Product Integrity Tracking System, Shipping Label, And Associated Method

• US 20120123960A1
• Filed: 01/23/2012
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TVIPR LLC
• Original Assignee: PhatRat Technology LLC (PhatRat Technology)
• Inventors: Amsbury, Burl W., Jonjak, Paul, Larkin, Adrian, Youngs, Perry, Vock, Curtis A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,428,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/330
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/00 Footwear characterised by the shape or the use
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/06 Running shoes; Track shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/242 Packaging, i.e. for packaging the sensor or apparatus before use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/01 User's weight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 : Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/00 : Training appliances or apparatus for special sports training of parachutists B64D23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 : for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 : Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/00 : Measuring arrangements or details thereof, where the measuring technique is not covered by the other groups of this subclass, unspecified or not relevant
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/004 : for measuring coordinates of points
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 : Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/44 : for weighing persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/00 : Auxiliary devices for weighing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3728 : with wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/127 : for acceleration values
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/02 : by making use of inertia forces using solid seismic massesG01P15/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0891 : with indication of predetermined acceleration values G01P15/135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/00 : Measuring linear or angular speed; Measuring differences of linear or angular speeds G01P5/00 - G01P11/00 take precedence; direction and speed indication G01P13/045; counting mechanisms G06M
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 : Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 : Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 : Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A product integrity tracking shipping label includes a label body for attaching to a product to be shipped or to packaging containing the product. One or more movement monitoring configured with the label body detects a movement metric of the product. A microprocessor configured with the label body and in communication with the one or more movement monitoring devices time-tags the movement metric when the movement metric exceeds a pre-selected threshold. A product integrity tracking system includes a movement monitoring device with one or more sensors for attachment to a product or packaging containing the product. The movement monitoring device senses at least one movement event during handling of the product. A processor compares the movement event with a pre-selected event threshold, and time-tags and stores above-threshold movement events in a memory. Information in the memory is readable via an interrogation device during shipment or at product delivery.

Claims

1. Product integrity tracking system, comprising:

a movement monitoring device configured for attachment to a product to be shipped or to packaging containing the product, the movement monitoring device including;

a detector for detecting a movement metric of the device;

a clock; and

a processor in communication with the detector, for time-tagging the movement metric with time information from the clock when the movement metric crosses a pre-selected threshold.

2. The system of claim 1, the processor comprising memory for storing the time-tagged movement metric as a movement violation.

3. The system of claim 2, the memory accessible by a remote processor at a shipping destination to download the movement violation from the memory to the remote processor.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising a wireless transmitter in communication with the processor, for transmitting signals indicative of the movement violation to a remote receiver.

5. The system of claim 4, the wireless transmitter configured for transmitting the signals upon interrogation by the receiver, (a) during shipping, or (b) when the product reaches a shipping destination.

6. The system of claim 4, the wireless transmitter configured for automatically transmitting the movement violation to the remote receiver, the remote receiver being a passive receiver.

7. The system of claim 4, the wireless transmitter transmitting the movement violation signals to the remote receiver via the Internet.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a label body configured with the movement monitoring device.

9. The system of claim 8, the label body being a stick-on label body.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising a battery configured with the label body.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a protective wrapper configured with the label body, wherein the battery electrically couples with the movement monitoring device when the wrapper is opened, to power the movement monitoring device.

12. The system of claim 1, the movement monitoring device selected from the group of an accelerometer, a pressure sensor, a magnetorestrictive element, a hall-effect sensor, a vibration sensor and a spin sensor.

13. The system of claim 1, the movement metric selected from the group of acceleration, shock, airtime, speed, power, impact, pressure changes, free fall, drop distance, jarring and spin.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a GP S receiver for determining a location of the product, the processor tagging the time-tagged movement metric with the location to identify where an above threshold movement event occurred.

15. Product integrity tracking system, comprising:

a stick-on label body for attaching to a product to be shipped or packaging containing the product;

a movement monitoring device configured with the label body and having one or more detectors for sensing at least one movement event during handling of the product; and

a microprocessor configured with the label body and in communication with the movement monitoring device, the microprocessor (a) comparing the movement event with a movement threshold, and (b) storing an above-threshold movement events as a movement violation, in a memory.

16. The tracking system of claim 15, wherein the memory is accessible by an interrogation device during shipment or at product delivery.

17. The tracking system of claim 15, further comprising a wireless transmitter in communication with the microprocessor, wherein the movement violation is wirelessly transmitted to a remote receiver during shipping.

18. The tracking system of claim 17, the movement violation being transmitted to the remote receiver via an Internet connection.

19. The system of claim 15, the movement monitoring device selected from the group of a tri-axial accelerometer, a linear accelerometer, a rotational accelerometer, a vibration sensor, a pressure sensor, a magnetorestrictive element, a spin sensor and a hall-effect sensor.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising a GPS receiver chip configured with the label body, wherein the processor tags the movement violation with location determined by the GPS receiver chip, to identify where the movement violation occurred.

21. The system of claim 15, further comprising a real-time clock, the processor appending a time of occurrence to the movement violation.

22. Product integrity tracking shipping label, comprising:

a stick-on label body for attaching to a product to be shipped or packaging containing the product;

a detector configured with the label body and including a pressure sensor for generating a signal in response to movement of the label body;

a real time clock;

a processor for processing the signal to generate one or more movement events and for time-tagging the movement events with time information from the clock; and

a first communications port for communicating the movement events, tagged with the time information, to a receiver remote from the device.

23. A device of claim 22, wherein the processor processes pressure signals from the pressure sensor to determine one or more of (a) altitude variation over a preselected time interval, and (b) drop distance based upon variations in the pressure signals occurring within about ½

second to 5 seconds.

24. Product integrity tracking system, comprising:

a label body for attaching to a product or to packaging containing the product;

a detector configured with the label body and including a magnetorestrictive element for generating a signal in response to movement of the device;

a real-time clock;

a processor in communication with the clock and the detector, for processing the signal to generate one or more movement events and for time-tagging the movement events with time information from the clock, wherein the processor processes the signal from the magnetorestrictive element to determine one or more of spin, spin rate, and inversions of the device; and

a first communications port for communicating events, tagged with the time information, to a receiver remote from the device.