Kroger has filed a patent for a device that can detect the freshness of perishable items. The device includes sensors to detect specific analytes in the item, an integrated circuit to convert the sensor information into a signal, and an antenna for transmitting the signal. The device is printed on a single sheet, making it a unitary device. The patent also includes a method for making the device using a paper substrate and conductive ink. GlobalData’s report on Kroger gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Kroger, dynamic premium pricing was a key innovation area identified from patents. Kroger's grant share as of September 2023 was 69%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
A device for detecting freshness of perishable items
A recently filed patent (Publication Number: US20230316032A1) describes a method for making a sensor tag using a single sheet paper substrate. The method involves several steps, including printing a dielectric layer on a portion of the substrate, printing a sensor on another portion of the substrate, and printing a desired circuit pattern over the dielectric layer using a conductive ink. Vias are then cut in the substrate, and an integrated circuit chip is picked and placed on the substrate. Finally, the vias and integrated circuit chip are connected.
The patent also mentions that the printing steps can be carried out using a rotary screen printing process. This process likely allows for efficient and precise printing of the dielectric layer, sensor, and circuit pattern on the paper substrate.
Additionally, the method may involve providing a non-conductive immobilization coating over the integrated circuit chip and die-cutting the sensor device. This coating could help protect the integrated circuit chip and ensure its stability on the substrate. Die-cutting the sensor device would involve cutting the substrate into the desired shape for the sensor tag.
Overall, this patent presents a method for manufacturing a sensor tag using a single sheet paper substrate. The method involves printing various layers and patterns on the substrate, cutting vias, placing an integrated circuit chip, and connecting the vias and chip. The use of a rotary screen printing process and the inclusion of a non-conductive immobilization coating are additional features of this method. This innovation could have potential applications in various industries that require sensor tags, such as logistics, healthcare, and retail.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
