Container tracking system
First Claim
1. A container tracking system, comprising:
- a dispatcher workstation for association with a shipping container storage and transfer yard;
a database associated with the dispatcher workstation and providing for the storage of location information related to a plurality of shipping containers located throughout the shipping container storage and transfer yard;
a mobile unit for roaming around said shipping container storage and transfer yard and for attachment to a piece of container-handling equipment;
a navigation computer disposed in the mobile unit and providing for three-dimensional position solutions of its location;
a communications link between the mobile unit and the dispatcher workstation and providing for a transfer of said position solutions to the database; and
a display connected to the dispatcher workstation and providing for a graphical user interface representing a number of map locations of said plurality of shipping containers that are derived from said location information in the database.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A container tracking system comprises a dispatcher workstation with a graphical user interface and a database. These are used to track the whereabouts of shipping containers in a storage and transfer yard. A mobile unit in the yard is attached to container handling equipment and monitors the container lock-on mechanism. When a container is locked on for a move, the mobile unit starts reporting positions and velocities to the dispatcher workstation over a radio channel. These positions and solutions are computed from a combination of GPS satellite navigation receiver solutions, inertial navigation, and local beacon markers. Reports stop when the container handling equipment unlocks from the container. The database then updates the new position for that container, and the graphical user interface can be used to “see” the container on a yard map.
20 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A container tracking system, comprising:
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a dispatcher workstation for association with a shipping container storage and transfer yard;
a database associated with the dispatcher workstation and providing for the storage of location information related to a plurality of shipping containers located throughout the shipping container storage and transfer yard;
a mobile unit for roaming around said shipping container storage and transfer yard and for attachment to a piece of container-handling equipment;
a navigation computer disposed in the mobile unit and providing for three-dimensional position solutions of its location;
a communications link between the mobile unit and the dispatcher workstation and providing for a transfer of said position solutions to the database; and
a display connected to the dispatcher workstation and providing for a graphical user interface representing a number of map locations of said plurality of shipping containers that are derived from said location information in the database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of managing inventories in a storage area, the method comprising the steps of:
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electronically mapping a three-dimensional storage area in which pieces of inventory come-in, go-out, and shuffle between internal locations;
cataloging and indexing each piece of an inventory according to its identity and location within said storage area;
attaching a navigation computer to a piece of machinery able to move said pieces of inventory around in said storage area;
detecting when said piece of machinery is attached to move any of said pieces of inventory;
reporting position solutions derived from said navigation computer that can be attributed to movements of a particular piece of inventory; and
updating a database with a new imputed position of each piece of inventory that has been moved to a new location by said piece of machinery. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification