Systems and Methods of Alerting Customers to Changes in Product Temperatures During Delivery
First Claim
1. A customer alert system for product temperature compliance, the system comprising:
- a retail product intended to be maintained below one or more temperature threshold values through a supply chain delivery process, the supply chain delivery process including at least one portion thereof where the retail product is subject to an uncontrolled temperature environment;
a product database comprising recommended temperature threshold values for a plurality of retail products;
a plurality of irreversible thermochromic indicators, each thermochromic indicator having a predetermined activation temperature and being capable of irreversibly changing color from a first color to a second color when a temperature of the thermochromic indicator increases above the activation temperature during any point in time during the supply chain delivery process;
a customer user interface; and
a control circuit coupled to the product database and the customer user interface, the control circuit configured to;
identify the retail product intended to be maintained below one or more temperature threshold values through a supply chain delivery process;
determine, based at least on information about the retail product in the product database, a temperature threshold value of the retail product;
identify a thermochromic indicator from the plurality of a thermochromic indicators, the thermochromic indicator having an activation temperature that corresponds to the temperature threshold value of the retail product;
cause the thermochromic indicator to be affixed to the retail product prior to commencing the supply chain delivery process; and
obtain, via the customer user interface, verification from a customer receiving the retail product that the thermochromic indicator exhibits the first color.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, apparatuses and methods are provided herein for alerting customers to product temperature compliance during delivery whereby a retail product intended to be maintained below one or more temperature threshold values through a supply chain delivery process is identified, a temperature threshold value of the retail product is determined, an irreversible thermochromic indicator having an activation temperature that corresponds to the temperature threshold value of the retail product is identified, the thermochromic indicator is affixed to the retail product prior to commencing the supply chain delivery process, and verification, via a user interface, is obtained from a customer receiving the retail product that the thermochromic indicator is in its inactivated state.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A customer alert system for product temperature compliance, the system comprising:
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a retail product intended to be maintained below one or more temperature threshold values through a supply chain delivery process, the supply chain delivery process including at least one portion thereof where the retail product is subject to an uncontrolled temperature environment; a product database comprising recommended temperature threshold values for a plurality of retail products; a plurality of irreversible thermochromic indicators, each thermochromic indicator having a predetermined activation temperature and being capable of irreversibly changing color from a first color to a second color when a temperature of the thermochromic indicator increases above the activation temperature during any point in time during the supply chain delivery process; a customer user interface; and a control circuit coupled to the product database and the customer user interface, the control circuit configured to; identify the retail product intended to be maintained below one or more temperature threshold values through a supply chain delivery process; determine, based at least on information about the retail product in the product database, a temperature threshold value of the retail product; identify a thermochromic indicator from the plurality of a thermochromic indicators, the thermochromic indicator having an activation temperature that corresponds to the temperature threshold value of the retail product; cause the thermochromic indicator to be affixed to the retail product prior to commencing the supply chain delivery process; and obtain, via the customer user interface, verification from a customer receiving the retail product that the thermochromic indicator exhibits the first color. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for alerting a customer to product temperature compliance, the method comprising:
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identifying a retail product intended to be maintained below one or more temperature threshold values through a supply chain delivery process, the supply chain delivery process including at least one portion thereof where the retail product is subject to an uncontrolled temperature environment; determining, based at least on information about the retail product in a product database, a temperature threshold value of the retail product; identifying a thermochromic indicator having an activation temperature that corresponds to the temperature threshold value of the retail product from a plurality of irreversible thermochromic indicators, each thermochromic indicator having a predetermined activation temperature and being capable of irreversibly changing color from a first color to a second color when a temperature of the thermochromic indicator increases above the activation temperature during any point in time during the supply chain delivery process; causing the thermochromic indicator to be affixed to the retail product prior to commencing the supply chain delivery process; and obtaining, via a user interface, verification from a customer receiving the retail product that the thermochromic indicator exhibits the first color. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification