Granted Patent B2

US 12,741,505 · App. 18/749,878 · Granted Sep 22, 2026

Inventors: Philip Lewis Lavrich (Mooresville, NC); Mark D. Leasure (Eagan, MN); Casey Briscoe (Minnetonka, MN); Grant A. Baumgardner (Minneapolis, MN); Ryan Wayne Schumacher (Bloomington, MN); Wallace Stephen Hubbard (Chanhassen, MN); Panayu Robert Srichai (Minneapolis, MN); Matthew Srnec (Minnetonka, MN)

Assignee: THERMO KING LLC

B60H1/00771B60H1/3232B60W50/14B60W2050/143

Abstract

Claims (69)

1 . A method for providing energy consumption feedback for powering a transport climate control system, the method comprising:

obtaining one or more route parameters;

obtaining one or more conditions impacting the route via a communications link to a remote server;

obtaining a pre-route energy level of an energy storage source supplying power to the transport climate control system;

determining, using a controller, an expected energy consumption of the transport climate control system for the route based on the one or more route parameters and the one or more conditions impacting the route;

comparing, using the controller, the expected energy consumption for the route to the pre-route energy level of the energy storage source; and

displaying a message via a display, wherein the message is based on the expected energy consumption and the pre-route energy level of the energy storage source.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more route parameters include one or more of:

a route to be traveled by a transport unit including the transport climate control system;

a type of goods being carried in a space conditioned by the transport climate control system;

a number of stops to be made by the transport unit during the route;

an estimated number of times a door of a climate controlled space of the transport unit will be opened during the route; and

an estimated amount of time the door of the climate controlled space will be open during the route.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more route parameters are obtained via user input at a human-machine interface.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more route parameters are obtained from a communications link to a dispatching server.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more conditions impacting the route include at least one of:

a weather forecast;

current weather data;

a traffic prediction;

current traffic data;

charging system location data; and

customer delivery time constraints.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

when the expected energy consumption is greater than the pre-route energy level of the energy storage source, determining one or more remedial measures.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more remedial measures include at least one of an alternate route for a transport unit and an adjusted set point for the transport climate control system.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

while a transport unit including the transport climate control system is in transit, receiving one or more updated route parameters and one or more updated conditions impacting the route;

determining an updated energy consumption based on the one or more updated route parameters and the one or more updated conditions impacting the route;

obtaining a current energy level of the energy storage source;

comparing the updated energy consumption to the current energy level; and

displaying a message via a display, wherein the message is based on the updated energy consumption and the current energy level of the energy storage source.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

when the updated energy consumption is greater than the updated energy level of the energy storage source, determining one or more in-route remedial measures.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more in-route remedial measures include at least one of an alternate route for the transport unit and an adjusted set point for the transport climate control system.

11 . A transport climate control system, comprising:

an energy storage management system configured to determine an energy level of an energy storage source;

a display; and

a controller, configured to:

obtain one or more route parameters;

obtain one or more conditions impacting the route;

obtain a pre-route energy level of an energy storage source supplying power to the transport climate control system;

determine an expected energy consumption of the transport climate control system for the route based on the one or more route parameters and the one or more conditions impacting the route;

compare the expected energy consumption for the route to the pre-route energy level of the energy storage source; and

direct display of a message via the display, wherein the message is based on the expected energy consumption and the pre-route energy level of the energy storage source.

12 . The transport climate control system of claim 11 , further comprising a human-machine interface configured to accept input of the one or more route parameters.

13 . The transport climate control system of claim 11 , further comprising a communications link configured to wirelessly communicate with a remote server, and wherein the controller is configured to obtain the one or more conditions impacting the route from the remote server via the communications link.

14 . The transport climate control system of claim 13 , wherein the communications link is configured to receive the one or more route parameters from the remote server.

15 . The transport climate control system of claim 11 , wherein the transport climate control system is a transport refrigeration system.

16 . The transport climate control system of claim 11 , wherein the energy storage source includes one or more batteries.

17 . The transport climate control system of claim 11 , further comprising a door sensor configured to determine when a door of a space conditioned by the transport climate control system is open or closed.

18 . The transport climate control system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more route parameters include one or more of:

a route to be traveled by a transport unit including the transport climate control system;

a type of goods being carried in a space conditioned by the transport climate control system;

a number of stops to be made by the transport unit during the route;

an estimated number of times a door of a climate controlled space of the transport unit will be opened during the route;

an estimated amount of time the door of the climate controlled space will be open during the route.

19 . The transport climate control system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more conditions impacting the route include at least one of:

a weather forecast;

current weather data;

a traffic prediction;

current traffic data;

charging system location data; and

customer delivery time constraints.

20 . The transport climate control system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

while a transport unit including the transport climate control system is in transit, receive one or more updated route parameters and one or more updated conditions impacting the route;

determine an updated energy consumption based on the one or more updated route parameters and the one or more updated conditions impacting the route;

obtain a current energy level of the energy storage source;

compare the updated energy consumption to the current energy level; and

direct the display of a message via the display, wherein the message is based on the updated energy consumption and the current energy level of the energy storage source.

Continuity (2)

References Cited (374)