Perishable product electronic label including time and temperature measurement
First Claim
1. An electronics assembly for monitoring and alerting persons to the spoilage of perishable products, comprising:
- one or more oscillators or time-bases;
one or more batteries or energy cells;
an electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit having one or more environmental sensors; and
one or more indicators where each of the oscillators or time-bases and each of the monitoring and/or timing circuits is powered by the one or more batteries or energy cells, and each of the indicators is connected to the electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit, so that the assembly functions to perform time and/or time-temperature measurement and to provide alarm status at the one or more indicators when calculated alarm event times occur.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
41 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An electronics assembly for monitoring and alerting persons to the spoilage of perishable products, comprising:
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one or more oscillators or time-bases;
one or more batteries or energy cells;
an electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit having one or more environmental sensors; and
one or more indicators where each of the oscillators or time-bases and each of the monitoring and/or timing circuits is powered by the one or more batteries or energy cells, and each of the indicators is connected to the electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit, so that the assembly functions to perform time and/or time-temperature measurement and to provide alarm status at the one or more indicators when calculated alarm event times occur. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A label for monitoring and alerting persons to the spoilage of perishable products, the label including an electronics assembly and an outer label cover, the electronics assembly comprising:
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one or more oscillators or time-bases;
one or more batteries or energy cells;
an electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit including one or more environmental sensors;
an extra-peripheral circuit having data memory storage or timing peripheral circuitry; and
one or more indicators, where each of the oscillators or time-bases and each of the monitoring and/or timing circuits is powered by the one or more batteries or energy cells, and each of the indicators is connected to the electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit, so that the assembly functions to perform time and/or time-temperature measurement and to provide alarm status at the one or more indicators when calculated alarm event times occur. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An electronics assembly for monitoring and alerting persons to the spoilage of perishable products, comprising:
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one or more oscillators or time-bases;
an electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit comprising one or more environmental sensors;
an extra-peripheral circuit comprising data memory storage or timing peripheral circuitry;
one or more indicators, where each of the indicators is connected to the electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit, so that the assembly functions to perform time and/or time-temperature measurement and to provide alarm status at the one or more indicators when calculated alarm event times occur; and
communication circuitry that facilitates wireless communication of data. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification