System and method for improved quality management in a product logistic chain

• US 9,349,086 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2015
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varcode, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Varcode, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nemet, Yaron, Brand, Ephraim
• Primary Examiner(s): HESS, DANIEL A
• Application Number:
  US14/595,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20150122880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/385, 235/494
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 11/12 using changes in colour, translucency or reflectance
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/00 Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/04 in respect of time
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 31/221 for investigating pH value
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 31/229 for investigating time/temperature history
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/02 Food
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/84 involving inorganic compounds or pH
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/10 at least one kind of marking being used for authentication, e.g. of credit or identity cards verification of coded identity or credit cards in mechanisms actuated by them G07F7/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1408 the method being specifically adapted for the type of code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06395 Quality analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

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

Claims

1. A product unit specific indicator operative to provide a machine-readable indication of exceedence of at least one acceleration threshold, said indicator comprising:

a mechanical indicator having a first operative orientation prior to exceedance of said at least one acceleration threshold and having a second operative orientation following exceedance of said at least one acceleration threshold;

at least a first part of said mechanical indicator being readable as part of a bar code when said mechanical indicator is in said first operative orientation, and

at least a second part of said mechanical indicator being readable as part of a bar code when said mechanical indicator is in said second operative orientation.

2. A product unit specific indicator according to claim 1 and wherein said mechanical indicator includes at least one pin which maintains said mechanical indicator in said first operative orientation.

3. A product unit specific indicator according to claim 2 and wherein said exceedence of at least one acceleration threshold causes breakage of said at least one pin, causing said mechanical indicator to assume said second operative orientation.

4. A product unit specific indicator according to claim 2 and wherein said exceedence of at least one acceleration threshold causes removal of said at least one pin, causing said mechanical indicator to assume said second operative orientation.

5. A quality management system for products comprising:

a multiplicity of product unit specific indicators, each operative to provide a machine-readable indication of exceedence of at least one acceleration threshold, each of said indicators comprising;

a mechanical indicator having a first operative orientation prior to exceedance of said at least one acceleration threshold and having a second operative orientation following exceedance of said at least one acceleration threshold;

at least a first part of said mechanical indicator being readable as part of a bar code when said mechanical indicator is in said first operative orientation, and

at least a second part of said mechanical indicator being readable as part of a bar code when said mechanical indicator is in said second operative orientation;

an indicator reader operative to read said product unit specific indicators and to provide output indications; and

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

6. A quality management system according to claim 5 and wherein said indicator reader is a bar code reader.

7. A method for quality management for products comprising:

attaching to products a multiplicity of product unit specific indicators, each operative to provide a machine-readable indication of exceedence of at least one acceleration threshold, each of said indicators comprising;

a mechanical indicator having a first operative orientation prior to exceedance of said at least one acceleration threshold and having a second operative orientation following exceedance of said at least one acceleration threshold;

at least a first part of said mechanical indicator being readable as part of a bar code when said mechanical indicator is in said first operative orientation, and

at least a second part of said mechanical indicator being readable as part of a bar code when said mechanical indicator is in said second operative orientation;

reading said product unit specific indicators and providing output indications therefrom; and

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