Reverse Modeling Product Temperature History
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining product temperatures, especially for refrigerated goods, often rely on ambient air measurements, which are inadequate and do not provide the temperature history of the product, leading to inefficiencies in accepting or rejecting shipments.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that estimate the temperature history of a product by measuring actual and ambient temperatures, creating simulated trips based on ambient data, and selecting those that match the actual ending product temperature within a set threshold, considering thermal properties of the product.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If thermometers are placed within or in contact with products to measure temperature, then measurement precision is improved, but cost and complexity increase prohibitively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses ambient air temperature as an intermediary measurement to infer product temperature. Instead of directly measuring product temperature with contact thermometers, the system measures ambient air temperature and uses thermal modeling to estimate product temperature, thereby avoiding the complexity and cost of direct product measurement while still achieving the measurement objective
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simulated trips with simulated product temperature histories that copy the physical shipping process. By generating multiple simulated temperature profiles based on ambient air data and selecting those that match actual ending temperatures, the system replicates the thermal behavior without requiring physical temperature probes in the product
2Device complexity
If ambient air temperature is measured instead of product temperature, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism by comparing the ending temperature of simulated product temperature histories with the actual measured ending product temperature. Simulated trips whose ending temperatures fall within a threshold of the actual temperature are selected, creating a feedback loop that validates and refines the ambient air temperature data for accurate product temperature estimation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter being measured from direct product temperature to ambient air temperature, then uses thermal mass and thermal conductivity parameters to transform the ambient temperature data into accurate product temperature estimates. This parameter transformation allows simple ambient measurements to yield precise product temperature information
3Measurement precision
If multiple simulated trips are created to estimate temperature history, then measurement precision is improved, but calculation time and processing increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates multiple simulated trips (excessive action) to ensure accurate temperature history estimation, then filters them based on ending temperature matching. By generating more simulations than strictly necessary and selecting only those within the temperature threshold, the system ensures precision while managing processing requirements through selective validation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate estimation of product temperature history during shipping, allowing for better decision-making on shipment acceptance or rejection by using ambient air data and actual product temperatures, thus improving the assessment process.
Implementation Method 1
creating a plurality of simulated trips comprising simulated product temperature histories based in part on the ambient air temperature data of the shipping enclosure... determining at least one of a thermal mass and a thermal conductivity of the product
Implementation Method 2
determining at least one of a thermal mass and a thermal conductivity of the product
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of estimating a temperature history of a product transported in a shipping enclosure, the method including measuring an actual ending temperature of the product, acquiring ambient temperature data of the shipping enclosure, creating a plurality of simulated trips based in part on the ambient air temperature data of the shipping enclosure, wherein each of the plurality of simulated trips includes an estimated ending product temperature value, and determining whether the difference between the estimated ending product temperature value and the actual temperature of the product is within a temperature threshold.