METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING STATUS REPORTING DEVICES FOR CONTAINER HANDLERS

• US 20120185081A1
• Filed: 01/20/2012
• Published: 07/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HKI Systems and Service LLC
• Original Assignee: Paceco Corporation (Tsuneishi Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Takehara, Toru, King, Henry S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,525,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/215
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 63/004 for containers
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/46 Position indicators for suspended loads or for crane elements
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/48 Automatic control of crane drives for producing a single or repeated working cycle; Programme control
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 19/002 Container cranes B66C19/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 19/007 for containers
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/065 non-masted mobile jacks of the garage type mounted on wheels or rollers B66F5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/24 Electrical devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

A mechanism and method for making status reporting devices for container handlers, including: providing a micro-controller module, and installing a program system into memory accessed by a computer directing the micro-controller module. The micro-controller module communicatively couples with means for wirelessly communicating and for sensing a state of the container handler. Means for wirelessly communicating may include means for wirelessly determining container handler location. The micro-controller module may be communicatively coupled to a separate means for determining location. An apparatus making the devices may include a second program system directing the invention'"'"'s method through a second computer, which may control an assembly device in creating the micro-controller, coupled with the means for sensing and for wirelessly communicating.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A status reporting apparatus for a container handler, comprising:

a micro-controller communicatively coupled to a wireless communication component, and communicatively coupled to a sensor component; and

a memory accessibly coupled to a computer directing the micro-controller, the memory having installed therein a program comprising executable program steps for using the sensor component to create a sensed state of the container handler, and for using the wireless communication component to communicate the sensed state;

wherein the container handler moves a container of at least twenty foot in length.

30. An apparatus for reporting the status of a container handler, comprising

a microcontroller controlled by a processor executing program instructions;

a sensing component coupled to the microcontroller and configured to sense a state of the container handler to create a sensed state of the container handler with respect to a characteristic of at least one of a container handler operator and a container manipulated by the container handler, wherein the characteristic of the container manipulated by the container handler comprises a location of the container relative to the container handler as derived from the sensed state of the container handler;

a wireless communication component coupled to the microcontroller and configured to transmit the sensed state of the container handle to a remote server, the wireless communication module using a serial wireless communications protocol and a wireless modulation-demodulation scheme; and

a memory coupled to the microcontroller and storing the program instructions to control the sensing component and the wireless communication component.