DE102010013358B4 - Autonomous electronic label - Google Patents

Abstract

Autonomous electronic label (1) for storing product-related data with a communication interface (2) for receiving sensor data from sensor units and for receiving rules which define conditions under which specifiable data are to be obtained and stored, and a working memory (7 ) for storing the received data, - wherein the autonomous electronic label (1) is attachable to a product or a packaging of the product, - a rule base (6) for storing the rules, - a rule machine (4) for checking the conditions, an agent (3) for generating messages for data request, if a corresponding rule is met, - wherein the rule engine (4) checks the conditions to obtain the corresponding data based on facts supplied by the agent (3) via external Services, whereby the agent (3) stores data to be requested in an agenda and the messages based on that agenda generated, wherein a prioritization in the acquisition of data takes place - the communication interface (2) is further adapted to send the generated messages, - wherein the communication interface (2) as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and / or Bluetooth Interface is formed.

Description

The invention relates to an autonomous electronic label for storing product-relevant data which can be attached to a product or a packaging of the product.

DE 699 08 381 T2 relates to an electronic label with electronic ink. The label includes a processor that reads data from a memory and drives an indication of the label based on the read data. The data in the memory of the label can be modified by a separate external activation module.

US 2007/0001862 A1 discloses an RFID tag. The RFID tag evaluates temperature and time to determine the remaining life of a product. For this purpose, temperature measurements are recorded at periodic intervals. The acquired temperature data is converted by an algorithm into data characterizing an influence of the measured temperature on the life of the product. A temperature sensor used for this purpose may be embedded in a product casing or attached to an outside of the product casing. The RFID tag can be reprogrammed, for example, by radio signals.

DE 10 2007 004 603 A1 describes methods and devices for the individual monitoring of a bulk material. Such a device may, for example, be a transponder which has its own energy source, so that, for example, a vibration sensor can measure a spontaneously occurring vibration. If the intensity of this vibration exceeds a threshold value, information can be written into a memory of the transponder.

Automatic identification technologies such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology have become very important in production, supply chain management, and inventory systems in recent years. For future purposes, however, the idea of storing a simple identifier (ID) has been extended to a so-called digital product memory. Such a product memory then constitutes a kind of digital diary in which all relevant environmental parameters are stored in digital form throughout the entire life cycle of the product.

A core problem in creating a complete product biography, however, is the necessary storage capacity. So far, only parts of the entire product life cycle are recorded as a rule. Furthermore, the data is generally not stored on the product or the product packaging itself, but in a central database.

If data is to be stored directly on the product, then storage media are used, which are based for example on RFID technologies and only have a storage capacity of a few kilobytes.

Another core problem concerns the selection of product-relevant data to be stored. Frequently, products are shipped to different countries with different labeling standards. This may result in the need to store different data in the product memory. In known systems, the selection of data is not made by the product itself, but by the devices that write the data to the storage medium. The selection of the data is fixed. If other data are to be stored, a complex reconfiguration of the devices is required. In order to avoid a reconfiguration, generally all possible data would have to be stored. However, this is only possible if it is very little data, otherwise the available storage capacity is by no means sufficient.

The invention is therefore based on the object to provide a digital product memory, which independently procures the product-relevant data to be stored, allows the storage of the data directly to a product or on the packaging of the product and allows it to easily define those data which are to be stored in the product memory.

This object is achieved by an autonomous electronic label for storing product-related data, which has the features of the patent claim 1 having.

According to the invention, those data which are to be included in the product memory are specified via a rule-based mechanism. For this purpose, rules are stored in a memory unit, which is usually referred to as a rule base, which specify at what time which data should be obtained and stored. These rule conditions are regularly checked by a rule engine based on facts provided by the agent and preferably stored in the working memory. If one of the conditions is fulfilled, the software agent is used to obtain the corresponding data. In this case, the agent uses the integrated communication interface in the autonomous electronic label, which as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) - and / or Bluetooth (BT) interface is designed to communicate with other electronic labels or other components, such as sensor units or devices in the vicinity of the product.

