Locking device, method and system to determine the relative position of an edge-lock to a container or of a group of container edge-locks in relation to other container locs

• US 8,228,186 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2008
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lox Container Technology AB
• Original Assignee: Loxysystem AB
• Inventors: Tryggö, Dag
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sherwin, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US12/663,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20100171597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,504 Days
• Field of Search: 220 15- 16, 220/23.2, 220/23.4, 220/23.6, 220/200, 220/324, 220/315, 70/58, 70/63, 70263-264, 410 52- 95, 700213-244, 340/686.1, 340/686.6, 3405391-53932, 340 101- 106
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2590/0083 Computer or electronic system, e.g. GPS systems
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/0013 Twist lock
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5009 For portable articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5031 Receptacle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method to determine the relative position of a container corner lock and/or a group of container corner locks in relation to other container corner locks. The method comprises the steps of: requesting information regarding identification from those locks (1) that are within a certain area; transferring said information to each lock (1) within said area; storing, in each lock (1) within said area, said requested information from other locks within the area; determining, based on said stored information, the relative position of the lock and/or of the group of locks. The invention also relates to a system and a container corner lock.

Claims

1. A method of determining a relative position of a container corner lock or of a group of container corner locks in relation to other container corner locks, wherein container corner locks work as connecting elements between two containers, all container corner locks locking the same container have been allocated an identification and belong to the same group of container corner locks, comprising:

requesting information regarding identification from those container corner locks that are within a certain area;

transferring requested information to each container corner lock within the certain area;

storing, in each container corner lock within the certain area, requested information from other container corner locks within the area; and

determining, based on the stored information, the relative position of the container corner lock or group of container corner locks.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting takes place from the respective container corner lock.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting identification information from at least one communication unit within the area, and storing the requested information in each container corner lock.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting and storing information regarding a signal strength or a quality by which the information was received.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the relative position is determined based on only information the signal strength of which exceeds a certain value.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting and storing information regarding at least one of which time instant the information was transferred, which time instant the information was received, and how long time a transfer took.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring and storing information regarding a size of the container the respective container corner lock locks.

8. A system of determining a relative position of a container corner lock or of a group of container corner locks in relation to other container corner locks, comprising:

a plurality of container corner locks arranged to be connected to a container and to work as connecting elements between two containers, wherein each container corner lock within a certain area includes a device configured for requesting information regarding identification from other container corner locks that are within the certain area;

a device configured for transferring requested information to other container corner locks within the certain area;

a memory for storing the requested information from other container corner locks within the certain area; and

a device configured to determine, based on stored information, the relative position of the container corner lock or of the group of container corner locks.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a memory configured to store information regarding at which time instant requested information was received.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising a memory configured to store information regarding at least one of which time instant requested information was transferred, which time instant requested information was received, and how long time an information transfer took.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising a memory configured to store information regarding a size of the container the respective container corner lock locks.

12. A container corner lock arranged to be connected to a container and to work as a connecting element between two containers, comprising:

a device configured for requesting identification information from a container corner lock that is within a certain area;

a device configured for transferring identification information to another container corner lock that is within the certain area; and

a memory configured for storing requested information from another container corner lock within the certain area.

13. The container corner lock of claim 12, further comprising a device configured for determining, based on requested information, a relative position of the container corner lock or of a group of container corner locks.

14. The container corner lock of claim 12, further comprising a device configured for detecting and storing information regarding at least one of a signal strength and a quality by which requested information was received.

15. The container corner lock of claim 12, further comprising a device configured for detecting and storing information regarding at least one of which time instant information was transferred, which time instant information was received, and how long information transfer took.

16. The container corner lock of claim 12, further comprising a device configured for transferring and storing information regarding a size of the container the respective container corner lock locks.