PATENT CLAIM ANALYSIS

Application Number: 16140525
Application Type: Utility
Filing Date: 2018-09
Publication Date: 2019-01
Patent Classification: ["700", "244000"]

Abstract:
A liquid product distribution network includes a keg distribution monitoring and reporting apparatus for operation in association with a tap handle flow monitoring and reporting apparatus. The keg distribution monitoring and reporting apparatus includes a radio transmitter device and sensing circuitry for sensing and communicating physical properties associating with the keg. A tap handle flow monitoring and reporting apparatus senses flow of a liquid through a tap includes a tap handle radio transmitter device for fitting within and protected by a tap handle and a low-energy consumption tap handle radio/processing module. A mobile communications device with geographic position sensing device and/or said tap handle flow monitoring and reporting apparatus passively and without user interaction within the keg distribution network, without using network uplink/gateway circuit devices for sensing and reporting fluid storage, flow, and financial operations relating to the distribution of said liquid product throughout the liquid product distribution network.

Claim (Index 8):
A method for monitoring and reporting the physical properties and location of a liquid storage and dispensing data in a keg-based distribution network, comprising the steps of:\n operating a keg distribution monitoring and reporting apparatus in association with a tap handle flow monitoring and reporting apparatus; said keg distribution monitoring and reporting apparatus operating steps comprising the steps of: attaching a small form factor keg sensing and reporting device to a keg, comprising the steps of: fitting and fixedly attaching an outer housing having a height and diameter of less than several inches to a top or bottom chime of a keg without extending any keg physical boundaries in any dimension, and further physically protecting said outer housing using the top or bottom chime during keg distribution in a keg distribution network; fitting an inner housing within said outer housing; fitting within said inner housing and protecting a radio transmitter device comprising a low-energy consumption radio/processing module; associating with said radio transmitter device sensing circuitry for sensing and communicating to said radio/processing module physical properties associated with the keg, and associating radiofrequency signal transmission circuitry with said radio/processing module for transmitting radiofrequency signals from said small form factor keg sensing and reporting device without the use of geographic position or cell radio circuitry; and further fitting a battery power supply within said outer housing and electrically powering said radio transmitter device using said battery power supply, whereby said small form factor keg sensing and reporting device operates without geographic position sensing or cell radio circuitry for a period of up to five years; and moving a mobile communications device comprising geographic position sensing and cell radio circuitry to a plurality of locations within the keg distribution network and configuring said mobile communications device to receive and process said radiofrequency signals from said small form factor and reporting device passively and without user interaction; storing data and computer processor executable instructions relating to the keg and the keg distribution in memory circuitry within said mobile communications device, and processing said data and executing said executable instructions for monitoring and reporting the physical properties and location of the keg within the keg distribution network and communicating with the keg distribution network using computer processing circuitry within said mobile communications device, without otherwise using a network uplink/gateway circuit device; and said tap handle flow monitoring and reporting apparatus operating steps comprising the steps of sensing flow of a liquid through a tap positioned to dispense a liquid from the keg.

Metadata:
- Claim Count in Document: 20.0
- Percentile: 97.0
- Lexical Diversity: 2.4
- Patent Class: 700.0
- Transitional Phrase Type: open
- Component Type: 1
- Foreign Priority: False
- Related Applications: ['15602024', '15416399', '14193697', '14402844', '15804602']

Analysis Scores:
- 35 USC 101 Eligibility (BERT): 0.4189254778587334
- 35 USC 102 Novelty (BERT): 0.5941178571867953
- Combined Prediction Score: 0.4364447157915396
- Mean Citation Score: 294.85113399999994
- Max Citation Score: 526.1049
- Similarity Product: 489.3749282710791

Labels:
- Claim Label 101: 1
- Claim Label 102: 1
- Claim Label 103: 1
- Claim Label 112: 1
- Combined Label: 1
- Label 101 Adjusted: 1

Dataset: test