Systems and Methods for Environmental Monitoring in a Supply Chain

Abstract

An environmental monitoring method includes measuring data from a plurality of sensors, wherein each of the plurality of sensors includes a unique identifier (UID). The method further includes instructing each of the plurality of sensors to measure data. The method further includes receiving the measured data from each of the plurality of sensors. Then, the method calculates a product degradation value of a product based on the measured data and compares the product degradation value with a threshold product degradation value. In response to the product degradation value of the product exceeding the threshold product degradation value, the method generates a warning and sends the warning to a device.

Description

[0001] Cross - reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the priority of U.S. Utility Application No. 16 / 380,560, filed on April 10, 2019, and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 656,836, filed on April 12, 2018. The entire disclosure of the above applications is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to product supply chain monitoring systems, including methods for assessing the freshness of perishable products. Background Art

[0004] There are applications in food, chemical, and pharmaceutical supply chains for tracking items and the condition of items. Product supply chains include vaccines, tissue samples, blood bags, chemicals, cosmetics, chocolate, fine wines, and genetically modified biological products. However, in each of these cases, it is necessary to track products from the workbench to the patient, from precursors to products, and from the farm to the fork or from the bacteria to the border.

[0005] In all cases, the challenge remains to track early precursor products through the extensive and diverse distribution concentrated in the supply chain and through the retrieval via the three main distribution channels of retail, including: (i) purchased at that location and consumed elsewhere; (ii) purchased at that location and consumed there; and (iii) direct delivery to the door. There are additional challenges in assessing the freshness of products at each stage of the supply chain to determine whether the products have been damaged.

[0006] The background art description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the background of the present disclosure. Neither expressly nor implicitly is it admitted that the work of the currently named inventors to the extent described in this background art section and aspects that may not be described as prior art at the time of filing are prior art that is antagonistic to the present disclosure. Summary of the Invention

[0007] An environmental monitoring method includes: measuring data from a plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor of the plurality of sensors includes a unique identifier (UID). The method further includes instructing each sensor of the plurality of sensors to measure data. The method further includes receiving the measured data from each sensor of the plurality of sensors. Then, the method calculates a product deterioration value of a product based on the measured data and compares the product deterioration value with a threshold product deterioration value. In response to the product deterioration value of the product exceeding the threshold product deterioration value, the method generates a warning and sends the warning to a device.

[0008] An environmental monitoring system includes a plurality of sensors configured to measure data, wherein each sensor of the plurality of sensors includes a unique identifier (UID). The system includes a reader configured to instruct each sensor of the plurality of sensors to measure data and receive the measured data from each sensor of the plurality of sensors. The system further includes a freshness evaluation module. The freshness evaluation module includes: a freshness calculation module configured to calculate a product degradation value of a product based on the measured data; and a freshness determination module configured to compare the product degradation value with a threshold product degradation value. The freshness evaluation module further includes a warning generation module configured to generate a warning in response to the product degradation value of the product exceeding the threshold product degradation value and send the warning to a device.

[0009] Other applicable fields of the present disclosure will become apparent from the specific embodiments, claims, and drawings. The specific embodiments and specific examples are only for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The present disclosure will be more fully understood in accordance with the specific embodiments and the drawings.

[0011] Figure 1A is a graphical representation of an example implementation of monitoring a product from development to delivery.

[0012] Figure 1B is a graphical representation of an example implementation of monitoring a product from development to a retail store.

[0013] Figure 2 is a graphical representation of an example implementation of monitoring a product during development.

[0014] Figure 3 is a graphical representation of an example implementation of a radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor.

[0015] Figure 4 is a graphical representation of an example implementation of monitoring a product from storage to a consumer using environmental sensors.

[0016] Figure 5 is a functional block diagram of an example implementation of monitoring a product.

[0017] Figure 6 is a flowchart of an example control for a reader to measure data.

[0018] Figure 7 is a flowchart of an example control for freshness evaluation of a product.

[0019] In the drawings, reference numerals may be reused to identify similar and / or identical elements. Detailed Description

[0020] To monitor the quality of products delivered to consumers, methods for tracking products from production to delivery are proposed. Products are marked with sensors to monitor the product's environment. For example, when first planting seeds, the sensor can be placed in the soil with the seeds to monitor soil moisture, temperature, etc. The sensor can also be placed at each point along the product's supply chain until delivery to the consumer to monitor all conditions to which the product is exposed. Readers are also placed throughout the supply chain to prompt the sensor to make measurements of the environment. The reader can also be a sensor. Optionally, all measured data is transmitted through the reader to a central storage location where historical product information can be indexed and stored.

[0021] The historical information includes qualitative information about the product. For example, using an application, the operator of the delivery truck can observe that the shipped product appears to have medium freshness. The information entered by the operator will include a timestamp. Then, the historical information will include the date on which the product lost its fresh appearance, which may affect the overall freshness perceived by the consumer. In this way, historical information can be used to calculate quantitative and qualitative analyses of the product and the product deterioration threshold. The product deterioration threshold can be compared with the current product deterioration value of the product in the supply chain. If the product in the supply chain is at risk of quantitatively or qualitatively declining below the threshold product deterioration value for that particular product, the operator along the supply chain will be warned.

