IP Library Granted Patent US 11,738,623
Granted Patent B2
US 11,738,623 · App. 17/218,841 · Granted Aug 29, 2023

Transport climate control remote management

Inventors: David J. Renken (Prior Lake, MN); Tony Spetz (Afton, MN); Matthew Srnec (Minnetonka, MN); Mark D. Leasure (Eagan, MN)
Assignee: THERMO KING LLC
B60H1/00964B60H1/00978G05B19/4155F25D11/003G05B2219/37375
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,738,623
App. No.
17/218,841
Granted
Aug 29, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of remotely managing a transport climate control system (TCCS) includes a remote management device receiving performance data from the TCCS. The performance data based on one or more detected operating parameters of the climate control circuit. The method also including the remote management device providing the performance data to one or more user devices. A remote management system includes a remote management device configured to receive performance data for a climate control circuit from a climate controller of a TCCS and to provide the performance data to one or more user devices. A TCCS includes a controller configured to: generate performance data based on the one or more detected operating parameters of a climate control circuit, and transmit the performance data to a remote monitoring device. The climate controller also configured to receive an operating instruction from the remote monitoring device.

Claims (43)

1. A method of remotely managing a transport climate control system (TCCS) of a climate controlled transport unit, the TCCS includes a climate control circuit for conditioning a climate controlled space of the climate controlled transport unit, the climate control circuit containing refrigerant, the method comprising:

a remote management device receiving performance data for the climate control circuit from a climate controller of the TCCS, the performance data generated by the climate controller based on one or more detected operating parameters of the climate control circuit, the remote management device being remote from the climate controlled transport unit;

comparing, with the remote management device, the performance data for the climate control circuit to average performance for a model of TCCS matching the TCCS of the climate controlled transport unit,

generating, by the remote management device, a refrigerant leak warning based on the comparison of the performance data and the average performance for a type of TCCS matching the TCCS of the climate controlled transport unit, and

transmitting, by the remote management device, the refrigerant leak warning to the climate controller.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the remote management device includes a remote server.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performance data includes one or more of: refrigerant superheat, refrigerant subcooling, a temperature of working fluid in the climate control circuit, a pressure of the working fluid, status of an isolation valve in the climate control circuit, amperage to a compressor in the climate control circuit, a valve position of an expansion valve in the climate control circuit, a status of a refrigerant leak protection system of the climate control circuit.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more operating parameters of the climate control circuit include one or more of: a temperature of working fluid in the climate control circuit, a pressure of the working fluid, status of an isolation valve in the climate control circuit, amperage to a compressor in the climate control circuit, and a valve position of an expansion valve in the climate control circuit.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing the performance data in a memory of the remote management device; and

providing, via the remote management device, the performance data to a plurality of user devices, wherein the providing of the performance data to the plurality of user devices includes:

providing a first user device of the plurality of user devices with the performance data stored on the remote management device at a first access level, and

providing a second user device of the plurality of user devices with the performance data stored in the remote management device at a second access level, the second access level limiting access to the performance data relative to the first access level.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the remote management device, an operating instruction to the climate controller, the operating instruction causing the climate controller to override a refrigerant leak protection system of the climate controlled transport unit.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the operating instruction modifies a predetermined operation setting of the climate controller for operating the climate control circuit.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the operating instruction causes the climate controller to override a predetermined operating limit for activating the refrigerant leak protection system.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the climate controller overrides the predetermined operating limit by ignoring the predetermined operating limit.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein

the refrigerant leak protection system is a sealed compressor protection system for a compressor in the climate control circuit, and

the operating instruction causes the climate controller to ignore a predetermined shutdown parameter for operating the compressor in the climate control circuit.

11. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

a first user device providing an operation input for the climate controlled transport unit to the remote management device, the operation input causing the remote management device to perform the transmitting of the operating instruction.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein

the operation input is cargo value information relating to at least one of price and delivery criticality of cargo in the climate controlled space of the climate controlled transport unit; and

the operating instruction is generated by the remote management device based on the cargo value information.

13. The remote management system of claim 6 , wherein the operating instruction causes the climate controller to modify a predetermined operation setting of the climate controller for operating the climate control circuit.

14. The remote management system of claim 6 , wherein the operating instruction causes the climate controller to override a predetermined operating limit for activating the refrigerant leak protection system.

15. A remote management system for a transport climate control system (TCCS) of a climate controlled transport unit, the TCCS including a climate control circuit for conditioning an internal space of the climate controlled transport unit, the climate control circuit containing refrigerant, the remote management system comprising:

a remote management device configured to:

receive performance data for the climate control circuit from a climate controller of the TCCS, the remote management device being remote from the climate controlled transport unit, the performance data based on one or more detected operating parameters of the climate control circuit, and

compare the performance data for the climate control circuit to average performance for a model of TCCS matching the TCCS of the climate controlled transport unit,

generate a refrigerant leak warning based on the comparison of the performance data and the average performance for a type of TCCS matching the TCCS of the climate controlled transport unit, and

transmit the refrigerant leak warning to the climate controller.

16. The remote management system of claim 15 , wherein the remote management device is configured to transmit an operating instruction to the climate controller, the operating instruction causing the climate controller to override a refrigerant leak protection system of the climate controlled transport unit.

17. A transport climate control system (TCCS) for a climate controlled transport unit, comprising:

a climate control circuit configured to climate condition an internal space of the climate controlled transport unit, the climate control circuit containing refrigerant;

a climate controller connected to a telematics unit, the climate controller configured to:

control operation of the climate control circuit, detect one or more operating parameters of the climate control circuit, generate performance data for the climate control circuit based on the one or more operating parameters of the climate control circuit, and transmit performance data to a remote monitoring device that is remote from the climate controlled transport unit, via the telematics unit,

wherein the climate controller is configured to receive, via the telematics unit, a refrigerant leak warning from the remote monitoring device, and the refrigerant leak warning being generated, by the remote monitoring device, based on comparing the performance data for the climate control circuit to average performance for a model of TCCS matching the TCCS of the climate controlled transport unit.

18. The TCCS of claim 17 , wherein the remote monitoring device includes a remote server.

19. The TCCS of claim 17 , wherein the performance data includes one or more of: refrigerant superheat, refrigerant subcooling, a temperature of working fluid in the climate control circuit, a pressure of the working fluid, status of an isolation valve in the climate control circuit, amperage to a compressor in the climate control circuit, a valve position of an expansion valve in the climate control circuit, and a status of a refrigerant leak protection system for the climate control circuit.

20. The TCCS of claim 17 , wherein the climate controller is configured to receive, via the telematics unit, an operating instruction from the remote monitoring device, the operating instruction causing the climate controller to override a refrigerant leak protection system of the climate controlled transport unit.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 17, 2022
From: THERMO KING CORPORATION
To: THERMO KING LLC
Reel/Frame 061956/0252 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 8, 2021
From: RENKEN, DAVID J.; SPETZ, TONY; SRNEC, MATTHEW; LEASURE, MARK D.
To: THERMO KING CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 056464/0774 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220314741A1 · Oct 6, 2022
Cited By (1)
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