System & method for monitoring & diagnosing faults in environmentally controlled containers, such system and method being especially adapted for remote computer controlled monitoring of numerous transportable containers over existing on-site power wiring

A system for monitoring environmentally controlled transportable containers, over existing on-site power wiring into which said container's environmental control unit is electrically connected, said system comprising

• sensor means on each container capable of being monitored by said system, said sensor means being disposed for detecting predetermined parameters representative of the condition of said containers,
• a data acquisition unit mounted to each monitorable container and having means for identifying the particular container to which it is mounted, said data acquisition unit comprising electronic means forming a first digital computer having input/output interface means including serial input/output interface means, and futher comprising means for inputting to said first digital computer container parameter data generated by said sensor means, and a first bidirectional data transfer means for transferring serial digital data between said first digital computer and the power line of said container to provide for external communication with said first digital computer whereby, when the container is placed on-line by electrically connecting said container power line to a power receptacle for said on-site power wiring, a bidirectional communication link will be established between said on-site power wiring and said first digital computer,
• a second digital computer and input/output means therefore, said second digital computer and input/output means being suitably located to provide for the monitoring of on-line containers equipped with one of said data acquisition units,
• a second bidirectional data transfer means for transferring serial digital data between said second digital computer and said on-site power wiring wherein a bidirectional communication link is established therebetween and whereby a serial digital data stream can be transmitted in either direction between said monitoring second digital computer and the first digital computer fo the data acquisition units of any on-line container,
• said second digital computer being adapted to send out predetermined commmand sequences for communicating with the first digital computer of the data acquisition unit of on-line containers and also being adapted to identify individual on-line containers for selective communication therewith whereby numerous on-line containers can be remotely monitored by said second digital computer when said containers are connected into existing on-site power wiring.

A system for monitoring environmentally controlled transportable containers over existing on-site power wiring into which said containers' environmental control unit is electrically connected, comprising

• sensor means on each container capable of being monitored by the system, said sensor means being disposed for detecting predetermined parameters representative of the condition of said containers,
• a data acquisition unit mounted to each of said monitorable containers, said data acquisition unit comprising
• (a) means for identifying the particular container to which said data acquisition unit is mounted,
• (b) electronic means forming a first digital computer having memory, input/output interface means including serial input/output interface means, and means for storing in a preallocated portion of said memory the digital representation of container parameter data currently generated by said sensor means wherein current parameter data substantially continuously replace previously stored non-current data to provide a current stored record of the container's condition,
• (c) means under the control of said first digital computer, including analog to digital conversion means, for repetitively scanning said sensor means for inputting current container parameter data to said first digital computer, and
• (d) a first bidirectional means for transferring serial digital data between said first digital computer and a power line of said container to provide for external communication with said first digital computer whereby placing said container on-line by electrically connecting said container power connector means to a power receptacle means for said on-site power wiring will establish a first bidirectional communication link between said on-site power wiring and the digital computer of said data acquisition unit over which a serial data stream can be transmitted, said first bidirectional serial data transfer means including frequency modulation/demodulation means for frequency modulating and demodulating a carrier signal for transmitting and receiving serial data over said on-site wiring,
• a second digital computer and input/output means thereofre, said second computer and input/output means forming a central monitoring station for on-line containers equipped with one of said data acquisition units,
• a second bidirectional means for transferring serial digital data between said second digital computer and said on-site power wiring wherein a bidirectional communication link is established therebetween, said second bidirectional serial data transfer means including frequency modulation/demodulation means for frequency modulating and demodulating a carrier signal for transmitting and receiving serial data over said on-site wiring, said frequency modulation/demodulation means of said second bidirectional serial data transfer means being cooperative with said frequency modulation/demodulation means of the first bidirectional serial data transfer means of said data acquisition units whereby a serial digital data stream can be transmitted in either direction between the monitoring second digital computer and the first digital computer of the data acquisition units of any one-line container,
• said second digital computer being adapted for sending predetermined command sequences, such as a form of container condition request command, to the first digital computer of the data acquisition unit of on-line container, with each command sequence including means for identifying which container or containers are being addressed by said command sequence, and
• said first digital computer having means responsive to said predetermined command sequence, such as might be received from said second digital computer, and for acting in accordance with said commands, and futher having means for recognizing and acting only on those command sequences which are addressed to the container to which the data acquisition unit is mounted including means for testing an incoming command sequence against the data acquisition unit's means for identifying the particular container to which the data acquisition unit is mounted, whereby said second digital computer can selectively communicate with the date acquisition units of numerous on-line containers.

