Time-temperature tracking label

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10282967-B2
Application number	US-201515501884-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2015
Priority date	Aug 4, 2014
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

A time-temperature tracking and indicator system including a laminated label and a computer application. The laminated label is capable of tracking and recording information associated with a product having a time-temperature threshold. If the time-temperature threshold is exceeded, the product is considered unsuited for its intended purpose. The information recorded by the label is wirelessly communicated from the label to the computer application for manipulation. One or more of the label and the computer application provides indication as to whether the time-temperature threshold of the product has been exceeded.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A time-temperature tracking and indicator system for a pharmaceutical product having a time-temperature threshold, the system comprising a label, a computing device, and a computer application, wherein:
the time-temperature threshold comprises an upper temperature threshold, an extreme upper temperature threshold, and a lower temperature threshold;
the label is configured to be attached to at least one of the product and packaging for the product, the label including:
a facestock comprising printed indicia, wherein the facestock has a thickness from about 10 to about 100 microns,
a microchip configured to store information associated with the product, the information including at least one of time data and temperature data associated with the product, wherein the microchip is configured to record time only when a temperature threshold is exceeded;
a communication apparatus configured to wirelessly communicate the information stored in the microchip to the computing device,
an indicator configured to display an initial status and a secondary status, and to provide a permanent visual indication as the secondary status for indicating that the time-temperature threshold of the product has been exceeded, wherein the indicator comprises at least one of a liquid crystal display (LCD), thermochromic ink, and electrochromic ink and
a power source for powering the microchip, the indicator, and optionally the communication apparatus; and
the computer application is executable on the computing device and configured to create manipulated information by performing operations on the information communicated to the computing device by the communication apparatus, and to output the manipulated information to indicate if the time-temperature threshold of the product has been exceeded;
wherein the indicator is visible through the facestock.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the manipulated information is output to the computing device and is displayed by the computing device.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communication apparatus comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and the computing device comprises an RFID reader.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the RFID tag comprises a passive near field communication (NFC) tag and the computing device comprises an active RFID reader for interrogating the NFC tag in the label.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprises a hand-held mobile device and the computer application is executable on the hand-held mobile device.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the microchip actuates the indicator to provide the permanent visual indication when the time-temperature threshold of the product has been exceeded.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the indicator is further configured to provide a visual indication of a current temperature of the product, or of an environment to which the product is exposed.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the indicator comprises a liquid crystal display and the liquid crystal display provides the permanent visual indication when the time-temperature threshold of the product has been exceeded.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the facestock, the microchip, the communication apparatus, the indicator, and the power source are in contact with an adhesive to form the label.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the adhesive comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA).

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the label further comprises an adhesive layer for adhering the label to the packaging, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA).

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the label further includes a release liner removably covering the adhesive layer.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the microchip is configured to continuously store and compute the information associated with the product after activation.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the indicator is configured such that the secondary status can be selectively reset to the initial status.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the indicator comprises an electrochromic display.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the indicator is configured to provide an indication when a predetermined time interval has elapsed.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the label comprises a first label,
the system further comprises a second label, the second label including:
a facestock, and
an indicator attached to the facestock and configured to provide visual indication that the time-temperature threshold of the product has been exceeded; and
the first label is attached to an outer portion of the packaging, and
the second label is attached to an inner portion of the packaging.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer application is configured to store an elapsed time after a first use of the product.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer application is configured to provide an alert when at least one of the following is satisfied:
a. the temperature of the product, or the temperature of an environment to which the product is exposed, is not at a recommended temperature or not within a recommended temperature range, and
b. one or more predetermined time intervals have elapsed after the first use of the product.

20. A method of determining if a time-temperature threshold of a perishable pharmaceutical product has been exceeded, the method comprising:
providing a time-temperature tracking and indicator system comprising an activatable label and a computer application, the label comprising a facestock comprising printed indicia, wherein the facestock has a thickness from about 10 to about 100 microns, a microchip, a communication apparatus, an indicator, and a power source for powering the microchip, the indicator, and optionally the communication apparatus, wherein the indicator comprises at least one of a liquid crystal display (LCD), thermochromic ink, and electrochromic ink;
activating the label such that the microchip records information associated with the product only when a temperature of the product, or a temperature to which the product is exposed, is not at recommended temperature or not within a recommended temperature range, the information including at least one of time data and temperature data associated with the product, and the microchip actuates the indicator to provide a permanent visual indication when the time-temperature threshold of the product has been exceeded;
attaching the label to at least one of the product and packaging for the product, wherein the indicator is visible through the facestock;
establishing communication between the communication apparatus and a separate computing device whereby the information recorded in the microchip is wirelessly communicated to the computing device;
executing the computer application on the computing device whereby the computer application creates manipulated information by performing operations on the information communicated to the computing device, the computer application outputs the manipulated information to the computing device, and the computing device displays the manipulated information; and
assessing at least one of the indicator and the manipulated information displayed on the computing device in order to determine if the time-temperature threshold of the product has been exceeded;
wherein the time-temperature threshold comprises an upper temperature threshold, an extreme upper temperature threshold, and a lower temperature thres

Assignees

• Avery Dennison Corp
• Avery Dennison Retail Information Services Llc

Inventors

• Law Yuk Yu

Classifications

• G06Q10/087

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• G08B21/182 Primary

  Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold · CPC title

• G01K1/024

  for remote indication · CPC title

• G06K19/0717 Primary

  the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure · CPC title

• G01K3/04 Primary

  in respect of time · CPC title