APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MONITORING AND COMMUNICATING DATA ASSOCIATED WITH A PRODUCT

• US 20140055244A1
• Filed: 02/19/2013
• Published: 02/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infratab, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Infratab, Inc.
• Inventors: Burchell, Jonathan, Myers, Therese E., Kaye, Stanton, Pope, Gary W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,946,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/08 Sensors using Radio Frequency Identification [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/04 in respect of time
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 10/00 Apparatus for measuring unknown time intervals by electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A condition monitoring system includes a radio frequency transponder module including an RFID chip having a first memory, and an antenna; at least one sensor module that monitors data related to the condition of a product and includes a second memory for storing the monitored data; and a communication interface that couples the at least one sensor module to the RFID chip of the radio frequency transponder module so that the sensor module is operative to communicate with the RFID chip by way of the communication interface and the RFID chip first memory is operative to store data related to the product.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A condition monitoring system comprising:

a. a radio frequency transponder module including a RFID chip having a first memory, and an antenna;

b. at least one sensor module that monitors data related to the condition of a product and includes a second memory for storing the monitored data; and

c. a communication interface that couples the at least one sensor module to the RFID chip of the radio frequency transponder module, wherein the sensor module is operative to communicate with the RFID chip by way of the communication interface and the RFID chip first memory is operative to store data related to the product.

22. A system as in claim 21, wherein the radio frequency transponder module and the sensor module are formed on separate substrates and are communicatively coupled by way of the communication interface.

23. A system as in claim 21, wherein the radio frequency module and the sensor module comprise a single chip.

24. A system as in claim 21, comprising a condition control module said condition control module comprising an RF reader operative to communicate with the radio frequency transponder module to control the data sent to or received from the RFID chip first memory under software control.

25. A system as in claim 21, comprising a condition control module said condition control module comprising an RF reader operative to communicate with the radio frequency transponder module to control the data sent to or received from the RFID chip first memory.

26. A system as in claim 21, comprising a condition control module wherein the condition control module sends a where-are-you location request to the RFID chip first memory for the sensor module to activate the indicator display.

27. A system as in claim 21, comprising a condition control module wherein the condition control module sends a command to the RFID chip first memory to selectively lock or unlock data in the first or second memory of the condition monitoring system.

28. A system as in claim 21, wherein the sensor module communicates with the radio frequency transponder module by way of the communication interface to retrieve data and commands that have been sent to the RFID chip first memory for the sensor by the condition control module.

29. A system as in claim 21, wherein one or more additional sensors are communicatively coupled with said RFID transponder permitting the same or a different RFID reader, or both, to retrieve sensor data measured by the one or more additional sensors.

30. A system as in claim 21, wherein the RFID reader comprises a mobile device including a mobile operating system for running the condition control module.

31. A system as in claim 21, comprising a freshness determining module for receiving time- and temperature-dependent measurement data from the sensor and applying this measurement data to data representing one or more predefined temperature dependent shelf-life trends to determine a current freshness status.

32. A system as in claim 21, comprising a freshness determining module for further receiving humidity-dependent or other-sensor dependent measurement data, applying this measurement data to one or more predefined shelf life trends and updating the freshness status data.

33. A system as in claim 21, wherein a freshness determining module comprises an Arrhenius spoilage curve.

34. A system as in claim 21, wherein one or more predetermined trends of a freshness determining module comprises one or more data tables or equations or both.

35. A system as in claim 21, wherein at least one of trend of a freshness determining module comprises an exponential or linear decay component.

36. A system as in claim 21, wherein a freshness determining module comprises at least one trend wherein the trend is customizable to expected temperatures over a product'"'"'s shelf life.

37. A system as in claim 21, wherein a freshness determining module provides summary freshness information, or an alert when the freshness status data differs by a predetermined amount, or when a product is determined to be approaching an expected end of its shelf life or both.

38. A system as in claim 21, wherein a freshness determining module calculates freshness status data from an initial one-hundred percent freshness status.

