THERMOCHROMIC BAR CODE

• US 20020056756A1
• Filed: 12/03/1999
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KLT Techonology Inc., Thermacode Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Thermacode Technology LLC
• Inventors: GAEDKE, TOBIN, CAMERON, JON
• Granted Patent: US 6,685,094 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/468
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06018 one-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details

Abstract

A bar code 10 incorporating thermochromic materials in selected modules 20 such that its code changes with temperature. Below a specified temperature, the bar code 10 displays the code as in FIG. 3. Above this temperature, the bar code 10 shows a new code as in FIG. 2. The bar code 10 is printed with conventional printing equipment (not shown) onto conventional printing media, and is scanned with conventional bar code scanning equipment (not shown).

Claims

1. A method of producing a bar code, comprising:

(a) any base bar code printed in a usual and customary manner, and

(b) at least one module printed with a thermochromic material within said base bar code,

whereby, the storage temperature of said bar code can be determined when said bar code is scanned by a bar code reader and,

whereby, a plurality of codes can be incorporated into the space of a single bar code.

2. A method of producing a bar code comprising:

(a) a revocable bar code printed entirely with a quondam thermochromic material

whereby, said bar code can be rendered permanently invisible to warn a bar code reader of an existing or historically undesirable environmental condition.

3. A method of producing a bar code comprising:

(a) a base bar code printed with a thermochromic material, and

(b) at least one module printed with at least one other thermochromic material within said base bar code,

whereby, each thermochromic material responds to a separate temperature range, and

whereby, said bar code can display a plurality of predetermined codes, including a null code, in order to measure a series of temperature variations.