WO2023244140A1

WO2023244140A1 - Barcode

Info

Publication number: WO2023244140A1
Application number: PCT/RU2023/000177
Authority: WO
Inventors: Валерий Филиппович ИВАНОВ
Original assignee: Валерий Филиппович ИВАНОВ
Priority date: 2022-06-14
Filing date: 2023-06-13
Publication date: 2023-12-21

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of information technology, and more particularly to barcodes, and can be used for individually marking a good having a shelf-life that is dependent on its storage temperature. In the claimed barcode, a certain number of geometric shapes are made up of thermochromic substances, the optical parameters of which change in accordance with a change in temperature. Furthermore, a given number of additional optical parameters, as well as corresponding additional storage periods of the good, are contained, by means of a binary code, in newly added additional arrangements of geometric shapes situated within the boundaries of a rectangular field. This allows a consumer of the good to obtain information about the shelf-life thereof, taking into account the actual temperature conditions of storage.

Description

Bar code

Technical field

The invention relates to the field of information technology, in particular to bar codes, and can be used for individual labeling of goods, the shelf life of which depends on the storage temperature.

Prior Art

An analogue of the claimed invention is known from the prior art. This analogue is described in US patent No. 2612994 and represents a bar code (barcode) consisting of graphic objects in the form of geometric shapes located inside a rectangular field, having certain optical parameters, and through their location in the rectangular field carrying information in binary code about various characteristics of the product .

One of the latest trends to improve this analogue has been reduced to the creation of graphic objects using thermochromic substances, the optical parameters of which depend on temperature. Such a bar code is described in application US 2018/0253571, and the purpose of such an improvement is to increase the reliability of reading information after the code is exposed to factors that can damage the structure of its graphic objects.

The disadvantage of these analogues is that the data read from the codes does not contain information about the storage conditions of the goods indicated by these codes.

At the same time, there are sources that describe other analogues that do not have this drawback. Thus, in application JP 2019175033 And due to the use of thermochromic substances, a bar code can record the fact of violations of the conditions under which storage of goods is allowed. In another analogue, described in the application JP 2020087450 A and accepted as a prototype, also due to the use of special paints, the fact of violation of the storage conditions of the goods can be recorded.

This prototype represents a bar code consisting of graphic objects in the form of geometric shapes located inside a rectangular field, having certain optical parameters and, through their location, carrying information in binary code about the shelf life of the product, while a certain number of geometric shapes are made of thermochromic substances having additional optical parameters when changing the temperature affecting the bar code.

The disadvantage of the prototype, as well as other known and above-mentioned strokes new codes that use special paints, is the impossibility of obtaining from them information about the specific shelf life of the product, taking into account the actual conditions of its storage. The fact is that at present, an independent non-profit international organization for the creation and implementation of “GS1” standards for marking products described in analogues and prototype bar codes has introduced for mandatory use an additional barcode standard under the designation “EAN 5”, which contains the end date shelf life of the product, i.e. information about its specific shelf life. Moreover, labels with this barcode must be separately affixed to the packaging of those food products, cosmetics, and medicines, the shelf life of which depends precisely on temperature. The above-mentioned analogues of barcodes, as well as the prototype, cannot inform the consumer of the expiration date of the product (taking into account storage conditions), since they are intended only to record violations of the temperature regime of its storage. It can also be noted that the noted analogues are not, strictly speaking, inventions, since the effect they achieve in fixing temperature disturbances is achieved through the use of known thermochromic paints for their intended purpose.

In accordance with the above, the purpose of the present invention is to create a barcode that does not have the above disadvantage. Disclosure of the Invention

The problem to be solved by the invention is the creation of a bar code from which, when reading the encrypted shelf life of a product, the temperature conditions of its storage would be taken into account.