[0022] Once warned, the operator can perform a remedial action to avoid additional losses. For example, if the operator is warned that the product is below the threshold product deterioration value when leaving the distribution center (DC) to deliver the product to the store, the operator can choose not to deliver the product because the store may reject the delivery. In this way, the operator does not incur the additional cost of delivering a spoiled product.

[0023] Reference Figure 1A, shows a graphical representation of an example implementation for monitoring a product from development to delivery. During the development cycle period, the product begins in a food science laboratory. Seeds 104 can be generated in the laboratory. For example, in a food science laboratory for the product, the ideal characteristics of the product are identified and samples are stored for testing and analysis. The samples can take the form of seeds, seedlings, or bacteria carrying the desired characteristics. Although many such laboratories use an electronic laboratory system (ELS) for storing notes and test results, few laboratories include a scanner or camera device to collect tracking information or environmental information from any sensors associated with the samples. Although individual seeds can be tracked or marked with sensors, each incubation chamber, growth chamber, and greenhouse can be equipped with sensors and registered to the system. In addition, near a set of sensors is a reader that is capable of querying all sensors, retrieving measurement data from the sensors, and sending the retrieved data to another reader or a central storage location. The cultivation chambers and sensors can have other information associated with them such as location and maintenance records.

[0024] The sensors are attached or associated with each stage of the development cycle and the product at each stage. The sensors are configured to measure environmental data during each stage. In addition, each sensor includes a unique identifier (UID) such as an EPCID or an EVRYTHNG ID. As Figure 3 shown, each UID is attached to the sample or the container that holds the sample. For example, the UID can take the form of a printed or etched code such as a QR, 2D, barcode, radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, or a combination thereof, to track the seed 104 and ultimately the product.

[0025] The samples can be transported from the laboratory to greenhouses, experimental fields, and production fields. During the development cycle, the samples can be developed at the development stage 108, implanted at the implantation stage 112, and germinated 116 to produce multiple seeds 104. The seeds 104 can be referred to as seedlings and / or bacteria.

[0026] During the development cycle, the sample germinates 116 into a seedling and can be separated into multiple seeds 104. A sensor is attached to each seed 104, and each sensor is associated with the sample as the sample develops in the laboratory. In this way, the sample is traced from production, through the entire growth process, to delivery to the customer. For example, once the seed 104 is planted, the seed 104 is tagged with a sensor and a UID. After the seed 104 grows and is planted in the field 124, the UID of the seed 104 is associated with the corresponding row marker of the field 124. Once associated, all environmental data collected for the seed 104 before it is planted in the row is associated with the row using the corresponding row marker. That is, the environmental data is passed to each sensor along the development stage, growth stage, and delivery stage. In this way, the entire field can be traced back to its source, and all environmental conditions along the way can be examined, analyzed, and stored to help determine best practices for the product, including environmental conditions harmful to freshness and the degree to which the conditions are harmful to freshness.

[0027] The measured environmental data is uploaded to the cloud network 120 via an ELS, application, or web portal. As previously mentioned, the UID can include data associated with the sample, including lot number location, reader information, site information, and environmental conditions. Data associated with each UID can be collected manually via radio frequency (RF) queries or image processing. The data can be stored locally, at off-site locations, and / or in the cloud network 120. The data can be protected with a checksum type value in a blockchain configuration.

[0028] The environmental data includes temperature data. The environmental data can also include location information, relative humidity, and carbon dioxide levels. The sensors can be placed in the soil near the product at each stage of the development cycle, as well as in the soil of the seed 104 when the seed 104 is potted.

[0029] The seed 104 is planted in the field 124, and field sensors are placed in the field 124 soil at a general location and with each seed 104. The sensors can also be placed at each row of the field 124. The field sensors measure the environment of the field 124. Once grown, the seed 104 becomes a product and is harvested. The product is stored in the storage room 128. At each growth point, starting from the seed 104, the field 124, and the storage room 128, the sensors can measure the environmental data and store the environmental data at each stage in the cloud network 120.

[0030] After the product is stored in the storage room 128, the product is transported to a distribution center (DC) 136 via a delivery truck 132. Alternatively, the product can be transported via train, plane, ship, or other transportation methods to reach the DC 136 such as a store. The delivery truck 132 and the DC 136 also include sensors configured to measure the environment. The sensors can also upload environmental data to the cloud network 120.

[0031] The environmental data measured from the sensors at each point from production to delivery can be used to evaluate the product deterioration value of the product. At each stage, the environment may damage the freshness of the product. For example, if the product is stored in the storage room 128 at a specific temperature for an extended period of time, the shelf life of the product may be shortened. In such a case, the storage room operator can be notified of potential spoilage based on the product deterioration value exceeding a threshold product deterioration value. In this way, if the product is unlikely to reach the DC 136 in acceptable freshness conditions, the storage room operator can choose not to deliver the product.

[0032] The storage room operator can be warned at the computer 140 or at the mobile device 144. The mobile device 144 can be any portable device including a screen, a processor, and a rechargeable battery. The computer 140 and / or the mobile device 144 receive a warning via the cloud network 120 of a condition in which the product deterioration value exceeds the threshold product deterioration value.

