Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7856339?dq=6,970,917
Timestamp: 2015-10-09 04:08:14
Document Index: 460821256

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60']

Patent US7856339 - Product integrity tracking shipping label, system and associated method - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA product integrity tracking shipping label includes a label body for attaching to a product to be shipped or to packaging containing the product. One or more movement monitoring configured with the label body detects a movement metric of the product. A microprocessor configured with the label body and...http://www.google.com/patents/US7856339?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7856339 - Product integrity tracking shipping label, system and associated methodAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7856339 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/866,269Publication dateDec 21, 2010Filing dateOct 2, 2007Priority dateDec 15, 2000Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS7171331, US7353137, US7620520, US8126675, US8428904, US8660814, US20060143645, US20070112542, US20070118328, US20080030330, US20110145162, US20120123960, US20130238276, US20140172358Publication number11866269, 866269, US 7856339 B2, US 7856339B2, US-B2-7856339, US7856339 B2, US7856339B2InventorsCurtis A. Vock, Burl W. Amsbury, Paul Jonjak, Adrian F. Larkin, Perry YoungsOriginal AssigneePhatrat Technology, LlcExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (172), Non-Patent Citations (85), Referenced by (2), Classifications (60), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetProduct integrity tracking shipping label, system and associated method
US 7856339 B2Abstract
a label body for attaching to a product to be shipped or to packaging containing the product;
one or more movement monitoring devices configured with the label body, for detecting a movement metric of the product; and
a microprocessor configured with the label body and in communication with the one or more movement monitoring devices, for time-tagging the movement metric when the movement metric exceeds a pre-selected threshold.
2. The label of claim 1, the microprocessor comprising memory for storing the time-tagged movement metric.
3. The label of claim 1, further comprising a wireless transmitter in communication with the microprocessor, for transmitting signals indicative of the time-tagged movement metric to a receiver.
4. The label of claim 3, the wireless transmitter configured for transmitting the signals upon interrogation by the receiver.
5. The label of claim 1, the label body comprising an adhesive for attaching to the product or the packaging.
6. The label of claim 1, further comprising a battery configured with the label body.
7. The label of claim 6, further comprising a protective wrapper configured with the label body, wherein the battery electrically couples with the one or more movement monitoring devices when the wrapper is opened, to power the one or more movement monitoring devices.
8. The label of claim 1, the movement monitoring devices configured to detect one or more movement metrics selected from the group of airtime, speed, power, impact, pressure changes, free fall, drop distance, jarring and spin.
9. The label of claim 1, further comprising a tamper proof detector for detecting tampering with the label, wherein the microprocessor time-tags detected tampering events.
10. Product integrity tracking system comprising:
a movement monitoring device, having:
one or more sensors for attachment to a product or packaging containing the product, for sensing at least one movement event during handling of the product; and
a processor for comparing the movement event with a pre-selected event threshold, the processor time-tagging and storing above-threshold movement events in a memory;
wherein information in the memory is readable via an interrogation device during shipment or at product delivery.
11. The system of claim 10, the movement monitoring device further comprising a conductive plate for facilitating data transfer between the processor and the interrogation device, when the interrogation device contacts the conductive plate.
12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a wireless transmitter for transmitting signals indicative of the above-threshold movement events, wherein the signals are readable by the interrogation device via a wireless link.
13. The system of claim 10, further comprising a wireless transmitter for transmitting signals indicative of an above-threshold movement event.
14. The system of claim 10, the processor comprising memory for recording above-threshold movement events, the memory accessible by an interrogation device.
15. The system of claim 10, further comprising an adhesive label configured with the movement monitoring device, for attachment to the product or packaging.
16. A system for monitoring product integrity during shipping, comprising:
an adhesive disposed with a back side of the label, for securing the label to a product or package to be shipped;
a movement monitoring device disposed with the label, for monitoring movement of the product or package;
a processor in communication with the movement monitoring device, for time-tagging movement events above a pre-selected threshold level;
a communications port for communicating data indicative of time-tagged movement events to a receiver, during shipment or after delivery; and
a battery for powering the movement monitoring device, the processor and the communications port.
17. The system of claim 16, the communications port selected from the group of a contact transponder, a contactless transponder, a transceiver or a one-way transmitter.
18. The system of claim 16, wherein the communications port streams the data in real time.
19. The system of claim 16, the processor comprising memory for storing time-tagged movement events, the communications port comprising a wireless transmitter for transmitting data indicative of time-tagged movement events when the memory is full.
20. The system of claim 16, the movement monitoring device selected from the group of a tri-axial accelerometer, a linear accelerometer, a rotational accelerometer, a vibration sensor, a pressure sensor and a hall-effect sensor.
21. A method for tracking product integrity during shipment; comprising:
attaching a shipping label having at least one movement sensor to the product or a package containing the product;
monitoring movement events of the product during shipment, via the movement sensor;
time-tagging movement events sensed by the at least one movement sensor during shipment that are above a pre-determined threshold level; and
identifying a location associated with the above threshold movement events.
22. The method of claim 21, the movement sensor selected from the group of a triaxial accelerometer, a linear accelerometer, a rotational accelerometer, a vibration sensor, a pressure sensor and a hall-effect sensor.
23. The method of claim 22, the movement sensor comprising a tri-axial accelerometer, the movement event comprising free-fall; further comprising determining a drop distance of the product or the package using data indicative of the free-fall.
attaching an environmental sensor to the product or the package;
monitoring environmental metrics affecting the product or package during shipment; and
time-tagging environmental events sensed by the environmental sensor that exceed a pre-determined threshold level;
wherein identifying a location comprises identifying a location associated with the above threshold movement events or the above-threshold environmental metrics.
