Perishable product electronic label including time and temperature measurement

• US 7,057,495 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2003
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Copeland Cold Chain LP
• Original Assignee: PakSense Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Debord, Wayne, Hatchet, Jim, Jensen, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US10/688,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20040156418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 340/309.16, 340/309.14, 340/309.15, 340/584, 340/585, 340/588, 340/539.1, 340/539.19, 340/870.17, 340/539.7, 368/10, 368/11, 368/28, 368/29, 368/72, 377/20, 377/25, 377/141, 374/103, 374/116, 374/117
• US Class Current: 340/309.16
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/04 in respect of time
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0291 Labels or tickets undergoing a change under particular conditions, e.g. heat, radiation, passage of time
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/208 Electronic labels, Labels integrating electronic displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/30 in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell controlling light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. electro-optical or magneto-optical cell, G02F1/00

Abstract

An electronic assembly may be contained in a label that performs time-temperature integration (TTI) and indicates that time and/or temperature levels have been reached that may compromise the quality, shelf life, or safety of the item to which the label is affixed. The label may be used on a wide variety of objects that require careful handling in terms of temperature and/or time elapsed before use. The labeling system includes circuitry that measures and calculates, and indictor(s) that signal that the time has come for discounted sale, and, later, that the time has come for disposal rather than sale. Optionally, the circuitry may act as an “over-temperature alarm” system, to measure, calculate, and indicate when a one-time temperature violation has occurred that is of such a magnitude that the item is immediately considered compromised or spoiled. The label may take the form of a flexible, disposable label that is typically powered by a small battery. Methods may include providing a temperature-variable oscillator or time-base, counting cycles of said oscillator within a logic circuit to determine when one or more preset total cycle counts is/are reached, and signaling when said total cycle count(s) is/are reached.

Claims

1. An electronics assembly for monitoring and alerting persons to the spoilage of perishable products, comprising:

One or more oscillators or time-bases;

One or more batteries or energy cells;

An electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit, wherein the electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit comprises a microcontroller and at least one register configured to tune the frequency of the one or more oscillators or time-bases; and

One or more indicators, wherein;

Each of said oscillators or time-bases and each of said monitoring and/or timing circuits is powered by said one or more batteries or energy cells, and each of said indicators is connected to said electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit, so that said assembly functions to perform time and/or time-temperature measurement and to provide alarm status at said one or more indicators when calculated alarm event times occur.

2. The invention of claim 1 that is incorporated into a label.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein the oscillator or time-base is temperature variable.

4. The invention in claim 1, wherein the oscillator or time-base is fixed-frequency.

5. The invention of claim 1, wherein the oscillator or time-base is able to be calibrated at the point of manufacturing.

6. The invention of claim 5, wherein the calibration is achieved with a memory register and capacitor summing technique.

7. The invention of claim 1, wherein the oscillator or time-base is a ring-type resonant circuit.

8. The invention of claim 1, wherein the oscillator or time-base employs a silicon-based resonant circuit.

9. The invention of claim 1, wherein the oscillator or time-base employs a resonant crystal.

10. The invention of claim 1, further comprising one or more audible alarm devices.

11. The invention of claim 1, wherein the electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit is capable of measuring temperature.

12. The invention of claim 1, wherein the electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit is incorporated into one or more integrated circuits.

13. The invention of claim 1, wherein the indicator or indicators are LEDs.

14. The invention of claim 1, wherein the indicator or indicators are LCDs.

15. A label for monitoring and alerting persons to the spoilage of perishable products, the label comprising an electronics assembly and an outer label cover, the electronics assembly comprising:

One or more oscillators or time-bases;

One or more temperature sensing elements;

One or more batteries or energy cells;

An electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit, wherein the electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit comprises a microcontroller and at least one register configured to tune the frequency of the one or more oscillators or time-bases; and

One or more indicators, wherein;

Each of said oscillators or time-bases and each of said monitoring and/or timing circuits is powered by said one or more batteries or energy cells, and each of said indicators is connected to said electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit, so that said assembly functions to perform time and/or time-temperature measurement and to provide alarm status at said one or more indicators when calculated alarm event times occur.

16. The invention of claim 15, wherein the oscillator or time-base is temperature variable.

17. The invention in claim 15, wherein the oscillator or time-base is fixed-frequency.

18. The invention of claim 15, wherein the oscillator or time-base is able to be calibrated at the point of manufacturing.

19. The invention of claim 18, wherein the calibration is achieved with a memory register and capacitor summing technique.

20. The invention of claim 15, wherein the oscillator or time-base is a ring-type resonant circuit.

21. The invention of claim 15, wherein the oscillator or time-base employs a silicon-based resonant circuit.

22. The invention of claim 15, wherein the oscillator or time-base employs a resonant crystal.

23. The invention of claim 15, further comprising one or more audible alarm devices.

24. The invention of claim 15, wherein the electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit is capable of measuring temperature.

25. The invention of claim 15, wherein the electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit is incorporated into one or more integrated circuits.

26. The invention of claim 15, wherein the visual indicator or indicators are LEDs.

27. The invention of claim 15, wherein the visual indicator or indicators are LCDs.

28. A time-temperature integrator comprising an electronics circuit assembly, said circuit assembly comprising:

One or more oscillators or time-bases;

One or more temperature sensing elements;

One or more batteries or energy cells;

An electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit, wherein the electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit comprises a microcontroller and at least one register configured to tune the frequency of the one or more oscillators or time-bases; and

One or more indicators, wherein;

Each of said oscillators or time-bases and each of said monitoring and/or timing circuits is powered by said one or more batteries or energy cells, and each of said indicators is connected to said electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit, so that said assembly functions to perform time and/or time-temperature measurement and to provide alarm status at said one or more indicators when calculated event times occur.

29. The invention of claim 28, wherein the oscillator or time-base is able to be calibrated at the point of manufacturing.

30. The invention of claim 29, wherein the calibration is achieved with a memory register and capacitor summing technique.

31. The invention of claim 28, wherein the oscillator or time-base is a ring-type resonant circuit.

32. The invention of claim 28, wherein the oscillator or time-base employs a silicon-based resonant circuit.

33. The invention of claim 28, wherein the oscillator or time-base employs a resonant crystal.

34. The invention of claim 28, further comprising one or more audible alarm devices.

35. The invention of claim 28, wherein the electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit is capable of measuring temperature.

36. The invention of claim 28, wherein the electronic monitoring and/or timing circuit is incorporated into one or more integrated circuits.

37. The invention of claim 28, wherein the indicator or indicators are LEDs.

38. The invention of claim 28, wherein the indicator or indicators are LCDs.

39. The invention of claim 28, wherein the oscillator or time-base is temperature variable.

40. The invention of claim 28, wherein the oscillator or time-base is fixed-frequency.