System and method for quality management utilizing barcode indicators

• US 8,528,808 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varcode, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Varcode, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nemet, Yaron, Brand, Ephraim
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSON, SONJI N
• Application Number:
  US12/598,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20100219235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,127 Days
• Field of Search: 436/2, 235/375, 235/462.01, 235/385
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 11/12 using changes in colour, translucency or reflectance
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A quality management system for products including a multiplicity of barcode indicators, each operative to provide a machine-readable indication of exceedance of at least one threshold by at least one product quality determining parameter, the at least one threshold being at least one of a time duration threshold and a combined temperature and time threshold, a barcode indicator reader operative to read the barcode indicators and to provide output indications and an indication interpreter operative to receive the output indications and to provide human sensible, product unit specific, product quality status outputs.

Claims

1. A quality management system for products comprising:

a multiplicity of variable barcode indicators, each operative to provide a machine-readable indication of exceedance of at least one threshold by at least one product quality determining parameter, said multiplicity of variable barcode indicators being operative to provide said machine-readable indication only upon said exceedance of said at least one threshold by said at least one product quality determining parameter occurring following actuation thereof, said actuation thereof occurring subsequent to manufacture thereof, each of said multiplicity of variable barcode indicators providing a machine-readable indication;

a) prior to said actuation,

b) following said actuation and prior to said exceedance, and

c) following said exceedance;

a barcode indicator reader operative to read said variable barcode indicators and to provide output indications; and

an indication interpreter operative to receive said output indications and to provide human sensible, product unit specific, product quality status outputs.

2. A quality management system according to claim 1 and wherein each of said multiplicity of variable barcode indicators comprises one or more delay layers suitable to prevent said variable barcode indicator from providing said machine readable indication prior to dissolution or disintegration of said one or more delay layers, and wherein said dissolution or disintegration of at least one of said one or more delay layers results in actuation of said variable barcode indicator.

3. A quality management system according to claim 2 and wherein said one or more delay layers are suitable to prevent the passage of coloring agents therethrough prior to dissolution or disintegration thereof.

4. A quality management system according to claim 2 and wherein each of said multiplicity of variable barcode indicators further comprises:

at least one barcode comprising transparent areas;

at least one colorable element; and

at least one coloring agent operative to pass through said one or more delay layers, after said one or more delay layers are dissolved or disintegrated and to diffuse through said at least one colorable element.

5. A quality management system according to claim 4 and wherein said at least one barcode has a fixed barcode portion and at least one selectably appearing barcode portion, both said fixed barcode portion and said at least one selectably appearing barcode portion being readable by a barcode reader.

6. A quality management system according to claim 2 and wherein at least one of said one or more delay layers is dissolvable by a solvent.

7. A quality management system according to claim 6 and wherein said solvent is temperature responsive.

8. A quality management system according to claim 2 and wherein the time which elapses until dissolution or disintegration of said one or more delay layers is determined at least partially by the thickness thereof.

9. A quality management system according to claim 1 and wherein each of said multiplicity of variable barcode indicators is operative to provide multiple machine-readable indications for exceedance of multiple ones of said thresholds.

10. A quality management system according to claim 1 and wherein said indication interpreter comprises a server communicating with said barcode indicator reader and providing at least one of a price indication, a shelf-life indication and a salability output indication.

11. A quality management system according to claim 1 and wherein said at least one threshold is at least one of a time duration threshold and a combined temperature and time threshold.

12. A management system according to claim 1 and wherein each of said multiplicity of variable barcode indicators provides:

a first machine-readable indication prior to said actuation,

a second machine-readable indication, different from said first machine-readable indication, following said actuation and prior to said exceedance; and

at least one third machine-readable indication, different from said first machine-readable indication and from said second machine-readable indication, following said exceedance.

13. A management system according to claim 1 and wherein each of said multiplicity of variable barcode indicators provides:

a first machine-readable indication prior to said exceedance; and

at least one second machine-readable indication, different from said first machine-readable indication, following said exceedance.

14. A variable barcode indicator operative to provide a machine-readable indication of exceedance of at least one threshold by at least one product quality determining parameter, said variable barcode indicator being operative to provide said machine-readable indication only upon said exceedance of said at least one threshold by said at least one product quality determining parameter occurring following actuation thereof, said actuation thereof occurring subsequent to manufacture thereof, said variable barcode indicator providing a machine-readable indication:

a) prior to said actuation,

b) following said actuation and prior to said exceedance, and

c) following said exceedance.

15. A method for quality management for products comprising:

employing a multiplicity of variable barcode indicators each operative to provide a machine-readable indication of exceedance of at least one threshold by at least one product quality determining parameter, said multiplicity of variable barcode indicators being operative to provide said machine-readable indication only upon said exceedance of said at least one threshold by said at least one product quality determining parameter occurring following actuation thereof, said actuation thereof occurring subsequent to manufacture thereof, each of said multiplicity of variable barcode indicators providing a machine-readable indication;

a) prior to said actuation,

b) following said actuation and prior to said exceedance, and

c) following said exceedance;

reading said variable barcode indicators and providing output indications therefrom;

receiving said output indications; and

interpreting said output indications to provide human sensible, product unit specific, product quality status outputs.