39. A system as in claim 21, wherein a freshness determining module calculates freshness status wherein the end of life of the perishable is the Use-By date.

40. A system as in claim 21, wherein a freshness determining module calculates alerts based upon key times in the life of a perishable.

41. A system as in claim 21, wherein a freshness determining module calculates temperature alerts over or under a specific threshold temperature.

42. A system as in claim 21, wherein the freshness determining module calculates mean kinetic temperature.

43. A system as in claim 21, wherein a custody log is maintained comprising freshness status by custody period.

44. A system as in claim 21, wherein a history log is maintained by time and temperature.

45. A system as in claim 21, wherein a history log is maintained for each one percent of shelf life used.

46. A system as in claim 21, comprising at least one table for storing temperature calibration data.

47. A condition monitoring system, comprising a first and at least one second condition monitoring system wherein said second condition monitoring system is operative to receive data about the condition of a product from the first condition monitoring system.

48. A system as in claim 47, wherein the first condition monitoring system comprises a radio frequency transponder module and at least one sensor module operative to communicate freshness data and the at least one second condition comprises a condition monitoring system, a radio frequency transponder, a sensor with display, a barcode or a printed label.

49. A system as in claim 47, wherein the first condition monitoring system comprises a freshness determining module for calculating freshness status data from an initial one-hundred percent freshness status.

50. A system as in claim 47, wherein the first condition monitoring system comprises a freshness determining module for calculating freshness status alerts over or under predetermined temperature thresholds.

51. A system as in claim 47 wherein the at least one second condition monitoring system is communicatively coupled to the first condition monitoring system.

52. A system as in claim 47, wherein the at least one second condition monitoring system is physically separate from the first condition monitoring system.

53. A system as in claim 47, comprising a condition control module, said condition control module comprising an RF reader operative to send data from the first condition monitoring system to the second condition monitoring system.

54. A system as in claim 47, wherein the condition control module prints freshness status data from the first condition monitoring system to a printed label.

55. A system as in claim 47, wherein the first and second condition monitoring systems are formed on a common substrate in spaced-apart positions and are communicatively coupled.

56. A system as in claim 47 wherein the at least one second condition monitoring system has a different radio frequency from the first condition monitoring system.

57. A system as in claim 47, wherein the sensor of the first condition monitoring system sends data to RFID chip first memory of the first and at least one second condition monitoring system by way of the communication interface.

58. A condition monitoring system comprising:

a. a radio frequency transponder module including a RFID chip having a first memory, an antenna, at least one sensor and a communication interface for coupling at least one sensor module having a second memory to the RFID chip first memory, wherein the sensor module is operative to communicate with the RFID chip by way of the communications interface to send and receive data from the RFID chip and to store data about the product.

59. The condition monitoring system of claim 58, wherein the condition monitoring system is attached to a generally planar surface.

60. The condition monitoring system of claim 58, comprising a first substantially temperature-independent clock and a second temperature-dependent clock for sensing time and temperature.

61. The condition monitoring system of claim 58, comprising at least one table for storing calibrated temperature data.

62. The system of claim 58, wherein time and temperature are stored in memory as clock ticks.

63. A system as in claim 58, comprising a condition control module, said condition control module comprising an RF reader operative to communicate with the radio frequency transponder module to control the data sent to or received from the RFID chip first memory under software control.

64. A system as in claim 58, wherein the condition control module sends a command to the radio frequency transponder module for setting up battery assistance to enhance a radio frequency signal of the transponder module.

65. A system as in claim 58, comprising a freshness determining module for receiving time- and temperature-dependent measurement data from the sensor and applying this measurement data to data representing one or more predefined temperature dependent shelf life trends to determine a current freshness status.

66. A system as in claim 58, wherein a freshness determining module provides summary freshness information, or an alert when the freshness status data differs by a predetermined amount, or when a product is determined to be approaching an expected end of its shelf life or both.

67. A system as in claim 58, wherein a freshness determining module calculates freshness status data from an initial one-hundred percent freshness status.

