Description:
BACKGROUND
Field of the invention
[001] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to an Internet of Things based system and particularly to an Internet of Things based hybrid fitness monitoring system and method.
Description of Related Art
[002] Body Mass Index (BMI) is one of the most important factors to measure over weight and obesity. Usually, required parameters such as body weight and height are measured manually and accordingly BMI value is calculated. Traditionally, various devices have been developed for calculating BMI through which an individual can fetch the BMI value and if required he/she can get a printout. However, in certain conditions, there is a requirement of knowing past information of the user whose BMI is calculated.
[003] To overcome the aforementioned issue, the system is developed with a provision of fetching the past information from a central database. Such system fetches the past information of the user based on details provided by the user. However, such process of fetching the past information is not authenticated. Moreover, the details provided by the user might be incorrect sometimes, resulting in error message.
[004] There is thus a need for an advanced and improved Internet of Things based hybrid fitness monitoring system and method that can overcome the aforementioned limitations in a more efficient manner.
SUMMARY
[005] Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide an Internet of Things (IoT) based hybrid fitness monitoring system. The system comprising: a device adapted to monitor health parameters of a user. The device comprises: a stand capable to provide a rigid support to components of the device. The device further comprises: a weight sensor attached at a base of the stand. The weight sensor is configured to measure a body weight of a user standing on the stand. The device further comprises: a distance sensor attached at a top of the stand. The distance sensor is configured to determine a height of the user based on a distance between the user standing on the stand and the distance sensor. The device further comprises: a camera attached to the stand, and configured to capture real time images of a face of the user when the user is standing on the stand. The device further comprises: a control unit connected to the weight sensor, the distance sensor, and the camera. The control unit is configured to: receive the measured body weight, the determined height and the real time images of the face of the user from the weight sensor, the distance sensor, and the camera respectively; calculate a Body Mass Index (BMI) based on the body weight and the height of the user; identify the face of the user by mapping facial features of the user from the real-time images with pre-clicked images stored in a database; fetch past information of the user from the database based on the facial identification of the user; and display the calculated BMI and the past information of the user on a display unit.
[006] Embodiments in accordance with the present invention further provide a method for monitoring fitness of users by using an Internet of Things (IoT) based hybrid fitness monitoring system. The method comprising steps of: receiving a measured body weight, a determined height and real time images of a face of a user from a weight sensor, a distance sensor, and a camera respectively; calculating a Body Mass Index (BMI) based on the body weight and height of the user; identifying the face of the user by mapping facial features of the user from the real-time images with pre-clicked images stored in a database; fetching past information of the user from the database based on the facial identification of the user; and displaying the calculated BMI and the past information of the user on a display unit.
[007] Embodiments of the present invention may provide a number of advantages depending on its particular configuration. First, embodiments of the present application may provide an Internet of Things (IoT) based hybrid fitness monitoring system.
[008] Next, embodiments of the present application may provide an Internet of Things (IoT) based hybrid fitness monitoring system that calculates Body Mass Index (BMI) of a user that can assist the user in knowing whether the user is overweight, underweight, healthy or obese.
[009] Next, embodiments of the present application may provide an Internet of Things (IoT) based hybrid fitness monitoring system that identifies a face of a user and can further use the identified face as an authentication mechanism to check past information of the user.
[0010] These and other advantages will be apparent from the present application of the embodiments described herein.
