Patents by Inventor Ben Swenson

Ben Swenson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20180042386
    Abstract: A user-identifying adjustable footstool that is capable of identifying individual users and automatically adjusting based on user-identification. The footstool can save preferences for different users, such as specific heights or angles. These preferences are called when a user is successfully identified by the footstool. The user-identifying adjustable footstool is particularly useful in conjunction with a toilet, to allow users to achieve individualized squatting positions while using traditional western toilets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Dan Allen, Steven J.M. Butala, Ben Swenson, Gayun Kim, Joshua Larsen, Joe Fox, Jared Reynolds, Cameron Price
  • Publication number: 20180020984
    Abstract: A method of obtaining health data of a toilet user using one or more sensors is disclosed. One or more sensors are used by a toilet user while the toilet user is using the toilet to take health measurement readings of the user. Dynamic heart stress readings may be obtained and monitored over weeks, months and years. Rolling averages of heart function and heart health may be determined and deviations from the rolling averages may trigger notifications. Other health related measurements and functions such as temperature, respirations, heart rate, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, and stethoscope sounds are also recorded and stored for trending and data analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Dan Allen, Ben Swenson, H. Tracy Hall
  • Publication number: 20180020889
    Abstract: A toilet with a base portion containing a front facing user-accessible compartment is disclosed. A channel is provided within a base portion for connecting a floor sewer pipe to the raised base of the toilet. Multiple embodiments are disclosed in which the user-accessible front facing user-accessible compartment comprises a retractable foot spa, a retractable scale, a computer processor, and user health devices. User interfaces are disclosed for the operation of the front facing user-accessible compartment and other functions of the front facing user-accessible compartment. Latching and moving mechanisms are also disclosed and claimed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Dan Allen, Jared Reynolds, Ben Swenson, Joshua Larsen, Cameron Price, Eric Magleby
  • Patent number: 9863967
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method of detecting a drug marker in a urine sample. The drug markers are fluorophores each of which emits a unique fluorescence spectrum. Accordingly, the method does not detect the drug but rather, the drug marker. The drug marker may include quantum dots which may be functionalized by connecting the quantum dot to a biomolecule. The biomolecule may be cleavable by a peptidase, a protease, or a nuclease to release the drug. Alternatively, the composition may include a liposome carrier. A user who has consumed the drug composition provides a urine sample. The fluorescence spectrometer screens the urine for drug markers based on their unique fluorescent spectra.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Conrad Rosenbrock, Ben Swenson, Daniel Hendricks, Joe Fox, Terrece Pearman
  • Publication number: 20180002911
    Abstract: A toilet apparatus for providing intelligent bidet position and dispensing is disclosed. Dynamic dispensing according to a bidet wand position, type of substance dispensed, user preferences, user gender, and user identification is disclosed. Cleansers, surfactants, moisturizers, medicines, deodorants, and fragrances are dispensed through a bidet wand to a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Dan Allen, Ben Swenson, Joshua Larsen, Jared Reynolds
  • Publication number: 20180000417
    Abstract: A toilet torso belt with sensors is disclosed. The torso belt is used by a toilet user while the toilet user is using the toilet to take health measurement readings of the user. Dynamic heart stress readings may be obtained and monitored over weeks, months and years. Rolling averages of heart function and heart health may be determined and deviations from the rolling averages may trigger notifications. Other health related measurements and functions such as temperature, respirations, heart rate, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, and stethoscope sounds are also recorded and stored for trending and data analysis. An adjustable tensioner compresses the torso belt against the user's torso with a sufficient force based on the user's height, weight, sex, and age, and whether the sensors are against the user's skin or clothing, to allow the sensors to take measurements of the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Dan Allen, Ben Swenson, Huntington Tracy Hall, Joe Fox
  • Publication number: 20170356176
    Abstract: A quiet toilet apparatus disclosed. Microphones and circuitry are used to receive and detect one or more virtual point source locations and propagation directions of unwanted toilet noise. Speakers are used to create one or more synthesized wave fronts resulting in cancelation and reduction of unwanted toilet noise. The speakers, microphones and circuitry may be located within a toilet seat of a toilet or at a remote location. A user device or remote device may be connected to the noise reduction toilet apparatus for data recording, collection, reporting, and electronic noise filtering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Dan Allen, Ben Swenson, Joshua Larsen, Jared Reynolds
  • Patent number: 9822519
    Abstract: A toilet apparatus provides intelligent bidet dispensing. Dynamic dispensing according to a bidet wand position, type of substance dispensed, user preferences, user gender, and user identification is disclosed. Cleansers, surfactants, moisturizers, medicines, deodorants, and fragrances are dispensed through a bidet wand to a user and are stored reservoirs which are contained in a tank area of the toilet. In other embodiments, reporting of levels of reservoir substances is automated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Dan Allen, Ben Swenson, Josh Larsen, Jared Reynolds
  • Patent number: 9810686
    Abstract: A urinalysis cassette and system that includes a toilet, into which a urinalysis cassette is inserted. The cassette is comprised of a roll of color-change-reagent strips. Each strip includes a plurality of strip sections wherein an absorbent material is imbued with color-change reagent, or onto which one or more color-change reagents are dispensed. The color-change-reagent strips are consecutive and contiguous on the roll. A cassette includes two spools arranged such that when the spools turn, the reagent strip moves from a first (source spool) to a second (waste spool). The section of the reagent strip that is between the two spools may be exposed to a urine specimen. The absorbent-material strips that have been exposed to both a urine specimen and a color-change reagent may undergo a chemical reaction. Selective-lighting illumination may be applied to absorbent-material strips that have undergone such chemical reactions to measure reflectivity of certain color wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Dan Allen, Joshua Larsen, Ben Swenson, Jared Reynolds, Joe Fox, Lloyd J. Wilson
  • Patent number: 9766257
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method of detecting a drug marker in urine a urine sample using a toilet. The drug markers are fluorophores each of which emits a unique fluorescence spectra. Accordingly, the method does not detect the drug but rather, the drug marker. The drug marker may include quantum dots which may be functionalized by connecting the quantum dot to a biomolecule. The biomolecule may be cleavable by a peptidase, a protease, or a nuclease to release the drug. Alternatively, the composition may include a liposome carrier. A user who has consumed the drug composition urinates into the toilet and a urine sample is captured. The toilet includes a mechanism for fluid handling which diverts urine into a fluorescence spectrometer. The fluorescence spectrometer screens the urine for drug markers based on their unique fluorescent spectra.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Conrad Rosenbrock, Ben Swenson, Daniel Hendricks, Joe Fox, Terrece Pearman
  • Publication number: 20170260728
    Abstract: A toilet apparatus for providing intelligent bidet dispensing is disclosed. Dynamic dispensing according to a bidet wand position, type of substance dispensed, user preferences, user gender, and user identification is disclosed. Cleansers, surfactants, moisturizers, medicines, deodorants, and fragrances are dispensed through a bidet wand to a user and are stored reservoirs which are contained in a tank area of the toilet. In other embodiments, reporting of levels of reservoir substances is automated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Dan Allen, Ben Swenson, Josh Larsen, Jared Reynolds
  • Publication number: 20170251996
    Abstract: We disclose a medical toilet that includes at least one stethoscope probe in the toilet lid. The stethoscope probes may be mounted on a compliant extension which extends the stethoscope probes toward a user seated on the toilet. The medical toilet may include a device which adjusts the height of the stethoscope probes to adjust for different size users and to collect measurements from different parts of a user. The medical toilet may include a device which records the sounds collected by the stethoscope and may also include a controller that proposes a diagnosis based on the sounds collected by the stethoscope. The medical toilet may also transmit recordings and other information to an external machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Dan Allen, Ben Swenson
  • Patent number: 9743903
    Abstract: One or more microphones and a controller are used to detected, transmit, and store toilet noise data. One or more speakers are used to provide user feedback based on the detected toilet noise data. Speakers, microphones, and circuitry may be located within a toilet seat of a toilet. A user device or remote device may be connected to the toilet noise detection toilet apparatus for data recording, collection, and health trend reporting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Dan Allen, Ben Swenson, Joshua Larsen, Jared Reynolds
  • Publication number: 20170204595
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a device that measures volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by an individual's urine, feces or present in flatulence for use in assessing the individual's health. The device may be part of a toilet. The device includes a gas sensor that measures VOCs in the air within the toilet bowl after waste is deposited therein. The device includes a manifold that keeps air from the toilet bowl separate from water and waste in the toilet bowl until the gas sensor has collected readings. Then the manifold combines the air, water, and waste before depositing the material into the sewer system. The gas sensor may be connected to a processor that analyses the gas sensor readings, provides a report of the analyzed data, and transmits the data to a network. A healthcare provider may download the data from the network to assess the individual's health.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Dan Allen, Ben Swenson, Jared Reynolds, Terrece Pearman
  • Patent number: 9671343
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method of detecting a drug marker in urine a urine sample using a toilet. The drug markers are fluorophores each of which emits a unique fluorescence spectra. Accordingly, the method does not detect the drug but rather, the drug marker. A user who has consumed the drug with its unique drug marker then urinates into the toilet and a urine sample is captured. The toilet includes a mechanism for fluid handling which diverts urine into a fluorescence spectrometer. The fluorescence spectrometer screens the urine for drug markers based on their unique fluorescent spectra. The toilet may include a controller which quantifies the drug marker. The fluorescent spectrometer may detect multiple drug markers in a single urine sample. This method may be used to confirm drug compliance, test for illicit drugs, identify amounts of drugs consumed, and other uses described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Conrad Rosenbrock, Ben Swenson, Dan Hendricks, Terrece Pearman
  • Patent number: 9595185
    Abstract: A toilet apparatus for providing automatic user identification is provided. The automatic identification uses a combination of an instrumented toilet seat and an instrumented foot scale to provide user specific identification data. User health trends may be saved and reported based on the automatic user identification. User identification also allows preconfigured toilet control settings to be loaded into memory upon user identification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Dan Allen, Ben Swenson, Joshua Larsen, Jared Reynolds