Patent Summary - GCAC Efixii Blockchain

TRACKING SYSTEM FOR CULTIVATED PRODUCTS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

This application claims priority under the Paris Convention to US Application Number 63/126,555, filed December 17, 2020, and US Application Number 17/456,385, filed November 24, 2021.

Abstract

A tracking system includes a processor, a communications network, a blockchain, and a cultivator device. Growth data on each of the growing states of a cultivated cannabis batch is generated and stored on the blockchain. An intermediary device generates batch segment data having growth data of the cultivated cannabis batch and post-cultivation processing data for that batch segment.

Unique identifiers for an end-user product include a link to stored consumer data on the blockchain that includes:

A) attestation of the authenticity of the end-user product, and
B) batch segment data for that batch segment to which the end-user product belongs. A consumer device scans an end-user’s unique identifier retrieves the consumer data from the blockchain and transmits an efficacy value regarding efficacy to the consumer of the end-user product.

Summary of the Invention

The invention introduces a system that can track the growth and processing stages of cultivated products, particularly cannabis. This system incorporates a processor equipped with an owner-host application connected to a communication network and a blockchain.

The system uses a cultivator device, connected to both the network and the processor, designed to generate and store growth data for each state of a cultivated cannabis batch on the blockchain. This cultivator device can generate a unique identifier for each batch, which is linked to the growth data stored on the blockchain.

There’s also an intermediary device in the system that can generate data for separate segments or portions of the cannabis batch, especially if they undergo different post-cultivation processing. This device can store this segmented data on the blockchain and produce unique identifiers for each segment. The unique identifiers generated for each segment can also be linked to end-user products, ensuring full traceability from cultivation to consumption. These identifiers are crucial in verifying product authenticity and providing transparency.

The system’s main objective is to provide transparency in the cultivation and processing of products, especially in industries like cannabis that face strict regulatory scrutiny.

The process emphasizes the importance of blockchain technology. The blockchain serves as a secure and transparent medium to store growth data, ensuring that each product’s history is verifiable and tamper-proof. By using blockchain, the system can create a trusted environment for all stakeholders, from cultivators to consumers. This trust is enhanced with the use of unique identifiers for each product, allowing for easy traceability.

The intermediary device in the system plays a pivotal role in segmenting batches, especially when different post-cultivation processes are involved. This ensures that even if a batch is divided and processed differently, each segment’s origins and processes are still traceable. Feedback loops are also introduced in the system. When end-users or consumers provide feedback or efficacy data, it’s relayed back to the cultivators, ensuring continuous improvement and better product quality.

Detailed Description

The patent document delves deeper into the technological and methodological aspects of the system. It describes how the owner host application, processor, and the cultivator device collaboratively function to gather, process, and store data. Emphasis is placed on the cultivator device’s ability to generate growth data for each growth state of a cultivated batch. This data is not just a record but serves as a foundation for generating unique identifiers.

The intermediary devices, as previously mentioned, are integral to the system, especially when batches are segmented for different post-cultivation processes. These devices ensure that each segment’s data, including its origin and processing details, are captured and stored. The unique identifiers, which might take forms like QR codes, are not just for traceability. They also serve as tools for feedback. When scanned, they can relay data back to the cultivators, providing insights into product efficacy and quality. Reward mechanisms are introduced, incentivizing consumers to provide feedback. This can be in the form of reward points or credits, enhancing consumer engagement.

