Product integrity tracking shipping label, and associated method

• US 8,126,675 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2010
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TVIPR LLC
• Original Assignee: PhatRat Technology LLC (PhatRat Technology)
• Inventors: Vock, Curtis A., Amsbury, Burl W., Jonjak, Paul, Larkin, Adrian, Youngs, Perry
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond, Edward
• Application Number:
  US12/968,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20110145162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 702/150, 702182-185, 702/188
• US Class Current: 702/150
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/00 Footwear characterised by the shape or the use
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/06 Running shoes; Track shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/242 Packaging, i.e. for packaging the sensor or apparatus before use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/01 User's weight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 : Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/00 : Training appliances or apparatus for special sports training of parachutists B64D23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 : for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 : Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/00 : Measuring arrangements or details thereof, where the measuring technique is not covered by the other groups of this subclass, unspecified or not relevant
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/004 : for measuring coordinates of points
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 : Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/44 : for weighing persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/00 : Auxiliary devices for weighing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3728 : with wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/127 : for acceleration values
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/02 : by making use of inertia forces using solid seismic massesG01P15/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0891 : with indication of predetermined acceleration values G01P15/135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/00 : Measuring linear or angular speed; Measuring differences of linear or angular speeds G01P5/00 - G01P11/00 take precedence; direction and speed indication G01P13/045; counting mechanisms G06M
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 : Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 : Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 : Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A product integrity tracking shipping label includes a label body for attaching to a product to be shipped or to packaging containing the product. One or more movement monitoring configured with the label body detects a movement metric of the product. A microprocessor configured with the label body and in communication with the one or more movement monitoring devices time-tags the movement metric when the movement metric exceeds a pre-selected threshold. A product integrity tracking system includes a movement monitoring device with one or more sensors for attachment to a product or packaging containing the product. The movement monitoring device senses at least one movement event during handling of the product. A processor compares the movement event with a pre-selected event threshold, and time-tags and stores above-threshold movement events in a memory. Information in the memory is readable via an interrogation device during shipment or at product delivery.

Claims

1. Product integrity tracking shipping label, comprising:

a stick-on label body for attaching to a product to be shipped;

one or more temperature sensing devices configured with the label body, for detecting temperature of the product; and

a microprocessor configured with the label body and in communication with the one or more temperature sensors, for time-tagging the temperature of the product when the temperature falls above or below a pre-selected threshold.

2. The label of claim 1, the microprocessor comprising memory for storing the time-tagged temperature as a temperature violation.

3. The label of claim 2, the memory accessible by a remote processor at a shipping destination to download the temperature violation from the memory to the remote processor.

4. The label of claim 2, further comprising a wireless transmitter in communication with the microprocessor, for transmitting signals indicative of the temperature violation to a remote receiver.

5. The label of claim 4, the wireless transmitter configured for transmitting the signals upon interrogation by the receiver, (a) during shipping, or (b) when the product reaches a shipping destination.

6. The label of claim 4, the wireless transmitter configured for automatically transmitting the temperature violation to the remote receiver, the remote receiver being a passive receiver.

7. The label of claim 4, the wireless transmitter transmitting the temperature violation signals to the remote receiver via the Internet.

8. The label of claim 1, the label body comprising an adhesive for attaching to the product.

9. The label of claim 1, further comprising a battery configured with the label body.

10. The label of claim 9, further comprising a protective wrapper configured with the label body, wherein the battery electrically couples with the one or more temperature sensing devices when the wrapper is opened, to power the one or more temperature sensing devices.

11. The label of claim 1, the label body further comprising one or more movement monitoring devices for detecting a movement metric of the product, the movement metric selected from the group of acceleration, shock, airtime, speed, power, impact, pressure changes, free fall, drop distance, jarring and spin.

12. The label of claim 11, the processor configured for time-tagging the movement metric when the movement metric exceeds a predetermined threshold.

