HK1129727A - Identification and condition detection system - Google Patents

Description

Identification and condition detection system

Priority requirement

This application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60/822,616 filed on 8, 16, 2006.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to product identification markings (identification labeling) including optical or computer readable identification markings.

Background

The quality of many products sold to consumers has a range of environmental conditions beyond which the value of the product is reduced by contamination, deterioration or exposure to inappropriate temperature conditions. For example, many food products deteriorate without being maintained at a particular temperature. Certain products that require refrigerated transport, such as certain pharmaceuticals, lose the ability to perform or produce a desired function if exposed to an environment outside of an acceptable temperature range. If the product is a perishable consumer product, such as a food product susceptible to microbial contamination, exposure to undesirable temperatures may result in the consumer product becoming inedible or contaminated by microbial growth. Although the product is typically marked with an expiration date, this date may not be an accurate indication of the freshness or usability of the item. If an item is a temperature sensitive or perishable product that has been exposed to a temperature outside its viable range, the item will "expire" before the indicated expiration date. Often, consumers desire to remove contaminated or expired products from distribution (dispensing) somewhere along the retail or production chain. However, due to the distribution volume and quantity of certain items, and due to cost and efficiency considerations, it may not be a straightforward task to remove contaminated, expired, or undesirable products from commercial purchases.

There is no currently available method to automatically track and trace a product from its manufacturing or packaging stage until it reaches its final destination. There is also no currently available method to automatically track and trace items that have been exposed to undesirable ambient temperatures. Fast, accurate and cost-effective methods (means) of sensing environmental changes in temperature and identifying those products that have a potentially dangerous level of safety or effectiveness to the user due to such exposure are of particular value to the food, retail and consumer-controlled industries. The present disclosure provides such advantages.

Disclosure of Invention

Unlike other approaches, the present disclosure provides a device (device) and system that allows for rapid and early detection and automatic removal of products that have been exposed to undesirable ambient temperatures. The use of the present disclosure will help alert manufacturers, processors, wholesalers (distributors), public health staff, and consumers of products that have experienced a disruption in the distribution process of a low temperature transport system (cold chain), and thus have an increased likelihood of containing microbial contaminants or a reduction in product functionality. In addition, the present invention provides useful archival data about such events.

The invention also provides wholesalers and consumers with an automatic means (means) to screen continuously from the moment of packaging to the moment of use by the consumer for products that are susceptible to spoilage or to a reduction in quality or effectiveness.

Drawings

FIG. 1A illustrates an example of a device that has not been exposed to a preselected condition according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 1B shows an example of the device after a preselected condition has occurred in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 shows an example of an apparatus according to the present disclosure;

fig. 3 shows an example of an apparatus according to the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

The present disclosure provides an apparatus for tracking and tracing the source and processing history of a product or item. For example, the present disclosure may be applied to any product or item that requires or uses distribution of a cryogenic transport system where a higher quality of freshness of the product is required or where it is required to prevent or remove such product from distribution that is exposed to a preselected condition (such as an undesirable ambient temperature).

The present disclosure provides a device for identifying items that have been exposed to a predetermined or preselected condition, and a method for tracking and locating such items by using the device. The device includes at least three components or three indicia (indicia), wherein at least one indicia or component of the device is identifiable or remains readable regardless of the presence or absence of a predetermined or preselected condition. Such an apparatus may further comprise: a second indicia that becomes identifiable or readable in the presence of a predetermined or preselected condition; and a third indicia that becomes unrecognizable or unreadable in the presence of a predetermined or preselected condition. The indicia may be identified or read by a conventional scanner, any optical scanner, a computer or by a person. Such a multi-component device would include: an "always readable" component that may include unique product identification information, the manufacturer's source, the distributor's source, etc., or other identifying information used in tracking and locating items; a "selectively readable" portion that is readable or enabled by the presence of a preselected condition; and a "selectively unreadable" portion that is unreadable or disabled by the presence of a preselected condition.