[0033] Refer to Figure 1B , a graphical representation showing an example implementation of monitoring a product from development to a retail store is shown. Similar to Figure 1A , in various implementations, the product grows in the field 124 and is transported to the DC 136 by the delivery truck 132. Then, the product can be transported to various retail stores. For example, the product can be delivered to the store 148 and placed on the shelf for consumer purchase. For other examples, the product can be delivered to the restaurant 152 for consumer purchase. Additionally or alternatively, the product can be directly delivered to the consumer's residence 156. As depicted, the product is monitored at each stage of the supply chain. For example, the delivery truck 132 includes sensors for measuring the environment of the product. The retail store can also include monitoring. As shown, the transportation means to the store 148, the restaurant 152, or the residence 156 can include cargo monitoring, such as sensors attached to the transportation means to measure environmental data. In addition, the store 148 or the restaurant 152 can include facility monitoring similar to that of the DC 136 to measure environmental data when the product is stored at the retail store.

[0034] Refer to Figure 2 , a graphical representation showing an example implementation of monitoring a product during development is shown. As regarding Figure 1AAs mentioned, the product is tracked from production until delivery. At development stage 108, the sample has a sensor with a UID 208. The UID 208 identifies the product and all data associated with the product. That is, the environmental conditions under which the product is produced at development stage 108 are measured by the sensor, associated with the UID 208, and stored in the cloud network 120. The product scanner 204 scans the UID 208 and associates the UID 208 with the laboratory. The product scanner 204 can scan the UID 208 at each step to associate the product with a location or another sensor. For example, when the seed 104 is planted in the field 124, the product scanner 204 scans the UID 208 of the seed 104 to associate all the information measured by the sensors in the field 124 with the seed 104, and vice versa. In this way, when the seed 104 is harvested and stored in a container with multiple seeds, the container has a UID that associates all the measurement data of all the seeds in the container with the UID of the container. When the product is at the implantation stage 112, the sensor remains with the product and can be identified by the UID 208.

[0035] Referring Figure 3 , a graphical representation of an example implementation of the sensor 300 is shown. The sensor 300 can be an RFID sensor. The sensor 300 is attached to the planted seed or the seed 104 of the product by being placed in the soil in which the product grows. The product is planted in the container 304, and the UID 308 is attached to the container 304 to identify the product planted in the container 304. The sensor 300 includes an integrated circuit. The sensor 300 is passive and receives RF energy from the reader to power the integrated circuit, and once the integrated circuit is powered, the sensor 300 measures the environmental data. The environmental data can include, but is not limited to, temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide level, and the location of the sensor 300. Once measured, the environmental data is backscattered to the reader. The reader can upload the environmental data to the cloud network 120. That is, the reader is a gateway through which the sensor 300 can transfer the environmental data to the network 120. In various implementations, the sensor 300 can independently transfer data to the cloud network 120.

[0036] In addition, when the product is moved from one location to another, a UID in the form of a field row marker can be added. The UID of the product can be associated with the UID of the row marker to associate environmental data including temperature, soil moisture, soil nutrients, and general microclimate regarding the product's experience through various growth cycles. The coordinates of each UID 208 of the product in container 304 or on the field marker can be determined and added to the data collection and storage system. Location information can be collected at the time of planting along with the geographic coordinates of the seeder as the seeds and row markers are inserted, or this information can be determined using the RSSI of RF tags such as the RSSI of EPC or Bluetooth protocols.

[0037] Referring Figure 4 , a graphical representation of an example implementation of monitoring a product from storage room 128 to the consumer using environmental sensors is shown. Readers 400-1 or 400-2, collectively referred to as reader 400, direct environmental sensors 404-1, 404-2, 404-3, collectively referred to as 404 to measure environmental conditions and send the measured data to reader 400. Reader 400 can instruct passive sensors 404 to measure data and send the data to reader 400. In addition, reader 400 can include on-board sensors for measuring environmental conditions at the location of reader 400. Similar to sensors 404, each reader 400 is identified by a UID.

[0038] Reader 400 can be placed on agricultural equipment to collect data from sensors 404 during normal operations, as well as on posts throughout field 124 and to one side of field 124. Such agricultural equipment includes seeders, sprayers, and irrigation hubs. Data from field and seed sensors can also be used to enhance precision agriculture including water and nutrients through feedback information that can be used to control the content and flow rate of individual nozzles on a fertilizer spreader or irrigation hub.

[0039] When the harvesting equipment collects the field product, reader 400 associates the product and the UID of the field 124 row marker with the UID of the large bin and / or bag that is collecting the product. The reader 400 on the harvesting equipment also associates the UID and data of the harvesting equipment with the UID of the product and the bin. As previously mentioned, each UID can be manually associated with another UID or data from another UID. That is, the operator can scan the UID using an application on a mobile computing device and associate the UID with another UID.