The problem is solved due to the fact that in a bar code, consisting of graphic objects in the form of geometric shapes located inside a rectangular field, having certain nominal optical parameters and, through their location, carrying information in a binary code about the nominal shelf life of the product coded by it, while a certain number of geometric shapes are made of thermochromic substances that have additional optical parameters when the temperature affecting the bar code changes, and for each additional optical parameter an additional shelf life is determined, and the nominal and additional optical parameters, as well as the nominal and additional shelf life are structured in in the form of a certain number of ordered data pairs, each of which includes one of the optical parameters and the corresponding storage period, while information about all ordered data pairs is contained by means of a binary code in additional locations of geometric shapes located within the boundaries of a rectangular field.

The technical result of the invention is the ability to read from a bar code the specific storage date of a product, which takes into account the temperature conditions of its storage and after which the product deteriorates in quality.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be clear from the detailed description, as well as from the two claims.

Brief description of drawings

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 shows a general view of a linear bar code; fig. 2 shows a general view of a two-dimensional bar code; fig. 3 is a diagram of a setup for creating a label; fig. 4 shows a first version of a bar code reading circuit; fig. 5 shows a second version of a bar code reading circuit; fig. 6 is a diagram of a barcode label creation algorithm; fig. 7 shows a diagram of the barcode reading algorithm.

Best embodiments of the invention

When describing the best embodiments of this invention, as well as for the purpose of convenience of its further consideration, all abbreviations in parentheses after one or more words will refer to their initial letters. In addition, all terms used in the description are either generally accepted in the technical literature or used in official sources.

In fig. Figure 1 shows a general view of a bar code, consisting of graphic objects (GO) in the form of geometric shapes located inside a rectangular field, having certain optical parameters and, through their location, carrying information in binary code about the shelf life of the product. Geometric figures consist of dark, in particular black, lines 1 of certain sizes, with the help of which digital and other information is encoded in a form convenient for machine reading. Each number or character is encoded by the arrangement of dark lines, and therefore the spaces 2 between them according to predetermined rules. All lines are located in a rectangular field 3 and, by means of the location coordinates in it, are carried in binary with a given code, information about the product, in particular, about its main shelf life, as well as additional shelf life. When using the standard under the designation "EAN 5", the bar code carries information only about the shelf life of the product. Due to the possibility of reducing the height of dark lines 1, rectangular field 3, as shown in the figure, can contain free area for placing special information in it. This barcode is a linear (one-dimensional) type, readable by a barcode scanner only horizontally. A certain number of lines 1 are made of thermochromic substances, the optical parameters of which depend on temperature.