In one aspect of the present disclosure, a method of identifying improper or undesirable handling of a product and/or tracking a product includes using a device that includes at least three indicia, wherein a first indicia is identifiable, a second indicia becomes identifiable or enabled by the presence of a preselected condition (such as a preselected temperature), and a third indicia becomes unrecognizable or unreadable or disabled by the presence of the preselected condition. The preselected condition may be any condition such as the presence of a contaminant, an undesirable ambient temperature, improper handling, and the like. For example, the present disclosure includes product tags or identifiers for identifying and tracking the occurrence of exposure of a product to preselected conditions; the label includes an always readable indicia (e.g., a coded indicia), and a second indicia that becomes readable or enabled when a preselected condition exists. Such a device may also include additional indicia that becomes unreadable or disabled when the second indicia becomes readable or enabled. The preselected conditions include, for example, a temperature between about 25F and about 200F, or a temperature between about 30F and about 180F, or a temperature between about 40F and about 180F, or a temperature of about 40F or more, or a temperature of about 4℃ or more. When the device is exposed to a preselected condition, a heat sensitive indicator is activated such that its appearance changes to become readable by a scanner, computer or human identifying the product that has been exposed to the preselected condition.

One aspect of the present disclosure also provides a device for identifying the presence of a preselected condition, the device comprising a first computer-readable indicia, a second indicia, and an indicator associated with the second indicia such that the presence of the preselected condition activates the indicator to form an optical or computer-readable code. Such means include, for example, labels, such as bar code labels for authenticating and tracking products. The label may include first and second indicia and at least one temperature sensitive indicator, wherein exposure of the indicator to a preselected temperature changes the appearance of the second indicia so as to be a computer readable indicia or a computer readable bar code. Such indicia may include those known in the art, such as RSS, UPC, JAN, EAN/UPC, GS1-128, ITF-14, data matrices, composite parts, RRFID, RFID, or other indicia, standard language systems, or platforms provided by regional, national, international, or GS-1. Also included are indicia, GILBAR, which include human-readable data in combination with other readable indicia, such as bar code data, RSS, UPC, EAN, RFID, etc^TMOr comprising a food marking system^TM(Food Sentinel System^TM) Those of the components of (1).

Another aspect of the present disclosure is a device that identifies products that have been exposed to predetermined or preselected conditions to allow for detection of the location of the products and detection of the need to be removed from distribution during the distribution chain. Such a device allows distribution of products with improved integrity and safety as well as providing valuable product handling and archival data. Accordingly, the present disclosure provides a method of screening products by combining an indicator or indicia with currently available product barcodes, starting from the point of packaging, and at each stage of product distribution. Activation of the indicator or marker by the presence of a preselected condition, such as a preselected temperature, renders one marker, such as an item code, unreadable, thus allowing the particular item to be removed from the distribution chain based on product identification by the appearance of the now readable condition code. If desired, indicia that are identifiable in the presence or absence of a predetermined or preselected condition may be included, thereby allowing detection of the source, manufacturer, or other useful tracking information of the product or item. Such tracking information may be any information that is desired or useful to one of skill in the art by remaining related to the item throughout its manufacture, packaging, shipping, distribution, and/or use.

The present disclosure provides a method of identifying an item that has been exposed to a preselected condition by using a label that includes at least two coded indicia and at least one condition indicator stored on separate bar codes such that each coded indicia is uniquely readable within a specific temperature range, or at least three indicia such that at least one indicia remains readable regardless of product handling or condition of the product.

Yet another aspect of the present disclosure is a method for tracking and tracing a product that has been exposed to a preselected condition, such as an undesirable ambient temperature, using the apparatus of the present disclosure. Use of the method provides for efficient and accurate monitoring and management of products in any type of distribution (e.g., cryogenic transport system distribution), thereby providing a method for increasing supply chain safety.

Such methods and apparatus allow for automatic monitoring of product quality or safety for the consumer. Using the apparatus and method of the present disclosure allows for identifying those items that have been exposed to undesirable ambient temperatures and identifying where in the distribution chain or location there is a break (break) in the cryogenic transport system. The method includes a tag affixed to each of a plurality of objects in commerce. The label is configured so as to include a first indicia, a second indicia and a third indicia, wherein at least one indicia remains readable and is capable of providing product identifying information, and the second indicia has an indicator such that the presence of a preselected condition renders the second indicia unreadable. Alternatively, the label is configured to include a first indicia and a second indicia, each indicia having at least one associated indicator such that if a preselected condition occurs that activates the indicator(s), the first indicia is thereby rendered non-computer readable and the second indicia is computer readable. Such indicator(s) include thermally sensitive indicators such as those including thermochromic ink technology. Using this method allows identifying those products or items that should be removed or culled from retail distribution. Thus, the present disclosure also provides an automated method (means) for improving the safety and quality of products in all stages of the product distribution chain.