Definitions:

Intermediary Devices: These play a pivotal role in the system, especially when dealing with segmented batches. The devices are designed to generate data for batch segments and store it on the blockchain. These segments, which represent portions of the main cannabis batch, undergo separate post-cultivation processing. Each segment’s data includes both the original growth data and any post-cultivation data relevant to that segment.
Unique Identifiers: Generated by the intermediary devices, these identifiers are linked to the specific end products that consumers purchase. They serve multiple purposes: they help verify a product’s authenticity, provide transparency, and ensure traceability from cultivation to end-user. The consumer data linked to these identifiers also contains batch segment data relevant to the end product.
Consumer Devices: These are equipped with the capability to scan unique identifiers. Once scanned, they can retrieve the linked consumer data from the blockchain and relay it back via the owner-host application to the original cannabis cultivator. This ensures a feedback mechanism, allowing cultivators to receive direct insights into their product’s efficacy and quality from end users.
Efficacy Values: When consumers provide feedback, they transmit an efficacy value. This value reflects how effective the product was for the consumer. This is crucial data for cultivators, allowing them to refine their cultivation and processing methods based on real-world feedback. If multiple consumer devices scan the same unique identifier, the system’s processor can aggregate this feedback to determine an average efficacy value for each end product.

Additional Consumer Data: The system is designed to capture more than just efficacy values. For example, it might include data like the “best before date” of a product. This ensures consumers have all the relevant information about a product, from its cultivation history to its expected shelf life.

Reward Mechanisms: An intriguing feature of the system is its ability to reward consumers for providing feedback. When a consumer transmits an efficacy value, specific actions or events might be triggered on their device. This can be in the form of reward points or even credits for their communication account, incentivizing continuous engagement.

Methodological Aspect of Tracking: The document describes the tracking process in detail. It starts with loading an owner-host application onto a processor connected to a communications network. This application is integral to accessing the blockchain. The cultivator device, a crucial part of the system, generates growth data for each cultivated cannabis batch’s stage, storing this data on the blockchain. The ability to generate unique identifiers for each batch, linked to the blockchain’s growth data, is highlighted.

Batch Segmentation: When batches undergo different post-cultivation processes, they are segmented. This segmentation data, which encapsulates the original growth data and the specific post-cultivation processing data, is stored on the blockchain. The emphasis is on ensuring a comprehensive view of the product’s journey, from cultivation to processing.

End-User Product Identifiers: One of the intermediary devices can produce unique identifiers, which are directly linked to end-user products. These identifiers ensure that the end products consumers purchase have a traceable and verifiable history. Each identifier is associated with consumer data on the blockchain, providing a certification of the product’s authenticity. The data linked to the identifier can also highlight specific concentration details, such as THC/CBD concentrations.

Consumer Feedback Loop: Consumers play a pivotal role in the feedback loop. Their devices can scan the unique identifiers, accessing the product’s history and other relevant data. When they provide feedback, especially about the product’s efficacy, it’s sent back to the cultivators. This direct channel of communication ensures that cultivators can refine their processes based on real-world experiences.

Reward System: The system is designed to encourage consumers to provide feedback. They might receive rewards like points, which could translate into credits or other benefits. This not only incentivizes feedback but also ensures continuous engagement with the end-users.

Methodological Aspect of Tracking: The document describes the tracking process in detail. It starts with loading an owner-host application onto a processor connected to a communications network. This application is integral to accessing the blockchain. The cultivator device, a crucial part of the system, generates growth data for each cultivated cannabis batch’s stage, storing this data on the blockchain. The ability to generate unique identifiers for each batch, linked to the blockchain’s growth data, is highlighted.

Batch Segmentation: When batches undergo different post-cultivation processes, they are segmented. This segmentation data, which encapsulates the original growth data and the specific post-cultivation processing data, is stored on the blockchain. The emphasis is on ensuring a comprehensive view of the product’s journey, from cultivation to processing.

End-User Product Identifiers: One of the intermediary devices can produce unique identifiers, which are directly linked to end-user products. These identifiers ensure that the end products consumers purchase have a traceable and verifiable history. Each identifier is associated with consumer data on the blockchain, providing a certification of the product’s authenticity. The data linked to the identifier can also highlight specific concentration details, such as THC/CBD concentrations.

Consumer Feedback Loop: Consumers play a pivotal role in the feedback loop. Their devices can scan the unique identifiers, accessing the product’s history and other relevant data. When they provide feedback, especially about the product’s efficacy, it’s sent back to the cultivators. This direct channel of communication ensures that cultivators can refine their processes based on real-world experiences.