25. A system for monitoring integrity of shipped goods, comprising:
a shipping label for attachment to the goods prior to shipping;
at least one movement-monitoring sensor integrated with the label;
a GPS receiver chip integrated with the label;
a wireless transmitter disposed with the label, for transmitting signals indicative of one or both of movement events detected by the sensor and location;
a receiver linked with a transportation channel of the label, for receiving the signals from the transmitter; and
a processor for processing the signals from the transmitter to determine (a) occurrence of a movement event exceeding a pre-selected threshold; (b) a location of the above-threshold movement event, and (c) whether the label is in the correct transportation channel.
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/647,035 filed Dec. 28, 2006 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,620,520, which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/358,508 filed Feb. 21, 2006 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,171,331), which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/601,208 filed Jun. 20, 2003 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,174,277), and a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/297,270 filed Dec. 4, 2002, which claims priority to PCT Application No. PCT/US01/51620, filed Dec. 17, 2001 and to the following six U.S. provisional applications: U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/256,069, filed Dec. 15, 2000; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/257,386, filed Dec. 22, 2000; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/259,271, filed Dec. 29, 2000; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/261,359, filed Jan. 13, 2001; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/285,032, filed Apr. 19, 2001, and U.S. Application No. 60/323,601, filed Sep. 20, 2001. The foregoing applications are expressly incorporated herein by reference.
By way of background for transponder technology, the following U.S. patents are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,091,342 and 5,541,604.
By way of background for smart card and smart tag technology, the following U.S. patents are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,151,647; 5,901,303. 5,767,503; 5,690,773; 5,671,525; 6,043,747; 5,977,877; and 5,745,037.
By way of background for adhesive bandages, the following U.S. patents are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,045,035; 5,947,917; 5,633,070; 4,812,541; and 3,612,265.
By way of background for pressure and altitude sensing, the following U.S. patents are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,178,016; 4,317,126; 4,813,272; 4,911,016; 4,694,694; 4,911,016; 3,958,459.
By way of background for rotation sensors, the following U.S. patents are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,442,221; 6,089,098; and 5,339,699. Magnetorestrictive elements are further discussed in the following patents, also incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,983,724 and 5,621,316.
In accord with one aspect of the invention, the communications port is one of a transponder (including a smart tag or RFID tag), transceiver, or one-way transmitter. In other aspects, data from the MMD is communicated off-board (i.e., away from the MMD) by one of several techniques, including: streaming the data continuously off-board to get a real-time signature of data experienced by the MMD; transmission triggered by the occurrence of an “event” as defined herein; transmission triggered by interrogation, such as interrogation by an ID with a transponder; transmission staggered in “bursts” or “batches,” such as when internal storage memory is fall; and transmission at predetermined intervals of time, such as every minute or hour.
In another aspect, the detector and processor of the MMD collectively detect and determine spin. By way of example, one detector is a magnetorestrictive element (“MRE”), and the processor analyzes data from the MRE to determine spin (rotation per second, number of degrees, and/or degrees per second) based upon the MME's rotation through the earth's magnetic fields. By way of a further example, another detector is a rotational accelerometer, and the processor analyzes data from the rotational accelerometer to determine spin. In another aspect, the detector and processor of the MMD collectively detect and determine jarring, power and/or impact. By way of example, one detector is an accelerometer, and the processor analyzes data from the accelerometer to determine the jarring, impact and/or power. As used herein, jarring is a function a higher power of velocity in a direction approximately perpendicular to forward movement (typically in a direction perpendicular to ground, a road, or a floor). As used herein, power is an integral of filtered (and preferably rectified) acceleration over some pre-selected time interval, typically greater than about � second. As used herein, impact is an integral of filtered (and preferably rectified) acceleration over a time interval less than about � second. Impact is often defined as immediately following an “airtime” event (i.e., the “thump” of a landing).
By way of background for moisture sensing, the following U.S. patents are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,486,815; 5,546,974; and 6,078,056.
By way of background for humidity sensing, the following U.S. patents are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,608,374; 5,546,974; and 6,078,056.
By way of background for temperature sensing, the following U.S. patents are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,074,089; 4,210,024; 4,516,865; 5,088,836; and 4,955,980.
In accord with one aspect, a MMD monitors one or more movement metrics for “events,” where data is acquired that exceeds some predetermined threshold or value. By way of example, in one aspect the detector is a triaxial accelerometer and the processor coupled to the accelerometer seeks to determine impact events that exceed a threshold, in any or all of three axes. In another aspect, a single axis accelerometer is used as the detector and a single axis is monitored for an impact event. In another example, the detector and processor collectively monitor and detect spin events, where for example it is determined that the device rotated more than 360 degrees in � second or less (an exemplary “event” threshold). In still another aspect, the detector is a force detector and the processor and detector collectively determine a change of weight of an object resting on the MMD over some pre-selected time period. In one specific object, the invention provides for a MMD to monitor human weight to report that weight, on demand, to individuals. Preferably, such a MMD is in a shoe.
In one preferred aspect, the MMD of the invention includes internal memory. Preferably the memory is within the processor or ASIC. Event data is stored in the memory, in accord with one aspect, until transmitted off-board. In this way, the MMD monitors and stores event data (e.g., an R