1 A SYSTEM FOR WEIGHING PRODUCT AND MONITORING USE OF SAID PRODUCT AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF 5 FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to a system for weighing product and monitoring use of said product and methods of use thereof. In particular, the invention relates to a system for weighing product and monitoring use of said product that incorporates a scale and a 10 product identifier, such as an RFID tag reader or barcode reader, which is in communication with a computer database adapted to record and monitor usage of products. BACKGROUND ART 15 Scales for measurement of weight are known. Generally, the weight of a desired substance is measured out onto the scale for subsequent use. Therefore, for example in the case of maintaining a diet, the calories associated with a particular meal may be recorded based on the weight of the food consumed. However, this is generally a 20 manual process that is relatively effort intensive. Identification of articles with barcodes or RFID tags is also known. For example, barcodes are used to identify products in most retail outlets, supermarkets and so on. Such means of identification are also employed in tracking of articles during transport 25 and delivery. The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area 30 where some embodiments described herein may be practice.
2 SUMMARY OF INVENTION The present invention relates to a system for weighing product and monitoring use of said product and methods of use thereof. In particular, the invention relates to a system 5 for weighing product and monitoring use of said product that incorporates a scale and a product identifier, such as an RFID tag reader or barcode reader, which is in communication with a computer database adapted to record and monitor usage of products. 10 One aspect of the present invention provides a system for weighing product and monitoring use of said product comprising: a scale for measuring the weight of a product; a product identifier selected from a barcode reader adapted to read a barcode applied to said product or a container containing said product and/or an RFID tag reader 15 adapted to read an RFID tag applied to said product or a container containing said product and thereby identify a product ID associated with said product; a data transfer module adapted to communicate with said scale and said product identifier, said data transfer module being adapted to receive information on said weight of said product and said product ID associated with said product; and 20 a data storage module adapted to communicate with said data transfer module and to store product usage information based on said weight of said product and said product ID. In a preferred embodiment the RFID tag reader includes an RFID transmitter and 25 receiver disposed under a weighing platform of the scale. The data transfer module may be adapted to transmit or transfer the information on the weight of the product and the product ID associated with the product to the data storage module by means of hardwiring, radio, wireless or infrared protocols. The data transfer 30 module may also include a USB interface for transfer of the information to a memory device.
3 Generally, the data storage module is a computer, notebook, tablet or smartphone. The data storage module may also be in the "cloud" and remotely hosted. In another aspect the invention provides a method for identifying and storing product 5 usage information comprising: identifying a product ID associated with a product by reading a barcode and/or RFID tag associated with the product or a container containing the product; dispensing an amount of the product; measuring the weight of the product after dispensing of the product; 10 identifying the weight of product dispensed by comparing the weight of product after dispensing with a predispensing weight of the product; transferring the product ID and the weight of product dispensed to a data storage module; and updating product usage information on the product stored on the data storage 15 module. In a further aspect the present invention provides a weighing apparatus comprising: a scale for measuring the weight of a product; a product identifier selected from a barcode reader adapted to read a barcode 20 applied to said product or a container containing said product and/or an RFID tag reader adapted to read an RFID tag applied to said product or a container containing said product and thereby identify a product ID associated with said product; a data transfer module in communication with the scale and the product identifier, the data transfer module being adapted to receive information on the weight of the 25 product and the product ID associated with the product; and a data storage module in communication with the data transfer module and being adapted to store product usage information based on the weight of the product and the product ID. 30 The present invention consists of features and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that various changes in the details may be made without departing from the scope of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention.