Reward System: The system is designed to encourage consumers to provide feedback. They might receive rewards like points, which could translate into credits or other benefits. This not only incentivizes feedback but also ensures continuous engagement with the end-users.

Data Segmentation and Storage**: The system’s data segmentation capability stands out. Data, especially from different post-cultivation processes, is segmented and stored on the blockchain. This segmentation ensures comprehensive tracking, even if a single cannabis batch undergoes multiple post-cultivation processes. Each segment’s data encapsulates both its original growth data and specific post-cultivation processing data.

Interconnectivity of Devices: The system promotes seamless interconnectivity between devices. The cultivator device, intermediary devices, and consumer devices all communicate, ensuring a continuous flow of data. The cultivator device, for instance, can relay growth data directly to the blockchain, which consumer devices can then access through unique identifiers.

Enhanced Consumer Experience: The system is not just about tracking; it’s about enhancing the consumer experience. By scanning unique identifiers, consumers can access a wealth of information about the product, from its cultivation history to its efficacy. This transparency empowers consumers to make informed decisions.

Data-Driven Refinements: One of the system’s significant advantages is its ability to drive refinements based on data. Cultivators can receive feedback, particularly efficacy values, directly from consumers. This feedback, coupled with growth data, can inform decisions on cultivation and processing methods, ensuring that products are aligned with consumer needs and preferences.

Consumer Incentives: The document reiterates the importance of the reward mechanism. By incentivizing feedback through rewards, the system ensures active consumer engagement. These rewards can take various forms, from points to credits, and they play a pivotal role in the system’s feedback loop.

Integration with Other Systems: The tracking system is designed to be interoperable with other systems, especially regulatory ones. This ensures that data captured, from cultivation to consumer feedback, aligns with regulatory standards, aiding compliance.

Data Analysis: The system isn’t just about capturing data; it’s about making sense of it. With integrated analysis tools, the system can derive insights from the data, helping cultivators refine their methods. For instance, feedback on a particular strain’s efficacy can inform decisions on future cultivation.

Consumer Engagement: Beyond the reward mechanism, the system fosters consumer engagement through transparency. Consumers can access detailed information about products, ensuring they’re well-informed. This transparency builds trust, essential in industries like cannabis.

Security: Given the sensitive nature of the data, especially in regulated industries, the system places a premium on security. The use of blockchain technology ensures that data, once recorded, is immutable and tamper-proof.

Future Prospects: The document hints at potential future enhancements, such as integrating with other blockchain systems or expanding the tracking to other cultivated products beyond cannabis.

User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX): Emphasis is placed on providing users, especially consumers, with a seamless experience. The system incorporates intuitive interfaces that enable easy access to product information and feedback mechanisms. This focus on UX ensures that consumers are more likely to engage with the system and provide valuable feedback.

Real-time Data Access: One of the standout features of the system is its ability to provide real-time data. Whether it’s growth data from the cultivator device or feedback from consumers, the system ensures that stakeholders have access to up-to-date information, fostering informed decision-making.

Customization and Personalization: Recognizing that every cultivator and consumer might have unique needs, the system offers customization options. This might include personalized feedback mechanisms for consumers or specialized tracking parameters for cultivators.

Integration with Other Platforms: The document suggests that the system can integrate with other platforms, particularly e-commerce platforms. This integration could facilitate direct sales, with consumers having access to detailed product information before purchasing.

Future Expansion: The tracking system, while initially focused on cannabis, is designed to be adaptable. The document hints at the potential to expand the system to track other cultivated products, ensuring its relevance in diverse industries.
Data Redundancy and Backup: The system prioritizes data integrity. With integrated backup mechanisms, it ensures that data, once recorded, is preserved. This redundancy is especially crucial for regulatory compliance and for maintaining a verifiable record of product history.

