Auditable authentication of event histories for shipped and stored objects
First Claim
1. A method for preventing alteration of event histories for objects held in a repository for a period of time, said objects being sensitive to events experienced thereby, said method comprising:
- a) sensing an event experienced by a said object;
b) recording an event signal that defines the sensed event;
c) transmitting a temporally ordered series of said event signals to a data storage apparatus, said data storage apparatus being operable to store said temporally ordered series of said event signals; and
d) safeguarding said data storage apparatus against alteration of said stored series of event signals wherein said sensing step (a) and recording step (b) are carried out by associating a tag with said object, said tag comprising an event sensor operable to record an event signal for describing an event experienced by said object, a data storage device operable to store data comprising identification data for identifying said radio frequency tag, said tag being operable to provide data signals comprising said event signal and an identification signal based upon said identification data, and an energy source for activating said event sensor and said data storage device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention relates to a method and system for auditably authenticating the histories of events (e.g. temperature levels) experienced by objects (e.g. pharmaceutical products, foodstuffs, etc.) during storage in repositories such as warehouses and movable shipping vehicles. The method involves a) sensing an event experienced by an object; b) recording an event signal that defines the sensed event; c) transmitting a temporally ordered series of the event signals to a data storage apparatus, the data storage apparatus being operable to store the temporally ordered series of the event signals; and d) safeguarding the aforesaid data storage apparatus against alteration of the stored series of event signals.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method for preventing alteration of event histories for objects held in a repository for a period of time, said objects being sensitive to events experienced thereby, said method comprising:
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a) sensing an event experienced by a said object; b) recording an event signal that defines the sensed event; c) transmitting a temporally ordered series of said event signals to a data storage apparatus, said data storage apparatus being operable to store said temporally ordered series of said event signals; and d) safeguarding said data storage apparatus against alteration of said stored series of event signals wherein said sensing step (a) and recording step (b) are carried out by associating a tag with said object, said tag comprising an event sensor operable to record an event signal for describing an event experienced by said object, a data storage device operable to store data comprising identification data for identifying said radio frequency tag, said tag being operable to provide data signals comprising said event signal and an identification signal based upon said identification data, and an energy source for activating said event sensor and said data storage device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for preventing alteration of event histories for objects held in a repository for a period of time, said objects being sensitive to events experienced thereby, said method comprising:
- a) associating a radio frequency (RF) tag with said object, said tag comprising an event sensor operable to record an event signal for describing an event experienced by said object, a data storage device operable to store data comprising identification data for identifying said radio frequency tag, a tag antenna operable at a radio frequency, a tag transmitter operatively connected to said tag antenna, said tag transmitter being operable at said radio frequency to transmit data signals comprising said event signal and an identification signal based upon said identification data, and an energy source for activating said event sensor and said tag transmitter;
b) reading said data signals, which comprise said event signal and said identification signal, from said tag transmitter of said RF tag; and
c) transmitting said data signals to a data storage apparatus, said data storage apparatus being operable to store a temporally ordered sequence of said event signals from said RF tag upon a medium which cannot be readily altered without detection. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
- a) associating a radio frequency (RF) tag with said object, said tag comprising an event sensor operable to record an event signal for describing an event experienced by said object, a data storage device operable to store data comprising identification data for identifying said radio frequency tag, a tag antenna operable at a radio frequency, a tag transmitter operatively connected to said tag antenna, said tag transmitter being operable at said radio frequency to transmit data signals comprising said event signal and an identification signal based upon said identification data, and an energy source for activating said event sensor and said tag transmitter;
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15. A system for preventing alteration of event histories for objects held in a repository for a period of time, said objects being sensitive to events experienced thereby, said system comprising:
- a) a tag carried by said object, said tag comprising an event sensor operable to record an event signal for describing an event experienced by said object, a data storage device operable to store data comprising identification data for identifying said tag, a tag transmitter operable to transmit data signals comprising said event signal and an identification signal based upon said identification data, and an energy source for activating said event sensor and said data storage device; and
b) a data storage apparatus in operative communication with said tag, said data storage apparatus being operable to store a temporally ordered sequence of said event signals upon a medium which cannot be readily altered without detection. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
