KEYHOLE COMMUNICATION DEVICE FOR TRACKING AND MONITORING SHIPPING CONTAINER AND CONTENTS THEREOF

• US 20070268134A1
• Filed: 08/02/2007
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TeraHop Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Twitchell, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,378,958 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/568.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A shipping container that facilitates communications between wireless communication devices within the shipping container and an external network includes a keyhole communication device that is adapted for wireless communications with the external network and that includes first and second housing components. The first and second housing components together form an integrated housing structure that extends through a small opening in a wall of the shipping container, with the first housing component being disposed exterior to the shipping container and the second housing component being disposed interior to the shipping container. A first antenna is disposed within the first housing component for communications via a first communications protocol, such as a Bluetooth protocol. A second antenna also may be disposed within the first housing component for communications via a second communications protocol, such as a cellular communications protocol. The communications are controlled by electronic circuitry within the second housing component.

Claims

1. A method of attaching a wireless communication device to a shipping container, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a wireless communication device, adapted for wireless external communication, that includes a first housing component and a second housing component, the first housing component containing an antenna;

(b) positioning the first housing component exterior to the shipping container;

(c) positioning the second housing component interior to the shipping container; and

(d) securing the first housing component and the second housing component together.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (d) includes securing the first and second housing components together through an opening in a wall of the shipping container.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the wall comprises a top wall of the shipping container.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the wall comprises a bottom wall of the shipping container.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the wall comprises a wall of an access door of the shipping container.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising positioning a sealing ring on the wall of the shipping container for sealing of the opening in the wall of the shipping container, through which sealing ring at least one of the first and second housing components extends.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (b) of positioning the first housing component include positioning the first housing component such that an external configuration thereof conforms to an external surface configuration of the wall of the shipping container, and wherein said step (c) of positioning the second housing component include positioning the second housing component such that an external configuration thereof conforms to an internal surface configuration of the wall of the shipping container such that the first and second housing components are protected within corrugated-shaped recesses of the shipping container.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising a preliminary step of forming an opening in the wall of the shipping container through which the first and second housing components are secured together.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said preliminary step of forming the opening in the wall of the shipping container includes forming an opening having a diameter of between one-quarter and one full wavelength, inclusive, of radiofrequency waves used to communicate by the wireless communication device within a 2.4 GHz band.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second housing components include correspondingly threaded fittings that are adapted to be screwed together for securing of the first housing component and the second housing component together in said step (d).

11. The method of claim 1, wherein first electrical contacts located on the first housing component and second electrical contacts located on the second housing component are electrically connected to one another when the first housing component and the second housing component are secured together in said step (d).

12. A method of attaching a communication device to a shipping container, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a communication device, adapted for wireless communications, that includes a first housing component and a second housing component, the first housing component containing an antenna;

(b) mounting the first housing component on an exterior wall of a shipping container such that the first housing component is disposed substantially exterior to the shipping container; and

(c) mounting the second housing component on an interior wall of the shipping container such that the second housing component is disposed substantially interior to the shipping container;

(d) wherein the first and second housing components are located proximate one another on opposite surfaces of the wall of the shipping container.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first and second housing components are mounted to the wall by securing the first and second housing components together through an opening in the wall of the shipping container.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first housing component defines a first hollow interior, wherein the second housing component defines a second hollow interior, and wherein the first hollow interior is contiguous with the second hollow interior.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising a preliminary step of forming an opening in the wall of the shipping container through which the first and second housing components are secured together.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said preliminary step of forming the opening in the wall of the shipping container includes forming an opening having a diameter of between one-quarter and one full wavelength, inclusive, of radiofrequency waves used to communicate by the wireless communications device within a 2.4 GHz band.

17. A method of attaching a communication device to a shipping container, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a communication device, adapted for wireless communications, that includes a first housing component and a second housing component, the first housing component containing a first antenna and a second antenna, and the second housing component including circuitry for controlling transmissions and receptions of the first antenna and the second antenna;

(b) mounting the first housing component on an exterior of a wall of the shipping container; and

(c) mounting the second housing component on an interior of the wall of the shipping container proximate the first housing component.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising forming an opening in the wall of the shipping container through which the first and second housing components are secured together to form an integrated housing structure.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising a preliminary step of forming an opening in the wall of the shipping container through which the first and second housing components are secured together.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said preliminary step of forming the opening in the wall of the shipping container includes forming an opening having a diameter of between one-quarter and one full wavelength, inclusive, of radiofrequency waves used to communicate by the wireless communications device within a 2.4 GHz band.