In fig. Figure 2 shows a general view of a bar code, made in the form of a two-dimensional bar code. The latter is made in the form of a QR code and consists of GO in the form of dark squares 4 located in a rectangular field 5 of a square shape. Square pattern 6, located in the upper left corner of the code, serves to determine its location. Square pattern 6 in practical use of a QR code is usually located in its three corners. It should be noted here that in the general case, all geometric shapes included in bar codes with the same formats carry in binary code information about the terms (nominal or basic) and additional shelf life of the product only through the coordinates of their location inside the rectangular fields. This is explained by the limitation of the sizes of rectangular fields 4, 5, as well as the limitation of the number of geometric shapes themselves. In our case, all code formats are equal, since they carry basic information only about the shelf life and additional shelf life of the product. If a given product does not have additional shelf life, then the numerical format of such a code is set to a zero value, for example, an additional shelf life of 00 months. At the same time, if necessary, it is possible to introduce additional geometric shapes. Also, as in the first option, a certain number of squares 4, as well as square patterns 6, are made of thermochromic substances that change optical parameters when the temperature changes. The optical properties of all those listed in Fig. 1 and fig. 2 graphic objects are selected in such a way that the entire image will not be properly recognized by image processing devices such as a camera. It can be noted that the processing of images of all graphic objects (or only parts thereof) located in the rectangular field 5 is carried out using Reed-Solomon codes. To the optical properties of GO, and Also, the background on which they are located can include optical brightness, whiteness, opacity and transparency, gloss or gloss, and reflection spectrum. All these characteristics ultimately determine the optical property of fields 3, 5, called, in particular, optical density D (D > 0) - a measure of the reflection of light by an opaque field. Optical density is usually calculated as the decimal logarithm of the ratio of the luminous flux of radiation incident on the field to the flux reflected from it. A device for measuring optical density is called a densitometer. Other optical properties of fields 3, 5 include flat albedo - diffuse reflection coefficient, that is, the ratio of the light flux scattered by the field in all directions to the flux incident on it. Flat albedo is usually determined using a special photometric device - an albedometer. Optical properties also include the spectrum of flux ratios, one of which falls on fields 3, 5, and the other is reflected from them. Moreover, this ratio is made for different wavelengths of optical radiation. A device designed to measure the ratio of two optical radiation fluxes for different wavelengths is called a spectrophotometer. Another optical property describes the reflection coefficient, equal to the ratio of the flux of radiation reflected by the field to the flux incident on it. It may be noted that one of the options for a device for measuring reflectance is described in patent RU No. 2018112. All the optical properties listed here can also be measured using a universal device - a photometer. A certain number N (N = 2, 3, ...) of graphic objects located inside fields 3, 5 are applied using heat-sensitive (or thermal indicator) paints (TC), which change color, and therefore optical properties, depending on the temperature. The TCs themselves are made of thermochromic substances, which also change color when the temperature changes. It can be seen that as the temperature changes, the optical density of the fields 3, 5 also changes. The latter also depends on external factors, in particular, on the spectrum of its irradiation by an external source of light radiation. Obviously, as N increases, this dependence also increases. Heat-sensitive paints have been developed to determine the temperature on the surface of products for various purposes. The accuracy of determining the temperature of the TC usually ranges from ±5 °C to ±10 °C, although the passport for each specific batch of paint may indicate a more accurate color change temperature and greater accuracy. There are several types of TC. In our case It is possible to use only non-reversible TCs. They change color only once and when the temperature changes again, the original shade is not restored. Thus, all rectangular fields are made of thermochromic substances that do not return their original optical properties after exposure to temperature. A distinctive feature of fields 3, 5 is that each of them can contain information in binary code about several terms T; (i = 0, 1, ...) storage of goods. Moreover, what is very important, each storage period is “tied” only to its optical parameter, which, in turn, is also stored in binary code by means of GOs placed inside rectangular fields 3, 5, i.e. the selected GOs should be located in this way , through which both the shelf life of the product and the corresponding optical parameters are encrypted. Term (basic) The storage period for goods with a zero index corresponds to the optical parameter of the bar code at temperature to. The latter is the nominal temperature - the temperature that serves as the starting point for measuring deviations in the temperature conditions of storage of goods. Thus, the nominal period To is also the period for the beginning of its deviations in case of violation of the storage regime of the goods. If necessary, it is possible to introduce additional GOs, through which not only all shelf life periods of the goods are encrypted, but also the corresponding optical parameters. This ability to encrypt multiple shelf life of a product is due to the presence of heat-sensitive paints with a large number of color transitions for different temperatures. An example of such heat-sensitive non-return paint is described in patent RU No. 2075046 under the title “Thermal indicator paint”. Currently, there are many colors of thermochromic substances and temperature conditions at which they change optical parameters in the form of color changes. The temperature range at which a thermochromic substance changes color is from -15 °C to 70 °C. As already noted, when different thermochromic substances are combined, the color of the mixture can change several times at different temperatures.

