Electronic tag and method for using an electronic tag configured to track at least one plant

• US 8,373,563 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2008
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Kare, Jordin T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US12/283,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20090231101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,617 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/572.8, 340/572.9, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/539.22, 340/539.26, 340/10.1, 340/10.3, 340/10.4, 340/4.11, 340/4.14, 705/23, 405/45, 47/65, 702/2, 702/5, 235/375, 235/385, 342/357.48, 342/357.62, 227/147, 227/152, 81/23
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/006 Labels or label holders specially adapted for plant receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/75 by polling or interrogating the sub-stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A system for tracking at least one plant includes an electronic tag including an interrogation interface and memory circuitry and a package for the electronic tag, the package being configured for physical association with at least one corresponding plant. The package may be configured for self-contained physical association with the at least one plant. The electronic tag may be interrogated by multiple trading partners in a supply chain.

Claims

1. A system for tracking at least one plant, comprising:

an electronic tag including an interrogation interface and memory circuitry, the electronic tag further including at least one of a radio frequency tag, a passive radio frequency tag, an active radio frequency tag, a backscatter radio frequency tag, a half-duplex radio frequency tag, a full-duplex radio frequency tag, a touch memory device, a proximity card, a photonic tag, or a smart card; and

a package for the electronic tag, the package being configured to protect the electronic tag from at least one environment including the at least one plant and at least one of moisture, water, pH variation, corresponding to herbicide application, or corresponding to fertilizer application, the package further configured to biodegrade after a completion of passage of the at least one plant through at least a portion of a supply chain, and the package additionally further configured for self-contained physical association with at least one corresponding plant.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic tag is configured to receive data across the interrogation interface and store the data in the memory circuitry.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic tag is configured to transmit data from the memory circuitry across the interrogation interface responsive to receipt of an interrogation signal.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the interrogation interface and memory circuitry are disposed substantially on an integrated circuit.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the package includes at least one of an integral tie, an attached elastic band, a plant stake, a plant label, a plant marker, a plant pot, a decorative pot, a hanging pot, a fiber pot, a peat pot, a coir pot, a plant tray, a seed flat, a starter tray, a plug tray, a propagation tray, a hydroponics container, a biodegradable material, a soil-born capsule, a non-soil potting mix-born capsule, a soil amendment-born capsule, a rooting medium-born capsule, a seed package, a bare root bag, a plant variety tag, a spike, a staple, a root ball wrap, burlap fabric, a seed mat, a fertilizer-born capsule, a chemical-born capsule, or a hydroponics-immersed capsule.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the package further includes printed indicia corresponding to the at least one plant.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the printed indicia includes at least one of a species name, a cross name, plant care instructions, a database location, a plant supplier name, an image of at least one mature plant, or an image of a bloom corresponding to the at least one plant.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the package is configured for self-contained physical association with the at least one corresponding plant while the at least one plant is transferred between at least two trading partners of a plant supply chain.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least two trading partners include at least two of a first farm, a second farm, a first nursery, a second nursery, a first wholesaler, a second wholesaler, a first transporter, a second transporter, a first warehouse, a second warehouse, a first retailer, a second retailer, or a consumer.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least two trading partners include a second organization that purchases the at least one plant from a first organization.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the purchase includes consideration other than money.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the package is configured to provide interrogation access during retention by at least two trading partners.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the package is configured to provide interrogation access during at least one physical transfer between trading partners.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the package is configured for association with the at least one plant during a period spanning a purchase by an end customer.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the package is configured to provide at least one of biocompatibility, compostability, reduced danger during processing, resistance to chemical assault, resistance to physical assault, improved installation characteristics, improved interrogation performance, or improved aesthetic appearance.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one corresponding plant includes at least one of at least one seed, cutting, rhizome, bulb, corm, tuber, annual, biennial, cut flower, perennial, grass, creeper, climber, vine, fern, shrub, bush, or tree.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the package includes a moisture-absorbing open cell foam configured to provide a more constant water supply to the roots of the at least one plant.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the package includes a mesh or fertilizer-coated mesh.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the package is configured to be embedded in the at least one plant.

20. A method for tracking at least one plant, comprising:

receiving an electronic tag including an interrogation interface and electronic memory circuitry in a package,

the package being configured to protect the electronic tag from at least one environment including the at least one plant, and at least one of moisture, water, pH variation, corresponding to herbicide application, or corresponding to fertilizer application,

the package further configured to biodegrade after a completion of passage of the at least one plant through at least a portion of a supply chain, and

the package additionally further configured for self-contained physical association with the at least one plant; and

physically associating the electronic tag, with the at least one plant such that the electronic tag remains physically associated with the at least one plant during transfer to at least one trading partner of a plant supply chain.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the package configured for self-contained physical association with the at least one plant includes a coupling formed integrally with the package for permanent or semi-permanent association with a plant or a group of plants.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

writing data corresponding to the at least one plant to the electronic tag.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the memory circuitry of the electronic tag includes data corresponding to the at least one plant.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the memory circuitry of the electronic tag includes identification data, and further comprising:

writing information corresponding to the at least one plant to an external database such that the information is correlated to the identification data.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the electronic tag is directly physically associated with the at least one plant.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the electronic tag is physically associated with an object that is, in turn, physically associated directly with the at least one plant.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

associating data corresponding to the at least one plant with the electronic tag; and

automatically transferring the associated data to at least one trading partner with the transfer of the at least one plant.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein associating data with the electronic tag includes writing data related to the at least one plant to the electronic tag via the interrogation interface.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein associating data with the electronic tag includes writing data related to the at least one plant to a database to which the electronic tag is correlated.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the package includes at least one of an integral tie, an attached elastic band, a plant stake, a plant label, a plant marker, a plant pot, a decorative pot, a hanging pot, a fiber pot, a peat pot, a coir pot, a plant tray, a seed flat, a starter tray, a plug tray, a propagation tray, a hydroponics container, a biodegradable material, a soil-born capsule, a non-soil potting mix-born capsule, a soil amendment-born capsule, a rooting medium-born capsule, a seed package, a bare root bag, a plant variety tag, a spike, a staple, a root ball wrap, burlap fabric, a seed mat, a fertilizer-born capsule, a chemical-born capsule, or a hydroponics-immersed capsule.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the package further includes printed indicia.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the printed indicia includes at least one of a species name, a cross name, plant care instructions, a database location, a plant supplier name, an image of at least one mature plant, or an image of a bloom corresponding to the at least one plant.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one trading partner includes at least one of a farm, a nursery, a wholesaler, a transporter, a warehouse, a retailer, or a consumer.

34. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one trading partner includes an organization that purchases the at least one plant.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the purchase includes consideration other than money.

36. The method of claim 20, wherein the electronic tag is configured to provide interrogation access during retention by at least two trading partners.

37. The method of claim 20, wherein the electronic tag is configured to provide interrogation access during at least one physical transfer between trading partners.

38. The method of claim 20, wherein the package is configured for association with the at least one plant during a period spanning a purchase by an end customer.

39. The method of claim 20, wherein the package is configured to provide at least one of biocompatibility, compostability, biodegradability, reduced danger during processing, resistance to chemical assault, resistance to physical assault, improved installation characteristics, improved interrogation performance, or improved aesthetic appearance.

40. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one plant includes at least one of at least one seed, cutting, rhizome, bulb, corm, tuber, annual, biennial, cut flower, perennial, grass, creeper, climber, vine, fern, shrub, bush, or tree.

41. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

transferring the at least one plant with the associated electronic tag to the trading partner; and

receiving an acknowledgement when the electronic tag is interrogated by the trading partner.

42. A method for tracking at least one plant, comprising:

receiving at least one plant including an electronic tag physically associated with the at least one plant, the electronic tag including at least one of a radio frequency tag, a passive radio frequency tag, an active radio frequency tag, a backscatter radio frequency tag, a half-duplex radio frequency tag, a full-duplex radio frequency tag, a touch memory device, a proximity card, a photonic tag, or a smart card; and

interrogating the electronic tag to receive information corresponding to the at least one plant, the electronic tag including a package configured to protect the electronic tag from an environment of the at least one plant, moisture, water, pH variation, corresponding to herbicide application, or corresponding to fertilizer application, the package further configured to biodegrade, and the package additionally further providing self-contained physical association of the electronic tag with the at least one plant.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the electronic tag is directly physically associated with the at least one plant.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the electronic tag is physically associated with an object that is, in turn, physically associated directly with the at least one plant.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the package includes at least one of an integral tie, an attached elastic band, a plant stake, a plant label, a plant marker, a plant pot, a decorative pot, a hanging pot, a fiber pot, a peat pot, a coir pot, a plant tray, a seed flat, a starter tray, a plug tray, a propagation tray, a hydroponics container, a biodegradable material, a soil-born capsule, a non-soil potting mix-born capsule, a soil amendment-born capsule, a rooting medium-born capsule, a seed package, a bare root bag, a plant variety tag, a spike, a staple, a root ball wrap, burlap fabric, a seed mat, a fertilizer-born capsule, a chemical-born capsule, or a hydroponics-immersed capsule.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein the electronic tag includes a package including printed indicia corresponding to the at least one plant.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the printed indicia includes at least one of a species name, a cross name, plant care instructions, a database location, an image of at least one mature plant, or an image of a bloom corresponding to the at least one plant.

48. The method of claim 42, wherein the electronic tag includes a package configured to protect the electronic tag from at least one environment including sunlight, moisture, water, heat, cold, shock, vibration, pH variation, corresponding to herbicide application, or corresponding to fertilizer application.

49. The method of claim 42, wherein the electronic tag includes a package configured to biodegrade after a completion of passage of the at least one plant through at least a portion of a supply chain.

50. The method of claim 42, wherein the memory circuitry of the electronic tag includes data corresponding to the at least one plant.

51. The method of claim 42 wherein the memory circuitry of the electronic tag includes identification data, and further comprising:

reading information corresponding to the at least one plant from an external database correlated to the identification data.

52. The method of claim 42, wherein the trading partner includes at least one of a farm, a nursery, a wholesaler, a transporter, a warehouse, a retailer, or a consumer.

53. The method of claim 42, wherein the at least one plant is received from a trading partner.

54. The method of claim 53, further comprising:

transmitting a receipt acknowledgement to the trading partner after interrogating the electronic tag.

55. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

automatically compensating the trading partner for the value of the at least one plant using money or consideration other than money upon interrogating the electronic tag.

56. The method of claim 42, wherein the electronic tag includes a package configured for association with the at least one plant during a period spanning a subsequent sale of the at least one plant.

57. The method of claim 42, wherein the at least one corresponding plant includes at least one of at least one seed, cutting, rhizome, bulb, corm, tuber, annual, biennial, cut flower, perennial, grass, creeper, climber, vine, fern, shrub, bush, or tree.

58. A system for tracking at least one plant, comprising:

an electronic tag including an interrogation interface and memory circuitry; and

a package embedding the electronic tag, the package configured as a plant container co-molded with the electronic tag or a screw body configured to be attached to the at least one plant, the package further configured to protect the electronic tag from the at least one plant and at least one of moisture, water, pH variation, corresponding to herbicide application, or corresponding to fertilizer application, and the package additionally further configured to biodegrade after a completion of passage of the at least one plant through at least a portion of a supply chain.