CN112020738B - Method and apparatus for product monitoring - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of measurement and identification, in particular to a method for generating a database for product monitoring, which comprises the following steps: determining at least one parameter indicative of a product status and/or a product storage status; determining at least one color changing material providing an identifying function for each parameter; setting a measuring label comprising at least one color-changing material; a database is created for each color sensing color changing material corresponding to the indicating parameter, and the comparison data set is used to indicate the state of the product and/or the stored state of the product by the color of the color changing material. The database includes one or more of: associating the theoretical performance color of each color change material with a corresponding parameter value; correlating the colors obtained in the measured label image carrying the color change material with corresponding parameter values measured by the sensor to provide an experimental comparison dataset; the collected anthropometric data is correlated to the color of each color changing material.

Description

Method and apparatus for product monitoring

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of measurement and identification, and in particular to a method and apparatus for product monitoring, for example but not limited to, for monitoring the freshness of edible products such as meat, fish, vegetables or fruits.

Background

The physical state or condition of a product may change over time and the environmental conditions to which the product is exposed, such as temperature and humidity changes, and these environmental conditions may affect the quality of the product. By environmental conditions is meant environmental conditions of the product during transport and/or storage, such as temperature and humidity, and depending on the possible mode of transport (e.g. truck and/or aircraft) and the time of exposure to these conditions. In the case of edible products, environmental conditions may cause the produce to lose freshness, even spoil or decay, spoil and become inedible. For non-perishable products such as electronic devices (e.g., cell phones), for example, mechanical shock and harsh environments (e.g., very high or very low temperature, humid environments) can cause internal damage that cannot be visually inspected, making it difficult to determine, for example, the degree of wear ("aging") experienced by the product, resulting in a loss of value.

The physical state or condition of a product can be detected by the human perception of the person itself ("physical perception"). Such artificial perceptions may include, for example, visual, auditory, tactile, odor, taste, and artificial "comfort" perceptions of the product's environment, such as temperature (i.e., whether the ambient temperature is too high, too cold or just) and/or humidity (whether the ambient is too humid, too dry or just) to assess the condition of the product. For example, in the case of a food product, a person may visually inspect the product, and may assess the condition of the product by tasting or smelling the product's odor, and/or by reference to storage conditions of the product such as temperature and humidity.

However, human perception is not particularly accurate and can be very subjective. Alternatively, human readable data printed on a label or sticker on a product or product packaging may be used to obtain information about the characteristics of the product. In particular, the label may carry a name indicating the article, weight, volume, purpose, and other information, such as "date of sale" or "date of use", etc. The tags may also carry information useful for inventory and the like, such as one or more keywords and/or one or more codes, such as a barcode or two-dimensional (QR) code. However, for example, in the case of edible agricultural products, the "date of sale" and "life" label information is often unreliable in determining food safety, and the "date of sale" or "life" may be too dependent, which may result in waste.

People can also use the aid of measuring instruments that read visually, for example using a level thermometer to help them interpret the temperature of the product to help them know the condition of the product. However, the accuracy of such a visually readable measuring instrument may depend on the accuracy of the reading by the relevant person.

In the above case, it is not easy to share the status information of the product. Of course, it is possible to use automated sensors, such as temperature sensors, and to transmit the acquired data (continuously, at intervals or on demand) to a measurement system, which analyzes the received sensor data and provides the analysis results to the user, or it is possible to store the results or more generally share them over a computer network, such as the internet, but these methods are not easy to set up or simply spread out.

Disclosure of Invention

Aspects and examples of the disclosure are set out in the appended claims.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for product monitoring, such as may be used to monitor the freshness of edible products (e.g., meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, etc.). The present invention provides a tag that can be placed inside a product or its packaging, which, in addition to acting as a product information carrier, carries product monitoring functionality, e.g. information about the current or past environment in which the product is located can be sensed and read by an electronic device, such as a smartphone, which is equipped with a product monitoring application ("app"), which may have been downloaded to the device and/or may be invoked by accessing a remote server.

The invention can measure the self state of the object (product) and/or the state of the environment more easily, conveniently and effectively.

The invention provides a measuring label or label with a color-changing indicating unit, wherein the color-changing indicating unit uses a color-changing material which can change color in a sensing way on a factor or a parameter object to be measured, and the color-changing material reflects a corresponding parameter value (or a value range) through color, so that the change of the parameter value (or the value range) of the environment can be indicated by using the color change of the color-changing indicating unit. For example, the environmental parameter types may include temperature, humidity, concentration of a gas such as oxygen or carbon dioxide, etc., or the degree of change in these values over time.

The color-changing material may include, for example, one or more of a thermosensitive color-changing material(s), a humidity-sensitive color-changing material, a specific substance-sensitive color-changing material, a time-sensitive color-changing material, or a force-sensitive color-changing material.

The measurement label includes at least one parameter indicating unit (a detection identification area) containing a color changeable material and disposed at a predetermined position on the label. The measurement label may include thereon a positive direction indicating unit to indicate a reading direction of the consecutive patches (for example, a change of one parameter with time). The measurement tag may contain a product indicating element (i.e., an information identification area) which may be a code, such as a bar code or QR code, carrying product data and/or company profile information. The area of color-changeable material may be disposed around the information identification area, for example, around the two-dimensional code.

A positive direction indicating unit (reading direction indicating unit) may be provided and placed beside or on the information identifying area, or the positive direction indicating function of the label may be provided by the specific shape of the label in order to replace or further enhance the positive direction indicating unit.

The measurement tag may include one or more blank reserved areas for future use.

The measurement tag may carry image correction indicia, such as indicia that can be used to correct for skew or orientation, so that the resulting image can be adjusted to compensate. For example: the actual image is affected by the shot distance, the shot magnification, and the shot angle or angles, i.e., distortions of the camera imaging plane and the actual surface of the label are compensated for. This may enable the real image data to be processed such that the adjusted image has the appropriate size and orientation.

The measurement tag may include a color reference unit that can be referenced by the reading device to adjust the color of the real image to compensate for color differences due to factors such as different reading devices, different captured light fields, and different devices' color sensitivity. The color reference unit may take red, green and blue colors as reference marks each having a color intended to represent a corresponding one of red, green and blue colors in an RGB standard color space model, or may use a reference mark in another standard color model, such as a CMYK (cyan yellow, magenta, black) or HSV (hue, saturation, value) standard color space model.

The invention provides a measuring label, which comprises a parameter indicating unit, and can provide an environment monitoring function besides a traditional label data bearing function, thereby expanding the application range of the label and realizing low-cost and high-efficiency data bearing and data measurement and acquisition modes.

The measurement tag can be read by taking an image of the measurement tag using a reading device, for example, using a digital camera of a smart mobile phone (cell phone). The reading device may be equipped with a corresponding application ("app") that performs image adjustment and/or color compensation, or may be remotely executed by a server accessed by the reading device, for example, via the internet.

The reading device is provided with or has access to a specific database storing data for each parameter indicating unit and the corresponding relation between the real-time color of the parameter indicating unit (read from the label real image) and the parameter value (or value range) indicated by the parameter indicating unit.

The database may contain a first data set (first scale) representing theoretical data, which may be provided by the manufacturer of the color change material, and which may associate different colors of the color change material with different parameter values, thereby obtaining theoretical metrology data.

The database may contain a second data set (second scale) of experimental data measured by placing an actual measurement tag sample in an environment that is actually within or similar to the product to be monitored. The experimental data may be obtained by reading a reading of the parameter value using an additional sensor (e.g., a thermometer for temperature, a humidity sensor for humidity, etc.) over a period of time, and should be obtained by associating and storing a color of the parameter indicating cell in the measurement label image with the reading of the sensor, and should be associated with and stored together with the correspondence of the color of the parameter indicating cell in the measurement label image with the reading of the sensor. If the experimental metrology data is acquired and the same reading device is used in the actual measurement, it may not be necessary to compensate for the color of the real-time image being read.

The database may contain a third data set (third scale) which is the aggregated anthropometric data for the product corresponding to the color of the color-changeable material, i.e. when an image of the label is taken by a person (tester or customer) during the product supply chain, the evaluation data for the product is also provided and input to the reading device (which is then connected to the database). For example, the human assessment data for a food product may also be annotations such as "fresh melt", "look ripe", "look/melt overcooked", "wrinkled", "dry", "bruised", "rotten", etc.

In addition, in the case of a product which itself changes color over time (for example, the fruit constantly ripens), the first and/or second and/or third data sets may also comprise the color data of the product itself (theoretical data of the first data set and experimental data of the second data set and the third data set), the actual color change of the product itself over time may also be used to calculate the monitoring result of the product.

The measurement method may include a requirement (requirement) determination step, a data set (scale) construction step, a data processing step, and an actual measurement step. These steps do not have to be performed one after the other, nor by the same device or means. For example, in practical applications, the actual measurement step will usually be performed separately from the other steps.

The demand determining step may include: at least one measurement parameter type is determined that reflects the condition of the test object (product) and/or the environment in which the product is located. For example, the measured parameter may be the temperature of the product or its environment, the humidity of the product environment, the concentration of gas in the product environment, etc.

The dataset (scale) construction step may comprise one or more of:

1) selecting a color-changing material corresponding to each type of the required measurement parameters, acquiring theoretical performance of the color-changing material or color-changing performance data provided by a manufacturer, and forming a first data set (namely a first scale with color corresponding to parameter values);

2) for the parameter to be measured, the product to be measured and the measurement label sample containing the color-changing material can be placed together in a preset environment for testing or experiment. Acquiring an image of the measurement label in the environment change process, additionally and independently measuring actual experimental data in the experimental environment by using a corresponding sensor, and corresponding the experimental data to the color change condition of the measurement label image to form a second data set (namely a second scale with color corresponding to a parameter value) with label color change corresponding to the actual experimental data; and

3) the product to be tested and the measurement label sample containing the color change material are placed in their predetermined environment, an image of the measurement label during the change of the environment is obtained, and at the same time, the human assessment data of the tester is obtained (for example, the human assessment of the food product can be annotated as "fresh melt", "look ripe", "look/melt overcooked", "crumpled", "dry", "bruise", "rot", etc.), and a third data set (third scale) is formed for the color change corresponding to the human assessment data.

The actual measuring step may comprise: acquiring a real-time image of a measurement label; and performing the required image adjustment and/or color correction on the image; and extracting color data corresponding to the induced color-changing material, and comparing the color data with a database to obtain a monitoring result. The actual measurement steps need not all be performed by the same device, e.g. the image may be acquired only with a reading device. The image adjustment and/or color correction may be performed by the reading device or by a server, which may or may not be used to perform the database comparison. In some cases even the database may be installed on the reading device.

The embodiment of the invention is beneficial to acquiring accurate product state information. The invention enables detection of the state of the product and of the state of the environmental parameters in which it is located, using specific conditions, such as temperature, humidity, concentration of a specific gas (for example oxygen or carbon dioxide) and the like.

Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a product monitoring system;

FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C are schematic views of portions of a database for product monitoring;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a method of generating a measurement tag:

FIG. 4A is a flow chart of a method of obtaining experimental data for a measurement tag;

FIG. 4B is a flow chart of a method for obtaining data from a database that correlates measurement tags with human measures;

FIG. 4C is a flow chart of a measurement method for obtaining product monitoring data using a measurement tag;

FIG. 1X is a top level flow chart of the measurement method of the present invention;

FIG. 2X is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating the principle scale construction steps of the method of FIG. 1X of the present invention;

FIG. 3X is a schematic flow chart of the actual measurement steps of the present invention;

FIG. 4X is a schematic flow chart of a second embodiment of the measurement method of the present invention;

FIGS. 5, 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, and 7 are examples of measurement tags;

FIG. 8 is a schematic flow chart of the actual measurement steps using the measurement tag of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a flow chart of a method of building a database of performance of the first scale of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a schematic flow chart of a method of constructing a second scale of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a first schematic flow diagram of a method of constructing a third scale of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a second schematic flow diagram of a method of constructing a third scale of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a schematic flow diagram of a measurement system of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is an example of an application of a measurement tag of the present invention configured for application during shipping of an edible product, such as cherries;

FIG. 15 is an exemplary method for monitoring the freshness of an edible product, such as cherries.

Detailed Description

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a product monitoring system.

The system comprises a reading device 700 which is used to read a measurement tag 100 on the product side, for example, said measurement tag 100 being located on a package or container 1 of a product. The system also includes a server device (or other computing device) 800 that stores or has access to a database 801 and may be used for data analysis.

As will be described below, the measurement tag 100 includes, in addition to a product information bearing area: a product indication unit for identifying a specific product and a parameter indication unit with a variable color block for sensing product related parameters are provided, so that the color displayed on the label can be used as an indication of the state of the related product, so as to achieve product monitoring, such as information of the current or past environment of the product. The reading device 700 has an image sensor, and is utilized to capture an image of a measurement tag, and can perform realistic image orientation and size adjustment and color correction, and forward the read measurement tag image data to the server 800. The server 800 stores or has access to a database 801 and is configured to perform comparison of the obtained image received by the reading device 700 with data stored in the database 801 and to correspond the read color data with product status data in the database to obtain a result, and then to feed back the corresponding result related to the product status to the reading device (or other device).

The reading device may be any suitable electronic device, preferably a portable device having an image sensor and communication capabilities. As an example, the reading device may be a smart mobile phone (cell phone) or a tablet. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1, reading device 700 comprises a processor 701, a memory 702 for storing data, e.g., for use by or generated by processor 701, and for storing processor-executed programs or applications ("apps"), an image sensor such as a digital camera 704, a display 705 including a user interface, a network interface 703 for communicating with server 800 via a network such as a LAN, WAN, local area network, or the internet. While there is another possibility that there may be a direct connection between the server 800 or the reader device. The memory 800 may also be in any suitable form to accommodate a class of computer program products, such as a tangible, non-transitory storage medium, such as an internal solid state memory, and/or a removable memory, such as a memory stick or a USB drive.

The server 800 contains a processor 802, a memory 804 for storing data (e.g., data used by or generated by the processor 802) and for storing execution programs or applications ("apps") for the processor 802, a network interface 803 for communicating with the reading device 700 via a network connection, such as a LAN, WAN, local area network, or the internet. While there is another possibility that there may be a direct connection between the server 800 or the reader device. The memory may also be in any suitable form to accommodate a computer program product class, such as a tangible, non-transitory storage medium, such as an internal solid state memory and/or a removable memory, such as a memory stick or a USB drive.

As shown in fig. 1, the measurement tag 100 is carried by a tag carrier 1, which tag carrier 1 may be part of the product or its packaging or may be part of the environment in which the product is placed, for example the inner wall of a transport container.

As described above, the measurement tag includes the product indication unit 300 and the parameter indication unit 200 used for providing data for identifying the product, and the parameter indication unit 200 includes the variable color block 201 for sensing the corresponding parameter.

