A SYSTEM FOR COLD CHAIN AND STOCK MANAGEMENT Technical Field

The present invention relates to a system which enables to perform temperature and stock tracking of products -such as vaccine and antiserum requiring cold chain and logistic management- in stores and cabinets wherein they are stored and vehicles where they are delivered real-timely, uninterruptedly and regularly; to record and report necessary information; to carry out analysis thereof; to determine and plan logistic needs thereof; to realize person, product, and end user match; and to provide feedback to authorized persons/units including electronic communication where necessary.

Background of the Invention

Today, cold chain comprising transporting and storing products which are sensitive to temperature changes such as vaccine, antiserum has great importance. Particularly, great effort is made for developing cold chain mechanisms in products such as vaccine, antiserum preserving and use of which under special conditions have vital importance and which should be kept under control at any time. In common usage included in the state of the art, vehicles comprising storage units -which are adjusted for a temperature range suitable for the product being transported during transport and storage of products subject to cold chain- are used. However, cold units are tracked locally and manually in this usage or their transport and storage trackings are carried out separately. Due to this reason, transfer of tracking transaction to different units leads to disconnections in the related chain. Cumulative temperature changes occurring in the said disconnections for products with high temperature sensitivity such as vaccine and antiserum cause products to lose their desired effect or lead to undesirable side- effects.

Besides, no effective solution can be produced for stock tracking of products such as vaccine and antiserum in common usage included in the state of the art. Applications existing in the current technique are focused on distribution of the related products; there are no applications which track conditions wherein the product is located in the cold chain created from the producer until the end user for each product, enables the end user to make query by original definition information created for each product and confirms whether the product is transported and stored under proper conditions before use. Due to these reasons, there is need for an integrated system which tracks sensitive products such as vaccine and antiserum from their production until their end use, takes precaution by decision support mechanisms against temperature changes and enables the end user to create query for each product. The Chinese patent document no. CN103592036, an application in the state of the art, discloses a system for monitoring temperature changes and stock status of products which are located in a unit by means of a temperature monitoring device and a barcode reader placed in the cold chain storage unit. The Chinese patent document no. CN103514525, an application in the state of the art, discloses a system for real-time monitoring of medical products such as vaccine, medicine at the distribution and storage step and notifying them to the related units where necessary. The Chinese patent document no. CN103973757, an application in the state of the art, discloses a system for providing a cloud and Internet-based alarm and traceability mechanism for monitoring cold chain temperature.

Summary of the Invention

An objective of the present invention is to realize a system which enables to maintain efficiency of products such as vaccine, antiserum by ensuring improvement of cold chain applications.

Another objective of the present invention is to realize a system which enables to transport and store products such as vaccine, antiserum safely.

Another objective of the present invention is to realize a system which enables to determine products with reducing efficiency by means of real-time temperature tracking.

Another objective of the present invention is to realize a system which prevents deterioration of products such as vaccine, antiserum by getting storage and transport units operating irregularly or remain incapable, under control.

Another objective of the present invention is to realize a system which enables to take necessary actions by creating warning in case of power cuts.

Another objective of the present invention is to realize a system which enables to determine products such as vaccine, antiserum that should be disposed.

Another objective of the present invention is to realize a system which enables to detect errors made within cold chain, prevent probable errors and consequently avoid financial losses. Another objective of the present invention is to realize a system which enables to create statistics and reports related to the cold chain wherein products such as vaccine, antiserum are included and develop service quality conditions.

Another objective of the present invention is to realize a system which reduces cost losses by means of enabling to determine needs clearly and provide logistic continuity by exhibiting consumption, lost actual usage data of products such as vaccine, antiserum that are subject to cold chain rules.

Detailed Description of the Invention

"A System for Cold Chain and Stock Management" realized to fulfil the objectives of the present invention is shown in the figure attached, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of the inventive system.

The components illustrated in the figure are individually numbered, where the numbers refer to the following:

1. System

2. User access device

3. STC (Temperature Tracking Device)

4. Temperature tracking unit

41. Telemetry server

42. Temperature information database

5. Stock tracking system

51. Stock management server

52. Stock information database

6. Integration unit 7. Notification management unit

8. Authorization unit

K: User

The inventive system (1) for providing temperature and stock tracking and management of products being subject to cold chain comprises:

at least one user access device (2) with which the user (K) interacts and which is in communication with a data network;