- a) a tag carried by said object, said tag comprising an event sensor operable to record an event signal for describing an event experienced by said object, a data storage device operable to store data comprising identification data for identifying said tag, a tag transmitter operable to transmit data signals comprising said event signal and an identification signal based upon said identification data, and an energy source for activating said event sensor and said data storage device; and
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18. A system for preventing alteration of event histories for objects held in a repository for a period of time, said objects being sensitive to events experienced thereby, said system comprising:
- a) a radio frequency (RF) tag carried by a said object, said tag comprising an event sensor operable to record an event signal for describing an event experienced by said object, a data storage device operable to store data comprising identification data for identifying said radio frequency tag, a tag antenna operable at a radio frequency, a tag transmitter operatively connected to said tag antenna, said tag transmitter being operable at said radio frequency to transmit data signals comprising said event signal and an identification signal based upon said identification data, and an energy source for activating said event sensor and said tag transmitter;
b) at least one field antenna disposed at an orientation and within a distance from said object that permit effective communication with said RF tag at said radio frequency;
c) a reader in operative communication with said field antenna, said reader being operable to receive data signals from said RF tag; and
d) a data storage apparatus in operative communication with said reader, said data storage apparatus being operable to store a temporally ordered sequence of said event signals upon a medium which cannot be readily altered without detection. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
- a) a radio frequency (RF) tag carried by a said object, said tag comprising an event sensor operable to record an event signal for describing an event experienced by said object, a data storage device operable to store data comprising identification data for identifying said radio frequency tag, a tag antenna operable at a radio frequency, a tag transmitter operatively connected to said tag antenna, said tag transmitter being operable at said radio frequency to transmit data signals comprising said event signal and an identification signal based upon said identification data, and an energy source for activating said event sensor and said tag transmitter;
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22. A system for preventing alteration of event histories for objects held in a movable repository for a period of time, said objects being sensitive to events experienced thereby, said system comprising:
- a) a radio frequency (RF) tag carried by a said object, said tag comprising an event sensor operable to record an event signal for describing an event experienced by said object, a data storage device operable to store data comprising identification data for identifying said radio frequency tag, a tag antenna operable at a radio frequency, a tag transmitter operatively connected to said tag antenna, said tag transmitter being operable at said radio frequency to transmit data signals comprising said event signal and an identification signal based upon said identification data, and an energy source for activating said event sensor and said tag transmitter;
b) at least one field antenna disposed at an orientation and within a distance from said object that permit effective communication with said RF tag at said radio frequency;
c) a reader in operative communication with said field antenna, said reader being operable to receive data signals from said frequency tag;
d) a geographic position sensing (GPS) detector operable to record a location signal defining a geographic position of said movable repository, and d) a data storage apparatus in operative communication with said reader and said GPS detector, said data storage apparatus being operable to store a temporally ordered sequence of said event signals and corresponding location signals upon a medium which cannot be readily altered without detection. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
- a) a radio frequency (RF) tag carried by a said object, said tag comprising an event sensor operable to record an event signal for describing an event experienced by said object, a data storage device operable to store data comprising identification data for identifying said radio frequency tag, a tag antenna operable at a radio frequency, a tag transmitter operatively connected to said tag antenna, said tag transmitter being operable at said radio frequency to transmit data signals comprising said event signal and an identification signal based upon said identification data, and an energy source for activating said event sensor and said tag transmitter;
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36. A method for preventing alteration of event histories for objects held in a repository for a period of time, said objects being sensitive to events experienced thereby, said method comprising:
- a) sensing an event experienced by said object upon a tag associated therewith;
b) unalterably recording an event signal that defines the sensed event upon a write-once-only data storage device that is part of said tag;
c) transmitting a temporally ordered series of said event signals to a data storage apparatus, said data storage apparatus being operable to store said temporally ordered series of said event signals; and
d) safeguarding said data storage apparatus against alteration of said stored series of event signals.
- a) sensing an event experienced by said object upon a tag associated therewith;
- 37. A tag for use in system for preventing alteration of event histories for objects held in a repository for a period of time, said objects being sensitive to events experienced thereby, said tag being adapted for association with a said object, said tag comprising an event sensor operable to record an event signal for describing an event experienced by said object, a write-once-only data storage device operable to store, in an unalterable manner, data comprising said event signal, a tag transmitter operable to transmit data signals comprising said event signal, and an energy source for activating said event sensor and said write-once-only data storage device.
Specification