In fig. Figure 3 shows a diagram of the installation for creating a label with a bar code that stores several shelf life periods of the product, i.e. i > 0. The number 7 indicates a “heat-cold” climatic chamber, simulating a change in temperature, the exact value of which is indicated by a temperature indicator (IT) 8 included in the camera. Inside the chamber there is a sample 9 printed by TK and having equal dimensions of a rectangular field with the prepared line code. In addition, sample 9 and the future bar code must have an equal number N of graphic objects printed with TC, as well as an equal number N * of graphic objects printed with regular paint. As a result, the total (integrated) optical parameters of the sample and the created barcode must be equal. The label creation scheme also includes a precision meter of optical parameters (PIOP) 10 and an input unit (BV) 11 of shelf life 1) of the product, connected to a data processing device (U OD) 12. The precision meter of optical parameters is made in the form of a portable spectrophotometer model YS - ZOYU from the Chinese manufacturer "3NH". The terms of 1) storage of goods are established by specialists (technologists) responsible for the technology of production and storage of goods. The specified PIOP 10 is used to measure the reflectivity of rectangular fields 3, 5, as well as other colorimetric information, which, if necessary, can be used in the process of preparing a barcode label. With the help of PIOP 10, such optical parameters are determined by which it is possible to record the deviation of the bar code color with temperature changes as accurately as possible. To simplify further presentation, we will use optical density as an optical parameter. This parameter reacts quite strongly to a change in color if the flat sample is irradiated either with a light flux with a wide emission spectrum, or with a narrow one, but coinciding with the color that appears when the temperature changes. So, by means of PIOP AND the nominal optical density Do of sample 9, fixed at the nominal temperature to, is determined, as well as its additional optical density Dj after passing through the transition temperature tj in the climatic chamber. For this temperature, technologists set the shelf life Ti of the product, taking into account its specifics and storage conditions, i.e., for each additional optical parameter, an additional shelf life is determined. It should be noted that the shelf life encrypted in the barcode can denote such concepts as expiration date, minimum shelf life, maximum shelf life, sell-by date, storage time after opening the package, expiration date, etc. The distinctive features of these concepts are described in the relevant standards for each type of product. If necessary, each of these concepts can have its own optical parameter. And all these concepts can be simultaneously stored in a barcode. In the data processing device 12, the data T\, Dj are structured in order to ensure the possibility of their efficient processing in the bar code generator (GShK) 13. In our case, data structuring is reduced to the formation of an ordered pair of numbers Yj = (Ti, Dj), indexed with a special code (index). In this case, all periods of 1) storage of the goods are transferred to the category of the first element of the pair, and optical densities Dj - to the category of the second element of the pair. This simplifies further preparation in the UOD 12 of data intended for transmission to the bar code generator 13. Next, the prepared information is sent to the input of the bar code printer 14, which issues the finished label. In its bar code, additional optical densities (Di, D2, ...), as well as the corresponding additional periods (Tj, T2, ...) of storage of goods are contained through a binary code in the newly introduced additional arrangements of geometric shapes located within the boundaries of the rectangular fields. If necessary, to record additional data into the bar code, additional geometric shapes located within the boundaries of the rectangular field may be required. The functional elements BV 11, UOD 12 and GShK 13 listed in this diagram can be implemented using a computer and corresponding application programs. Thus, the barcode generator 13 can be implemented using the well-known program “Barcode Studio”, designed for generating barcodes. This program does not require additional software and can also perform the functions of unit 11 for entering product shelf life. Entering them, as well as entering other parameters barcode occurs either directly on the touch screen of the computer, or through its standard keyboard. A barcode created using the "Barcode Studio" program is obtained either in raster or vector graphics format. As a barcode printer, you can use a label printer model "Honeywell PC 42 d" from the Honeywell company. It may be noted that the Barcode Studio program is available for the Microsoft Windows and Linux operating systems.

