METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR LINKING SPECIFIC INFORMATION TO INDIVIDUAL PRODUCT UNITS

Abstract

The method linking information in a database to a specific product unit in a production run and making this information available to a user comprises the steps of providing each product unit with a unique identifier tag, providing a database having units of information and image information of each unique identifier tag; linking at least one of said units of information to each of said unique identifier tags; and providing a user with a reader being able to read said unique identifier tag. The reader reads said unique identifier tag as image information and said request system compares said unique identifier tag image information from said reader with said said unique identifier tag image information stored in the database to retrieve said at least one unit of information linked to said unique identifier tag and provides said information linked to said unique identifier tag to said user.

Claims

1. A method linking information in a database to a specific product unit in a production run and making this information available to a user, comprising the steps of: providing each product unit in a production run of at least two product units with a unique identifier tag; providing a database, said database comprising units of information and image information of each unique identifier tag; linking at least one of said units of information to each of said unique identifier tags; and providing a user with a reader, said reader being able to read said unique identifier tag and comprising a request system for accessing said units of information stored in said database based on said unique identifier tag; wherein the reader is configured to read said unique identifier tag as image information and said request system is configured to initiate a comparison between said image information of said unique identifier tag read by said reader with said image information of said unique identifier tags stored in the database to retrieve said at least one unit of information linked to said unique identifier tag and provides said information linked to said unique identifier tag to said user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said database is stored on a computer system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said database is stored on a cloud system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said unique product identifier is at least one of incorporated into the packaging or formed by at least a part of the packaging.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said reader is selected from the group consisting of camera equipped computers, camera equipped PDAs, camera equipped mobile telephones and camera equipped tablets.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said mobile telephone is a smartphone.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said request system is an application on said smartphone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said product is selected from the group consisting of medical devices, drug products, personal care products, nutritional supplements, nutraceuticals, functional foods and foodstuffs.

9. A system linking information in a database to a specific product unit in a production run and making this information available to a user said system comprising, at least one production run, said production run comprising at least two product units, each of said product units being provided with a unique identifier tag; a database, said database comprising units of information as well as said image information of each unique identifier tag, at least one of said units of information being linked to each of said unique identifier tags; and at least one reader, said reader being able to read said unique identifier tag and comprising a request system for accessing said units of information stored in the database based on the unique identifier tag; wherein the reader is configured to read said unique identifier tag as image information and said request system is configured to initiate a comparison between said image information of said unique identifier tag read by said reader with said image information of said unique identifier tags stored in the database to retrieve said at least one unit of information linked to said unique identifier tag and provides said information linked to said unique identifier tag to said user.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said database is stored on a computer system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said database is stored on a cloud system.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein said unique product identifier is incorporated into the packaging or is formed by at least a part of the packaging.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein said reader is selected from the group consisting of camera equipped computers, camera equipped PDAs, camera equipped mobile telephones and camera equipped tablets.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said mobile telephone is a smartphone.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said request system is an application on said smartphone.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] The invention will now be illustrated in more detail based on a select example and taking reference to the enclosed drawings in which

[0043] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a first step of the method of the invention,

[0044] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a second step of the method of the invention,

[0045] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of a third step of the method of the invention, and

[0046] FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of a fourth step of the method of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0047] Reference will now be made to preferred embodiments of the invention based on a specific example and taking reference to the enclosed drawings, in which FIG. 1 shows a container 100 containing insulin cartridges which, in this instant, is shown in top view, The top of the container 100 is closed with a polymer film that can be peeled off to access the insulin cartridges packed inside the container 100. On the top of the container 100 there is provided the unique product identifier 102 consisting of the logo of the manufacturer 104 here symbolically represented by the stylized letter L in a circle. Arranged on the periphery of the circle are short black lines 106, 106, 106, 106, 106 and 106 (hereinafter generally collectively referred to as lines 106) radiating out from the circle. The number, position, length and thickness of these lines 106 is used to form the identifying image information of the unique product identifier 102. Due to the number of possible variations of the number, position, length and thickness of these lines 106 it is possible to provide and almost unlimited number of unique product identifiers 102.

[0048] During the production process of a package of insulin cartridges in a first step the cartridges are formed form a glass tube. At this point in time the cartridge is provided with its own unique product identifier, similar to the unique product identifier 102 of the container 100. Once this has happened a first entry into a database is created for this cartridge. Information that is linked to the cartridge identifier is e.g. the date of manufacturing, the supplier of the raw material (i.e. the glass tube) and the flame temperature at which the cartridge was produced.

[0049] After the manufacture the cartridge is transported to a pharma company and filled with insulin. After the filling step the cartridge is inspected and further information linked to the individual cartridge is added to the database. Information added in this step can for example include batch numbers and possibly the manufacturer for the insulin used, the date and time of filling and the results of the quality control. It is furthermore possible to add an entry that can be used for product tracking or to validate that the cartridge is an original and not counterfeit. Once the cartridges are filled and inspected they are packed into containers such as the container 100 and each container is provided with its unique product identifier. At this step the first information is added to the database that is linked to the unique product identifier 102 of the container 104. Information added includes the date and place of packing, references to the unique product identifiers of the cartridges contained in the container 100 and entries relating to product tracking and the validation that the container 100 is genuine and not counterfeit. Once the container 100 is packed it is shipped via the wholesalers to the pharmacist and possibly to the final consumer. During the further transport more entries can be made to the database for example for product tracking.

[0050] If a user, be this a member of the product and/or logistics chain or a pharmacist or an end-user wants to access the information relating to the container 100 stored in the database he can use a reader 110, here in the form of a smartphone 112 equipped with a camera as shown in FIG. 2. On this smartphone there is an app 114 installed, here represented symbolically with the stylized letter R in a circle, which forms the request system.

[0051] The user starts the app 114 then points the camera of the smartphone 112 at the logo 102. The app 114 the acquires the image information captured by the camera and displayed on the screen 116 of the smartphone and contacts the database transmitting the image information to the database using a mobile data connection (see FIG. 3).

[0052] Once the database has located the specific information linked to the unique product identifier 102 the database transmits the information to the app 114 and the app 114 displays the information on the screen 116 of the smartphone. In the instant case the app 114 begins by displaying an augmented reality sequence showing the polymer film being peeled off and a cartridge 118 being extracted from the container 100. Furthermore the app 114 displays two buttons in the top left and top right corner of the screen 116 of the smartphone 112. These buttons are symbolically represented with the letter A (button 120) and B (button 122). By pressing these buttons the user can access specific information linked to the container 100. For example the user can check that the container 100 is a genuine product and not counterfeit by pressing button 120. By pressing button 122 the user is provided with details of the packaging date and place of the container as well as the origin of the cartridges packed therein.

[0053] While the present invention has been described in connection with a number of select exemplary embodiments and implementations the present invention is not limited thereby but cover all modifications and equivalents falling within the scope and the spirit of the claims