[0040] The boxes and / or bags can be taken to a storage facility 128 such as a storage shed for processing. The processing can include cooling to remove “field heat” to prepare for transport, as with mushrooms or melons, or the processing can include storing the product in an environmentally controlled facility for a period of time, as with potatoes. Each storage facility can be equipped with a reader 400 and include a stored UID. The reader 400 in the storage facility can register the location and presence of any seed 104, field 124, or box UID and associate those UIDs with the UID of a specific storage space. Such an association can not only link the stored temperature information from all sensors 404 for the time the product was at that location but also any maintenance or support information for the facility. As with the data collected previously along the supply chain, the data collected can be used to determine, monitor, and promote best practices in the supply chain. Given the location information that can be collected using various RF technologies, three-dimensional facility monitoring can also be achieved when combining the available and associated data.

[0041] As in the field 124, in the storage facility 128, and in the transfer of the product between the field 124 and the storage facility 128, for example, by a delivery truck 132, multiple readers 400 are used, each with its own UID and associated information and sensors, and a large number of UIDs are assigned to spaces, containers, and products, where as many UIDs as possible have their own environmental sensors so that the product can continue to be tracked throughout the supply chain as it is consolidated into boxes. In this case, UIDs can be assigned to the boxes and pallets of the product, where each larger group of UIDs is associated with its constituent UIDs when consolidated. These UIDs can be in the form of EPC Gen2 with sensors or RAIN-compliant RF inventory tags with sensors.

[0042] To assist in the monitoring of the sensors 404, the slides used between boxes or pallets can be printed with an arrangement of RF antennas that can be driven by an attached antenna control box or reader. The attached box can be a stand-alone box or a reading system integrated into the box or pallet of the product. The antennas on the slides can be used individually or in a cooperative manner, such as an antenna array, to improve the reading performance.

[0043] Any delivery truck 132 used along the supply chain can be equipped with one of the reader systems such as reader 400. Reader 400 can have various capabilities, such as those designed for box-level reading, those for pallet-level reading, and those for whole-container-level reading. Larger reader systems can reside in the trailer refrigeration system or the actuator / cab. In both cases, reader 400 can have an antenna or multiple antennas in the cargo area to read the UID via RF or via image processing. Systems using multiple antennas can use standard antennas or sheets of printed antennas similar to the slide application. In the case of multiple antennas, the antennas can operate individually or cooperatively as an antenna array.

[0044] In all cases, additional sensors can be assigned to these cargo spaces to monitor the air and wall temperatures of the environmental control area. Together with the information from the enclosed product sensors, a three-dimensional heat map of the space can be generated. In this way, as long as the reader is equipped with a cellular or similar communication system, the sensors can provide facility monitoring, trailer and trailer performance monitoring, yard monitoring, and asset tracking.

[0045] Similarly, all readers 400 and all monitoring scenarios act in a "store and forward" manner. Each reader 400 listens to or polls sensors 404 and UIDs, collects the associated information, and then transmits the information to a data storage system such as cloud network 120. Although all readers 400 can be used as gateways for other readers, readers operating on line power can be used as gateways for other readers more frequently. In this way, the reader can act as a recorder that records data and transmits information upon arrival at the destination, or as a real-time system that updates the user via an application during transportation.

[0046] Through the assignment and registration of the UID of the pallet, this embodiment can be used along the supply chain to continuously monitor and track products, including entering and passing through any number of DCs. Battery-powered data loggers can be assigned UIDs and used in the shipment of products to monitor and record the environmental conditions of the shipment. These sensors 404 can report their information through a gateway at the destination or through a gateway in the shipping container, trailer, or delivery truck 132. Similarly, integrated readers can be included in the products in the shipment to read and store passive sensor information associated with the products in the shipment. Upon arrival at the destination, or in the presence of a gateway, or if equipped with an internal gateway and the communication link is successful, the integrated reader can report its information to cloud network 120.

[0047] Once at the DC, the pallet and product are unloaded from the trailer or shipping container. In a greenhouse, for example, the reader 400 located within the facility can be used to monitor the sensors 404 and the UIDs of the products and track information such as the environmental conditions of the products, the location of the products within the facility, and the environmental conditions of the facility. When the pallet is damaged, the reader 400 within the facility can monitor the UIDs and status of the individual boxes and follow the products when they are rebuilt onto pallets for delivery to a specific location. In a greenhouse, for example, pallets can be assigned UIDs, and the UIDs of the products placed on a given pallet can be read and associated with that pallet. The UIDs on the equipment or operator can also be read and associated with the pallet or product being transported at that time.

[0048] When the pallet is loaded onto the delivery truck 132 that transports the product from the DC to the store, the UID of the delivery truck 132 and any internal sensors, as well as the UIDs of the pallet and product, can be associated. Similar to the delivery truck 132, trailer, or shipping container that transports the product to the DC, the transportation vehicle carrying the product in the retail distribution segment of the supply chain can be monitored, and the products within the transportation vehicle can continue to be monitored.

[0049] Similar to the DC, upon arrival at the retail store, the reader 400 at the delivery door can register the arrival of the delivery truck 132 and its contents and associate the information in the data storage system. If the facility is equipped with readers 400 and sensors 404 as in the DC, the products can be tracked throughout the facility. If the facility is also equipped with sensors 404 in the receiving area, storage area, and retail display area and cooler, the facility and equipment monitoring information can be combined with the location and product information in the data storage system. As in the equipped DC, all the data can be integrated and examined to optimize energy use, predict maintenance or other issues, or determine best practices for customer or location targets.

[0050] In the case of direct delivery, the reader 400 in the delivery truck 132 detects, monitors, and reports the product and environmental conditions of the truck until the delivery time. The delivery personnel use tools to enter and register information when delivering the product and can also make final delivery entries for the product. This input can include time, location, environmental data, images of the location, signatures, or biometrics of the person receiving the package.

[0051] If consent is given, the recipient, customer, or user can look up the history of the product based on the UID assigned to the product. The UID can be presented in human or machine-readable form, and the user can use a mobile application, computer application, or website. For security reasons, each of these data access points may require login.

[0052] Throughout the supply chain, RAIN-compliant passive sensors can be used to monitor facilities and equipment. These sensors have the added advantage of being compliant with G1 EPC and compatible with a variety of currently available commercial inventory tracking systems. Such sensors in the form of small tags and labels require no batteries, maintenance, can be easily mass-produced, and can be affixed to various surfaces. Equipment that may be monitored includes refrigerated cases in grocery stores, hot boxes at buffets in restaurants, or at concessions in sports arenas.

[0053] In various implementations, such as in environments not suitable for RF communication, sensors using low-power Bluetooth or other mesh RF protocols can be used to transfer information in a self-forming, self-healing network to a gateway.

[0054] For all sensors that are relatively close to each other, it is not necessary to read all sensor information at all read intervals. For example, in the case where temperature sensors are monitoring different parts of the same thermal mass, it is only necessary to read each sensor at half or less of the thermal time constant of the mass to avoid temporal thermal aliasing of the data. In other words, as long as the temperature measurements occur faster than the thermal body changes, the thermal state of the entire body may be fully known at any time during the monitoring period. Similarly, increasing the number of sensors within a given thermal mass will improve the specific resolution of thermal events. The space between sensors must be half or less of the size of the event to be observed to avoid spatial thermal aliasing. Interpolation and some extrapolation can be used to provide thermal boundaries both spatially and temporally between the sensors and the sensor readings. This applies to all thermal masses being measured, including pallets where the boxes have sensors 404, shipping containers where the pallets have sensors 404, and rooms where the pallets and boxes of products are monitored.

[0055] In various implementations where RF is used, a phone, tablet, secure camera device, or dedicated camera device can be used to monitor and track products throughout the supply chain. The camera device can be linked to a system programmed to (i) identify text, barcodes, QR codes, or other UID symbol systems visible to the camera device; (ii) interpret these symbols; and (iii) take actions such as sending the information to a data storage system. These symbols can include UID, product, source, carrier, destination, or environmental information. For example, the camera device can view a label having a UID and a temperature-sensitive element on its surface and determine the current temperature of the product due to the color density or refraction or reflection of the image, and report this information to a cloud data system for processing and warnings.

[0056] Integrated data stored in a data storage system can be used to perform analytics and warnings. In addition to analyzing shipments or events during transit, analytics can also be performed on suppliers, carriers, and locations for supplier grading or best practices. Equipment and usage pattern analytics can be used for preventive maintenance and warranty analytics, as well as to optimize energy usage and recommend to customers, users, and consumers.

[0057] Referring Figure 5 , a functional block diagram of an example implementation of monitoring a product is shown. The sensor group 504 includes a plurality of sensors collectively referred to as sensors 508 such as sensor 1 508-1, sensor 2 508-2, and sensor N 508-N. The sensor group 504 is placed along the supply chain of the product. For example, when the product is first planted in a container, sensor 1 508-1 is placed with the product, when the product is collected, sensor 2 508-2 is placed on the bag of the product, and when the product is delivered, sensor N 508-N is placed on the delivery truck. Additional sensors can be placed at different stages of the product supply chain.

[0058] Readers 512 are placed at intervals along the supply chain to instruct the sensors 508 to measure environmental data and send the measured environmental data to the readers 512. The environmental data can include temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide level, vibration value, and location. Although Figure 5 one reader 512 is depicted in

[0059] the readers can be placed along the supply chain as needed to instruct the measurement of data and receive the data. That is, the readers can be placed at each location along the supply chain close to the sensors 508 to instruct and power the sensors 508 as needed.

[0060] The freshness assessment module 520 includes a freshness calculation module 524, a freshness determination module 528, and a warning generation module 532. The freshness calculation module 524 receives sensor data from the storage device 516. The freshness assessment module 520 may also include a freshness calculation table 536. The freshness calculation table 536 stores and organizes historical environmental data for the product.

[0061] For example, the environmental data for the product collected along each supply chain can be stored in the freshness calculation table 536 and compared with the currently monitored product. That is, the freshness calculation table 536 can include historical sensor data for all products monitored in the supply chain, and the reader 512 can instruct the sensor 508 to measure environmental data at a predetermined interval. In this way, the freshness calculation module 524 can receive the historical sensor data for each product from the freshness calculation table 536 and retrieve the sensor data for the actively monitored product to calculate the product deterioration value for the monitored product.

[0062] In various implementations, the product deterioration value can be calculated based on the Arrhenius equation for calculating bacterial growth, as shown below:

[0063]

[0064] where k is the rate constant, A is the frequency factor or pre-exponential factor, E A is the activation energy, R is the gas constant, and T is the temperature in Kelvin. The Arrhenius equation indicates microbial growth based on time and temperature. Therefore, starting from the moment the product is harvested, the quality of the product and the growth of bacteria can be estimated.

[0065] For each product for which environmental data is collected, the Arrhenius equation can be modified based on the historical environmental data stored in the freshness calculation table 536 to improve the accuracy of the bacterial growth calculation and thus the accuracy of the product deterioration value. Once the freshness calculation module 524 calculates the product deterioration value for the product being tracked, the freshness determination module 528 compares the product deterioration value with a threshold product deterioration value for the specific product. The freshness determination module 528 determines whether the product deterioration value has exceeded the threshold product deterioration value, and if so, the freshness determination module 528 sends a warning signal to the warning generation module 532 to instruct the warning generation module 532 to generate a warning and send the warning to the operator device 540.

[0066] The freshness calculation table 536 can also store user inputs for the tracked product. For example, an operator at a location along the supply chain can input qualitative data regarding the product quality. For example, via an application downloaded to the operator device 540, the operator can input information about the product quality. The information input by the operator can be stored in the freshness calculation table 536 and used to determine the threshold product degradation value. The operator device 540 can be many devices along the supply chain.

[0067] The freshness assessment module 520 can be implemented in real-time or at a predetermined time, such as upon reaching a new location. For example, the freshness assessment module 520 can be implemented at a tracking facility where product degradation values are calculated to ensure product quality at each stage of the supply chain.

[0068] The freshness assessment module 520 also includes a threshold determination module 544. The threshold determination module 544 calculates a threshold product degradation value based on the data included in the freshness calculation table 536. As previously mentioned, the freshness calculation table 536 includes both qualitative and quantitative data regarding the tracked product.

[0069] In various implementations, the operator device 540 can request the freshness assessment module 520 to determine the freshness of the product based on the latest and available sensor data. For example, the operator device 540 can implement the freshness assessment module 520 via a freshness application, where the implementation of the freshness assessment module 520 instructs the reader 512 to prompt the sensor 508 to measure the environmental data. Once the freshness assessment module 520 reads the latest environmental data, the product degradation value is calculated and evaluated. In response to the product degradation value being lower than the threshold product degradation value, the warning generation module 532 will display a corresponding warning on the operator device 540.

[0070] In various implementations, the freshness assessment module 520 will periodically and automatically calculate the product degradation value. In response to the product degradation value being lower than or approaching the threshold product degradation value, the freshness assessment module 520 will send a corresponding warning to the operator device 540. For example, the warning generation module 532 will notify the client based on the location of the product determined by the sensor 508.

[0071] The freshness assessment module 520 can send a read request to the reader 512 to determine whether to notify individuals along the supply chain regarding the quality and freshness of the product. Additionally, the freshness assessment module 520 can periodically send a read request to the reader 512 to retrieve interval environmental data from the sensor 508 to add to the historical data included in the freshness calculation table 536.

[0072] Now refer to Figure 6, which shows a flowchart of an example control for the reader to measure data. The control starts at 604, where the reader determines whether a read request has been received from the freshness assessment module. As mentioned above, the freshness assessment module can periodically send read requests to the reader to add to the historical product environment database and determine the product deterioration value when sending the read request. If the reader receives a read request at 604, the control proceeds to 608. Otherwise, the control waits to receive a read request.

[0073] At 608, the reader identifies all the sensors in the readable sensor group. Each reader has a predetermined number of sensors that can communicate with the reader. Once the reader receives a read request, the reader will identify the sensors in the sensor group. The control proceeds to 612, where the reader selects the first sensor in the sensor group, such as sensor 1. The control proceeds to 616, where environmental data is retrieved from the selected sensor. At 620, the retrieved sensor data is sent to the storage device. Then, at 624, the control determines whether there is another sensor in the sensor group. If not, the control ends. If there is another sensor in the sensor group, such as sensor 2, the control selects the next sensor in the sensor group and returns to 616 to retrieve environmental data from the selected sensor. Once environmental data has been retrieved from each sensor and the retrieved environmental data has been sent to the storage device, the control ends.

[0074] Now refer to Figure 7 , which shows a flowchart of an example control for the freshness assessment of a product. The control starts at 704, where the freshness assessment module determines whether the sensor data has been updated. That is, the freshness assessment module determines whether the reader indicates that the sensor has recently measured environmental data, such as within the last ten minutes. If not, the control proceeds to 708, where the freshness assessment module sends a read request to the reader, as Figure 6 shown.