The present disclosure also relates to a detection system associated with a multiple matrix or multiple bar code comprising coded indicia for identifying contaminated food products. Such detection systems include coded indicia to identify contaminants in the environment or container, or to identify exposure of the product to a preselected condition, such as an ambient temperature indicative of or associated with an increased likelihood of contamination by a microbial agent. The first indicia is identifiable and may include coded information so as to include computer-readable or optically-readable indicia including a product identifier (identifier) such as a type, source, brand name, quantity, price, etc. of the product. The second indicia is initially unrecognizable or non-computer readable and includes a heat sensitive indicator designed to identify the occurrence of a condition in which the product is exposed to a preselected condition. Such conditions include, for example, temperatures between about 25F and about 200F, or between about 30F and about 180F, or between about 40F and about 180F, or about 40F or more, or about 4℃ or more. When the indicator is exposed to a preselected condition, the heat sensitive indicator is activated such that its appearance changes to become a computer readable or optically readable indicia identifying the product that has been exposed to the preselected condition. At the time of such identification, the product is calibrated for removal or culling from the distribution chain. In addition, the location and time at which the occurrence of such products occurred is marked and archived.

The present disclosure provides a marking system for food products^TMApparatus and methods for use therewith. The food marking system is an enhanced bar code format system that allows for continuous monitoring of contamination of food by pathogenic organisms. The system provides a method for tracking, screening and screening of products that are susceptible to contamination. By using the appropriate portion of the product's identification barcode as a test indicator, a barcode reader or scanner at any location in processing or distribution can automatically remove the product reflecting a positive reading for the contaminant.

The food marking system is further detailed in U.S. patent series No. 09/153,565 filed on 9, 15 of 1998^TMThe carrier's bar code is used as a test indicator, which will "transform" itself biochemically or environmentally physically into a new configuration. It then becomes a tamper-proof bar code arranged to block and report contaminated and/or temperature-damaged foods and pharmaceuticals with any bar code reader at any location from processing to the end user. Related products that show positive readings for monitored contaminants will be automatically blocked and reported and create a permanent record in the appropriate database.

Depending on the target contaminant, rapid detection/screening methods may be based on enzymatic, immunochemical, or vapor/volatile technologies. With respect to food monitoring, the present disclosure provides a system that enables time and temperature indicators to be generated directly on a substantially wide range of common printing presses, where Sentinel TTI barcodes are imprinted on any label stock, poly bags, latex, and most other materials. Incorporating the TTI barcode at the point of distribution or purchase, the full data record (data-laden label) is the most typical response to the federal registration report (regarding the desire to find the TTI) and is tamper-proof. Since the level management at the CDC and USDA attribute inadequate storage temperatures and poor product handling to 73% of pathogenic food contaminants, intentional abuse of storage temperatures is likely to become an unpredictable and ubiquitous terrorist weapon.

As shown in FIG. 1, the device of the present disclosure includes a label 10 having first and second coded indicia 20 and 30 and at least one condition indicator 40. The first coded indicia 20 includes an identifiable or readable portion that provides the correct computer or optically readable SKU number when scanned by a conventional bar code scanner. The second coded indicia 30 comprises an unreadable indicia or incomplete code. In the absence of the preselected condition, the indicator is presented in an inactive or invisible state and is not computer readable or capable of being read by a bar code scanner, as shown in FIG. 1A.

As shown in fig. 1B, in the presence of a preselected condition, such as a temperature above a preselected value, the indicator is activated to change the indicia such that it no longer includes an optically readable indicia (e.g., "Purveyor Code"). Activation of the indicator causes the second indicia 30 to become comprised of optically readable indicia 300 indicating the presence of a preselected condition (which in this embodiment may be a temperature above a desired range or value). One or more markers or indicators may be associated with the first marker and/or the second marker or a single indicator may be provided. For example, to facilitate manufacture of the device, the indicator may be one continuous linear symbol or may be two or more separate bars or lines; the configuration is largely non-material (immaterial) provided that the occurrence of the preselected condition results in activation or alteration of the indicator(s) such that the first coded indicia is unreadable and the second coded indicia is readable. The term "optically readable" is intended to cover all indicia that can be equally identified by an optical scanning device such as a scanner, camera, laser, etc. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the indicator can be used to detect exposure of the product to a preselected condition, such as an ambient temperature of about 30F to about 180F or an ambient temperature of about 40F or above. Such indicators may include, for example, temperature sensitive indicators including one or more thermochromic inks such as those described in USPN 6706218 to Lucht et al published on 3/16/2004, U.S. patent application 20060098711 to Lucht et al published on 11/5/2006, U.S. patent application 20050104043 to Lucht et al published on 19/5/2005, or USPN6,685,094 to Cameron et al. Thermochromic materials are substances that emit different colors in the relevant temperature ranges. Such materials include those that exhibit a one-time, permanent change in color as described in USPN5,622,137 to Lupton et al or may be reversible thermochromic materials as described in USPN5,558,700 to Shibahashi et al and USPN5,480,482 to Novinson. Alternatively, other means of Temperature sensitive indicators may be employed, such as Time-Temperature indicators employing enzymatic treatment, for example as described in Blixt et al, enzymic Time/Temperature Device for Monitoring the Handling of durable communications, dev. 237-41 (1976).

