Assisted recovery of chemical products

Abstract

This disclosure relates to an apparatus (100) for: a) providing a first digital object (11) including first data, the first data including chemical product data and / or first access data, based on which the chemical product data is accessible, wherein the chemical product data is associated with a chemical product (10) to be recycled; b) providing second data, the second data including transportation data and / or second access data, based on which transportation data is accessible, wherein the transportation data is associated with the transportation of the chemical product to a recycling site (40); and c) generating a second digital object (12) including the first digital object and the second data. A corresponding method and computer program are also disclosed. The disclosed apparatus can assist in the recycling of chemical products (such as automobile batteries). For example, an efficient transportation system for the product to be recycled can be established, and the recycling process can be planned and implemented efficiently.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an apparatus, method, and computer program for assisting in the recovery of chemical products. The invention also relates to the use of any of the above for assisting in the recovery of chemical products. Background Technology

[0002] To establish efficient circular value chains, it is recognized that it is necessary to share information about the products among different participants in the value chain. For example, to efficiently recycle products, recyclers will need to know what materials the products are made of. Thus, as already implemented in the Catena-X framework, it is conceivable to exchange information about products via digital objects associated with the products in the circular value chain. Such a digital infrastructure can provide valuable assistance in product recycling, particularly for the chemical industry, which participates in a wide range of value chains, many of which involve particularly complex networks of participants. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide further assistance in the recovery of chemical products.

[0004] In a first aspect, the present invention relates to an apparatus for assisting in the recycling of chemical products, wherein the apparatus includes one or more processors configured to: a) provide a first digital object including first data, wherein the first data includes chemical product data and / or first access data, based on which the chemical product data is accessible, wherein the chemical product data is associated with a chemical product to be recycled; furthermore, the one or more processors are configured to: b) provide second data, wherein the second data includes transportation data and / or second access data, based on which transportation data is accessible, wherein the transportation data is associated with the transportation of the chemical product to a recycling site; and c) generate a second digital object including the first digital object and the second data.

[0005] Because the second digital object includes second data in addition to the first digital object, such second data including transportation data and / or second access data, which provides access to the transportation data associated with the transport of the chemical product to the recycling site, the second digital object can be used not only to exchange information about the chemical product to be recycled itself, but also to exchange information about how the chemical product has been, is being, or will be transported to the recycling site. This allows for the establishment of a more efficient transportation system for transporting the chemical product to be recycled to one or more corresponding recycling sites. Recycling efficiency can also be improved by planning and implementing recycling based on information about the chemical product to be recycled and its transportation.

[0006] The first digital object can refer to a digital product or material pass. The first data included in the first digital object can be data about a chemical product associated with the first digital object, and / or access data based on which data about the chemical product can be accessed. In other words, the first digital object can, for example, act as a digital document including chemical product data, and / or the first digital object can act as an access element based on which the chemical product data can be accessed. Access to the chemical product data can be provided by the first digital object, for example, by means of digital addresses, authentication, and / or authorization information included in the digital object. The first digital object can be provided by retrieving it from a database or by requesting it as part of a data service, which can be associated with a producer of the chemical product or a data owner of the chemical product data, wherein the producer and data owner can be the same or different. The data owner can be any entity that generates the data. The data can be generated by a third-party entity representing an entity that owns the physical product from which the data was generated. Generally, a data consumption service can refer to computer-executable instructions for accessing and / or processing data associated with a data owner (such as chemical product data).

[0007] The second data can be associated with the transportation data, just as the first data is associated with the chemical product data. Therefore, for example, the second data can also be transportation data directly, and / or can be access data, such as digital addresses, authentication and / or authorization information, upon which the transportation data can be accessed. The second data can be provided based on a user's order for the transportation of chemical products or by requesting a data service provider, which can be associated with the appropriate owner of the requested data.

[0008] Therefore, the second digital object can be used as a digital document including chemical product data and additional transportation data, and / or the second digital object can be used as an access element providing access to chemical product data and / or transportation data.

[0009] The generated second digital object can be provided to a third party via a data service, which can be associated with the data owner of the transport data. Providing a data service can refer to computer-executable instructions for providing and / or processing data (such as chemical product data or transport data) associated with the relevant data owner for access and / or processing by a data consumption service. Typically, providing the generated second digital object can mean storing the generated second digital object on a suitable accessible storage device. However, "providing" can also mean providing the generated second digital object for further processing. In particular, it is preferable that the device further includes a transport pass interface, wherein the transport pass interface is configured to provide an interface to the transport data.

[0010] Generally, the device can be implemented in the form of any general-purpose or special-purpose software and / or hardware, which includes one or more processors configured accordingly. In particular, the device can also be implemented via distributed computing, in which one or more processors can be distributed across different computers or computing systems, for example, distributed in a cloud computing or network computing environment. The device can be configured to provide a chemical product pass as a first digital object. The device can be configured to generate a second digital object based in part on the chemical product pass being the first digital object. The second digital object can be a transport pass. For example, a "X" pass can indicate a digital representation of data associated with "X," where "X" can refer to, for example, a chemical product or transport. The digital representation can refer to any data representation that allows access to the corresponding data or a portion of the data. The digital representation can refer to the ID of "X," under which data can be found in a database; or it can refer to a link to the data. The digital representation can also refer to a digital representation of data or a portion of data, such as a list or table of information provided by the data, including the data itself.

