Product quality analysis and control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11216768-B2
Application number	US-202016887607-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2020
Priority date	May 29, 2020
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A product quality analysis and control system is provided. The product quality analysis and control system includes a processing system that is configured to receive data of objective qualities of a product from multiple data gathering modules. Each of the multiple data gathering modules is respectively positioned at corresponding nodes of a supply chain and is configured to receive from sensors data of objective qualities of a product when the product is at each of the corresponding nodes. The processing system includes a model repository and a data evaluation module. The data evaluation module is configured to select, from the model repository, a model associated with a type of the product and to use the model to analyze the data to identify changes in the objective qualities along the supply chain.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A product quality analysis and control system, comprising:
a processing system configured to receive data of objective qualities of a product from multiple data gathering modules,
each of the multiple data gathering modules being respectively positioned at corresponding nodes of a supply chain and configured to receive from sensors data of objective qualities of a product when the product is at each of the corresponding nodes, and
wherein:
the processing system is configured to analyze the data to identify changes in the objective qualities along the supply chain, and
each sensor comprises:
a stem;
one or more foldable strips extending from the stem and comprising a sensor element to sense an objective quality of the product and an indicator element to be indicative of a reading of the sensor element,
wherein each of the one or more foldable strips is configured to be anchored on a container rim with the sensor and indicator elements in and outside the product, respectively; and
one or more visual sensors disposed on or partially framed by the stem.

2. The product quality analysis and control system according to claim 1 , further comprising a social network by which the processing system and the data gathering modules are communicative.

3. The product quality analysis and control system according to claim 1 , wherein each data gathering module comprises a portable computing device with image processing capability.

4. The product quality analysis and control system according to claim 1 , wherein each data gathering module comprises a smartphone with image processing capability.

5. The product quality analysis and control system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing system is configured to analyze the data, geo-location data and time data to identify the changes in the objective qualities along the supply chain.

6. The product quality analysis and control system according to claim 5 , wherein the processing system is further configured to correlate the data with subjective quality data.

7. The product quality analysis and control system according to claim 1 , wherein each sensor comprises a number of sensors sufficient to cooperatively classify the product.

8. The product quality analysis and control system according to claim 1 , wherein each sensor comprises one or more of an alcohol level sensor, a bitterness sensor, a visual color chart and a foam stability capture feature.

9. The product quality analysis and control system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more foldable strips comprise:
a first foldable strip comprising an alcohol level sensor and an alcohol level indicator coupled with the alcohol level sensor; and
a second foldable strip separate from the first foldable strip and comprising a bitterness sensor and a bitterness indicator coupled with the bitterness sensor, and
the one or more visual sensors comprise a visual color chart disposed on the stem and a foam stability capture feature partially framed by the stem.

10. A sensor for use in a beverage quality analysis and control system and comprising:
a stem;
one or more foldable strips respectively extending from the stem and respectively comprising a sensor element to sense an objective quality of the beverage and an indicator element to be indicative of a reading of the sensor element,
wherein each of the one or more foldable strips is configured to be anchored on a beverage container rim with the sensor and indicator elements in and outside the beverage, respectively; and
one or more visual sensors disposed on or partially framed by the stem.

11. The sensor according to claim 10 , wherein the one or more foldable strips comprise:
a first foldable strip, which extends from a first section of the stem; and
a second foldable strip, which extends from a second section of the stem and is separate from the first foldable strip.

12. The sensor according to claim 11 , wherein:
the first foldable strip comprises an alcohol level sensor and an alcohol level indicator coupled with the alcohol level sensor; and
the second foldable strip comprises a bitterness sensor and a bitterness indicator coupled with the bitterness sensor.

13. The sensor according to claim 10 , wherein the one or more visual sensors comprise:
a visual color chart disposed on the stem; and
a foam stability capture feature partially framed by the stem.

14. A beverage quality analysis and control method for use with a supply chain of producers, distributors and consumers at nodes of the supply chain, the method comprising:
sensing objective qualities of a beverage at each node;
gathering data of the objective qualities at each node and forwarding the data from each node to a network for reception by a processing system; and
analyzing the data to identify changes in the objective qualities along the supply chain,
wherein the sensing comprises at least one of:
sensing a number of the objective quantities sufficient to classify the beverage; and
sensing one or more of an alcohol level, a bitterness, a visual color and a foam stability of the beverage.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the gathering of the data of the objective qualities at each node comprises imaging readouts of sensors at each node.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the analyzing comprises analyzing the data, geo-location data and time data to identify the changes in the objective qualities along the supply chain.

17. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising correlating the data with subjective quality data.

18. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising providing feedback to at least the producers in accordance with the changes in the objective qualities along the supply chain.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Rodrigo Cavalin Paulo
• Mena Paz Carmen Nilda
• Tirapu Azpiroz Jaione
• Appel Ana Paula
• Alves Alexandre

Classifications

• G01N33/523

  the element being adapted for a specific analyte · CPC title

• G06Q10/06395 Primary

  Quality analysis or management · CPC title

• G06Q10/0833

  Tracking · CPC title

• G01N33/146

  containing alcohol · CPC title

• G06Q50/28

  Physics · mapped topic