SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR HANDLING DISCRETE SENSOR INFORMATION IN A TRANSPORT REFRIGERATION SYSTEM

• US 20130247594A1
• Filed: 03/21/2013
• Published: 09/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company (Schneider Electric SE), Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: SANDERS, Russell Lee, LEASURE, Mark Daniel, VITKUS, Kim, JOHNSON, Mark
• Application Number:
  US13/848,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20130247594A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/56
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00 Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices heating, cooling or ventilating devices providing other air treatment, the other treatment being relevant, B60H3/00; ventilating solely by opening windows, doors, roof parts, or the like B60J; heating or ventilating devices for vehicle seats B60N2/56; vehicle window or windscreen cleaners using air, e.g. defrosters, B60S1/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00014 for load cargos on load transporting vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/07 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/003 for movable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/02 Power saving arrangements in wired systems H04L12/12; signaling of mobile application services, e.g. low battery notifications H04W4/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for handling discrete sensor information in a transport refrigeration system are provided. In one embodiment, a wireless control system for a transport refrigeration system is provided. The wireless control system includes two or more wireless end nodes and a network coordinator. Each of the wireless end nodes is configured to monitor a property of the transport refrigeration system. The network coordinator is configured to manage, command, direct and regulate the behavior of the wireless end nodes. Also, the network coordinator includes a sensor to zone coordinator that is configured to combine sensor data received by the two or more wireless end nodes to control a single transport refrigeration system function of the transport refrigeration system.

Claims

1. A wireless control system for a transport refrigeration system of a reefer comprising:

two or more wireless end nodes, each of the two or more wireless end nodes configured to monitor a property of the transport refrigeration system;

a network coordinator configured to manage, command, direct and regulate the behavior of the two or more wireless end nodes,

wherein each of the two or more wireless end nodes are configured to send sensor data to the network coordinator, and

wherein the wherein the network coordinator includes a sensor to zone coordinator that is configured to combine sensor data received by the two or more wireless end nodes to control a transport refrigeration system function of the transport refrigeration system.

2. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein each of the two or more wireless end nodes is one of a door sensor, an air space temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a cargo temperature sensor and a fuel tank level sensor.

3. The wireless control system of claim 1, further comprising one or more wired sensor modules configured to monitor a property of the transport refrigeration system and to transmit and receive information with the network coordinator.

4. The wireless control system of claim 3, wherein each of the one or more wired sensor modules is one of a door sensor, an air space temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a cargo temperature sensor and a fuel tank level sensor.

5. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein the network coordinator communicates with the two or more wireless end nodes via a Zigbee communication protocol.

6. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein the transport refrigeration system function includes at least one of turning on lights in an internal space of the reefer, logging an event through telematics, and controlling refrigeration to a particular zone of the reefer.

7. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein the sensor to zone coordinator is a door to zone coordinator.

8. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein the reefer is a multi-zone reefer including two or more zones and the sensor to zone coordinator is configured to control the transport refrigeration system function of the transport refrigeration system for one of the two or more zones based on data received from the two or more wireless end nodes.

9. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein the reefer is a single zone reefer and the sensor to zone coordinator is configured to control the transport refrigeration system function of the transport refrigeration system based on data received from the two or more wireless end nodes.

10. The wireless communication system of claim 1, further comprising a transport refrigeration system control unit connected to the network coordinator, wherein the sensor to zone coordinator is configured to generate coordination data based on the combined sensor data received by the two or more wireless end nodes, and wherein the transport refrigeration system control unit is configured receive the coordination data from the sensor to zone coordinator and configured to control the transport refrigeration system function of the transport refrigeration system based on the coordination data.

11. The wireless communication system of claim 3, wherein a first wireless end node of the two or more wireless end nodes is a door sensor for a door of the reefer, the wired sensor modules is a door sensor for the door of the reefer, wherein when the first wireless end node and the wired sensor module detect that the door of the reefer is closed, the sensor to zone coordinator generates coordination data to instruct a transport refrigeration system control unit to turn on an evaporator of the reefer.

12. A method for handling discrete sensor information in a transport refrigeration system of a reefer comprising:

receiving a first sensor message from a first wireless end node configured to monitor a first portion of the transport refrigeration system;

receiving a second sensor message from a second wireless end node configured to monitor a second portion of the transport refrigeration system;

a network coordinator of the wireless communication system combining the first sensor message and the second sensor message and generating a coordination message;

controlling a transport refrigeration system function of the transport refrigeration system based on the coordination message.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the first wireless end node and the second wireless end node is one of a door sensor, an air space temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a cargo temperature sensor and a fuel tank level sensor.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving a wired sensor message from a wired sensor module configured to monitor a property of the transport refrigeration system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the wired sensor module is one of a door sensor, an air space temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a cargo temperature sensor and a fuel tank level sensor.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the network coordinator communicating with the first wireless end node and the second wireless end node via a Zigbee communication protocol.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the transport refrigeration system function includes at least one of turning on lights in an internal space of the reefer, logging an event through telematics, and controlling refrigeration to a particular zone of the reefer.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

when the reefer is a multi-zone reefer, the sensor to zone coordinator controlling the transport refrigeration system function for one two or more zones of the reefer based on the coordination message.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

when the reefer is a single zone reefer, the sensor to zone coordinator controlling the transport refrigeration system function of the transport refrigeration system based on the coordination message.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

sending the coordination message to a transport refrigeration system control unit; and

controlling, via the transport refrigeration system control unit, the transport refrigeration system function of the transport refrigeration system based on the coordination message.