[0075] Once the control determines that the sensor data has been updated at 704, the control proceeds to 712 to determine the product being tracked based on the sensor data. For example, the control identifies the product based on the UID of the sensor. The control proceeds to 716, where the freshness calculation module calculates the product deterioration, such as using the Arrhenius equation and the historical product data in the freshness calculation table. The control proceeds to 720, where the control determines whether the product deterioration value exceeds the threshold product deterioration. The threshold product deterioration is calculated using historical product data based on a modification of the Arrhenius equation. If the threshold product deterioration is exceeded, the control proceeds to 724 to determine the location of the product. Otherwise, the control ends. For example, the location of the product can be determined based on the sensor data.

[0076] After determining the location of the product, control continues to 728 to generate a warning and send the warning to the location operator. That is, the warning is sent to the operator at the location of the product. In this way, the operator can determine whether the freshness has been compromised to the extent that the product will not be consumed or is not desirable by the end user.

[0077] The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the present disclosure, its application, or uses. The broad teachings of the present disclosure may be implemented in a variety of forms. Thus, although the present disclosure includes specific examples, the true scope of the present disclosure should not be limited thereto, as other modifications will become apparent upon study of the drawings, the specification, and the following claims. It should be understood that one or more steps in a method may be performed in a different order (or concurrently) without changing the principles of the present disclosure. Additionally, although each of the embodiments above is described as having specific features, any one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented in and / or combined with the features of any other embodiment, even if the combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and a mutual substitution of one or more embodiments is still within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0078] Various terms including "connected", "joined", "coupled", "adjacent", "next to", "on", "above", "below", and "disposed" are used to describe the spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.). Unless explicitly described as "direct", when the relationship between a first element and a second element is described in the foregoing disclosure, the relationship may be a direct relationship in which no other intermediate elements exist between the first element and the second element, but may also be an indirect relationship in which one or more intermediate elements exist (spatially or functionally) between the first element and the second element. As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be interpreted to mean a logical (A or B or C) using a non-exclusive logical OR and should not be interpreted to mean "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C".

[0079] In the drawings, the direction of the arrow as indicated by the arrow generally indicates the flow of information (e.g., data or instructions) that the illustration is concerned with. For example, when element A and element B exchange various information, but the information transmitted from element A to element B is relevant to the illustration, the arrow may point from element A to element B. This one-way arrow does not mean that no other information is transmitted from element B to element A. Additionally, for the information sent from element A to element B, element B may send a request for the information or a receipt confirmation of the information to element A.

[0080] In the present application including the following definitions, the term "module" or the term "controller" may be replaced by the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to the following, may be a part of the following, or may include the following: application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital discrete circuits; digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital integrated circuits; combinational logic circuits; field programmable gate array (FPGA); processor circuits (shared, dedicated, or group) that execute code; memory circuits (shared, dedicated, or group) that store code executed by the processor circuits; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system-on-chip.

[0081] The module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples, the interface circuit may include a wired or wireless interface connected to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or a combination thereof. The functionality of any given module of the present disclosure may be distributed among multiple modules connected via the interface circuit. For example, multiple modules may implement load balancing. In other examples, a server (also referred to as remote or cloud) module may implement some functions on behalf of a client module.

[0082] Some or all of the hardware characteristics of the module may be defined using a hardware description language such as IEEE standard 1364-2005 (commonly referred to as "Verilog") and IEEE standard 1076-2008 (commonly referred to as "VHDL"). The hardware description language may be used to fabricate and / or program the hardware circuit. In some implementations, some or all of the characteristics of the module may be defined by a language such as IEEE 1666-2005 (commonly referred to as "SystemC"), which includes both code and hardware description as described below.

[0083] As used above, the term "code" can include software, firmware, and / or microcode, and can refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, data structures, and / or objects. The term "shared processor circuit" includes a single processor circuit that executes some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group processor circuit" includes a processor circuit that, in conjunction with additional processor circuits, executes some or all of the code from one or more modules. References to multiple processor circuits include multiple processor circuits on separate dies, multiple processor circuits on a single die, multiple cores of a single processor circuit, multiple threads of a single processor circuit, or combinations of the above. The term "shared memory circuit" includes a single memory circuit that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group memory circuit" includes a memory circuit that, in conjunction with additional memory, stores some or all of the code from one or more modules.

[0084] The term "memory circuit" is a subset of the term "computer-readable medium". As used herein, the term "computer-readable medium" does not include transitory electrical or electromagnetic signals propagated through a medium (e.g., on a carrier wave), and thus, the term "computer-readable medium" can be considered tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory computer-readable media are non-volatile memory circuits (e.g., flash memory circuits, erasable programmable read-only memory circuits, or mask ROM circuits), volatile memory circuits (e.g., static random access memory circuits or dynamic random access memory circuits), magnetic storage media (e.g., analog or digital tape or hard disk drive), and optical storage media (e.g., CD, DVD, or Blu-ray disc).

[0085] The apparatus and methods described in this application can be implemented in part or in whole by a special purpose computer created by configuring a general purpose computer to execute one or more specific functions embodied in a computer program. The functional blocks and flowchart elements described above serve as a software specification, which can be compiled into a computer program by the routine work of a skilled technician or programmer.