Each variable color tile 201 within the parameter indicating unit 200 is arranged to sense the sensing color change material of the desired measurement parameter such that the color of the indicating unit can indicate the value (or range of values) of the corresponding parameter, and the change in the color also indicates the change in the value (or range of values) of the corresponding parameter. The type of parameters that need to be measured depends on the particular product, for example, environmental factors or parameters may include temperature, humidity, concentration of gases such as oxygen or carbon dioxide, etc., and the variation of these parameters over time. The color-changing material may be: for example, one or more of a thermochromic material, a humidity-sensitive chromic material, a specific substance-sensitive chromic material, a timed chromic material, or a force-sensitive chromic material. The variable color block may use reversible or irreversible thermochromic materials. When the variable color cell uses irreversible thermochromic material, a row of variable color cells of successively different threshold parameters can be used to indicate how the parameter changes over time according to the change in its color at different parameters.

The product indicating element 300 of the measurement tag may be a code such as a bar code or QR code, and may carry product data, and/or information for company profiles or product information.

The measurement tag may contain an image correction indication unit 21 to enable the image to be adjusted or corrected for compensation, for example: the distance from which the image is taken, the magnification of the image taken, and one or more angles at which the image is taken, i.e. the compensation camera imaging plane and the surface of the label are not parallel to each other. This may enable the read image data to be processed such that the adjusted image has the appropriate size and orientation.

The measurement tag may contain a color reference unit 500 to enable the color read by the reading device to be adjusted to compensate for image differences resulting from different light field levels or color sensitivity of different reading devices. The color reference cells may be red, green and blue reference markers, each having a color intended to represent a respective one of red, green and blue in the RGB standard color space model. Color references in other standard color models (e.g., CMYK (cyan yellow, magenta, black) standard color space models or HSV (hue, saturation, value) standard color space models may also be used.

The measurement tag may contain a positive direction indication unit 400 for indicating the direction of correct identification of the information (e.g. consecutive variable color blocks) carried by the measurement tag. In addition to the positive direction indicating unit 400, a functional unit indicating a positive direction may also be provided on or provided by the product indicating unit 300. The positive direction indicating cells may also be replaced by a specific image on the label with an asymmetric shape.

The measurement tag may include one or more blank reserved areas 600, 601 reserved for future capacity expansion of the measurement tag, for example by adding more color reference blocks or adding more variable color blocks 201.

The product information unit 300, the parameter indication unit 200, the color reference unit 500, the positive direction indication unit 400 and the image correction indication unit ("fiducial mark") 21 may be provided at any suitable location on the measurement tag, provided that the specific location may be identified by the reading device and/or the server according to the type of measurement tag. As an example, the carrying information of the product indication unit includes specific location information of each indication unit, and other data on the measurement tag may also identify the specific location of each indication unit, or may also preset the specific location for a specific measurement tag type and store the specific location in the database 801.

In the example shown in fig. 1, the product information element 300 includes an information identification area that may employ a code such as a bar code or QR code carrying product data and/or information for a company profile and/or product information. The information recognition area is located in the middle of the measurement label 100 and surrounded by the parameter indication unit 200 area containing the variable color patches 201. The tag has a border or frame that contains the reference data. In this example, each corner of the frame comprises an image correction indicating unit, in this case a black checkered area 21. Also contained in the frame are color reference cells 500 for the R, G and B standard colors, and a set of black checkered areas approximating the positive direction indication cells 400 in the form of an arrow which would be located at the lower edge of the label when the label is correctly oriented.

In the example shown in fig. 1, the regions 21, 201, 400, 500, 600 and 601 are square or rectangular, but they may be any suitable shape, such as circular or oval or a combination. In the case of using different shapes, the shape itself can also serve as a recognition function.

The database 801 contains experimental data sets enabling identification of product parameters by reading measurement tags, which experimental data sets correspond to values or ranges of the parameters by changes in color. The experimental data set may be formed by taking measurement readings over a period of time using separate sensors (e.g., a thermometer for measuring temperature, a humidity sensor for measuring humidity, etc.), and for each sensor reading, an image of the measurement label should also be taken simultaneously, and the color of the measurement label parameter indicating unit is associated and stored with the sensor number correspondence, thereby forming experimental metrology data. If the experimental metrology data is acquired and the same reading device is used in the actual measurement, it may not be necessary to compensate for the color of the real-time image being read.

The database 801 may also contain (or the server provides access to) a theoretical data set comprising a list of theoretical data for the color change performance parameter values or ranges for the color change material by the manufacturer or supplier, theoretically, the color change material is applied within the appropriate range and the color change occurs according to the sensed parameters. For example, the theoretical data set may also indicate whether the color change of the color change material is reversible or irreversible, as well as indicating, for example, whether the color change material is suitable for use on or near an edible product, and the like.

Database 801 may also contain an artificial estimate data set that includes estimate data provided by a tester or user while obtaining an image of a measurement tag, e.g., a user may input his assessment of the product to a reading device. For example, the measured data for a food product may be to include notes such as "smell fresh", "look ripe", "look/smell overcooked", "crumple", "dry", "bruise", "rot", etc.

The data in the database may be stored in any suitable organizational structure. The data in the database may be linked or associated, such as a product code in the product indication unit 300.

In the example shown very schematically in fig. 2A to 2C, the database contains three data sets:

as shown in fig. 2A, a first set of theoretical data (a first scale) represents theoretical data that may be provided by a manufacturer or supplier of the inductively variable color material and that relates to the performance of different measured parameters indicated by different colors of the color-variable material, thereby providing theoretical metrology data.

As shown in fig. 2B, the second set of experimental data (second scale) represents experimental data obtained by placing one or more actual measurement tag samples in the same or similar environment as the product.

Third, an artificial evaluation data set (third scale) including artificial evaluation data accumulated for the product, that is, evaluation data uploaded to a reading device (and then saved from a database) by a person (tester or even customer) when obtaining an image of a real-time measurement label during the circulation of the product.

As shown in fig. 2A, the theoretical data set (first scale) may mark the corresponding induced color-changing material, the parameter object sensed by the material, the parameter value/range that the material can accommodate for sensing and the specific value indicated by the color change of the material, the change of the R, G, B values of the material before and after color change in the standard RGB color model, the application (e.g., the corresponding product to which the color-changing material may be compatible or applied), and the specific function such as whether the color-changing performance is reversible, etc.

As shown in fig. 2B, the experimental data set (second scale) may include the product code, the specific color-changing material type, the corresponding parameter type sensed by the color-changing material, the theoretical parameter value/range value (for comparison) corresponding to the color change of the material, the experimental parameter value/range obtained in the experimental measurement and the color (i.e. R, G, B values in the standard RGB color model) corresponding to the color-changing material, and the color change of the material before and after the experiment.

As shown in FIG. 2C, the artifact data set (third scale) may list the corresponding product code and the aggregated artifact data for that product, and associate the estimate data with the corresponding real-time color of the color-changing material on the label (listed as C1, C2, C3). Thus, the measured label image color (indicative of the value of the corresponding parameter) to which the artifact data corresponds can be stored as a set of color versus product condition data sets, or even color versus artifact data sets. The time and date of the artifact measurement data entry may also be stored in the comment field or may be linked to a real time image corresponding to the product uploaded from the reading device. The database can be a database which runs continuously, so that the picture can calculate the optimal operation and storage conditions of the related products. Anyone who takes an image of the measurement tag during product circulation (e.g., manufacturer, carrier, store clerk, customer) can upload the data, or can access this area of the database (an artifact data set), or be locked as a key person (tester).

In the case where the product itself changes colour over time (e.g. as the fruit ripens), the first and/or second and/or third data sets (the first data set being theoretical data and the second and third data being experimental data sets) may include the colour data to record the colour change over time of the actual product itself. These images of the actual product can also be used in product monitoring.

A method of how to provide the result data to the user is explained with reference to fig. 3 to 6A to 6D. Taking the example of generating a measurement label, experimental data is obtained to populate an experimental data set in the database (second scale), and artificial estimation data is obtained to populate an estimation data set in the database (third scale).

FIG. 3 shows an example of a method of generating a measurement tag. Generating a measurement tag first requires setting the measurement tag of the subject product to be monitored via the user interface of the reading device (or other computing device that has access to the server 800). If the user already has a product code, they may enter the product code through the user interface, or they may request that the computing device access or generate the product code. Thus, at step S1, the server or other computing device may access or generate the product code, which may contain product and manufacturer data, as described above, or may be in the form of a barcode or QR code. At steps S2 and S3, the computing device receives from the user interface the type of parameter to be measured (e.g., temperature, humidity, etc.) and the value and range of the parameter that needs to be identified. The computing device may then prompt the user whether to identify to measure more parameters and repeat steps S2 through S4 until the answer is no.

At step S5, if the computing device itself is not a server, the computing device may send the product code and required parameter data to the server and access database 801 at step S8 to query for the appropriate color change material from the theoretical data set (first scale), or, if the product code is already present in the experimental data set (second scale), may query for potentially appropriate variable color patches from within one or both of the theoretical data set (first scale) and the experimental data set (second scale). At step S6, the computing device receives color change material data. In step S7, the computing device identifies the location of the parameter indication cells using the label layout template, and in response to user input, identifies the various chromic material properties selected and the location placed on the label. The label layout template may specify particular different positions for the parameter indicating units of different parameters so that a server or other computing device analyzing the label image may determine which variable color block is for which parameter, or the label may include code (e.g., part of or associated with the product indicating unit) for recording and indicating, in cooperation with the positive direction indicating unit, the position of each particular variable color block with different properties. For example, in the layout shown in FIG. 1, the layout indicated by the code on the label or the standard layout of the label determines this as: the temperature-sensing color block is positioned on the left side of the parameter indicating unit, the positive direction indicating unit is positioned on the lower edge or the bottom of the label, the humidity-sensing color block is positioned on the right side of the parameter indicating unit, and the positive direction indicating unit is positioned on the lower edge or the bottom of the label as shown in FIG. 1; and the variable color blocks comprise strip-shaped areas for providing parameters indicating the change along with the time, and the positive direction indicating units can be communicated at the lower edge or the bottom of the label as shown in figure 1, and the strip-shaped areas are read in the clockwise direction. Other layouts and read directions may of course be used as long as it is possible to confirm that the tag format layout is the standard tag layout used or that the tag itself provides information about the layout, or that the product indicating unit of the tag has information pointing to a specific layout database in which the tag is stored, thus enabling the reading device and server to confirm the specific locations and indicating meanings of the tag as indicated above.

Fig. 4A shows an example of a method of generating or adding an experimental data set (second scale). First, generating or adding an experimental data set may take a digital image of the label using the digital camera 704. In step S11, the reading device acquires the image. In step S12, the reading device adjusts the image to the ideal label image state according to the image correction mark 21 in the image, and the layout style of the ideal label image can be pointed by the data carried in the label or it is originally standard or specifically corresponding to the product label. Although not shown in fig. 4A, the reading device may query the server or request the server to perform image adjustment and return an adjusted image when there is no such tag layout information. For the measurement tag shown in fig. 1, the reading device (or server) adjusts the orientation and size of the image by identifying the image correction marks 21 until the image correction marks 21 approach a predefined square or rectangular size, and then saves the adjusted image. The predefined size information may be provided at the product indication unit of the tag or provided by the server or set to a specific or standard design that codes the product.

In step S13, the reading device (or server) identifies the color reference unit 500 in the label image, compares the red, green, and blue values read for the region with the standard red, green, and blue values of the RGB color model to achieve color correction, then performs adjustment correction on the R, G, and B values of each pixel in the read variable color block to correct differences due to different light field levels and different camera color sensitivities, and then saves the color-adjusted image as a corrected image. The color of the label image is thus adjusted to a standard state and can therefore be compared with the color data in the database device. Steps S12 and S13 may be performed using commercial image processing and color correction software such as PhotoShop (registered trademark), and may be performed by a reading device or a server.

The user interface prompts the user to input sensor monitoring data obtained by using a measuring instrument, such as a temperature sensor probe or a humidity sensor probe. In step S14, the reading device receives the measured value of the sensor and associates it with the variable color patch corresponding to the parameter. At step S15, the user is prompted to enter more sensor data, and when the answer at step S15 is no, the reading device forwards the received sensor data and the corrected image to the server at step S16. At step S17, the server identifies the product code from the corrected label image, accesses the measurement data set in the database to which the product code is associated, identifies for each parameter the associated color change (by comparing the R, G, B values of the variable color patches in the image with the R, G, B values in the theoretical data set), and then updates or supplements the measurement parameter value/range corresponding to the color change for that parameter. The experimental measurement data may be taken at various stages of the product's life cycle, for example, from production to delivery, to storage to sale. The measurement data may be from multiple tags and use conventional statistical analysis techniques in order to provide a more accurate set of sensory data.

Fig. 4B shows an example of a method of generating or adding an estimate data set (third scale). Generating or adding an estimate data set first requires taking a digital image of the tag using the digital camera 704. In step S21, the reading device acquires the image, and in step S22 and step S23, the image is adjusted and corrected by the method already described with reference to step S12 and step S13 of fig. 4A.

The user interface of the reading device prompts the user to enter artifact data regarding the perception or evaluation of the product they contain. At step S24, the reading device receives the artifact measurement data and associates it with the corresponding label image data. At step S25, the user is prompted to enter more human perception data. When the answer at step S25 is no, the reading device forwards the corrected image and the received artifact measurement data to the server. At step S26, the server identifies the product code from the corrected label image, and accesses the estimate data set for that product code in the database, identifies the measured parameters (C1, C2 and C3 parameters in fig. 2C) for the corrected R, G, B value color, searches the estimate database for that color combination and corresponding parameters, and adds the estimate data to the estimate data set for that color combination, if any (third scale). If there is no such combination, then in the example of FIG. 2C, the corrected image colors (R, G, B values) and data C1, C2, C3 are supplemented into the metrology database. Thus, the database stores the artifact measurement data and corresponds to a combination of values of particular parameters (e.g., a combination of colors of variable color patches).

The acquisition of the measurement data may be performed at various stages of the product lifecycle, e.g., from production to delivery, to storage to sale. The measured data may be from a plurality of tags and using conventional statistical analysis techniques in order to provide a more accurate set of perceptual data.

Fig. 4C shows an example of a method for acquiring information on the status of a product by reading a measurement tag of an established database.

When it is desired to obtain information about the condition of the product, a digital image of the label is first taken using the digital camera 704. In step S30, the reading device acquires the image, and adjusts and corrects the image in steps S31 and S32 using the method already described in step S31 and step S32 of fig. 4A.

In step S33, the reading device forwards the corrected tag image to the server. At step S34, the server identifies the product code from the corrected label image and accesses the relevant data set in the database, typically at least one of an experimental data set (second scale) or an estimated data set (third scale). The server can know the design layout of the tag from the tag itself or the product code, or the tag uses a standard design layout, so the server knows which variable patches represent which sensing parameters. For each measured parameter, the server obtains the correct color value for the label in the corrected label image (as a combination of R, G, B values), and searches the measurement data set corresponding to the product code for a match with the combination of color values (as a combination of R, G, B values) to obtain the parameter value represented by that color. The server thus obtains the parameter values corresponding to each variable color block. The server may also search the estimate data set (third scale) corresponding to the product code to obtain the artificial estimate data corresponding to the color value. The server then returns the relevant parameters and the anthropometric data results to the reading device (or another computing device), which outputs the received data results to the user via the user interface. The user interface may be as shown in fig. 1, but may also have an output that provides an audio form.

