TRACEABILITY SYSTEM APPLIED TO FARM PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES, INDUSTRIALIZATION AND COMMERCIALIZATION OF BEE PRODUCTS

• US 20120143640A1
• Filed: 04/18/2008
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fundacao De Amparo A Pesquisa Do Estado De Minas Gerais-Fapemig, Universidade Federal De Lavras
• Original Assignee: Fundacao De Amparo A Pesquisa Do Estado De Minas Gerais-Fapemig, Universidade Federal De Lavras
• Inventors: Victorio, Ricardo Alexandre Da Silva Shimabukuro, Vargas, Gustavo Vilela, Chufi, Fernando Augusto, Takahashi, Thiago Yoshihiro Ito, San Juan, Fábio, Pataca, Caluã de Lacerda, Bomfim, José Luis Ponciano, Ramos, Adriana, Feliciano, Guilherme de Oliveira, Ribeiro, Maria Cristina Marcucci
• Application Number:
  US12/596,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20120143640A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management

Abstract

is a technological solution that mixes administrative, computational and electronic engineering knowledge, and aims to modernize the whole apicultural production chain. The administrative part of the ensemble proposes the use of small electronic equipment for all the activities of the field and industrial jobs. The equipment is carried attached to the user'"'"'s body, in such a manner that its presence influences the minimum possible in the user'"'"'s quotidian activities, maximizing its ergonomics quality. The equipment can be activated without using hands. Still from an administrative point of view, logistic processes for transferring and storing items, coupled with a complex but intuitive system of classes and subclasses of codes, assessed and monitored by the electronic equipment, register everything, in an automatic and inductive manner, leading the user to an inevitable recording of all the details in its daily activities. The computational and electronics knowledge used make possible that all the details idealized to register activities, the transfers and assets used, can be executed in practice. The result of the use of this solution is a conscious consumer, aware of the quality of the products consumed, a producer who is able to highlight the quality of his products produced with care, and a sector that learns how to know its potentials and can have modern and efficient tools to augment its productivity.

Claims

1. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, whose functional architecture is characterized by containing a traceability specific electronic equipment (A), a management software (SWG), a special protective clothing (B), a data acquisition process (PAD) based on classes and sub-classes of identification codes (that can be used Bar Code or RFID as identification technology), a specific logistic process (PL) for storage and transference (internal or external) of beehives, materials, products and merchandise, a security system (SS) and wireless communication system (CW).

2. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with the claim 1, characterized by containing a traceability specific electronic equipment (A) made up of one hardware (HW) which possesses, amongst other components, one Global Positioning System (GPS) module, digital display, memory for storage of collected information, bar code or RFID reader module, wireless communication equipment for long distances, integrated circuit and processor, all of them managed by a firmware, a software that is embedded in the hardware device.

3. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the fact that the electronic device to traceability (A) is not taken in hands, but it is tied up at the beekeeper'"'"'s body, a digital display also tied up at his forearm and a reader of bar code fixed at the back hand (at the same arm of the digital display) fixed at the glove (B1) of the special protective clothing (B) and the communication of all of this components could be by wireless or not.

4. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the bar code reader (LCB or RFID) of the device (A) to be started through another electronic device, fixed at the same glove where is fixed the bar code reader.

5. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the electronic device (A3), which is used to activate the bar code reader, to be compounded by two little metallic plates, both installed at the same glove, one at the index finger and the other at the thumb. Therefore, to turn on the code reader, the operator moves his fingers to put both metallic plates in contact.

6. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with the claim 1, characterized by being necessary only one hand to operate the equipment for reading the RFID or bar code labels. The operator needs only to point his arm (which carries the code reader) to the label and use the fingers of the same hand to press the button (A3) and activate the code reader.

7. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the traceability equipment (A), when not in use, to be connected and over a base (A1), which is installed in the operational management room (C) and is connected to a computer having the management software (SWG) installed.

8. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with the claim 1, characterized by having a management software (SWG) installed on the computer at the management room (C) to receive data from all traceability equipments (A), to process such data and make them available on screen or on paper, in a report format, to all workstations connected to this computer. Short information is presented on the display of the traceability equipments (A), always according to access authorization.

9. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with the claim 1, characterized by the special protective clothing (B) to have gloves with glue (or other product for fixation), on the back hand, for fixing the code reader, and at the cuff, for fixing a digital display. The special protective clothing to have special covering to protect the wires, when the components of the equipment (A) will not be wireless, pockets made by impermeable material to protect the equipment (A). The special protective clothing to have speakers and microphone at the hat, to communication between the beekeepers of the same team.

10. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with the claim 1, characterized by having a data acquisition process (PAD) that determines that all products, persons, vehicles, materials, tools, equipments, rooms, hives must be identified with bar codes or RFID labels, ordered in classes and sub-classes.

11. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by data acquisition process (PAD) to follow a functional logic based on sequences of classes and subclasses of codes (LCB or RFID) wherein The classes of codes are;

employee that operates the equipment (1);

other employees (2);

vehicles (3);

apiaries (4);

internal workplaces (5);

5 supplies, consumables and medicines (6);

beehives or bee families (7);

hive materials (8);

tools and equipments (9);

diseases (10);

theft or damage of hives or materials (11).

12. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the data acquisition process (PAD) to contain a class (1) of the employees that operate the equipments (A) as a unique class able to start de equipment (A) and than operate this equipment during the working day.

13. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the data acquisition process (PAD) to contain a class (2) of the other employees that do not operate the equipments (A).

14. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the data acquisition process (PAD) to contain a class (3) that represents all vehicles used to work.

15. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the data acquisition process (PAD) to contain a class (4) that represents all apiaries, whose GPS coordinates must be registered and where the beehives are located for production.

16. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the data process acquisition (PAD) to contain a class (5) that represents all departments to keep or process products (internal workplaces), and such departments are subdivided as follows;

management department (5.1), department to store materials (5.2) department to process products from the farm (5.3).

17. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, with the additional feature that in the data acquisition process (PAD), the subclass of code (5.2) is characterized by the following sequence of subclasses;

code of expedition of the materials warehouse (5.2.1);

Code of reception, selection and cleanness of the materials warehouse (5.2.2), Code of the identification place, assembly and exchange of parts of the materials warehouse (5.2.3) Code of place for introduction of wire and wax setting (5.2.4) Code of the materials painting place (5.2.5) Code of the place for storage of materials in the warehouse (5.2.6);

Code of the place for food preparation (5.2.7) and code of the warehouse (5.2.8).

18. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, with the additional feature that in the process of data acquisition (PAD) the subclass of codes (5.3) is characterized by the following sequence of subclasses;

code of the honey improvement area (5.3.1);

code of the pollen improvement area (5.3.2);

code of the poison improvement area (5.3.3);

code of the real jelly improvement area (5.3.4) code of the propolis improvement area (5.3.5) and code of the bee wax improvement area (5.3.6).

19. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, with the additional feature that in the process of data acquisition (PAD) the subclasses of codes (5.3.1 to 5.3.6) are characterized by containing sections for improvement of products, which are reception, expedition, deposit of finished products and specific sections for improvement of each product, having all these specific subclasses of codes, which will not be described specifically in this document.

20. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, with the additional feature that in the process of data acquisition (PAD) the subclass of codes (6) of supply, consumable and medicines, is characterized by the following subclasses;

codes of supplies (6.1);

codes of medicines (6.2); and

codes of consumable (6.3).

21. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according claim 1, with the additional feature that in the process of data acquisition (PAD) the subclass of codes (7) is characterized by being represented by beehives or bee families that must be installed in the apiaries (4).

22. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, with the additional feature that in the process of data acquisition (PAD) the subclass of codes (8) of apicultural materials, is characterized by the following subclasses of codes;

Codes of hive frames (8.1);

Codes of covers (8.2);

Codes of bottom board (8.3);

codes of hive support (8.4);

Codes of coverings (8.5);

Codes of boxes of nest (8.6);

Codes of boxes (8.7);

Codes of propolis collectors (8.8);

Codes of poison collectors (8.9);

Codes of pollen collectors (8.10);

Codes of queen excluder (8.11);

Codes of feeders (8.12);

codes of jelly production (8.13);

codes of queen production (8.14);

Codes of drawers for pollen collectors (8.15);

Codes collecting blade poison (8.16);

Codes of queen birth jails (8.17);

Codes of jails for transport and introduction of queens (8.18);

Codes of transport screens (8.19).

23. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, with the additional feature that in the process of data acquisition (PAD) the subclass of codes (9) of tools and equipment is characterized by subclasses identifying them for type, model and individually.

24. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, with the additional feature that, in the data acquisition process (PAD) the sub-class of codes (10) of bee diseases is characterized by identifying each disease by a code of this class.

25. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the data acquisition process (PAD) to contain in the class of codes (11) of theft or damage of bee families or materials, the following subclasses;

theft (11.1) or damage (11.2).

26. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, with the additional feature that the data acquisition process (PAD) is exclusively executed and fed with data by the traceability equipment (A) through subsequent readings of RFID or bar codes (LCB) ordered as classes and subclasses.

27. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by having each activity in the data acquisition process (PAD) executed with the traceability equipment (A) and registered through the reading of a unitary set or a set of a pair of RFID or bar codes (LCB), where each set has a unique interpretation or meaning in the process.

28. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the fact that in the data acquisition process (PAD) the readings of unitary sets of codes indicate to the system the beginning of an activity.

29. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by contain a data acquisition process (PAD) that, when it executes the readings of sets of pairs of codes, this indicates to the system that a material was integrated to another material (UI—

unit integrator—

unit that receives the other material) or that a material was integrated to a work environment (UI) internal or external (5 or

     4).

30. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by containing a data acquisition process (PAD) that, when it executes the readings of sets of pairs of RFID or bar codes (LCB), the reading of the first entity, followed by the reading of the code of the second, means for the system that the second was made available to the first entity (UI);

however, when the reading of the first entity is executed and this has a code of the class of consumables (6), this means for the system (PAD) that this material was yielded to the entity identified by the code read in the sequence (UI).

31. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by containing a data acquisition process (PAD) that is executed with the traceability equipment (A) by reading sets of pairs of RFID or bar codes (LCB), and when reading the code of the first entity (UI) followed by the reading of the code of several other entities (these recognized ones for the PAD as apt to form pairs with the first one) means for the system (PAD) that all the others had been yielded to the first one (UI). It is not necessary to read the first entity (UI) for repeated times preceding the reading of each one of the others that will be integrated, to indicate the formation of pairs of codes.

32. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the fact that the data acquisition process (PAD) registers activities with the traceability equipment (A) through the reading of sets of RFID or bar codes (LCB), where the reading of the code of an entity which integrates another entity (integrating unit UI) means to the system (PAD) that the job is being executed in this unit (UI), even if the code of the integrating unit (UI) has not been read.

33. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the following feature of the data acquisition process (PAD), executed with the traceability equipment (A) through the reading of unitary sets or pairs of RFID or bar codes (LCB);

when it reads the code of an entity which is an integrant part of another one (UI), independently of having read the code of the integrator entity (UI), and in the sequence it reads the code of another entity, which integrates another integrator unit (UI), the system will understand that the work that was being carried through inside of the previous unit (UI) has finished, and another work in another unit (UI) has initiated.

34. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1 characterized by having the data acquisition process (PAD), and all the wooden materials (hive frames, boxes, covers and bottom board) used to lodge a beehive, that are marked with individual codes (bars or RFID), ordered in classes and subclasses, optionally can receive pyrographic marking with the same number of the bar code, to serve as identification in eventual loss or damage of the code label or as patrimony identification.

35. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the execution of the logistic process (PL) to have the workplaces divided in internal (5) and external (4) environments.

36. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the execution of the logistic process (PL) to have in internal workplaces two types of sections;

one that receives materials or products, executes a processing and release to another section; and

another one that receives materials or products for transitory deposit and executes no processing.

37. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by having in the execution of the logistic process (PL) the sections of the internal workplaces divided in sub-areas, duly identified by marks on the ground, as well as by RFID or bar code (LCB).

38. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by containing a logistic process (PL) whose execution needs the sections of internal workplaces (the ones that receive material or product, process and release for another section) to be subdivided in entrance sub-areas and exit sub-areas, also duly identified by marks on the ground and by RFID or bar codes (LCB).

39. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by not being necessary the reading of the code of an item being removed from a unit integrator (UI) during the execution of the logistic process (PL), either in internal or external environment. The reading is only—

required for the insertion of the item in the new unit (UI), meaning that, for this operation, it is not necessary to indicate the withdrawal of the item from the previous environment, but the simple addition in the subsequent environment indicates for the data acquisition process (PAD) that it has been removed from the previous one.

40. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with the claim 1, characterized by—

implementing security requirements (SS) for the acquisition (SS1), the storage (SS2), the interpretation (SS3) and availability (SS4) of the data.

41. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the security system for the data acquisition (SS1), inserted in the logic of the firmware, a software (SW) embedded in the traceability equipment (A), which establishes mandatory procedures that induce the professional carrying the traceability equipment (A) to correctly collect data, preventing such professional of forgetting to collect essential data for guaranteeing the product traceability.

42. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the security system (SS1) inserted in the logic of the firmware, a software (SW) embedded in the traceability equipment (A) with the purpose alert the user about the insertion of data in the mandatory procedures, it has a device that induces the traceability equipment (A) to emit sound and luminous signals, whenever a mandatory procedure is not fulfilled.

43. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the security system (SS1) inserted in the logic of the firmware, a software (SW) embedded in the traceability equipment (A) which, according to the stages with mandatory procedures in predetermined sequence, has as first procedure, the procedure of removing the traceability equipment (A) from the base (A1), and it can only be executed by the operator employee (1).

44. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the security system (SS1) inserted in the logic of the firmware, a software (SW) embedded in the traceability equipment (A) which, according to stages with mandatory procedures in predetermined sequence, has as second procedure, the procedure executed by the operator employee (1) after removing the traceability equipment (A) from the base (A1);

to identify itself through the reading of its own code (LCB or RFID) in a period of time predetermined by the software (SW).

45. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the security system (SS1) inserted in the logic of the firmware, a software (SW) embedded in the traceability equipment (A), to have an agenda.

46. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the security system (SS1) inserted in the logic of the firmware, a software (SW) embedded in the traceability equipment (A) which, according to stages with mandatory 5 procedures in predetermined sequence, having as third procedure the procedure in which the operator employee (1) chooses in the menu of the traceability equipment (A) the option “

agenda”

.

47. “

Traceability system applied to farm production 10 activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the security system (SS1) inserted in the logic of the firmware, a software (SW) embedded in the traceability equipment (A), containing in the agenda with IEJ mandatory reading, information about the other employees (2) of the team, about the vehicle (3) that it will be used, about the location of the materials that must be taken, about the route that must be followed, about the places that must be visited and the works that will be carried through.

48. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according claim 1, characterized by the security system (SS1) inserted in the logic of the firmware, a software (SW) embedded in the traceability equipment (A) which, according to stages with mandatory procedures in predetermined sequence, has as fourth procedure the insertion of information through the reading of code or choice in the agenda menu, about the staff team (2) that will follow the operator employee (1) and the vehicle (3) that will be used, confirming or not what was foreseen in the agenda.

49. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the security system (SS1) inserted in the logic of the firmware, a software (SW) that is embedded in the traceability equipment (A) that, according to stages with mandatory procedures in predetermined sequence, has as fifth procedure the procedure of executing the reading of the code (joint unitary) of the place of the expedition (5.2.1), where there is also material to be collected and taken to the field.

50. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the security system (SS1) inserted in the logic of the firmware, a software (SW) embedded in the traceability equipment (A), which contains a function that turns on the alarm of the device, starting the emission of sonorous and luminous signals whenever the user do not insert information in the traceability equipment (A) about the other employees (2) who will follow the operator employee (1), or about the vehicle (3) that will be used, before executing the reading of the code (joint unitary) of the place of the expedition (5.2.1) where the material is being collected to be taken to the field.

51. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the security system (SS1) inserted in the logic of the firmware, a software (SW) embedded in the traceability equipment (A), which contains a function that turns on the alarm of the device, starting the emission of sonorous and luminous signals whenever the user does not execute the reading of the code (joint unitary) of the place of the expedition (5.2.1), where the material has been collected to be taken to the field, and the user leaves the expedition to a distance of an amount of meters above (verified by GPS) what was configured in the software (SW).

52. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the security system (SS1) inserted in the logic of the firmware, a software (SW) embedded in the traceability equipment (A), which contains a function to monitor the traceability equipment (A), by turning on and executing the reading of the geographic coordinates from time to time (minutes) in accordance with what was previously configured in software (SW).

53. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the security system (SS1) inserted in the logic of the firmware, a software (SW) embedded in the traceability equipment (A), which contains a function that, since being monitored by GPS, indicates to the carrier of the equipment (with sonorous and luminous signals) when the vehicle leaves the programmed route.

54. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the functioning of the security system of data storage (SS2), the software (SW) embedded in the traceability hardware (HW) implements a security requirement that registers in the internal memory of the hardware (HW), all the dates and hours that the traceability hardware (HW) was physically opened.

55. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the security system for data interpretation (SS3) inserted in the logic of the firmware, a software (SW) embedded in the traceability equipment (A), that implements a security requirement to automatic generation of signatures (keys of 128 bits) for each set of information collected by the traceability equipment (A). Each time that the traceability equipment (A) transfers the collected data to the management software (SWG) these signatures are stored in the non-volatile memory on the board of the traceability equipment (A) until its qualification, when these signatures will be compared with the signatures of the documentation generated and published by the user, thus validating or not the veracity of the generated traceability documents.

56. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the security system for data availability (SS4) inserted in the logic of the firmware, a software (SW) that is embedded in the traceability equipment (A), that implements a security requirement that crosses the information of global position (GPS) with the ones of reading of unitary sets or pairs of codes (RFID or bar code), in order to validate the operations carried through.

57. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with claim 1, characterized by the security system for data availability (SS4) inserted in the logic of the firmware, a software (SW) embedded in the traceability equipment (A), that implements a security requirement that compares collected data with the same type of data previously collected, crossing information as time of execution, measures of GPS, amount of involved employees, codes, executed task, makes statistical treatment and records the result of probability of adulteration of the acquired data.

58. “

Traceability system applied to farm production activities, industrialization and commercialization of bee products”

, according with the claim 1, characterized by the traceability equipment (A), which contains a wireless communication system for long distances (CW) which binds the central operational management center (C) to the traceability equipment (A) and makes available a communication channel for sending messages in the two directions, even if the operator (1) is distant from the central office (C).