Methods, devices, and systems for secure transport of materials

• US 10,800,588 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2015
• Issued: 10/13/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Labrador Diagnostics LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Labrador Diagnostics LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Balwani, Sunny
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US14/865,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20160185503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,845 Days
• Field of Search: 340540
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/18 providing specific environment for contents, e.g. temperature above or below ambient with thermal insulation B65D81/38; ice-boxes with cooling means F25D
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/38 with thermal insulation vacuum bottles or the like A47J41/00 ; thermal insulation of domestic water storage heaters F24H1/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products

Abstract

Methods, devices, and systems for the secure transport of material are provided. A transported material may be a biological material, such as a biological sample. Material is only transferred to a courier having a unique, single-use authorization code. Authorization codes are provided to a courier only upon arrival at a proper location and at a designated time. Courier identification or code confirmation or authorization may also be required. Identification or other confirmation regarding a custodian, material to be transferred, or both, may be required. Courier images, custodian images, or both, may be required. An authorization code may include a bar code, a number, a letter, or other symbol or code. An authorization code, an image, route information, and other information may be communicated by cell-phone, WiFi, Bluetooth, or other link. Transport containers with temperature sensors and communication links, and storage containers with light sensors, memory, and communication links are provided.

Claims

1. A method for the storage of a biological material, comprising:

generating a unique, single-use authorization code specific for a proper courier and specific for a designated transfer location and a designated time period, wherein said generating is contingent upon the presence of the proper courier at the designated transfer location within the designated time period, and said unique, single-use authorization code is only generated following confirmation of the presence of the proper courier at the designated transfer location within the designated time period, said generating being performed by a processor that is part of a network comprising a server;

providing the proper courier with said unique, single-use authorization code specific for the proper courier and specific for the designated transfer location and the designated time period, wherein said providing is at the designated transfer location, said providing being performed following the arrival of the proper courier at the designated transfer location within the designated time period, said providing being contingent upon the presence of the proper courier at the designated transfer location within the designated time period, and being by electronic communication link to a network comprising a computer server;

placing a biological material in a storage container of the proper courier, wherein said storage container comprises an interior space, a portal providing access to said interior space, a lid configured to cover said portal in a first configuration effective to block access to said interior space, said lid configured to open effective to allow access to said interior space by way of said portal in a second configuration, a light sensor within said storage container configured to sense a light level within said interior space, and a communication link for communicating a light level sensed by said light sensor;

sensing a light level within said storage container; and

communicating said sensed light level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication link is selected from a display, a Bluetooth connection, a universal serial bus (USB) connection, a firewire connection, an Ethernet connection, a cell-phone connection, a WiFi connection, and other wireless connections.

3. A method for the storage of a biological material, comprising:

generating a unique, single-use authorization code specific for a proper courier and specific for a designated transfer location and a designated time period, wherein said generating is contingent upon the presence of the proper courier at the designated transfer location within the designated time period, and said unique, single-use authorization code is only generated following confirmation of the presence of the proper courier at the designated transfer location within the designated time period, said generating being performed by a processor that is part of a network comprising a server;

providing the proper courier with said unique, single-use authorization code specific for the proper courier and specific for the designated transfer location and the designated time period, wherein said providing is at the designated transfer location, said providing being performed following the arrival of the proper courier at the designated transfer location within the designated time period, said providing being contingent upon the presence of the proper courier at the designated transfer location within the designated time period, and being by electronic communication link to a network comprising a computer server;

placing a biological material in a storage container of the proper courier, wherein said storage container comprises an interior space, a portal providing access to said interior space, a lid configured to cover said portal in a first configuration effective to block access to said interior space, said lid configured to open effective to allow access to said interior space by way of said portal in a second configuration, a light sensor within said storage container configured to sense a light level within said interior space, and a communication link for communicating a light level sensed by said light sensor;

sensing a light level within said storage container; and

communicating said sensed light level;

said storage container further comprising;

a memory element configured to record a sensed light level;

and said method further comprising

recording said sensed light level in said memory.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said recording comprises recording each of a plurality of light levels at a corresponding plurality of recording times.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said communicating comprises communicating a plurality of said recorded light levels.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said communicating comprises communicating a value derived from a recorded light level or from a plurality of said recorded light levels.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising monitoring said communication by an operator.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said monitoring is selected from continuous monitoring and intermittent monitoring.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said monitoring comprises intermittent monitoring of said recorded light levels comprising monitoring at a first time and at least at a second time, said first and second times separated by a period of time, wherein said recorded light levels provide an effective record of light levels within said storage container over said period of time between said first and second times.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein said light level is communicated to an operator, wherein said operator is selected from a local operator and a remote operator.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said communicating said sensed light level comprises communicating an alert when said light level is outside a desired range.

12. A method for the storage of a biological material, comprising:

generating a unique, single-use authorization code specific for a proper courier and specific for a designated transfer location and a designated time period, wherein said generating is contingent upon the presence of the proper courier at the designated transfer location within the designated time period, and said unique, single-use authorization code is only generated following confirmation of the presence of the proper courier at the designated transfer location within the designated time period, said generating being performed by a processor that is part of a network comprising a server;

providing the proper courier with said unique, single-use authorization code specific for the proper courier and specific for the designated transfer location and the designated time period, wherein said providing is at the designated transfer location, said providing being performed following the arrival of the proper courier at the designated transfer location within the designated time period, said providing being contingent upon the presence of the proper courier at the designated transfer location within the designated time period, and being by electronic communication link to a network comprising a computer server;

placing a biological material in a storage container of the proper courier, wherein said storage container comprises an interior space, a portal providing access to said interior space, a lid configured to cover said portal in a first configuration effective to block access to said interior space, said lid configured to open effective to allow access to said interior space by way of said portal in a second configuration, a light sensor within said storage container configured to sense a light level within said interior space, and a communication link for communicating a light level sensed by said light sensor;

sensing a light level within said storage container; and

communicating said sensed light level;

wherein said communicating said sensed light level comprises communicating an alert when said light level is outside a desired range.