Perishable product electronic label including time and temperature measurement

• US 20060061454A1
• Filed: 09/07/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Cold Chain LP
• Original Assignee: PakSense Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Jensen, Thomas, Debord, Wayne K., Hatchett, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,248,147 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/309.160
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2207/04 for conservation purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/005 Circuits arrangements for indicating a predetermined temperature fire detection G08B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/04 in respect of time
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/16 using resistive elements resistive elements per se H01C, H01L
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/32 using change of resonant frequency of a crystal
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0291 Labels or tickets undergoing a change under particular conditions, e.g. heat, radiation, passage of time
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/30 in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell controlling light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. electro-optical or magneto-optical cell, G02F1/00

Abstract

An electronic assembly may be contained in a label that performs time-temperature integration (TTI) and indicates that time and/or temperature levels have been reached that may compromise the quality, shelf life, or safety of the item to which the label is affixed. The label may be used on a wide variety of objects that require careful handling in terms of temperature and/or time elapsed before use. The labeling system includes circuitry that measures and calculates, and indictor(s) that signal that the time has come for discounted sale, and, later, that the time has come for disposal rather than sale. Optionally, the circuitry may act as an “over-temperature alarm” system, to measure, calculate, and indicate when a one-time temperature violation has occurred that is of such a magnitude that the item is immediately considered compromised or spoiled. The label may take the form of a flexible, disposable label that is typically powered by a small battery. Methods may include providing a temperature-variable oscillator or time-base, counting cycles of said oscillator within a logic circuit to determine when one or more preset total cycle counts is/are reached, and signaling when said total cycle count(s) is/are reached. Extra sensing, time-keeping, memory storage, and/or communication interface circuits may be incorporated to augment the electronic assembly'"'"'s and method'"'"'s capabilities.

Claims

1. An electronics assembly for monitoring and alerting persons to the spoilage of perishable products, comprising:

One or more oscillators or time-bases, and

One or more batteries or energy cells, and

An electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit, and

One or more indicators, wherein;

Each of said oscillators or time-bases and each of said monitoring and/or timing circuits is powered by said one or more batteries or energy cells, and each of said indicators is connected to said electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit, so that said assembly functions to perform time and/or time-temperature measurement and to provide alarm status at said one or more indicators when calculated alarm event times occur.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the electronic timing circuit contains a microcontroller and stored program codes.

11. The assembly of claim 10, comprising an environmental sensor that is a temperature sensor.

12. The assembly of claim 10 further comprising one or more environmental sensors, and an interface to said one or more environmental sensors.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein said one or more of said environmental sensors is selected from the group consisting of:

a humidity sensor, a sensor that detects physical orientation, an acceleration sensor, a sensor of atmospheric pressure, a sensor of molecular compounds, and combinations thereof.

14. The assembly of claim 10, further comprising one or more integrated circuit devices that communicate with said microcontroller via one or two-way serial interface.

15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein one of said devices is a real-time clock.

16. The assembly of claim 10, further comprising circuitry to facilitate inter-communication of data with said microcontroller via one or two-way serial interface.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein said circuitry facilitates wireless radio frequency communication of data.

18. The assembly of claim 16, wherein said circuitry facilitates wireless infrared communication of data.

2-9. -9. (canceled)

19-61. -61. (canceled)