Patent Publication Number: US-2013234858-A1

Title: Weight sensing device and weight sensing system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a weight sensing device and a weight sensing system and, more particularly, to a weight sensing device and a weight sensing system capable of sensing a weight of a container and a substance therein and selectively generating a notification message according to the weight. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Many stores, restaurants, consumer spaces, and so on nowadays supply consumers with water or beverage. Furthermore, some stores may place a cup, which contains water or beverage, on a cup pad so as to prevent the cup from moving and prevent the liquid in the cup from slopping. In general, when a waiter or waitress observes that the water in the cup decreases or the cup is empty, he or she will add water for the consumer actively. However, if the waiter or waitress does not observe that the cup has been empty in time and the consumer cannot find any waiter or waitress, the consumer can only sit on his or her seat without water to drink such that the store may make a bad impression and service quality on the consumer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, an objective of the invention is to provide a weight sensing device and a weight sensing system capable of sensing a weight of a container and a substance therein and selectively generating a notification message according to the weight, so as to solve the aforesaid problems. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, a weight sensing device comprises a casing, a weight sensing module and a light emitting module. A container placing area and a light emitting area are defined on a surface of the casing and staggered with each other. The weight sensing module is disposed in the casing and corresponding to the container placing area. The weight sensing module records a weight threshold. The light emitting module is disposed in the casing and corresponding to the light emitting area. The light emitting module is electrically connected to the weight sensing module. When a container, which contains a substance, is placed on the container placing area, the weight sensing module senses a current weight of the container and the substance and compares the current weight with the weight threshold. When the current weight is smaller than the weight threshold, the weight sensing module drives the light emitting module to emit light, which is projected through the light emitting area. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, a weight sensing system comprises a weight sensing device, a signal detecting module and a notification module, wherein the notification module communicates with the signal detecting module. The weight sensing device comprises a casing, a weight sensing module and a signal generating module. The weight sensing module is disposed in the casing and records a weight threshold. The signal generating module is disposed in the casing and electrically connected to the weight sensing module. When a container, which contains a substance, is placed on the casing, the weight sensing module senses a current weight of the container and the substance and compares the current weight with the weight threshold. When the current weight is smaller than the weight threshold, the weight sensing module drives the signal generating module to generate a first signal. The signal detecting module detects the first signal and then transmits a second signal to the notification module. The notification module generates a notification message according to the second signal. 
     As mentioned in the above, the weight sensing device of the invention can sense the current weight of the container (e.g. cup, bowl, pot, etc.) and the substance (e.g. water, beverage, soup, etc.) therein and emit light through the light emitting area when the current weight is smaller than the weight threshold, so as to notify a waiter or waitress to add water, beverage, soup, or other substances for a consumer. Since the light emitting area and the container placing area are staggered with each other, the light, which is projected out of the light emitting area, will not be hidden by the container such that the waiter or waitress can see the light, which is projected through the light emitting area, clearly at any positions in a store. Furthermore, when the current weight of the container and the substance is smaller than the weight threshold, the weight sensing device of the invention may also drive the notification module to generate the notification message through the signal detecting module so as to notify the waiter or waitress to add water, beverage, soup, or other substances for the consumer, wherein the notification module may be installed on a counter of the store or may be carried with the waiter or waitress. Accordingly, the waiter or waitress can add water, beverage, soup, or other substances for the consumer in time according to the light or the notification message no matter where he or she is located in the store such that the store will make a good impression and service quality on the consumer. 
     These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating a weight sensing device according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating a container, which contains a substance, placed on a container placing area of the weight sensing device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating three types of notification messages formed by the light emitted by the light emitting module shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram illustrating a weight sensing system according to another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram illustrating a container, which contains a substance, placed on the weight sensing device shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 ,  FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating a weight sensing device  1  according to an embodiment of the invention, and  FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating a container  32 , which contains a substance  30 , placed on a container placing area A 1  of the weight sensing device  1  shown in  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the weight sensing device  1  comprises a casing  10 , a weight sensing module  12 , a light emitting module  14  and an input module  16 . A container placing area A 1  and a light emitting area A 2  are defined on a surface  100  of the casing  10  and staggered with each other. The light emitting area A 2  is transparent. The weight sensing module  12  is disposed in the casing  10  and corresponding to the container placing area A 1 . The weight sensing module  12  records a weight threshold. The light emitting module  14  is disposed in the casing  10  and corresponding to the light emitting area A 2 . The light emitting module  14  is electrically connected to the weight sensing module  12 . In this embodiment, the weight sensing module  12  is disposed below the container placing area A 1  and the light emitting module  14  is disposed below the light emitting area A 2  such that the weight sensing module  12  and the light emitting module  14  are staggered with each other. The input module  16  is disposed on the casing  10  and electrically connected to the weight sensing module  12 . The input module  16  is used for setting the weight threshold. 