The use of a rule-based mechanism for specifying the data to be stored in the product memory allows, by simply adding or changing individual rules or by replacing the entire rule set, to define further or changed data to be included in the product memory. The new or changed rules can be supplied to the label via the communication interface. In the case of an RFID interface, for example, it is sufficient to bring a transponder with the correspondingly changed rules into the communication range of the communication interface. The invention thus creates an autonomous electronic label, which independently procures the product-relevant data to be stored from the environment.

The rule base may also contain rules defining conditions under which actions should be performed. The actions often include the triggering of an alarm, which is why this feature is often referred to as an alarm mechanism. If the rule engine determines that such a condition is met, the agent generates the required messages to implement the action.

As part of a checking process, the rule machine checks all the conditions stored in the rule base, and the agent collects all the data to be requested and the actions to be performed in a so-called agenda. Subsequently, the necessary messages are generated based on this agenda. This procedure also allows, for example, a prioritization in the procurement of data and / or the implementation of actions.

In order to always ensure the acquisition and storage of required data and / or the execution of an action, it is advantageous for the rule engine to start a checking process, ie a check of the conditions, whenever a change occurs in the rule base or the main memory.

In order to ensure a timely storage of received data and thus, for example, timely storage of changed rules, the agent can check at regular intervals whether new data has been received from the communication interface.

One embodiment provides that received product-relevant data is first forwarded to the agent and then forwards the data to the main memory. In this case, the agent can transform the data into a data format provided for the storage, so that a data format that may be more suitable for this purpose can also be used for the communication.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, the rule base and the main memory are integrated into a common knowledge database-frequently also referred to as a "knowledge base". Alternatively, however, separate storage media may also be provided.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from an embodiment which is explained below with reference to the figure, which shows a schematic representation of a possible architecture of an autonomous electronic label according to the invention.

1. (1) WENN Position = X, DANN Raumtemperaturwert eintragen
2. (2) WENN Produkt an Maschine Y, DANN Gewicht eintragen
3. (3) WENN Temperaturwert > 30°C, DANN Luftfeuchtigkeit eintragen

This in 1 schematically represented autonomous electronic label 1 , which is attachable to a product or packaging of the product and is intended to store product-related data, has a communication interface 2 , an agent 3 , a rule machine 4 and a knowledge base 5 on. The knowledge database 5 in turn, includes a rule base 6 and a memory 7 , which represents the actual product memory. For the specification of those data which are to be included in the product memory, rules are stored in the rule base, which data should be procured at which time, or better under what condition, and stored in the main memory. Examples of such rules are:

1. (1) IF position = X, then enter room temperature value
2. (2) IF product to machine Y, THEN enter weight
3. (3) IF temperature value> 30 ° C, THEN enter humidity

In addition, the rules may also specify so-called alarm mechanisms that, upon fulfillment of a condition, does not require data entry but an action such as triggering an alarm, changing a machine setting, or even sending a status report.

The rule machine 4 regularly checks the conditions defined in the rules on the basis of so-called facts, which determine the condition part (IF part) of the rule. These facts are provided by the agent 3 procured via external services. The conditions or rules are preferred by the rule engine 4 Checked as soon as a change in the rule base 6 or the memory 7 occurs.

• - autonom, also weitgehend unabhängig von Benutzereingriffen, arbeiten,
• - proaktiv sind, also Aktionen aufgrund eigener Initiative auslösen,
• - auf Änderungen der Umgebungsbedingungen reagieren,
• - mit anderen Agenten kommunizieren und zusammenarbeiten können und
• - lern- und anpassungsfähig sind.