Fig. 5 shows an example of a measuring tag 100, in which different colors are represented in different shades of gray. The surface of the label includes a product indicating unit 300 and a parameter indicating unit 200. In this example, the product indication unit 300 is a QR code. The QR code may incorporate or have incorporated graphics similar to those described in fig. 1 with the positive direction of the directional orientation arrow graphic indicating the function of the cell 400.

The parameter indication unit 300 may comprise a plurality of different variable color patches, which may be responsive to (e.g., sensitive to) different environmental parameters and/or may be responsive at different times. In order to make it easier for the server to identify the data carried by the analysis tag, the different variable color blocks may have different shapes, such as the illustrated square or circle. In addition, there may also be two or more variable color patches that respond to the same parameters to provide redundancy of measurements in case of, for example, a damaged label. In order to enable image adjustment, some of the variable patches may also implement an image correction function similar to the image correction instruction unit 21 in fig. 1. To enable them to do this, the product indication unit and/or database may have stored therein information indicating the location of the variable color patches on the label, what the distance between the variable color patches should be, and their size, etc. Like steps S12 and S13 of fig. 4A, the reading device and/or server is enabled to correct and resize the tag image angle.

Fig. 6A shows another example of a measurement tag. The parameter indicating cells of the measurement tag are surrounded by a border, which, like the border shown in fig. 1, has one color reference cell (three squares of red, green and blue are shown in different shades of gray), in this example four on each side of the border. The border also has image positive indication means, typically in the form of black squares at the corners of the border, four black squares as in fig. 1. In fig. 6A, the variable color blocks of the parameter indication unit are arranged in the middle area of the measurement label, for example, a plurality of square blocks a surround a blank diamond area B in this example for subsequently extending the label function reservation area, for example, other induced color change materials, information blocks, etc. may be added. In this case, the product data may also be indicated by a pattern formed by variable color blocks, or may be indicated by a bar code or other code (not shown) disposed outside the bezel.

Fig. 6B shows a measurement tag, wherein the measurement tag is the tag of fig. 5 to which the frame or border of fig. 6A is added.

Fig. 6C shows a measurement label in which the positive direction indicating unit 400 is disposed at a corner position (e.g., the upper left corner in fig. 6C) and has an L-shape with an inclined end and with a thick line frame. The product indication unit 300 with the form of a QR code (which itself carries another positive direction indication unit) is placed at another corner (opposite corner in this example) and the variable color block of the parameter indication unit 200 is arranged in an L-shape. The shape between the product indication unit 300 and the positive direction indication unit 400 is white, and the blank area control displayed as a white square 600 is used for subsequent expansion of the label function.

Fig. 6D shows a measurement tag similar to that of fig. 6A. Fig. 7 shows a measurement tag similar to that shown in fig. 6A but without reference to a frame and with a shape set to be asymmetric for the purpose of indicating a positive direction (one edge is shown in the example as having a triangular or arrow shape). In order to enable image adjustment, some of the variable patches may also be used as an image adjustment indicator similar to the image correction instruction unit 21 of fig. 1. To enable them to do this, the product indication unit and/or database may store information indicating where the variable color patches should be on the label, what the distance between the variable color patches should be and what their size is, enabling the reading device and/or server to skew and resize the label image as described in steps S12 and S13 of fig. 4A. In this example and other examples without a color reference cell, it is possible to calibrate color value data to a standard model, such as a standard color of an RGB color space, during generation of the experimental data set described with reference to fig. 4A.

Although square areas are shown on the label in the illustration, other shapes such as circular, oval and prismatic shapes may be used.

Each variable color block of the parameter indication unit is a color-changing material which is sensitive to the parameter to be measured or monitored, and the displayed color and the change thereof are used for indicating the change of the corresponding parameter value (or the value range). And the kind of the parameter to be measured depends on the measurement requirement of the product.

The type of environmental factors or parameters associated with the sensing color change material may include, for example, temperature, humidity, and also gas concentrations such as oxygen or carbon dioxide, or the presence of a specific substance, pressure, applied force, etc., as well as the time-dependent changes in these parameters and the duration of the sensing. The color change properties of the induction color change material may be reversible or irreversible.

When variable color blocks use materials with irreversible color change, one or a row of sensing color change materials with multiple different color change performance thresholds can be used to observe the change of sensing parameters at different times.

As mentioned above, the product indicating element may be in the form of a code, such as a barcode or QR code carrying product data and/or information for a company profile or product.

As described above, the measurement tag may contain a color reference unit to enable the colors read by the reading device to be adjusted to compensate for image differences resulting from different light field levels or color sensitivities of different reading devices. The color reference cells may be red, green and blue color reference markers, each having a color intended to represent a respective one of red, green and blue in the RGB standard color space model. Color references in other standard color models (e.g., CMYK (cyan yellow, magenta, black) standard color space models or HSV (hue, saturation, value) standard color space models may also be used.

The measurement tag may include a positive direction indicating unit for indicating a correct direction that can be recognized to read the measurement tag carried (e.g., a continuous variable color patch). In addition to this forward direction indicating element, an additional page of forward direction indicating elements may be provided by or on top of the product indicating element. The positive direction indicating unit may also be provided instead of or in addition to a specific image on the label with an asymmetric shape, or by a variable colour block with an asymmetric pattern.

The measurement tag may include one or more blank reserved areas, left for future expansion of the measurement tag, for example by adding more color reference cells or adding more variable color patches. The product indicating unit, the parameter indicating unit, the color reference unit, the forward indicating unit and the image correction indicating area ("fiducial mark") may be provided at any suitable position on the measurement tag, provided that the reading device and/or the server can confirm the specific type of the measurement tag, for example, the product indicating unit carries the position information including the relevant part on the tag, the tag has other marks to indicate the corresponding indicating unit, or a specific measurement tag style (the style can be identified in the data carried by the tag) can be preset and stored in the database.

The label 100 may include an adhesive (e.g., adhesive) layer, a substrate layer, and a protective layer. The parameter indication unit 200 and the information area 300 may be carried by (arranged in or on) the substrate layer. The adhesive layer may be used to adhere the label to a product or product environment, such as a food packaging bag, or one or more of an exterior surface of a package and an interior surface of a container. The protective layer may be an airtight, transparent or translucent film material to prevent contact of the measurement label with air or water vapour prior to use. The protective layer may be removed prior to use of the label.

The color-changing inductive material can be any suitable color-changing material. For example, it may be a proximity color change strip having different regions that may exhibit different colors depending on changes in environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, oxygen concentration, time, presence of chemical or physical contact (e.g., skin moisture), etc. It may also be a chronologic material, i.e. a material that changes colour over time, e.g. a material oxidation process may cause a change in its colour, a "timed test area" formed of such a material is used in the measurement tag, whereby the oxidation process of the material can be used to assess the duration of the process (e.g. transit time). It may also be a material that changes color as a result of a chemical and/or biological reaction resulting from the combination of two substances, such as test strips that are involved in the detection of carbon dioxide, mold, aldehydes, alcohols, and even gaseous exhaust gases from cold chain engines, and the like. As a further example, which may be a multi-layer composite material structure, where the top layer material changes state (e.g., becomes opaque to mask the color of the underlying layer, or becomes transparent to expose the color of the underlying layer, or melts into the underlying layer resulting in a color change), such as an example of a multi-layer composite material structure material, a multi-layer composite material may be provided where the underlying layer is a fluorescent material and the surface layer is a reversible temperature-sensitive color-changing material (which changes property from transparent to colored). The material can have a fluorescent effect under high temperature and dark conditions. A further example is a multilayer composite structure formed of layers of materials having different melting points and different colors, such that the different layers of materials melt to exhibit different colors at different temperatures. Alternatively, a polymer material may be used, for example, in which the surface of the polymer material is coated with a substance whose optical properties change with environmental conditions.

Fig. 13 shows a measuring system comprising a detection device which selects the corresponding induced color change material 12 according to the type of data predicted to be measured, and a measuring tag 13 containing at least one induced color change material 12. The detection device comprises a reading device, such as a mobile phone, having a camera 21 and at least one memory 22 in which a computer program is installed and a processor 23, wherein execution of the computer program enables the reading device to read a measurement tag. The memory or other storage device stores the first scale, the second scale, the third scale and the analysis algorithm of the measurement method. Of course, other types of reading devices may be used, such as a tablet computer or a dedicated image capture instrument.

The reading device may be configured to connect to a network to enable data acquisition and upload, e.g., to cloud storage. In the example of fig. 13 and 1, certain functions of the reading device, such as data storage and software, may be based on the cloud storage 22, thereby enabling optimization of the image reading device. Reducing the cost and promoting large-scale application.

The monitoring of the edible product fresh cherries will now be taken as an example.

The cherries, just after being freshly picked from the trees by the farmer, may be transported to the store and customers in various ways. The choice of mode of transportation depends on various constraints such as cost, distance and product. Air transport is used to transport food between continents with limited shelf life. Road and rail transport is preferred at the national or continental level, with trains being used primarily in countries that must cover great distances. Shipping is also the primary mode because of its lower price, and they can also use specialized equipment such as refrigerated containers, trucks and container ships to provide a supply chain ("cold chain") of controlled temperature. No matter which transportation mode is selected, the transportation process of the edible products is still complex, and the food needs to pass through various production, packaging and distribution centers at the same time, so that the time is longer, and the endurance mileage of the food is increased. Consumers at the end of the supply chain may use their own automobile for transportation while shopping. Ultimately, the food may have gone through the conditional costs of thousands of miles before reaching the consumer's plate.

It is assumed that transporting cherries by air from a cherry orchard in one country to another may take eight hours, while the same trip may take two days if the cherries are transported by truck. If the journey is complex and must be divided into air and land transportation, it may take from one to three days to transport the cherries. It may take longer, up to 20 days, if the budget is lower using sea and road transport. Meanwhile, the cherries are transported under certain conditions to keep fresh. For example, if the temperature is kept at about 0 ℃, the humidity is kept at 90-95%, the CO2 concentration is between 20% and 25%, the O2 concentration is between 3% and 5%, and the like, the cherries can be kept fresh for 30-45 days.

Fig. 14 shows an application example of a measurement label for cherry transportation, which is assumed to be used on a container for bearing cherries. The measurement tag has a border similar to that of fig. 6D, with a variable color block placed around the product indicating cell (in the form of a QR code). The product indication unit carries information including details of the required indication, which may include not only the cherry type, but also the date and time, the batch picked, the expected actual transportation route or the expected time to reach the destination, etc.

The measurement tag shown in fig. 14 has six variable color patches. In fig. 14, the area labeled "color 1-X" (where X ═ 1, 2, 3, or 4) is selected with a reversible color change temperature sensitive color change material to show the temperature at which the label was scanned. An example of a thermochromic material that changes color reversibly is a thermochromic material, which exhibits a color change upon heating or cooling due to electron transfer or a change in crystal structure. Common examples of thermochromic liquid crystals include cholesteric liquids (reflecting long wavelengths (red) at lower temperatures and short wavelengths (blue) at higher temperatures). Examples of cholesteric liquids include cholesteryl nano acid esters and cholesteryl acid esters. In this measurement label, the region labeled "color 1-1" changes from red to blue at temperatures above 5 degrees celsius (as a threshold temperature) and from blue to red at temperatures below 5 degrees celsius. The threshold temperatures of the color changes of the regions 'color 1-2', 'color 1-3' and 'color 1-4' are 10 ℃, 21 ℃ and 31 ℃, respectively.

The area labeled "color 2-X" is a temperature sensitive material that is irreversibly discolored and is capable of permanently indicating the maximum temperature experienced by the cherry during storage. The irreversible temperature-sensitive color-changing material having color-changing property may have a two-layer structure in which the lower layer is a photonic crystal and the upper layer is, for example, a paraffin-based material which is melted from a solid to a liquid at a certain temperature. When the temperature is lower than the melting point of the upper layer material, the photonic crystal displays a specific color. However, when the temperature exceeds the melting point, the upper layer material melts into the gaps of the photonic crystal and causes the color of the photonic crystal to change irreversibly. Irreversible temperature-sensitive discoloration materials can record the maximum temperature they experience, but cannot record the time at which the maximum temperature occurs. For example, the upper layer of the region labeled "color 2-1" is made of n-tetradecane (melting point of n-tetradecane is 5.5 degrees celsius), and the lower layer is made of photonic crystals, which range in color from blue to green when paraffin is melted into a liquid entering the gap of the lower layer. The threshold temperatures of color 2-2, color 2-3 and color 2-4 are 10 deg.C, 36.6 deg.C and 40 deg.C, respectively.

The region labeled "color 3" is made of a color-changing reversible humidity sensing material, such as a metal compound, e.g., CoCl 2. For example, when the humidity is above 60%, the "color 3" will change from orange to blue.

The area labeled "color 4" is made of a reversible water sensing material that changes color when contacted by water, the material becoming transparent. Examples of reversible water-sensing materials can include water-chromic materials, such as water-chromic white C-1224 and SFXC water-chromic wet dominant inks, water-chromic polydiacetylene complexes. For example, a red layer below the water sensing layer, the "color 4" will change from white to red when the ink layer becomes transparent upon contact with water.

The area labeled "color 5" is CO2 sensing material, which is a PH-based indicator paper (e.g., M-cresol purple) made of basic substances, polymers, plasticizers, white pigments, solvents (see CN 104974380 a). This material turns from blue to pale green at 2% CO2, light yellow at 5% CO2, and yellow at over 10% CO 2.

The area labeled "color 6" is a PH indicator paper for sensing gases emitted by the rotting food, such as hydrogen sulfide. The indicators may be phenolphthalein, methyl red and bromothymol blue, among others, may be used to indicate the respective pH ranges of about 8 to 10, 4.5 to 6, and 6 to 7.5. Within these ranges, phenolphthalein changes from colorless to pink, methyl red changes from red to yellow, and bromothymol blue changes from yellow to blue.

As described above with respect to fig. 3, it is desirable to obtain and store theoretical performance data (from the supplier) for each of the sensing color-changing materials in a theoretical data set (first scale), the colors of the sensing color-changing materials that can change with changes in the actual environment, the color values can be stored as R, G, and B standard color model values (color values and/or images), and have the data set correspond each of the rendered colors to the sensing parameters and color difference contrasts with the R, G, and B colors of the measured label at the corresponding location in the actual image. The stored data may also indicate whether the particular type of thermochromic material used is irreversible or reversible. In this example, this theoretical data set (first scale) may provide real-time (current) temperature, maximum temperature experienced, real-time (current) humidity, wet or dry indicators, CO2 concentration level, and PH.

Theoretical data set
		Real time temperature	5℃<Real time temperature<10℃
Maximum temperature	Not higher than 5 deg.C
		Real time humidity	>60％
Dry/wet	Dry matter
		Concentration of carbon dioxide	Ordinary air
PH	7

It is desirable to generate and store experimental performance data for each thermochromic material in an experimental data set (second scale), as described with respect to fig. 4A, and one or more images of the measurement label can be taken during multiple cherry transportation experiments, while additional sensors are used to acquire and correspond to the then-current data. These sensors may be measuring the light level (light level), air quality, humidity and temperature in the actual package and in the cargo container so that the accuracy of the monitoring results obtained from the label images can be verified at various stages in the transportation process using the data provided by the actual sensors. This will make the measurement of the tag more accurate because the data is acquired under actual use conditions and calibrated based on the then-current sensor measurement data. The following is an example of experimental data for a set of haul routes 2:

the estimate data set (third scale) may be generated simultaneously with the above with reference to fig. 4B. The estimated data set may be provided by a tester simultaneously with the measured data during the experiment of transporting the cherries, the tester inspecting the cherries and their environment along the transportation path of the cherries and uploading their perception of the cherries together with the captured label image. For example: taste (sweet and sour), smell (good, oil cooked, begin to rot), feel/texture (hard, soft, etc.), and the like.