     In this embodiment, the light emitting module  14  comprises a light emitting unit  140  and a lens unit  142 , wherein the light emitting unit  140  is electrically connected to the weight sensing module  12  and the lens unit  142  is arranged between the light emitting unit  140  and the light emitting area A 2 . In practical applications, the weight sensing module  12  may be a pressure sensor with data comparison/processing functions, the light emitting unit  140  may be a light emitting diode or other light sources, and the input module  16  may be a button, touch display panel or other operation interfaces. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , when a container  32 , which contains a substance  30 , is placed on the container placing area A 1 , the weight sensing module  12  senses a current weight of the container  32  and the substance  30  and compares the current weight with the weight threshold. The container  32  may be a cup, bowl, pot, etc. and the substance  30  may be water, beverage, soup or other substances capable of being contained in the container  32 . When the current weight is smaller than the weight threshold, the weight sensing module  12  drives the light emitting unit  140  of the light emitting module  14  to emit light. Since the light emitting area A 2  is transparent, the light  144  emitted by the light emitting module  14  will be projected through the light emitting area A 2 . In this embodiment, the lens unit  142  is used for condensing the light  144  emitted by the light emitting unit  140  such that the condensed light  144  is projected through the light emitting area A 2 , so as to strengthen the light  144  projected through the light emitting area A 2 . In general, the light  144  projected through the light emitting area A 2  will be projected to, but not limited to, a ceiling  34  of a store. For example, the light  144  projected through the light emitting area A 2  may be also projected to a wall or other visible positions. On the contrary, when the current weight is larger than the weight threshold, the light emitting unit  140  of the light emitting module  14  does not emit light. 
     In other words, when the current weight of the container  32  and the substance  30  is smaller than the weight threshold, it is necessary to add the substance  30  (e.g. water, beverage, soup, etc.) into the container  32 . Since the light emitting area A 2  and the container placing area A 1  are staggered with each other, the light  144 , which is projected through the light emitting area A 2 , will not be blocked by the container  32  such that the waiter or waitress can see the light  144 , which is projected through the light emitting area A 2 , clearly at any positions in a store. At this time, the waiter or waitress can add the substance  30  for the consumer in time according to the light projected on the ceiling  34 . In this embodiment, the user may reset the weight threshold using the input module  16  so as to determine when to add the substance  30  for the consumer actively according to how much substance  30  remained in the container  32 . 
     Furthermore, the weight sensing module  12  may further record a net weight of the container  32 . When the weight sensing module  12  senses a weight smaller than the net weight of the container  32  (e.g. the container  32  is temporarily removed from the container placing area A 1  of the casing  10 ), the weight sensing module  12  does not drive the light emitting unit  140  of the light emitting module  14  to emit light so as to avoid misunderstanding and disturbance for the waiter or waitress. In this embodiment, the weight sensing module  12  may sense and record the net weight of the container  32  automatically when the empty container  32  is placed on the weight sensing module  12  or, alternatively, a user may operate the input module  16  to input the net weight of the container  32 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating three types of notification messages formed by the light  144  emitted by the light emitting module  14  shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 3(A) , the light  144  emitted by the light emitting module  14  may form a circular pattern with pure color (e.g. red circular pattern). As shown in  FIG. 3(B) , the light  144  emitted by the light emitting module  14  may form a specific pattern representing “need water”. As shown in  FIG. 3(C) , the light  144  emitted by the light emitting module  14  may form a text showing “need water”. In other words, the light  144  emitted by the light emitting module  14  may form a pure color, a pattern, a text or a combination thereof and it depends on practical applications. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 ,  FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram illustrating a weight sensing system  5  according to another embodiment of the invention, and  FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram illustrating a container  32 , which contains a substance  30 , placed on the weight sensing device  50  shown in  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the weight sensing system  5  comprises a weight sensing device  50 , a signal detecting module  52  and a notification module  54 , wherein the notification module  54  communicates with the signal detecting module  52 . In practical applications, the notification module  54  and the signal detecting module  52  may communicate with each other through wired or wireless manner. It should be noted that the wired or wireless manner can be achieved by one skilled in the art and that will not be depicted herein. 
     The weight sensing device  50  comprises a casing  500 , a weight sensing module  502 , a signal generating module  504  and an input module  506 . The weight sensing module  502  is disposed in the casing  500  and records a weight threshold. The signal generating module  504  is disposed in the casing  500  and electrically connected to the weight sensing module  502 . The input module  506  is disposed on the casing  500  and electrically connected to the weight sensing module  502 . The input module  506  is used for setting the weight threshold. 
     In this embodiment, the signal generating module  504  may be, but not limited to, an infrared transmitter and the signal detecting module  52  may be, but not limited to, an infrared receiver. In this embodiment, the signal detecting module  52  may be disposed on a ceiling  34  of a store and corresponding to the signal generating module  504 . Furthermore, a lens unit (not shown) may be disposed in front of the infrared transmitter and used for condensing infrared light emitted by the infrared transmitter. In another embodiment, the signal generating module  504  and the signal detecting module  52  may be a couple of signal transmitter and receiver and those depend on practical applications. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , when a container  32 , which contains a substance  30 , is placed on the casing  500 , the weight sensing module  502  senses a current weight of the container  32  and the substance  30  and compares the current weight with the weight threshold. When the current weight is smaller than the weight threshold, the weight sensing module  502  drives the signal generating module  504  to generate a first signal  508  (e.g. infrared signal). When the signal detecting module  52  detects the first signal  508 , the signal detecting module  52  transmits a second signal  510  to the notification module  54 . Afterward, the notification module  54  generates a notification message according to the second signal  510 . On the contrary, when the current weight is larger than the weight threshold, the signal generating module  504  does not generate signal. 
     In this embodiment, the notification message may be a pattern, a text, a vibration, a sound, a visible light or a combination thereof. For example, the notification module  54  may be a display for displaying a pattern and/or a text so as to show which consumer needs some more substances  30 ; the notification module  54  may be a speaker for broadcasting sound so as to notify which consumer needs some more substances  30 ; the notification module  54  may be a device equipped with a plurality of vibration motors corresponding to different table numbers for generating vibration so as to point out which consumer needs some more substances  30 ; the notification module  54  may include a plurality of beacon lights corresponding to different table numbers for emitting visible light so as to point out which consumer needs some more substances  30 ; and the notification module  54  may be a combination composed of at least two of the aforesaid display, speaker, device equipped with a plurality of vibration motors and a plurality of beacon lights. 
     In this embodiment, the notification module  54  may be installed on a counter  36  of the store such that the waiter or waitress at the counter  36  can observe the notification message generated by the notification module  54  in time. In other embodiment, the notification module  54  may be carried with the waiter or waitress and it depends on practical applications. 
     Furthermore, the weight sensing module  502  may further record a net weight of the container  32 . When the weight sensing module  502  senses a weight smaller than the net weight of the container  32  (e.g. the container  32  is temporarily removed from the casing  500 ), the weight sensing module  502  does not drive the signal generating module  504  to generate the first signal  508  such that the notification module  54  does not generate the notification message so as to avoid misunderstanding and disturbance for the waiter or waitress. In this embodiment, the weight sensing module  502  may sense and record the net weight of the container  32  automatically when the empty container  32  is placed on the weight sensing module  502  or, alternatively, a user may operate the input module  506  to input the net weight of the container  32 . 
     It should be noted that the aforesaid weight sensing device  1  and the aforesaid weight sensing device  50  may be formed as a pad (e.g. cup pad) placed on a table or may be embedded in a table immediately according to practical applications. 
     Compared to the prior art, the weight sensing device of the invention can sense the current weight of the container (e.g. cup, bowl, pot, etc.) and the substance (e.g. water, beverage, soup, etc.) therein and emit light through the light emitting area when the current weight is smaller than the weight threshold, so as to notify a waiter or waitress to add water, beverage, soup, or other substances for a consumer. Since the light emitting area and the container placing area are staggered with each other, the light, which is projected through the light emitting area, will not be blocked by the container such that the waiter or waitress can see the light, which is projected through the light emitting area, clearly at any positions in a store. Furthermore, when the current weight of the container and the substance is smaller than the weight threshold, the weight sensing device of the invention may also drive the notification module to generate the notification message through the signal detecting module so as to notify the waiter or waitress to add water, beverage, soup, or other substances for the consumer, wherein the notification module may be installed on a counter of the store or may be carried with the waiter or waitress. Accordingly, the waiter or waitress can add water, beverage, soup, or other substances for the consumer in time according to the light or the notification message no matter where he or she is located in the store such that the store will make a good impression and service quality on the consumer. 
     Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.