[0011] The preceding is a simplified summary to provide an understanding of some embodiments of the present invention. This summary is neither an extensive nor exhaustive overview of the present invention and its various embodiments. The summary presents selected concepts of the embodiments of the present invention in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description presented below. As will be appreciated, other embodiments of the present invention are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The above and still further features and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of embodiments thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates an Internet of Things (IoT) based hybrid fitness monitoring system, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates components of a control unit of the system, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0015] FIG. 3 depicts a flowchart of a method for monitoring the fitness of users by using the Internet of Things (IoT) based hybrid fitness monitoring system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include”, “including”, and “includes” mean including but not limited to. To facilitate understanding, like reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate like elements common to the figures. Optional portions of the figures may be illustrated using dashed or dotted lines, unless the context of usage indicates otherwise.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] The following description includes the preferred best mode of one embodiment of the present invention. It will be clear from this description of the invention that the invention is not limited to these illustrated embodiments but that the invention also includes a variety of modifications and embodiments thereto. Therefore, the present description should be seen as illustrative and not limiting. While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, it should be understood, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
[0018] In any embodiment described herein, the open-ended terms "comprising", "comprises”, and the like (which are synonymous with "including", "having” and "characterized by") may be replaced by the respective partially closed phrases "consisting essentially of", “consists essentially of", and the like or the respective closed phrases "consisting of", "consists of”, the like.
[0019] As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” designate both the singular and the plural, unless expressly stated to designate the singular only.
[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates an Internet of Things (IoT) based hybrid fitness monitoring system 100 (hereinafter referred to as the system 100), according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system 100 may be configured to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI) of a user that may assist the user in knowing whether the user is overweight, underweight, healthy or obese, in an embodiment of the present invention. The system 100 may also be configured to identify a face of the user and may further use the identified face as an authentication mechanism to check past information of the user, in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] The system 100 may comprise a device 102 that may be an automatically actuated device capable to monitor health parameters of the user, according to embodiments of the present invention. The health parameters may be, but not limited to, weight, height, and so forth, in an embodiment of the present invention. The device 102 may comprise a stand 104 that may provide a rigid support to components of the device 102. The components may be, a weight sensor 106, a distance sensor 108, a measuring scale 110, a camera 112, a control unit 114, and a display unit 116.
[0022] According to embodiments of the present invention, the stand 104 may be made up of any material such as, but not limited to, a wooden material, a plastic material, a metallic material, a ceramic material, and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any material of the stand 104, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0023] The weight sensor 106 may be removably attached at a base of the stand 104, in an embodiment of the present invention. In another embodiment of the present invention, the weight sensor 106 may be fixedly attached at the base of the stand 104. The weight sensor 106 may be configured to measure a body weight of the user standing on the stand 104, in an embodiment of the present invention. According to embodiments of the present invention, the weight sensor 106 may be of any type such as, but not limited to, a strain gauge type weight sensor, a capacitance type weight sensor, a hydraulic type weight sensor, a pneumatic type weight sensor, and so forth. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the weight sensor 106 may be a load cell type weight sensor that may be having a capacity to measure weight up to 200 Kilograms (Kgs). Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the weight sensor 106, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0024] The distance sensor 108 may be attached at a top of the stand 104, in an embodiment of the present invention. The distance sensor 108 may be configured to measure a distance between the user standing on the stand 104 and the distance sensor 108, in an embodiment of the present invention. The distance sensor 108 may be configured to determine the height of the user based on the measured distance between the user and the distance sensor 108. The height of the user may be determined by subtracting the measured distance from a height of the stand 104, in an embodiment of the present invention. The distance sensor 108 may be configured to transmit the determined height of the user to the control unit 114.
[0025] The distance sensor 108 may be, but not limited to, an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the distance sensor 108, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0026] In an embodiment of the present invention, the measuring scale 110 may be removably attached to the stand 104. In another embodiment of the present invention, the measuring scale 110 may be fixedly attached to the stand 104. The measuring scale 110 may be adjustable based on the height of the user, in an embodiment of the present invention. The measuring scale 110 may be adjusted to accurately measure the distance between the user standing on the stand 104 and the distance sensor 108, in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] Further, in an embodiment of the present invention, the camera 112 may be fixedly attached to the stand 104. In another embodiment of the present invention, the camera 112 may be removably attached to the stand 104. The camera 112 may be arranged in a way to capture real time images of the face of the user when the user is standing on the stand 104, in an embodiment of the present invention. The camera 112 may be configured to transmit the captured real time images of the face of the user to the control unit 114. The camera 112 may be, but not limited to, a still camera, a video camera, a color balancer camera, a thermal camera, an infrared camera, a telephoto camera, a wide-angle camera, a macro camera, a Close-Circuit Television (CCTV) camera, a web camera, and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the camera 112, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0028] In an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 114 may be configured to receive the measured body weight and the height of the user from the weight sensor 106 and the distance sensor 108. The control unit 114 may also be configured to receive the real time images of the face of the user from the camera 112. The control unit 114 may be configured to execute computer executable instructions to generate an output associated with the fitness of the user, in an embodiment of the present invention. The computer executable instructions may be a machine learning algorithm that may be executed to identify the user for fetching past information of the user.
