Environment-controlled transport unit

• US 6,862,499 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2000
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Flanagan, Thomas A., Cretella, Joaquim Geraldo, Gast, Randal, Herrig, Doyle G., Rustad, Leslie D., Schmidt, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi, Jayprakash N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rapp, Chad
• Application Number:
  US09/659,500
• Time in Patent Office: 1,632 Days
• Field of Search: 700/299, 700/276, 700/292, 622/39, 236/44.R, 236/61, 236/91.C, 236/1.B, 236/1.C, 236/91.D, 702/175, 702/174
• US Class Current: 700/299
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/361 Interactive visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/003 for movable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 27/02 characterised by the use of electric means

Abstract

The invention is directed to regulating the conditioned space of an environment-controlled transport unit by identifying the product being conveyed as cargo in the conditioned space of a transport unit. A user can identify the cargo by selecting it from a menu of cargo identifiers. Once the cargo is identified, an environment control system retrieves from memory environment-control parameters as a function of the identified cargo, and regulates the environment of the conditioned space based upon the environment-control parameters.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a controller coupled to an environment-adjusting system;

providing a database communicatively connected to the controller;

receiving into the database a cargo identification;

retrieving from the database an environment-control parameter as a function of the identified cargo; and

regulating the environment-adjusting system with the controller to adjust an environment of a conditioned space of an environment-controlled transport unit based upon the environment-control parameter communicated from the database to the controller.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting to a user a menu of cargo options.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the menu of cargo options includes media representations.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment-control parameter is at least one of temperature set point, temperature range, time-out-of-range, optimum mode of operation, humidity, lighting conditions, atmospheric conditions and defrosting constraints.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting a user the option to set the parameter manually.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment-control parameter is a temperature set point.

7. An article comprising a computer-readable medium which stores computer-executable instructions for controlling an environment of a conditioned space in an environment-controlled transport unit for transporting cargo, the instructions causing a machine to:

receive into a database a cargo identification;

retrieve from the database an environment-control parameter as a function of the identified cargo; and

regulate an environment-adjusting system with a controller to adjust an environment of a conditioned space of an environment-controlled transport unit based upon the environment-control parameter communicated from the database to the controller.

8. The article of claim 7, the instructions further causing a machine to present to a user a menu of cargo options.

9. The article of claim 8, wherein the menu of cargo options includes media representations.

10. The article of claim 7, wherein the environment-control parameter is at least one of temperature set point, temperature range, time-out-of-range, optimum mode of operation, humidity, lighting conditions, atmospheric conditions and defrosting constraints.

11. The article of claim 7, the instructions further causing a machine to present a user an option to set the parameter manually.

12. The article of claim 7, wherein the environment-control parameter is a temperature set point.

13. An environment control system comprising:

an environment-adjusting system configured to adjust the environment of a conditioned space;

a controller coupled to the environment-adjusting system and configured to regulate the environment-adjusting system;

a database communicatively connected to the controller, wherein the database comprises a cargo identification and an environment-control parameter as a function of the cargo identification; and

an input device coupled to the controller;

wherein the controller is configured upon selection of a cargo identification by way of the input device to retrieve the environment-control parameter as a function of the cargo identification from the database and to regulate the environment-adjusting system based upon the environment-control parameter.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the input device includes at lease one of a keypad, a touch screen, a keyboard, a mouse and a personal computer.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising an output device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the output device includes at least one of a display screen, a touch screen, and a personal computer.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the output device is configured to display alphanumeric and graphic data.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising a sensor coupled to the controller.

19. The system of claim 13 further comprising an external communication interface.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the external communication interface is configured to establish a communication connection by radio frequency signal, infrared signal, satellite link or cellular telephone.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the database comprises a plurality of cargo identifications and a plurality of environment-control parameters as a function of each cargo identification in the database.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the environment-adjusting system includes at least one of a refrigeration system, humidifier, lighting system, dehumidifier, atmosphere regulator and venting system.

23. The system of claim 13 further comprising memory coupled to the controller, wherein the database resides in the memory.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the environment-control parameter is a temperature set point.

25. An environment-controlled transport unit comprising:

a container defining a conditioned space; and

an environment control system configured to receive into a database a cargo identification and to retrieve from the database an environment-control parameter as a function of the cargo identification;

wherein the environment control system is configured to regulate an environment adjusting system with a controller to adjust an environment of the conditioned space based upon the environment-control parameter communicated from the database to the controller.

26. The environment-controlled transport unit of claim 25, wherein the environment-control parameter is a temperature set point.