The present invention is not limited to devices in which the indicia or three-part bar code consists of an original "two-part bar code" (such as an RSS code with CC components) and an indicator that turns on in the event of improper processing. Rather, the present disclosure provides inventions and methods applicable to any associated group of three code portions or to indicia used together (collectively) in scanning applications, one indicia remaining readable when in a preselected condition, one indicia being readable only when the product is properly processed, and a third indicia being readable only when the product is misprocessed or in the presence of a preselected condition.

In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a system for automatically verifying, and monitoring, a plurality of objects (subjects) during all stages of object distribution in commerce using widely accepted coding standards.

The apparatus of the present disclosure allows for the removal or culling of products that have been improperly handled or subjected to preselected conditions. When a particular product, such as a food product, has been exposed to an improper temperature, the thermochromic ink in the label causes the additional thread to appear in the carrier's code portion of the label, along with the condition code portion of the label that adds the additional thread. Because the condition indicator has now changed the appearance of the second coded indicia to become the computer readable portion of the device, the product is now marked or labeled and can be readily identified for removal from distribution. In the event that the product or item has been properly processed and not exposed to an undesirable temperature, the first coded indicia of the device will be read and the product will not be identified when misprocessed or exposed to an improper temperature condition.

The present disclosure may be used with a reduced space symbology (reduced space symbology, RSS) standard, which is described in URL:http://www.qsl.org/productssolusions/barcodes/technical/rss.htmland http:// www.gslus.org/upc _ background. The present disclosure may also be used with other standards such as the UPC, EAN, UCC-13, and GTIN standards, as well as other automatic identification and data capture (auto-ID) methods such as RFID, biometrics, magnetic stripe, OCR, smart card, and voice recognition.

The GS-1 global non-profit organization that designs and implements the bar code standard has shown that the Reduced Space Symbology (RSS) format will be in place no later than 2010. This format allows more bar code data to be stored in a compact space while providing a degree of direct upgrade capability for the user's bar code scanning device, internal firmware, and system software. When this standard is implemented, this will provide a number of capabilities, including the ability to easily embed information such as item source information in the new code, while still allowing a conventional scanner to read the remainder of the data. The present disclosure is compatible with (but not limited to use by) all RRS formats, such as, for example, the RSS-14 stack format, the RSS extended stack format, the RSS limited format, the RSS-14 truncated format, the RSS-14 stack format, and other formats, which are described in further detail in the URL http:// www.gsl.org/productissolutions/bars/technical/bar code types.

Stacked RSS symbology variables (such as the RSS-14 stack or RSS extension stack) will work in the same manner, and the additional bar code structure enables the food marking monitoring capability to be displayed under the RSS "standard" code, and the thermochromic ink structure disables the RSS stack code if the item has been exposed to undesirable conditions.

When the RSS symbology includes more data, such as using a composite component structure (such as the CC-A code shown in FIG. 3), the present disclosure provides a two-dimensional code structure in which the CC structure remains active at all times, thereby enabling constant knowledge of the source of the item and the "tracking" information that is typically embedded in such a PDF 417-derived two-dimensional structure. The "regular" or non-CC portion of the bar code or device may be disabled by at least one condition indicator, such as an indicator comprising thermochromic ink, similar to the aspects described above. The specification for the Composite Component (CC) may be in URL:http://www.aimglobal.org/aimstore/adin, wherein the group consisting of CC-A, CC-B and CC-C. Also included are, for example, RSS-14 truncations with CC-A, RSS limits with CC-B^TMGS1-12B with CC-C (SSCC-18), EAN-13 with CC-A, EAN-8 with CC-A, UPC-A with CC-B, UPC-E with CC-A, GS1-128 with CC-A (SCC-14), and GS1-128 with CC-C. Thus, the present disclosure also provides a simple and automatic method for tracking item source information through a two-dimensional data element (data element) that is always "on" while identifying the item throughout its distribution and preventing the item from being sold or further dispensed.

