Temperature and Humidity Monitoring for Pharmacy Shipping Crate
First Claim
1. A monitoring device adapted to be affixed onto or placed within a shipping crate for transport from a shipping station to a recipient at a recipient location, and holding as contents thereof sensitive materials;
- the monitoring device identifying for the recipient and the shipping station, upon delivery, whether said contents, with said shipping crate having a body in which said sensitive materials are to be stored and shipped and a cover for closing off the body of the shipping crate;
the monitoring device comprising;
means securing the monitoring device onto or within the shipping crate;
sensor means disposed inside the shipping crate for sensing one or more conditions of the contents of said shipping crate during transit;
control circuit means coupled to said sensor means, providing a coded sequence representing a safe condition for said contents and providing a different coded sequence representing a compromised conditions of said contents based on sensor provided information concerning the contents of said shipping crate during transit; and
means for transmitting said coded sequence to said shipping station.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A monitor device is attached onto or inside a shipping crate for pharmaceutical shipments and monitors the temperature and/or humidity within the crate in transit to identify whether the contents are safe or compromised. A keyboard/display on the device provides an ID code that the recipient enters into a computer web page to communicate this ID code to the shipper or to a third-party agency. If the ID code represents a safe shipment, the shipper or third-party returns an acceptance message. If there has been a compromise, a different ID code is presented, and the web page instead returns a message to return the crate. A return envelope can be included for the recipient to return the monitor device to the shipper.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A monitoring device adapted to be affixed onto or placed within a shipping crate for transport from a shipping station to a recipient at a recipient location, and holding as contents thereof sensitive materials;
- the monitoring device identifying for the recipient and the shipping station, upon delivery, whether said contents, with said shipping crate having a body in which said sensitive materials are to be stored and shipped and a cover for closing off the body of the shipping crate;
the monitoring device comprising;
means securing the monitoring device onto or within the shipping crate;
sensor means disposed inside the shipping crate for sensing one or more conditions of the contents of said shipping crate during transit;
control circuit means coupled to said sensor means, providing a coded sequence representing a safe condition for said contents and providing a different coded sequence representing a compromised conditions of said contents based on sensor provided information concerning the contents of said shipping crate during transit; and
means for transmitting said coded sequence to said shipping station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- the monitoring device identifying for the recipient and the shipping station, upon delivery, whether said contents, with said shipping crate having a body in which said sensitive materials are to be stored and shipped and a cover for closing off the body of the shipping crate;
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14. A method of ensuring safe transport of a quantity of a sensitive material in a shipping crate from a shipping location to a receiving location, in which the shipping crate includes:
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a body in which sensitive materials are to be stored and shipped, and a cover which closes on said body;
with the method employing a monitor device, with one or more sensors situated within said shipping crate for detecting at least one environmental parameter of the interior of the shipping crate during transit;
the monitor device including control circuit means disposed on an exterior of said shipping crate, communicating with said one or more sensors, and including means providing a coded sequence to be communicated to a shipping station and representing a safe condition for said contents and providing a different coded sequence to be communicated with said shipping station and representing a compromised conditions of said contents based on conditions of said shipping crate during transit; and
means for electronically transmitting said coded sequence to said shipping location;
the method comprising;
{circle around (1)} sending the crate from said shipping location to said receiving location;
{circle around (2)} at said receiving location, obtaining from said crate said coded sequence and transmitting same to said shipping station;
{circle around (3)} where said coded sequence represents a safe condition of the contents of said crate, said shipping location transmitting to said receiving location a safe acceptance message;
but{circle around (4)} where said coded sequence represents a compromised condition of the contents of the shipping crate, said shipping station transmitting to said receiving location a message indicating possible compromise of said said opening code and instructions for safe disposition of said shipping crate and the contents thereof. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21)
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20. A method of safe shipment of a sensitive item in a shipping crate from a shipping location to a receiving location, in which the shipping crate includes:
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a body in which sensitive materials are to be stored and shipped and a cover which closes on said body;
closure means on said shipping crate for securing the cover closed on the body;
a monitor device held in place on or disposed within said shipping crate, including suitably programmed circuit means providing a coded sequence to be transmitted to a shipping station and representing a safe condition for said contents and providing a different coded sequence to be transmitted to said shipping station and representing a compromised conditions of said contents based on conditions of said shipping crate during transit; and
means for accepting an input code sequence;
the method comprising;
sending the crate, secured with said closure means, from said shipping location to said receiving location;
at said receiving location, obtaining from said crate said coded sequence and transmitting same to said shipping station;
where said coded sequence represents a compromised condition of the contents of the shipping crate, said shipping station transmitting to said receiving location a message providing a possible compromise message to the recipient; and
where said coded sequence represents a safe condition of the contents, said shipping station transmitting to said receiving location a safe acceptance message.
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Specification