Connected packaging
First Claim
1. An apparatus for containing one or more product units in a blister pack that includes a forming film and a lidding film, the apparatus comprising:
- the lidding film, wherein the lidding film is substantially continuous, and includes a first region that is electrically conductive and does not include patterned electrical traces;
a plurality of terminals, each terminal of the plurality thereof being electrically coupled with the first region, wherein the plurality of terminals are arranged such that formation of an opening in the lidding film at a first location within the first region gives rise to a first finite change in the magnitude of an electrical parameter measured between first and second terminals of the plurality thereof; and
electronic circuitry that is operative for (1) making pair-wise measurements of the electrical parameter between each terminal and each other terminal of the plurality thereof and (2) providing a first signal based on the first finite change in the magnitude of the electrical parameter.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for determining when a tablet has been removed from a blister pack are presented. A method includes measuring an electrical characteristic, such as electrical resistance or impedance, between at least two terminals that are in electrical communication with a lidding film included in the blister pack, wherein the removal of a tablet from the blister pack results in an opening in the lidding film, thereby giving rise to a finite change in the electrical characteristic. Another method determines the state of the blister pack using electrical resistance tomography or electrical impedance tomography.
43 Citations
33 Claims
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1. An apparatus for containing one or more product units in a blister pack that includes a forming film and a lidding film, the apparatus comprising:
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the lidding film, wherein the lidding film is substantially continuous, and includes a first region that is electrically conductive and does not include patterned electrical traces; a plurality of terminals, each terminal of the plurality thereof being electrically coupled with the first region, wherein the plurality of terminals are arranged such that formation of an opening in the lidding film at a first location within the first region gives rise to a first finite change in the magnitude of an electrical parameter measured between first and second terminals of the plurality thereof; and electronic circuitry that is operative for (1) making pair-wise measurements of the electrical parameter between each terminal and each other terminal of the plurality thereof and (2) providing a first signal based on the first finite change in the magnitude of the electrical parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for containing one or more product units in a blister pack that includes a forming film and a lidding film, the apparatus comprising:
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the lidding film, wherein the lidding film is substantially continuous, and includes a first region that is electrically conductive and does not include patterned electrical traces; the forming film, wherein the forming film includes one or more cavities, wherein the lidding film and forming film are joined such that each of the one or more cavities and the lidding film collectively defines a reservoir that is operative for holding a product unit; a first plurality of terminals that is arranged such that each terminal is in electrical communication with each other terminal of the first plurality thereof through the first region before and after formation of an opening in the first region; and electronic circuitry that is operative for;
(1) providing an electrical stimulus between a first terminal and a second terminal of the first plurality thereof;
(2) making pair-wise measurements of an electrical parameter between each terminal of a second plurality of terminals that excludes the first and second terminals, the first plurality of terminals including the second plurality of terminals; and
(3) providing a first signal based on a finite change in the magnitude of the electrical parameter measured between at least one pair of terminals of the second plurality thereof. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for monitoring a state of a package that includes a blister pack having a forming film and a lidding film, the method comprising:
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monitoring an electrical parameter between at least two terminals of a first plurality of terminals, the first plurality of terminals being arranged such that each terminal is electrically coupled with a first region of the lidding film, wherein the first region is electrically conductive and does not include patterned electrical traces; providing a first signal that indicates (1) the formation of a first opening in the first region when a first finite change in the magnitude of the electrical parameter measured between first and second terminals of the first plurality thereof is detected, and (2) a first time at which the first finite change in the magnitude of the electrical parameter is detected. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus for containing one or more product units in a blister pack that includes a forming film and a lidding film, the apparatus comprising:
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the lidding film, wherein the lidding film is substantially continuous, the lidding film including a first region that is electrically conductive and does not include patterned electrical traces; the forming film, wherein the forming film includes one or more cavities, wherein the forming film and a lidding film are joined such that each of the one or more cavities and the lidding film collectively defines a reservoir that is operative for holding a product unit; a first plurality of terminals that is arranged such that each terminal is in electrical communication with each other terminal of the first plurality thereof through the first region before and after formation of an opening in the first region; and electronic circuitry that is operative for (1) providing a stimulus between a first terminal and second terminal of the first plurality thereof and (2) measuring a plurality of signals at a second plurality of terminals included in the first plurality of terminals, wherein the second plurality of terminals excludes the first terminal and second terminal, and further wherein each of the stimulus and plurality of signals is selected from the group consisting of an electric current and a voltage potential. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A method for monitoring the state of a package, the method comprising:
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providing the package such that it includes a blister pack having; a lidding film that is substantially continuous, the lidding film including a first region that is electrically conductive and does not include patterned electrical traces; a forming film including one or more cavities, wherein the lidding film and forming film are joined such that each of the one or more cavities and the lidding film collectively defines a reservoir that is operative for holding a product unit; providing a first plurality of terminals that is arranged such that each terminal is in electrical communication with each other terminal of the first plurality thereof through the first region before and after formation of an opening in the first region; and forming an image of the first region via an imaging technique selected from the group consisting of electrical resistivity tomography and electrical impedance tomography, wherein the image is based on the magnitude of an electrical parameter measured at a second plurality of terminals included in the first plurality of terminals. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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Specification