Use of the present disclosure with other symbologies such as RSS and/or composite component structures would include providing paired bar codes and printed structures such that if the product or item is improperly stored or has been exposed to a preselected condition or undesirable temperature, the label would change due to activation or thermal transition of the at least one indicator or one or more condition indicators, such that only the operative or readable portion of the device or label is at the time of the "not selling" or "removing the item from distribution" indicia.

The present disclosure may be applied in shipping, distribution, retail, or sales environments where products such as food products that have been damaged by temperature may be scanned and information identifying that the damaged food product originated from a particular vendor location automatically "sent" back to the central computer system. The tracking alert can then help identify other items from the same location that are potentially relevant, even if they have not been determined to have been damaged. It may also allow information to be sent directly to the vendor for corrective action that is fully automated within the retailer's enterprise software. Further, the present disclosure provides a method of providing an archive database of such product events.

Barcode scanning may be performed using a handheld device or automated as part of the packaging, shipping, storage, and retail operations. The scanner may be programmed to read the contaminants, the type of product, and the data and location of the readings. In the absence of a scanning device, the consumer can observe the appearance of a new symbol on the bar code signaling contamination at home.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, a product monitoring or tracking and traceability device is provided such that only a single "readable" bar code or product identifier is activated at any one time in time.

It is to be understood that the foregoing general description is only exemplary of the present disclosure, and is intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the disclosure as it is claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments of the disclosure and together with the description serve to explain the principles and operations of the disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited to the specific aspects shown, which are merely illustrative. Various and numerous other embodiments and aspects may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

The scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the detection of temperature conditions or microbial contaminants or the detection of such conditions in food products. The apparatus and methods of the present disclosure may be applied in a variety of industries for monitoring, tracking, tracing, and/or archiving various products or items in commerce. The present disclosure includes, but is not limited to, those provided through distribution in a cryogenic transport system.

All articles, publications, references, and patent citations provided herein (including referenced products or bar codes and symbols contained in various databases), whether previously stated or not, are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

Claims (22)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first identifiable indicia;

a second mark that becomes recognizable when a predetermined condition occurs; and

and a third mark.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third indicia is unreadable when the predetermined condition occurs.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: at least one indicator that can be activated by the occurrence of the preselected condition to initiate identification of the second indicia and to abort identification of the third indicia.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the markers comprises an optically or computer readable code.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a thermochromic ink responsive to the occurrence of the predetermined condition.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first indicia is identifiable by a scanning device.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein upon activation, the indicator renders the second indicia readable by a scanning device and renders the third indicia unreadable by a scanning device.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a label that identifies a consumable product.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indicia comprises a symbology selected from the group consisting of Reduced Space Symbology (RSS), UPC, EAN, UCC-13, GTIN, RRFID, RFID, biometrics, magnetic stripe, OCR, smart card, and voice recognition.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition is a preselected temperature.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the preselected temperature is an ambient temperature of about 40 ° f or greater.

12. A product code device comprising:

a first readable indicia;

a second marker that reacts with a preselected temperature; and

at least one indicator, wherein in the presence of the preselected temperature, the indicator is activated and the second indicia is subsequently readable.

13. The product code device of claim 12, wherein the first readable indicia comprises a carrier's code.

14. The product code device of claim 12 wherein the second indicia is unreadable by a scanning device in the presence of the preselected temperature.

15. A method of monitoring a product exposed to a preselected condition, comprising:

applying at least one identifiable indicia to the product;

attaching a second indicia to the product; and

applying a third indicia to the product, wherein the second indicia is identifiable and the third indicia is not identifiable in the presence of a predetermined condition.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one of the indicia comprises an optically readable code.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one marking comprises thermochromic ink.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the predetermined condition is a temperature of about 30 ° f to about 180 ° f.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the predetermined condition is a temperature above 40 ° f.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the identification of the indicia includes the use of a bar code reader.

21. A method of identifying a product for removal from distribution in a cryogenic transport system, the method comprising the use of the apparatus of claim 1 or 12.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein use of the apparatus of claim 1 or 12 provides archival data.