Monitoring systems for shipping containers
Interested parties would like to track the location of one or more towed transport platforms continuously when they are in motion. Existing monitoring systems are powered by a combination of solar power, batteries, and intermittent tractor platform power for electrical power. All of these power sources have limitations in providing power when a towed transport platform is in motion. Solar power is not available at night. Batteries run out of energy and must be recharged. Tractor platform power is not always available to a towed transport platform. The embodiments of the invention convert the kinetic energy of a moving towed transport platform into electrical power, providing continuous power for a monitoring system to operate.
1 . A monitoring system configured to monitor a shipping container, the monitoring system comprising:
an inductor;
a magnet disposed such that relative movement between the magnet and the inductor caused by movement of a transport platform to which the shipping container is coupled induces electrical power, the relative movement between the magnet and the inductor caused by rotation of a rotating wheel component of the transport platform, the relative movement between the magnet and the inductor not caused by airflow turning a turbine;
means for determining geolocation information of the shipping container;
a processor electrically coupled to the inductor, the processor configured to log a set of the determined geolocation information of the shipping container;
a transmitter configured to transmit at least a portion of the set of determined geolocation information to a server; and
an energy storage device coupled to the inductor, the energy storage device configured to store excess electrical energy during a first time period and to provide the stored electrical energy to the monitoring system during a second time period.
2 . The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the transport platform is a towed transport platform.
3 . The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the shipping container comprises an intermodal container.
4 . The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the movement of the transport platform is periodic movement of the transport platform.
5 . The monitoring system of claim 4 , wherein the periodic movement of the transport platform is vibration.
6 . The monitoring system of claim 4 , wherein the periodic movement of the transport platform is swaying.
7 . The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the means for determining geolocation information comprises a module configured to determine the geolocation information by means of a satellite-based radio navigation system.
8 . The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the means for determining geolocation information comprises a radio receiver configured to determine the geolocation information by means of a multilateration algorithm.
9 . The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the rotating wheel component comprises a wheel.
10 . The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the rotating wheel component comprises an axle.
11 . The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the rotating wheel component comprises a tire.