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Method and apparatus for providing two way control and data communications to and from transportation refrigeration units (TRUs)

  • US 8,978,467 B2
  • Filed: 09/16/2010
  • Issued: 03/17/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for controlling sensors utilized in a transportation refrigeration unit including a container and having a refrigeration unit controller and a GENSET to power said transportation refrigeration unit, comprising:

  • coupling the transportation refrigeration unit to a transportation refrigeration unit data acquisition and control module via an RS-485 control bus for controlling the transportation refrigeration unit, wherein the transportation refrigeration unit data acquisition and control module is wirelessly connected to one or more dynamic data centers for remote bi-directional communication;

    coupling the GENSET to a GENSET data acquisition and control module via the RS-485 control bus, wherein the GENSET is controlled through an input from the one or more dynamic data centers wirelessly transmitted to the GENSET data acquisition and control module;

    coupling the refrigeration unit controller to the GENSET via the RS-485 bus;

    providing the same RS-485 control bus to couple refrigeration unit sensors, GENSET sensors, and container sensors to the refrigeration unit controller, wherein the RS-485 bus is directly connected to the sensors, the RS-485 bus provides bi-directional communication with the sensors to be able to set sensor parameters and to be able to monitor sensor outputs;

    monitoring the refrigeration unit sensors, GENSET sensors, and container sensors utilizing the RS-485 bus; and

    controlling the refrigeration unit sensors, GENSET, GENSET sensors, and container sensors with wireless signals communicated to the transportation refrigeration unit data acquisition and control module and the GENSET data acquisition and control module from the one or more dynamic data centers.

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