EMBEDDED SECURITY SYSTEM FOR ENVIRONMENT-CONTROLLED TRANSPORTATION CONTAINERS AND METHOD FOR DETECTING A SECURITY RISK FOR ENVIRONMENT-CONTROLLED TRANSPORTATION CONTAINERS

• US 20120306646A1
• Filed: 06/01/2011
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Tan, Eduardo S., Walker, Timothy Alan, Fink, Ulrich
• Granted Patent: US 9,007,205 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.16
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/30 Detection related to theft or to other events relevant to anti-theft systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/003 for movable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction

Abstract

An embedded security system for an environment-controlled trailer including a transportation refrigeration unit. The security system includes a plurality of sensors mounted to the trailer and a communication device embedded in the transportation refrigeration unit of the trailer, the communication device being configured to receive data from the plurality of sensors, and to send the received data to a controller being remote from the trailer. The controller is configured to monitor the security status of the trailer and to determine a security risk at the trailer based, at least in part, on the received data.

Claims

1. An embedded security system for an environment-controlled trailer including a transportation refrigeration unit, the security system comprising:

a plurality of sensors mounted to the trailer; and

a communication device embedded in the transportation refrigeration unit of the trailer, the communication device being configured to receive data from the plurality of sensors, and to send the received data to a controller being remote from the trailer,

wherein the controller is configured to monitor the security status of the trailer and to determine a security risk at the trailer based, at least in part, on the received data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is positioned at a remote logistics operations center.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication device further comprises a global positioning system (GPS) embedded in the communication device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the GPS determines a current location of the trailer and the communication device electronically communicates the current location of the trailer to the controller.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to determine a security risk at the trailer based, at least in part, on the received trailer location.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the communication device further comprises a communication circuit configured to send the received sensor data and trailer location to the controller.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one antenna embedded in the transportation refrigeration unit.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication device further comprises a power supply circuit configured to control the power supplied to the communication device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication device is powered by a starter battery of the transportation refrigeration unit and a backup battery embedded in the transportation refrigeration unit.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the communication device is configured to automatically switch to the backup battery when the starter battery is removed or disconnected.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors include door switch sensors that monitor the status of the trailer doors.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to compare the status of the trailer doors to instructions given to the driver or the location of the trailer.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors include at least one fuel level sensor that monitors the level of fuel supply to the transportation refrigeration unit.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication device is embedded inside a control box of the transportation refrigeration unit and is mounted to a controller of the transportation refrigeration unit.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises a printed circuit board attached to a main printed circuit board of the controller of the transportation refrigeration unit.

16. The system of claim 6, wherein the communication circuit utilizes at least one of cellular, satellite, WiFi, wireless personal area network, and radio frequency communication networks.

22. The method according to claim 8, wherein monitoring the received sensor data further includes monitoring a level of fuel supply to the transportation refrigeration unit.

17. A method for detecting a security risk at an environment-controlled trailer including a transportation refrigeration unit and a communication device removably coupled to a controller of the transportation refrigeration unit, the method comprising:

obtaining sensor data from a plurality of sensors mounted to the trailer and a current location of the trailer from a global positioning system (GPS);

receiving communication, including the sensor data and the current trailer location, from the plurality of sensors and from the GPS;

sending the sensor data and the current trailer location to a controller that is remote from the trailer; and

receiving a response from the controller, the response indicative of a security risk at the trailer.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising monitoring the received sensor data and current trailer location and determining a security risk at the trailer based, at least in part, on the received sensor data and current trailer location.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising powering the communication device by a starter battery of the transportation refrigeration unit and by a backup battery embedded in the transportation refrigeration unit.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising automatically switching the communication device to the backup battery when the starter battery is removed or disconnected.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein monitoring the received sensor data further includes comparing the status of the trailer doors to instructions given to the driver and to the location of the trailer.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein monitoring the current location of the trailer further includes comparing the current trailer location to instructions given to the driver or to a premeditated trailer route.

24. A security system for an environment-controlled container including an environment control unit, the security system comprising:

a plurality of sensors mounted to the container;

a communication device removably connected to a controller of the environment control unit, the communication device configured to receive sensor data from the plurality of sensors;

a global positioning system embedded in the communication device and configured to provide a current location of the container to the communication device;

a logistics operations center controller that is in electronic communication with the communication device and is configured to receive sensor data and the current location of the container from the communication device; and

a computer readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by the logistics operations center controller, cause the logistics operations center controller to

monitor the received sensor data and the location of the container, and

determine a security risk at the container based, at least in part, on the received data and trailer location.