Container Tracking System

• US 20090295564A1
• Filed: 05/22/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TeraHop Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: TWITCHELL, Robert W. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,284,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/20 using a distributed architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/883 where the sensing device enters an active or inactive mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Shipping containers are networked for transferring data between the shipping containers. The shipping containers include sensors for detecting conditions associated with the shipping containers. The conditions sensed by any shipping container whether transported by rail or ship is transmitted from an ad hoc network, via a gateway configured for satellite or cellular communications for example, to a container-tracking application server or equivalent computer system. The computer system is remotely located to the shipping container for central compilation, analysis, and/or display of data regarding the shipping containers.

Claims

1. A shipping container, comprising:

a sensor configured to detect a predetermined condition associated with said shipping container and, if said predetermined condition is detected, to formulate an alarm signal indicating a predetermined condition; and

a transmitter configured to transmit said alarm signal to at least one of another shipping container.

2. The shipping container according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter is a component of a wireless radio-frequency data communication device.

3. The shipping container according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit said alarm signal to a wireless data communication device of at least one of another shipping container.

4. The shipping container according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter comprises a radio communication component.

5. The shipping container according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter connects said shipping container to an ad hoc network.

6. The shipping container according to claim 5 wherein said ad hoc network is a wireless network.

7. The shipping container according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter communicates with a cellular communications network.

8. The shipping container according to claim 7, wherein said transmitter communicates with a cellular communications network via a gateway.

9. The shipping container according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter transmits said alarm signal to a central database.

10. The shipping container according to claim 9, wherein said transmitter communicates with a cellular communications network via a gateway.

11. A method of detecting a predetermined condition of a shipping container, comprising:

detecting a predetermined condition associated with said shipping container and, if said predetermined condition is detected, formulating an alarm signal indicating said predetermined condition; and

transmitting said alarm signal to at least one of another shipping container.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said transmitting includes transmitting said alarm signal from said shipping container, via a satellite data path, to a computer system.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said transmitting includes transmitting said alarm signal over a wireless ad hoc network.

14. A system for detecting a predetermined condition of a shipping container, comprising:

means for detecting a predetermined condition associated with said shipping container and, if said predetermined condition is detected, formulating an alarm signal indicating said predetermined condition; and

means for transmitting said alarm signal to at least one of another shipping container.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said means for transmitting includes means for transmitting said alarm signal from said shipping container, via a satellite data path, to a computer system.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the computer system comprises an application server.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the application server is configured to communicate via the Internet.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein the application server is configured to obtain and compile information regarding the shipping container.

19. The system according to claim 14, wherein said means for transmitting includes means for transmitting said alarm signal over an ad hoc network.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said ad hoc network is a wireless ad hoc network.