Method and apparatus using radio-location tags to report status for a container handler

An apparatus, comprising:

• a micro-controller module for use on a top handler communicatively coupled to a means for optically sensing a container code of a container being handled by said top handler to create an optical container characteristic including at least one member of a container code characteristic collection, and communicatively coupled to at least one of a means for wirelessly communicating said optical container characteristic, and a means for wirelessly determining location;
• wherein said micro-controller module includes a computer;
• said computer further includes at least one member of a list comprising an instruction processor, an inferential engine, a neural network, and a finite state machine;
• wherein said instruction processor includes at least one instruction processing element and at least one data processing element;
• wherein each of said data processing elements is controlled by at least one of said instruction processing elements
• and said instruction processor is accessibly coupled to a memory and said instruction processor is directed by a program system including program steps residing in said memory;
• and
• wherein said finite state machine includes at least one of:
• means for using a means for sensing a state of said top handler to create a sensed state;
• means for using said means for wireless communicating to communicate said sensed state of said top handler.