Methods, apparatus, and systems for enhanced multi-radio container node elements used in a wireless node network
First Claim
1. An enhanced container node apparatus disposed as part of a wireless node network capable logistics container, the apparatus interacting with a master node disposed external to the logistics container and a package ID node disposed within the logistics container, the apparatus comprising:
- a container node controller disposed on the logistics container;
a first radio transceiver operatively coupled to the container node controller, the first radio transceiver further comprising a first antenna providing the first radio transceiver with wireless communication access to the master node disposed external to the logistics container; and
a second radio transceiver operatively coupled to the container node controller, the second radio transceiver further comprising a plurality of antenna elements disposed in a spatially disperse configuration relative to the logistics container, the plurality of antenna elements providing the second radio transceiver with multi-antenna wireless communication access to the package ID node disposed within the logistics container;
wherein the second radio transceiver is responsive to a location control message from the container node controller to be operative toselect different subsets of the antenna elements to receive an inbound wireless signal from the package ID node,detect reception information about the inbound wireless signal for each of the different selected subsets of the antenna elements, andprovide the detected reception information to the container node controller;
wherein the container node controller is responsive to the detected reception information from the second radio transceiver to be operative todetermine a location of the package ID node relative to the logistics container based upon the detected reception information from the second radio transceiver, andcause the first radio transceiver to transmit a location determination message to the master node, the location determination message reflecting the determined location of the package ID node relative to the logistics container.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Multi-antenna container node implemented methods, apparatus and systems are described that can locate a package ID node within a logistics container and communicate with a master node outside the container. The container node'"'"'s controller may generate a location control message related to the package ID node and send it to one of the node'"'"'s transceivers. That transceiver may select different subsets of its antenna elements to receive an inbound wireless signal from the package ID node in response to the location control message, and detect reception information about what was received for each of the subsets before providing that detected reception information to the container node controller. The controller then determines a location of the package ID node relative to the logistics container based upon the detected reception information, and then another separate transceiver of the container node transmits a location determination message to the master node.
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Citations
176 Claims
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1. An enhanced container node apparatus disposed as part of a wireless node network capable logistics container, the apparatus interacting with a master node disposed external to the logistics container and a package ID node disposed within the logistics container, the apparatus comprising:
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a container node controller disposed on the logistics container; a first radio transceiver operatively coupled to the container node controller, the first radio transceiver further comprising a first antenna providing the first radio transceiver with wireless communication access to the master node disposed external to the logistics container; and a second radio transceiver operatively coupled to the container node controller, the second radio transceiver further comprising a plurality of antenna elements disposed in a spatially disperse configuration relative to the logistics container, the plurality of antenna elements providing the second radio transceiver with multi-antenna wireless communication access to the package ID node disposed within the logistics container; wherein the second radio transceiver is responsive to a location control message from the container node controller to be operative to select different subsets of the antenna elements to receive an inbound wireless signal from the package ID node, detect reception information about the inbound wireless signal for each of the different selected subsets of the antenna elements, and provide the detected reception information to the container node controller; wherein the container node controller is responsive to the detected reception information from the second radio transceiver to be operative to determine a location of the package ID node relative to the logistics container based upon the detected reception information from the second radio transceiver, and cause the first radio transceiver to transmit a location determination message to the master node, the location determination message reflecting the determined location of the package ID node relative to the logistics container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An enhanced wireless node network capable container system that interacts with a master node and a package ID node disposed with a package, the system comprising:
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a logistics container; a container node controller disposed on the logistics container; a first radio transceiver operatively coupled to the container node controller, the first radio transceiver further comprising a first antenna providing the first radio transceiver with wireless communication access to the master node disposed external to the logistics container; and a second radio transceiver operatively coupled to the container node controller, the second radio transceiver further comprising a plurality of antenna elements disposed in a dispersed configuration relative to the logistics container, the plurality of antenna elements providing the second radio transceiver with multi-antenna wireless communication access to the package ID node disposed with the package maintained within the logistics container; wherein the second radio transceiver is responsive to a location control message from the container node controller to be operative to select different subsets of the antenna elements to receive an inbound wireless signal from the package ID node, detect reception information about the inbound wireless signal for each of the different selected subsets of the antenna elements, and provide the detected reception information to the container node controller; wherein the container node controller is responsive to the detected reception information from the second radio transceiver to be operative to determine a location of the package ID node relative to the logistics container based upon the detected reception information from the second radio transceiver, and cause the first radio transceiver to transmit a location message to the master node, the location message reflecting the determined location of the package ID node relative to the logistics container. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A multi-antenna container node implemented method of locating a package ID node within a storage area of a logistics container, the multi-antenna container node being disposed on the logistics container and operative to communicate with a master node disposed external to the logistics container, the multi-antenna container node having at least a container node controller, a first radio transceiver, and a second radio transceiver with a plurality of antenna elements disposed in a spatially disperse configuration relative to the logistics container, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating, by the container node controller, a location control message related to the package ID node; sending, by the container node controller, the location control message to the second radio transceiver of the multi-antenna container node; selecting, by the second radio transceiver, different subsets of the antenna elements to receive an inbound wireless signal from the package ID node in response to the location control message; detecting, by the second radio transceiver, reception information about the inbound wireless signal for each of the different selected subsets of the antenna elements; providing, by the second radio transceiver, the detected reception information to the container node controller; determining, by the container node controller, a location of the package ID node relative to the logistics container based upon the detected reception information provided by the second radio transceiver; and transmitting, by the first radio transceiver of the multi-antenna container node, a location determination message to the master node disposed external to the logistics container, the location determination message reflecting the determined location of the package ID node relative to the logistics container. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. An enhanced container node apparatus disposed as part of a wireless node network capable logistics container maintained within a physical storage, the apparatus comprising:
