Visibility radio cap and network

• US 20080218348A1
• Filed: 03/13/2008
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visible Assets Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visible Assets Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Waterhouse, Paul, August, Jason, Stevens, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,864,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

A pedigree tag for tracking and validating authenticity of contents in a container includes: a radio frequency modem operable at a low radio frequency, not exceeding one megahertz, and including a full duplex transmitter and receiver; an antenna operatively coupled with the radio frequency modem; a programmable microprocessor operatively coupled with the radio frequency modem; a memory operatively coupled with the programmable microprocessor; a clock; and a connector for connecting a power source for providing power to the microprocessor; wherein the pedigree tag is in a form factor conformable to the container to which it is affixed.

Claims

1. A pedigree tag for tracking and validating authenticity of contents in a container, the pedigree tag comprising:

a radio frequency modem operable at a low radio frequency not exceeding one megahertz, said radio frequency modem comprising a full duplex transmitter and receiver;

an antenna operatively coupled with the radio frequency modem;

a programmable microprocessor operatively coupled with the radio frequency modem, wherein said programmable microprocessor is fully programmable within a network;

a memory operatively coupled with the programmable microprocessor, said memory comprising identification data for identifying the contents and the container; and

a clock.

2. The pedigree tag of claim 1 wherein said pedigree tag comprises a form factor conformable to the container to which it is affixed.

3. The pedigree tag of claim 2 wherein said pedigree tag is circular and made to an exact circumference of a bottle top so that said pedigree tag does not extend beyond the circumference of said bottle top when affixed to said bottle top.

4. The pedigree tag of claim 1 wherein said pedigree tag is of a form factor made to fit over and at least partially cover a bottle top.

5. The pedigree tag of claim 1 wherein said pedigree tag is of a form factor made to fit on a bottom of the container.

6. The pedigree tag of claim 5 wherein said pedigree tag is of a form factor made to fit snugly within a concave base of a bottle.

7. The pedigree tag of claim 1 wherein said pedigree tag is of a form factor made to be implanted within a container.

8. The pedigree tag of claim 7 wherein said pedigree tag is attached to a bottom of a cork.

9. The pedigree tag of claim 7 wherein said pedigree tag is attached to an inside bottom of a container cap.

10. The pedigree tag of claim 9 wherein the antenna comprises a material which is non-reactive to wine.

11. The pedigree tag of claim 1 wherein the identification data comprises a unique identification number for said pedigree tag, and at least one of:

a unique identification number for the container, pedigree data about the contents, pedigree data about the container, status history, inventory history, and content certification.

12. The pedigree tag of claim 11 wherein the pedigree data about the contents comprises:

a harvest date, a bottling date, and provenance data.

13. The pedigree tag of claim 11 wherein the status history comprises at least one of:

temperature history, loss of pressure history, cork history, jog history, and light history.

14. The pedigree tag of claim 1 further comprising at least one sensor disposed on a surface of said pedigree tag, said at least one sensor operable to detect a specified condition selected from a group consisting of:

movement, acceleration, chemical composition, sugar content, temperature, and pressurization.

15. The pedigree tag of claim 5 further comprising a photodiode for detecting any changes in light from the bottom of the container, indicating that the container has been handled.

16. The pedigree tag of claim 1 further comprising:

a display driver; and

an onboard display visible for presenting the identification data, wherein said onboard display is operatively coupled with the programmable microprocessor, and said onboard display is operable for displaying indicators that provide a conditional status of the contents in the container.

17. The pedigree tag of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency modem is operable to transmit and receive signals at a radio frequency less than 300 kilohertz.

18. The pedigree tag of claim 1 wherein the memory is operable for storing more than one kilobyte of the identification data.

19. The pedigree tag of claim 14 wherein the microprocessor is further configured to transmit a message responsive to a warning emitted from the at least one sensor.

20. The pedigree tag of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency modem operates on a simple polled protocol.

21. The pedigree tag of claim 1 wherein the receiver of the radio frequency modem is operable to receive low radio frequency signals continuously.

22. The pedigree tag of claim 1 further comprising a connector for connecting a power source for providing power to the microprocessor.

23. A pedigree visibility network comprising:

a plurality of containers with pedigree tags affixed to said containers, the pedigree tags comprising data about contents of said containers;

a base station configured for transmission of signals to and reception of signals from the plurality of pedigree tags;

a computer in communication with the base station;

said computer comprising software for enabling real-time transmissions and a network interface; and

a graphical user interface for enabling a user to read and write data to be transmitted to and from the plurality of pedigree tags.

24. The pedigree visibility network of claim 23 further comprising:

a router configured to read from and write to the pedigree tags; and

at least one additional loop antenna for expanding transmission range of the pedigree tags.

25. The pedigree visibility network of claim 23 further comprising a handheld reader for transmitting to and receiving data from the pedigree tags.

26. The pedigree visibility network of claim 23 wherein the base station is connected to the computer through a port on the computer.

27. The pedigree visibility network of claim 23 wherein the base station is wirelessly coupled with the computer.

28. A method for enabling a pedigree tag visibility network, the method comprising steps of:

initializing a pedigree tag with a unique identifier and a network identifier;

affixing the pedigree tag onto a container, depending on the pedigree tag'"'"'s form factor;

transmitting data to the pedigree tag;

monitoring data recorded by the pedigree tag; and

deactivating the pedigree tag.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein data is transmitted to the pedigree tag from a base station.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein data is transmitted to the pedigree tag from remote data storage location.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein the pedigree tag is affixed to the container using adhesive.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein monitoring the data comprises monitoring data recorded by the pedigree tag in response to sensor alerts.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising a step of altering data stored in the pedigree tag responsive to the sensor alerts.

34. The method of claim 28 wherein the pedigree tag is deactivated pursuant to a sensor alert.

35. The method of claim 28 wherein the deactivating occurs when the pedigree tag is removed from the container.

36. The method of claim 28 wherein the monitoring continues even after the pedigree tag has been removed from the container and the deactivating occurs pursuant to a user request.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein removal of the pedigree tag prompts the pedigree tag to record a timestamp of the removal.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein removal prompts automatic deactivation of the pedigree tag, depending on placement of the pedigree tag vis-à

-vis the container.

39. The method of claim 28 wherein the deactivating comprises software deactivation.

40. The method of claim 28 wherein the monitoring comprises remote web monitoring.