Method and apparatus for container management

• US 20020161675A1
• Filed: 09/25/2001
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IHI Transport Machinery Company Limited (IHI Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ishikawajima-Harima Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kawase, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 6,665,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials

Abstract

A radio IC number tag (10) having a container number (1a) inputted is applied on a container (1); a radio document tag (14) having container (1) physical distribution information inputted is set to a trailer (2); and a radio antenna (11) is arranged at a gate of a container terminal. Upon passage of the trailer (2) through the gate, the radio antenna (11) receives the physical distribution information transmitted from the radio IC document tag (14) while reading the container number from the radio IC number tag (10) applied on the container (1). Such information is sent to a physical distribution information center (31). A computer (31a) in the physical distribution information center (31) checks up the container number (1a) with the physical distribution information and the like for confirmation and data-processing to send a command signal for a storage address to the trailer (2) through the radio antenna (11).

Claims

1. A container managing apparatus, characterized in that a container information input medium having container information inputted is attached to a container, a physical distribution information input medium having container physical distribution information inputted being set to a container transporting body, a radio antenna being arranged at a check point for reception and transmission between the container information input medium and the physical distribution information input medium.

11. A container managing method for managing a container by means of a container managing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, upon passage of the container transporting body through the check point, the radio antenna receives physical distribution information from the physical distribution information input medium on the container transporting body while reading container information from the container information input medium attached to the container, thereby sending such information to a physical distribution information center, a computer in the physical distribution information center checking up the physical distribution information and the like with the container information for confirmation and data-processing to transmit a command signal for a storage address to the container transporting body through the radio antenna.

2. A container managing apparatus, characterized in that a container, on an appropriate portion of an outer surface of which is applied a radio IC number tag having a container number inputted, is deposited on a trailer and conveyed to a gate of a container terminal, a radio antenna being arranged at the gate of the container terminal or the like, said radio antenna having a reader for reception and transmission in relation to the radio IC number tag.

12. A container managing method for carry-out and -in of a container by means of a container managing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that, upon carry-out and -in of the container and when the trailer on which the container is deposited arrives at the gate of the container terminal, the reader of the radio antenna at the gate or the like reads the container number from the radio IC number tag applied on the container for confirmation.

3. A container managing apparatus, characterized in that a radio IC seal tag is attached to closing doors of a container, said radio IC seal tag being capable of transmitting a seal number only in a state of sealing, a radio antenna being arranged at a gate of the container terminal or the like, said radio antenna having a reader for reception and transmission in relation to the radio IC number tag.

13. A container managing method for carry-out and -in of a container by means of a container managing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that, upon carry-out or -in of the container and when the trailer on which the container is deposited arrives at the gate of the container terminal, the reader of the radio antenna at the gate reads the seal number from the radio IC seal tag attached to the closing doors of the container for confirmation of a state of sealing and of the seal number.

4. A container managing apparatus, characterized in that a radio IC seal tag having a seal number inputted is attached to closing doors of a container to which in turn is attached a radio IC number tag having a container number inputted, a radio IC document tag having container physical distribution information inputted being set to a trailer, a radio antenna being arranged at an entrance gate of the container terminal for reception and transmission in relation to these radio IC number tag, radio IC seal tag and radio IC document tag.

14. A container managing method for managing a container by means of a container managing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that, upon carry-in of the loaded container and when the trailer passes through the entrance gate, the radio antenna receives physical distribution information transmitted from the radio document tag on the trailer while reading the container number from the radio IC number tag applied on the container and the seal number from the radio IC seal tag, thereby sending such information to a physical distribution information center, a computer in the physical distribution information center checking up the container and seal numbers with the physical distribution information and the like for confirmation and data-processing to send a command signal for a storage address to the trailer through the radio antenna.

15. A container managing method for managing a container by means of a container managing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that, upon entry of the empty trailer for carry-out of the loaded or empty container and when the trailer passes through the entrance gate, the radio antenna receives the physical distribution information transmitted from the radio IC document tag on the trailer to send the same to a physical distribution information center, a computer in the physical distribution information center effecting data-processing to send a command signal for an unstacking address to the trailer through the radio antenna.

16. A container managing method for managing a container by means of a container managing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that, in a case of carry-in of an empty container and when the trailer passes through the entrance gate, the radio antenna receives the physical distribution information transmitted from the radio IC document tag on the trailer while reading the container number from the radio IC number tag applied on the empty container, thereby sending such information to a physical distribution information center, a computer in the physical distribution information center checking up the container number with the physical distribution information and the like for confirmation and data-processing to send a command signal for a storage address to the trailer through the radio antenna.