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a container node controller disposed on the logistics container; a first radio transceiver operatively coupled to the container node controller, the first radio transceiver further comprising a plurality of antenna elements disposed in a spatially disperse configuration relative to the logistics container, the plurality of antenna elements providing the first radio transceiver with multi-antenna wireless communication access to a master node disposed external to the logistics container, the master node being associated with the physical storage and located at a fixed position relative to the physical storage; a second radio transceiver operatively coupled to the container node controller, the second radio transceiver providing the container node controller with wireless communication access to a package ID node disposed within the logistics container and associated with a package maintained within the logistics container; and wherein the first radio transceiver is responsive to a location control message from the container node controller to be operative to select different subsets of the antenna elements to receive an inbound wireless signal from the master node, detect reception information about the inbound wireless signal for each of the different selected subsets of the antenna elements, and provide the detected reception information to the container node controller; wherein the container node controller is responsive to the detected reception information from the first radio transceiver to determine a location of the logistics container relative to the physical storage based upon the detected reception information from the first radio transceiver, and cause the first radio transceiver to transmit a location determination message to the master node, the location determination message reflecting the determined location of the logistics container relative to the physical storage associated with the master node. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96)
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97. An enhanced wireless node network capable container system for use within a physical storage having an associated master node located at a fixed position relative to the physical storage, the container system comprising:
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a logistics container; a container node controller disposed on the logistics container; a first radio transceiver operatively coupled to the container node controller, the first radio transceiver further comprising a plurality of antenna elements disposed in a spatially disperse configuration relative to the logistics container, the plurality of antenna elements providing the first radio transceiver with multi-antenna wireless communication access to the master node disposed external to the logistics container; a second radio transceiver operatively coupled to the container node controller, the second radio transceiver providing the container node controller with wireless communication access to a package ID node disposed within the logistics container and associated with a package maintained within the logistics container; and wherein the first radio transceiver is responsive to an location control message from the container node controller to be operative to select different subsets of the antenna elements to receive an inbound wireless signal from the master node, detect reception information about the inbound wireless signal for each of the different selected subsets of the antenna elements, and provide the detected reception information to the container node controller; and wherein the container node controller is responsive to the detected reception information from the first radio transceiver to determine a location of the logistics container relative to the physical storage based upon the detected reception information from the first radio transceiver, and cause the first radio transceiver to transmit a location determination message to the master node, the location determination message reflecting the determined location of the logistics container relative to the physical storage associated with the master node. - View Dependent Claims (98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128)
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129. A method of locating a multi-antenna container node enhanced logistics container disposed within a physical storage having an associated master node located at a fixed position relative to the physical storage, the container node in the logistics container having at least a container node controller, a first radio transceiver, and a second radio transceiver, wherein the first radio transceiver further comprises a plurality of antenna elements disposed in a spatially disperse configuration relative to the logistics container such that the plurality of antenna elements provides the first radio transceiver with multi-antenna wireless communication access to the master node disposed external to the logistics container, the method comprising the steps of:
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sending, by the container node controller of the multi-antenna container node, a location control message to the first radio transceiver of the multi-antenna container node; selecting, by the first radio transceiver, different subsets of the antenna elements to receive an inbound wireless signal from the master node in response to the location control message from the container node controller; detecting, by the first radio transceiver, reception information about the inbound wireless signal from the master node for each of the different selected subsets of the antenna elements; providing, by the first radio transceiver, the detected reception information to the container node controller; determining, by the container node controller, a location of the logistics container relative to the physical storage based upon the detected reception information from the first radio transceiver; and transmitting, by the first radio transceiver of the multi-antenna container node, a location determination message to the master node, the location determination message reflecting the determined location of the logistics container relative to the physical storage associated with the master node. - View Dependent Claims (130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154)
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155. An enhanced wireless node network capable container system for use in shipping a plurality of packages and that interacts with a master node external to the system, comprising:
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a logistics storage platform configured to support the plurality of packages; a container node controller disposed on the logistics storage platform; a first radio transceiver operatively coupled to the container node controller, the first radio transceiver further comprising a first antenna providing the first radio transceiver with wireless communication access to the master node; and a second radio transceiver operatively coupled to the container node controller, the second radio transceiver further comprising a plurality of antenna elements disposed in a dispersed configuration relative to the logistics storage platform, the plurality of antenna elements providing the second radio transceiver with multi-antenna wireless communication access to a package ID node disposed with one of the packages supported on the logistics storage platform; wherein the second radio transceiver is responsive to a location control message from the container node controller to be operative to select different subsets of the antenna elements to receive an inbound wireless signal from the package ID node, detect reception information about the inbound wireless signal for each of the different selected subsets of the antenna elements, and provide the detected reception information to the container node controller; and wherein the container node controller is responsive to the detected reception information from the second radio transceiver to determine a location of the package ID node relative to the logistics storage platform based upon the detected reception information from the second radio transceiver, and cause the first radio transceiver to transmit a location message to the master node, the location message reflecting the determined location of the package ID node relative to the logistics storage platform. - View Dependent Claims (156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176)
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Specification