[0086] A computer program includes processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium. A computer program can also include or rely on stored data. A computer program can include a basic input / output system (BIOS) that interacts with the hardware of the special purpose computer, device drivers that interact with specific devices of the special purpose computer, one or more operating systems, user applications, background services, background applications, etc.

[0087] A computer program may include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed such as HTML (HyperText Markup Language), XML (eXtensible Markup Language), or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation); (ii) assembly code; (iii) object code generated from source code by a compiler; (iv) source code for execution by an interpreter; (v) source code for compilation and execution by a just-in-time compiler, etc. By way of example only, the source code may be written using the syntax from the following languages, which include: C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, HTML5 (HyperText Markup Language Fifth Edition), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK, and

Claims

1. An environmental monitoring method, comprising: Measuring data from a first sensor fixed in the soil of a container, the container including a single seed planted in the soil of the container, and at least one of the container and the first sensor including a first unique identifier associated with the single seed; Updating a freshness calculation table with the measured data from the first sensor, the freshness calculation table indexing the measured data by product; Measuring data from at least one second sensor located in a field, the field including seedlings grown from the single seed planted at a field location associated with a field marker, the at least one second sensor including at least one second unique identifier; Updating the freshness calculation table with the measured data from the at least one second sensor, and associating the first unique identifier with the field marker; For a product grown from the seedlings, measuring data from a plurality of third sensors at a plurality of locations during a period in which the product is transported to a destination, wherein each of the plurality of third sensors includes a third unique identifier; Updating the freshness calculation table with the measured data for the product from the plurality of third sensors during the period, wherein the freshness calculation table stores historical environmental data of a plurality of products, the plurality of products including the product; Determining a product deterioration value of the product based on the measured data and the historical environmental data of the product stored in the freshness calculation table; Comparing the product deterioration value with a threshold product deterioration value; Generating a warning in response to the product deterioration value of the product exceeding the threshold product deterioration value; and Sending the warning to a device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein The measured data of each sensor among the plurality of third sensors includes: temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide level, and the location of each sensor among the plurality of third sensors.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprises: Storing the measured data of each sensor among the plurality of third sensors in a remote data storage device.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising: Transmitting the measured data to the remote data storage device via a reader, wherein the reader is configured to receive data including temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide level, location, and vibration from the plurality of third sensors.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The plurality of third sensors are located near the product to track the product along the supply chain.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The plurality of third sensors are passive radio frequency identification sensors, and wherein the reader supplies power to the plurality of third sensors in response to receiving a read request.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Determining the location of the product; Determining an operator device associated with the location; And Sending the warning to the operator device associated with the location.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein The threshold product deterioration value is determined according to the freshness calculation table.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein The third unique identifier is included in a radio frequency identification tag, and wherein, in order to monitor the product along the supply chain of the product, the third unique identifier is located in at least one of a transport container, a trailer, and a refrigerated chamber.

10. An environmental monitoring system, comprising: A first sensor, which is fixed in the soil of a container and is configured to measure data associated with a single seed planted in the soil of the container, and at least one of the container and the first sensor includes a first unique identifier associated with the single seed; At least one second sensor, which is located in a field including seedlings, the seedlings are grown from the single seed and are planted at a field location associated with a field marker in the field, and the at least one second sensor includes at least one second unique identifier; A plurality of third sensors, which are configured to measure data at multiple locations during a period when a product grown from the seedlings is transported to a destination, wherein each sensor of the plurality of third sensors includes a third unique identifier; A reader, which is configured to update a freshness calculation table with the measured data of the product from the plurality of third sensors during the period, the freshness calculation table stores the measured data from the first sensor and the at least one second sensor and indexes the measured data by product, and is configured to instruct the plurality of third sensors to measure data associated with the product and receive the measured data from the plurality of third sensors; and A freshness evaluation module, comprising: A freshness calculation module, which is configured to determine a product deterioration value of the product based on the measured data and historical environmental data of the product stored in the freshness calculation table; A freshness determination module, which is configured to compare the product deterioration value with a threshold product deterioration value; and A warning generation module, which is configured to generate a warning in response to the product deterioration value of the product exceeding the threshold product deterioration value and send the warning to a device.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein Each sensor of the plurality of third sensors measures data including temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide level, and the position of each sensor of the plurality of third sensors.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein, The freshness evaluation module is included in the reader.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein, The reader is further configured to receive data including temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide level, position, and vibration from the plurality of third sensors.

14. The system according to claim 10, wherein The plurality of third sensors are located near the product to track the product along the supply chain.

15. The system according to claim 10, wherein The plurality of third sensors are passive radio frequency identification sensors, and wherein the reader supplies power to the plurality of third sensors in response to the freshness evaluation module transmitting a read request to the reader.

16. The system according to claim 10, wherein, The warning generation module: Determines the position of the product; Determines an operator device associated with the position; and Sends the warning to the operator device associated with the position.

17. The system according to claim 10, wherein, The threshold product deterioration value is determined according to the freshness calculation table.

18. The system according to claim 10, wherein The third unique identifier is a radio frequency identification tag, and wherein, in order to monitor the product along the supply chain of the product, the third unique identifier is located in at least one of a shipping container, a trailer, and a cold storage room.

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