[0011] In an embodiment, the first digital object may include a digital product identifier, which is a digital identifier for a chemical product. For example, the digital product identifier may be part of the first access data. Specifically, the first digital object may include a decentralized identifier that identifies the product. The decentralized identifier may be any unique identifier uniquely associated with the owner of the chemical product data (i.e., the data owner) and the chemical product data. The decentralized identifier may include a Universally Unique Identifier (UUID) or a Digital Identifier (DID). The decentralized identifier may be issued by a centralized or decentralized identity issuing authority. The decentralized identifier may include authentication information. Access to the chemical product data can be controlled by the data owner through the decentralized identifier and its unique association with the data owner and the chemical product data. This contrasts with a centralized authority approach, in which the identifier is provided by such a centralized authority and access to the data is controlled by such a centralized authority. In this context, decentralized means that the use of the identifier is controlled by the data owner in the implementation.

[0012] Furthermore, in embodiments, the first digital object may include additional digital objects, wherein these additional digital objects include chemical precursor data and / or additional access data, based on which the chemical precursor data is accessed, and wherein the chemical precursor data is associated with precursors used in the production of the chemical to be recycled. In this way, the second digital object provides not only access to information about the chemical to be recycled and its transportation, but also access to the precursors of the chemical to be recycled. Precursors may also refer to materials included in the chemical to be recycled. In principle, chemical precursor data can also be considered chemical product data, as it also at least partially characterizes the chemical product produced from the chemical precursors. This is reflected in the case where the first digital object includes additional digital objects. The way the first digital object includes additional digital objects can be the same as the way the second digital object includes the first digital object. If the first digital object corresponds to a digital product pass, then the additional digital object may correspond to a digital material pass. For consistency with this terminology, the second digital object may be referred to as a transportation pass.

[0013] In an embodiment, the second digital object may include a digital transportation identifier, which is a digital identifier of the vehicle and / or personnel transporting the chemical product. Specifically, the second digital object may include a decentralized identifier that identifies the transportation vehicle and / or personnel. The decentralized identifier can be any unique identifier uniquely associated with the owner of the transportation data (i.e., the data owner) and the transportation data. The decentralized identifier may include a Universally Unique Identifier (UUID) or a Digital Identifier (DID). The decentralized identifier may be issued by a centralized or decentralized identity issuing authority. The decentralized identifier may include authentication information. Access to the transportation data can be controlled by the data owner through the decentralized identifier and its unique association with the data owner and the transportation data. This contrasts with a centralized authority approach, in which the identifier is provided by such a centralized authority and access to the data is controlled by such a centralized authority. In this context, decentralized means that the use of the identifier is controlled by the data owner in the implementation. Typically, a digital transportation identifier can be associated with transportation data, just as a digital product identifier is associated with chemical product data.

[0014] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the one or more processors are configured to generate the second digital object in a format readable by all of the multiple predefined potential users. Potential users of the second digital object include, for example, transportation providers, such as logistics companies that transport chemical products to appropriate recycling sites, or recyclers responsible for collecting chemical products at appropriate recycling sites. More generally, the multiple predefined potential users can include one or more of the following: producers of chemical products, users of chemical products, transportation service providers of chemical products, recycling service providers of chemical products, and agents acting between the foregoing parties.

[0015] Furthermore, in embodiments, the one or more processors can be configured to generate a second digital object upon receiving a request for generating the second digital object. This request may originate from a return station where the chemical product has been returned for transport to a recycling station. In embodiments, the request may be associated with a transport order issued from the return station, which is an order to transport the chemical product from the return station to the recycling station. For example, the request may be sent by a user of a terminal device at the return station when initiating a transport order with a transport provider (such as a logistics company responsible for transporting the chemical product to the recycling station). In this case, the device may be cloud-based or located remotely from the return station. The request may be transmitted from the terminal device to the device via known communication methods.

[0016] In an embodiment, a digital product identifier may be associated with a physical product identifier, which is a physical identifier for a chemical product. The one or more processors may be configured to provide a first digital object based on the digital product identifier associated with the physical product identifier. For example, the chemical product may carry a physical identifier in the form of machine-readable code, which can be read by a scanning device once the chemical product is returned to a return station for recycling. The digital product identifier can then be determined based on the scanned code, and the first digital object can be provided based on this digital product identifier.

[0017] The first digital object can be provided or generated, in particular, by assigning a physical identifier to a digital product identifier. Chemical product data can refer to data collected in association with the physical identifier of the chemical product. The physical identifier can be any type of physical identifier, such as a barcode, RFID chip, trademark, watermark, stamp, seal, etc. Furthermore, the physical identifier can also be a specific characteristic or combination of specific characteristics of the product, thereby allowing the product to be physically uniquely identified. Therefore, assigning a physical identifier to uniquely identify the chemical product together with the digital product identifier allows for the secure and unique identification of the chemical product via the digital product identifier. In particular, it can be ensured that the first digital object is indeed the first digital object associated with the corresponding chemical product. In this way, for example, when examining the physical identifier associated with the digital product identifier, tampering and unauthorized modifications to the product identification can be prevented or at least detected. Preferably, assignment therefore refers to the storage of the assignment work, for example, also as part of the first digital object. However, the assignment work can also be stored in any other way, preferably in the form of a blockchain, which allows for the establishment of a tamper-resistant or tamper-proof secure association accessible to multiple parties. Therefore, for example, if the ownership of the product changes multiple times, the association between the physical identifier of the first digital object and the digital product identifier is secure, and neither party can make changes without authorization.

[0018] Furthermore, digital transport identifiers can be associated with corresponding physical identifiers (i.e., physical transport identifiers). Therefore, for example, if a digital transport identifier refers to the digital identifier of a transport vehicle, then the physical transport identifier can be the physical identifier of the transport vehicle, which can be attached to the vehicle. If a digital transport identifier refers to the digital identifier of a transport worker, then the corresponding physical transport identifier can be the physical identifier of the transport worker. For example, a transport worker can possess an ID card, where the ID card or the machine-readable code printed on it can be used as a physical identifier.

[0019] The relationship between physical transport identifiers and transport data, digital transport identifiers, and / or second digital objects can correspond to (i.e., similar to or identical to) the relationship between physical product identifiers and chemical product data, digital product identifiers, and / or first digital objects. Therefore, the generation of a second digital object can include assigning a physical transport identifier to a digital transport identifier. Transport data can refer to data collected in association with the physical transport identifier. The physical transport identifier can be any type of physical identifier, such as a barcode, RFID chip, trademark, watermark, stamp, seal, etc. Furthermore, the physical transport identifier can also be a specific characteristic or combination of specific characteristics of a transport entity (such as the transport vehicle involved in the corresponding transport), thereby allowing for the physical unique identification of the transport entity. Therefore, assigning a physical identifier to uniquely identify the transport entity together with the digital transport identifier allows for the secure and unique identification of the transport entity via the digital transport identifier. In particular, it can be ensured that the second digital object is indeed a second digital object associated with the corresponding transport entity. In this way, for example, when examining the physical identifier associated with the corresponding digital identifier, tampering and unauthorized modifications to the identification of the transport entity can be prevented or at least detected. Preferably, assignment therefore refers to the storage of the assigned work, for example, also as part of a second digital object. However, the assigned work can also be stored in any other way, preferably in the form of a blockchain, which allows for the establishment of a tamper-resistant or immutable secure association that can be accessed by multiple parties.

[0020] In this embodiment, transportation data may include one or more of the following: the start time of transportation, the end time of transportation, the route of transportation, the location of the transportation vehicle performing the transportation, and the transportation characteristics of the vehicle performing the transportation. This transportation data is considered particularly relevant to the planning of the transportation and recovery process.

[0021] In this embodiment, the chemical product may refer to a battery. Then, the precursor product may refer to, for example, a battery module or battery cell, or to materials included in a battery module or battery cell. Specifically, the chemical product may refer to an automotive battery.

[0022] In this embodiment, recycling may refer to breaking down a chemical product into its constituent parts and processing one or more of these parts to obtain further technical usability. Specifically, the processing of one or more parts may be a pyrometallurgical process.

[0023] As described above, the second digital object can act as an access element for accessing transport data, in which case the second digital object may include second access data. In embodiments, the second access data may be associated with an authentication and / or authorization mechanism for a user of the second digital object. Through the authentication and / or authorization mechanism, a user can authenticate himself or herself, and / or obtain authorization to access the transport data. The authentication and / or authorization mechanism may involve the use of any of the following: public key infrastructure, dynamic attribute provisioning services, distributed identifiers, and / or verifiable credentials.

[0024] In an embodiment, the second digital object may include a plurality of first digital objects. Specifically, the one or more processors may be configured to provide a plurality of first digital objects for a plurality of respective chemical products to be recycled, wherein the transport data is associated with the transport of the plurality of chemical products to one or more respective recycling sites, and wherein the second digital object includes the plurality of first digital objects.

[0025] Therefore, for example, a second digital object may include a plurality of first digital objects, each first digital object associated with a different chemical product to be recovered. Furthermore, each of the plurality of first digital objects may include a plurality of additional digital objects associated with a precursor used in the production of the respective chemical product to be recovered. Thus, the relationship between the second digital object, the first digital object, and the additional digital objects can represent the fact that a transport device can carry a plurality of chemical products to be recovered, and that each chemical product to be recovered can be made from a plurality of precursors.

[0026] In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for assisting in the recycling of chemical products. The method includes the step of providing a first digital object comprising first data, wherein the first data includes chemical product data and / or first access data, based on which the chemical product data is accessible, and wherein the chemical product data is associated with a chemical product to be recycled. Furthermore, the method includes the step of providing second data, wherein the second data includes transportation data and / or second access data, based on which transportation data is accessible, and wherein the transportation data is associated with the transportation of the chemical product to a recycling site. In another step of the method, a second digital object is generated, wherein the second digital object includes the first digital object and the second data.

