Method for determining a parameter set of a perishable product and control system for implementing the method

• US 9,996,056 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2014
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Better Food GN 40 AG
• Original Assignee: Rieber AG
• Inventors: Maier, Max
• Primary Examiner(s): Bousono, Orlando
• Application Number:
  US14/334,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20150022313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 1/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1404 Methods for optical code recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a parameter set of a perishable product. According to the invention it is contemplated that an identification (ID) representing the perishable product is detected by a reading device, that the identification of the ID prompts a detection of the parameter set of the product, that a comparison between the identified parameter set and a reference parameter set is carried out, and that a control signal is generated and represented based on the comparison. The present invention further relates to a control system designed for implementing the method.

Claims

1. A method for determining a parameter set of a perishable product by a user, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting by a smartphone an identification representing the perishable product in a container;

(b) upon detection of the identification, automatically detecting, by a sensor, the parameter set of the perishable product;

(c) comparing the parameter set to a reference parameter set to prepare a comparison; and

(d) generating and presenting a control signal based on the comparison to the user to determine the quality of the perishable product;

wherein step (b) is performed by the smartphone controlling the sensor;

wherein step (b) is performed by the determining the parameter set simultaneously from two different positions inside the container.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the smartphone is connected to a database;

wherein the method further comprises the steps of transmitting the identification and the parameter set to the database, identifying by the database the reference parameter set linked to the identification, and transmitting by the database the control signal to the smartphone; and

wherein step (c) is performed by the database.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the smartphone is connected to a database;

wherein the method further comprises the steps of transmitting the identification to the database, identifying by the database the reference parameter set linked to the identification, and transmitting by the smartphone the control signal to the database; and

wherein step (c) is performed by the smartphone.

4. The method according claim 1, wherein the control signal comprises an error code when a deviation between the parameter set and the reference parameter set is greater than a threshold value.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control signal is optically or acoustically represented by the smartphone.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the control signal is linked to the identification and stored in the database for documentation purposes.

7. The method according to claim 2, further comprising a step of transmitting a request from the database to the smartphone to detect the parameter set.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (a) is performed by detecting the identification optically.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the identification in the smartphone in a pre-set form.

10. The method according to claim 3, wherein the control signal is linked to the identification and stored in the database for documentation purposes.

11. The method according to claim 3, further comprising a step of transmitting a request from the database to the smartphone to detect the parameter set.

12. A control system for determining a quality of a perishable product by a user, the system comprising:

a container;

a reference parameter set for describing a first condition of the perishable product;

an identified parameter set for describing a second condition of the perishable product, a comparison between the first condition and the second condition describing the quality of the perishable product;

a smartphone for detecting an identification representing the perishable product, the identified parameter set being temperature;

a sensor integrated with the smartphone or being controlled by the smartphone, the sensor for automatically detecting the identified parameter set of the product upon detection of the identification;

a control signal;

wherein the parameter set is compared to the reference parameter set to prepare the comparison, and the control signal based on the comparison is generated and presented to the user to determine the quality of the perishable product;

wherein the sensor determines the identified parameter set simultaneously from two different positions inside the container.

13. The control system according to claim 12, wherein the smartphone is connected to a database.

14. A method for determining a parameter set of a perishable product by a user, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting by a smartphone an identification representing the perishable product in a container;

(b) upon detection of the identification, automatically detecting, by a sensor, the parameter set of the perishable product;

(c) comparing the parameter set to a reference parameter set to prepare a comparison; and

(d) generating and presenting a control signal based on the comparison to the user to determine the quality of the perishable product;

wherein steps (a) and (b) are performed by the smartphone controlling the sensor;

wherein step (b) is performed by determining the parameter set simultaneously from two different positions inside the container.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the smartphone is connected to a database;

wherein the method further comprises the steps of transmitting the identification and the parameter set to the database, identifying by the database the reference parameter set linked to the identification, and transmitting by the database the control signal to the smartphone; and

wherein step (c) is performed by the database.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the smartphone is connected to a database;

wherein the method further comprises the steps of transmitting the identification to the database, identifying by the database a reference parameter set linked to the identification, and transmitting by the smartphone the control signal to the database; and

wherein step (c) is performed by the smartphone.

17. The method according claim 14, wherein the control signal comprises an error code when a deviation between the parameter set and the reference parameter set is greater than a threshold value.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the control signal is optically or acoustically represented by the smartphone.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the control signal is linked to the identification and stored in the database for documentation purposes.

20. The method according to claim 15, further comprising a step of transmitting a request from the database to the smartphone to detect the parameter set.