System and method for quality management utilizing barcode indicators

• US 9,996,783 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2017
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varcode, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Varcode, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nemet, Yaron, Brand, Ephraim, Tafesh, Ahmed M.
• Primary Examiner(s): HESS, DANIEL A
• Application Number:
  US15/486,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20170277988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• Field of Search: 235383, 235385, 235494
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/00 Indicating measured values
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/005 Indication of measured value by colour change
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 11/14 of inorganic materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/10 in respect of time, e.g. reacting only to a quick change of temperature
• 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 19/0614 the marking being selective to wavelength, e.g. color barcode or barcodes only visible under UV or IR methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers using a selected wavelength, see G06K7/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0615 the marking being of the rewritable type, e.g. thermo-chromic barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A quality management system for products including a multiplicity of barcoded quality indicators, a barcode indicator reader and a product type responsive indication interpreter, each of the barcoded quality indicators including a first barcode including at least one first colorable area, the first barcode being machine-readable before exceedance of the at least one time and temperature threshold, at least a second barcode including at least one second colorable area, the second barcode not being machine-readable before exceedance of the at least one time and temperature threshold, a coloring agent located at a first location on the indicator and a coloring agent pathway operative to allow the coloring agent to move, from the first location to the first and second colorable areas simultaneously thereby causing the first barcode to become unreadable and at the same time causing the second barcode to become machine-readable.

Claims

1. A barcoded quality indicator, operative to provide a machine-readable indication of exceedance of at least one threshold, comprising:

a first barcode being machine-readable following activation thereof and prior to exceedance of said at least one threshold, said first barcode not being machine-readable prior to activation thereof, which occurs automatically a predetermined time following actuation thereof, and not being machine-readable following exceedance of said at least one threshold; and

a second barcode not being machine-readable prior to activation thereof and exceedance of said at least one threshold and being machine readable following activation thereof and exceedance of said at least one threshold.

2. A barcoded quality indicator according to claim 1 and wherein:

said quality indicator further comprises a pull strip; and

removal of said pull strip actuates said indicator.

3. A barcoded quality indicator according to claim 1 and wherein:

said quality indicator further comprises an activation delay layer; and

said quality indicator is not activated until dissolution of said activation delay layer.

4. A barcoded quality indicator according to claim 1 and wherein, following activation thereof, said barcoded quality indicator provides a first machine-readable indication prior to said exceedance of said at least one threshold and a second machine-readable indication, different from said first machine-readable indication, following said exceedance of said at least one threshold.

5. A barcoded quality indicator, operative to provide a machine-readable indication of exceedance of at least one threshold, comprising:

a first barcode being machine-readable following activation thereof and prior to exceedance of said at least one threshold, said first barcode not being machine-readable prior to activation thereof, which occurs automatically a predetermined time following manufacture thereof, and not being machine-readable following exceedance of said at least one threshold; and

a second barcode not being machine-readable prior to activation thereof and exceedance of said at least one threshold and being machine readable following activation thereof and exceedance of said at least one threshold.

6. A barcoded quality indicator according to claim 5 and wherein:

said quality indicator further comprises an activation delay layer; and

said quality indicator is not activated until dissolution of said activation delay layer.

7. A barcoded quality indicator according to claim 5 and wherein, following activation thereof, said barcoded quality indicator provides a first machine-readable indication prior to said exceedance of said at least one threshold and a second machine-readable indication, different from said first machine-readable indication, following said exceedance of said at least one threshold.

8. A quality management system for products comprising:

a multiplicity of barcoded quality indicators each operative to provide a machine-readable indication of exceedance of at least one threshold, each of said indicators comprising;

a first barcode being machine-readable following activation thereof and prior to exceedance of said at least one threshold, said first barcode not being machine-readable prior to activation thereof, which occurs automatically a predetermined time following manufacture or actuation thereof, and not being machine-readable following exceedance of said at least one threshold;

a second barcode not being machine-readable prior to activation thereof and exceedance of said at least one threshold and being machine readable following exceedance of said at least one threshold;

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

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

9. A quality management system for products according to claim 8 and wherein:

at least one of said quality indicators further comprises an activation delay layer; and

said at least one of said quality indicators is not activated until dissolution of said activation delay layer.

10. A quality management system for products according to claim 8 and wherein, following activation thereof, at least one of said barcoded quality indicators provides a first machine-readable indication prior to said exceedance of said at least one threshold and a second machine-readable indication, different from said first machine-readable indication, following said exceedance of said at least one threshold.

11. A method for providing quality management for products comprising:

employing a multiplicity of barcoded quality indicators each operative to provide a machine-readable indication of exceedance of at least one threshold, each of said indicators comprising;

a first barcode being machine-readable following activation thereof and prior to exceedance of said at least one threshold, said first barcode not being machine-readable prior to activation thereof, which occurs automatically a predetermined time following manufacture or actuation thereof, and not being machine-readable following exceedance of said at least one threshold;

a second barcode not being machine-readable prior to activation thereof and exceedance of said at least one threshold and being machine readable following exceedance of said at least one threshold;

reading said barcoded quality indicators to provide output indications;

receiving said output indications; and

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