System for supply chain management
A system for tracking a product from origin to destination is disclosed. The system includes a probe that comprises two plates, a power source and a processor. The power source is controlled by the processor to produce an oscillating output at the plates. Using the oscillating voltage, the probe interrogates a device through capacitive coupling. The device includes a control unit, a memory unit, and first and second materials physically associated with the device for communication using capacitive coupling. Information associated with the device is transferred from the device to the probe through capacitive coupling between the first and second materials and the first and second plates, respectively.
1. A system for tracking an ingestible device and detecting a counterfeit as the ingestible device travels from origin to destination, the system comprising:
an interrogation unit comprising:
a power source configured to produce an oscillating voltage;
a processor coupled to the power source and configured to receive and send information and control the output of the power source;
a first plate coupled to the processor and configured to be communicably coupled to a first capacitive element of the ingestible device; and
a second plate coupled to the processor and configured to be communicably coupled to a second capacitive element of the ingestible device;
wherein the power source is controlled by the processor to produce the oscillating voltage at the first plate and the second plate;
wherein the first and second plates are configured together to power on the ingestible device by transferring energy to the first and second capacitive elements, respectively, using the oscillating voltage; and
wherein the processor is further configured to receive information from the ingestible device through the first and second plates by measuring a variation in impedance level of the ingestible device.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the interrogation unit is configured to identify the ingestible device using the information received from the ingestible device.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the information is transferred from the ingestible device to the interrogation unit through capacitive coupling between the first and second capacitive elements and the first and second plates, respectively.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second plates are facing each other and define a gap of separation distance such that the ingestible device is in communication with the interrogation unit when the ingestible device is positioned between the first plate and the second plates in the defined gap.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second plates are located in the same plane and positioned side-by-side such that the ingestible device is in communication with the interrogation unit when the ingestible device or a product containing the ingestible device is brought close to the first and second plates of the interrogation unit.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the interrogation unit is used in part of a manufacturing process of the ingestible device and wherein the interrogation unit is further configured to confirm that the ingestible device is functional through establishing a capacitive coupled communication session that confirms that the ingestible device is operational.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the ingestible device is a counterfeit based on the received information upon interrogating the ingestible device.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the interrogation unit comprises a co-axial structure, wherein the first plate is an inner plate, the second plate is an outer annular plate, and the inner plate is positioned inside the outer annular plate to form a co-axial formation.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the interrogation unit comprises a tubular structure, wherein the first and second plates are secured on an inner surface of the tubular structure, and wherein the tubular structure is configured to allow the ingestible device to pass through inside the tubular structure.
10. A method of an interrogation unit for tracking an ingestible device and detecting a counterfeit as the ingestible device travels from origin to destination, the method comprising:
generating an oscillating voltage by a power source of the interrogation unit;
powering on the ingestible device by transferring energy, via first and second plates of the interrogation unit communicatively coupled to the ingestible device, to first and second capacitive elements of the ingestible device using the oscillating voltage; and
receiving information from the ingestible device through the first and second plates by measuring a variation in impedance level of the ingestible device.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising identifying the ingestible device using the information received from the ingestible device.
12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising transferring the information from the ingestible device to the interrogation unit through capacitive coupling between the first and second capacitive elements and the first and second plates, respectively.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first and second plates are facing each other and define a gap of separation distance such that the ingestible device is in communication with the interrogation unit when the ingestible device is positioned between the first plate and the second plates in the defined gap.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first and second plates are located in the same plane and positioned side-by-side such that the ingestible device is in communication with the interrogation unit when the ingestible device or a product containing the ingestible device is brought close to the first and second plates of the interrogation unit.
15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising confirming that the ingestible device is functional through establishing a capacitive coupled communication session that confirms that the ingestible device is operational.
16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining that the ingestible device is a counterfeit based on the received information upon interrogating the ingestible device.
17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the interrogation unit comprises a co-axial structure, wherein the first plate is an inner plate, the second plate is an outer annular plate, and the inner plate is positioned inside the outer annular plate to form a co-axial formation.
18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the interrogation unit comprises a tubular structure, wherein the first and second plates are secured on an inner surface of the tubular structure, and wherein the tubular structure is configured to allow the ingestible device to pass through inside the tubular structure.