Self-contained tracking unit
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A self-contained tracking unit for use on a shipping container, comprising:
- an elongated hollow housing having forward and rearward walls, opposing sidewalls and upper and lower ends, said housing formed of material invisible to RF transmissions;
a GPS receiver within the housing;
a microprocessor within the housing and connected to the GPS receiver;
a transmitter within the housing and connected to the microprocessor;
a power system within the housing and connected to the GPS receiver, microprocessor and transmitter;
an antenna mounted on the interior surface of the forward wall within the housing and extending vertically and generally centrally between the sidewalls;
said antenna including a helical coil flattened along a longitudinal axis and formed on a circuit board with a forward half of the coil forming traces on one side of the board and a rearward half forming traces on the opposing side of the board; and
an antenna ground plane mounted on the interior face of the rearward wall and extending vertically, parallel to the antenna, and connected to the antenna.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A self-contained tracking unit includes an elongated housing with a hollow interior cavity housing a GPS receiver, a microprocessor and a transmitter. The housing is mounted between a pair of projecting ribs on a sidewall of the container and has a depth less than the distance of the projecting ribs. An antenna is mounted within the housing, on the forward wall, and an antenna ground plane connected to the antenna is mounted in the housing parallel to the antenna and on the rearward wall of the housing.
12 Citations
9 Claims
-
1. A self-contained tracking unit for use on a shipping container, comprising:
-
an elongated hollow housing having forward and rearward walls, opposing sidewalls and upper and lower ends, said housing formed of material invisible to RF transmissions; a GPS receiver within the housing; a microprocessor within the housing and connected to the GPS receiver; a transmitter within the housing and connected to the microprocessor; a power system within the housing and connected to the GPS receiver, microprocessor and transmitter; an antenna mounted on the interior surface of the forward wall within the housing and extending vertically and generally centrally between the sidewalls; said antenna including a helical coil flattened along a longitudinal axis and formed on a circuit board with a forward half of the coil forming traces on one side of the board and a rearward half forming traces on the opposing side of the board; and an antenna ground plane mounted on the interior face of the rearward wall and extending vertically, parallel to the antenna, and connected to the antenna. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. In combination:
-
a shipping container having vertical walls of steel, with at least one wall having at least a pair of parallel vertical ribs formed therein and spaced apart a distance W, said ribs projecting outwardly a distance H; and a self-contained tracking unit mounted on said container, comprising; an elongated hollow housing having opposing, flat and parallel forward and rearward walls, opposing sidewalls, and upper and lower ends, said housing formed of material invisible to RF transmissions; said housing mounted between said pair of ribs and having a depth, as measured between exterior surfaces of the forward and rearward walls, less than the distance H of the ribs, such that the forward wall does not project beyond the ribs; a GPS receiver within the housing; a microprocessor within the housing and connected to the GPS receiver; a transmitter within the housing and connected to the microprocessor; a power system within the housing and connected to the GPS receiver, microprocessor and transmitter; and an antenna mounted within the housing and connected to the transmitter; said antenna including a helical coil flattened along a longitudinal axis and formed on a circuit board with a forward half of the coil forming traces on one side of the board and a rearward half forming traces on the opposing side of the board. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
Specification