[0027] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a computer program for assisting in the recovery of chemical products, wherein the computer program includes instructions for causing the apparatus as defined above to perform the methods as defined above.

[0028] Furthermore, one aspect of the present invention relates to the use of the apparatus, method, and / or computer program as defined above for assisting in the recovery of chemical products.

[0029] It should be understood that the apparatus, method, computer program and use as defined above have similar and / or identical preferred embodiments, especially as defined in the dependent claims.

[0030] It should be understood that the preferred embodiments of the present invention may also be any combination of the dependent claims or the above embodiments and the corresponding independent claims.

[0031] These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent and will be illustrated with reference to the embodiments described below. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 An infrastructure for recycling batteries is illustrated schematically and exemplary.

[0033] Figure 2 A second digital object, comprising a first digital object and second data, is illustrated schematically and exemplary.

[0034] Figure 3 A method for assisting in the recovery of chemical products is illustrated schematically and exemplaryly.

[0035] Figure 4 In the context of the International Data Space (IDS) architecture, how can access be provided for... Figure 2 The illustration shows a schematic and exemplary diagram of access to digital objects. Detailed Implementation

[0036] Figure 1 An infrastructure for recycling battery 10 is illustrated schematically and exemplary. For example, battery 10 could be a car battery. Batteries (such as car batteries) are chemical products, and their recycling is of particular importance for achieving a sustainable economy because batteries are a key component of the energy transition, and the materials used to produce batteries are finite.

[0037] exist Figure 1 In the process, the defective battery 10 to be recycled has been returned to return station 30. At return station 30, workers are responsible for packaging the battery 10 and placing an order for its transportation to recycling station 40. As shown in the figure, transportation can be carried out by truck 50.

[0038] For example, regarding Figure 1The chemical product to be recycled, as indicated by one of the returned batteries 10, may carry a physical product identifier 15 in the form of a barcode, QR code, or other machine-readable code. This physical identifier may be affixed to the corresponding chemical product during production, i.e., for example, after the corresponding chemical product has been produced or during its production process at the corresponding production site. The physical identifier of a chemical product can be understood as a physical representation that uniquely identifies the chemical product. Each physical identifier may be associated with a corresponding digital identifier of the corresponding chemical product, wherein the digital identifier can be understood as a digital representation of the chemical product's identity information.

[0039] Workers at the return station can use a terminal device (such as a tablet or smartphone) with additional scanning capabilities to read the physical product identifier 15 on a given battery 10 and obtain a corresponding digital identifier for that battery 10. The digital identifier can be obtained through an identity service, as in, for example, an industrial data space architecture. Workers can then repeat this process for multiple returned batteries 10 that will be transported together from the return station 30, and for which combined transport orders have been, are being, or will be initiated. Workers can then (possibly still using the same terminal device) submit a request to a cloud-based or remote device 100 to generate a second digital object 12 associated with the transport of multiple identified batteries 10, to facilitate the recycling of chemical products (such as batteries 10). Figure 2 The second digital object 12 is illustrated schematically and exemplary. Then, one or more processors of device 100 can provide a first digital object 11 for each of a plurality of identified batteries 10 upon receiving a request. Each of the provided first digital objects 11 (also referred to as digital product passes) includes first data, which includes battery data and / or access data regarding the corresponding battery 10, based on which the corresponding battery data can be accessed. The battery data may include, for example, data indicating the size and / or shape of the corresponding battery, its weight, its state of charge, the number of battery modules, the number of battery cells, and / or the battery chemistry. The battery data may also include data indicating the recyclability of the corresponding battery.

[0040] Furthermore, one or more processors of device 100 can provide second data, including transportation data and / or second access data, based on which the transportation data is accessible, wherein the transportation data is associated with the transportation of multiple identified batteries 10 to recycling stations 40. The transportation data may include the start time of the transportation, the end time of the transportation, the route of the transportation, the location of the transport vehicle (e.g., truck 50) performing the transportation, and / or the transportation characteristics of the vehicle (e.g., truck 50). If the request to generate the second digital object is submitted after a transportation order has been initiated, the transportation data can be provided based on that transportation order. For example, the transportation data may then correspond to the data indicated in the order. On the other hand, if a transportation order is to be initiated in conjunction with or based on a request, the transportation data may be determined by device 100 and then used for the transportation order. In the latter case, for example, the transportation data may be determined based on the availability of transportation equipment from one or more transportation providers, traffic conditions, transportation orders from different return stations, and safety regulations associated with the transportation of batteries. Desired transportation data (e.g., in the form of a desired transportation order) may also be submitted to device 100, wherein the feasibility of the desired transportation is then checked based on the aforementioned criteria. The final shipping order can then be generated based on this feasibility check.

[0041] Based on the provided first digital object and the provided second data, one or more processors of device 100 can generate a second digital object 12 upon request, wherein the second digital object 12 includes the first digital object 11 and the second data. The second digital object 12 can be considered uniquely associated with the transportation of the identified battery 10 from return station 30 to recycling station 40. Therefore, the second digital object can also be considered associated with a transportation order. However, if the actual transportation performed differs from the ordered transportation, the second data included in the second digital object 12 can be changed. In this way, a user of the second digital object 12 (which can also be considered a transportation pass) can be granted access to actual or even real-time information about the transportation. For example, this may be important for assessing the carbon footprint associated with transportation.

