METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING THE CONDITION OF A TIME-TEMPERATURE INDICATOR

• US 20110084128A1
• Filed: 10/11/2009
• Published: 04/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dietrich Haarer, Lévy, Yoav
• Original Assignee: Freshpoint Quality Assurance Ltd.
• Inventors: Lévy, Yoav, Haarer, Dietrich
• Granted Patent: US 9,835,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 15/007 Testing
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/04 in respect of time
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 31/229 for investigating time/temperature history

Abstract

A device is presented for use in controlling the quality of a perishable object, while progressing on its supply line, by monitoring the condition of a time-temperature indicator (TTI) associated with the object. The device comprises a sensing assembly for detecting a response of the TTI to a predetermined stimulus and generating measured data representative thereof, said measured data being indicative of the condition of the TTI, thereby enabling the determination of the remaining shelf life of the TTI and thereby any perishable good to which it is attached and calibrated.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a monitored object while progressing on a supply chain, the system comprising a plurality of nodes, the monitored object being monitored at each node and the monitored object being physically progressed between said plurality of nodes forming the supply chain, each node comprising:

a. An identification object physically associated with the monitored object, wherein said identification object comprises a machine readable pattern having at least one feature of the pattern configured as a time-temperature indicator (TTI);

b. a sensing assembly for detecting a response of the TTI to a predetermined stimulus and generating measured data representative thereof, said measured data being indicative of the condition of the TTI;

c. a communication utility in communication with said sensing assembly for translating said measured data into an output signal; and

d. a control unit, said control unit communicating with said communication utility, said control unit comprising a data processing and analyzing utility for determining a status of said TTI.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said identification object is selected from the group consisting of a label, a tag and packaging material.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said sensing assembly comprises a light source generating predetermined incident light, and a light detector, and wherein the detected response includes a light response of the TTI to said predetermined incident light.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said light detector measures spectral data.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said light response is in the form of certain color saturation.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein said light response includes reflections of the incident light.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein said light response includes light transmitted through the TTI.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein said incident light is in a visible spectral range.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said light source is a flash lamp.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensing assembly and said communication utility are located remotely from said control unit.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said status of the monitored object is the freshness status.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a controller for determining whether the freshness status of the monitored object is sufficient for physically progressing the monitored object from a current node to a subsequent node in the supply chain according to a handshake protocol.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the supply chain is a chill chain.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said identification object is printed upon the monitored object itself.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said communication utility produces said output signal in the form of at least one of electrical, optical, RF and acoustic signal.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one node further comprises a barcode reader for reading a pattern on said identifying object to identify the monitored object.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein said controller determines at least a minimum freshness status according to said handshake protocol, such that the monitored object is not progressed along the supply chain if said minimum freshness status is not met.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said data processing and analyzing utility determines a quantitative measurement of said freshness status and wherein said controller determines at least said minimum freshness status according to said quantitative measurement.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said controller determines at least a minimum shelf life according to said quantitative measurement.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a receiving party at an end node at the end of the supply chain, said receiving party determining whether to accept the monitored object.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said receiving party comprises an end customer for purchasing the monitored object.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein said receiving party comprises a supermarket.