Patent ID: 7851711

Claim:
Electronic scales for efficient monitoring of the number of calories consumed, with at least one weight sensor or force sensor, a data processing unit with memory means, a control and input keyboard and a display device, the scales having an active bearing surface ( 5 ) which is functionally connected to the weight or force sensor(s) and which is adapted to holding a plate, wherein the data processing unit ( 2 ) is equipped with a program which for any dish, in the form of liquid and/or solid food, based on the weighed amount of food and the weight-referenced calorie content of this food which has been stored or a manually input, computes the calorie equivalence value, adds the latter to the calorie equivalence values of the other dishes of a meal and computes the total value of the calories of foods consumed daily, and stores, displays and/or prints out this value and that the memory means ( 2 ) are suited to containing preprogrammed setpoints which are computed from the data inputs and measurements of a calibration period and are used as comparison or reference values during the period of calorie monitoring, wherein the bearing surface ( 5 ) and the weight or force sensors assigned to it are designed such that plates of different sizes and shapes are accurately weighed, and wherein the program contains a routine which checks during each weight measurement phase that each weight or force sensor is loaded and is delivering a correct measurement signal which contributes to an effective measurement result.