A system for monitoring environmentally controlled containers over existing on-site power wiring wherein the environmental control unit of said containers electrically connect into said power wiring through on-site power receptacles, each of which is electrically actuated by a circuit breaker means, said system comprising

• sensor means in each container capable of being monitored by said system, said sensor means being disposed for detecting predetermined parameters representative of the condition of said containers,
• a data acquisition unit mounted to each monitorable container, said data acquisition unit having electronic means forming a first digital computer, said data acquisition unit, under the control of said first digital computer, being adapted to read and store container parameter data generated by said container sensor means, and further being adapted for external serial input/output data communication through the power line of said container whereby, when said container is placed on-line by electrically connecting said container power line to said power receptacle and actuating said circuit breaker means to supply power to said container, a bidirectional communications link will be established between said on-site power wiring and said first digital computer, said bidirectional communications link permitting the first digital computer of said data acquisition unit to communicate over said on-site power wiring with a second digital computer which is suitably located to provide substantially central monitoring of all on-line containers equipped with one of said data acquisition units, and
• a location transmitter means associated with each on-site power receptacle which is to be adapted for a location transmission capability, said location transmitter having a serial data output and being adapted to transmit therefrom a location code which identifies where in a container storage area said power receptacle means is located,
• the serial data output of said location transmitter means being connected to the wire of the on-site power wiring used to transmit serial digital data to said data acquisition unit, and having a feedback circuit means from said power wiring for inhibiting transmission of serial data through said serial data output when a high voltage appears at said serial data output, said serial data output connection being between said power receptacle means and said circuit breaker means whereby said location transmitter transmits its location code to the data acquisition unit of a container electrically connected to said power receptacle between the time such receptacle connection is made and said circuit breaker means is actuated to supply power to said container, said location code being stored by said first digital computer of said data acquisition unit for later access by said central monitoring second digital computer.

A data acquisition unit adapted to be mounted to an environmentally controlled transportable container having sensors disposed therein for detecting container parameters representative of the containers condition, said data acquisition unit comprising

• electronic means forming a first digital computer having input/output interface means including serial input/output interface means,
• means for inputting to said first digital computer container parameter data generated by said sensor means,
• a bidirectional data transfer means for transferring serial digital data between said first digital computer and the power line of said container to provide for external communication with said first digital computer whereby, when said container is placed on-line by electrically connecting said container's power line to a power receptacle means for said on-site power wiring, a bidirectional communication link will be established between said on-site power wiring and said first digital computer,
• said first digital computer having means responsive to predetermined command sequences whereby said command sequences can be inputted as a serial data stream through said bidirectional data transfer means whereby remote external communication with said data acquisition unit relative to the container's condition can be effected over said on-site power wiring by a known available set of commands transmitted by a second digital computer, and
• said first digital computer further having means for recognizing and acting on only those command sequences which are addressed to the container to which the data acquisition unit is mounted whereby said second digital computer is permitted to selectively communicate with the data acquisition units of numerous on-line containers.

A data acquisition unit adapted to be mounted to an environmentally controlled container having sensors disposed therein for detecting container parameters representative of the containers condition, said data acquisition unit comprising