4 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS To further clarify various aspects of some embodiments of the present invention, a more 5 particular description of the invention will be rendered by references to specific embodiments thereof, which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the accompanying drawings in which: 10 FIG. 1 illustrates the weighing apparatus of an embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 15 The present invention relates to a system for weighing product and monitoring use of said product and methods of use thereof. In particular, the invention relates to a system for weighing product and monitoring use of said product that incorporates a scale and a product identifier, such as an RFID tag reader or barcode reader, which is in communication with a computer database adapted to record and monitor usage of 20 products. Hereinafter, this specification will describe the present invention according to the preferred embodiments. It is to be understood that limiting the description to the preferred embodiments of the invention is merely to facilitate discussion of the present 25 invention and it is envisioned without departing from the scope of the appended claims. Referring to Figure 1, the invention relates to a system or weighing apparatus 10 that includes an electronic scale 11 with digital output. The scale provides a record of the weight of an item placed thereon. The system or weighing apparatus 10 also includes a 30 product identifier in the form of a barcode reader 12 that provides for product identification. An RFID transmitter/receiver antenna (not shown), also referred to hereafter as the "base unit", is attached under the base of the weighing platform 13 of the electronic scale 11, generally with the electronic circuitry in the main body of the 5 electronic scale 11. This transmitter/receiver powers or excites RFID tags (i.e. passive transponders) associated with items placed on the weighing platform 13 which send signals of their unique ID code to the receiver of the base unit. 5 Inclusion of both the barcode reader 12 and the RFID transmitter/receiver antenna provides the user of the system or weighing apparatus 10 the option of either using RFID tags or barcodes to identify the item placed on the scale 11. As was the case with the RFID receiver, the barcode reader 12 sends the unique barcode ID to the receiver in the base unit. A wide range of barcodes types or protocols can be used. 10 The scale 11 outputs a digital signal both to an LCD display 14 as well as a data transfer module that stores the weight once the scale 11 has stabilised. The ID signal for the item placed on the scale 11 is also recorded in the data transfer module, generally within the body of the scale 11. Both weight and ID are then transmitted to a computer or other 15 recording device 15 via hardwire, radio, wireless or infra-red signal, whatever the preference of the user or application. The various components of the system or weighing apparatus 10, in particular the data transfer module, base unit antenna, RFID circuitry and barcode interface are constructed 20 and customised for this application and may advantageously be retrofitted to current electronic scales that have a digital output. Industry standard communication protocols may be used to transmit weights and IDs to computers and other data storage modules. The system or weighing apparatus 10 provides for easily and automatic recording of the weight and identity of any substance, whether it be solid, liquid or gas. It is envisaged 25 that the application of the invention may range from industrial usage, such as weighing and preparation of chemicals, to domestic use such as in food preparation in a domestic kitchen. The method of invention can be described as follows. Containers or items having RFID 30 tags and/or barcodes attached, embedded or painted onto them are provided. Either 1st, 2nd or 3rd (i.e. smaller than a nail head) generation RFID tags can be employed. The container or item is filled with or contains a particular substance. It is then placed on the 6 electronic scale 11 which records the weight of the substance and either the electronic RFID identity (RFID tag) or barcode electronically. Both the weight and ID are transmitted using hardwire, radio, wireless or infrared 5 protocols to a computer system, which then records the date and time of the recording. If the substance in the container or item is used, then the same process is repeated with the differential in weight before and after such usage being calculated and recorded. All of this is done easily, quickly and automatically without any manual entry or recording, other than the initial identification of the ID tag and container item description that it has 10 been attached to. It is considered that the system and weighing apparatus of the invention may provide an automated means of weighing and recording the weight and/or usage for a variety of applications without the need for manual intervention. The application of the invention 15 ranges from industrial usage, such as weighing and preparation of chemicals and so on, to domestic usage, such as in food preparation and so on. It can be applied to any application for recording of weights and IDs of specific items to which RFID tags or barcodes can be attached. 20 Unless the context requires otherwise or specifically stated to the contrary, integers, steps or elements of the invention recited herein as singular integers, steps or elements clearly encompass both singular and plural forms of the recited integers, steps or elements. 25 Throughout this specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated step or element or integer or group of steps or elements or integers, but not the exclusion of any other step or element or integer or group of steps, elements or integers. Thus, in the context of this specification, the term "comprising" is 30 used in an inclusive sense and thus should be understood as meaning "including principally, but not necessarily solely". It will be appreciated that the foregoing description has been given by way of illustrative example of the invention and that all such modifications and variations thereto as would 7 be apparent to persons of skill in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein set forth.