Wireless Food Mapping With Continuous Temperature Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for assessing and maintaining food safety compliance in food establishments are imprecise, offer limited visibility into day-to-day compliance, and impose a high administrative burden.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method and system using wireless thermometers and mobile devices for acquiring encoded unique identifiers and temperature data from food items, enabling continuous and accurate mapping and tracking of food safety compliance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If periodic audits are conducted by management and/or third party inspectors, then compliance assessment is performed, but measurement precision and visibility into day-to-day compliance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompliance assessment precisionVSAvoidvisibility into day-to-day compliance

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements continuous monitoring of food temperatures through automated sensors and wireless transmission, replacing periodic manual audits with uninterrupted data collection. This ensures compliance is tracked continuously rather than intermittently, eliminating information gaps between audit periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

Automated temperature sensors and wireless communication devices serve as intermediaries between the food storage equipment and compliance officers. These intermediaries continuously collect and transmit temperature data, providing real-time compliance information without requiring direct human observation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If periodic audits are conducted, then compliance is assessed, but administrative burden increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompliance assuranceVSAvoidadministrative burden

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-monitoring of compliance through automated sensors that continuously track food temperatures and automatically transmit data to compliance officers. The system serves itself by detecting and reporting compliance status without requiring manual measurement or documentation by staff.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual compliance monitoring activities are replaced with automated electronic systems. Temperature sensors, wireless transmitters, and software platforms substitute for manual temperature checking, paper record-keeping, and spreadsheet tracking, dramatically reducing administrative effort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If manual tracking methods are used, then compliance monitoring is performed, but productivity and response speed deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompliance tracking efficiencyVSAvoidresponse speed to compliance issues

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements real-time feedback loops where temperature sensors continuously monitor food temperatures, automatically compare readings against safe temperature thresholds, and immediately alert compliance officers when violations occur. This rapid feedback enables immediate corrective action rather than delayed discovery during periodic audits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Continuous automated monitoring maintains constant surveillance of food temperatures, eliminating the idle periods between manual checks. The system operates uninterrupted, ensuring compliance is tracked at all times and issues are detected immediately rather than after delays inherent in periodic manual auditing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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 swift, continuous, and accurate mapping and tracking of food safety compliance, reducing administrative burden and improving visibility into day-to-day operations.

Implementation Method 1

acquire, via the thermal probe, current food temperature data for the food item

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal energy measurement: Thermocouple

Implementation Method 2

acquire, via the wireless receiver, an encoded unique identifier from a label positioned proximate to a food item

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic signal reception: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentUS20250277705A1System and method of food mapping for safety compliance

Publication Date: 2025.09.04 FIREBOARD LABS LLC

AI summary

A computer-implemented method for food safety mapping. The method includes acquiring, via a wireless receiver, an encoded unique identifier from a label positioned proximate to a food item. The encoded unique identifier is saved in a food item record of a database. Current food temperature data for the food item is acquired via a temperature sensor and saved in the food item record.