When the tag image is uploaded by a reading device of a customer or store owner, the server may access all three data sets as well as the product information stored by the product indication unit, the timestamp data of the previous reading of the same tag, and possibly also relevant data from the internet, such as a shipping log or GPS data. The server may then derive results from these data, for example using a QR code to derive data links from different sources, so that it can be known that the experimental data informs the inquirer, for example, that the cherries were delivered by refrigerated transport (temperature indicated by variable blocks of tag-sensed temperature), whether the transport conditions were correct (correct parameter conditions indicating that the cherries were transported were obtained from the data carried on the tag), record the place of origin of the cherries based on the QR code information, and estimate the freshness of the product from the data read from the tag and the data set for the person in question.

FIG. 15 is a method of monitoring the freshness of an edible product, such as cherries. In this example, at the production end 1501, a farmer picks cherries from cherry trees. Then, at the beginning of the shipping phase 1502, the cherries are packaged into boxes 102 and a measurement label 101 is applied to each box 102. The transportation route of the box 102 may involve one or more of air transport, road transport, rail transport, and sea transport.

During the transportation phase 1502, measurement tags may be automatically monitored by, for example, a monitoring camera 103 installed in the refrigerated vehicle, and/or measurement tag images may be manually acquired by a worker, such as a driver of the refrigerated vehicle. The monitoring cameras 103 are connected to software that can access the server 105.

The server 105 stores in the database measured data (e.g., temperature) corresponding to the standard performance of the color-changing material, which is the first scale, parameters of the color-corresponding sensor (e.g., data measured by a sensor mounted on a truck) for measuring the label in different environments, and data (e.g., appearance, feel, or taste) corresponding to the actually-artificially-estimated quality change degree of the cherry in different environments, which is the third scale.

The software accesses the database and outputs the cherry measurement results (e.g., the cherry can only be kept fresh for 5 days) and/or the current refrigerator car interior conditions (e.g., the temperature or humidity inside the refrigerator car is too high or too low).

Finally, when the box 102 reaches the end of the supply chain, client 1503. The customer can take a picture of the measurement tag using his mobile phone and use the phone application to access the server 105 and get the measurement results, e.g. "cherry is ripe and fresh in this box". Please eat them within four days. "or" cherries are no longer suitable for consumption! It was fresh when picked on the farm, but the temperature in the delivery truck was too high. ", depending on the reading of the measurement tag.

It should be understood that while cherry transportation is described above, the present invention is applicable to the transportation and storage of other edible or non-edible products, such as pharmaceuticals and pharmaceuticals, medical products, electronic products, and electrical products, among others. Indeed, the present disclosure is applicable to product monitoring that may be affected by its environment during transport, storage and/or use.

The disclosure of the present embodiment shall also include reference to fig. 1X, fig. 2X, fig. 3X, fig. 4X, fig. 5 to fig. 12. The legend labels of FIGS. 1X, 2X, 3X and 4X may be repeated with the legend labels of the previous example figures, but it should be understood that the labels herein are only used for FIGS. 1X, 2X, 3X and 4X.

The present invention relates to the field of measurement and identification, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for product monitoring.

The physical state of the object can be monitored by artificial estimation perception or corresponding tools, or the physical state of the object can be reflected by monitoring the environment of the object; however, the perception of human measures is not accurate and cannot be applied on a large scale, whereas modern detection means can be measured by means of conventional passive or active measurement system tools.

For example, because of a certain requirement, the temperature of an enclosed space needs to be measured, and a conventional tool measurement means may be to place a traditional liquid thermometer in the enclosed space and obtain a temperature value by visual reading, but this method has low accuracy, low automation degree, and is not suitable for large-scale use; with the increasing progress of electronics and related technologies, more active measurement tools have changed the traditional measurement method, such as using a temperature sensor and a system thereof, a temperature sensor probe can be placed in a closed space to sense the temperature, then the probe transmits data to a calculation module of the measurement system for calculation to obtain a temperature value result, the temperature value result obtained by the system can be not only informed to a user through a display screen, but also can be in a computer system data form, and compared with a data output mode of a liquid thermometer, the temperature value result can be stored in a computer and an internet system more conveniently.

Of course, the detection can also be implemented by artificial measurement sensing, for example, the temperature of an enclosed space is also measured, and although the very accurate temperature numerical data cannot be obtained by the artificial measurement sensing method, under the premise of safety, a person can enter the space to sense an approximate temperature level by physical sense (physiological sensing or "physical sensing") according to personal experience. Thus, are "measures" derived from a person's past experience in perceiving such circumstances, etc. For example, the "comfort level" of an individual in a certain temperature state of the enclosed space is an "estimated value". Thus, the "comfort level" may also be defined as the "state" of an environment. And, this "comfort level" is dependent on the individual's judgment and may be affected by problems other than actual temperature, as a sick person and a healthy person may not have the same ambient temperature requirements for comfort. Obviously, such an "estimate" of the so-called "comfort level" is not obtained by means of a simple temperature measuring tool. Thus, evaluating an "estimate" of so-called "comfort level" requires that diverse data, such as body-related data, be derived together with a specific algorithm, rather than relying on a single temperature measurement.

The state or characteristics of an object may change over time, such as an edible product, depending on the manner in which it is stored or used, and may change over time and may affect the quality of the product, such as its freshness. If the product is stored or used for a period of time, it may be damaged to various degrees due to factors such as environment or usage habits, thereby affecting the quality of the product.

For example, when a commonly used mobile phone is knocked and randomly released in the using process, internal parts of the mobile phone are easy to damage, and at the moment, people can hardly judge whether the mobile phone needs to be replaced or not through eye observation; and if the mobile phone needs to be re-sold, the mobile phone is difficult to be evaluated accurately, and a lower price can be sold due to wrong judgment of the freshness, so that unnecessary loss is caused.

For example, with the advancement of science and technology, the freshness and safety of food (agricultural products such as meat, fish, vegetables or fruits) are increasingly important. Agricultural products often need to be transported and stored by trucks (trucks and/or airplanes) over long or short distances, and thus need to be kept in a compartment or for long or short periods of time. However, the quality of the agricultural products may be affected by the changes of the temperature, humidity and other transportation conditions experienced by the agricultural products during transportation, and even the agricultural products are deteriorated, rotten and damaged and cannot be eaten. It is very necessary for consumers and transportation personnel to truly and conveniently know the transportation conditions of agricultural products in the transportation process.

Edible produce may use labels or stickers (provided on the produce itself or produce containers) to indicate information about the nature of the produce. In particular, the label may indicate the name, weight, volume, purpose, and other information of the article. The label or sticker referred to herein may be a printed label and may carry one or more keywords or codes such as bar codes or QR codes.

These labels or tags are an information carrier. The information carried may range from a simple identification of the product ("merchandise identification") to a combination of the merchandise identification with a code (e.g., a barcode or QR code) capable of carrying more complex information. Such labels or tags are widely used in the trade, logistics and services industries of modern society.

The present embodiments provide a method and apparatus for product monitoring, providing a tag that can be used to monitor the freshness function of edible products (e.g., meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, etc.). Besides being a conventional information carrier, it can be used for monitoring products, such as information for monitoring the current or past environment in which the product is located, and can be monitored or read by an electronic device (e.g., a smartphone) equipped with a downloadable monitoring application ("app"). The present embodiments may provide simpler, less costly and more information-based application solutions in many application domains.

The present embodiment provides a measuring method, a measuring system and a storage device for the above-described product monitoring, which can more easily, conveniently and efficiently measure the state of an object (product) and/or the state of the environment in which the object is placed.

This embodiment provides a measuring label or sticker with one or more color change materials, each sensing color change material corresponding to a sensing of a product or an environmental factor experienced by the product, such as within a package or container in which the product is placed. The environmental factors may be, for example, temperature, humidity, concentration of gases such as oxygen or carbon dioxide, and the like.

The measurement tag or label can thus measure the environmental parameter to be monitored. The specific color of the indication unit may correspond to a numerical value (or a range of numerical values), and thus the color change of the specific indication unit also represents the change of the corresponding parameter value (or range of numerical values). The measurement tag may be read by taking an image of the measurement tag using a reading device, for example, using a camera of a mobile phone (cell phone). The reading device is equipped with or has access to a specific database storing information for each respective sensed color-changing material and associating a dataset of the sensed color (read from the tag captured image) of the sensed color-changing material with its corresponding indicated parameter value (or range of values). The database may contain a first data set (first scale) representing theoretical data, which may be provided by the manufacturer of the color change material, and which associates different possible colors of the color change material with different parameter values, thereby providing theoretical metrology data. The database may contain a second data set (second scale) representing experimental data obtained by placing the actual sample measurement tag in the same or similar environment as the environment in which the product to be monitored is located. The experimental metrology data may be obtained by taking readings of their parameter values at specific times by using additional sensors (e.g. thermometer for temperature, humidity sensor for humidity, etc.) and for each sensor reading, also handling the image of the label that should be measured and storing together the corresponding data values of the parameter indicating the number of color associated sensors of the cell, thereby providing the experimental metrology data.

The experimental calibration data may also be used to calibrate the reading device if the reading device used to acquire the experimental data is of the same type as the reading device used for the actual measurement. However, in case other reading devices are used during the actual measurement, or no experimental data set (second scale) is present, the measurement tag may also be provided with color reference units (e.g. red, green and blue). Thereby calibrating the color difference of the first data set or the second data set (scale) of the color data field acquired by the computer accessed by the reading device.

The measurement tag may also contain a deflection or orientation indicating unit to enable the read image data to be processed or adjusted so that the image has the appropriate size and orientation.

In addition, in the case of a product that itself changes color over time (e.g., after fruit ripening), the first and/or second and/or third data sets may also include color data for the product itself (theoretical data for the first data set and experimental data for the second data set and the third data set), and the actual color of the product itself over time may also be used to calculate the monitoring of the product.

The measurement method may include a requirement (requirement) determination step, a data set (scale) construction step, a data processing step, and an actual measurement step. These steps do not have to be performed one after the other, nor by the same device or means. For example, in practical applications, the actual measurement step will usually be performed separately from the other steps. The demand determining step may include: at least one measurement parameter of the object (product) to be measured and/or of the environment in which the product is located is determined. For example, the parameter may be, among others, the temperature of the product or its environment, the humidity of the product environment, the concentration of gas in the product environment, etc. The dataset (scale) construction step may comprise one or more of: selecting a proper measuring label or label, wherein the measuring label contains a material for sensing color change of a parameter to be measured, the measuring label containing the color change material is arranged on an object and/or in the environment of the object, and standard performance parameters of each sensing color change material are obtained to form a data set with colors corresponding to the parameters so as to form the first data set or the first scale; acquiring various parameters and change data related to measurement requirements in a measured object and/or a measurement environment where the measured object is located, and recording the color change of a measurement label in the same measurement environment to form a second scale; and acquiring actual change degree data of the measured object in an experimental test environment, and simultaneously recording the color change corresponding to the measurement label to form a third scale. The algorithm development step may include developing a measurement analysis algorithm based on the measurement requirements in combination with one or more of the first scale, the second scale and the third scale. The measuring step may include acquiring a real-time image of the measurement tag, while performing standard restoration correction on the real-time image if necessary; and extracting the color data of the inductive color-changing material, substituting the color data into a result analysis algorithm, and finally calculating a measurement result.

Preferably, the measuring label comprises at least one detecting and identifying area arranged at a preset position and a positive direction indicating unit for acquiring the correct direction of the measuring label (i.e. the positive direction means the position capable of helping to locate the continuous color units in the label), and the sensing color-changing material is arranged in the corresponding detecting and identifying area.

Preferably, the measurement tag includes at least one detection identification area provided at a predetermined position and an information identification area on which a first positive direction identification structure for acquiring a positive direction of the measurement tag is provided. Or a second positive direction identification structure for acquiring the positive direction of the measuring label is arranged at the free position of the measuring label.

Preferably, the measurement tag includes a color reference cell area therein, and the step of obtaining the color parameter of the measurement tag includes: an image of a color reference cell area in the measurement tag is acquired to acquire a reference color of the color reference cell. Comparing the measurement reference color with a preset standard reference color to obtain an image attribute deviation value between the measurement reference color and the standard reference color (thereby solving the previously discussed problem that the read real-time color may vary due to the color sensitivity of the image pickup apparatus); and capturing images of the detection identification areas in the measurement label, acquiring the colors of the measurement images of the detection identification areas, and correcting the actual colors of the detection identification areas according to the image attribute deviation values.

Preferably, the method of constructing the performance database with respect to the first scale comprises: obtaining a standard color which changes corresponding to the change of the standard performance parameters according to the standard performance parameters of the induction color-changing material; acquiring inherent performance characteristics of the induced color-changing material according to the standard performance parameters of the induced color-changing material; and correlating the standard color and the intrinsic performance parameters to construct a performance database of the first scale.

Preferably, the method of constructing the second scale comprises: at least setting one measuring environment, wherein each measuring environment comprises a plurality of environmental factors; or respectively adjusting one or more environmental factors according to a preset rule in a preset data range corresponding to the measuring environment to obtain a corresponding variable measuring environment; in a measurement environment, acquiring first color change data corresponding to a color change process of a measurement tag; or, in a variable measurement environment, acquiring second color change data corresponding to the color change process of the measurement label; constructing a data model based on the first color change process data and the corresponding measurement environment to form a second scale; or constructing a data model based on the second color change process data and the corresponding variable measurement environment to form a second scale.

Preferably, the method for constructing the third scale comprises: acquiring a first actual change degree of the measured object in a preset time period according to the measuring environment, or acquiring a second actual change degree of the measured object in the preset time period according to the variable measuring environment; the actual change degree comprises image information or character description information of the measured object, and the character description comprises the relevant description of the actual change degree of the measured object; constructing a data model based on the first color change data and the first actual degree of change to form a third scale; or constructing a data model based on the second color change data and the second actual degree of change to form a third scale.

The invention provides a measuring method, which comprises the following steps: and selecting corresponding induced color change materials according to the pre-measured data, and using at least one induced color change material to integrate into a measuring label. The measuring method comprises a requirement determining step, a scale constructing step, an algorithm developing step and an actual measuring step, and specifically comprises the following steps: a requirement determining step: and determining the measurement parameters required by the measured object and/or the measurement environment according to the measurement result. Scale construction: selecting corresponding sensing color-changing materials and measuring labels according to required measuring parameters, wherein the sensing color-changing materials and the measuring labels are arranged on a measured object and/or in a measuring environment, and at least one of a first scale, a second scale and a third scale is constructed; obtaining standard performance parameters of the induction color-changing material to form a corresponding performance database and a first scale; acquiring parameters and change data related to measurement requirements from the measured object and/or the measurement environment thereof, and acquiring the change of the color of the measurement label in the corresponding measurement environment to form a second scale; acquiring actual change degree data of the measured object in a measuring environment, and acquiring color change data corresponding to the measuring label to form a third scale; and (3) algorithm development steps: and developing a measurement result analysis algorithm according to the measurement requirement and in combination with one or more of the first scale, the second scale and the third scale. And actual measurement: acquiring a real-time image of the measurement label, and performing standard recovery on the real-time image; and extracting the color of the induction color-changing material, and substituting the corresponding color data into a result analysis algorithm to obtain a measurement result.

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a measurement system, including: the detection device is matched with a measurement label for use, and the measurement label is a measurement label which comprises an induced color-changing material corresponding to a data type planned to be measured in advance and is formed by integrating at least one induced color-changing material. The detection device is provided with a computer program for executing the measuring method; the detection device stores the first scale, the second scale, the third scale and a result analysis algorithm used in the measurement method; and a measuring device for performing the actual measuring step in the detection method, and the measuring device is connected with the storage device to acquire the relevant data in the storage device.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a storage device storing a computer program capable of performing the steps of implementing the measurement method. Compared with the prior art, the invention has the advantages that the measuring method, the measuring system and the storage device construct the corresponding scale database to reflect the theoretical value, the experimental value and the evaluation value of the state of the product according to the inductive color-changing material, the measuring label and the measured object, and form computer data, so that the computer conveniently obtains the physical state of the measured object or the environment thereof through accurate and intelligent analysis and calculation, thereby rapidly and accurately obtaining the measured value and achieving higher intelligent level; in addition, by capturing the image of the color reference unit, the accuracy of image judgment can be further improved.

The embodiment provides a measurement tag, which solves the problems of complex use and low efficiency, changes the existing tag data acquisition mode, and further solves the problem of single function.

Embodiments provide a measurement tag that includes a tag body, a variable color patch area and an information area, wherein the variable color patch area includes at least one variable color patch made of an induced color change material. A specified environmental parameter is sensed, which may include, for example, temperature, humidity, concentration of a particular gas (e.g., oxygen or carbon dioxide).

Preferably, the information area includes a two-dimensional code, and the variable color block is disposed on the tag body in correspondence with a forward direction of the two-dimensional code.

Preferably, the variable color block is disposed on the measurement tag body and around the periphery of the two-dimensional code.

Preferably, the measurement label further includes a positive direction indicating unit, wherein the variable color block is provided on the label body and coincides with a positive direction of the positive direction indicating unit.

Preferably, the positive direction indicating unit area includes at least one pattern structure for direction recognition, the pattern having the direction orientation structure thereof is provided in the positive direction indicating unit area for use in indicating a positive direction, or the pattern having the position orientation structure thereof is provided in the positive direction indicating unit area for use in indicating a positive direction.

Preferably, the shape of the label body may also be used as a function of being recognized as the positive direction, and the variable color patch is provided on the label body and the positive direction of the label body is used as the positive direction.

Preferably, the information area may be a two-dimensional code, a bar code or a character recognition layer for recognizing a company profile or for recognizing product information.

Preferably, the measurement tag further comprises a colour reference cell area.

Preferably, the measurement tag further comprises a blank reserved area.

Preferably, the color-changing material may include, for example, one or more of the following: thermosensitive color-changing materials, humidity-sensitive color-changing materials, specific substance-sensitive color-changing materials, timed color-changing materials or force-sensitive color-changing materials.

The embodiment provides a measurement tag, which provides an environment monitoring function in addition to the conventional tag function, thereby expanding the application range of the tag, and realizing a low-cost and efficient method for data carrying and product measurement.

Fig. 1X-3X illustrate an embodiment of a measurement method.

The measurement method illustrated in fig. 1X includes providing the product with a label or tag, for example, that can be placed on the product or in its packaging or container, and that has at least one color changing material and that changes in color as a function of a parameter associated with the product being monitored, such as the temperature of the product or its environment, the humidity of the product environment, the gas concentration of the product environment (e.g., O2 or CO2), and the like. The measurement method may include a demand determination step; and scale construction step S12 in fig. 1X; algorithm development step S13, step S12 in fig. 1X; actual measurement in fig. 1X, step S14, step S12.

The thermochromic material of the measurement tag can be read by utilizing a theoretical data set or an experimental data set as described above. The first data set (first scale) may be formed from theoretical data provided by the manufacturer of the colour change material for different colours exhibited by the material for different values of the sensed parameter, thereby providing theoretical metrology data. A second data set (second scale) representing experimental data may additionally or alternatively be established, which may contain experimental data of a measurement tag sample (placed with a sample of the actual product under test) in the experimental environment, similar to the application where the particular product is to be actually measured. The experimental data is obtained by taking readings at specific times using additional separate sensors (e.g., thermometer for temperature, humidity sensor for humidity, etc.), and for each sensor reading, an image of a measurement label should also be taken and the color of the thermochromic unit paired with the associated sensor reading and stored together to provide experimental metric data.

The color-changing material can be any suitable color-changing material. For example, it may be similar to a color-changing test paper, and may have different regions that may exhibit different colors according to changes in environmental conditions, chemical changes, changes over time, or physical contact, etc., such as a thermochromic material that changes color according to changes in temperature, a humidity-sensitive chromic material that changes color according to changes in humidity, a material that changes color according to oxygen concentration, a chromic material that changes color according to time, etc. The color change property may be reversible or irreversible according to different color change materials. For example, it may also be a chronologic material, i.e. a material that changes colour over time, e.g. a material oxidation process causes a change in its colour, a "timed test area" formed from this material is used in the measurement tag, so that the oxidation process of the material can be used to assess the duration of the process (e.g. transit time). It may also be a material that changes color as a result of a chemical and/or biological reaction resulting from the combination of two substances, such as test strips that are involved in the detection of carbon dioxide, mold, aldehydes, alcohols, and even gaseous exhaust gases from cold chain engines, and the like. As a further example, it may be a multi-layer composite structure in which the top layer material changes state (e.g., becomes opaque to mask the color of the underlying layer, or becomes transparent to expose the color of the underlying layer, or melts into the underlying layer to cause a color change), for example, an example of a multi-layer composite structure may be provided in which the underlying layer is a fluorescent material and the surface layer is a reversible temperature-sensitive color-changing material (which changes from transparent to colored) that can then fluoresce under high temperature and dark conditions. A further example is a multilayer composite structure formed of layers of materials having different melting points and different colors, such that at different temperatures, the different layers of materials melt to exhibit different colors. Alternatively, a polymer material may be used, for example, a polymer material whose surface is coated with a substance whose optical properties change with changes in environmental conditions.

The measuring label comprises at least one induced color change material similar to the measuring test paper. Depending on the kind of parameter to be measured or detected, the measurement label may contain areas ("test papers") of different color change response types and different color change response parameters. For example, a measurement tag for sensing temperature and humidity will be provided with both areas having corresponding temperature-sensitive material areas and humidity-sensitive material areas.

In the first embodiment, referring to fig. 1X, the scale constructing step in fig. 2X includes:

step S121 in fig. 2X: and selecting corresponding induced color-changing materials and measurement labels according to the required measurement parameters, and arranging the measurement labels with the induced color-changing materials on the measured object and/or in a measurement environment.

Step S122 in fig. 2X: standard performance parameters of the thermochromic material are obtained to form a corresponding performance database, which is expressed as a function of the parameter corresponding to an expected color change of the material to form a first scale.

Step S123 in fig. 2X: and acquiring parameters and change data related to measurement requirements in the measured object and/or the measurement environment thereof, and acquiring color change data of the measurement label in the corresponding measurement environment to form a second scale.

Step S124 in fig. 2X: and acquiring actual change degree data of the measured object in a measuring environment, and acquiring color change data corresponding to the measuring label to form a third scale.

In step S121 in fig. 2X, the requirement determination step has already obtained the requirement of the measurement, for example, the change of the physical property of the measured object, the change of the parameter of the environment of the measured object, the range of the measurement data, the measurement time period, and the like. And selecting and measuring the corresponding induced color-changing material and the corresponding measuring label according to the related data.

In step S122, the standard performance parameter of the sensing color-changing material may be described as a performance map within a certain parameter threshold range, and stored in a performance database form, so as to facilitate subsequent data acquisition. Preferably, the first scale reflects a theoretical value, such as an inherent performance parameter of a certain induced color change material, and factory actual measurement data.

Meanwhile, a plurality of inductive color-changing materials can be integrated to form a composite inductive color-changing material, namely color-changing test paper, so that different color-changing test papers can obtain corresponding changes.

In step S123 of fig. 2X, a measurement value is acquired. Firstly, various parameters and change data related to measurement requirements in a measured object and/or a measuring environment of the object are obtained through a related environment measuring tool (sensor); secondly, the color change data of the measurement tag in the corresponding measurement environment is acquired through the existing or specific image acquisition system, and the color of the measurement tag can be changed according to the change of the measurement environment. The second scale takes the parameter or change data of the measuring environment and the color change of the measuring label as a reference standard, and associates various parameters and change data in the measured object or/and the measuring environment thereof with the color change data of the corresponding measuring label.

Furthermore, the measured value based on the measuring label is sorted out by combining the measuring environment (including variable and invariable measuring environment, wherein invariable represents a relatively stable state) and the color variation of the measuring label, namely, the data conversion is carried out on the actual variation of the measuring label.

In step S124 in fig. 2X, specifically, according to a standard measurement environment or according to a variable measurement environment, acquiring an actual variation degree of the measured object within a preset time period, where the actual variation degree includes image information or text description information of the measured object; and a third scale of the database corresponding to the measurement data based on the actual change degree and the change of the measurement label is formed by combining the change of the corresponding measurement label.

The actual degree of change includes measurable data or information that is manually evaluated.

For example, regarding the transportation of a certain fruit, in the whole cold chain environment, the color change of the measuring label and the change degree corresponding to the appearance of the fruit under corresponding conditions are obtained, and the change degree of the appearance of the fruit and the color change of the measuring label (the parameter change for reflecting the cold chain environment) are combined to form a third scale, wherein the freshness and even the decay degree can be obtained through the change degree; the freshness degree refers to the freshness standard of the fruits evaluated by the surface color, brightness and the like of the fruits, and the rotting degree refers to the rotting degree of the fruits.

For example, regarding the transportation of a certain fruit, in a whole non-cold chain environment (even possibly a worse environment), the color change of the measuring label and the change degree corresponding to the appearance are obtained, and the change degree of the fruit appearance and the color change of the measuring label (the parameter change for reflecting the cold chain environment) are combined to form a third scale; by varying the degree, the degree of freshness or even the degree of decay can be obtained; the freshness degree refers to the freshness standard of the fruits evaluated by surface color, brightness and the like, and the rotting degree refers to the rotting degree of the fruits.

In this embodiment, the algorithm development step includes:

and formulating a result analysis algorithm for measuring the measured object according to the measurement requirement of the measured object and by combining one or more scales of the first scale, the second scale and the third scale.

In this embodiment, referring to fig. 3X, the actual measurement step includes:

step S31 in fig. 3X: acquiring a real-time image of the measurement label, and performing standard restoration on the real-time image;

step S32 in fig. 3X: and extracting corresponding color data of the induction color-changing material, and substituting the corresponding color data into a result analysis algorithm to obtain a measurement result.

Wherein the color parameter is the real-time color of the corresponding color change material.

Specifically, a corresponding analysis algorithm is obtained according to the measurement requirement, after the measurement is completed, all collected data are analyzed and discussed according to the analysis algorithm, so that a set of optional rules is formed, the actual state of the measured object is reflected, the actual state is reflected from all angles, the precision is improved, and otherwise, the actual state of some special measured objects cannot be obtained through a single measurement mode, so that the overall applicable range is provided.

Further, the standard restoring is to restore the relevant image obtained by the standard shooting device in the tested environment, for example, by restoring the parameter differences of the shooting device, restoring the attribute differences (such as angle, distortion, color difference, brightness, resolution and RGB color standard) of the image, and performing corresponding image modification in the restoring process. Through relevant positioning technologies (such as three-point positioning of two-dimensional codes, measurement label outline positioning and image text position positioning), standard restoration of color areas can be achieved.

In this embodiment, a measurement scheme is provided.

The present measurement scheme may be embodied by a coordinate system, wherein the type and extent of the X-axis is defined according to the measurement requirements. For example, in a freshness measurement of fresh produce, prepare the freshness X-axis (freshness decreases from left to right); for example, in measuring the degree of freshness of a measurement target, a freshness X-axis is created (the degree of freshness increases from left to right). For example, in measuring a melting process of ice melting, an X-axis of the melting process is prepared (the degree of melting increases from left to right); for example, in mass measurement of an iron block, a mass X axis is prepared (mass decreases from left to right).

Various types and ranges of Y-axis are defined based on the first scale, the second scale, and the third scale. Specific reference is made to the following description.

In addition, the prepared relevant data of the first scale, the second scale and the third scale are substituted into the coordinate system model, for example, in the freshness measurement of fresh products, irreversible data of the temperature and the alcohol content of the second scale are adopted, and the third scale is combined to obtain the change of the temperature parameter in the measurement label; when the temperature-sensitive color-changing material shows color a (color a is a preferred temperature for the corresponding fresh product), the freshness is the freshness of the coordinate system model and moves toward the right side of X by an axis that changes with time (approaching the general freshness of the X axis gradually); when the temperature-sensitive color-changing material exhibits color B (color B is a non-preferred temperature), the freshness moves further to the right of the X-axis and exceeds the general freshness of the X-axis. Axis and gradually approaches the non-freshness of the X-axis. Similarly, the alcohol content is as described above (in this case the fresh produce is typically fruit).

Finally, a color display of the measurement tag corresponding to the temperature and the alcohol content is obtained, and freshness is obtained in case of different colors. Also, the measurement principle of other measured objects is similar to that described above, and measurement is performed only by using different parameters. The specific parameter selection is determined according to the actual measurement requirement, and even the above-mentioned freshness parameter is an implementation manner, and the measurement of the freshness is not limited.

As shown in fig. 4X, the present invention provides a second preferred embodiment of a measurement method.

The measuring method comprises a preset sensing color-changing material, a measuring label and a measured object, and further comprises a scale constructing step, an algorithm making step and an actual measuring step.

The sensing color-changing material, the measuring label and the measured object are consistent with the above description, and are not repeated herein.

In this embodiment, the scale constructing step constructs at least one of the first scale, the second scale and the third scale, and includes the steps of:

step S41 in fig. 4X: and selecting corresponding sensing color-changing materials and measuring labels according to the measuring parameters, and arranging the sensing color-changing materials and the measuring labels in the measured object and/or the measuring environment thereof.

Step S421 in fig. 4X: and acquiring standard performance parameters of the induction color-changing material to form a corresponding performance database and form a first scale.

Step S422 in fig. 4X: and acquiring various parameters and change data related to measurement requirements in the measured object and/or the measurement environment thereof, and acquiring color change data of the measurement label in the corresponding measurement environment to form a second scale.

Step S423 in fig. 4X: and acquiring actual change degree data of the measured object in the measuring environment, and acquiring color change data corresponding to the measuring label to form a third scale.

Step S43 in fig. 4X: and completing scale construction.

