GEOGRAPHIC SPECIFIC CONTROLLING OF A TRANSPORT REFRIGERATION SYSTEM

• US 20150338858A1
• Filed: 12/27/2013
• Published: 11/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Lattin, Robert Michael, Lucht, Erich Albert, Bates, Scott Robert
• Granted Patent: US 10,353,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00771 the input being a vehicle position or surrounding, e.g. GPS-based position or tunnel
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3232 particularly adapted for load transporting vehicles B60H1/3226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/20 Refrigerated goods vehicles air treatment of goods space B60H; air-conditioning means for freight cars, isothermic wagons B61D27/0027; superstructures for refrigerated goods vehicles B62D33/048
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/00 Control of temperature

Abstract

Systems and methods for automatically adjust control parameters of a TRS according to local, regional and/or federal regulations on emissions, noise and/or other requirements applicable to a particular location and/or time, are provided. When the TRS is operating within a predefined geographic region at a specific time, control parameters or an operation mode of the TRS can be automatically adjusted so that emission and/or noise from the TRS can be compliant with the regulations applicable to that predefined geographic region.

Claims

1. A method for automatically adjusting control parameters of a transport refrigeration system (TRS), the method comprising:

determining geographic data according to a real-time location and time information of the TRS;

determining, via a control unit of the TRS, a set of control parameters correlated to the geographic data; and

running, via the control unit, the TRS based on the set of control parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic data includes one or more of geographic region data and time data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the real-time location and time information of the TRS is obtained via a global positioning system (GPS).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein running the TRS includes running the TRS in a noise reduction mode.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising pre-setting, via the control unit, one or more operation modes of the TRS, and each of the operation modes corresponds to the respective set of the control parameters.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising running an emission-control mechanism based on the geographic data for reducing engine emission of the TRS.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein running the TRS with the set of control parameters is independent of an operator'"'"'s intervention.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising logging data including the geographic data, and the set of control parameters.

9. A transport refrigeration system (TRS) comprising:

a transport refrigeration unit (TRU) including a control unit;

a TRS genset including a power generator; and

a positioning device for sending real-time location and time information to the control unit,

wherein the control unit determines appropriate geographic data based on the real-time location and time information, and determines a set of control parameters correlated to the appropriate geographic data.

10. The TRS of claim 9, wherein the geographic data includes one or more of geographic region data and time data.

11. The TRS of claim 9, further comprising an emission-control mechanism for reducing engine emission of the TRS genset.

12. The TRS of claim 11, wherein the emission-control mechanism includes a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), and a diesel particulate filter (DPF).