System and method of monitoring cargo container mobility and efficiency

• US 6,711,496 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2001
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jack A. Denton
• Original Assignee: Jack A. Denton
• Inventors: Denton, Jack A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/040,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20030083815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 701/207, 701/213, 701/35, 342/357.07
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A system and method of monitoring cargo container mobility and efficiency for facilitating post-transit analysis of cargo shipments. The system and method of monitoring cargo container mobility and efficiency includes a mobile location data module which is couplable to a cargo container and is used for determining and recording position and time data on an interval basis as well as supplemental information, a data processing means for processing the position and time data into efficiency track information for post-transit analysis, and a data presentation means for presenting the efficiency track information to a user for facilitating post-transit analysis.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring cargo container mobility and efficiency for use in conjunction with various modes of transit comprising:

a mobile location data module couplable to a cargo container, said mobile location data module determining and recording position and time data on an interval basis;

a data processing means for processing said position and time data into efficiency track information for post-transit analysis;

a data presentation means for presenting said efficiency track information to a user for facilitating post-transit analysis;

said data processing means further comprises a personal computer having a data input means, said personal computer having a geographic information software for providing geographic information of an area transited by the cargo container;

said data input means is a data card reader selected from the group consisting of a personal computer memory card international association (PCMCIA) data storage slot, a smart media card reader, and a compact flash card reader, said data card reader being for facilitating operationally coupling to a programmable storage device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said mobile location data module further comprises:

a housing couplable to a cargo container;

a position locating means for determining a current position of the cargo container, said position locating means being positioned substantially within said housing;

a data logging and storage means for recording position and time information from said position location means, said data logging and storage means being operationally coupled to said position locating means, said data logging and storage means being positioned substantially within said housing.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said position locating means is a position location system selected from the group consisting of Global Positioning System (GPS), Long Range Navigation (LORAN), and Inertial Navigation System (INS).

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said position locating means further comprises at least one global positioning system (GPS) receiver, said GPS receiver being positioned substantially within said housing, said GPS receiver being operationally coupled to at least one antenna member for facilitating reception of GPS signals.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said data logging and storage means further comprises a programmable storage device selected from the group consisting of a personal computer memory card international association (PCMCIA) data storage card, a compact flash card, and a smart media card.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said programmable storage device being for storing position and time information from said position location means on an interval basis, said programmable storage device facilitating transportation of said position and time information from said position location means to said data processing means in a nonvolatile format.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said programmable storage device being for supplemental data from said cargo container in addition to said position and time information.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said supplemental data further comprises a cargo loading input, a cargo unloading input, and a cargo quantity input for recording changes in cargo status and time of change information.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said data processing means further comprises track software for overlaying said position and time data against said geographic information.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said data processing means further comprises a laptop computer having a data input means, said laptop computer having a geographic information software for providing geographic information of an area transited by the cargo container.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said data processing means further comprises track software for overlaying said position and time data against said geographic information.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said data presentation means comprises a monitor for displaying a graphic representation of geographic information of an area transited by the cargo container and an overlay of said position and time data recorded by the mobile location data module.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said monitor displays said position information in multiple colors such that identical position data recorded over multiple intervals is highlighted whereby stops during transit can be identified by the user.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said monitor displays a graphic representation of supplemental information for analyzing cargo changes in reference to said position and time data.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein a data logging and storage means being operationally couplable to said data processing means via a coupling means such that stored information may be transferred to said data processing means from said data logging and storage means.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said coupling means being a coupling means selected from the group consisting of an electrical signal connection, an optical signal connection, a radio link, an infrared link, and a cellular modem system.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said mobile location data module further comprises:

a position locating means for determining a current position of the cargo container;

a data logging and storage means for recording position and time information from said position location means, said data logging and storage means being operationally coupled to said position locating means;

an antenna member operationally coupled to said position locating means for facilitating reception of radio signals.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said position locating means being positioned substantially within said antenna member for minimizing losses from said antenna member to said position locating means.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein said position locating means being positioned substantially within said data presentation means for optimizing power transfer and data interconnections between said data presentation means and said position locating means.

20. A system for monitoring cargo container mobility and efficiency for use in conjunction with various modes of transit comprising:

a mobile location data module couplable to a cargo container, said mobile location data module determining and recording position and time data on an interval basis;

a data processing means for processing said position and time data into efficiency track information for post-transit analysis;

a data presentation means for presenting said efficiency track information to a user for facilitating post-transit analysis;

said mobile location data module further comprises;

a housing couplable to a cargo container;

a position locating means for determining a current position of the cargo container, said position locating means being positioned substantially within said housing;

a data logging and storage means for recording position and time information from said position location means, said data logging and storage means being operationally coupled to said position locating means, said data logging and storage means being positioned substantially within said housing;

wherein said position locating means further comprises at least one global positioning system (GPS) receiver, said GPS receiver being positioned substantially within said housing, said GPS receiver being operationally coupled to at least one antenna member for facilitating reception of GPS signals;

wherein said data logging and storage means further comprises a compact flash card;

wherein said compact flash card being for storing position and time information from said position location means on an interval basis, said compact flash card facilitating transportation of said position and time information from said position location means to said data processing means in a nonvolatile format;

wherein said compact flash card being for supplemental data from said cargo container in addition to said position and time information;

wherein said supplemental data further comprises a cargo loading input, a cargo unloading input, and a cargo quantity input for recording changes in cargo status and time of change information;

said data processing means further comprises a personal computer having a data input means, said personal computer having a geographic information software for providing geographic information of an area transited by the cargo container;

said data input means is a compact flash card reader, said compact flash card reader being for facilitating operationally coupling to a compact flash card;

wherein said data processing means further comprises track software for overlaying said position and time data against said geographic information; and

wherein said data presentation means comprises a monitor for displaying a graphic representation of geographic information of an area transited by the cargo container and an overlay of said position and time data recorded by the mobile location data module.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said monitor displays said position information in multiple colors such that identical position data recorded over multiple intervals is highlighted whereby stops during transit can be identified by the user.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein said monitor displays a graphic representation of supplemental information for analyzing cargo changes in reference to said position and time data.

23. A method of monitoring cargo container mobility and efficiency for use in conjunction with various modes of transit comprising:

selecting a cargo container to be monitored for post-transit analysis;

providing a position locating means for determining a current location on an interval basis;

coupling said position locating means to the cargo container;

transiting said cargo container;

collecting location and time information from said position locating means;

removing a data logging and storage means from said position locating means for facilitating transferring location and time information to said processing means;

processing said location and time information into processed data;

presenting processed data to a user for post transit analysis.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of providing a position locating means further comprises providing a navigation system selected from the group consisting of global positioning system (GPS), long range navigation (LORAN), and inertial navigation system (INS).

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of providing a position locating means further comprises:

providing at least one global positioning system (GPS) receiver;

providing at least one antenna operationally coupled to said GPS receiver, said antenna facilitating reception of GPS signals by said GPS receiver;

providing a data logging and storage means for recording position and time information from said GPS receiver.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said step of providing at least one GPS receiver further comprises:

determining an interval for said GPS receiver to be inactive between position and time determinations;

providing a timing means for measuring said interval;

programming said timing means for said interval.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said step of determining an interval further comprises selecting an interval period having a duration between 1 and 3600 seconds inclusive.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein said step of providing a data logging and storage means for recording position and time information further comprises recording supplemental data from said cargo container.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising providing an interconnect means for operationally coupling said data logging and storage means with a data processing means for facilitating the transfer of information.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein said step of providing an interconnect means further comprises providing an interconnect means selected from the group consisting of a radio frequency link, an electrical cable, an optical cable, an infrared link, and a cellular modem system.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said step of providing an interconnect means further comprises providing a cellular modem system for facilitating a wireless interconnection between said data logging and storage means and said data processing means.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising providing in transit transfers of information between said data logging and storage means and said data processing means for providing periodic updates for analysis during transit.

33. The method of claim 28 wherein said supplemental data further comprises a cargo loading input, a cargo unloading input, and a cargo quantity input for recording changes in cargo status and time of change information.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein said step of providing a data logging and storage means for recording position and time information from said GPS receiver comprises providing a data storage card selected from the group consisting of a personal computer memory card international association (PCMCIA) data storage card a smart media card, and compact flash card, said data storage card being for storing and transporting said position and time information in a substantially nonvolatile format.

35. The method of claim 25, wherein said step of providing a data logging and storage means for recording position and time information from said GPS receiver comprises providing a compact flash card for storing and transporting said position and time information in a substantially nonvolatile format.

36. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of removing a data logging and storage means further comprises removal of a compact flash card from said position locating means for transferring said information in a nonvolatile form.

37. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of collecting location and time information further comprises providing an interconnect means for operationally coupling said data logging and storage means with a data processing means for facilitating the transfer of information.

38. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of processing said location and time information further comprises:

providing geographic information data relevant to the route transited by said cargo container;

overlaying said location and time information for each interval against said geographic information data for plotting a course and velocity vectors of said cargo container; and

developing a representation of location information repeating for multiple intervals.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said step of presenting processed data further comprises displaying said geographic information and said overlayed location and time information on a video monitor for review and analysis by the user.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein said step of displaying said geographic information and said overlayed location and time information further comprises displaying said information in multiple colors such that stops of a duration longer than a determined interval in a unique color for facilitating analysis by the user.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein said step of displaying said geographic information and said overlayed location and time information further comprises displaying said information in multiple symbols such that stops of a duration longer than a determined interval in a unique symbol for facilitating analysis by the user.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein said step of displaying said geographic information further comprises displaying supplemental information in reference to said location and time information for facilitating analysis of cargo changes.