Device and method for identifying a container

• US 20070103295A1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fintegraph, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Forster, Ian
• Granted Patent: US 7,855,637 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.220
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 7/045 Casks, barrels, or drums in their entirety, e.g. beer barrels, i.e. presenting most of the following features like rolling beads, double walls, reinforcing and supporting beads for end walls thermally insulated barrels, B65D81/3802
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/08 Details
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0871 Level gauges for beverage storage containers level indicators in general G01F
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2966 making use of acoustical resonance or standing waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/804 containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 Communications between instruments or with remote terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure

Abstract

The present invention relates to an wireless communication device and method for identifying a container. The device includes a wireless communication device for transmitting information regarding the container. The container includes an outer wall forming an enclosed interior chamber for containing contents, such as solid, liquid, and/or gaseous materials. The container also includes an opening through which the container contents are distributed. A valve assembly is positioned over the opening for controlling the flow of contents from the container. The wireless communication device is mounted within the valve assembly, and preferably within the ball. The wireless communication device communicates information regarding the container and/or its contents to an interrogation reader. The temperature associated with the container and/or its contents may be determined by various techniques including thermal contact between the temperature sensor and the container, measuring the discharge rate in a discharge capacitor associated with the wireless communication device, and determining the maximum energy absorption frequency of the wireless communication device to correlate it to temperature. The liquid level of the container may be determined by employing liquid level sensor techniques.

Claims

1-120. -120. (canceled)

121. A device identifying a container containing contents, comprising:

a valve assembly for controlling passage of the contents to and from the container, said valve assembly positioned to be in contact with the contents inside the container;

a wireless communication device positioned with said valve assembly for wirelessly communicating information associated with the contain; and

a temperature sensor operatively connected to said wireless communication device for determining the temperature of the contents inside the container.

122. A device identifying a container containing contents, comprising:

a valve assembly for controlling passage of the contents to and from the container, said valve assembly positioned to be in contact with the contents inside the container;

a wireless communication device positioned with said valve assembly for wirelessly communicating information associated with the contain; and

a liquid level sensor operatively connected with said wireless communication device for determining liquid level within the container.