The agent is the procurement of the data to be entered in the rules and / or the implementation of the actions defined in the rules 3 responsible. Software agents are generally known to the person skilled in the art and are characterized in that they include, among others

• - operate autonomously, ie largely independent of user intervention,
• - Be proactive, ie initiate actions on your own initiative,
• - react to changes in environmental conditions,
• - communicate and collaborate with other agents and
• - are adaptable and adaptable.

Represents the rule machine 4 determines that one of the rules is met, the agent generates 3 an appropriate message to request the required data, so for example the room temperature, the weight or humidity, or to implement the required action, so for example an alarm message. In this case, the data to be requested and the actions to be implemented resulting from a check of the entire rule set are preferably collected in the form of a so-called agenda and subsequently requested or implemented, if appropriate with meaningful prioritization. To obtain the data or to implement an action, the agent must 3 usually with an external component, such as a sensor unit, a machine or an external database in contact. This is done via the communication interface 2 , which is designed as RFID and / or BT interface. It can via the communication interface 2 on the one hand messages for data request or to implement an action are sent and on the other hand, the requested data is received. The agent preferably checks at regular intervals whether new data was received from the communication interface and forwards it, if appropriate after appropriate processing of the data format, to the main memory 7 or in the case described below, of new rules to the rule base 6 further.

The communication interface 2 can also receive data that includes new rules, which then in the rule base 6 be stored. In this way, the rule set can be quickly and easily adapted to specific environmental conditions and / or requirements.

Such a change or adaptation of the rule set is necessary, for example, because a product manufactured for the industry is frequently put into operation in different environments and it is absolutely necessary for maintenance work to provide the maintenance mechanics with the appropriate information adapted to the respective environment be put. Due to the simple replacement of the rule sets and their application, it is possible with little effort to use the product in different production sections. Similarly, products are often shipped to different countries that use or even require different standards with different thresholds. As a result, product memory must document product-related data, such as sensor and / or utility data, in a variety of ways. Thus it is conceivable, for example, that in order to detect a cooling interruption of a food in a country A, an ambient temperature must be recorded as early as 5 ° C, but only in a country B above 7 ° C. Even in such a case, the use of different rule sets makes sense.

Claims (9)

Autonomous electronic label (1) for storing product-related data with a communication interface (2) for receiving sensor data from sensor units and for receiving rules defining conditions under which specifiable data should be obtained and stored, and a main memory (7) for storing the received data, - the autonomous electronic label (1) being attachable to a product or packaging of the product, a rule base (6) for storing the rules, a control machine (4) for checking the conditions, an agent (3) for generating data request messages when a corresponding rule is met, the rule machine (4) checking the conditions for obtaining the corresponding data on the basis of facts obtained by the agent (3) via external services, wherein the agent (3) stores data to be requested in an agenda and generates the messages based on that agenda, prioritizing the acquisition of data, - wherein the communication interface (2) is further adapted to send the generated messages, - The communication interface (2) is designed as a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and / or Bluetooth interface. Autonomous electronic label after Claim 1 , characterized in that in the rule base (6) also rules are stored, which specify conditions under which actions should be performed and the agent (3) generates messages to implement the action when a corresponding rule is met. Autonomous electronic label after Claim 2 , characterized in that the agent (3) stores the actions to be performed on the agenda and generates the messages based on that agenda. Autonomous electronic label according to one of the Claims 1 to 3 , characterized in that the control machine (4) additionally checks the conditions on the basis of facts which are stored in the working memory (7). Autonomous electronic label according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control machine (4) checks the conditions as soon as a change in the rule base (6) or the working memory (7) occurs. Autonomous electronic label according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the agent (3) checks at regular intervals whether new data has been received from the communication interface (2). Autonomous electronic label according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the agent (3) transforms product-relevant data received into a data format provided for the storage and forwards it to the main memory (7). Autonomous electronic label according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data received by the communication interface (2) may also comprise new rules which are stored in the rule base (6). Autonomous electronic label according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rule base (6) and the working memory (7) are integrated into a knowledge database (5).

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