Method and apparatus for automated measurement of properties of perishable consumer products
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsBulent Abali, Hubertus Franke, Mark Edwin Giampapa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for reporting dynamic properties of a product using radio frequency identification device technology. With this invention, an electronic tag is equipped with a sensor which determines dynamic properties of a product when the tag is activated. The dynamic properties of the product are then either further processed into other dynamic properties. In any event either the former or the latter dynamic properties are then transmitted from the tag. Such dynamic properties could be the temperature of a product or the expiration date of the product derived from periodic measurements of the temperature of the product.
Claims18
An electronic tag for reporting dynamic properties of a product, said tag comprising:
- at least one sensor, which when activated senses physical data for said product;
- sensor logic for determining dynamic properties of said product from said physical data, said sensor logic additionally comprising a component for determining an expiration date as a function of dynamic properties and as a function of a fixed start date;
- and
- a radio frequency identification device for activating said sensor and for transmitting latter said dynamic properties from said tag.
An electronic tag reporting system for managing the handling of a product using dynamic properties of said product, said system comprising:
- an electronic tag for reporting said dynamic properties of said product, said tag comprising:
- at least one sensor for sensing physical data for said product, when said sensor is activated, sensor logic for determining said properties of said product, said sensor logic additionally comprising a component for determining an expiration date as a function of dynamic properties and as a function of a fixed start date, and a radio frequency identification device for activating said sensor;
- and
- a digital assistant for processing said status information for product management.
A method for reporting dynamic properties of a product, said method comprising:
- broadcasting an interrogation request;
- activating a sensor by transmitting an activation signal from a radio frequency identification device, said activation signal being transmitted in response to said interrogation request;
- determining said dynamic properties of said product by processing sensory data determined by said activated sensor;
- and
- determining an expiration date as a function of dynamic properties and as a function of a fixed start date.
An electronic tag for determining dynamic properties of a product, said tag comprising:
- at least one sensor, which when activated, senses physical data for said product;
- sensor logic for determining dynamic properties of said product from said physical data, said sensor logic additionally comprising a component for determining an expiration date as a function of dynamic properties and as a function of a fixed start date;
- and
- a radio frequency identification device for activating said sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.