In fig. Figure 4 shows a functional diagram of a barcode reader. The circuit includes a bar code reader (SShK) 15, which includes a contactless reader of graphic information encrypted in a bar code 16 and its decoder, which has an even number of information outputs. The first half of them, associated with communication lines or connection lines (LC) 17, provides data on optical densities Di, and the second, associated with LS 18, provides data on the shelf life T) of the product. In this case, the main optical parameters meter (OPIOP) 19 is connected to the first inputs of the comparison units (BS) 20. Their second inputs are connected to the LS 17, and the outputs are connected to the control inputs of the electronic keys (EC) 21, the other information inputs of which, in turn, , connected to LS 18. It can be noted that LS 17 and LS 18 are made in the form of multi-bit lines, and their bit depth should, if possible, be the same. The peculiarity of connecting the information inputs of each EC 21 is that after the activation of the BS 20 associated with it, the number Tj is received at the information input of EC 21, and its control input is the result of comparison (in the form of a logical unit) of the current optical density D* with the optical density Dj included in an ordered pair with number Tj. The specified comparison of optical densities in the BS 20 is carried out with a predetermined accuracy. This is explained by the inevitable deviations D (D > 0) of optical parameters, for example, optical densities measured by PIOP I and OIOP 19. The outputs of electronic keys through LS 22 are connected to an information display device (ID) 23. An information display device is a structurally complete converter of information electrical signal into the spatial distribution of radiation parameters. The information display device may include single display elements, graphic displays for various purposes, as well as electronic means for converting an information electrical signal into signals causing an indication, for example, graphic displays. Some information display devices include control elements designed to turn on or off the display elements depending on external control signals received through their control inputs. In our case, the information display device 23 indicates the number Tj that arrived via LAN 22 from the output of one of the EC 21. The considered functional diagram is made at the hardware level and can be the basis for the development of specialized integrated circuits designed to create labels with increased information content.

In fig. Figure 5 shows a device that implements the following algorithms at the software level. In this scheme, the service computer (OC) 24 performs the functions of elements BS 20, EC 21 and UOI 23, as well as other elements, included in SShK 15. As SShK 15, a wireless scanner 2B EGAIS is used, connected to ObK 24 via channel 25 using one of the most common WPAN protocols with the marketing name "Bluetooth". The device is universal and allows you to scan both linear and two-dimensional bar codes.The above-mentioned spectrophotometer model YS-3010, also connected to the service computer 24 via channel 26 using Bluetooth technology, is used as the BIOP 19.

In fig. Figure 6 shows the algorithm for creating a label using the above setup. Its work begins with action 27 of setting in the climatic chamber 7 the minimum temperature value t _mjn , included in the range of the nominal temperature to, for which the storage period To is set for the product in accordance with the inequality t _mjn < to < t _max , where t _max is the maximum temperature , included in the nominal temperature range. The temperature setting is controlled by temperature indicator 8. Also, action 27 describes the measurement using PIOP 10 at a temperature to the nominal optical density Do of sample 9. Action 28 to change the temperature in the climatic chamber (“No” in condition 29) is continued until i-ro values tj of the transition temperature at which the optical properties of the sample change. At this temperature, step 30 is performed to determine the optical density Dj. If paint with a large number of color transitions is used as a TC, then the execution of action 28 continues (“Yes” in condition 31) until the next (i + 1) color transition (action 32). After that, the technologists, in accordance with action 33, for each transition temperature value tj determine the corresponding additional storage period Tj (i > 0) of the product, and in the data processing device 12 and in the GShK 13, action 34 is performed to prepare the data for printing a barcode label (action 35).

In fig. Figure 7 shows the barcode reading algorithm. After preparation for reading it (action 36), associated with the optimal location of the label relative to SShK 15 and OIOP 19, action 37 is performed to read all (i = 0, 1, ...) pairs Yi = (!) stored in the bar code, Di), as well as action 38 to read optical parameters from these pairs in the form of all optical densities Dj. Action 39 of measuring the optical parameter of the bar code in the form of optical density Di is carried out using the OIOP 19. From its output, this value is sent to the first inputs of all BS 20. At their second inputs Yes, there are optical densities read from bar code 16. But, since both inputs of each EC 21 receive data Tj, Dj associated with only one pair Yj, a positive result of comparison (action 40) of the optical parameter included in the pair Yj with measured OIOP 19 (“Yes” in condition 41) leads to the indication on UOI 23 only of the shelf life T that is read from this pair (action 42). If the comparison result is negative (“No” in condition 41), action 43 is performed to search for the next (i + 1) pair. It can be noted that the last action is possible only in a circuit that implements a software version of the algorithm in the serving computer.