5. A container managing apparatus, characterized in that a radio IC seal tag having a seal number inputted is attached to closing doors of a container to which in turn is attached a radio IC number tag having a container number inputted, a radio IC document tag having container physical distribution information inputted being set to a trailer, a radio antenna being arranged at an exit gate of the container terminal for reception and transmission in relation to these radio IC number tag, radio IC seal tag and radio IC document tag.

17. A container managing method for managing a container by means of a container managing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, in a case where an empty trailer is to exit after it has transferred a loaded or empty container to a container yard and upon passage of the empty trailer through the exit gate, the radio antenna receives the physical distribution information transmitted from the radio IC document tag on the empty trailer to send the same to a physical distribution information center, a computer in the physical distribution information center effecting data-processing to send a command signal for exit permission to the empty trailer through the radio antenna.

18. A container managing method for managing a container by means of a container managing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, in a case of carry-out of a loaded container and upon passage of the trailer through the exit gate, the radio antenna receives the physical distribution information transmitted from the radio IC document tag on the trailer while reading the container number from the radio IC number tag applied on the container and the seal number from the radio IC seal tag, thereby sending such information to a physical distribution information center, a computer in the physical distribution information center checking up the container and seal numbers with the physical distribution information and the like for confirmation and data-processing to send a command signal for exit permission to the trailer through the radio antenna.

19. A container managing method for managing a container by means of a container managing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, in a case of carry-out of an empty container and upon passage of the trailer through the exit gate, the radio antenna receives the physical distribution information transmitted from the radio IC document tag on the trailer while reading the container number from the radio IC number tag applied on the empty container, thereby sending such information to a physical distribution information center, a computer in the physical distribution information center checking the container number with the physical distribution information and the like for confirmation and data-processing to send a command signal for exit permission to the trailer through the radio antenna.

6. A container managing apparatus, characterized in that it comprises a terminal on a trailer for reception and transmission of physical distribution information, an IC card having container physical distribution information being set to said terminal on the trailer, a terminal on a gate for mediating transmission and reception of physical distribution information between said terminal on the trailer and a port physical distribution information center, a terminal on a yard crane for reception and transmission of container storage information in a container yard in relation to the physical distribution information center, and said port physical distribution information center for effecting data processing based on the physical distribution information from said terminals so as to transmit physical distribution information and container storage information to the terminals on the gate and crane, respectively.

20. A container managing method for carry-out and -in of a container by means of a container managing apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that, in a case of carry-out and -in of the container and upon passage of the trailer through the gate, the terminal on the trailer transmits the physical distribution information of the IC card, said physical distribution information being sent through the terminal on the gate to the physical distribution information center where it is data-processed for instruction of a place of delivery of the container with the yard crane to the trailer through the terminal on the gate as well as for instruction of identification information of the trailer or container, of a place of delivery of the container with the trailer and of a storage place of the container, the terminal on the yard crane sending information of completion of storage or withdrawal of the container upon completion thereof to the physical distribution information center where container storage information is updated.

21. A container managing method as claimed in claim 20 wherein instructions from the physical distribution information center to the terminals on the trailer and yard crane are effected in the form of display on screen.

7. A container managing apparatus, characterized in that a yard cargo handling machine for running in a container yard to load and unload a container in the container yard is provided with a radio antenna for receiving radio waves transmitted from a container number tag applied on the container and incorporating a radio IC, a document tag fitted to a trailer head of a trailer and incorporating a radio IC, a carriage number tag applied on an inside transportation carriage and incorporating a radio IC and the like.

8. A container managing apparatus, characterized in that a container crane for shipping and unshipping a container in and from a container ship is provided with a radio antenna for receiving radio waves transmitted from a container number tag which in turn is applied on the container having been conveyed by an inside transportation carriage and which incorporates a radio IC.

9. A container managing apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said radio antenna receives radio waves transmitted from a carriage number tag applied on the inner transportation carriage and incorporating a radio IC, in addition to the container number tag.

10. An inside transportation carriage for running between a container crane for loading and unloading a container to and from a container ship and a yard crane for loading and unloading the container to and from a designated address in a container yard or for running between the yard crane and another yard crane so as to deliver the container between the cranes, characterized in that said inner transportation carriage has a carriage number tag which is applied on the inner transportation carriage and incorporates a radio IC for reception and transmission of radio waves in relation to a radio antenna in the container yard or on said container crane or yard crane.

22. A container managing method characterized in that, in a case where a container having been carried in for exportation by a trailer is to be stored in a container yard by means of a yard cargo handling machine, a job order is displayed on a display device arranged in a driving position of the yard cargo handling machine on the basis of a job command transmitted from a host computer, said display being checked up with container number information transmitted from the container number tag and received by the radio antenna of the yard cargo handling machine to confirm whether the container is in accordance with the job order, whereupon the container is loaded on a predetermined position on the container yard displayed in the job procedure.

23. A container managing method characterized in that, in a case where a container having been stored for exportation is to be unstacked from the container yard by means of a yard cargo handling machine, a job order is displayed on a display device arranged in a driving position of the yard cargo handling machine on the basis of a job command transmitted from a host computer, a radio antenna on the yard cargo handling machine receiving radio waves from a document tag fitted to a tractor head of the empty trailer to confirm whether a container number entered in the document tag is in accordance with said job order, whereupon a trolley of the yard cargo handling machine is moved to a corresponding address instructed in said job order to receive radio waves from a container number tag applied on the container stored at the address to confirm whether the container is in accordance with said job procedure, whereupon the container is loaded to said empty trailer.

24. A container managing method characterized in that, in a case where a container has been carried in by an inside transportation carriage is to be stored in a container yard for unshipping-and-stacking or re-transferring-and-stacking, a job order is displayed on a display device arranged in a driving position of a yard cargo handling machine on the basis of a job command transmitted from a host computer, said display being checked up with container number information transmitted from a container number tag and received by a radio antenna on the yard cargo handling machine to confirm whether the container is in accordance with said job procedure, whereupon the container is loaded on a predetermined position on the container yard displayed in the job procedure.

25. A container managing method characterized in that, in a case where a container stored in a container yard is to be deposited on an empty inside transportation carriage by a yard cargo handling machine for unstacking-and-shipping or unstacking-and-re-transferring, a job order is displayed on a display device arranged in a driving position of the yard cargo handling machine on the basis of a job command transmitted from a host computer, a radio antenna on the yard cargo handling machine receiving radio waves transmitted from a carriage number tag applied on a tractor head of the empty inside transportation carriage for reception of the container to confirm whether said carriage is in accordance with said job order, whereupon a trolley of the yard cargo handling machine moves to a corresponding address instructed by said job order to receive radio waves from a container number tag applied to a container stored at said address and confirm whether the container is in accordance with said job order, whereupon the container is deposited on said inner transportation carriage.

26. A container managing method characterized in that, in a case of stocktaking of containers stored in a container yard, a job order is displayed on a display device arranged in a driving position of a yard cargo handling machine on the basis of a job command transmitted from a host computer, the yard cargo handling machine moving in the container yard in accordance with the job order so that a radio antenna on the yard cargo handling machine receives radio waves transmitted from container number tags applied on respective containers stored in the container yard to confirm whether storage addresses of the containers and container numbers are in accordance with said job order.

27. A container shipping method characterized in that, in a case of shipping a container by a container crane, a job order is displayed on a display device arranged in a driving position of the container crane, which is checked up with container number information transmitted from a radio antenna to confirm whether the container is in accordance with said job order, whereupon the container is shipped in a predetermined position in a container ship displayed in the job order.

28. A container unshipping method characterized in that, in a case of unshipping a container by a container crane, a job order is displayed on a display device arranged in a driving position of a container crane, which is checked up with container and carriage number information transmitted from a radio antenna to confirm whether the container to be unshipped and a carriage therefor are in accordance with the job order.

30. An inside transportation method characterized in that, in a case where a container is to be deposited on an inside transportation carriage by means of a container crane or yard crane, a job command for each of inside transportation carriages sent from a host computer is displayed on a display device arranged in a driving position of an empty inside transportation carriage, the carriage being moved to a first designated position on the basis of said job command, a carriage number tag on the carriage transmitting radio waves to a container crane or yard crane at the position, such radio waves being received by a radio antenna on the container crane or yard crane, operators of such cranes checking up the carriage number with job order list sent from the host computer for confirmation, whereupon the container shown in said job order list is lifted up and moved to be deposited on the carriage, said carriage with the container deposited thereon being moved to a second designated address where a container number tag on the container deposited on the inside transportation carriage transmits radio waves to a container crane or yard crane at the address, such radio waves being received by a radio antenna on the container crane or yard crane at the address, operators of such cranes checking the container number with the job order list sent from the host computer for confirmation, whereupon the transferred container is unloaded by the container crane or yard crane while the carriage is moved to another designated position in the state of being empty.