Mobile tool facility

• US 8,686,831 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JS2 Logistic Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Job Site Resources LLC
• Inventors: Green, Michael, Hall, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): AfrifA-Kyei, Anthony D
• Application Number:
  US12/432,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20100277277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,798 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.72
• US Class Current: 340/5.72
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00912 for safes, strong-rooms, vaults or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/308 Combination lock
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7028 Electric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7057 Permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7068 Actuated after correct combination recognized [e.g., numerical, alphabetical, or magnet[s] pattern]

Abstract

A mobile tool facility is provided having a container configured to be moved to a plurality of locations. A portal system is positioned in an interior of the container and spaced from a container end allowing access to the portal system. The portal system is operable to control access into and out of the container. A radio frequency shield wall is positioned in the interior of the container and spaced from the portal system allowing access between the portal system and the shield wall. The shield wall is configured to reduce an amount of electromagnetic energy entering the interior of the container. An auxiliary power unit associated with the container is operable to provide power to the portal system. A plurality of items stored in the interior of the container in a controlled space is available to be removed from the container through the portal system by an authorized individual.

Claims

1. A mobile tool facility comprising:

a container configured to be moved to a plurality of locations, the container including an interior and a container end providing access to the interior;

a portal system rigidly coupled with the container, the portal system spaced from the container end to allow access to the portal system, the portal system operable to control access into and out of the container through the container end;

a radio frequency scanning area between the container end and a locking door;

a radio frequency shield wall positioned in the interior of the container and spaced from the portal system to allow access between the portal system and the shield wall, the shield wall configured to reduce an amount of electromagnetic energy entering the interior of the container; and

a plurality of items stored in the interior of the container in a controlled space defined by the shield wall and interior walls of the container, the plurality of items being available to be removed from the container through the portal system by an authorized individual,

wherein the portal system further comprises a radio frequency (RF) reader, the RF reader configured to read data from an RF identification tag (RFID tag) associated with an item of the plurality of items moving through the portal system, and wherein the radio frequency shield wall prevents the RF reader from erroneously detecting RFID tags on items within the container;

the radio frequency shield wall to prevent erroneous readings of items still located within the container;

the portal system further configured to

secure the locking door while scanning the radio frequency scanning area for the item of the plurality of items as a user exits the interior of the container to verify replacement or removal of the at least one item; and

automatically read data from the RFID data tag associated with the item and associate or disassociate the item from the user by the portal system.

2. The mobile tool facility of claim 1, wherein the container is a 53 foot semi-trailer or a 40 foot container box.

3. The mobile tool facility of claim 1, further comprising:

an HVAC system, the HVAC system operable to control an environment on the inside of the container.

4. The mobile tool facility of claim 1, wherein the portal system comprises:

a top section having a first and a second end;

a first vertical section having a top end that is fixedly coupled to the first end of the top section,

a second vertical section having a top end that is fixedly coupled to the second end of the top section, the first and second coupled vertical sections being designed to be placed at an access point of the controlled space, the first and second coupled vertical sections being further designed to form a portal area that the authorized individual enters and exits;

a computing device that is configured to track inventory stored in the controlled space, the computing device being housed in at least one of the first and second vertical sections; and

wherein the locking door that engages the top, first and second vertical sections, the locking door being configured to prevent an unauthorized user from entering and exiting the controlled space, the locking door being coupled to the computing device, the computing device being configured to receive input from an individual at the portal area and unlock the locking door based on the received inputs from the individual.

5. The mobile tool facility of claim 4, further comprising:

a surrounding structure extending between the first and second vertical sections and contacting surfaces of the interior of the container filling any openings between the first and second vertical sections and the surfaces of the interior of the container;

wherein, the surrounding structure further directly contacts both the top section and a top surface of the interior of the container filling any openings between the top section and the top surface of the interior.

6. The mobile tool facility of claim 4, further comprising:

a first electromagnetic lock coupled to the locking door of the portal system; and

a second electromagnetic lock coupled to a door of the shield wall,

wherein, the computing device is configured to control a release of the first and second electromagnetic locks in response to the input from the individual.

