System and method for monitoring the cold chain integrity of environmentally sensitive packaged goods
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring the cold chain integrity of at least one packet of environmentally sensitive goods, the system comprising:
- a monitoring unit applied directly to the packet, the monitoring unit comprising;
an environmental sensor monitoring an environmental condition to which the goods in the packet are subjected to and outputting environmental condition data, a monitoring unit memory to store the environmental condition data output by the environmental sensor, a microprocessor, an optical output device for conveying the environmental condition data stored in monitoring unit memory, an optical output device trigger responsive to a triggering event and operable to cause the optical output device to begin conveying the environmental condition data, and a power supply;
the system further comprising;
a camera operable to capture the environmental condition data conveyed by the optical output device;
a memory for storing the environmental condition data captured by the camera; and
a processor for analysing the environmental condition data stored in memory; and
in which the optical output device trigger comprises a photocell, and in which the microprocessor is programmed to monitor the triggering event that the photocell is subjected to and thereafter select one of a plurality of environmental condition data formats to be conveyed by the optical output device depending on the triggering event that the photocell is subjected to.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention relates to a system and method for monitoring the cold chain integrity of at least one packet of environmentally sensitive goods. The system comprises a monitoring unit applied directly to the goods packet, the monitoring unit comprising an environmental sensor monitoring an environmental condition to which the goods are subjected to and an optical output device for conveying environmental condition data. The system further comprises a camera operable to capture the environmental condition data conveyed by the optical output device, a memory for storing the environmental condition data captured by the camera and a processor for analyzing the environmental condition data. The use of a camera allows for a very simple, robust and inexpensive optical output device (e.g. an LED) to be used. The arrangement reduces the equipment cost significantly thereby allowing application across a wider range of products and provides greater flexibility and possibility for analyzing the cold chain integrity.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring the cold chain integrity of at least one packet of environmentally sensitive goods, the system comprising:
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a monitoring unit applied directly to the packet, the monitoring unit comprising;
an environmental sensor monitoring an environmental condition to which the goods in the packet are subjected to and outputting environmental condition data, a monitoring unit memory to store the environmental condition data output by the environmental sensor, a microprocessor, an optical output device for conveying the environmental condition data stored in monitoring unit memory, an optical output device trigger responsive to a triggering event and operable to cause the optical output device to begin conveying the environmental condition data, and a power supply;the system further comprising; a camera operable to capture the environmental condition data conveyed by the optical output device; a memory for storing the environmental condition data captured by the camera; and a processor for analysing the environmental condition data stored in memory; and
in which the optical output device trigger comprises a photocell, and in which the microprocessor is programmed to monitor the triggering event that the photocell is subjected to and thereafter select one of a plurality of environmental condition data formats to be conveyed by the optical output device depending on the triggering event that the photocell is subjected to. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of monitoring the cold chain integrity of at least one packet of environmentally sensitive goods in a system comprising a monitoring unit applied directly to the packet, the monitoring unit comprising:
- an environmental sensor monitoring an environmental condition to which the goods in the packet are subjected to and outputting environmental condition data, a monitoring unit memory to store the environmental condition data output by the environmental sensor, a microprocessor, an optical output device for conveying the environmental condition data stored in monitoring unit memory, an optical output device trigger responsive to a triggering event and operable to cause the optical output device to begin conveying the environmental condition data, and a power supply;
the system further comprising a camera operable to capture the environmental condition data conveyed by the optical output device;
a memory for storing the environmental condition data captured by the camera; and
a processor for analysing the environmental condition data stored in memory, the method comprising the steps of;subjecting, by an end user, the optical output device trigger to a first triggering event; capturing, by the end user, with the camera the environmental condition data conveyed by the optical output device in response to the first triggering event; storing the environmental condition data captured by the camera in memory; analysing, by the processor, the environmental condition data in memory and determining whether or not the cold chain integrity has been kept intact; subjecting, by the end user, the optical output device trigger to a second triggering event; and capturing, by the end user thereafter, the environmental condition data conveyed by the optical output device with their naked eye, the environmental condition data being indicative of whether or not the cold chain integrity has been kept intact; and in which the optical output device trigger is a photocell and the step of the end user subjecting the optical output device trigger to a first triggering event comprises subjecting the photocell to a first sequence of alternating light intensities and the step of the end user subjecting the optical output device trigger to a second triggering event comprises subjecting the photocell to a second sequence of alternating light intensities. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
- an environmental sensor monitoring an environmental condition to which the goods in the packet are subjected to and outputting environmental condition data, a monitoring unit memory to store the environmental condition data output by the environmental sensor, a microprocessor, an optical output device for conveying the environmental condition data stored in monitoring unit memory, an optical output device trigger responsive to a triggering event and operable to cause the optical output device to begin conveying the environmental condition data, and a power supply;
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22. A monitoring unit, the monitoring unit comprising:
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an environmental sensor for monitoring an environmental condition to which the goods in a packet to which the monitoring unit may be attached are subjected to and outputting environmental condition data; a monitoring unit memory to store the environmental condition data output by the environmental sensor; a microprocessor; an optical output device for conveying the environmental condition data stored in monitoring unit memory; an optical output device trigger responsive to a triggering event and operable to cause the optical output device to begin conveying the environmental condition data; and a power supply, and in which the optical output device trigger comprises a photocell, and in which the microprocessor is programmed to monitor the triggering event that the photocell is subjected to and thereafter select one of a plurality of environmental condition data formats to be conveyed by the optical output device depending on the triggering event that the photocell is subjected to.
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Specification