- at least one STC (3) which performs real-time temperature tracking of units wherein products being subject to cold chain are placed during transport and storage and transmits temperature data to the related units over a data network;

at least one temperature tracking unit (4) which comprises modules that carry out real-time temperature analysis in accordance with the temperature data transmitted by the STC (3) and carry out analysis in order to take precaution against temperature changes;

at least one telemetry server (41) which is included inside the temperature tracking unit (4), receives the temperature values transmitted over a data network by the STCs (3) included in the units wherein products being subject to cold chain are stored and transmits them to the related units;

at least one temperature information database (42) which records the temperature data of the storage units transmitted by the telemetry server (41);

at least one stock tracking system (5) which comprises units that record the definition information belonging to storage and transport units of products being subject to cold chain and continuously update the cold chain products included in the units in accordance with the user (K) preferences transmitted by means of the user access device (2) and submits them for the user's (K) access;

at least one stock management server (51) which receives information necessary for creating record with an original definition information over the web service provided to the products being subject to cold chain, and tracks the transactions of inserting/removing the related products to the transport and storage units by the authorized users with the original definition information, and transmits the information whether the product is suitable for use or not to the user access device (2) over the provided web service depending on the temperature changes that it receives from the related units when query is made for use of the related product, analyses the volume information of the storage units wherein the products being subject to cold chain are stored and the information about the population movements received for trends of need for the products being subject to cold chain by using artificial intelligence methods, and performs stock and logistic plannings as a result of the analysis;

at least one stock information database (52) which is included inside the stock tracking system (5) and records the data transmitted by the stock management server (51);

at least one integration unit (6) which receives the user (K) preferences over a data network in order to update record, query and usage information of the products being subject to cold chain over the user access device (2) by providing integration over a data network with an application running on the user access device (2), and enables transmission of the information received from the stock tracking system (5) about the related product to the user;

at least one notification management unit (7) which makes notification to the related users/units over different channels in accordance with the instruction received; at least one authorization unit (8) which receives the identity authentication information created by the user (K) over the user access device (2), performs authorization of the user (K), and classifies the users (K) according to their different authority levels. (Figure 1)

The user access device (2) included in the inventive system (1) is a unit with which the authorized users are in communication. The user access device (2) is in communication with a data network. The user access device (2) runs an application which runs an application that provides integration with the integration unit (6) such that it will enable the user (K) to make records of products being subject to cold chain, run query with the original definition information assigned to the related product and create input about the fact that the recorded product is used. In one embodiment of the invention, the application running on the user access device (2) comprises an interface whereby the user (K) can make input request with the authentication information. In this embodiment of the invention, the user access device (2) transmits the received identity authentication information to the authorization unit (8).

In one embodiment of the invention, the application running on the user access device (2) also receives the information of authority level together with the information that the user (K) is authorized from the authorization unit (8) and it provides the user (K) with an interaction opportunity according to his/her authority level. In one embodiment of the invention, the application running on the user access device (2) reads the QR code information created in accordance with the product information that it receives as the original definition information while the user (K) is creating product record. In this embodiment of the invention, the QR code information read by the user access device (2) comprises information of QR code, serial number, batch number and amount, dose of use, etc. of the product. In one embodiment of the invention, the application running on the user access device (2) is configured such that it will enable to view the location and instant temperature values of the product being subject to cold chain by running query with the QR code information of the user (K).

In one embodiment of the invention, the application running on the user access device (2) is configured such that it will enable the user (K) to view cold chain stores, states of stock in stores, stock needs of stores and estimated stock-out dates in a certain region on the basis of product, location and store.

Besides, the application running on the user access device (2) defines the user (K) by means of the authorization unit (8) by using the information input by the user (K) during the identity authentication and transmits the user (K) information to the integration unit (6) together with the QR code information.

In the event that the user (K) runs query for a recorded product, in preferred embodiment of the invention, the application running on the user access device (2) makes it obligatory for the user (K) to scan QR code and indicate product usage information. In this embodiment of the invention, the application transmitting the information comprised by the QR code and the usage information to the integration unit (6) and running on the user access device (2) displays the information whether the vaccine received from the integration unit (6) is suitable for use or not to the integration unit (6) by means of a suitable interface.

The STC (3) included in the inventive system (1) is a device which is placed to the units wherein the products being subject to cold chain are put during their transport and storage. The STC (3) receives temperature values of units at specified periods. In preferred embodiment of the invention, the STC (3) determines temperature values of the storage unit by means of a sensor. The STC (3), which is placed to the units used during transport and storage of product, transmits temperature values to the telemetry server (41) over a data network. In one embodiment of the invention, the STC (3) receives temperature data from different sensors measuring temperature values of different units and transmits the temperature data measured by the sensors to the telemetry server (41) together with the definition information of the related storage unit.