[0042] A first digital object 11 associated with multiple identified batteries 10 can be provided based on a digital product identifier associated with a physical product identifier attached to the battery 10. The digital product identifier can be included in the corresponding first digital object 11. Therefore, each first digital object 11 can include information elements based on which battery 10 it belongs to. Using these information elements (i.e., the digital product identifier), the first digital object 11 can be retrieved from a database or requested from a corresponding service provider. Similarly, as... Figure 2As shown, the second digital object 12 can be generated such that it includes digital transport identifiers 51, 52, which are digital identifiers of the transport vehicles and / or transport personnel of the plurality of identified batteries 10 for which a request has been made. Similarly, as... Figure 2 As illustrated schematically and exemplary, the second digital object 12 can also indirectly allow the exchange of information about the materials in the battery 10. This is achieved by using a digital object including an additional digital object 9 as the first digital object 11, wherein these additional digital objects (which can also be considered as material access passes) include chemical precursor data (particularly material data) and / or additional access data, based on which the chemical precursor data (particularly material data) can be accessed. The chemical precursor data (particularly material data) can be associated with, for example, precursors (e.g., in...) Figure 1 The example is associated with battery modules or battery cells used in the production of chemical products such as batteries 10 to be recycled.

[0043] In the example shown, a second digital object 12 can be generated in a format readable at least by the producer of battery 10, the user of battery 10, the recycling service provider of battery 10, and / or an agent acting between the aforementioned parties. Typically, the format of the second digital object 12 can be selected to be readable by all of the multiple predefined potential users of the second digital object 12. Specifically, the second access data can be associated with an authentication and / or authorization mechanism for the user of the second digital object 12, wherein this authentication and / or authorization mechanism may involve the use of public key infrastructure, such as dynamic attribute provisioning services used in international data spaces, distributed identifiers, and / or verifiable credentials.

[0044] If the transportation provider confirms the transportation order, the truck 50, with the vehicle ID 51 included in the generated second digital object 12, will pick up the batteries 10 at return station 30 and transport them to recycling station 40. At recycling station 40, the batteries 10 can be broken down into parts, and one or more of these parts can be processed to obtain further technical availability of these components. Processing can refer to, for example, pyrometallurgical processing.

[0045] Figure 3 The illustration schematically and exemplaryly demonstrates a method for assisting in the recovery of chemical product 10 (e.g., Figure 1Method 300 (for the battery shown). Method 300 includes a step 301 of providing a first digital object 11 including first data, wherein the first data includes chemical product data and / or first access data, based on which the chemical product data is accessible, wherein the chemical product data is associated with the chemical product 10 to be recycled. Furthermore, method 300 includes a step 302 of providing second data, wherein the second data includes transportation data and / or second access data, based on which transportation data is accessible, wherein the transportation data is associated with the transportation of the chemical product 10 to a recycling site 40. In another step 303 of method 300, a second digital object 12 is generated, the second digital object including the first digital object 11 and the second data.

[0046] Method 300 can be, for example, by Figure 1 The instructed device 100 executes. The execution of method 300 by device 100 can be achieved by a computer program to be run on device 100.

[0047] Figure 4 This is a schematic illustration of providing the first and / or second digital objects as described above via an IDS architecture from a data service provider. These first and / or second digital objects may take the form of a transport pass and / or a chemical product pass, respectively. The data service provider may provide chemical product data to the data consumption service. The following IDS components may be executable components within the "IDS infrastructure": data connector, app store, identity provider, vocabulary provider, broker, and clearinghouse. Data can be exchanged between the data owner's interface and the data user's interface via the data service provider and data consumption service. Both the data service provider and data consumption service are connected to the data connector to allow secure and trusted data exchange. Data provided by the data owner's interface may be associated with an authorization mechanism (e.g., a usage policy) that specifies authorization rules (e.g., data usage rules). Data exchange or sharing can be performed according to a predefined authorization mechanism. Based on the usage policy attached to the data provided by the data owner's interface, the data user's interface can access the data provided by the data owner's interface via the data service provider.

[0048] A participant acting as the data owner can also assume the role of the data provider. However, in some situations, the data provider may not be the same as the data owner (e.g., if the data is technically managed by an entity different from the data owner, such as a company using an external service to provide the data; or if data management activities are delegated to a data trustee). When the data owner is not simultaneously acting as the data provider, the data owner's sole activity is to authorize the data provider to make their data available to the data consumer's interface.

[0049] The data provider interface enables data to be shared or exchanged between data owners and data consumers. To assist with data requests from the data consumer interface, the data provider interface can provide metadata to the brokerage service provider (see below), such as a description of the dataset (e.g., the syntax, serialization, and / or semantics of the data source), a description of the provider, or a description of the consumer. A brokerage service provider is not necessarily required for the data consumer interface and the data provider interface to establish a connection.

