Cold Chain Sensor Hub for Unified Data Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cold chain systems face a communication and control disconnect between stages, lacking a universal system to monitor and control temperature-sensitive product movements effectively, leading to inefficiencies in data collection and analysis.
Innovation Solution
A method and system utilizing sensor modules with sensor hub analysis network software across multiple stages of the cold chain, collecting and analyzing data from sensors like temperature, vibration, and liquid detection sensors, generating control recommendations, and enabling local or cloud-level control through a cloud-based infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If individual data collection systems are used at each cold chain stage, then data can be collected at each stage, but there is no universal system to analyze and control the data across the entire cold chain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal cloud-based platform that serves multiple cold chain stages (storage, transportation, distribution) with a single integrated system. The platform provides common data collection, analysis, and control functions across all stages, eliminating the need for separate individual systems while maintaining stage-specific customization capabilities through modular sensor modules and configurable parameters.
2Reliability
If a centralized cloud-based system is implemented to monitor and control the entire cold chain, then unified data analysis and control are achieved, but system complexity and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the cold chain monitoring into independent sensor modules for each stage (storage, transportation, distribution), each capable of autonomous data collection and local processing. These segmented modules communicate with the central cloud platform through standardized protocols, allowing the system to achieve unified monitoring while maintaining modular simplicity that reduces overall infrastructure complexity.
3Reliability
If continuous monitoring of temperature-sensitive products is implemented across all cold chain stages, then product integrity and shelf life are ensured, but data transmission and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor modules perform preliminary data processing and analysis at each cold chain stage before transmitting results to the central platform. The system pre-processes sensor data locally, filtering and aggregating information to transmit only relevant anomalies or summary statistics rather than continuous raw data streams, thereby reducing data transmission volume and energy consumption while maintaining continuous monitoring capability for product integrity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments include method, systems and computer program products for analyzing and controlling a cold chain system. Aspects include collecting sensor data using a plurality of sensors provided at a plurality of stages of the cold chain system, loading sensor hub analysis network software onto one of a plurality of sensor modules, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensor modules is provided for each of the plurality of stages, receiving the sensor data at the plurality of sensor modules from the plurality of sensors, receiving the sensor data at a sensor hub analysis network from the plurality of sensor modules, analyzing the sensor data at the sensor hub analysis network, generating, using the sensor hub analysis network, a control recommendation signal based on the sensor data, and receiving the control recommendation signal in at least one of the plurality of sensor modules using the sensor hub analysis network software.