In one embodiment of the invention, the STC (3) creates alarm for temperature data as well as power cut, communication problems with sensors and manual intervention states and transmits the related alarms to the telemetry server (41).

In preferred embodiment of the invention, the STC (3) receives temperature data by means of the battery that it comprises for a certain period of time in case of power cut and in the event that communication problem occurs, keeps the temperature data that it receives from the sensors under control and transmits them to the telemetry server (41) in the event that communication is provided.

In one embodiment of the invention, the STC (3) transmits temperature data to the telemetry server (41) by communicating with the telemetry server (41) over an APN (Access Point Name) gateway defined specially by GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) operator over mobile network.

The temperature tracking unit (4) included in the inventive system (1) comprises units which enables to receive the real-time temperature data transmitted by the STC (3), carry out their analysis and take action as a result of the analysis during transport and storage of the product being subject to cold chain. The temperature tracking unit (4) forecasts the cases where the temperature exceeds a determined range by using the decision support methods and takes action for preventing them, by means of the units that it contains. The telemetry server (41) included in the temperature tracking unit (4) is a unit which receives the related data from the STCs (3) transmitting the temperature data of the units wherein the products being subject to cold chain are put during storage and transport. In one embodiment of the invention, the telemetry server (41) provides integration with a server that provides vehicle tracking service in order to receive temperature values during transport of the products being subject to cold chain by means of a certain vehicle. The telemetry server (41) controls received temperature data in accordance with the lower and upper temperature limit definitions comprised. In one embodiment of the invention, the telemetry server (41) also receives the definition information of the units wherefrom the STCs (3) receive temperature measurement together with the temperature data from the STCs (3). The telemetry server (41) records the temperature information in the database (42) after it controls the received temperature information in accordance with the lower and upper limits.

In preferred embodiment of the invention, the telemetry server (41) carries out analysis by using specific number of historical temperature data that it receives from the STC (3) and determines probability where temperature value exceeds the determined limits in accordance with the changes. In this embodiment of the invention, the telemetry server (41) makes prospective temperature estimations by means of decision support mechanism by analysing changes of historical temperature values by time and transmits the estimation results to the stock management server (51). The telemetry server (41) transmits information of the unit wherein the STC (3) is included or wherefrom it receives temperature measurement, to the stock tracking system (5) together with the warning action request; in the cases where it determines that the temperature exceeds the determined limits or it has probability to exceed them. In the event that the telemetry server (41) determines that the unit temperature exceeds the temperature range determined for the product being subject to cold chain for a certain period of time, as a result of controlling the temperature data that it receives from the STCs (3), it notifies the related status to the stock tracking system (5) together with the unit information.

The temperature information database (42) included inside the temperature tracking unit (4) records the data transmitted by the telemetry server (41). The temperature information database (42) associates the definition information of the storage and transport units that are transmitted by the temperature data, to the history information and records them. The temperature information database (42) enables to run query on the telemetry server (41).

The stock tracking system (5) included in the inventive system (1) comprises units which enable to update and query records of cold chain products in accordance with the user (K) preferences. Besides, the stock tracking system (5) is in communication with the telemetry server (41) and receives information of the states where the temperatures of the units exceed the determined range according to the product definition information.

The stock management server (51) included inside the stock tracking system (5) is in communication with the integration unit (6). The stock management server (51) receives preferences of users at different authority levels by means of the integration unit (6) and takes action in accordance with the related preferences. The stock management server (51) receives the request of creating record about the fact that a cold chain product having a certain definition information, that is created by an authorized user (K) over the user access device (2), is placed to a unit having a certain definition information. The stock management server (51) queries in the stock information database (52) whether there is a product having the related definition information in accordance with the related record request. In the event that the product does not exist, the stock management server (51) creates a new record according to authority level availability of the user (K). The stock management server (51) changes the up-to-date unit definition information whereto the related product is associated in accordance with the authority level availability of the user (K) if there is a product having the related definition information. In one embodiment of the invention, the stock management server (51) records information about the storage and transport units whereto the product being subject to cold chain is associated in the process until its end use, on the stock information database (52) together with date and time information.

The stock management server (51) determines the lower and upper limit suitable for all products in an up-to-date way by comparing features of the product located inside the storage unit in the event that cold chain products such as vaccine, antiserum included in the same storage unit have different storage temperature intervals. The stock management server (51) determines the highest temperature lower value as the storage unit's up-to-date lower value and the lowest temperature upper value as the storage unit's up-to-date upper value. The stock management server (51) transmits warning to the authorized user (K)/ unit when it is desired to place a product, whose temperature lower and upper limits do not correspond with the products in the store at all, to the same store.

