory can still be used with a new drinking vessel.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, the wireles sending or reception of data takes place using the GMS network’s narrowband part. In an embodiment of the first aspect, the sending and reception of data takes place at regular intervals.

In an embodiment, the accessory is configured to save data for instance in case the GSM network temporarily does not work or if there for any other reason is a data-transmission problem.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, the accessory is provided with a label with its unique GSM network number.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, time zones and daylight time saving zones are automatically adjusted in the accessory.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, the accessory is configured such that settings of the accessory can be changed remotely via the backend of a system in communication with the accessory.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, the accessory is configured such that it is possible to change when and/or how much the user should drink during a given period of time, such as during a day, before an alarm is triggered.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, the accessory is configured to collect local data on room temperature and relative humidity and adjust the drinking alarm settings accordingly.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, the accessory is configured such that alarms and signals in the accessory are completely turned off when the accessory or the drinking vessel attached to the accessory is placed upside down and an alarm is transmitted to the backend of the system to which the accessory is in communication indicating that the user has turned the drinking vessel or accessory upside down.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, the accessory has a hibernate mode where the only way to wake up the accessory is by plugging in a cable in the magnetic USB port.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, the accessory is provided with means for determining the inclination of the accessory or of a drinking vessel attached to the accessory.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, the accessory is provided with means configured to separate the incident that the drinking vessel is emptied by the user throughing the liquid in the drinking vessel away by for instance pouring the liquid out into the sink or into a potted plant and the incident where the user is emptying the drinking vessel or reducing the amount of liquid in the drinking vessel by drinking the liquid in the drinking vessel, where the distinction is based on measuring how long time it takes for the angle of the drinking vessel to change from a first inclination to a second inclination angle, such as from 45 degrees to 90 degrees compared to a vertical axis z, and if this time is less than a predetermined period of time, such as one second, the accessory decides that the user has not been drinking the liquid in the drinking vessel during this period of time, where the accessory then does not add this amount of liquid to the total amount of liquid drink by the user during a given period of time, such as during the preceding day or 24 hours.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, the accessory is configured to measure the temperature inside the accessory and based on this measurement elicit an alarm if the accessory has been exposed for too much heat for too long compared to what the electronics have been designed to withstand.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, the accessory is provided with an OLED colour display.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, the accessory is provided with a built-in projector making it possible to project data and other relevant information onto an external surface, such as the surface of a table or a wall.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, the accessory is provided with a built-in inductive charger so that the accessory can be charged using an external inductive charger or when being placed on an inductive charging surface.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, the accessory is provided with a Raman spectroscope so that the liquid in a drinking vessel attached to the accessory can be analysed and automatically identified.

In an embodiment of the first aspect, the accessory is provided with means for integrating data collection with voice activated service portals. In an embodiment of the first aspect, the accessory is provided with means for pre-recording messages, such as motivation messages or warnings, which can be played under predefined conditions or prompted via a wireless transmitted signal from the backend of a system to which the accessory is in communication.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a system for monitoring and management of intake of liquids from a drinking vessel, the system comprising: a drinking vessel accessory according to the first aspect of the invention; a drinking vessel; a software backend or remote server in wireless communication with the drinking vessel accessory; where the system is configured to monitor a person’s intake of liquid and transmit data relating to the person’s drinking activities wirelessly to the software backend or remote server

In an embodiment of the second aspect, the system is configured to send a motivation signal to the person using the drinking vessel urging hin or her to drink a sufficient amount of liquid,

In an embodiment of the second aspect, the drinking vessel and the drinking vessel accessory are provided with mutually corresponding magnetic means such that the drinking vessel and the drinking vessel accessory are attached releasably to each other by magnetic attraction.

In an embodiment of the second aspect, the system comprises a muff (21) made of an elastic material and configured to be attached releasably to the bottom portion of a drinking vessel, where the muff is provided with ferromagnetic material configured to be attracted by corresponding magnets in the drinking vessel accessory.

In an embodiment of the second aspect, the drinking vessel is releasably attached to the drinking vessel accessory by magnetic attraction between a bottom portion of the drinking vessel and a corresponding top portion of the drinking vessel accessory.

In an embodiment of the second aspect, the drinking vessel is releasably attached to the drinking vessel accessory by mechanical means provided at a bottom portion of the drinking vessel and corresponding mechanical means provided at a top portion of the drinking vessel accessory.

