Device and method for identifying a container

• US 7,855,637 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fintegraph, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Forster, Ian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US11/514,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20070103295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.29, 340/603, 340/612, 340/572.1, 340/571, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/600, 340/604, 340/613, 340/618, 340/619, 340/693.5, 340/572.8
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 7/045 Casks, barrels, or drums in their entirety, e.g. beer barrels, i.e. presenting most of the following features like rolling beads, double walls, reinforcing and supporting beads for end walls thermally insulated barrels, B65D81/3802
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/08 Details
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0871 Level gauges for beverage storage containers level indicators in general G01F
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2966 making use of acoustical resonance or standing waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/804 containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 Communications between instruments or with remote terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wireless communication device and a method for identifying a container for containing contents such as solid, liquid, or gaseous materials. The device includes a wireless communication device for transmitting information regarding the container. A valve assembly is positioned over an opening in the container for controlling the flow of contents from the container. The wireless communication device is mounted within the valve assembly, and preferably within the ball. The wireless communication device communicates information to an interrogation reader. The temperature associated with the container and/or its contents may be determined by various techniques including thermal contact between the temperature sensor and the container, measuring the discharge rate in a discharge capacitor associated with the wireless communication device, and determining the maximum energy absorption frequency of the wireless communication device. The liquid level of the container may be determined by employing liquid level sensor techniques.

Claims

1. A device associated with a container containing contents, the device comprising:

a valve assembly configured to control passage of the contents of the container, wherein the valve assembly is positioned to be in contact with the contents inside the container;

a wireless communication device positioned with the valve assembly and configured to wirelessly communicate information associated with the container; and

a discharge capacitor associated with the wireless communication device;

wherein the wireless communication device is further configured to determine the temperature of the contents inside the container based on the discharge rate of the discharge capacitor.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to determine the temperature of the contents due to the discharge capacitor being in thermal contact with the container.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to linearly correlate a charge remaining on the discharge capacitor to the temperature.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device comprises a look-up table to correlate a charge remaining on the discharge capacitor to the temperature of the contents.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to communicate the temperature of the contents to a control system if the charge remaining on the discharge capacitor exceeds a predetermined value.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device further comprises means for communicating the temperature of the contents to a control system.

7. A device associated with a container containing contents, the device comprising:

a valve assembly configured to control passage of the contents of the container, wherein the valve assembly is positioned to be in contact with the contents inside the container; and

a wireless communication device positioned with the valve assembly and configured to wirelessly communicate information associated with the container;

wherein the valve assembly includes a gasket and a ball, wherein the wireless communication device is mounted within the gasket, wherein the ball is movably positioned between a closed orientation against the gasket configured to prevent the contents inside the container from exiting and an open orientation distanced from the gasket configured to allow the contents to exit the container, and wherein a slot that forms a portion of an antenna associated with the wireless communication device is formed between the ball and the gasket.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the antenna is located internal to the wireless communication device.

9. The device of claim 7, further comprising feed lines extending from the wireless communication device to the antenna.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the feed lines are connected directly to the antenna.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein feed lines extend between the wireless communication device and the slot.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the antenna comprises feed lines reactively coupled to the slot.

13. The device of claim 7, further comprising a temperature sensor operatively connected to the wireless communication device and configured to determine the temperature of the contents inside the container.

14. The device of claim 7, further comprising a liquid-level sensor operatively connected with the wireless communication device and configured to determine liquid level within the container.

15. A system, comprising:

a container having an outer wall forming an enclosed interior chamber configured to contain contents, the container further having an opening;

a valve assembly positioned over the opening and configured to control the escape of the contents, wherein the valve assembly includes a gasket and a ball, and wherein the ball is movably positioned between a closed orientation against the gasket configured to prevent the contents inside the container from exiting and an open orientation distanced from the gasket configured to allow the contents to exit the container; and

a wireless communication device positioned within the valve assembly and configured to wirelessly communicate information associated with the container;

wherein the wireless communication device is mounted within the gasket; and

wherein a slot antenna associated with the wireless communication device is formed between the ball and the gasket in the open orientation.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein a portion of the antenna is located internal to the wireless communication device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the antenna comprises feed lines extending from the wireless communication device to the antenna.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the feed lines are connected directly to the antenna.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein feed lines extend between the wireless communication device and the slot antenna.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the antenna comprises feed lines reactively coupled to the slot antenna.

21. The system of claim 15, further comprising a temperature sensor operatively connected to the wireless communication device and configured to determine the temperature of the contents inside the container.

22. The system of claim 15, further comprising a liquid-level sensor operatively connected with the wireless communication device and configured to determine liquid level within the container.

23. A method of monitoring information associated with contents contained within a container, the method comprising:

associating a wireless communication device with a valve assembly of the container wherein the valve assembly is positioned to be in contact with the contents;

associating a discharge capacitor with the wireless communication device;

determining information relating to a temperature associated with the contents based on a discharge rate of the discharge capacitor; and

communicating the information relating to a temperature associated with the contents via the wireless communication device to an interrogation reader.

24. A method of operating a wireless communication device to monitor information associated with contents contained within a container, the method comprising:

associating the wireless communication device with a valve assembly of the container, wherein the valve assembly is positioned to be in contact with the contents and includes a gasket and a ball separated by a slot, and wherein said associating the wireless communication device with the valve assembly includes coupling the wireless communication device to the slot such that the slot is configured to operate as a slot antenna;

determining information associated with the contents; and

communicating the information associated with the contents to an interrogation reader.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said associating the wireless communication device with a valve assembly comprises mounting the wireless communication device within the gasket and movably positioning the ball between a closed orientation against the gasket configured to prevent the contents inside the container from exiting and an open orientation distanced from the gasket configured to allow the contents to exit the container.