Transport refrigeration system with predictive refrigeration

• US 8,286,437 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Sanders, Russell L., Muralidhar, Ashok, Walker, Timothy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALI, MOHAMMAD M
• Application Number:
  US12/827,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20120000212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 62/62, 62/80, 622/34, 622/31, 621/33, 622/39, 622/43, 622/44, 340/585, 340/586, 340/436, 342/457, 342/450, 701/200, 701/207, 701/213, 236/51
• US Class Current: 62/62
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/003 for movable devices

Abstract

A transport unit including a container defining a cargo space. The transport unit includes position detection apparatus coupled to the container, and adapted to determine a geographic location of the container and to generate a signal indicative of the geographic location. The transport unit also includes a refrigeration system in communication with the cargo space, and a control system including route data that defines a plurality of potential destinations of the container. The control system is programmed to predict a container route defined by at least two potential destinations of the container based on the geographic location and the route data, and to determine a proximity of the container relative to at least one potential destination of the route. The control system is in communication with the refrigeration system to control the refrigeration system based on the proximity of the container relative to the at least one potential destination.

Claims

1. A transport unit comprising:

a container defining a cargo space for supporting cargo;

position detection apparatus coupled to the container and adapted to determine a geographic location of the container and to generate a signal indicative of the geographic location;

a refrigeration system in communication with the cargo space to condition the cargo space; and

a control system including route data defining a plurality of potential destinations of the container, the control system in communication with the position detection apparatus to receive the signal indicative of the geographic location of the container, the control system programmed to predict a route of the container based on the geographic location and the route data, the route defined by at least two potential destinations of the container, the control system further programmed to determine a proximity of the container relative to at least one potential destination of the predicted route, the control system in communication with the refrigeration system to control the refrigeration system based on the proximity of the container relative to the at least one potential destination.

2. The transport unit of claim 1, wherein the potential destinations include a start location, an intermediate destination, and a final destination of the container.

3. The transport unit of claim 2, wherein the control system includes analog-effect control for controlling the refrigeration system.

4. The transport unit of claim 1, wherein the route data includes historical data indicative of the potential destinations of the container.

5. The transport unit of claim 1, wherein the control system is operable to control the refrigeration system in one of a null mode, a defrost mode, a heat mode, a supercool mode, a normal mode, and a diagnostic mode based on the proximity of the container to the at least one potential destination.

6. The transport unit of claim 5, wherein the control system controls the refrigeration system in the supercool mode prior to the container reaching a first potential destination.

7. The transport unit of claim 6, wherein the control system controls the refrigeration system in one of the normal mode and the defrost mode prior to the container reaching a second potential destination.

8. The transport unit of claim 1, wherein the position detection apparatus includes at least two of satellite-based apparatus, antenna-based apparatus, internet-enabled apparatus, and radio frequency apparatus.

9. The transport unit of claim 1, wherein the control system further includes a database associated with the controller and including operating parameters for the transport refrigeration system, and wherein the operating parameters are based on the proximity of the container to the at least one potential destination.

10. The transport unit of claim 9, wherein the database further includes implementation procedures selectable by the controller to control the transport refrigeration system based on the operating parameters.

11. A method of operating a transport unit including a refrigeration system, the method comprising:

supporting cargo in a container of the transport unit;

detecting a geographic location of the container;

generating a signal indicative of the geographic location;

providing route data defining a plurality of potential destinations of the container;

predicting a route of the container based on the geographic location and the route data, the route including at least two potential destinations of the container;

determining a proximity of the container relative to at least one of the potential destinations of the route; and

operating the refrigeration system based on the proximity of the container relative to the at least one potential destination.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein predicting the route of the container includes determining destinations of the container from among either or both of predetermined destinations and a plurality of historical destinations.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising

detecting the container in close proximity to the at least one potential destination;

determining an operating parameter of the refrigeration system from among a first operating parameter and a second operating parameter in response to the container being in close proximity to the at least one potential destination; and

operating the refrigeration system according to the determined operating parameter.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising operating the refrigeration system according to the determined operating parameter prior to the container reaching the at least one potential destination.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising varying the refrigeration system from the first operating parameter to the second parameter in response to the container being in close proximity with the at least one potential destination.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising

operating the refrigeration system according to a first operating parameter in response to the container being remote from the at least one potential destination;

varying the refrigeration system from the first operating parameter to a second operating parameter in response to the container being in close proximity to the at least one potential destination; and

operating the refrigeration system according to the second operating parameter prior to the container reaching the at least one potential destination.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising

determining a proximity of the container to a first potential destination;

operating the refrigeration system according to a first operating parameter in response to the container being remote from the first potential destination;

varying the refrigeration system from the first operating parameter to a second operating parameter in response to the container being in close proximity to the first potential destination;

operating the refrigeration system according to the second operating parameter prior to the container reaching the first potential destination;

determining a proximity of the container to a second potential destination;

operating the refrigeration system according to a third operating parameter in response to the container being remote from the second potential destination;

varying the refrigeration system from the third operating parameter to a fourth operating parameter in response to the container being in close proximity to the second potential destination; and

operating the refrigeration system according to the fourth operating parameter prior to the container reaching the second potential destination.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising

operating the refrigeration system in a first mode during transport of the container to the first potential destination;

at least one of delivering and receiving cargo relative to the container at the first potential destination;

varying operation of the refrigeration system from the first mode to a second mode different from the first mode; and

operating the refrigeration system in the second mode during transport of the container to the second destination.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein operating the refrigeration system in the first mode includes operating the refrigeration system in one of a null mode, a defrost mode, a heat mode, a supercool mode, a normal mode, and a diagnostic mode, and wherein operating the refrigeration system in the second mode includes operating the refrigeration system in another of the null mode, the defrost mode, the heat mode, the supercool mode, the normal mode, and the diagnostic mode.

20. A method of transporting goods along route using a transport unit including a refrigeration system, the method comprising:

detecting a geographic location of a container traveling a route;

generating a signal indicative of the geographic location;

providing route data defining a plurality of potential destinations of the container;

predicting a route of the container based on the geographic location and the route data, the predicted route defined by at least two potential destinations of the container;

determining a proximity of the container relative to a first potential destination of the container;

operating the refrigeration system in a first mode in response to the container being in close proximity to the first potential destination;

at least one of delivering and receiving cargo relative to the container at the first potential destination;

determining a proximity of the container relative to a second potential destination of the container;

operating the refrigeration system in a second mode in response to the container being in close proximity to the second potential destination; and

at least one of delivering and receiving cargo relative to the container at the second potential destination.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein predicting the route of the container includes determining the potential destinations of the route from among either or both of predetermined destinations and a plurality of historical destinations.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising

operating the refrigeration system in a third mode in response to the container being remote from the first potential destination prior to the container being in close proximity to the first potential destination, the third mode being different from the first mode.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein

operating the refrigeration system in the first mode includes operating the refrigeration system in a supercool mode;

and

operating the refrigeration system in the second mode includes operating the refrigeration system in one of the supercool mode, a normal mode, a defrost mode, and a diagnostic mode.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising operating the refrigeration system in the defrost mode in response to the container being in close proximity to the second potential destination.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising operating the refrigeration system in the first mode and the second mode prior to the container reaching the respective first and second potential destinations.