[0050] Exchanging or sharing data with data consumer interfaces does not necessarily have to be the only activity of data providers. Data provider interfaces can record details of successful or unsuccessful transactions at clearinghouses (see below). Data provider interfaces can assist with billing or conflict resolution. Furthermore, data provider interfaces can use data apps to inspect, enrich, or transform data.

[0051] A data consumer interface can receive data from a data provider interface. The data consumer interface can be a mirror entity of the data provider interface. Executable components of the data provider interface can be mirrored by the data consumer interface. Before establishing a connection with the data provider interface, the data consumer can search for existing datasets by querying a broker service provider. The broker service provider can provide the data consumer interface with the metadata required to connect to the data provider. This metadata may include the data provider interface's ID and / or authentication mechanism. Alternatively or additionally, the data consumer interface can establish a connection with the data provider interface (e.g., with or without the involvement of a broker service provider). If the data consumer interface already knows the information required to connect to the data provider interface, it can directly request data and optional corresponding metadata from the data provider interface. Like the data provider interface, the data consumer interface can record details of successful or unsuccessful data exchange transactions at clearinghouses, use data apps to inspect, enrich, transform, etc., the received data, or use the service provider interface to connect to the international data space (if it does not itself deploy the necessary technical infrastructure for participation).

[0052] Similar to how a data owner is a legal entity with legitimate control over their data, a data user is a legal entity with the legitimate right to use the data owner's data as specified in the usage policy. In most cases, data users and data consumers are the same. However, in certain scenarios, these roles may be assumed by different participants.

[0053] An identity provider can act as an agent. It may include a certificate authority (e.g., managing digital certificates for participants in the international data space), a dynamic attribute provisioning service (DAPS, e.g., managing dynamic attributes of participants), and a service called Dynamic Trust Monitoring (DTM, e.g., for continuously monitoring the security and behavior of a network). It can be responsible for issuing technical identities to parties approved as participants in the international data space. Identity providers can be instructed to issue identities based on approved roles (see above). Identity providers can also manage the implementation of PKI. There are two separate PKI tiers: one for software signing (e.g., a software signing root CA) and one for IDS connectors (e.g., a service root CA). Entities are assigned terminal certificates or sub / root CA certificates. Identity providers can act as authentication and / or authorization services by incorporating DAPS.

[0054] Each IDS connector can run different services and communicate with other IDS connectors. Using PKI, IDS connectors can protect the persistent storage of their services and communication with other IDS connectors. To verify PKI signatures (e.g., for authenticating, authorizing, or downloading data apps), IDS connectors store trusted root certificates, such as service root CAs and software signing root CAs, in a manner that preserves their integrity.

[0055] App stores can provide data apps that run within isolated containers of the IDS connector. These applications can be deployed within the IDS connector to perform tasks such as transformation, aggregation, or analysis on the data. App stores can be provided by IDS members and must be individually certified according to IDS standards. App stores have service sub-CAs. The International Data Space Association signs Certificate Signing Requests (CSRs) to approve apps or app stores. The CSR identifies the app store and enables the IDS connector to sign service CSRs from requesting apps. The IDS connector creates a key pair for each app it downloads. The private key protects the persistent data of the app. When an app is downloaded from an app store, the IDS connector creates a CSR using the public key. The app store signs the CSR and issues a certificate. The IDS connector uses this certificate to ensure that the app is running and valid.

[0056] A vocabulary provider can manage and provide "vocabularies" that can be used to annotate and describe datasets, preferably including ontology, reference data model, metadata elements, etc. The vocabulary provider provides these (domain-specific) vocabularies and their references to the IDS information model, which is the basis for describing the data source.

[0057] Brokers can act as intermediaries for storing and managing information about available data sources within the international data space. Because the broker's role is core but not exclusive, multiple brokers can coexist (e.g., for different application domains). Organizations providing brokerage services within the international data space can also assume other intermediary roles, such as clearinghouses or identity providers (see below). A broker's activities can include receiving and providing metadata. Brokers must provide interfaces for data provider interfaces to send their metadata. Metadata can be stored in an internal repository for data consumers to query in a structured manner. While the core of the metadata model can be specified by the international data space, brokers can extend the metadata model to manage additional metadata elements. A broker's work is complete once it has provided the metadata related to a particular data provider interface to the data consumer interface (specifically, it does not participate in subsequent data exchange processes).

[0058] A clearinghouse can be an intermediary providing clearing and settlement services for financial and data sharing or exchange transactions. In the international data space, clearing activities are separate from brokerage services because these activities are technically different from maintaining a metadata repository. As mentioned above, the roles of "clearinghouse" and "broker" can still be undertaken by the same organization because both roles require acting as a trusted intermediary between the data provider interface and the data consumer interface. Clearinghouses and brokers may include distributed ledgers to record metadata from data services. Clearinghouses record activities performed during data exchange. After a data exchange or partial data exchange is completed, both the data provider interface and the data consumer interface confirm the data transmission by recording transaction details at the clearinghouse. Based on this recorded information, transactions can be inspected or billed. The recorded information can also be used to resolve conflicts, for example, to clarify whether a data consumer has received a data packet. Clearinghouses can provide reports on executed (recorded) transactions for use in billing, conflict resolution, etc.

[0059] While the above detailed description pertains to exemplary cases of battery recycling, the invention can also be applied to other chemical products. In particular, the invention is not limited to second digital objects associated with the transport of entire batteries. Rather, second digital objects can be generated in association with the transport of precursors used in battery production. For example, materials to be recycled may arise during the production of battery cells or during the production of battery modules using battery cells. An order can also be placed with a transport provider to perform the transport of the materials to be recycled or precursors from such an additional location to one or more corresponding recycling sites, wherein, in this case, a second digital object can also be generated associated with the corresponding transport.

[0060] Similarly, although the above detailed description (especially regarding) Figure 4This involves the international data space, but the data and / or digital objects mentioned in this article can also be exchanged using other digital architectures.

[0061] Furthermore, although not described in detail above, the way a second digital object includes one or more first digital objects can be implemented through software encapsulation can correspond to a way in which one or more first digital objects each include one or more other digital objects. However, other methods can also be used to implement relationships between different digital objects, as long as one or more first digital objects can be accessed via a corresponding second digital object, which may require authentication and / or authorization from the accessing party.

[0062] Using a second digital object as presented in this paper, vertical data exchange among participants in the circular value chain can be achieved following, for example, the Catena-X model, according to which data can be consistently aggregated along the supply chain from basic materials to complex products. Furthermore, horizontal data exchange is facilitated; that is, in addition to product and / or material data, transportation data can also be interoperable or exchangeable among participants in the circular value chain, particularly recyclers and those who implement recycling transportation. The addition of transportation data can significantly improve the efficiency of the recycling process.

[0063] By studying the accompanying drawings, this disclosure, and the appended claims, those skilled in the art can understand and implement other variations of the disclosed embodiments when practicing the claimed invention.

[0064] In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a / an" does not exclude multiple / types.

[0065] A single unit or device can perform the functions of several items listed in the claims. The fact that certain measures are listed in different dependent claims does not indicate that combinations of these measures cannot be used advantageously.

[0066] Processes such as providing a first digital object, providing second data, generating a second digital object, and initiating a request to do so can be performed by any number of units or devices. These processes can be implemented as program code devices and / or dedicated hardware for computer programs.

[0067] Computer programs can be stored / distributed on suitable media, such as optical or solid-state storage media provided with or as part of other hardware, but can also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunications systems.

[0068] Any unit described herein can be a processing unit as part of a classical computing system. Processing units can include general-purpose processors and can also include field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or any other special-purpose circuitry. Any memory can be physical system memory, which can be volatile, non-volatile, or some combination of both. The term "memory" can include any computer-readable storage medium, such as a non-volatile mass storage device. If the computing system is distributed, the processing and / or storage capabilities can also be distributed. A computing system can include multiple structures as "executable components." The term "executable component" is a structure well-known in the field of computing, referring to a structure that can be software, hardware, or a combination thereof. For example, when implemented as software, those skilled in the art will understand that the structure of an executable component can include software objects, routines, methods, etc., that can be executed on the computing system. This can include executable components in the computing system heap or on a computer-readable storage medium. The structure of an executable component can exist on a computer-readable medium such that, when interpreted by one or more processors of the computing system (e.g., by processor threads), it causes the computing system to perform functions. This structure can be directly read by a processor, for example, if the executable is binary, or it can be constructed to be interpretable and / or compileable, for example, whether in a single stage or multiple stages, thereby generating such binary that can be directly interpreted by the processor. In other cases, the structure can be hard-coded or hard-wired logic gates, implemented specifically or almost specifically in hardware, such as within a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or any other dedicated circuit. Thus, the term "executable" is a term for a structure well-known to those skilled in the art of computing, whether implemented in software, hardware, or a combination thereof. Any embodiments herein are described with reference to actions performed by one or more processing units of a computing system. If such actions are implemented in software, one or more processors direct the operation of the computing system in response to the execution of computer-executable instructions constituting the executable. The computing system may also include communication channels that allow the computing system to communicate with other computing systems via, for example, a network. A "network" is defined as one or more data links that enable the transfer of electronic data between computing systems and / or modules and / or other electronic devices. When information is transmitted or provided to a computing system via a network or another communication connection (e.g., hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired and wireless), the computing system correctly treats that connection as a transmission medium. The transmission medium may include a network and / or a data link, which may be used to carry desired program code in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures, and may be accessed by a general-purpose computing system or a special-purpose computing system or a combination thereof.While not all computing systems require a user interface, in some embodiments, the computing system includes a user interface system for interaction with a user. The user interface, for example, acts as an input or output mechanism for the user via a display.

[0069] Those skilled in the art will understand that at least a portion of the present invention can be practiced in network computing environments with a variety of computing system configurations, including personal computers, desktop computers, laptop computers, message processors, handheld devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, mobile phones, PDAs, pagers, routers, switches, data centers, wearable devices (such as glasses), etc. The present invention can also be practiced in distributed system environments, where, for example, local and remote computing systems linked by a network via hardwired data links, wireless data links, or a combination of hardwired and wireless data links jointly perform tasks. In a distributed system environment, program modules can reside on both local and remote memory storage devices.

