System and method for tracking shelf-life and after-opening usage life of medicaments, foods and other perishables

• US 10,325,241 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2015
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shlomo Uri Haimi
• Original Assignee: Shlomo Uri Haimi
• Inventors: Haimi, Shlomo Uri
• Primary Examiner(s): Kassim, Hafiz A
• Application Number:
  US14/798,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20170017919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,435 Days
• Field of Search: 705 725, 705 731
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A computer-implemented method and system for monitoring a life-cycle of a product, the method including executing on a processing unit, instructions to perform: receiving an electronic manufacture notification from a manufacturer, via a network, including a manufacturing time, the manufacturing time indicating a time of manufacturing of the product; calculating a shelf-life expiration date based on an estimated shelf-life and the manufacturing time of the product; receiving an electronic scanning notification from a scanning device, via a network, including a modification time indicating a time of modification of the product from a preserved state to a non-preserved state; calculating a usage expiration date based on an estimated length of time the product is usable in the non-preserving state and the modification time; sending notification of the shelf-life expiration date to the scanning device; sending notification of the usage expiration date to the scanning device.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a life-cycle of a product by a server including a memory and processor, the method comprising:

storing, by the server, unique identifiers in a database as unique codes via a fixed memory offset using a hand held scanning device and logically links the unique identifiers to the unique codes;

linking, by the server, a plurality of related data tables based on a type of the unique identifiers in key fields;

indexing, by the server, and using the key field, the database according to the unique identifiers defined by the key field to speed data retrieval operations data tables of the unique codes;

sorting, by the server, the unique codes according to a known order to simplify the lookup process;

mapping, by the server, the unique code maps back to data entry stored on the database;

logically linking a set of usage life timers respectively to said unique codes, each usage life timer being a module stored on the memory and uniquely associated with a respective unique identifier represented as a unique indica on a product unit of a set of product units;

receiving, at the server, an electronic scanning notification from said hand-held scanning device, via a network, including a modification time, said modification time indicating a time of modification of the product from a sealed state to an open state, said scanning notification being generated by said hand-held scanning device after scanning said unique indicia on one product unit of the product;

initiating, by the processor, a specific usage life timer of said set of usage timer modules stored on the memory, said specific usage life timer being uniquely logically linked with said unique code linked to said unique identifier represented by said unique indicia scanned by said scanning device, said specific usage life timer being configured to run for a length of time substantially equal to a predefined length of time the product in said one product unit is usable after said modification time in said unsealed state, said predefined length of time being stored in said unique data entry stored on said database;

sending an expiration notification to said scanning device before or when said specific usage life timer module finishes running.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said scanning device is selected from a group of scanning devices belonging to:

a manufacturer, an importer, a wholesaler and a retailer.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

prompting said wholesaler to send a resupply request when inventory of the product is low;

receiving said resupply request from said wholesaler; and

sending said resupply request to said manufacturer.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

prompting said retailer to send a resupply request when inventory of the product is low;

receiving said resupply request from said retailer; and

sending said resupply request to said wholesaler.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking the product based on location data, said location data relating to a geographical location of said scanning device and included in said electronic scanning notification.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting an end-user to extend a length of said predefined usage life by placing said one product unit of the product in a preferred storage environment;

receiving notification from said scanning device that said one product unit is located in said preferred storage environment;

adding time to said one usage life timer based on said preferred storage environment; and

sending notification to said scanning device including a time said one usage life timer is due to finish running.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said data entry includes at least one of:

prescribing information, a dosage regimen, and compliance information.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

prompting, by the server, an end-user to display said prescribing information on said scanning device.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

prompting, by the server, an end-user to initiate a text-to-audio conversion of said prescribing information;

converting, by the server, said prescribing information to an audio output of said prescribing information; and

transferring said audio output to said scanning device.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving said dosage regimen from a third party.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

sending a reminder notification to said scanning device when a dosage of the product is due to be taken, said reminder notification configured according to said dosage regimen.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

prompting said scanning device for confirmation that said dosage has been taken;

updating said compliance information when said confirmation is received; and

sending an additional said reminder notification to said scanning device if a predefined time-period has elapsed prior to receiving said confirmation.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

sending a non-compliance message to a predefined entity if a second predefined time-period has elapsed prior to receiving said confirmation.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking for drug interaction between the product in said one product unit and each of at least one additional medicament for which a respective electronic usage notification has been received from said scanning device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying said one usage life timer on a display of said scanning device.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a set of shelf life timers, each of said set of shelf life timers being a module stored on the memory of the server;

receiving, at the server, an electronic manufacture notification from a manufacturer, via said network, including a manufacturing time of the product;