[0029] According to embodiments of the present invention, the control unit 114 may be, but not limited to, a Programmable Logic Control unit (PLC), a microprocessor, a computing device, a development board, a Raspberry Pi, and so forth. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 114 may be a microcontroller. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the control unit 114 including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0030] In an embodiment of the present invention, the display unit 116 may be fixedly attached to the stand 104. In another embodiment of the present invention, the display unit 116 may be removably attached to the stand 104. The display unit 116 may be configured to display the Body Mass Index (BMI) and the past information of the identified user, in an embodiment of the present invention. The display unit 116 may be, but not limited to, a touch screen display, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED), and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the display unit 116, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0031] The system 100 may comprise a database 118 that may be adapted to receive the calculated BMI and the past information of the identified user from the control unit 114 through a network 120. The database 118 may further store the calculated BMI and the past information of the identified user. According to embodiments of the present invention, the database 118 may be for example, but not limited to, a distributed database, a personal database, an end-user database, a commercial database, a Structured Query Language (SQL) database, a non-SQL database, an operational database, a relational database, an object-oriented database, a graph database, and so forth. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the database 118 may be a cloud database. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the database 118 including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0032] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the network 120 may be a data network such as, but not limited to, the Internet, a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the data network, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies. In another embodiment of the present invention, the network 120 may be a wireless network such as, but not limited to, a cellular network and may employ various technologies including an Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution (EDGE), a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the wireless network, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0033] FIG. 2 illustrates components of the control unit 114 of the system 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The control unit 114 may comprise a data receiving module 200, a mass index calculation module 202, a face identification module 204, a storage module 206, and an output module 208.
[0034] In an embodiment of the present invention, the data receiving module 200 may be configured to receive the measured body weight of the user from the weight sensor 106. In an embodiment of the present invention, the data receiving module 200 may be configured to receive the determined height of the user from the distance sensor 108. The data receiving module 200 may further be configured to transmit the measured body weight of the user and the height of the user to the mass index calculation module 202.
[0035] The data receiving module 200 may also be configured to receive the real time images of the face of the user from the camera 112. The data receiving module 200 may also be configured to transmit the real time images of the face of the user to the face identification module 204.
[0036] In an embodiment of the present invention, the mass index calculation module 202 may be configured to calculate the Body Mass Index based on the measured body weight and height of the user by using a below mentioned formula:
BMI = body weight (in Kgs)/ (height)2
[0037] In an embodiment of the present invention, the mass index calculation module 202 may be configured to transmit the calculated BMI to the storage module 206 and the output module 208.
[0038] In an embodiment of the present invention, the face identification module 204 may be configured to identify the face of the user by mapping facial features of the user from the real-time images with pre-clicked images stored in the database 118. The mapping of the facial features may be implemented by defining good points and bad points in the real-time images, in an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, the face identification module 204 may be configured to use an irregular structure of the good points and interpret shadow points in the real-time images by ruling out the bad points to remove a noise. In an embodiment of the present invention, the good points may be selected for a stable source estimation and a prototype image rendering. In an embodiment of the present invention, the face identification module 204 may further be configured to reconstruct the real-time images using an interpolation method for facial identification of the user. In an embodiment of the present invention, the face identification module 204 may be configured to fetch the past information of the user from the database 118 based on the facial identification of the user.