The stock management server (51) records the cases when the temperature of the unit wherein the cold chain product transmitted by the telemetry server (41) is stored exceeds the determined interval, by associating them to the definition information and the date information of the product and sends warning request to the notification management unit (7) together with the unit definition information.

The stock management server (51) transmits the warning request to the notification management unit (7) together with the unit definition information in cases when there is probability that the temperature of the unit wherein the cold chain product transmitted by the telemetry server (41) is stored or transported exceeds the determined interval.

The stock management server (51) records volume information of the storage units wherein products being subject to cold chain such as vaccine, antiserum are stored and calculates how much data suitable by volume exists in each storage unit in accordance with the stock movements. In one embodiment of the invention, the stock management server (51) updates the volume values in accordance with the products placed to the storage unit and received from the storage unit by means of the barcode reader included in each storage unit. In one embodiment of the invention, the stock management server (51) also determines the cases when there is no product in the storage unit and does not create warning for temperature changes in these cases. In this embodiment of the invention, the stock management server (51) records volume values of each product or package/box wherein the product is transmitted. The stock management server (51) automatically determines amount of product that can be transmitted to each storage unit in accordance with the calculated volume values and performs their logistic plannings. In one embodiment of the invention, the stock management server (51) determines volumetric change trends by analysing volumetric changes of the storage units retrospectively and makes prospective stock estimations.

The stock management server (51), in one embodiment of the invention, has the authority to access a database that comprises the population information whereby communication is established by means of the integration unit (6) when performing logistic planning and it determines amount of cold chain product such as vaccine, antiserum needed by each storage unit by using demographic information such as distribution of population, regional population age ratios as well. In this embodiment of the invention, the stock management server (51) analyses demographic information and information of store volume by using artificial intelligence methods and performs stock and logistic plannings.

The stock management server (51) runs query by the definition information of the cold chain product transmitted by the user (K) who will perform end use of the cold chain product, for example such as a doctor to use the vaccine, over the user access device (2) by means of the integration provided over the integration unit (6). In one embodiment of the invention, the stock management server (51) receives the vaccine query and receives the product information, the user (K) information and the information of the person being vaccinated that are transmitted by the user (K) by means of the query.

The stock management server (51) runs query in the stock information database (52) together by the definition information of cold chain product as a result of the user (K) query. The stock management server (51) determines whether the product is exposed to any abnormal temperature in the process from the production until the end use in accordance with the data received. The stock management server (51) transmits the information that it is suitable for use to the user access device (2) over the integration unit (6) in the event that the product is not exposed to any abnormal temperature. The stock management server (51) associates the usage data transmitted by the user (K) to the product definition information and records them in the stock information database (52) in the event that the user (K) informs that s/he uses the product. The stock management server (51) notifies to the user access device (2) that the related product cannot be used so that it is displayed to the user (K) by means of a suitable interface in the event that it determines that the product is exposed to an abnormal temperature.

In one embodiment of the invention, the stock management server (51) makes all kinds of notifications in accordance with the recorded information about the product in accordance with the authority level of the user (K) besides whether the product will be used or not in the event that the user (K) creates query with the product definition information. In this embodiment of the invention, the stock management server (51) enables to record all units wherein all units stored and transported together with the QR code that is created about the product or the package/box where the product is included from creation of the related record about the product being subject to cold chain until end use, the users carrying out the transactions, and all data in accordance with the parameters determined by the authorized users in the stock information database (52). The stock information database (52) included inside the stock tracking system (5) records the stock information transmitted by the stock management server (51). The stock information database (52) records the created record information of the products being subject to cold chain and their information of transaction carried out until end use upon associating them to the date and time information. Besides, the stock information database (52) records the information that the temperature of the unit transmitted by the telemetry server (41) to the stock management server (51) exceeds a determined temperature upon associating it to the product definition information together with the date, time and period information. The integration unit (6) included in the inventive system (1) is a unit which provides communication between the user access device (2) and the stock management server (51). The integration unit (6) ensures that data transfer required for transactions of creating, updating and querying record of a product being subject to cold chain between an application running on the user access device (2) and the stock management server (51), is carried out over a secure protocol. In one embodiment of the invention, the integration unit (6) provides integration between the telemetry server (41) and the user access device (2) in the event that the user (K) demands instant temperature tracking over the user access device (2). In one embodiment of the invention, the integration unit (6) comprises a secure web service and enables to access the user access device (2) over Internet. The integration unit (6), in one embodiment of the invention, also receives the authority level information of the user (K) together with the notification that the user (K) is authorized. The integration unit (6) controls the preferences transmitted by the user (K) according to the user's authority level in accordance with the defined rules and carries out the transaction in the event that they are in conformity with the authority level of the user (K).