Open-Source Integration: The document indicates potential integration with open-source platforms, enhancing the system’s versatility and adaptability. Such integrations could bring in new features or expand the system’s capabilities.

Collaborative Feedback: Beyond individual feedback, the system might incorporate collaborative feedback mechanisms. This would allow groups of consumers or experts to discuss and provide collective insights on products, enhancing the depth and breadth of feedback.

Advanced Analytics: The system’s analytical capabilities are underscored. With the potential integration of AI and machine learning tools, the system can offer predictive analytics, helping cultivators anticipate market demands or consumer preferences.

Security Enhancements: Given the sensitive nature of data, especially in the cannabis industry, the document emphasizes potential future security enhancements. This could include advanced encryption methods or biometric verification to ensure data access is restricted to authorized individuals.

Interoperability: The system is designed to be interoperable, allowing for seamless communication with other systems, databases, or platforms. This ensures that data flow is smooth and that the tracking system can be integrated into larger ecosystems without disruptions.

Decentralized Data Storage: Emphasis is placed on the decentralized nature of blockchain storage. By distributing data across multiple nodes, the system ensures that data is tamper-proof and secure from potential breaches.

Consumer Empowerment: The system isn’t just about tracking; it’s about empowering consumers. By giving consumers access to detailed product histories and allowing them to provide feedback, the system ensures that consumers are at the forefront of product development and improvement.

Continuous Improvements: The document highlights the system’s ability to evolve. As more data is gathered and as technologies advance, the system can incorporate new features or enhance existing ones to better serve stakeholders.

Regulatory Adaptability: Recognizing the evolving nature of regulations, especially in the cannabis industry, the system is designed to be adaptable. It can adjust to new regulatory requirements, ensuring that cultivators remain compliant and that consumers have access to products that meet regulatory standards.

Feedback Aggregation: One of the system’s advanced features is its ability to aggregate feedback from multiple sources. This means that feedback from different consumers, about the same product, is compiled to provide a holistic view. This aggregated feedback provides richer insights for cultivators and ensures that individual feedback points are contextualized within broader trends.

Blockchain Evolution: While the system currently utilizes specific blockchain technologies, there’s an indication that it could adapt to new or emerging blockchain platforms. This adaptability ensures the system remains at the cutting edge of technological advancements.

Stakeholder Communication: The system promotes communication between various stakeholders. Whether it’s cultivators communicating with retailers or consumers directly providing feedback to cultivators, the system fosters a collaborative environment where information flows freely.

Transparency in Post-Cultivation Processes: Beyond tracking the growth stages, the system offers transparency in post-cultivation processes. This could include details about processing techniques, storage conditions, or any other post-cultivation activity that impacts the final product.

Market Insights: The feedback mechanism, coupled with sales data, can offer cultivators insights into market trends. This could inform decisions about which strains to cultivate or which processing techniques to adopt, ensuring that products align with market demands.

Traceability and Verification: At its core, the system prioritizes traceability. By capturing data at every stage, from cultivation to the final product in the hands of consumers, the system ensures that every product’s journey is traceable. This traceability is enhanced by unique identifiers, which serve as verification tools, confirming a product’s authenticity and history.

Consumer Education: Beyond providing product details, the system aims to educate consumers. By offering insights into cultivation methods, processing techniques, and even the science behind cannabis, the system seeks to create informed consumers who understand the nuances of the products they consume.

Integration with Retail Platforms: The document suggests potential integrations with retail platforms. This would allow for real-time inventory tracking, ensuring that product availability aligns with consumer demand. It could also facilitate direct sales, offering consumers a seamless purchasing experience.

Customization for Cultivators: Recognizing that different cultivators might have unique needs, the system offers customization options. This could include specialized tracking parameters, integration with specific tools, or even custom feedback mechanisms tailored to a cultivator’s specific products.

Sustainability Insights: The system could offer insights into sustainability practices. By tracking data related to cultivation methods, water usage, or energy consumption, the system can provide feedback on sustainability, guiding cultivators towards more eco-friendly practices.