SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR HANDLING DISCRETE SENSOR INFORMATION IN A TRANSPORT REFRIGERATION SYSTEM

1 . A wireless control system for a transport refrigeration system of a reefer comprising:

two or more wireless end nodes, each of the two or more wireless end nodes configured to monitor a property of the transport refrigeration system;

a network coordinator configured to manage, command, direct and regulate the behavior of the two or more wireless end nodes,

wherein each of the two or more wireless end nodes are configured to send sensor data to the network coordinator, and

wherein the wherein the network coordinator includes a sensor to zone coordinator that is configured to combine sensor data received by the two or more wireless end nodes to control a transport refrigeration system function of the transport refrigeration system.

2 . The wireless control system of claim 1 , wherein each of the two or more wireless end nodes is one of a door sensor, an air space temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a cargo temperature sensor and a fuel tank level sensor.

3 . The wireless control system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more wired sensor modules configured to monitor a property of the transport refrigeration system and to transmit and receive information with the network coordinator.

4 . The wireless control system of claim 3 , wherein each of the one or more wired sensor modules is one of a door sensor, an air space temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a cargo temperature sensor and a fuel tank level sensor.

5 . The wireless control system of claim 1 , wherein the network coordinator communicates with the two or more wireless end nodes via a Zigbee communication protocol.

6 . The wireless control system of claim 1 , wherein the transport refrigeration system function includes at least one of turning on lights in an internal space of the reefer, logging an event through telematics, and controlling refrigeration to a particular zone of the reefer.

7 . The wireless communication system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor to zone coordinator is a door to zone coordinator.

8 . The wireless communication system of claim 1 , wherein the reefer is a multi-zone reefer including two or more zones and the sensor to zone coordinator is configured to control the transport refrigeration system function of the transport refrigeration system for one of the two or more zones based on data received from the two or more wireless end nodes.

9 . The wireless communication system of claim 1 , wherein the reefer is a single zone reefer and the sensor to zone coordinator is configured to control the transport refrigeration system function of the transport refrigeration system based on data received from the two or more wireless end nodes.

10 . The wireless communication system of claim 1 , further comprising a transport refrigeration system control unit connected to the network coordinator, wherein the sensor to zone coordinator is configured to generate coordination data based on the combined sensor data received by the two or more wireless end nodes, and wherein the transport refrigeration system control unit is configured receive the coordination data from the sensor to zone coordinator and configured to control the transport refrigeration system function of the transport refrigeration system based on the coordination data.

11 . The wireless communication system of claim 3 , wherein a first wireless end node of the two or more wireless end nodes is a door sensor for a door of the reefer, the wired sensor modules is a door sensor for the door of the reefer, wherein when the first wireless end node and the wired sensor module detect that the door of the reefer is closed, the sensor to zone coordinator generates coordination data to instruct a transport refrigeration system control unit to turn on an evaporator of the reefer.

12 . A method for handling discrete sensor information in a transport refrigeration system of a reefer comprising:

receiving a first sensor message from a first wireless end node configured to monitor a first portion of the transport refrigeration system;

receiving a second sensor message from a second wireless end node configured to monitor a second portion of the transport refrigeration system;

a network coordinator of the wireless communication system combining the first sensor message and the second sensor message and generating a coordination message;

controlling a transport refrigeration system function of the transport refrigeration system based on the coordination message.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein each of the first wireless end node and the second wireless end node is one of a door sensor, an air space temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a cargo temperature sensor and a fuel tank level sensor.

14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising receiving a wired sensor message from a wired sensor module configured to monitor a property of the transport refrigeration system.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the wired sensor module is one of a door sensor, an air space temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a cargo temperature sensor and a fuel tank level sensor.

16 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising the network coordinator communicating with the first wireless end node and the second wireless end node via a Zigbee communication protocol.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the transport refrigeration system function includes at least one of turning on lights in an internal space of the reefer, logging an event through telematics, and controlling refrigeration to a particular zone of the reefer.

18 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

when the reefer is a multi-zone reefer, the sensor to zone coordinator controlling the transport refrigeration system function for one two or more zones of the reefer based on the coordination message.

19 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

when the reefer is a single zone reefer, the sensor to zone coordinator controlling the transport refrigeration system function of the transport refrigeration system based on the coordination message.

20 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

sending the coordination message to a transport refrigeration system control unit; and

controlling, via the transport refrigeration system control unit, the transport refrigeration system function of the transport refrigeration system based on the coordination message.