In an embodiment of the second aspect, the mechanical means is a bajonet coupling.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, different drinking vessels of different designs and made in different materials can be made but with a common interface to the puck. That means that one puck can be used with different drinking vessels according to the user preferences, and that the puck collects all data from all sources of liquid. If coffee is drunk by a mug using the puck, and the puck later the same day is attached to a wine glass, then both sources of liquid will be accounted for. If this takes place over many days, the systematic error due to not calibrating the puck with the different weights of the mug compared to the wine glass will approach zero.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the drinking vessel is designed in such a way that it can be used as a normal drinking vessel when the puck is not attached.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the top cover is removable, visible from almost all angles and available in different colours so that it can be used to visually differentiate two different pucks.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottom of the drinking vessel has a coating of decal or paint covering the adhesive used to attach the ferromagnetic disk with.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after reading the detailed description of non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein figurel depicts the drinking vessel attached to the puck from various angles; figure 2 depicts the drinking vessel de-attached from the puck; figure 3 depicts various details of the gasket allowing for the weight cell to mechanically move, figure 4 depicts different methods on how to use the measured data to trigger different types of alarms or drinking reminders; figure 5 depicts different form factors of drinking vessels made in different materials attached to the same puck; figure 6 depicts alternative puck designs with other functionality; figure 7 depicts different ways of attaching a ferromagnetic part to a drinking vessel; and figure 8 depicts an embodiment of the invention comprising a mechanical attachement between the drinking vessel and the drinking vessel accessory.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to figure 1 there is shown a drinking vessel 1 attached to drinking vessel accessory 2. here and in the following detailed description termed ”a puck. The puck has a display 3 where relevant information such as drinking data, graphics, messages, imagines, video and animation can be shown. The puck has a bottom part 4 that can move independently in the vertical direction z of the puck 2. The puck 2 and the bottom part 4 of the puck 2 is connected via a weight cell (not shown). The puck 2 is equipped with a magnetic USB port 5 through which data and electrical power can be transferred into the puck and through which data can be transferred out of the puck. The puck 2 is provided with grooves 6 allowing a loudspeaker positioned inside the puck 2 to play as efficiently and with as good a sound quality as possible while still providing mechanical integrity and protection. Fig 1 A shows the drinking vessel 1 and the puck 2 seen from the front where the display 3 shows an example of drinking data, here the actual content of the drinking vessel 1. Fig 1 B shows the drinking vessel 1 and the puck 2 seen from an angle above. Fig 1 B shows the drinking vessel 1 and the puck 2 seen from an angle below. Fig 1 D shows the drinking vessel 1 and the puck 2 seen from the behind.

With reference to figure 2 there is shown the drinking vessel and the puck as separate parts. Fig 2A shows the drinking vessel 1 under which a ferromagnetic disc 7 with a centrical circular hole is attached. Fig 2B shows the puck 2 with a top cover 8 which has a plateau 9 with a cylindrical form factor where the diameter of the plateau 9 is slightly smaller than the cylindrical plateau and where the height of the plateau 9 is smallerthan the thickness of the ferromagnetic disc 7 so that the two parts fit into each other. Fig 2C shows the puck 2 as seen from the side.

With reference to figure 3 there is shown some interior of details the puck 2 showing a gasket 10. Fig 3A shows the through openings 11 where a weight cell (not shown in the figure) is attached to the bottom part 4 of the puck 2 so that the puck 2 and the bottom part 4of the puck 2 within the deformation range of the weight cell can move freely with respect to each other. The gasket 10 seals the gap between the two parts which (when the two parts move) creates a frictional force. Fig. 3B shows the lower outer part of the puck bottom 4 and the lower part of the puck 2 and the screws 12 attaching the weight cell to the lower part of the puck 4. Fig. 3C shows a cross section of the puck 2 illustrating the position of the gasket 10 connected to the bottom of the puck 2 and touching the inner perimeter of the puck 2, thereby creating a seal.

Some embodiments of the puck according to the invention are provided with an alarm, which may be aither audio or visual or a combination of these. The alarm can also in some embodiments be transmitted to a remote server for instance bia wireless connection to the internet. These embodiamens are also provided with means configured to trigger the alarm. Thus, with reference to figure 4 there is shown two ways of triggering alarms. Fig 4A shows the actual consumed amount of liquid 13 measured by the puck 2 as a function of the time of the day. In this case the user starts drinking of the cup between 5 and 6 in the morning. The curve 14 shows a first alarm curve that triggers a given alarm event if the curve 13 drops below the curve 14. Curve 15 is an even more severe alarm curve that, if crossed by curve 13, will trigger an alarm that indicates that an even more critical situation is existing, where the user has drunk much less liquid during this day than actually required. Curve 14 and curve 15 can be adjusted to fit individual needs. Fig 4B shows an alternative way of controlling the triggering of alarms. If no liquid has been drunk for a given (individually adjustable) period of time, an alarm will be triggered. No alarm will be triggered during the alarm free periods. Thus, during period 16, i.e. during the night and the early morning no alarm is triggered. During the period from 10.00 in the morning to 15.00 in the afternoon, the user is actually drinking liquid from the drinking vessel but inlu until 13.00 in the afternoon, after which time he stops drinking. An alarm is elicited around 13.00 indcation that the may be a problim with the user not drinking enough liquid. At 15.00 he starts drinking again and no alarm is thus elicited in the period from 15.00 to 17.00 in the afternoon. An alarm may again be elicited somtimes during the period 17.00 to 20.00 depending on the actual setting of alarm triggering means. Finally, after 20.00 in the evening, the user is not expected to drink any liquid, or only a limited amount of liquid, and no alarm is elicited during the period from 20.00 to 24.00.

