MONITORING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MONITORING THE STATUS OF A CARGO CONTAINER

• US 20090299520A1
• Filed: 05/03/2007
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dolivo, Francois Bernard, Hermann, Reto Joseph, Huscmann, Dirk, Binding, Carl
• Application Number:
  US12/302,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20090299520A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/213
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A monitoring device (10) attached to a cargo container, the monitoring device comprising a timer (28), a barometer (26), a controller (30), a positioning module (24) and a wireless communication module (32, 34, 36). The barometer (26) provides barometric pressure measurements at predetermined time intervals over a predetermined time window determined by the timer (28). The controller (30) processes the timed pressure measurements into a lift profile and then applies an algorithm to the lift profile to determine whether the cargo container has been loaded or unloaded onto or from a means of transport.

Claims

1. A monitoring device for a cargo container, the monitoring device comprising:

a timer;

a barometer for providing barometric pressure measurements at predetermined time intervals over a predetermined time window determined by the timer; and

a controller for processing the timed pressure measurements to determine whether a loading/unloading event has occurred.

2. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising

a positioning module for determining whether the monitoring device is in a loading/unloading zone where it is allowable for a loading/unloading event to occur.

3. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is designed to transform the timed pressure measurements into a lift profile and then apply an algorithm to the lift profile to determine whether a loading/unloading event has occurred.

4. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising

a wireless communication module for communicating monitoring device data with a backend server via the internet.

5. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the wireless communication module is a satellite transceiver, a cellular modem or a Wireless Personal Area Network module.

6. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an operational mode of the monitoring device is changed dependent upon whether a loading event or an unloading event has occurred.

7. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the operational mode is a loaded mode of operation thereby enabling the monitoring device to temporarily reduce monitoring activities.

8. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the operational mode is a loaded mode of operation thereby enabling the monitoring device to distribute functionality utilizing services of a means of transport onto which the cargo container is loaded.

9. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the monitoring device further comprises an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or other motion detector to obtain measurement data for calculation of the lift profile.

10. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the positioning module is a Global Positioning System module.

11. A method for monitoring a cargo container to determine whether a loading/unloading event occurs, the method comprising:

obtaining barometric pressure measurements at predetermined time intervals over a predetermined time window to obtain timed pressure measurements; and

processing the timed pressure measurements to determine whether a loading/unloading event has occurred.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising

providing location data to determine whether the cargo container is in a loading/unloading zone where it is allowable for a loading/unloading event to occur.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising

processing the timed pressure measurements into a lift profile and then applying an algorithm to the lift profile to determine whether a loading/unloading event has occurred.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

wirelessly communicating the loading/unloading event data obtained with a backend server via the internet.

15. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium embodying program instructions executable by at least one processor to perform a method for monitoring a cargo container to determine whether a loading/unloading event occurs, comprising steps of:

obtaining barometric pressure measurements at predetermined time intervals over a predetermined time window to obtain timed pressure measurements; and

processing the timed pressure measurements to determine whether a loading/unloading event has occurred.