13. The label of claim 1, the label body further comprising a GPS receiver for determining a location of the product, the processor tagging the time-tagged temperature with the location to identify where an above or below threshold temperature event occurred.

14. Product integrity tracking system comprising:

a stick-on label body for attaching to a product to be shipped;

a temperature sensor configured with the label body, for detecting temperature of the product;

a movement monitoring device configured with the label body and having one or more sensors for sensing at least one movement event during handling of the product;

a microprocessor configured with the label body and in communication with the temperature sensor and the movement monitoring device, the microprocessor (a) comparing the product temperature and the movement event with a predetermined acceptable temperature range and a movement threshold, (b) time-tagging temperature of the product when the temperature falls outside of the acceptable temperature range, (c) time-tagging the movement event when the movement event falls exceeds the movement threshold, and (d) storing time-tagged temperature as a temperature violation and the above-threshold event as a movement violation, in a memory.

15. The tracking system of claim 14, wherein the memory is accessible by an interrogation device during shipment or at product delivery.

16. The tracking system of claim 14, further comprising a wireless transmitter in communication with the microprocessor, wherein the temperature and movement violations are wirelessly transmitted to a remote receiver during shipping.

17. The tracking system of claim 16, the temperature and movement violations transmitted to the remote receiver via an Internet connection.

18. The system of claim 14, the movement monitoring device selected from the group of a tri-axial accelerometer, a linear accelerometer, a rotational accelerometer, a vibration sensor, a pressure sensor and a hall-effect sensor.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising a GPS receiver chip configured with the label body, wherein the processor tags the temperature violation or the movement violation with location determined by the GPS receiver chip, to identify where the temperature or movement violation occurred.

20. A system for monitoring integrity of shipped goods, comprising:

a stick-on shipping label for attachment to goods prior to shipping;

a temperature sensor integrated with the label, for sensing temperature of the goods;

at least one movement-monitoring sensor integrated with the label, for monitoring movement of the goods;

a GPS receiver chip integrated with the label, for determining location of the goods;

a microprocessor in communication with the temperature sensor, the movement-monitoring sensor and the GPS receiver chip, for (a) comparing temperature and movement of the goods to predetermined acceptable temperature and movement ranges, (b) for time-tagging unacceptable temperature and movement events, and (c) for tagging the unacceptable temperature and movement events with location information from the GPS receiver chip; and

a memory for storing location- and time-tagged temperature and movement events as temperature violations and movement violations.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a wireless transmitter disposed with the label, for transmitting signals indicative of the temperature violations or the movement violations to a remote receiver.

22. The system of claim 20, the microprocessor further configured for comparing the location of the time-tagged, unacceptable temperature and movement events with a shipping schedule, to determine one or both of (a) a party responsible for the goods during unacceptable temperature or movement, and (b) if the goods are in a correct shipping channel.

23. The system of claim 20, information from the memory accessible by a remote receiver at a shipping destination, the remote receiver comparing the time- and location-tagged temperature and movement violations with a shipping schedule, to determine one or both of (a) a party responsible for the goods during unacceptable temperature or movement, and (b) if the goods are in a correct shipping channel.

24. A method for tracking product integrity during shipment;

comprising;

sticking a shipping label having a temperature sensor and a movement sensor to the product;

monitoring temperature and movement events of the product during shipment, via the temperature and movement sensors;

time-tagging temperature events sensed by the temperature sensor during shipment that fall outside of a pre-determined acceptable temperature range;

time-tagging movement events sensed by the movement sensor during shipment that are above a pre-determined threshold level; and

identifying a location associated with (a) the unacceptable temperature events or (b) the above threshold movement events.

25. The method of claim 24, the movement sensor selected from the group of a tri-axial accelerometer, a linear accelerometer, a rotational accelerometer, a vibration sensor, a pressure sensor and a hall-effect sensor.

26. The method of claim 24, the movement sensor comprising a tri-axial accelerometer, the movement event comprising free-fall;

further comprising determining a drop distance of the product or the package using data indicative of the free-fall.