[0070] Those skilled in the art will also understand that at least a portion of the present invention can be practiced in a cloud computing environment. A cloud computing environment can be distributed, but this is not required. When a cloud computing environment is distributed, it can be spread across multiple countries within an organization and / or have components across multiple organizations. In this specification and the appended claims, “cloud computing” is defined as a model for enabling on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources, such as networks, servers, storage devices, applications, and services. The definition of “cloud computing” is not limited to any of the many other advantages that can be obtained from such a model when deployed. The computing system of the accompanying drawings includes various components or functional blocks that can implement the various embodiments disclosed herein as explained. These various components or functional blocks can be implemented on a local computing system or on a distributed computing system that includes elements residing in the cloud or aspects implementing cloud computing. These various components or functional blocks can be implemented as software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware. The computing system shown in the figures may include more or fewer components than those shown in the figures, and some of these components may be combined as needed.

[0071] Any reference numerals in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

[0072] This disclosure relates to an apparatus for: a) providing a first digital object including first data, the first data including chemical product data and / or first access data, based on which the chemical product data is accessible, wherein the chemical product data is associated with a chemical product to be recycled; b) providing second data, the second data including transportation data and / or second access data, based on which transportation data is accessible, wherein the transportation data is associated with the transportation of the chemical product to a recycling site; and c) generating a second digital object including the first digital object and the second data. A corresponding method and computer program are also disclosed. The disclosed apparatus can assist in the recycling of chemical products (such as automotive batteries). For example, an efficient transportation system for the product to be recycled can be established, and the recycling process can be planned and implemented efficiently.

Claims

1. An apparatus (100) for assisting in the recovery of chemical products (10), wherein, The device (100) includes one or more processors, which are configured to: A first digital object (11) is provided, comprising first data including chemical product data and / or first access data, based on which the chemical product data is accessible, wherein the chemical product data is associated with the chemical product (10) to be recovered. Provide second data, which includes transportation data and / or second access data, based on which the transportation data is accessible, wherein the transportation data is associated with the transportation of the chemical product (10) to the recycling site (40), and A second digital object (12) is generated, which includes the first digital object (11) and the second data.

2. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The first digital object (11) includes a digital product identifier, which is a digital identifier of the chemical product (10).

3. The apparatus (100) as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The first digital object (11) includes an additional digital object (9), which includes chemical precursor data and / or additional access data, based on which the chemical precursor data is accessible, wherein the chemical precursor data is associated with the precursor used in the production of the chemical product (10) to be recycled.

4. The apparatus (100) as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The second digital object (12) includes digital transport identifiers (51, 52), which are digital identifiers of the transport vehicle and / or transport personnel of the chemical product (10).

5. The apparatus (100) as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The one or more processors are configured to generate the second digital object (12) in all of the multiple predefined potential user-readable formats of the second digital object (12).

6. The apparatus (100) as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The one or more processors are configured to generate the second digital object (12) upon receiving a request for generating the second digital object, the request originating from a return station (30) to which the chemical product (10) has been returned for transport from the return station (30) to the recycling station (40).

7. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein, The request is associated with a transport order issued from the return station (30) for transporting the chemical product (10) from the return station (30) to the recycling station (40).

8. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 2 or any one of claims 3 to 7 referencing claim 2, wherein, The digital product identifier is associated with a physical product identifier (15), which is the physical identifier of the chemical product (10) returned to the return station (30), and wherein the one or more processors are configured to provide the first digital object (11) based on the digital product identifier associated with the physical product identifier (15).

9. The apparatus (100) as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The transport data includes one or more of the following: the start time of the transport, the end time of the transport, the route of the transport, the location of the transport vehicle (50) performing the transport, and the transport characteristics of the vehicle (50) performing the transport.

10. The apparatus (100) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The chemical product (10) refers to a battery.

11. The apparatus (100) as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The recycling refers to the process of breaking down the chemical product (10) into its constituent parts and processing one or more of these parts to obtain further technical availability.

12. The apparatus (100) as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The second access data is associated with the authentication and / or authorization mechanism for the user of the second digital object (12).

13. The apparatus (100) as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The one or more processors are configured to provide a plurality of first digital objects (11) for a plurality of respective chemical products (10) to be recycled, wherein the transport data is associated with the transport of the plurality of chemical products (10) to one or more respective recycling sites (40), and wherein the second digital object (12) comprises the plurality of first digital objects (11).

14. A method (300) for assisting in the recovery of chemical products (10), wherein, The method (300) includes: Provides (301) a first digital object (11) including first data, wherein the first data includes chemical product data and / or first access data, based on which the chemical product data is accessible, wherein the chemical product data is associated with the chemical product (10) to be recovered. Provide (302) second data, wherein the second data includes transportation data and / or second access data, based on which the transportation data is accessible, wherein the transportation data is associated with the transportation of the chemical product (10) to the recycling site (40), and Generate (303) a second digital object (12), which includes the first digital object (11) and the second data.

15. Use of the apparatus (100) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 and / or the method (300) as claimed in claim 14 for assisting in the recovery of chemical products (10).

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