Container tracking system
First Claim
1. A container tracking system, comprising:
- a dispatcher workstation for use at a shipping container storage yard, the dispatcher workstation comprising;
a database for storage of location information related to a plurality of shipping containers located throughout the shipping container storage yard;
a display for providing a graphical user interface representing a number of map locations of the plurality of shipping containers that are derived from the location information in the database; and
a mobile unit for attachment to a piece of container-handling equipment that can roam around said shipping container storage yard and transport individual ones of the shipping containers to different locations, the mobile unit comprising;
a navigation computer configured to provide real time three-dimensional position solutions of a location of the mobile unit; and
a communications link between the mobile unit and the dispatcher workstation configured to transmit the real time position solutions in real time to the dispatcher workstation for storage in the database.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A container tracking system comprises a dispatcher workstation with a graphical user interface and a database. These are used to track the whereabouts of shipping containers in a storage and transfer yard. A mobile unit in the yard is attached to container handling equipment and monitors the container lock-on mechanism. When a container is locked on for a move, the mobile unit starts reporting positions and velocities to the dispatcher workstation over a radio channel. These positions and solutions are computed from a combination of GPS satellite navigation receiver solutions, inertial navigation, and local beacon markers. Reports stop when the container handling equipment unlocks from the container. The database then updates the new position for that container, and the graphical user interface can be used to “see” the container on a yard map.
39 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A container tracking system, comprising:
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a dispatcher workstation for use at a shipping container storage yard, the dispatcher workstation comprising; a database for storage of location information related to a plurality of shipping containers located throughout the shipping container storage yard; a display for providing a graphical user interface representing a number of map locations of the plurality of shipping containers that are derived from the location information in the database; and a mobile unit for attachment to a piece of container-handling equipment that can roam around said shipping container storage yard and transport individual ones of the shipping containers to different locations, the mobile unit comprising; a navigation computer configured to provide real time three-dimensional position solutions of a location of the mobile unit; and a communications link between the mobile unit and the dispatcher workstation configured to transmit the real time position solutions in real time to the dispatcher workstation for storage in the database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of managing inventories in a storage area, the method comprising the steps of:
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electronically mapping a three-dimensional storage area in which pieces of inventory come-in, go-out, and shuffle between internal locations; cataloging and indexing in real time each piece of an inventory according to its identity and location within said storage area; attaching a navigation computer to a piece of machinery able to move said pieces of inventory around said storage area; detecting in real time when said piece of machinery is attached to move any of said pieces of inventory; reporting real time position solutions derived from said navigation computer that can be attributed to movements of a particular piece of inventory; and updating a database with a new computer position of each piece of inventory that has been moved to a new location by said piece of machinery. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A container tracking system, comprising:
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a database for storage of location information related to a plurality of shipping containers located throughout the shipping container storage yard; a mobile unit for attachment to a container transporter that can roam around said shipping container storage yard and transport individual ones of the shipping containers to different locations, the mobile unit comprising; a satellite-navigation receiver; a navigation computer connected to receive position data from the satellite-navigation receiver and to provide position solutions of a location of the mobile unit to the database; and a lock detector configured to sense when the container transporter is mechanically able to lift and relocate a given one of the containers and then provide a lock signal to enable the transmission of the position solutions associated with the given container. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification