Method and apparatus for control or monitoring of a container

• US 20060012481A1
• Filed: 07/15/2005
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Savi Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Savi Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Farrell, Steven J., Zhu, Liping Julia, Rajapakse, Ravindra U., Thorne, Roderick E., Jennings, Robert Fraser
• Granted Patent: US 8,258,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

An apparatus includes a carrier, and a system that is responsive to wireless signals transmitted by tags on items carried by the carrier for maintaining a local inventory of items carried by the carrier. A different apparatus involves a carrier having a container with an interior, a sensor for detecting a condition externally of the container that can be related to an environment within the container, and a system that handles information from the sensor in a manner facilitating an evaluation of the likelihood that a problem exists within the container. Another apparatus involves a carrier for a plurality of items, and a system that is responsive to wireless signals received from a remote location for determining a current location of the carrier and for evaluating whether the carrier is proceeding along an intended route.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a carrier adapted to carry a plurality of items; and

a system supported on said carrier and responsive to wireless signals transmitted by tags on items carried by said carrier for maintaining a local inventory of items carried by said carrier.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said system is responsive to wireless signals transmitted by tags on items carried by said carrier for detecting a change in said inventory.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said system maintains a log identifying changes detected in said inventory and identifying when each such change was detected.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said system includes a wireless communication portion that can transmit to a location remote from said carrier and said system a wireless communication containing information relating to a change in said inventory.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1,

including a manually operable portion through which a person can interact with said system;

and

wherein said system is responsive to information in said local inventor for selectively applying one of two different security levels that respectively restrict use of said manually operable portion in different ways.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said manually operable portion includes a handheld unit that can communicate with said system through wireless signals.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein said carrier includes a container with an interior;

and

wherein said manually operable portion includes a manually operable control panel that is located within said interior of said container.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said carrier includes a container with an interior;

including an environmental control portion that is provided on said carrier and that can influence an environmental condition within said interior of said container;

including a sensor that is responsive to said environmental condition; and

wherein said system controls said environmental control portion as a function of information in said local inventory and as a function of an output of said sensor.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said sensor is responsive to said environmental condition at a location within said interior of said container.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said sensor is responsive to said environmental condition at a location external to said container.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said system stores data that defines respective acceptable limits of said environmental condition for respective different inventory items, and causes said environmental control portion to control said environmental condition as a function of one of said limits selected as a function of said local inventory.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said system includes a wireless communication portion that can transmit to a location remote from said carrier and said system a wireless communication containing information relating to said environmental condition being past said selected limit.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, including a manually operable portion through which a person can interact with said system and selectively change said data therein.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13,

wherein said manually operable portion includes one of:

a handheld unit that can communicate with said system through wireless signals; and

a manually operable control panel that is located within said interior of said container.

15. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said environmental condition is one of temperature, pressure, and humidity.

16. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said system stores data identifying respective maximum periods of time that respective items can remain in said carrier, and is responsive to said local inventory for determining whether any item remains in said carrier for longer than its respective maximum period of time.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said system maintains a log identifying each determination by said system that an item has been in said carrier for longer than its respective maximum period of time.

18. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said system includes a wireless communication portion that can transmit to a location remote from said carrier and said system a wireless communication containing information reflecting a determination by said system that an item has been in said carrier for longer than its respective maximum period of time.

19. An apparatus according to claim 1,

including a plurality of items that are carried by said carrier;

and

a plurality of tags that are each disposed on a respective said item and that each transmit wireless signals to said system.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a carrier having a container with an interior, and adapted to carry a plurality of items within said interior;

a sensor disposed externally of said container for detecting a condition that can be related to an environment within said container; and

a system supported on said carrier and responsive to an output of said sensor, said system handling information from said sensor in a manner facilitating an evaluation of the likelihood that a problem exists within said container.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said system carries out, as a function of said output of said sensor, said evaluation of the likelihood that a problem exists within said container.

22. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said sensor is responsive to one of radiation, a hazardous gas, moisture, temperature, pressure, and humidity.

23. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said system includes a wireless communication portion that can transmit to a location remote from said carrier and said system a wireless communication containing information that is a function of the output of said sensor.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a carrier adapted to carry a plurality of items; and

a system that is supported on said carrier, that stores information representing an intended route for said carrier, and that is responsive to wireless signals received from a remote location for determining a current location of said carrier and for evaluating whether said carrier is proceeding along said intended route.

25. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said system maintains a log identifying detected inconsistencies between an actual route of said carrier and said intended route.

26. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said system includes a wireless communication portion that can transmit to a location remote from said carrier and said system a wireless communication containing information representing detected inconsistencies between an actual route of said carrier and said intended route.

27. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said stored information further includes a timetable for proceeding along said intended route, said system further evaluating whether said carrier is proceeding along said intended route according to said timetable.

28. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said system maintains a log identifying detected inconsistencies between said timetable and actual progress of said carrier along said intended route.

29. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said system includes a wireless communication portion that can transmit to a location remote from said carrier and said system a wireless communication containing information representing detected inconsistencies between said timetable and actual progress of said carrier along said intended route.

30. A method comprising:

providing a carrier;

supporting on said carrier a plurality of items;

receiving wireless signals transmitted by tags on said items carried by said carrier; and

maintaining a local inventory of items carried by said carrier.

31. A method according to claim 30, including detecting a change in said inventory in response to wireless signals transmitted by tags on items carried by said carrier.

32. A method according to claim 31, including maintaining a log identifying changes detected in said inventory and identifying when each such change was detected.

33. A method according to claim 31, including transmitting to a location remote from said carrier a wireless communication containing information relating to a change in said inventory.

34. A method according to claim 30, including:

providing a manually operable portion through which a person can interact with said system; and

responding to information in said local inventory by selectively implementing one of two different security levels that respectively restrict use of said manually operable portion in different ways.

35. A method according to claim 30, including:

configuring said carrier to include a container with an interior;

providing an environmental control portion that can influence an environmental condition within said interior of said container;

providing a sensor that is responsive to said environmental condition; and

controlling said environmental control portion as a function of information in said local inventory and as a function of an output of said sensor.

36. A method according to claim 35, including positioning said sensor so that said sensor is responsive to said environmental condition at a location within said interior of said container.

37. A method according to claim 35, including positioning said sensor so that said sensor is responsive to said environmental condition at a location external to said container.

38. A method according to claim 35, including:

storing data that defines respective acceptable limits of said environmental condition for respective different inventory items; and

causing said environmental control portion to control said environmental condition as a function of one of said limits selected as a function of said local inventory.

39. A method according to claim 38, including transmitting to a location remote from said carrier a wireless communication containing information relating to said environmental condition being past said selected limit.

40. A method according to claim 38, including selecting one of temperature, pressure, and humidity as said environmental condition.

41. A method according to claim 30, including:

storing data identifying respective maximum periods of time that respective items can remain in said carrier, and

using said local inventory to determine whether any item remains in said carrier for longer than its respective maximum period of time.

42. A method according to claim 41, including maintaining a log identifying each determination by said system that an item has been in said carrier for longer than its respective maximum period of time.

43. A method according to claim 41, including transmitting to a location remote from said carrier a wireless communication containing information reflecting a determination by said system that an item has been in said carrier for longer than its respective maximum period of time.

44. A method comprising:

providing a carrier having a container with an interior, said container being adapted to carry a plurality of items within said interior;

detecting with a sensor at a location external to said container a condition that can be related to an environment within said container; and

handling information from said sensor in a manner facilitating an evaluation of the likelihood that a problem exists within said container.

45. A method according to claim 44, including carrying out, as a function of said output of said sensor, said evaluation of the likelihood that a problem exists within said container.

46. A method according to claim 44, including selecting said sensor to be responsive to one of radiation, moisture, temperature, pressure, humidity, and a hazardous gas.

47. A method according to claim 44, including transmitting to a location remote from said carrier a wireless communication containing information that is a function of the output of said sensor.

48. A method comprising:

providing a carrier adapted to carry a plurality of items;

storing in a system on said carrier information representing an intended route for said carrier;

responding to wireless signals received from a remote location by determining a current location of said carrier; and

evaluating whether said carrier is proceeding along said intended route.

49. A method according to claim 48, including maintaining a log identifying detected inconsistencies between an actual route of said carrier and said intended route.

50. A method according to claim 48, including transmitting to a location remote from said carrier a wireless communication containing information representing detected inconsistencies between an actual route of said carrier and said intended route.

51. A method according to claim 48, including:

configuring said stored information to include a timetable for proceeding along said intended route; and

evaluating whether said carrier is proceeding along said intended route according to said timetable.

52. A method according to claim 51, including maintaining a log identifying detected inconsistencies between said timetable and actual progress of said carrier along said intended route.

53. A method according to claim 51, including transmitting to a location remote from said carrier a wireless communication containing information representing detected inconsistencies between said timetable and actual progress of said carrier along said intended route.