METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLED DISTRIBUTION OF PERISHABLE GOODS
First Claim
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1. A method for distributing perishable goods, said method comprising:
- loading perishable goods into one or more mobile storage containers at one or more originating locations, wherein each mobile container has a local control unit which controls at least one controlled condition within the mobile storage container based upon at least one local control parameter;
transporting each mobile storage container to a destination location;
providing one or more local control parameters for one or more controlled conditions from a remote central control station to each local control unit to change one or more controlled conditions within the mobile storage container while the mobile storage container is being transported.
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Abstract
A system for distributing perishable goods includes a remote central control station, a plurality of local control units, and a plurality of mobile storage containers. By wirelessly transmitting information between the remote central control system and local control units, controlled conditions within the associated mobile storage containers can be optimized to preserve the perishable goods within the containers during lengthy transport trips.
82 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method for distributing perishable goods, said method comprising:
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loading perishable goods into one or more mobile storage containers at one or more originating locations, wherein each mobile container has a local control unit which controls at least one controlled condition within the mobile storage container based upon at least one local control parameter; transporting each mobile storage container to a destination location; providing one or more local control parameters for one or more controlled conditions from a remote central control station to each local control unit to change one or more controlled conditions within the mobile storage container while the mobile storage container is being transported. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for distributing perishable goods in mobile storage containers, said system comprising:
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a remote central control station; and a plurality of local control units, each local control unit being configured to be mounted on an individual mobile storage container and to control at least one controlled condition within the mobile storage container based upon control parameters(s) received from the remote central control station; wherein control parameters from the remote central control station are provided to each of the local control units to control controlled conditions within the mobile storage containers, said control parameters being selected to respond to changes in external conditions or transport plans. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for configuring mobile storage containers on a transportation vehicle, said method comprising
providing a plurality of mobile storage containers at an originating location, wherein at least some of the mobile storage containers have local control units and at least some of the local control units are configured to control local control parameters which are different than the local control parameters controlled by others of the plurality of mobile storage containers; - and
providing information including an amount of a perishable commodity to be transported from said originating location to one or more destination locations to a remote central control station; wherein the remote central control station assigns portions of the perishable commodity to specific mobile storage containers based at least partly on an ability of the local control unit to preserve the perishable commodity during transportation from the originating location to the destination location. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for controlled ripening of a perishable commodity during transport in a mobile storage container, said method comprising:
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monitoring ambient conditions within the mobile storage container during transport from an originating location to a destination location; monitoring ripeness of the perishable commodity during transport form the originating location to the destination location; and adjusting ambient conditions within the mobile storage container so that the perishable commodity reaches a target level of ripeness when the mobile storage container reaches the destination location. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for cold treating perishable goods during transport from an originating location to a destination location, said method comprising
providing a required cold treatment protocol to a remote central control station; - and
monitoring temperature within a mobile storage container which holds the perishable goods during transport and transmitting the monitored temperature to the remote central control station; wherein the remote central control station compares the monitored temperature with the required cold treatment protocol and transmits a temperature control signal to a local control unit in the mobile transport container in order to maintain or adjust the temperature within the mobile transport container to complete the cold treatment protocol before the mobile transport container is unloaded at the destination location. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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38. A network for distributing perishable goods in a plurality of mobile storage containers carried by a multiplicity of transportation vehicles in real time, said network comprising
a remote central control station configured to receive data concerning perishable goods to be transported from originating locations to destination locations; -
a loading facility control station configured to transmit data to and receive data from the remote central control station; and a plurality of local control units, each local control unit being configured to be mounted on an individual mobile storage container and to control and monitor conditions within the storage container and being configured to transmit data to and receive data from the loading facility control station. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification