Medical Package Tracking Device for Real-Time Temperature Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems for managing medical packages, such as blood and vaccines, face challenges in accurately identifying and tracking products, ensuring proper storage conditions, and minimizing waste due to manual data entry errors and lack of real-time temperature monitoring, leading to confusion, unnecessary rejections, and adverse environmental impacts.

Innovation Solution

A sensor-based real-time temperature monitoring system with a tracking device attached to each package that logs environmental parameters, provides a unique identity code, and allows for visual and wireless data reading, ensuring accurate tracking, quality control, and waste minimization by estimating the remaining useful lifetime of products.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If manual data entry is used for tracking medical packages, then system complexity is reduced, but data accuracy and reliability deteriorate due to human errors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoiddata accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical data entry with automated electronic data capture systems. Sensors attached to medical packages automatically record temperature, location, and other environmental parameters, eliminating human intervention in data collection. This substitution of manual operations with automated sensing and electronic recording systems resolves the contradiction by maintaining simplicity while dramatically improving data accuracy and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If real-time temperature monitoring is implemented, then product quality control is improved, but energy consumption and device complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct quality controlVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs periodic temperature monitoring rather than continuous monitoring. The sensor system records temperature at predetermined time intervals or when specific threshold conditions are met, rather than continuously. This periodic measurement approach maintains effective quality control by capturing critical temperature data while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Loss of substance

If comprehensive tracking of all medical packages is implemented, then waste is minimized through better inventory management, but data processing complexity and time requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewaste minimizationVSAvoiddata processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by automatically capturing and storing all tracking data during the product lifecycle as it occurs, rather than requiring post-processing documentation. The sensor systems continuously record temperature, location, and handling information in real-time during transportation and storage. This preliminary data capture eliminates subsequent manual documentation efforts and accelerates inventory management decisions by making all data immediately available.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Measurement precision

If automated sensor-based tracking systems are deployed, then measurement precision and data accuracy are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata accuracyVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the tracking system into separate, independent sensor modules that can be attached to individual medical packages. Each sensor unit is a standalone device with specific functions (temperature sensing, location tracking, etc.), allowing the system to scale according to needs. This modular segmentation maintains high measurement precision through specialized sensors while managing overall device complexity through standardized, interchangeable components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2651367B1Medical package, system and method for managing medical package

Publication Date: 2020.09.16 TRIDENTIFY

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AI summary

System for handling medical packages provided with at least one unique identifier (102) and other relevant information (103, 104). The system comprise at least one tracking device (106) arranged to accompany said package (101) all the way from the entry of the package (101) in the system to a possible decision on administration of the package-specific product content (105) to an intended recipient. The tracking device (106) comprises an integrated data logger that records data on at least one environmental parameter affecting remaining lifetime the product content (105), a calculation function that calculates a value for the remaining lifetime expectancy, and an integrated indicator device (107) showing an operator at least if the product content (105) has a remaining useful lifetime or not. The tracking device (106) has a unique device identity that can be read and in the system associated with said unique identity code (102) and the other relevant information (103, 104) so that all relevant data concerning the product content (105) can be handled and transferred between system devices without risk of confusion. The invention also concerns a medical package.