In this embodiment, the requirement determination step and the algorithm formulation step are substantially identical to those described above, except that the preset parameters are different (i.e., different scale is constructed), and the combined preset parameters are different. If a certain system only constructs one of the first scale, the second scale and the third scale, in the step of determining the requirement, according to the measurement requirement of the measured object, combining the constructed one of the first scale, the second scale and the third scale, and formulating an analysis algorithm for measuring the measured object in the step of formulating the algorithm; or, if a certain system only constructs two of the first scale, the second scale and the third scale, in the step of determining the requirement, according to the measurement requirement of the measured object, combining the constructed two of the first scale, the second scale and the third scale, and formulating the analysis algorithm for measuring the measured object in the step of formulating the algorithm.

Of course, three scales can be constructed, which is the above-mentioned "first preferred embodiment of the measuring method", and will not be described one by one here.

Similarly, the actual measurement step is also an actual measurement operation performed on the basis of the established analysis algorithm.

As mentioned above, the measurement tag or label can thus measure the environmental parameter that needs to be monitored. The specific color of the indication unit may correspond to a numerical value (or a range of numerical values), and thus the color change of the specific indication unit also represents the change of the value (or the range of values) of the corresponding parameter. The measurement tag may be read by taking an image of the measurement tag using a reading device, for example, using a camera of a mobile phone (cell phone). The reading device is equipped with or has access to a specific database storing information for each respective thermochromic material and associating a dataset of the real-time color (read from the label real image) of the thermochromic material with its corresponding indicated parameter value (or range of values). The database may contain a first data set (first scale) representing theoretical data that may be provided by a manufacturer of the color change material and that associates different possible colors of the color change material with different parameter values, thereby providing theoretical metrology data. The database may contain a second data set (second scale) representing experimental data obtained by placing the actual sample measurement tag in the same or similar environment as the product to be monitored. The experimental metrology data may be obtained by taking readings of parameter values using additional sensors (e.g., a thermometer for temperature, a humidity sensor for humidity, etc.) at specific times, and for each sensor reading, an image of a measurement label should also be taken and the color of the parameter indicating cell stored with the associated sensor data value to provide the experimental metrology data.

The experimental calibration data may also be used to calibrate the reading device if the reading device used to acquire the experimental data is of the same type as the reading device used for the actual measurement. However, in case other reading devices may be used during the actual measurement, or no experimental data set (second scale) is present, the measurement tag may also be provided with color reference color elements (e.g. red, green and blue). Thereby calibrating the color difference of the color data acquired by the reading device or the computer accessed by the reading device with the first data set or the second data set (scale).

The measurement tag may also contain a deflection or orientation indicating unit to enable the read image data to be processed or adjusted so that the image has the appropriate size and orientation.

In addition, in the case where the product itself changes color over time (e.g., after fruit ripening), the first and/or second data sets may include the product's own color data (theoretical data of the first data set, experimental data of the second data set, and the third data set), and the actual color change of the product over time may also be used to calculate the monitoring results of the product.

Fig. 5 shows an example of a measurement tag in the form of a gray scale graph.

As shown in fig. 5, the measurement tag includes a tag body 100, a color-changing region 200 and an information region 300, wherein the color-changing region 200 includes at least one color-changing region made of a material for sensing a change of a predetermined environmental parameter. As shown, the information area 300 is a QR code incorporating directional arrows, and the color-changing area 200 includes a plurality of different sensitive color-changing patches that may respond to different environmental parameters or may respond at different times. Different thermochromic regions may have different shapes for easy identification. In addition, there may be two or more variable color patches that respond to the same parameters to provide redundancy of measurements in the event of, for example, a tag failure. In this embodiment, the label body 100 further includes an adhesive layer, a base layer and a protective layer, which are sequentially disposed from bottom to top. And the color-changing area 200 and the information area 300 are both disposed on the substrate layer. Wherein the adhesive layer is used for adhering to the measured object or the surrounding environment thereof, such as one or more of a food packaging bag, an outer surface of a packaging box and an inner surface of the packaging box. The substrate layer is used to connect the adhesive layer and the protective layer, and carries the color-changing region 200 and the information region 300. For example, a protective layer is used for the color-changing area 200 and the information area 300 on the substrate layer, for example, the material of the protective layer is an air-impermeable, transparent or translucent film material, so that before the measurement label is not used, air and water vapor enter into the color-changing area 200, and the color-changing area 200 starts to react after contacting with the air. The protective layer may be removed at the time of initiation of use of the label.

In this embodiment, the respective color-changing materials and the measurement label formed by integrating at least one color-changing material are set according to the previously measured data. In the measuring process, the color-changing material or the measuring label is pasted on the measured object or is arranged in the surrounding environment of the measured object, and the parameters of the measured object or the parameters of the environment of the measured object are obtained through the color-changing material or the measuring label so as to reflect the state of the measured object.

As described above, the color-changing material is set according to specific data, and generates different colors due to environmental changes, chemical changes and/or changes over time itself or changes caused by physical contact, such as a temperature-sensitive color-changing material according to temperature changes, a humidity-sensitive color-changing material according to humidity changes; an oxygen detecting material that changes according to the oxygen concentration; and a test paper for sensing a specific substance or characteristic, or a related color-changing material that changes color with time, and the like. The color-changing material can be reversible color-changing material or irreversible color-changing material, and any material which can be changed according to a certain specific factor belongs to the protection scope of the invention. Further, examples of feasibility of color change materials:

1) based on the timing test paper with the use function, at present, a great number of oxidation discoloration materials exist, the surface of the material is discolored through oxidation, and the depth of the discolored color is determined by the duration time of the oxidation process, so the duration time of the oxidation process of the material can be used for evaluating the duration time of the process;

2) a test strip based on a specific substance having a function; obtaining new substances with different colors through chemical and biological reactions of the two substances, such as test paper which generally relates to carbon dioxide, mould, aldehyde, alcohol, even cold chain steam, tail gas and the like;

3) a multi-layer structure test paper; in order to meet the requirement of the fluorescent test paper under the high-temperature dark condition, the bottom layer can be used as a fluorescent material, and the surface layer is made of a reversible temperature-sensitive color-changing material (from transparent to colored);

4) the multi-layer test paper with different melting points uses a plurality of layers of materials with different melting points and different colors, and each layer is melted to present different colors under different temperature states;

5) the macromolecular structure test paper is, for example, coated with a specific substance through the surface of a macromolecular material, and after coating, may also cause a change in the optical characteristics of the surface to produce a color change effect.

As described above, the color change material may be any one or more of a temperature-sensitive color change material, a humidity-sensitive color change material, a specific substance-sensitive color change material, a time-sensitive color change material, or a force-applying color change material.

The measurement label includes at least one of color change materials, and the color change materials are arranged according to a preset rule. According to different measuring purposes, the measuring test paper with different measuring functions is effectively integrated to form a special measuring label, for example, a measuring label used for sensing temperature and humidity, and the measuring label is provided with a temperature sensing material area and a humidity sensing material area. And the corresponding color-changing material is arranged, thereby achieving the purpose of measuring the measured object.

In this embodiment, the information area 300 may be a two-dimensional code, a bar code or a character recognition layer for recognizing a company profile or for recognizing product information.

As described above, the information area 300 includes the two-dimensional code in fig. 5, and the discolored regions are arranged on the tag body 100 in the forward direction of the two-dimensional code, in correspondence with the forward direction of the two-dimensional code.

Further, the variable color blocks are arranged on the tag body 100 around the two-dimensional code.

Preferably, the two-dimensional code is disposed on the label body 100, the color-changing regions are block diagrams with a certain shape, such as a circle, a square, etc., each block diagram is provided with a specific color-changing material, and since the two-dimensional code can know the positive direction of the label body 100, a plurality of color-changing regions are arranged according to the positive direction of the label body 100, such as being disposed around the two-dimensional code.

For example, a thermochromic material is provided in one block diagram, a humidity chromic material is provided in another block diagram, a time chromic material is provided in another block diagram, and so on. Of course, in order to improve the accuracy of the measurement label and to improve the recognizability, the same color-changing material may be provided in both the frame members. The above-described functions can also be realized by expanding the size of the block diagram.

For example, the color-changing material changing color in the range of 0-10 degrees is arranged in one block, the color-changing material changing color in the range of 10-20 degrees is arranged in the other block, and the parameter data of the best measured object or the environment thereof is obtained through the color-changing material in the best color-changing range.

The measurement tag further comprises a blank reserved area 600 for subsequent expansion requirements, such as placement of other inductive color-changing materials or information materials, and the blank reserved area 600 can be arranged in the color-changing area 200.

Fig. 6A shows another case of a measurement tag. The measurement label includes at least one detection identification area and the positive direction identification area who obtains measurement label positive direction that sets up according to predetermineeing the locating place, response color-changing material sets up in the detection identification area that corresponds.

For example, referring to fig. 6A, the detection identification area may be a plurality of square areas a disposed in the middle area of the measurement tag, each square area a is disposed with an induced color-changing material to obtain a change of an environmental parameter or other parameters, such as a temperature change, a humidity change, a time change, etc., and also includes a blank area B for subsequent expansion requirements, such as placement of other induced color-changing materials or information data, etc.; the square area a may also be in other shapes, such as a circle, an ellipse, a prism, etc.

Further, the positive direction identification area may be a plurality of black square frames disposed in the peripheral area of the measurement tag, such as surrounding the middle detection identification area, wherein when the shape structure formed by four black square frames is at the bottom of the measurement tag, the measurement tag is in the positive direction; meanwhile, the white square frames arranged between the black square frames are blank areas for subsequent expansion requirements, and the gray square frames are color reference areas for specifically describing and viewing the following text; the description in this embodiment is merely used as a preferred solution, and is not all protection contents of the present invention, and certainly, the position settings of the detection identification area and the positive direction identification area are not necessarily as described above, and other position settings also belong to the protection scope of the present invention.

Fig. 6B the measurement label include that at least one detects identification area 200 and information identification area 300, be equipped with on the information identification area 300 and acquire the first positive direction identification structure in measurement label positive direction, perhaps, be equipped with on the idle position in measurement label and acquire the second positive direction identification structure in measurement label positive direction.

The information identification area 300 shown in fig. 6B includes a two-dimensional code such as a QR code, if the information identification area is a two-dimensional code, the first positive direction identification structure may be a three-point positioning point of the two-dimensional code, and if the information identification area is another information code, the second positive direction identification structure is the same as the positive direction identification area described in fig. 6A.

Fig. 6B, 6C and 6D, the present invention provides a preferred embodiment of a measurement tag that identifies the area 400 based on a positive direction. The positive direction in which the tag recognizes the area 400 in the positive direction is regarded as the positive direction.

Further, the positive direction recognition area 400 includes at least one direction recognition structure, and the structural orientation of the direction recognition structure is set as the positive direction of the positive direction recognition area 400, or the positional orientation of the direction recognition structure is set as the positive direction of the positive direction recognition area 400.

Referring to fig. 6B, the two-dimensional code is disposed on the label body 100, the color-changing regions are block diagrams of a specific shape, such as a circle, a square, etc., each block diagram is provided with a specific color-changing material, the positive direction identification region 400 is disposed at the outermost periphery, the positive direction of the label body 100 is obtained through four black square frames at the lowermost periphery, and a plurality of color-changing regions are arranged according to the positive direction of the label body 100, such as being disposed around the two-dimensional code.

The positive direction recognition area 400 also includes 4 corners of the periphery of the label body 100, and is used for correcting the shooting angle of the picture.

Further, if the information identification area is a two-dimensional code, the measurement tag can be simplified, i.e., the direction identification area around the measurement tag is eliminated.

A series of examples are given above, but of course, the position settings of the detection identification area and the information identification area are not necessarily as described above, and other position settings also belong to the scope of the present invention, and likewise, the shape and color settings are also the same.

As shown in fig. 6C, the measuring label has the second positive direction identification structure 400 and is disposed at a corner, such as the upper left corner in fig. 6D, with the color reference unit 500, B and the detection identification area a disposed together, and a blank area disposed between the color reference unit B and the detection identification area a for subsequent expansion requirements. The positive direction indicating unit area 400 is a pattern disposed at the corner of the label body 100, and the positive direction of the label body 100 can be obtained by acquiring the position of the pattern.

The blank reserved area 600 is used for subsequent expansion requirements, such as placement of other inductive color-changing materials or information data, and the blank reserved area 600 can be arranged in the color-changing area 200 and can also be arranged in the positive direction identification area 400.

The color reference unit 500 may use three primary colors (red, green, and blue) as the colors of the color reference unit, and certainly may use other colors as long as the difference between the actually obtained color of the image and the preset standard color can be well reflected, the difference of the color change of the image is obtained, the intelligent recognition of the machine is realized, and the recognition accuracy is improved.

The image acquisition process or the image acquisition equipment acquires deviation values of the colors of the measurement labels through the color reference unit, the deviation values are differences of image attributes, and basic attributes of the image comprise pixels, resolution, size, color, bit depth, hue, saturation, brightness, color channels, image levels and the like. The difference between the photographed color and the color of the preset standard image can be compared, and the difference between the photographed color and the preset standard image can be analyzed, so that the difference of specific parameters, such as color temperature, brightness, color difference and the like, can be obtained.

Furthermore, if the information identification area is a two-dimensional code, a second positive direction identification structure of the measurement label can be reserved, and the positive direction of the label cannot be identified at the first time when the two-dimensional code is too small.

As with the test label case with reference to fig. 6D, the information area may be disposed elsewhere, such as in a blank area of the discolored region 200, or outside the positive direction identification area 400.

As in the test label case with reference to fig. 7, the shape of the label body 100 is a recognizable forward shape, and the discolored regions are arranged on the label body 100 in a forward direction of the label body 100.

For example, in fig. 7, an arrow is added to the square shape of the tag body 100, and the positive direction of the tag body 100 is obtained by the arrow. Other arrangements are consistent with the above description and are not described one by one here.

Fig. 8 shows a measurement tag comprising a color reference cell, wherein the actual measurement step comprises:

step S31 in fig. 8: an image of a color reference cell in the measurement tag is acquired to acquire a reference measurement color of the color reference cell.

Step S32 in fig. 8: and comparing the reference measurement color with a preset standard color to obtain an image attribute deviation value between the reference measurement color and the standard color.

Step S33 in fig. 8: and acquiring images of the detection identification areas in the measurement label, acquiring the identification measurement color of each detection identification area, and acquiring the actual color of each detection identification area according to the image attribute deviation value.

The deviation value is a difference between images, and basic attributes of an image include a pixel, resolution, size, color, bit depth, hue, saturation, brightness, color channel, gradation of an image, and the like. Differences between the colors of the photographed images can be analyzed to obtain differences in specific parameters, such as differences in color temperature and brightness, color differences, and the like, by comparing them with preset standard colors.

Meanwhile, three primary colors can be used as the colors of the color reference unit, and of course, other colors can be used as long as the colors of the actually acquired image are distinguished from the preset standard colors. The method can be well reflected, so that the difference of image color change is obtained, the intelligent recognition of a machine is realized, and the recognition precision is improved.

Meanwhile, three primary colors may be adopted as the colors of the color reference region, and of course, other colors may be used as long as a distinction is made between the color of the actually acquired image and a preset standard color. The method can be well reflected, so that the difference of image color change is obtained, the intelligent recognition of a machine is realized, and the recognition precision is improved.

