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US 8,284,066 B2Granted
Container power sensing system and method
AssigneeStartrak Information Technologies, LLC
InventorsHerbert Perten, Timothy Slifkin, Thomas A. Robinson, Swati Chiney
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automated and/or remote method for identifying and/or changing the source of power for these generator sets, which may apply to any environment where there are alternative sources of power available which must be managed remotely (such as for other powered containers not used for refrigeration transport).
Claims19
A shipping container, comprising:
- a refrigeration unit;
- a power line connected to the refrigeration unit;
- said power line being connectable to one of a utility power source or a shipboard power source subject to limited transients in response to refrigeration unit load changes on the one hand and an engine driven genset subject to higher transients in response to refrigeration load changes on the other;
- an electrical transient sensor connected to the power line of the container and having an output revealing the existence of a transient, and
- a two-condition threshold indicator switch responsive to the output of the transient sensor;
- said threshold indicator switch exhibiting one of two conditions;
- one of said conditions indicating a transient beyond a threshold as a demonstration that the power line is connected to the genset;
- and
- a threshold-exceeding transient condition transmitter.
6 more elements
A method of selecting power for a refrigeration unit in a shipping container, comprising:
- monitoring electrical conditions of power energizing the unit;
- sensing transients in the monitored electrical conditions;
- comparing the value of the transients to a threshold;
- and
- transmitting a signal indicative of whether or not a transient exceeds the threshold to a user as an indication of the power line being connected to an engine driven genset subject to higher transients in response to refrigeration load changes on the one hand or a utility power source or a shipboard power source subject to limited transients in response to refrigeration unit load changes on the other hand;
- and
- shifting the power from a genset, if the unit is being powered by a genset, to a utility power source or a shipboard power source.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.