System for sending information of container and system for tracing container comprising the same

• US 20070132547A1
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 2-Track Ltd. (2-Track Global, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: 2-Track Ltd. (2-Track Global, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jung, Woosun
• Application Number:
  US10/579,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20070132547A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.600
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2211/00 Anti-theft means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels

Abstract

It is necessary to minimize the costs needed to establish a physical distribution tracking system in order to maximally reduce the physical distribution costs leading to the increase in product costs when establishing the physical distribution tracking system for confirming container information in real time including information on a position and sealing state of a container. According to the present invention for achieving the aforementioned object, a system for sending container information including information on a position and sealing state of a container comprises (1) an electronic seal device which is provided to the container and includes a radio frequency communication module, (2) a container information transceiver which is disposed to the container, includes a radio frequency communication module, and receives the information on the sealing state of the container from the electronic seal device through the radio frequency communication module, (3) a relay which is arranged in a container yard where containers are collected or on a transportation means that carries the containers, and includes a radio frequency communication module capable of communicating with the container information transceiver and a satellite communication module capable of performing a satellite communication, and (4) a positional information acquisition means which is mounted to at least one of the container information transceiver and the relay and can acquire the positional information of the container.

Claims

1. A system for sending container information including information on a position and sealing state of a container, comprising:

an electronic seal device provided in the container and including a radio frequency communication module, and

a relay disposed in a container yard where containers are collected or on a transportation means that carries the containers, said relay including a radio frequency communication module capable of communicating with the electronic seal device, a positional information acquisition means capable of acquiring the positional information of the container, and a satellite communication module capable of performing a satellite communication.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the electronic seal device transmits the container information to another electronic seal device located within a communication radius of the radio frequency communication module of the electronic seal device when the electronic seal device fails to communicate with the relay.

8. The system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the relay is arranged in at least one of a vehicle, a train, an airplane and a container yard.

2. A system for sending container information including information on a position and sealing state of a container, comprising:

an electronic seal device provided to the container and including a radio frequency communication module;

a container information transceiver mounted to the container and including a radio frequency communication module and a condition information acquisition module for acquiring condition information of the container;

a relay disposed in a container yard where containers are collected or on a transportation means that carries the containers, said relay including a radio frequency communication module capable of communicating with the electronic seal device and the container state information transceiver and a satellite communication module capable of performing a satellite communication; and

a positional information acquisition means capable of acquiring the positional information of the container.

4. The system as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the container information transceiver further comprises the satellite communication module capable of performing the satellite communication.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the container information transceiver sends the positional and condition information of the container to the satellite when the container information transceiver fails to communicate with the relay.

3. A system for sending container information including information on a position and sealing state of a container, comprising:

an electronic seal device provided to the container and including a radio frequency communication module;

a container information transceiver mounted to the container, said container information transceiver including a condition information acquisition module for acquiring condition information of the container and a radio frequency communication module capable of performing a radio frequency communicating with the electronic seal device;

a relay disposed in a container yard where containers are collected or on a transportation means that carries the containers, said relay including a radio frequency communication module capable of communicating with the container state information transceiver and a satellite communication module capable of performing a satellite communication; and

a positional information acquisition means mounted to at least one of the container information transceiver and the relay to be able to acquire the positional information of the container.

7. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the container information transceiver transmits the container information to another container information transceiver located within a communication radius of the radio frequency communication module of the container information transceiver when the container information transceiver fails to communicate with the relay.

9. A container tracking system for tracking container information including information on a position and sealing state of a container, comprising:

an electronic seal device provided to the container and including a radio frequency communication module;

a relay disposed in a container yard where containers are collected or on a transportation means that carries the containers, said relay including a radio frequency communication module capable of communicating with the electronic seal device, a satellite communication module for performing a satellite communication and a positional information acquisition means capable of acquiring the positional information of the container, and

a control center including a base station communication unit for receiving the container information transmitted through a satellite from a base station capable of performing a satellite communication with the satellite, an information processing unit for processing the received container information, a client communication unit for communicating with a client terminal, and an information transmitting/receiving unit for sending the container information to the client terminal with the request from the client terminal for confirming the container information,

wherein the electronic seal device transmits the information on the sealing state of the container to the relay, the relay sends the container information, including the information on the position and sealing state of the container, via the satellite communication module to the satellite and then to the base station, and the control center sends the container information to the client terminal with the request of the client terminal.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a seal scanner which includes a radio frequency communication module communicating with the electronic seal device and stores management information including an identification number (ID) of the container and an identification number (ID) of the electronic seal device.