7. The mobile tool facility of claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna, positioned on an outer surface of the container, and configured to provide wireless internet access to the computing device.

8. The mobile tool facility of claim 1, further comprising:

a camera system including at least one camera device configured to take a digital picture of the authorized individual upon entering or exiting the portal area, the at least one camera device mount to a first or second side of the portal device.

9. The mobile tool facility of claim 1 further comprising:

an HVAC unit mounted on a wall opposite the container end, wherein the HVAC unit is configured to regulate the climate on the inside of the container.

10. The mobile tool facility of claim 1, wherein the container is a first container and includes side walls extending from the container end and a first side access door in one of the side walls positioned to allow access into and out of the controlled space, the mobile tool facility further comprising:

a second container including a container end, side walls extending from the container end, and a second side access door in one of the side walls,

wherein the second container is positioned proximate the first container such that the first and second side access doors are essentially aligned, allowing authorized users access to the second container through the first and second side access doors without movement through one of the container ends.

18. The mobile tool facility of claim 1, wherein a controlled access area is defined between the portal system and the end of the container such that the radio frequency shield wall separates the controlled space in the interior of the container from the controlled access area located beyond the end of the container, and wherein access into and out of the controlled access area is provided by a first locking door at the portal system and a second door at the radio frequency shield wall.

20. The mobile tool facility of claim 1, wherein the shield wall comprises:

an outer frame mounted to the container;

a shield panel including a screen layer, a first sheet layer and a second sheet layer, where the screen layer is disposed between the first and second sheet layers; and

a door and a locking mechanism operably coupled to the door, where access through the shield wall is controlled by the locking mechanism.

11. A method of retrieving an item from a mobile tool facility including a container with an end and an interior to store a plurality of items and a portal system rigidly coupled with the container and spaced from the container end to define a controlled access area between the container end and the portal system, the method comprising:

detecting the presence of a user at the portal system;

receiving user access information with the portal system and determining if access should be granted to the user;

in response to access being granted to a user;

scanning the controlled access area for at least one of the plurality of items as the user removes the at least one item from the interior of the container;

shielding the controlled access area from the container with a radio frequency shield wall to prevent erroneous readings of items still located within the container; and

automatically reading data from both a first RFID tag associated with a first item and a second RFID tag associated with a second item, and associating only the first item of a group consisting of the first item and the second item with the user by the portal system, wherein the second item is disposable.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

in response to access being denied to the user;

preventing access to the interior of the container; and

logging the denied access.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

capturing a picture of the user after determining if access should be granted to the user.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

unlocking a door to allow access to the interior of the container; and

in response to the door being held open for a set period of time, sounding an alarm.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

capturing a picture of the user entering the portal system after being granted access.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing electrical power to the portal system and the container with an auxiliary power unit including a generator when another power supply is unavailable or inoperative.

15. A method of returning an item to a mobile tool facility including a container with an end and an interior to store a plurality of items and a portal system rigidly coupled with the container and spaced from the container end to define a controlled access area between the container end and the portal system, the method comprising:

detecting the presence of a user at the portal system entering a controlled access area of a container configured to be moved to a plurality of locations and having an interior to store a plurality of items;

receiving user access information with the portal system and determining if access should be granted to the user;

in response to access being granted to a user;

scanning the controlled access area for at least one of the plurality of items as the user enters the interior of the container to return the at least one item;

shielding the controlled access area from the container with a radio frequency shield wall having a lockable door to prevent erroneous readings of items still located within the container;

locking the lockable door while scanning the controlled access area for at least one of the plurality of items as the user exits the interior of the container to verify replacement of the at least one item; and

at the portal system, automatically reading data from an RFID data tag associated with the at least one item and disassociating the at least one item from the user by the portal system.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

unlocking a portal door to allow access to the interior of the container; and

in response to the portal door being held open for a set period of time, sounding an alarm.