Container unit, mesh network, and system reporting container events

• US 20080056191A1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Niklas Sohlberg, Ove Ohlstrom, Stephen Lowe, Tom Sarpaneva, Traxer, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: CargoTrax Oy
• Inventors: HEINONEN, Tero, NORONEN, Pauli
• Granted Patent: US 7,529,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/30 Transportation; Communications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

The invention enables a reliable end-to-end monitoring system by means of which the location of containers and other conditions related to the containers can be continuously or almost continuously monitored. The containers are equipped with such container units that are capable to co-operate with each other, which is especially needed in challenging radio environments. The co-operation of the container units is based on mesh network algorithms. Each container unit placed in a container includes a short range radio and a cellular network radio. Thus, the container unit is able to connect to two different types of communication networks. In addition, each container unit uses a certain connection set-up logic. When a set-up attempt results in a connection, the container transmits its message through the connection. The invention comprises the container unit, a mesh network composed of container units, and a system reporting container events.

Claims

1. A container unit for handling a message in response to an event, the container unit being placed in a container,

the container unit comprising:

a cellular network radio, a short range radio, a satellite locator, a power source, a memory, and a connection set-up logic stored in the memory;

the container unit being adapted to

store the message in the memory;

on the basis of the connection set-up logic, perform the following connection set-up attempts;

a) a connection through the short range radio system directly to a gateway unit providing a transmission path for the message,

b) a connection through the short range radio system to the gateway unit via at least one other container unit which is placed in a different container;

c) a connection through the cellular network radio to a cellular network providing an alternative transmission path for the message, and

d) a connection through the short range radio system directly or via one ore more other container units to such container unit which is located on the service area of the cellular network;

and transmit the message when at least one of the connection set-up attempts results in an available connection or abandon the message when the message expires.

2. The container unit as in claim 1, wherein the connection set-up logic defines in which order the connection set-up attempts are performed.

3. The container unit as in claim 2, wherein the order is:

a), b), c), and d).

4. The container unit as in claim 1, wherein the connection set-up logic defines criteria for the order, the criteria selected from a list consisting of costs, latency, throughput, energy consumption from the power source which are related to use of the transmission path use of the alternative transmission path, and any combination thereof.

5. The container unit as in claim 1, wherein the short range radio operates on at least one of the industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) bands.

6. The container unit as in claim 1, wherein the cellular network radio operates in at least one of the following networks:

a TDMA (time division multiple access), a GSM (global system for mobile communications) network, a CDMA (code division multiple access) network, a FDMA (frequency division multiple access) network, a UMTS (universal mobile telecommunications system) network.

7. The container unit as in claim 1, wherein the satellite locator operates in one of the following positioning systems:

GPS (global positioning system), EGNOS (european geostationary navigation overlay service), GLONASS (globalnaja navigatsionnaja sputnikovaja sistema), Galileo.

8. The container unit as in claim 1, wherein the transmission path includes a satellite link.

9. The container unit as in claim 1, wherein the container unit is adapted to receive signals from at least one sensor sensing conditions in the container in which the container unit is placed.

10. The container unit as in claim 1, wherein the message includes data related to a container from which the message is originated.

11. The container unit as in claim 7, wherein the data is composed of at least one of the following data items:

an identifier of the container from which the message is originated, a current location of the container, an identifier of the event, details related to the event, and time of the event.

12. The container unit as in claim 1, wherein the message is encrypted before transmitting.

14. The mesh network as in claim 13, wherein the message of claim 1 is from any container unit of the mesh network.

13. A mesh network composed of container units placed in different containers,

each container unit of the mesh network comprising a cellular network radio, a short range radio, a satellite locator, a power source, a memory, and a connection set-up logic stored in the memory,

and being adapted to

store the message in the memory and

on the basis of the connection set-up logic, perform the following connection set-up attempts:

a) a connection through the short range radio system directly to a gateway unit providing a transmission path for the message,

b) a connection through the short range radio system to the gateway unit via at least one other container unit of the mesh network;

c) a connection through the cellular network radio to a cellular network providing an alternative transmission path for the message, and

d) a connection through the short range radio system directly or via one or more container units of the mesh network to such container unit of the mesh network which is located on the service area of the cellular network;

and transmit the message when at least one of the connection set-up attempts results in an available connection or abandon the message when the message expires.

15. A system for reporting events related to a plurality of container units,

each container unit comprising:

a cellular network radio, a short range radio, a satellite locator, a power source, a memory, and a connection set-up logic stored in the memory,

the container unit being adapted to

store the message in the memory;

on the basis of the connection set-up logic, perform the following connection set-up attempts;

e) a connection through the short range radio system directly to a gateway unit providing a transmission path for the message,

f) a connection through the short range radio system to the gateway unit via at least one other container unit which is placed in a different container;

g) a connection through the cellular network radio to a cellular network providing an alternative transmission path for the message, and

h) a connection through the short range radio system directly or via one ore more other container units to such container unit which is located on the service area of the cellular network;

and transmit the message when at least one of the connection set-up attempts results in an available connection or abandon the message when the message expires;

the system being adapted to

receive messages from the plurality of container units, and

produce reports on the basis of the received messages.

16. The system as in claim 15, wherein the system further comprises a server.

17. The system as in claim 15, wherein the system further comprises a user interface through which the reports are readable.

18. The system as in claim 15, wherein the system makes one report per each received message.

19. The system as in claim 15, wherein the system makes one report on the basis of a number of received message.

20. The system as in claim 15, wherein before sending the reports the system compresses the reports reducing the number of bits of to be sent.

21. The system as in claim 15, wherein the reports are encrypted before sending.

22. The system as in claim 15, wherein the plurality of container units includes at least one mesh network.

23. The system as in claim 22, wherein the system further comprises communication means by which the system is able to communicate with the at least one mesh network.

24. The system as in claim 23, wherein the communication means comprises gateway units.

25. The system as in claim 24, wherein the gateway units adds their identifiers to the messages originated from the plurality of container units.

26. The system as in claim 25, wherein the system adds the identifiers of the gateway units and a system identifier to the reports in order to enable a recipient of the reports to perform actions on the basis of the reports.

27. The system as in claim 22, wherein the system is implemented in one of the following places:

a container handling area, a harbour, a warehouse, a ship.

28. The system as in claim 22, wherein the system further comprises a satellite modem.

29. The system as in claim 15, wherein the received messages are short messages which the plurality of container units has sent through their cellular network radios.

30. The system as in claim 15, wherein the system further comprises an Internet modem.