• means for identifying a particular container to which said data acquisition unit can be mounted,
• electronic means forming a first digital computer having
• (a) memory,
• (b) input/output interface means including serial input/output interface means, and
• (c) means for storing in a preallocated portion of said memory the digital representation of container parameter data currently generated by said sensor means wherein current parameter data substantially continuously replaces previously stored non-current data to provide a current stored record of the container's condition, means under the control of said first digital computer including analog to digital conversion means for repetitively scanning said sensor means for inputting the container parameter data to said first digital computer, and
• a first bidirectional means for transferring serial digital data between said first digital computer and a power line of said container to provide for external communication with said first digital computer whereby placing said container on-line by electrically connecting said container power connector means to a power receptacle means for said on-site wiring will establish a first bidirectional communications link between said on-site power wiring and said first digital computer over which a serial data stream can be transmitted, said first bidirectional serial data transfer means including frequency modulation/demodulation means for frequency modulating and demodulating a carrier signal for transmitting and receiving serial data over said on-site wiring,
• said first digital computer having means responsive to predetermined command sequences, such as a form of container condition request command, whereby said command sequences can be inputted as a serial data stream through said bidirectional data transfer means whereby remote external communication with said data acquisition unit relative to the container's condition can be effected over said on-site power wiring by a known available set of commands transmitted by a second digital computer, and
• said first digital computer further having means for recognizing and acting on only those command sequences which are addressed to the container to which the data acquisition unit is mounted whereby said second digital computer is permitted to selectively communicate with the data acquisition units of numerous on-line containers.

A location transmitter adapted to be used in connection with a power receptacle of a container storage area for transmitting a location code to an environmentally controlled container equipped with a computer controlled data acquisition unit wherein said data acquisition unit is adapted to transmit and receive serial digital data over existing on-site power wiring by transmitting and receiving such data over the power line of the container's environmental control unit which electrically connects into said power receptacle, said location transmitter comprising

• means for setting a binary location code corresponding to a particular storage area location,
• digital multiplex means for sequencing each digital bit of said binary location code for outputting therefrom the location code as a serial data stream,
• means for pulsing said digital multiplexer at a predetermined rate for serial data transmission,
• a serial data output adapted to communicate with said on-site power wiring for transmitting said location code thereover, and
• means for enabling the transmission of serial data through said serial data output after a container is electrically connected to the power receptacle associated with the storage area location identified by said location code, but inhibiting further transmissions therefrom some finite time after such transmissions have commenced.

A location transmitter adapted to be used in connection with a power receptacle of a container storage area for transmitting a location code over existing on-site power wiring wherein said location transmitter identifies where in said storage area said power receptacle is located, said location transmitter comprising

• means for setting a binary location code corresponding to a particular storage area location,
• digital multiplex means for sequencing each digital bit of said binary location code for outputtting therefrom the location code as a serial data stream,
• means for pulsing said digital multiplexer at a predetermined rate for serial data transmission,
• a serial data output adapted to communicate with said on-site power wiring for transmitting said location code thereover, and
• means for enabling the transmission of serial data through said serial data output after a cargo container is electrically connected to the power receptacle associated with the storage area location identified by said location code, but inhibiting further transmissions therefrom some finite time after such transmissions have commenced.

A method for monitoring the condition in a controlled area having a plurality of sensors disposed for detecting area condition parameters wherein said monitoring is under the control of a parameter data acquisition digital computer having data storage memory, said method being comprised essentially of the steps of

• substantially continuously scanning the analog signals generated by said sensors,
• converting the scanned analog signals to computer readable digital parameter data,
• storing said digital parameter data in a preallocated portion of said data storage memory,
• transmitting digital data over existing on-site wiring to a remote data processing digital computer for remote monitoring of said controlled area.

A method for monitoring an environmentally controlled transportable container having a plurality of sensors disposed for detecting parameters relating to the operation of said container's environmental control means, wherein said monitoring is under the control of a parameter data acquisition digital computer, said method being comprised essentially of the steps of

• substantially continuously scanning the analog signals generated by said container sensors,
• converting the scanned analog signals to computer readable digital parameter data,
• storing said digital parameter data in a preallocated portion of the data acquisition computer memory,
• comparing parameter data with parameter limit values stored in said computer memory for detecting a normal or out of limit condition status for said container, and
• transmittig data storred in said computer memory, including data indicative of the container condition status, to an external monitoring computer in response to a command therefrom, said data being transmitted as a modulated serial data stream over existing on-site power wiring whereby numerous computers can be monitored from a central location over said existing on-site wiring.