The notification management unit (7) is a unit which enables to inform authorized users in in unusual situations. The notification management unit (7) makes notification to users who are responsible for the related unit in accordance with the warning request together with the unit definition information received from the stock tracking system (5) in cases when the temperature exceeds or have the possibility of exceeding the determined range in the storage and transport units. In one embodiment of the invention, the notification management unit (7) runs query to the authorization unit (8) together with the unit definition information and receives the information of the user (K) who will be notified from the authorization unit (8). The notification management unit (7) makes notification in accordance with the authorized user (K) associated to the unit definition information recorded and the user (K) communication information. In one embodiment of the invention, the notification management unit (7) makes notification by means of short message, e-mail and call over call center. In one embodiment of the invention, the notification management unit (7) also receives urgency information together with the warning request received from the stock tracking system (5) and determines the authorized user (K) and the communication channel according to the urgency information.

The authorization unit (8) included in the inventive system (1) is a unit which records authorization information of the users and performs the user (K) authorization. The authorization unit (8) records the identity authentication information and the authority level information of the authorized users and end users. The authorization unit (8) performs authorization of the user (K) by comparing the identity authentication information transmitted by means of the user access device (2) of the user (K) with the recorded information and transmits the authority level of the user (K) to the user access device (2) together with the information that the user (K) is authorized. The authorization unit (8) also transmits the authority level information to the integration unit (6) together with the authorization information of the user (K).

With the inventive system (1), transactions of tracking products being subject to cold chain from production until their end use are carried out. In the said system (1), product tracking is transmitted to the stock tracking system (5) together with a definition information that is specific for the product by means of the user access device (2) by an authorized user (K) at first. The stock management server (51) included inside the stock tracking system (5) creates the record of the related product and records it in the stock information database (52). Then, updates are made by tracking in which unit the product is located over the QR code information of the related product or the package/box comprising the product during the transactions of transferring the related product to different storage and transport units and it records the unit information wherein the product is included retrospectively. Besides, the temperature data transmitted by the STCs (3) included in the storage and transport units are received by the telemetry server (41) included inside the temperature tracking unit (4) and temperature intervals of the units are controlled. In cases when the temperature of the storage and transport units exceed a determined temperature interval, it is ensured that the related abnormal temperature status is recorded by making notification to the stock tracking system (5) and action is taken by making notification to the related users by the notification management unit (7). In addition, the telemetry server (41) analyses temperature values at certain intervals by also using the previous temperature data associated to the unit definition information that it records in the temperature information database (42) and it determines the probability where temperature exceeds the determined temperature range by using decision support methods and transmits the related information to the stock tracking system (5) in order to inform users for precautionary purposes in accordance with the defined rules. The stock management server (51) included inside the stock tracking system (5) records that the products located inside the related unit are exposed to abnormal temperature together with date and time information in accordance with the warning requests transmitted by the telemetry server (41). The stock management server (51) records the volume information of the storage units as well and updates the volume values in accordance with the products placed to the storage unit and removed from the storage unit. The stock management server (51) analyses the updated volume values and the demographic information received from the databases with which is establishes communication over the integration unit (6), by using artificial intelligence methods and creates stock and logistic estimations. The stock management server (51) pre-estimates needs of products being subject to cold chain such as vaccine and antiserum of regions according to the population movements by using demographic information and determines product amount necessary for supplying them. When determining the necessary product amounts, the stock management server (51) carries out transactions by also using qualifications of storage units in the region by volume. The stock management server (51) estimates regional supply amounts by also using information of products consume, sold, etc. in the regions. The stock management server (51) performs data exchange by communicating with the user access device (2) which enables to run query over the integration unit (6) according to authority level of an authorized user (K) and query any information about the product and input related approval and information necessary for updating the information about the product. The stock management server (51) records the stock information of the product until its end use and displays it to the user (K) in the event of its query. With the inventive system (1), it is ensured that temperature tracking of units wherein products -which are subject to cold chain such as vaccine- are placed and notification is made to authorized users about storage and usage of the related product during storage and transport of them from production until end use.

Within these basic concepts; it is possible to develop various embodiments of the inventive system (1), the invention cannot be limited to examples disclosed herein and it is essentially according to claims.