WARNING TAG AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING AN INDICATION RELEVANT TO SHELF LIFE OF A PRODUCT

• US 20120218105A1
• Filed: 01/31/2012
• Published: 08/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Inventors: Chang, Yao-Tsung
• Granted Patent: US 8,854,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 23/16 acting only at one preselected time or during one adjustable time interval
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 15/003 acting only at one preselected time or during one adjustable time interval
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/00 Registering, indicating or recording the time of events or elapsed time, e.g. time-recorders for work people registering or indicating the working of machines or vehicles G07C3/00, G07C5/00

Abstract

A warning tag for providing an indication relevant to shelf life of a product is to be disposed on a product. The warning tag includes a storage unit, a clock unit, a control unit and a warning unit. The storage unit stores product information of the product. The product information includes time data associated with end of the shelf life of the product. The clock unit generates a current time. The control unit is electrically coupled to the storage unit and the clock unit, and outputs a warning signal based on the current time and the end of the shelf life of the product. The warning unit is electrically coupled to the control unit, and generates the indication according to the warning signal.

Claims

1. A warning tag for providing an indication relevant to shelf life of a product, said warning tag comprising:

a storage unit for storing product information of the product, the product information including time data associated with end of the shelf life of the product;

a clock unit for generating a current time;

a control unit electrically coupled to said storage unit and said clock unit, said control unit outputting a warning signal based on the current time and the time data; and

a warning unit electrically coupled to said control unit, said warning unit generating the indication according to the warning signal.

2. The warning tag as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control unit outputs the warning signal for controlling said warning unit to generate the indication when the current time corresponds to an about-to-end time which approaches but does not exceed the end of the shelf life of the product or when the current time corresponds to or has exceeded the end of the shelf life of the product.

3. The warning tag as claimed in claim 2, wherein said warning unit includes a display module for displaying the product information.

4. The warning tag as claimed in claim 3, wherein said display module includes a flexible display, said control unit controlling said flexible display to display the time data in a first mode when the current time corresponds to or has exceeded the end of the shelf life of the product, said control unit controlling said flexible display to display the time data in a second mode when the current time corresponds to the about-to-end time.

5. The warning tag as claimed in claim 4, wherein said flexible display is an electronic paper.

6. The warning tag as claimed in claim 2, wherein said warning unit includes an audio module electrically coupled to said control unit, and said control unit outputs the warning signal for controlling said audio module to generate the indication in an audible form when the current time corresponds to the about-to-end time or when the current time corresponds to or has exceeded the end of the shelf life of the product.

7. The warning tag as claimed in claim 1, wherein said clock unit is a real-time clock.

8. The warning tag as claimed in claim 7, wherein said storage unit is integrated into said real-time clock.

9. A method for providing an indication relevant to shelf life of a product, said method to be implemented by a warning tag disposed on the product, said method comprising:

(A) accessing time data associated with end of the shelf life of the product, and a current time;

(B) making a first determination as to whether the current time corresponds to or has exceeded the end of the shelf life of the product;

(C) configuring the warning tag to generate the indication in a first mode when a result of the first determination is affirmative;

(D) when the result of the first determination is negative, making a second determination as to whether the current time corresponds to an about-to-end time which approaches but does not exceed the end of the shelf life of the product; and

(E) configuring the warning tag to generate the indication in a second mode when a result of the second determination is affirmative.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising, prior to step (A):

(F) configuring the warning tag to keep track of time so as to generate the current time, and proceeding to step (A) when the current time generated by the warning tag matches a preset time.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising, after step (E):

(G) resetting the preset time and configuring the warning tag to perform step (F).

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein, in step (D), step (G) is performed when the current time does not correspond to the about-to-end time.