initiating by the processor, in response to said manufacture notification, one shelf life timer of said set of shelf life timers, said one shelf life timer being associated with said unique indicia of said one product unit and configured to run for a length of time substantially equal to a predefined estimated shelf-life of the product in said one product unit; and

sending said expiration notification on or before said one shelf life timer finishes running, if said one shelf life timer finishes running before said one usage life timer.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

prompting an end-user to request a replacement for said one product unit of the product when said one product unit fulfils a condition selected from the group including;

said one shelf life timer is due to finish running within a first predefined number of days, said one usage life timer is due to finish running within a second predefined number of days, and a final date of consumption of the product is within a third predefined number of days.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving said product replacement request, and

sending said product replacement request to said retailer.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

sending a usage warning notification if said one usage life timer is due to finish running later than said one shelf life timer, said usage warning notification including a warning message, wherein said usage warning notification is sent to at least one of;

said scanning device, a care-giving entity, and a statistical database.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

displaying said one shelf life timer on a display of said scanning device.

21. A system for monitoring a life-cycle of a product unit, the system comprising:

a server computer including a memory and processor, said memory having stored thereon;

unique identifiers in a database as unique codes via a fixed memory offset using a hand held scanning device, the server logically links the unique identifiers to the unique codes and linking, by the server, a plurality of related data tables based on a type of the unique identifier in key fields and indexes using the key field, the database according to the unique identifiers defined by the key field to speed data retrieval operations data tables for the unique codes and sorts the unique codes according to a known order to simplify the lookup process, wherein said unique code maps back to data entry stored on the database;

a set of usage life timers, each usage life timer being a module stored on the memory and uniquely logically linked with a respective unique identifier represented as a unique indica on a product unit of a set of product units of the product and adapted to run for a length of time substantially equal to a predefined length of time the product in said uniquely associated product unit is usable in a non-preserved state; and

a hand-held client computing device held by a user with access to one product unit of said set of product units, said client computing device including a scanning component, a processing unit and a memory, said server computer communicable with said client computing device over a network, said memory having program code stored thereon that when executed, in response to said scanning component scanning a unique indica representing a unique identifier on said one product unit of said set of product units, instructs said processing unit to;

send an electronic usage notification, via said network, to said server computer, said usage notification including a modification time indicating a time of modification of said one product unit from a preserved state to a non-preserved state, said usage notification causing one usage life timer of said set of usage life timers, which is uniquely logically linked with said unique identifier represented by said unique indica on said one product unit, to be initiated by said processor, said one usage timer configured to run from said modification time for a length of time substantially equal to said predefined length of time the product in said one product unit is usable in said non-preserved state; and

wherein said server is adapted to send a notification to said client computer device before or when said one usage life timer finishes running.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said memory having program code stored thereon that when executed, instructs said processing unit to:

display on said client device, either said one usage life timer or said one shelf life timer, associated with said one product unit, depending on which of said timers finishes running first.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

a set of shelf life timers associated with said corresponding set of product units of the product, each shelf life timer being a module stored on the memory and configured to run for a period of time equal to a shelf life of a respective product unit associated therewith;

wherein said server is adapted to send said notification to said client computer device before or when one shelf life timer, associated with said one product unit, finishes running prior to said one usage life timer finishing to run.

24. A method for monitoring a life-cycle of a product by a server including a memory and processor, the method comprising:

storing, by the server, unique identifiers in a database as unique codes via a fixed memory offset using a hand held scanning device and logically links the unique identifiers to the unique codes;

linking, by the server, a plurality of related data tables based on a type of the unique identifier in key fields;

indexing, by the server, and using the key field, the database according to the unique identifiers defined by the key field to speed data retrieval operations data tables for the unique codes;

sorting, by the server, the unique codes according to a known order to simplify the lookup process;

mapping, by the server, the unique code maps back to data entry stored on the database;

logically linking a set of usage life timers respectively to said unique codes, each usage life timer being a module stored on the memory and uniquely associated with a respective unique identifier represented as a unique indicia on a product unit of a set of product units;

receiving, at the server, an electronic scanning notification from said hand-held scanning device, via a network, including a modification time, said modification time indicating a time of modification of the product from an unprepared state to a prepared state, said scanning notification being generated by said hand held scanning device after scanning said unique indicia on one product unit of the product;

initiating, by the processor, a specific usage life timer of said set of usage timer modules stored on the memory, said specific usage life timer being uniquely logically linked with said unique code linked to said unique identifier represented by said unique indicia scanned by said scanning device, said specific usage life timer being configured to run for a length of time substantially equal to a predefined length of time the product in said one product unit is usable after said modification time in said prepared state, said predefined length of time being stored in said unique data entry stored on said database;

sending an expiration notification to said scanning device before or when said specific usage life timer module finishes running.