Social groupings using a user-specific scale-based enterprise system

Abstract

Certain aspects of the disclosure are directed an apparatus including a weighing scale and external circuitry. The weighing scale includes a platform in which a plurality of electrodes are integrated, a user-display, and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to collect physiological data from the user while the user is standing on the platform and output at least portions of the physiological data as user data. The external circuitry aggregates user data for a plurality of users into user data sets for each user, groups a subset of the plurality of users of one or more scales into a social group based on a correlation between user data sets of the subset of the plurality of users and provides the subset of users of the social group with social group data via a respective scale of the subset of users.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a weighing scale including:
 a platform in which a plurality of electrodes are integrated and configured and arranged for engaging a user; 
 a user-display configured and arranged with the platform and the plurality of electrodes to output user-specific information for the user while the user is standing on the platform; and 
 processing circuitry, including a CPU and a memory circuit with user-corresponding data stored in the memory circuit, configured and arranged under the platform upon which the user stands, the processing circuitry being electrically integrated with the plurality of electrodes and being configured to collect physiological data from the user while the user is standing on the platform and output at least portions of the physiological data as user data; and 
   external circuitry configured and arranged to:
 aggregate user data for a plurality of users into user data sets for each user; 
 group a subset of users of the plurality of users of one or more scales into a social group based on a correlation between user data sets of the subset of the plurality of users, wherein the correlation is based on physiological parameter values obtained from the physiological data collected by the one or more scales and at least one data selected from the group consisting of: demographics, user goals, symptoms, diagnosis, prescription drug usage, lifestyle habits, medical history, family medical history, and a combination thereof; and 
 provide the subset of users of the social group with social group data via a respective scale of the subset of users. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the external circuitry is configured and arranged to form an inter-scale social group that includes at least two users that use different scales. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the external circuitry is configured and arranged to form an intra-scale social group includes users that use a scale. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the external circuitry is configured and arranged to form an inter-scale social group that includes at least two users that use different scale and an intra-scale social group includes users that use a same scale. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the external circuitry is configured and arranged to identify the correlation and form the social group by comparing demographics, user goals, symptoms, physiological parameter values, diagnosis, prescription drug usage, lifestyle habits, medical history, and family medical history of the user data sets. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the external circuitry is configured and arranged to provide the social group data to the subset of users based on a relationship between the users of the social group, a number of users in the social group, and one or more of the following: level of familiarity between users, level of familiarity of users with physiological data, level of interest in physiological data, and a level of complexity of data displayed. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including one or more user device configured and arranged to communicate additional user data to the weighing scale, wherein the processing circuitry of the weighing scale is configured and arranged to aggregate the additional user data with at least portions of scale-obtained physiological data as user data. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the external circuitry is configured and arranged to pool user data for a plurality of users and identify the correlations between the user data of the subset of users to form the social group. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the weighing scale further includes a display configuration filter configured and arranged to discern portions of the data to provide to the user via the user-display of the weighing scale and another graphical user interface corresponding with a user device. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus comprising:
 a weighing scale including:
 a platform in which a plurality of electrodes are integrated and configured and arranged for engaging a user; 
 a user-display configured and arranged with the platform and the plurality of electrodes to output user-specific information for the user while the user is standing on the platform; and 
 processing circuitry, including a CPU and a memory circuit with user-corresponding data stored in the memory circuit, configured and arranged under the platform upon which the user stands, the processing circuitry being electrically integrated with the plurality of electrodes and being configured to collect physiological data from the user while the user is standing on the platform and output at least portions of the physiological data as user data; and 
   external circuitry configured and arranged to:
 pool user data for a plurality of users of a plurality of scales into user data sets for each user; 
 identify correlations between user data sets of the plurality of users based on physiological parameter values obtained from the physiological data collected by the one or more scales and at least one data selected from the group consisting of: demographics, user goals, symptoms, diagnosis, prescription drug usage, lifestyle habits, medical history, family medical history, and a combination thereof; 
 group subsets of users of the plurality of users into social groups based on the correlations between user data sets of the subsets of users; and 
 provide the subsets of users of the social groups with access to social group data via a respective scale of respective users. 
   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein providing the access to the social group data includes the external circuitry outputting an indication of available social group data or of an available social group to the respective scales of the respective users. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the external circuitry is configured and arranged to generate the social group data based on the pooled user data, wherein the social group data includes data selected from the group consisting of: reports, blogs, forums, webpages, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the external circuitry is configured and arranged to use user inputs to the forum, blogs, and/or webpage to update a user-specific knowledge database including data related to the correlations. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the external circuitry is configured and arranged to selectively provide portions of the user data sets as the social group data based on one or more of the following: level of familiarity between users, level of familiarity of users with physiological data, level of interest in physiological data, and a level of complexity of the data displayed. 
     
     
         15 . A method and/or apparatus as is consistent with  claim 1  and/or one or more of the embodiments disclosed herein.