[0039] The storage module 206 may be configured to store the calculated BMI in the database 118 that may be fetched anytime from any location, in an embodiment of the present invention. The storage module 206 may be configured to store the calculated BMI in the database 118 with time stamp, in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0040] The output module 208 may be configured to display the calculated BMI and the past information of the user on the display unit 116, in an embodiment of the present invention. In such embodiment of the present invention, the calculated BMI may assist the user to know whether the user is overweight, underweight, healthy, obese.
[0041] FIG. 3 depicts a flowchart of a method 300 for monitoring the fitness of the users by using the system 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0042] At step 302, the system 100 may receive the measured body weight, the height of the user, and the real time captured images of the face of the user from the weight sensor 106, the distance sensor 108, and the camera 112 respectively.
[0043] At step 304, the system 100 may calculate the Body Mass Index (BMI) based on the measured body weight and height of the user.
[0044] At step 306, the system 100 may identify the face of the user by mapping facial features of the user from the real-time images with pre-clicked images stored in the database 118.
[0045] At step 308, the system 100 may fetch the past information of the user from the database 118 based on the facial identification of the user.
[0046] At step 310, the system 100 may store the calculated BMI in the database 118 that may be fetched anytime from any location.
[0047] At step 312, the system 100 may display the calculated BMI and the past information of the user on the display unit 116.
[0048] While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and various embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims.
[0049] This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope the invention is defined in the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements within substantial differences from the literal languages of the claims. , Claims:CLAIMS
I/We Claim:
1. An Internet of Things (IoT) based hybrid fitness monitoring system (100), the system (100) comprising:
a device (102) adapted to monitor health parameters of a user, wherein the device (102) comprises:
a stand (104) capable to provide a rigid support to components of the device (102);
a weight sensor (106) attached at a base of the stand (104), wherein the weight sensor (106) is configured to measure a body weight of the user standing on the stand (104);
a distance sensor (108) attached at a top of the stand (104), wherein the distance sensor (108) is configured to determine a height of the user based on a distance between the user standing on the stand (104) and the distance sensor (108);
a camera (112) attached to the stand (104), and configured to capture real time images of a face of the user when the user is standing on the stand (104); and
a control unit (114) connected to the weight sensor (106), the distance sensor (108), and the camera (112), wherein the control unit (114) is configured to:
receive the measured body weight, the height and the real time images of the face of the user from the weight sensor (106), the distance sensor (108), and the camera (112) respectively;
calculate a Body Mass Index (BMI) based on the measured body weight and height of the user;
identify the face of the user by mapping facial features of the user from the real-time images with pre-clicked images stored in a database (118);
fetch past information of the user from the database (118) based on the facial identification of the user; and
display the calculated BMI and the past information of the user on a display unit (116).
2. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the weight sensor (106) is a load cell type weight sensor having a capacity to measure weight up to 200 Kilograms (Kgs).
3. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distance sensor (108) is an ultrasonic sensor.
4. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device (102) comprises a measuring scale (110) attached to the stand (104), and adapted to be adjustable based on the height of the user.
5. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit (114) is a microcontroller.
6. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the database (118) is a cloud database.
7. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display unit (116) is attached to the stand (104).
8. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit (114) is configured to store the calculated BMI in the database (118).
9. A method for monitoring fitness of users by using an Internet of Things (IoT) based hybrid fitness monitoring system (100), the method comprising steps of:
receiving a measured body weight, a height and real time images of a face of a user from a weight sensor (106), a distance sensor (108), and a camera (112) respectively;
calculating a Body Mass Index (BMI) based on the body weight and the height of the user;
identifying the face of the user by mapping facial features of the user from the real-time images with pre-clicked images stored in a database (118);
fetching past information of the user from the database (118) based on the facial identification of the user; and
displaying the calculated BMI and the past information of the user on a display unit (116).
10. The method as claimed in claim 9, comprising a step of storing the calculated BMI in the database (118).

Date: February 01, 2023
Place: Noida

Dr. Keerti Gupta
Patent Agent (IN/PA-1529)
Agent for the Applicant