The actual amount of liquid still present in the drinking vessel can in some embodiments be determined by means of the weight cell mounted at the bottom part 4 of the puck 2, but other means for determining the amount of liguid present in the drinking vessel may alternatively be used.

With reference to figure 5 there is shown examples of different drinking vessels (that may be ofdifferent material) attached to the same puck 2. Fig 5A shows a drinking vessel 1 in the shape of a bottle made of borosilicate glass attached to a puck 2. Fig 5B shows a drinking vessel 1 in the shape of a ceramic mug attached to a puck 2. Fig 5C shows a drinking vessel 1 in the shape of a stemmed crystal glass attached to a puck 2. As the different drinking vessels are unlikely to be of the same weight, the weight cell in the puck 2 can either be provided with recalibration means or software installed in the puck 2 will have one pre-calibrated setting for each different drinking vessel.

With reference to figure 6 there is shown different embodiments of the puck 2 provided with with different functionalities. Fig 6A shows a puck 2 where the display 3 is replaced with an embedded mini projector 17 making it possible to, depending on the position of the projector, to project data onto nearby surfaces such as a desk or a wall. Fig 6B shows a system where the USB plug 5 is replaced with an embedded inductive coil (not visible in the figure) so that the puck 2 can be charged via an inductive charger 19. Fig 6C shows a puck 2 with a window 20 that goes all the way through the puck 2 enabling an embedded miniature spectroscope, for instance but not limited to Raman spectroscopy, to send and receive light signals through the puck and through the drinking vessel and into the liquid and by analysing the signals thus being able to determine the type of liquid inside the drinking vessel.

With reference to figure 7 there is shown different ways to fasten a ferromagnetic disc 7 to a drinking vessel 1. Fig 7A shows a drinking vessel 1 where the ferromagnetic disk 7 has been attached by means of an adhesive where the adhesive can accommodate the potential different thermal expansion coefficients of the materials used for the drinking vessel 1 and the ferromagnetic disc 7. Fig 7B shows an alternative solution where the ferromagnetic disc 1 is placed in a muff 21 made of an elastic material such as but not limited to silicone, neoprene, TPE or natural rubber, and where the dimensions, stiffness and friction of the muff 21 makes it possible to place it around the bottom of the drinking vessel 1 . Fig 7C shows a version of the muff where a metal disc 23 is completely embedded by the flexible material of the muff 22 and where the muff 22 is designed in such a way so that the disc 23 does not need any centred hole.

It should be noted that while the embodiments of a drinking vessel shown in figure 7 comprises a ferromagnetic disk or similar means and the puck consequently comprises corresponding magnetic (either permanent or electromagnitic) means, the opposite could also be sued in the invention, i.e. magnetic means in the drinking vessel and corresponding ferromagnetic material in the puck, and that this alternative would also fall within the scope of protection of the invention.

With reference to figure 8 there is shown an embodiment of the invention comprising a mechanical attachement between the drinking vessel and the drinking vessel accessory. Figure 8A shows a perspective view of a first embodiment comprising a releasable mechanical attachment between the drinking vessel 1 and the drinking vessel accessory 2 configured as a bayonet connection having a number of spaced apart radially extending protrusions 27 provided at a bottom portion 26 of the drinking vessel 1 . The bottom portion 26 has a diameter that is reduced compared to the rest of the drinking vessel 1 such that the bottom portion 26 can fit into a corresponding top portion 28 on the drinking vessel accessory 2. In this embodiment, the mechanical attachment is configured as a bayonet connection, in which the protrusions 27 can be brought in engagement with corresponding recesses 29 provided in the top portion 28 of the drinking vessel accessory 2.

In figure 8B there is shown an embodiment basically similar to that of the figure 8A but comprising a frictional disc or pad 30 introduced between the the bottom surface 26’ (not visible in figure 8) and the corresponding top surface 28’ of the top portion 28 of the drinking vessel accessory 1. This disc or pad ensures that the drinking vessel 1 does not become unintentionally released from the attachement to the drinking vessel accessory 2 for instance during use of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 drinking vessel.

2 puck.

3 display.

4 puck bottom.

5 magnetic USB plug.

6 loudspeaker grooves.

7 ferromagnetic disc with centred hole.

8 top cover.

9 plateau on top cover.

10 gasket.

11 hoses to attach a weight cell.

12 screws to attach a weight cell.

13 desired liquid intake.

14 first alarm curve.

15 second alarm curve.

16 no alarm interval.

17 projector.

18 projected image.

19 inductive charger.

20 transparent window.

21 flexible open muff.

22 flexible closed muff.

23 ferromagnetic disc.

24 magnet

25 drinking vessel

26 bottom portion of drinking vessel

27 radially outwardly extending protrusions

28 top portion of drinking vessel accessory

29 groove or indentation inside in top portion of drinking vessel accessory

30 friction disc or pad