68. A system as in claim 58, wherein a freshness determining module calculates temperature alerts over or under a specific threshold temperature.

69. A system as in claim 58, wherein the freshness determining module calculates mean kinetic temperature.

74. A method for calibrating temperature of an RFID condition monitoring system of claim 58, wherein calibration comprises:

a. determining a first reference wild temperature, expressed in clock ticks, for a specified number of clock periods, used to calculate a set of temperature values over a pre-determined temperature range,

b. determining s second reference compensated temperature, expressed in clock ticks, for a specified number of clock periods, wherein the compensated temperature is based upon an offset between the sensor determined temperature and the temperature measured by a calibrated temperature device,

c. determining a Q10 using the first and second reference temperatures and first and second reference clock periods and

d. applying the Q10 to the second reference compensated temperature to calculate a set of temperature compensated values over the pre-determined temperature range, wherein the set of compensated values are stored in memory of the condition monitoring tag.

75. The method of claim 74, wherein at least a third reference compensated temperature, for a specified number of clock periods, is used to increase the accuracy of the temperature calibration.

76. The system of claim 74, wherein temperature accuracy is improved by increasing the number of specified clock periods.

78. A method for calibrating temperature of an RFID condition monitoring system of claim 58, wherein calibration consists of:

a. determining a first system value from a first output value of a temperature sensor during a predetermined number of clock periods in a condition monitoring system and a second system value from a second output value of a temperature sensor during a predetermined number of clock periods in a condition monitoring system;

b. determining a first reference values from a first reference temperature outputs during a predetermined number of clock periods and a second reference value from a second reference temperature output during a predetermined number of clock periods; and

c. determining values in a table by comparing a first system value to a first reference values and a second system value to a second reference values.

79. A method for calibrating temperature of a RFID condition monitoring system of claim 58, wherein said calibration consists of:

a. determining two or more system values from two or more output values of a temperature sensor during two or more predetermined number of clock periods in a condition monitoring system;

b. determining two or more reference values from two or more reference temperature outputs during two or more predetermined number of clock periods; and

c. determining a system characteristic by comparing two or more system values;

d. determining a reference characteristic by comparing two or more system values; and

e. determining values in a table by comparing a system characteristic to a reference characteristic.

70. A radio frequency transponder module comprising a RFID chip and at least one sensor module, said RFID chip comprising a first memory, a condition sensor and a communication interface, said sensor module comprising a second memory wherein said sensor module is operative to communicate with the RFID chip by way of the communication interface to send and receive data from the RFID chip and to store data about the product.

71. A condition monitoring system comprising a radio frequency transponder module comprising an RFID chip having a memory, a condition sensor, an antenna and a communication interface to an external sensor, said system also comprising a substantially temperature independent clock and temperature dependent clock for sensing time and temperature.

73. A method for calibrating temperature of an radio frequency transponder module of claim 71, wherein calibration consists of:

a. determining one or more system values from one or more output values of a temperature sensor during one or more predetermined number of clock periods;

b. determining one or more reference values from one of more reference temperature outputs during one or more predetermined number of clock periods; and

c. determining values in a table by comparing one or more system values and one or more reference values.

72. A radio frequency transponder module comprising an RFID chip having a memory, a condition sensor, an antenna and a communications interface to an external sensor.

77. A method for sensing temperature of an RFID condition monitoring tag by referencing temperature compensated values stored in the memory of the condition monitoring tag.

80. A method for calibrating temperature of an RFID condition monitoring tag, wherein calibration consists of

a. determining one or more values from one or more output values of a temperature sensor during one or more predetermined number of clock periods,

b. determining one or more reference values from one or more reference temperature outputs during one or more clock periods;

c. determining a reference index based upon the system and reference values and

d. pre-calculating calibrated values and storing these values in a temperature table based upon reference temperature and reference index.

81. A method for increasing accuracy of the freshness calculation of a perishable comprising a specified trend table and sensing period, wherein the values of the trend table are pre-calculated by a condition control module using trend table and the tag'"'"'s calibrated temperature offset.