DEVICE FOR SIGNALING THE STATUS OF A PRODUCT TO BE MONITORED AS OR WITH THERMAL LIFE CYCLE MODEL AND A PROCEDURE FOR IT

Abstract

Disclosed is a device for signaling the state of a product to be monitored (PTM) having a requirement to a temperature (T.sub.p) of or at delivery and administration thereof. The device comprises, integrated in a chip, a temperature sensor and a microcomputer (μC) that can be supplied with power from a power source (3), and comprises a display unit. The microcomputer (μC) has a function that is capable of calculating a thermal model of the current state of the product to be monitored and comprises a display for displaying or signaling the state or state variables calculated in the model or variables derived therefrom as a function of state values of or in the model(s).

Claims

1. A device for signaling the state of a product to be monitored (PTM), such as a biological good, a pharmaceutical good, a vaccine or a foodstuff, having a requirement to a temperature (T.sub.p) of or at delivery and administration thereof; comprising an integrated temperature sensor and a microcomputer (μC) supplied with power from a power source (3), and comprising a display unit; said microcomputer (μC) having a function that is capable of calculating a thermal model of the current state of the product to be monitored and comprising a display for displaying or signaling a state or state variables calculated in the model or variables derived therefrom as a function of state variables of or in the model(s).

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the display is performed using LED.

2a. (canceled)

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the state of the safe transfer of perils from a carrier to a user is indicated by a green display.

3a. (canceled)

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein usability is displayed to the user using LED as a function of values of the model.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein an end of usability can be displayed in accordance with a calculated model value, said calculated model value being derived from an integrating model (199).

5a. (canceled)

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the model values and the threshold values are displayed on an external device via radio communication if the device is extended by a radio communication unit.

7. The device according to claim 1, which starts to calculate and signal the life-cycle model when a temperature falls below a certain value.

8. The device according to claim 1, which is protected from damage due to thawing by varnishing or encapsulation.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the power source is a lithium primary battery.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature (T.sub.p) of the product to be monitored is or can be modeled by at least one dynamic delay (12, 15), and an admissible life cycle is calculated by an integrator (11, 14).

11. The device according to claim 1, comprising an integrator (14) that is capable of determining an allowed processing time as a function of temperature variations.

11a. (canceled)

12. The device according to claim 1, having a further function (15) for considering nonlinear processes as a function of the temperature difference to a target value (16) of the product to be monitored.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the model is dependent on the temperature of the product to be monitored.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the target value (16) represents the temperature at which a permanent safe storage value and/or transport value is given.

14a. (canceled)

15. The device according to claim 1, comprising a temperature sensor (10) for detecting a temperature (T.sub.P) of the product to be monitored.

16. The device according to claim 1, comprising a delay model having functional elements (11, 12) for forming a value, e.g. a difference value between the measured temperature and the real temperature of the product to be monitored.

17. The device according to claim 1, comprising a nonlinear gain (12) for modeling phase transitions of the product to be monitored, e.g. its freezing point.

18. The device according to claim 1, comprising a nonlinear limitation (13) as a further function.

19. The device according to previous claim 18, wherein the nonlinear limitation (13) is formed in order to distinguish irreversible processes from reversible processes.

20. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

22. The device according to claim 5, wherein an end of usability can be displayed in accordance with a calculated model value.

23. The device according to claim 3, wherein the state of the safe transfer of perils from a carrier to a user is indicated by a flashing green display.

24. The device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is integrated in the chip.

25. A method for signaling a state of a product to be monitored having a specific requirement to its temperature at least upon delivery or administration thereof or both, using a miniaturized device comprising, integrated in a chip, a temperature sensor and a microcomputer supplied with power from a power source, and comprising a display unit, wherein the microcomputer calculates a thermal model of a state, which thermal model is dependent on the temperature of the product to be monitored, and wherein the state is signaled as a function of state values of the model.

26. The device according to claim 11, comprising the integrator (14) that is capable of determining the allowed processing time as a function of temperature variations in order to display the result of the integrator using at least one threshold value or to start further processes for processing the product to be monitored.

27. The device according to claim 14, wherein the target value (16) represents the temperature at which a permanent safe storage value or transport value is ensured.

28. The method according to claim 25, wherein the product to be monitored is a vaccine, a foodstuff or a biochemical good.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES AS EXAMPLES OF THE INVENTION(S)

[0023] FIGS. 1 and 2:

[0024] The housing 1 of the device comprising an internal electronics unit (circuit).

[0025] A chip 2 including an integrated temperature sensor and a μC for calculation of the thermal model shown in FIG. 3.

[0026] A power source 3 for supplying the circuit with power, e.g. a lithium button cell.

[0027] A display unit 4 realized by two LEDs 4a and 4b herein.

[0028] FIG. 3:

[0029] A life cycle that is still possible is calculated from the measured temperature using a thermal differential equation. FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of such a “control engine”.

[0030] A temperature sensor 10 for the temperature T.sub.P of the product to be monitored (PTM; not shown here).

[0031] A delay model having functional elements 11 and 12. Thereby, the value, e.g. the difference value between the measured temperature and the real temperature of the product is formed. A nonlinear gain 12 is provided, by which phase transitions of the product to be monitored, e.g. the freezing point, are modeled. In blocks 11 and 12, the dynamics of the temperature transfer from the point of measurement to the PTM is modeled. This can be omitted when the temperature of the PTM is measured directly.

[0032] A nonlinear limitation 13 is provided as a further function, by which irreversible processes can be distinguished from reversible processes.

[0033] A further function 15 for considering nonlinear processes as a function of the temperature difference to a target value 16 is provided. The target value 16 represents the temperature at which a permanent safe storage value and transport value can be ensured.

[0034] An integrator 14 is provided that determines the allowed processing time as a function of temperature variations. The result of the integrator 14 is displayed using threshold values or starts further processes for processing the product to be monitored.