Fig. 9 shows an example of a method of building the performance database of the first scale.

The first scale performance database is constructed in a manner that:

step S1221 in fig. 9: and acquiring standard color parameters which are displayed along with the change of the standard performance parameters according to the standard performance parameters of the induction color-changing material.

Step S1222 in fig. 9: acquiring inherent performance parameters of the induction color-changing material according to the standard performance parameters of the induction color-changing material;

step S1223 in fig. 9: and combining the standard color parameters and the inherent performance parameters to construct a performance database of the first scale.

Specifically, a coordinate system model is used to embody the first scale, wherein the first scale is based on one theoretical value of a standard performance parameter of the thermochromic material.

For example, according to the temperature performance parameter of the induced color-changing material, the theoretical temperature range of the temperature performance parameter is obtained to show different standard colors. The theoretical temperature range of the temperature performance parameter is taken as the X axis, the color is taken as the Y axis, and different theoretical temperature ranges of the X axis correspond to different colors.

Fig. 10 shows an example of a construction method of the second scale.

The second scale construction method comprises the following steps:

step S1231 in fig. 10: at least one measurement environment is provided, each measurement environment including a plurality of environmental factors.

Step S12311 in fig. 10: in a measurement environment, first color change data corresponding to a color change process of a measurement tag is acquired.

Step S12312 in fig. 10: a data model based on the first color change process data and the corresponding measurement environment is constructed to form a second scale.

Step S1232 in fig. 10: and sequentially adjusting one or more environment factors within a preset data range corresponding to the measuring environment to obtain the corresponding variable measuring environment.

Step S12321 in fig. 10: in the variable measurement environment, second color change data corresponding to a color change process of the measurement tag is acquired.

Step S12322: a data model based on the second color change process data and the corresponding variable measurement environment is constructed to form a second scale.

According to step S1231, it is possible to directly proceed to step S1232, and according to the measurement demand, perform step S12311 and step S12312, or perform step S12321 and step S12322. Meanwhile, if the environmental factors of the measuring environment are stable, fresh products whose temperature, humidity, and other factors are not changed are shipped using, for example, a refrigerator as in the measuring environment in step S1231. If the environmental factors of the measuring environment are stable, the environmental factors are slightly changed; or if the environmental factors are not stable, in the variable measuring environment of step S1232, for example, a foam box with dry ice is used to transport fresh produce, although the temperature, humidity and other factors are often constant and slightly varied.

At the same time, a second scale is embodied using a coordinate system model. For example, taking the measurement process as the X-axis, the Y-axis coordinate includes the temperature change value and the color change of the corresponding temperature area on the measurement label corresponding to the different temperature change values. That is, the second scale is constructed by combining the color change of the measurement label with the corresponding parameter of the measurement environment.

Fig. 11 and 12 show an example of a building method for the third scale.

The method of construction of the third scale comprises two preferred solutions.

With reference to fig. 11, the first scheme is implemented on the basis of the foregoing step S1231, and includes:

step S12411 in fig. 11: and acquiring a first actual change degree of the measured object in a preset time period according to the measuring environment.

Step S12412 in fig. 11: a data model based on the first color change data and the first actual degree of change is constructed to form a third scale.

The actual degree of change includes image information or text description information on the measured object, the text description includes a description on the actual degree of change of the measured object, and various states and changes are reflected in the text.

Preferably, the above text description can be summarized again as "estimate", e.g. in freshness, from fresh to stale, by constructing a standard "estimate" to obtain a standard rating such as fresh, relatively fresh, normal, poor, stale, etc. And combining the coordinate system model of the second scale to form an X axis based on the coordinate system model of the second scale, and taking the standard grade of the estimation value as a Y axis.

The second solution, referring to fig. 12, is implemented on the basis of the foregoing step S1232, and includes:

step S12421 in fig. 12: and acquiring a second actual change degree of the measured object in a preset time period according to the variable measurement environment.

Step S12422 in fig. 12: a data model based on the second color change data and the second actual degree of change is constructed to form a third scale.

The first color change data and the second color change data are based on a color change of the measurement tag in the respective measurement environment and are distinguished by "first" and "second" by the two solutions described above.

In the present invention, a related embodiment of a measurement method is provided.

The measurement method for ice melting into water will now be described.

A requirement determining step: it is determined whether and to what extent the ice melts into the water. The melting point of water is 0 deg.c, but when ice is melted into water, a general thermometer used when ice is melted cannot measure this state transition process of ice into water because water around it is also 0 deg.c when ice is melted.

Scale construction: a first scale is configured to indicate the presence of water.

An algorithm formulation step: the first scale is arranged on ice through the first color-changing test paper, wherein the first color-changing test paper is color-changing test paper and can change color after meeting water.

And (3) actual measurement: the first color change test paper turns red in the presence of water and green when dried, while a reversible or irreversible color change material is used and different purposes are measured under different conditions.

A method of measuring the heat conduction efficiency will now be described.

A requirement determining step: in the manufacture of a specific product, aiming at the measurement of the heat conduction efficiency of a metal part with a special shape, the metal part is heated at the heated end, the temperature change condition from the heated end to the heat release end after the metal part is heated for a specific time needs to be measured, so that the distribution of the heating degree of the part is obtained, and the heat conduction efficiency of the part with the special shape is calculated.

Scale construction: manufacturing a measuring label by using an irreversible temperature-induced color-changing material; in addition, a plurality of irreversible color change test paper combinations with progressive thresholds can be used, when the temperature reaches a certain threshold of two adjacent color change test paper, one test paper changes color, and the other test paper does not change color, so that the information of the highest temperature is obtained. And taking the performance parameter data of the temperature-sensitive color-changing label as a first scale. Placing a plurality of measuring labels along the heating end to the heat releasing end of the standard part of the part, starting heating for a specific time, acquiring the actual temperature of the metal surface, the heating source and other required positions of the measuring labels by using a measuring instrument, acquiring the color change data of the measuring labels in the heating process, and forming the data into a database to construct a second scale.

An algorithm formulation step: it will be understood that the heat transfer efficiency performance of the component can be analyzed after the temperature of the heating source and the temperature data of the component from the heating end to the heat release end are obtained.

And (3) actual measurement: the method is used for measuring an actual production piece of the part, and a heat transfer efficiency performance result of the actual production piece is obtained by obtaining the color of the measuring label and substituting the color into an analysis algorithm. Still further, the same method can be used to measure metal parts of different shapes or parts of different metal materials of the same shape.

Embodiment three, measurement method of lens "newness".

A requirement determining step: for a single lens reflex, which is an article used in daily life, the quality of the outer shell of the single lens reflex is very firm, but the inner lens thereof is easily damaged by collision or long use time; especially in the case of multiple rotation, although the degree of change is not known from the external view, various adverse effects may have been generated on the internal optical device, and the price of the lens may be greatly different depending on the frequency of use, the time of use, and the quality of the lens. Therefore, a method is needed to obtain its "freshness".

Scale construction: the utility model provides a measurement label can form different colour changes according to different application of force degrees, and application of force degree can reflect through factors such as collision, friction, generally adopts irreversible response chromic material. Specifically, various parameters and change data based on the measurement label and related to the force application degree measurement requirement are obtained, color change data of the measurement label are obtained, a second scale is formed, particularly, corresponding color changes of the measurement label under different conditions such as collision and friction degrees (different force and times) are measured, and preferably, materials with specific thicknesses are wiped off after being rubbed for a plurality of times, and color changes are generated; and constructing an evaluation value standard of the freshness according to the appearance performance of the freshness of the lenses of different models, such as new, newer, common, older and very old, and combining corresponding color changes of corresponding measurement labels to form a third scale.

An algorithm formulation step: and acquiring the color change of different force application degrees and corresponding appearance (optical devices inside the lens), and analyzing the 'freshness' of the lens of the single lens reflex.

And (3) actual measurement: the quality of the measured object is obtained through the assistance of the second scale and the third scale, and the using degree and the maintenance degree of the lens are evaluated, so that the value of the lens is accurately judged.

Example four, method of measuring the "freshness" of agricultural products.

A requirement determining step: the transportation and storage environment of agricultural products are one of the key factors influencing the sale of the agricultural products. Through high-efficiency and high-quality transportation, the loss rate of agricultural products can be reduced in the storage process, and the agricultural products can be delayed to enter an stale stage as far as possible. The essential definition of "freshness" in this case should be: and verifying the comprehensive evaluation index of the loss rate of the agricultural products in the whole process from picking to delivering to the hands of the consumers. In particular, the transportation and storage conditions during the sale chain of agricultural products have higher requirements than other conventional goods, such as: low temperature storage environment, proper humidity range, air sanitation and quality condition of the storage environment, time of sale process and the like.

Scale construction: the measuring label is formed by sensing color-changing materials such as humidity, temperature and timing, the first scale is formed according to data such as humidity, temperature and timing, the corresponding color change of the color-changing label is combined to form the second scale according to environmental parameter change process data such as the temperature of a cold chain, the temperature of a warehouse and the temperature change inside and outside an agricultural product packaging box, the estimated value grade is set according to the corresponding change of the agricultural product in the measuring environment established by the second label, and the third scale is formed according to the corresponding change of the agricultural product in the measuring environment established by the second label.

An algorithm formulation step: the 'freshness' of the agricultural product is judged through the first scale, the second scale and the third scale. Preferably, according to values such as temperature and alcohol substances (alcohol), wherein fruit acid in the fruit is oxidized to generate alcohol substances, whether a preset threshold is reached is checked, for example, the temperature is low temperature, normal temperature and high temperature, the alcohol substances are few, common and much, if the temperature is low temperature and the alcohol substances are few, the fruit acid is considered to be "fresh", or the temperature is normal temperature or the alcohol substances are common, the fruit acid is considered to be "common", or the temperature is high temperature or the alcohol substances are much, the fruit acid is considered to be "stale"; of course, this is merely a preferred analysis algorithm, and other more detailed or specific analysis algorithms (particularly for other specific agricultural products) are also within the scope of the present invention.

Furthermore, factors such as 'humidity' and 'timing' can be increased, and the measurement accuracy of freshness can be improved.

And actual measurement: through the first scale, the second scale and the third scale, corresponding change data are obtained, and the 'freshness' of the agricultural products is obtained through an analysis algorithm of the algorithm formulation step.

There is provided a storage device storing a computer program executable to implement the steps of the identification method as described above.

In summary, the above describes only preferred embodiments of the invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement and the like made within the spirit and scope of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

The embodiment relates to the field of measurement and identification, in particular to a measurement method, which comprises the following steps: providing corresponding induced color change materials according to the pre-measured data, and integrating at least one induced color change material to form a measurement tag. The measuring method comprises a requirement determining step, a scale constructing step, an algorithm establishing step and an actual measuring step. The invention also relates to a measuring system, which comprises a detecting device for providing corresponding induced color-changing materials according to pre-measured data, integrating at least one induced color-changing material according to measurement requirements to form a measuring label and storing a computer program. The invention also relates to a storage device. The invention is used for reflecting theoretical values, measured values and evaluated values of the product state and obtaining computer data, thereby enabling a computer to conveniently obtain the physical state or other related information of an object or an environment through accurate and intelligent analysis and calculation. Therefore, the actual value or value can be quickly acquired, and a higher intelligent level can be achieved.

Embodiments relate to the field of labels, and more particularly, to a measurement label. The measurement label comprises a label main body, a color change area and an information area, wherein the color change area at least comprises a color change area formed by a color change material for detecting the change of preset environmental parameters. The invention has the beneficial effects that: compared with the prior art, the invention can further expand the application range of the entity label by designing the measuring label and adding a component capable of realizing the environment measuring function on the basis of the traditional label application mode, and integrates the environment measuring function and the data carrier into the label, so that the data of the environment where the label is positioned can be sensed besides the basic function of information recording, thereby realizing the low-cost and high-efficiency data bearing method and the data measuring and collecting method.

The disclosure of this application also includes the claims of the following numbered original applications:

1. a method of measurement, characterized by: setting corresponding inductive color-changing materials according to the pre-measured data, and integrating at least one inductive color-changing material to form a measuring label; the measuring method comprises a requirement determining step, a scale constructing step, an algorithm establishing step and an actual measuring step, wherein,

a requirement determining step, determining the measurement parameters of the measured object or/and the measurement environment thereof according to the measurement requirement;

a scale construction step, namely selecting corresponding inductive color-changing materials and measurement labels according to measurement parameters, wherein the inductive color-changing materials and the measurement labels are arranged on the measured object or/and in the measurement environment thereof; acquiring standard performance parameters of the induction color-changing material to form a corresponding performance database and form a first scale; acquiring various parameters and change data related to measurement requirements in the measured object or/and the measurement environment of the measured object, acquiring color change data corresponding to a measurement label in the measurement environment, and forming a second scale; acquiring actual change degree data of the measured object in a measuring environment, acquiring color change data corresponding to the measuring label and forming a third scale;

an algorithm making step, wherein a measurement result analysis algorithm is made according to measurement requirements by combining one or more scales of a first scale, a second scale and a third scale;

an actual measurement step, namely acquiring a real-time image of the measurement label, and performing standard restoration on the real-time image; and extracting corresponding color data of the inductive color-changing material, and substituting the data into a result analysis algorithm to obtain a measurement result.

2. The measurement method according to claim 1, characterized in that: the measurement label includes at least one detection identification area and the positive direction identification area who obtains measurement label positive direction that sets up according to predetermineeing the locating place, response color-changing material sets up in the detection identification area that corresponds.

3. The measurement method according to claim 1, characterized in that: the measurement label includes that at least one according to presetting the locating place setting detects identification area and information identification district, be equipped with the first positive direction identification structure who acquires the measurement label positive direction on the information identification district, perhaps, be equipped with the second positive direction identification structure who acquires the measurement label positive direction on the idle position of measurement label.

4. The measurement method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the measurement tag includes a color reference region, and the color parameter acquiring step of the measurement tag includes:

capturing an image of a color reference area in the measurement label, and acquiring a reference measurement color of the color reference area;

comparing the reference measurement color with a preset standard color to obtain an image attribute deviation value of the reference measurement color and the standard color;

and capturing images of the detection identification areas in the measurement label, acquiring the identification measurement colors of the detection identification areas, and acquiring the actual colors of the detection identification areas according to the image attribute deviation values.

5. The measurement method according to claim 1, wherein the performance database of the first scale is constructed in a manner including:

obtaining standard color parameters which are displayed along with the change of the standard performance parameters according to the standard performance parameters of the induction color-changing material;

acquiring the performance parameters of the induction color-changing material according to the standard performance parameters of the induction color-changing material;

combining standard color parameters and self performance parameters to construct a performance database of the first scale

6. The measurement method according to claim 1, wherein the second scale is constructed in a manner including:

at least setting a measuring environment, wherein each measuring environment comprises a plurality of environmental factors; or, within a preset data range corresponding to the measurement environment, respectively adjusting each single or multiple environmental factors according to a preset rule to obtain a corresponding variable measurement environment;

in a measuring environment, acquiring first color change data corresponding to a color change process of a measuring label; or, in a variable measurement environment, acquiring second color change data corresponding to the color change process of the measurement label;

constructing a data model based on the first color change process data and the corresponding measuring environment to form a second scale; alternatively, a data model based on the second color change process data and the corresponding variable measurement environment is constructed to form a second scale.

