Package for pharmaceutical product, comprising miniaturized electronic tag for monitoring product integrity
First Claim
1. A retail package for a perishable product, said retail package comprising:
- a box as an outer package;
an electronic tag for obtaining information relating to integrity of the product as assessed from an exposure of said product to physical or environmental conditions during a time span, wherein said physical or environmental conditions include at least one of temperature, humidity, pressure and acceleration;
said tag comprising;
a main part comprising an electronics unit;
a rip strip comprising a breakable electrical connection operationally connected to said electronics unit;
said electronics unit comprising;
a control unit;
a sensor unit comprising at least one sensor for monitoring said physical or environmental conditions;
a display unit comprising a display for displaying data relating to said integrity referred to as status data;
a switch;
wherein said control unit is structured and configured to;
detect a breaking of said electrical connection;
terminate said monitoring in reaction to detection of said breaking of said electrical connection; and
toeffect that said display unit displays said status data in reaction to an operation of said switch.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A retail package for a perishable product includes a box as an outer package; and an electronic tag for obtaining information relating to the integrity of the product as assessed from an exposure of the product to physical or environmental conditions during a time span. The tag has a main part including an electronics unit and a rip strip having a breakable electrical connection operationally connected to the electronics unit. The electronics unit includes a control unit; at least one sensor for monitoring the physical or environmental conditions; a display for displaying data relating to the integrity; and a switch. The control unit is structured and configured to detect a breaking of the electrical connection; to terminate the monitoring in reaction to detection of breaking of the electrical connection; and to effect that the display unit displays the status data in reaction to an operation of the switch.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A retail package for a perishable product, said retail package comprising:
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a box as an outer package; an electronic tag for obtaining information relating to integrity of the product as assessed from an exposure of said product to physical or environmental conditions during a time span, wherein said physical or environmental conditions include at least one of temperature, humidity, pressure and acceleration; said tag comprising; a main part comprising an electronics unit; a rip strip comprising a breakable electrical connection operationally connected to said electronics unit; said electronics unit comprising; a control unit; a sensor unit comprising at least one sensor for monitoring said physical or environmental conditions; a display unit comprising a display for displaying data relating to said integrity referred to as status data; a switch; wherein said control unit is structured and configured to; detect a breaking of said electrical connection; terminate said monitoring in reaction to detection of said breaking of said electrical connection; and
toeffect that said display unit displays said status data in reaction to an operation of said switch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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12. A method for monitoring an integrity of a perishable product, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing an electronic tag; and providing a box as an outer package for said perishable product; wherein said tag is a tag for obtaining information relating to the integrity of the product as assessed from an exposure of said product to physical or environmental conditions during a time span, wherein said physical or environmental conditions include at least one of temperature, humidity, pressure and acceleration, the tag comprising; a main part comprising an electronics unit; a rip strip comprising a breakable electrical connection operationally connected to said electronics unit; said electronics unit comprising; a control unit; a sensor unit comprising at least one sensor for monitoring said physical or environmental conditions; a display unit comprising a display for displaying data relating to said integrity referred to as status data; a switch; wherein said control unit is structured and configured to perform the steps of; detecting a breaking of said electrical connection; terminating said monitoring in reaction to said detecting said breaking of said electrical connection; and effecting that said display unit displays said status data in reaction to an operation of said switch. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25)
bonding at least a portion of said rip strip to said box.
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14. The method according to claim 12, comprising at least one of the steps of:
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ripping said rip strip; operating said switch.
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17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of:
calculating and storing final status data in response to breaking of said electrical connection.
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18. The method according to claim 17, comprising the further step of:
displaying said final status data on said display device for a predetermined period of time when monitoring is terminated.
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23. The method according to claim 12, comprising the further steps of:
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storing data representative of prescribed limitations of sensed physical or environmental conditions in said electronics unit, and comparing said physical or environmental conditions sensed by the sensor to the stored prescribed limitations to determine the integrity of the product.
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24. The method according to claim 12, comprising the further step of:
upon operation of said switch, displaying status data indicating that the product is not acceptable when the product has been subjected to physical or environmental conditions outside a range of prescribed limitations.
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25. The method according to claim 12, wherein the sensor measures physical or environmental conditions at predetermined time intervals.
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15. A method for manufacturing a retail unit comprising a perishable product, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing said product; b) providing an unfolded folding carton; c) folding said folding carton; d) inserting said product into the folded folding carton; e) providing an electronic tag for obtaining information relating to the integrity of the product as assessed from an exposure of said product to physical or environmental conditions during a time span, wherein said physical or environmental conditions include at least one of temperature, humidity, pressure and acceleration, said tag comprising a main portion and a rip strip; f) attaching said tag to said folding carton; wherein said tag comprises; said main part comprising an electronics unit; said rip strip comprising a breakable electrical connection operationally connected to said electronics unit; said electronics unit comprising; a control unit; a sensor unit comprising at least one sensor for monitoring said physical or environmental conditions; a display unit comprising a display for displaying data relating to said integrity referred to as status data; a switch; wherein said control unit is structured and configured to perform the steps of; detecting a breaking of said electrical connection; terminating said monitoring in reaction to said detecting said breaking of said electrical connection; and
foreffecting that said display unit displays said status data in reaction to an operation of said switch; the method further comprising the step of; g) starting monitoring said exposure of said product to said physical or environmental conditions by manipulating a part of said tag. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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16. An electronic tag for obtaining information relating to the integrity of a product as assessed from an exposure of said product to physical or environmental conditions during a time span, wherein said physical or environmental conditions include at least one of temperature, humidity, pressure and acceleration, said tag comprising:
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a main part comprising an electronics unit; a rip strip comprising a breakable electrical connection operationally connected to said electronics unit; said electronics unit comprising; a control unit; a sensor unit comprising at least one sensor for monitoring said physical or environmental conditions; a display unit comprising a display for displaying data relating to said integrity referred to as status data; a switch; wherein said control unit is structured and configured to; detect a breaking of said electrical connection; terminate said monitoring in reaction to said detection of breaking of said electrical connection; and effect that said display unit displays said status data in reaction to an operation of said switch. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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Specification