Now let us give a specific example illustrating the described invention. Moreover, the production of the bar code was carried out on the above-described installation with a sample blank 9, and reading was carried out on the device shown in Fig. 5. Suppose that a manufacturer of eye drops ordered and used thermal indicator paint with three (i = 1, 2, 3) color transitions and a nominal temperature to ranging from 5 °C to 20 °C to produce a bar code, and the temperature of the first transition 11 = 5 °C, the second - t2 = 20 °C, and the third -

= 35 °C. Moreover, after appropriate research by technologists responsible for the use of eye drops, the following storage periods were established for these temperatures: To = 24 months; Ti = 12 months; Tz= 6 months; Tz = 1 month. Let us also assume that a measurement was carried out at a nominal temperature to the nominal optical density Do of sample 9, as well as its optical densities Di, D2, D3 after the corresponding temperature transitions. As a result, the following values were obtained: Do = 1.54; Di = 1.44; D2 = 1.62; D3 = 1.88. As a result, using this technology, a batch of labels was produced with the following ordered pairs Yo = (24; 1.54), Yi = (12; 1.44), Y2 = (06; 1.62), Y3 = (01; 1, 88), written into a bar code through the appropriate arrangement of geometric shapes in it. In addition, the date of July 28, 2019, for the manufacture of eye drops was recorded in the bar code. Let them be purchased on 07/21/2021 by buyer “A”, and on 12/22/2019 by buyer “B”. Then, using shown in FIG. 5 device installed at the point of purchase of the medicine, buyer “A”, having transferred four pairs Yo, Yi, Y2, Y3 to ObK 24 via SShK 15, and with the help of OIOP 19 - the current optical density D* = 1.57, received on the screen display ObK 24 information in the form of an indication of the message “Shelf life 24 months” or “Eye drops are suitable for use.” This information was obtained after a sequential comparison in ObK 24 of the current optical density D* = 1.57 with the optical densities included in four pairs. Moreover, the fixation of equality was carried out taking into account the previously entered into the ObK 24 program the value of the permissible deviation A = 0.05 of the current optical density D* from the optical densities Do, Di, D ₂ , D3. As a result of this comparison, a pair Y _o with a shelf life of 24 months was determined, in which the value Do = 1.54 coincided within the permissible deviation A with the value D* = 1.57. Buyer “B” received other information when he purchased eye drops on December 22, 2019 at another point that did not comply with their storage conditions. As a result of similar actions performed by buyer "B", a pair Y ₂ with a shelf life of 6 months was determined, in which the value D ₂ = 1.62 coincided within the permissible deviation A = 0.05 with the value D * = 1.64 received by the buyer "B" in this paragraph. As a result, the following message was received: "Expiration date 6 months" or "Eye drops expired." Both messages were generated in ObK 24, taking into account the date of manufacture of the medicine read from the bar code and entered into the service computer. From the above it is clear that the single inventive concept of this invention includes, in particular, such inextricably linked features as all its optical parameters stored directly in the bar code and the corresponding shelf life of the product. Moreover, adding other periods to the nominal shelf life of a product can be done by entering new graphic objects into the bar code.

Industrial applicability

The invention can be used for bar code marking of those goods whose labels indicate not only their expiration date, but also the temperature conditions of storage. A particularly great effect from the implementation of this invention can be obtained from labeling vitamin-containing products, as well as pharmaceuticals, with the described bar code. The properties of these goods are particularly dependent on their storage conditions.

Claims

CLAIM

1. A bar code consisting of graphic objects in the form of geometric figures located inside a rectangular field, having certain nominal optical parameters and, through their location, carrying information in binary code about the nominal shelf life of the product coded by it, while a certain number of geometric figures are made of thermochromic substances having additional optical parameters when the temperature changes, affecting the bar code, characterized in that for each additional optical parameter an additional shelf life is determined, and the nominal and additional optical parameters, as well as the nominal and additional shelf life are structured in in the form of a certain number of ordered data pairs, each of which includes one of the optical parameters and the corresponding storage period, while information about all ordered data pairs is contained by means of a binary code in additional locations of geometric shapes located within the boundaries of a rectangular field.

2. The code according to claim 1, characterized in that information about all ordered data pairs is contained by means of a binary code in additional geometric shapes newly introduced within the boundaries of the rectangular field.