7. The measurement method according to claim 6, wherein the third scale is constructed in a manner including:

acquiring a first actual change degree of the measured object in a preset time period according to the measuring environment, or acquiring a second actual change degree of the measured object in the preset time period according to the variable measuring environment; wherein, the first and the second end of the pipe are connected with each other,

the actual change degree comprises image information or text description information of the measured object, and the text description comprises the relevant description of the actual change degree of the measured object;

constructing a data model based on the first color change data and the first actual change degree to form a third scale; or constructing a data model based on the second color change data and the second actual change degree to form a third scale.

8. A method of measurement, characterized by: setting corresponding inductive color-changing materials according to the pre-measured data, and integrating at least one inductive color-changing material to form a measuring label; the measuring method comprises a requirement determining step, a scale constructing step, an algorithm establishing step and an actual measuring step, wherein,

a requirement determining step, determining the measurement parameters of the measured object or/and the measurement environment thereof according to the measurement requirement;

a scale construction step, namely selecting a corresponding sensing color-changing material and a corresponding measuring label according to the measuring parameters, wherein the sensing color-changing material and the measuring label are arranged on the measured object or/and in the measuring environment of the measured object, and at least one of a first scale, a second scale and a third scale is constructed; acquiring standard performance parameters of the induction color-changing material to form a corresponding performance database and form a first scale; acquiring various parameters and change data related to measurement requirements in the measured object or/and the measurement environment of the measured object, and acquiring color change data of a measurement label in the corresponding measurement environment to form a second scale; acquiring actual change degree data of the measured object in a measuring environment, acquiring color change data corresponding to the measuring label and forming a third scale;

an algorithm making step, wherein a measurement result analysis algorithm is made according to measurement requirements by combining one or more scales of a first scale, a second scale and a third scale;

an actual measurement step, namely acquiring a real-time image of a measurement label, and performing standard restoration on the real-time image; and extracting corresponding color data of the induced color-changing material, substituting the data into a result analysis algorithm, and obtaining a measurement result.

9. A measurement system, characterized by: the measuring system comprises a sensing device which is used for setting corresponding sensing color-changing materials according to pre-measuring data, integrating at least one sensing color-changing material according to measuring requirements and forming a measuring label and is stored with a computer program, wherein the computer program can be executed to realize the steps of the measuring method according to any one of claims 1 to 8; and the detection device comprises a storage device for storing various first marks, second scales, third scales and result analysis algorithms in the detection method, and a measurement device for realizing actual measurement steps in the detection method, wherein the measurement device is connected with the storage device to acquire related data in the storage device.

10. A memory device, characterized by: the storage means stores a computer program executable to implement the steps of the measurement method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

11. A measurement tag, characterized by: the measurement label comprises a label main body, a color changing area and an information area, wherein the color changing area at least comprises a color changing area formed by a color changing material used for sensing the change of the preset environmental parameters.

12. The measurement tag of clause 11, wherein: the information area comprises a two-dimensional code, and the color-changing area is arranged on the label main body by taking the positive direction of the two-dimensional code as the positive direction.

13. The measurement tag of clause 12, wherein: the color-changing region is arranged on the label main body around the two-dimensional code.

14. The measurement tag of clause 11, wherein: the measurement label also comprises a positive direction identification area, and the discoloring area is arranged on the label main body by taking the positive direction of the positive direction identification area as the positive direction.

15. The measurement tag of clause 14, wherein: the positive direction identification area at least comprises a direction identification structure, the structure orientation of the direction identification structure is set to be the positive direction of the positive direction identification area, or the position orientation of the direction identification structure is set to be the positive direction of the positive direction identification area.

16. The measurement tag of clause 11, wherein: the label main body is in a recognizable forward shape, and the discoloring regions are arranged on the label main body in a forward direction of the label main body.

17. Measurement tag according to clause 11, characterized in that: the information area includes a two-dimensional code layer, a bar code layer or a character recognition layer for recognizing company profiles or for recognizing product information.

18. The measurement tag of any of clauses 11 to 17, wherein: the measurement tag further comprises a color reference area.

19. The measurement tag of any of clauses 11 to 17, wherein: the measurement tag further comprises a blank reserved area.

20. The measurement tag of any of clauses 11 to 17, wherein: the color-changing material is one of a temperature-sensing color-changing material, a humidity-sensing color-changing material, a specific substance texture color-changing material, a timing color-changing material or a force-applying color-changing material.

Additional items forming part of the invention are set forth below

C1. A method of generating a database for product monitoring, the method comprising: determining at least one parameter indicative of a product status and/or a product storage status; identifying at least one color-changing material for each parameter; providing a measurement tag comprising at least one color change material; a database is generated by correlating the color of each color changing material with the value of the corresponding parameter to provide a comparison data set so that the color can be used to determine the status of the product and/or the stored status of the product for each color changing material.

C2. The method according to clause C1, wherein generating a database by correlating the color change of each color changing material with the value of the respective parameter comprises accessing theoretical color data for each color changing material.

C3. The method according to clauses C1 or C2, wherein generating the database further comprises correlating the color of each color changing material with the value of the corresponding parameter measured by the sensor to provide an experimental comparison data set to determine the condition of the product storage using the status of the product and/or the color of each color changing material.

C4. The method according to clause C1, C2 or C3, wherein the color of each color changing material is correlated with the value of the corresponding parameter measured by the sensor to provide an experimental comparison data set comprising receiving color image data color changing material representative of the measurement label bearing each color and sensor data, and correlating the received color image data with the sensor data.

C5. The method according to clause C1, C2, C3, or C4, wherein generating the database further comprises: human perception data relating to the condition of the product is received and the color of each off-color material is associated with the human perception data to provide a set of human perception data enabling a human to perceive the state of the product and/or the state of the product store to be associated with the color of each off-color material.

C6. The method according to clause C1, C2, C3, or C4, wherein the step of generating the database further comprises: receiving human perception data related to a condition of a product; receiving color image data representing a measurement label with each color change material along with human perception data correlates the received color image data with the received human perception data to provide a human perception data set such that human perception of product status and/or product storage status correlates with the color of each color to change the material.

C7. An apparatus for generating a database for product monitoring using measurement tags, the apparatus comprising a processor and a memory storing program instructions for: at least one parameter indicative of the status of the product and/or the status of the product is determined. Storing the identification of at least one color-changing material for each parameter; providing a measurement tag comprising at least one color change material; a database is generated by correlating the color of each color changing material with the value of the corresponding parameter to provide a comparison data set such that the state of the product and/or the state of the product storage can be determined using the color for each color changing material.

C8. The device according to clause C7, wherein generating the database by correlating the color of each color changing material with the value of the respective parameter comprises accessing theoretical color data for each color changing material.

C9. The apparatus according to clauses C7 or C8, wherein generating the database further comprises correlating the color of each color changing material with the value of the corresponding parameter measured by the sensor to provide an experimental comparison data set to determine the condition of the product storage using the status of the product and/or the color of each color changing material.

C10. The apparatus of clause C9, wherein correlating the color of each color change material with the value of the corresponding parameter measured by the sensor to provide an experimental comparison data set comprises: color image data representing a measurement label with each color change material is received. Is associated with the sensor data and correlates the received color image data with the sensor data.

C11. The apparatus of any of clauses C7 to C10, wherein generating the database further comprises: human perception data relating to a condition of the product is received and a color of each color changing material is associated with the human perception data to provide a set of human perception data. Thereby associating a person's status of the product and/or the storage status of the product with the color of each color changing material.

C12. The method of any of clauses C7-C10, wherein generating the database further comprises: receiving sensory data of a person relating to a condition of the product; color image data representing a measurement label bearing each color change material is received along with the human perception data, and the received color image data and the received human perception data provide a set of human perception data to associate a state of a human perception product and/or a state of product storage with each color change color associated material.

C13. A method of product monitoring using a measurement tag having at least one color change material sensitive to a parameter indicative of a product status and/or a product storage status, the method comprising: an image of the product is acquired. Measuring the label; extracting color data of at least one color-changing material from the image; the database is accessed using the color data to determine the status of the product and/or the status of the product store.

C14. The method according to clause C13, wherein the database is generated using the method according to any of clauses C1 to C6

C15. A device for product monitoring using a measurement tag having at least one color change material sensitive to a parameter indicative of a product status and/or a product storage status, the device comprising a processor and a memory configured to: acquiring an image of the measurement label; extracting color data of at least one color-changing material from the image; the database is accessed using the color data to determine the status of the product and/or the status of the product store.

C16. The apparatus of clause C15, wherein the database is stored remotely on a server.

C17. A measuring apparatus comprising the apparatus of any of clauses C11, C15 or C16.

C18. The device according to clause C15, C16, or C17, wherein accessing the database comprises accessing theoretical color data for each color change material.

C19. The device according to clauses C15, C16, C17 or C18, wherein accessing the database comprises accessing experimental comparison dataset data correlating the color of each color changing material with the value of the respective parameter measured by the sensor to enable conditions to determine the useful life of the product and/or conditions of storage of the product using the color of each color changing material.

C20. The apparatus of clause C19, wherein the experimental comparison data set is derived by correlating the color of each color changing material with the value of the respective parameter measured by the sensor.

C21. The apparatus of any of clauses C15 to C20, wherein accessing the database further comprises accessing an artifact perception data set that associates a color of each color changing material with artifact perception data.

C22. The apparatus of any of clauses C15-C17, wherein accessing a database comprises accessing one or more of: a theoretical color data set correlating the color of each color-changing material with the value of the corresponding parameter; and experimental comparison data set data correlating the color of each color-changing material with the value of the corresponding parameter measured by the sensor, wherein the color is determined from an image of the measurement tag bearing the color-changing material; an artificial perception data set associating a color of each color changing material with artificial perception data.

C23. A measurement tag for product monitoring, comprising a tag body; a parameter indicator comprising a color changing region; and a product indicator identifying information related to the product, wherein the color changing region comprises at least one color changing material sensitive to a parameter indicative of a product status and/or a product storage status.

C24. The measurement tag according to clause C23, wherein the product identifier comprises a two-dimensional code.

C25. The measurement tag of clause C23 or C24, wherein the product indicator comprises a two-dimensional code and the color-changing region is disposed on the tag body around a periphery of the two-dimensional code.

C26. The measurement tag of any of clauses C23-C25, further comprising a positive direction indicator for indicating a read direction of the tag.

C27. The measurement tag of clause C26, wherein the positive direction indicator comprises the shape of a tag body.

C28. The measurement tag of any of clauses C23-C27, further comprising a positive direction indicator for indicating a read direction of the tag, wherein the positive direction indicator comprises at least one of: the shape of the tag body; and the shape of the tag body. An asymmetrically shaped region on a portion of the tag body; a product code or data carried by a product code; data carried by or on the QR code.

C29. The measurement tag of any of clauses C23-C28, wherein the tag body includes an orientation indicator for orienting an image of the tag.

C30. The measurement tag of any of clauses C23-C29, wherein the tag body includes a color reference indicator to enable calibration of color data read from the tag.

C31. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by a computing device such as a processor, cause the computing device to perform the method of any of clauses C1 to C6 and C12 to C14.

C32. A tangible, non-transitory storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, such as a processor, cause the computing device to perform the method of any of clauses C1-C6 and C12-C14.

Claims (15)

1. A method of generating a database for food and drug quality monitoring, the method comprising:

determining at least one parameter indicative of a state of the product and/or a saved state of the product;

determining at least one color changing material providing an identifying function for each parameter;

setting a measuring label containing the at least one color-changing material, wherein the measuring label contains a product indicating unit, and the product indicating unit bears style and model information of the measuring label or the measuring label has a link identifier capable of pointing to a corresponding database;

generating a database of parameter data associated with the colour pairing of each colour change material to provide a data set of metrics, said database containing programs or information identifying the type of said measurement tag, such that the state of the product and/or the stored state of the product can be indicated by identification of said measurement tag;

wherein, the database comprises: an experimental data set correlating the color of each color-changing material in an experiment with data measured by a sensor or measuring instrument; or the experimental data set and a theoretical data set recording the theoretical color change performance of each color change material; or, the experimental data set is associated with an artificial estimation data set that pairs the color of each color changing material with artificial estimation data for the product condition; or the experimental data set, the theoretical data set and the artificial estimation data set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the theoretical data set comprises information that the color change material is suitable/unsuitable for a specific application product object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the experimental data set further comprises a color image of the measurement tag obtained simultaneously at the time of measurement, and the color image is associated with the data measured by the sensor or the measurement instrument.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the artificial estimate data set enables an experience of an artificial assessment of the state of the product and/or the saved state of the product to be indicated through the identification of the measurement tag.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the artifact measurement dataset further comprises a color image of the measurement tag acquired simultaneously at the time of measurement, and wherein the color image is associated with a corresponding artifact measurement data pair.

6. A method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that said anthropometric data is textual data or pictorial data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement tag contains a color reference unit therein for color correction of the image.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the measurement tag includes therein a positive direction indicating unit for image orientation correction and indicating a tag reading direction.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the product indicating element in the measurement tag is a graphical code.

10. An apparatus for generating a database of food and drug quality monitoring, the apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing program instructions for invoking the program instructions to perform the method of any of claims 1-9.

11. A method for monitoring the quality of food and pharmaceutical products, wherein the condition of the products and/or the preserved state of the products is monitored by using a measurement tag containing at least one inductively allochroic material, the method comprising:

acquiring an image of the measurement label;

adjusting and correcting the image to be in a recognizable state;

confirming the style and the model of the measuring label;

extracting color data of at least one color-changing material from the image;

inputting the color data into a corresponding database to obtain the state of the product and/or the saved state of the product;

wherein, the database comprises: an experimental data set correlating the color of each color-changing material in an experiment with data measured by a sensor or measuring instrument; or the experimental data set and a theoretical data set recording the theoretical color change performance of each color change material; or the experimental data set is associated with an artificial estimation data set associating the color of each color changing material with artificial estimation data for the product condition; or the experimental data set, the theoretical data set and the artificial estimate data set.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the database is generated using the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

13. A food and drug quality monitoring device for monitoring parameters of the state of a product and/or the preserved state of a product by use of a measurement tag containing at least one color changing material, the device comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing program instructions, the processor being adapted to invoke the program instructions to perform the steps of:

acquiring an image of the measurement label;

adjusting and correcting the image to be in a recognizable state;

confirming the style and model of the measuring label;

extracting color data of at least one color-changing material from the image;

inputting the color data into a corresponding database to obtain the state of the product and/or the saved state of the product;

wherein, the database comprises: an experimental data set correlating the color of each color-changing material in an experiment with data measured by a sensor or measuring instrument; or the experimental data set and a theoretical data set recording the theoretical color change performance of each color change material; or, the experimental data set is associated with an artificial estimation data set that pairs the color of each color changing material with artificial estimation data for the product condition; or the experimental data set, the theoretical data set and the artificial estimation data set.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the database is located on a remote server.

15. A measurement system comprising the apparatus of claim 10 and the apparatus of claim 13 or 14.

Images