UNDERDECK CARRIER SYSTEM FOR MOBILE CONTAINERS FOR SEGREGATING PRODUCT TYPES IN COMMON SHIPMENT
First Claim
1. A container for shipping cargo, the container capable of being shipped within an under-deck locker secured to an under-side of a truck cargo compartment and having a lockable fold-down door for allowing the container to be inserted within and removed from the locker, the container comprising:
- side and bottom walls forming a unitary container body and an internal space for receiving the cargo;
an openable lid hinged to the container body for engaging tops of the side walls;
means for locking the lid to the container body for preventing the lid from opening; and
,an electronics module disposed within the container, the module having a controller, a battery supply unit connected to and supplying power to the controller, an RF transceiver unit in communication with the controller for transmitting and receiving communication signals to and from a remote communications device, and an RFID reader in communication with the controller for receiving RFID information from an RFID tag associated with cargo which has been received within the container.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A transportation system for secure, auditable and trackable smart mobile containers (SMC) for securely shipping less than truckload volumes of products that require special handing segregation as controlled products, such as ethical drugs, along with general, non-controlled merchandise. Dedicated semi-trailer lockers are secured under the deck I-beam framing, including lockable fold-down doors that become ramps for loading/unloading. The lockers are mounted back to back along the center line of the trailer under-deck. Each SMC includes a electronics package that can read RFID tags, has condition sensors and an RF module to permit remote monitoring of location and cargo/container conditions. The SMC can include an electronic lock that provides access security, and an audit trail of all opening and closing events.
-
Citations
80 Claims
-
1. A container for shipping cargo, the container capable of being shipped within an under-deck locker secured to an under-side of a truck cargo compartment and having a lockable fold-down door for allowing the container to be inserted within and removed from the locker, the container comprising:
-
side and bottom walls forming a unitary container body and an internal space for receiving the cargo; an openable lid hinged to the container body for engaging tops of the side walls; means for locking the lid to the container body for preventing the lid from opening; and
,an electronics module disposed within the container, the module having a controller, a battery supply unit connected to and supplying power to the controller, an RF transceiver unit in communication with the controller for transmitting and receiving communication signals to and from a remote communications device, and an RFID reader in communication with the controller for receiving RFID information from an RFID tag associated with cargo which has been received within the container. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 24, 25, 26, 37, 40, 42, 43, 44, 45)
-
-
2. (canceled)
-
3. (canceled)
-
4. (canceled)
-
5. (canceled)
-
6. (canceled)
-
7. (canceled)
-
8. (canceled)
-
9. (canceled)
-
10. (canceled)
-
17. (canceled)
-
18. (canceled)
-
19. (canceled)
-
20. (canceled)
-
21. (canceled)
-
22. (canceled)
-
27. (canceled)
-
28. (canceled)
-
29. (canceled)
-
30. (canceled)
-
31. (canceled)
-
32. (canceled)
-
33. (canceled)
-
34. (canceled)
-
35. (canceled)
-
36. (canceled)
-
38. (canceled)
-
39. (canceled)
-
41. (canceled)
-
46. (canceled)
-
47. (canceled)
-
48. (canceled)
-
49. (canceled)
-
50. (canceled)
-
51. (canceled)
-
52. (canceled)
-
53. (canceled)
-
54. (canceled)
-
55. (canceled)
-
56. (canceled)
-
57. (canceled)
-
58. (canceled)
-
59. A method of shipping cargo in a container capable of shipment within an under-deck locker secured to an under-side of a truck cargo compartment, the locker having a lockable fold-down door for allowing the container to be inserted within and removed from the locker, the container having side and bottom walls forming a unitary container body and an internal space for receiving the cargo;
- an openable lid hinged to the container body for engaging tops of the side walls;
means for locking the lid to the container body for preventing the lid from opening; and
, an electronics module disposed within the container, the module having a controller, a battery supply unit connected to and supplying power to the controller, an RF transceiver unit in communication with the controller, and an RFID reader in communication with the controller, the method comprising the steps of;receiving RFID information from an RFID tag associated with the cargo which has been received within the container; and
,transmitting and receiving communication signals to and from a remote communications device. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
- an openable lid hinged to the container body for engaging tops of the side walls;
-
74. A method of tracking actions associated with a container having side and bottom walls forming a unitary container body and an internal space for receiving the cargo;
- an openable lid hinged to the container body for engaging tops of the side walls;
means for locking the lid to the container body for preventing the lid from opening; and
, an electronics module disposed within the container, the module having a controller, a battery supply unit connected to and supplying power to the controller, an RF transceiver unit in communication with the controller, and an RFID reader in communication with the controller, the method comprising the step of;receiving load/unload cargo information from the controller within the container at a central computer system having a central tracking application for tracking actions associated with the container. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
- an openable lid hinged to the container body for engaging tops of the side walls;
Specification