Cargo Container Monitoring Device

• US 20080231459A1
• Filed: 05/30/2008
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ContainerTrac, Inc. (Lanco International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ContainerTrac, Inc. (Lanco International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Corder, Rodney
• Application Number:
  US12/131,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20080231459A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 11/00 Arrangements, systems or apparatus for checking, e.g. the occurrence of a condition, not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a cargo container monitoring system includes components located on a cargo ship for collecting cargo container status information for a plurality of cargo containers. The components include at least one combination data logger and gateway device. The combination device includes a first antenna and a second antenna. The first antenna is configured to receive first wireless communications signals transmitted by a plurality of tags at a first frequency. Each tag is associated with a particular one of the cargo containers and the first wireless communications signals received from each tag include cargo container status information for the associated cargo container. The second antenna is configured to transmit second wireless communications signals to an access point at a second frequency. The second wireless communications signals include the cargo container status information received from the plurality of tags and the first frequency is different from the second frequency.

Claims

1. A cargo container monitoring system, comprising components located on a cargo ship for collecting cargo container status information for a plurality of cargo containers, the components comprising:

a. at least one combination data logger and gateway device, the combination device comprising;

b. a first antenna configured to receive first wireless communications signals transmitted by a plurality of tags at a first frequency, each tag being associated with a particular one of the cargo containers, the first wireless communications signals received from each tag including cargo container status information for the associated cargo container; and

c. a second antenna configured to transmit second wireless communications signals to an access point at a second frequency, the second wireless communications signals including the cargo container status information received from the plurality of tags;

wherein the first frequency is different from the second frequency.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the combination data logger and gateway device further comprises a case; and

the first antenna and the second antenna are disposed within the case.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the components further comprise:

a. a third antenna configured to transmit communications signals to an orbiting satellite; and

b. a tracking and stability device configured to enable the third antenna to maintain proper alignment with the orbiting satellite.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the third antenna is configured to transmit communications signals to an orbiting satellite at any frequency within the range of satellite frequencies available to a ship-owner.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the combination data logger and gateway device is configured to:

a. poll a tag by transmitting a request to the tag and receiving communications signals generated and transmitted by the tag in response to the tag receiving the request; and

b. receive communications signals generated and transmitted by a tag in response to the tag detecting a triggering event.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the triggering event comprises at least one of the following events:

a. a breach in a cargo container;

b. a temperature measurement being outside of an established range;

c. a detection of the presence of a particular chemical; and

d. a radioactivity measurement being above an established limit.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first frequency is in the UHF band.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first frequency is approximately 915 MHz.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the second frequency is approximately 2.4 GHz.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first antenna is further configured to transmit third wireless communications signals to the plurality of tags at the first frequency.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the combination data logger and gateway device further comprises:

a. a first connector configured to couple to a power source; and

b. a second connector configured to couple to a second device to communicatively couple to the second device and to provide power to the second device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the cargo container status information comprises:

a. at least one selected from the group comprising a tag identifier and a cargo container identifier; and

b. at least one selected from the group comprising an indication of a temperature measurement, an indication of the presence of a particular chemical, an indication of whether the cargo container has been breached, and an indication of a radioactivity measurement.

13. A cargo container monitoring device for collecting cargo container status information for a plurality of cargo containers aboard a cargo ship, comprising:

a. a first antenna configured to receive first wireless communications signals transmitted by a plurality of tags at a first frequency, each tag being associated with a particular one of the cargo containers, the first wireless communications signals received from each tag including cargo container status information for the associated cargo container;

b. a memory configured to store the cargo container status information received from the plurality of tags;

c. a second antenna configured to transmit second wireless communications signals to an access point at a second frequency, the second wireless communications signals including the cargo container status information received from the plurality of tags; and

d. a processor configured to control the operation of the device;

wherein the first frequency is different from the second frequency.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the first frequency is in the UHF band.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the first frequency is approximately 915 MHz.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the second frequency is approximately 2.4 GHz

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the first antenna is further configured to transmit third wireless communications signals to the plurality of tags at the first frequency.

18. The device of claim 13, further comprising:

a. a first connector configured to couple to a power source; and

b. a second connector configured to couple to a second cargo container monitoring device to communicatively couple to the second device and to provide power to the second device.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein the cargo container status information comprises:

a. at least one selected from the group comprising a tag identifier and a cargo container identifier; and

b. at least one selected from the group comprising an indication of a temperature measurement, an indication of the presence of a particular chemical, an indication of whether the cargo container has been breached, and an indication of a radioactivity measurement.

20. A method for monitoring a plurality of cargo containers, comprising:

a. receiving at a terminal, cargo container status information for a plurality of cargo containers aboard a cargo ship, the cargo container status information having been collected by a combination data logger and gateway device, the combination device comprising;

i. a first antenna configured to receive first wireless communications signals transmitted by a plurality of tags at a first frequency, each tag being associated with a particular one of the plurality of cargo containers, the first wireless communications signals received from each tag including cargo container status information for the associated cargo container; and

ii. a second antenna configured to transmit second wireless communications signals to an access point at a second frequency, the second wireless communications signals including the cargo container status information received from the plurality of tags;

 

wherein the first frequency is different from the second frequency; and

b. displaying at the terminal, a graphical user interface including at least a portion of the cargo container status information for the plurality of cargo containers aboard the cargo ship.