# US 12,006,126 B2 · Techniques for tracking physical parameters such as temperature of transported biological materials > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,006,126 B2 - Document ID: US12006126B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/011,518 - Filed: 2020-09-03 - Published: 2021-03-04 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-03 - Assignees: Bio Tillion, LLC - Applicants: BioTillion, LLC - Inventors: Hananel Davidowitz; Theodore N. Altman; Ke Wang; Zhengyan Zhai; Jeremy Basch; Ron Or - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006126B2 ## CPC - B65D 81/3825: {rigid container being in the form of a box, tray or like container with one or more containers located inside the external container} - A61J 1/1412: {Containers with closing means, e.g. caps} - A61J 1/1425: {Snap-fit type} - A61J 2200/44: Cooling means - A61J 2200/50: Insulating means - A61J 2200/70: Device provided with specific sensor or indicating means - A61J 2200/72: for temperature - A61J 2205/60: using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - A61J: CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE ## Abstract A technique for tracking, for example, the temperature of one or more sample vials containing biological material stored in a low-temperature shipping vessel. Each sample vial has vial electronics that senses temperature and transmits temperature data to the reader head of a reader device, which has a controller that is not at the low temperature. In some implementations, the shipping vessel has a cap with a recess that houses the controller and a hollow plug that houses a cable that connects the controller to the reader head that is located in the vessel's cold interior sufficiently close to the sample vial to enable interaction with the vial electronics. In some implementations, the reader head transmits electrical power to the vial electronics. By tracking the temperature of individual sample vials rather than the temperature of the vessel interior, more-relevant temperature data is available. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An article of manufacture comprising electronics comprising: memory capable of receiving and storing externally generated sensor data corresponding to one or more physical parameters associated with a sample container capable of storing biological material, wherein the electronics are part of a structure that is capable of being physically attached to the sample container such that the externally generated sensor data stored in the memory of the electronics is capable of being subsequently read from the electronics, wherein the externally generated sensor data is generated by one or more sensors located outside of the sample container; a power module; a communication module; and a processor operable to control data write and read operations of the electronics, wherein: during a data write operation: the power module receives electrical power wirelessly from an external power source to power the electronics; the communication module receives incoming, externally generated sensor data wirelessly from an external communication system; and the processor (i) receives the incoming, externally generated sensor data from the communication module and (ii) stores the incoming, externally generated sensor data to the memory; and during a subsequent data read operation: the power module receives electrical power wirelessly from a same or different external power source to power the electronics; the processor (i) reads outgoing, externally generated sensor data from the memory and (ii) provides the outgoing, externally generated sensor data to the communication module; and the communication module transmits the outgoing, externally generated sensor data wirelessly to a same or different external communication system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, further comprising the sample container, the sample container being a sample vial comprising: a vial container having an opening at a top of the vial container and an interior space capable of storing biological material; and a vial lid configured to close the top of the vial container, wherein the electronics is embedded in the vial container, the vial lid, or a structure that is physically attached to the vial container or the vial lid. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the electronics comprises a first antenna capable of at least one of (i) receiving and/or transmitting the externally generated sensor data from and/or to an external communication antenna and (ii) receiving the electrical power from an external power antenna for operating the electronics. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The article of claim 3, wherein: the first antenna is capable of receiving and/or transmitting the externally generated sensor data from and/or to the external communication antenna; and the electronics further comprises a second antenna different from the first antenna and capable of receiving the electrical power from the external power antenna. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the electronics further comprises a temperature sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The article of claim 5, wherein the temperature sensor comprises a temperature-dependent resistor and a temperature-independent resistor connected in series between two different voltage levels, wherein (i) the resistors are interconnected at a temperature-measurement node and (ii) the voltage at the temperature-measurement node is dependent on the temperature. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, further comprising a reader device capable of interacting with the electronics of the sample container, wherein the reader device comprises: a controller capable of controlling operations of the reader device; and a reader head capable of at least one of (i) transmitting and/or receiving the externally generated sensor data to and/or from the electronics wirelessly and providing the externally generated sensor data to the controller and (ii) providing electrical power to the electronics wirelessly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The article of claim 7, wherein the reader head is capable of (i) transmitting and/or receiving the externally generated sensor data to and/or from the electronics wirelessly and providing the externally generated sensor data to the controller and (ii) providing electrical power to the electronics wirelessly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The article of claim 7, wherein, when the sample container is located inside a cold space of a shipping vessel, the controller is located outside of the cold space and the reader head is located inside of the cold space in sufficiently close proximity to the sample container to enable interaction between the reader head and the electronics of the sample container. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The article of claim 7, wherein the reader head has multiple antennas for reading externally generated sensor data wirelessly from multiple sets of the electronics associated with multiple sample containers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The article of claim 7, wherein the sample container has a unique ID value and the reader head is capable of reading the unique ID value of the sample-container. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The article of claim 7, wherein the reader device is capable of storing at least some data associated with the externally generated sensor data. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The article of claim 12, wherein the reader device is capable of storing all of the data associated with the externally generated sensor data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The article of claim 7, further comprising a shipping vessel comprising a vessel container defining a sample space for receiving the sample container, a vessel plug capable of being inserted into an opening at a top of the vessel container, and a vessel cap physically connected to the vessel plug, wherein the vessel plug has a hollow interior that houses a cable interconnecting the controller and the reader head. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The article of claim 14, wherein the controller is housed within a recess in the vessel cap and the reader head is housed within a support structure extending from the bottom of the vessel plug to a location in sufficiently close proximity to the sample container to enable interaction between the reader head and the electronics of the sample-container. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The article of claim 14, wherein the vessel cap has cap electronics capable of detecting removal of the vessel cap from the shipping vessel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) An article of manufacture comprising a reader device capable of interacting wirelessly with the electronics of the sample container of claim 1, wherein the reader device comprises: a controller capable of controlling operations of the reader device; and a reader head capable of writing the externally generated sensor data to be stored in the memory of the electronics and at least one of (i) receiving the externally generated sensor data from the electronics wirelessly and providing the externally generated sensor data to the controller and (ii) providing electrical power to the electronics wirelessly. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, wherein the reader head is capable of (i) receiving the externally generated sensor data from the electronics wirelessly and providing the externally generated sensor data to the controller and (ii) providing electrical power to the electronics wirelessly. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, wherein, when the sample container is located inside a cold space of a shipping vessel, the controller is located outside of the cold space and the reader head is located inside of the cold space in sufficiently close proximity to the sample container to enable interaction between the reader head and the electronics of the sample container. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, wherein the reader head has multiple antennas for reading externally generated sensor data wirelessly from multiple sets of the electronics associated with multiple sample containers. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, wherein the sample container has a unique ID value and the reader head is capable of reading the unique ID value of the sample-container. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, wherein the reader device is capable of storing at least some data associated with the externally generated sensor data. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The article of claim 22, wherein the reader device is capable of storing all of the data associated with the externally generated sensor data. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, further comprising a shipping vessel comprising a vessel container defining a sample space for receiving the sample container, a vessel plug capable of being inserted into an opening at a top of the vessel container, and a vessel cap physically connected to the vessel plug, wherein the vessel plug has a hollow interior that houses a cable interconnecting the controller and the reader head. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The article of claim 24, wherein the controller is housed within a recess in the vessel cap and the reader head is housed within a support structure extending from the bottom of the vessel plug to a location in sufficiently close proximity to the sample container to enable interaction between the reader head and the electronics of the sample-container. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The article of claim 24, wherein the vessel cap has cap electronics capable of detecting removal of the vessel cap from the shipping vessel. ### Claim 27 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, wherein the reader device is capable of storing in the memory of the electronics multiple sets of externally generated sensor data over time to record in the memory of the electronics a history of the one or more physical parameters associated with the sample container. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) An article of manufacture comprising a reader device capable of interacting with the electronics of the sample container of claim 1 wirelessly, wherein the reader device comprises: a controller capable of controlling operations of the reader device; a reader head capable of at least one of (i) transmitting and/or receiving the externally generated sensor data to and/or from the electronics wirelessly and providing the externally generated sensor data to the controller and (ii) providing electrical power to the electronics wirelessly; and a shipping vessel comprising a vessel container defining a sample space for receiving the sample container, a vessel plug capable of being inserted into an opening at a top of the vessel container, and a vessel cap physically connected to the vessel plug, wherein the vessel plug has a hollow interior that houses a cable interconnecting the controller and the reader head, wherein the controller is housed within a recess in the vessel cap and the reader head is housed within a support structure extending from the bottom of the vessel plug to a location in sufficiently close proximity to the sample container to enable interaction between the reader head and the electronics of the sample container. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The article of claim 28, wherein the vessel cap has cap electronics capable of detecting removal of the vessel cap from the shipping vessel. ### Claim 30 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the memory of the electronics is capable of storing multiple sets of externally generated sensor data over time to record in the memory of the electronics a history of the one or more physical parameters associated with the sample container. ### Claim 31 An article of manufacture comprising: electronics capable of storing and retrieving externally generated sensor data corresponding to one or more physical parameters associated with a sample container capable of storing biological material; a reader device capable of interacting with the electronics of the sample container wirelessly, wherein the reader device comprises: a controller capable of controlling operations of the reader device; and a reader head capable of at least one of (i) transmitting and/or receiving the externally generated sensor data to and/or from the electronics wirelessly and providing the externally generated sensor data to the controller and (ii) providing electrical power to the electronics wirelessly, wherein the externally generated sensor data is generated by one or more sensors located outside of the sample container; and a shipping vessel comprising a vessel container defining a sample space for receiving the sample container, a vessel plug capable of being inserted into an opening at a top of the vessel container, and a vessel cap physically connected to the vessel plug, wherein the vessel plug has a hollow interior that houses a cable interconnecting the controller and the reader head, wherein the controller is housed within a recess in the vessel cap and the reader head is housed within a support structure extending from the bottom of the vessel plug to a location in sufficiently close proximity to the sample container to enable interaction between the reader head and the electronics of the sample container. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The article of claim 31, wherein the vessel cap has cap electronics capable of detecting removal of the vessel cap from the shipping vessel.