Patent Description:
Goods are often transported across great distances, sometimes using a variety of different modes of transportation. One common method of transporting goods in such a manner is the use of intermodal shipping containers. Such containers are of a standardized size, such that multiple containers are easily handled and stacked. A common size is <NUM> feet (<NUM>) wide by <NUM> feet, <NUM> inches (<NUM>) high, with a length of either <NUM> feet (<NUM>) or <NUM> feet (<NUM> meters). Other lengths can be used, such as <NUM> feet (<NUM>), <NUM> feet (<NUM>), and <NUM> feet (<NUM>). The benefit of standardized intermodal containers is that goods can be shipped from a variety of different locations without ever having to be removed from the container. The container itself is moved to and from a trailer, rail carrier, or ship.

Some containers include computerized portions. For example, a refrigerated container can have a computer that is used to monitor or control the refrigeration unit. The computer could, for example, change the temperature of the refrigerated container. In addition, the container can monitor the refrigerated container. One can determine the maximum temperature reached in the container, the status of the refrigerant or any electronics of the computer.

An issue that can occur is that it can be difficult to access the computer of each container. Intermodal shipping containers are typically constructed such that they are stackable and can be packed in tight quarters. Therefore, there can be <NUM> to <NUM> containers in a single stack of containers. To maximize the number of containers on a ship or at a shipping facility, the containers can be placed very close to each other. Accessing a single container in such a configuration can be difficult.

"<NPL>et al. discloses methods for waking up an access point.

<CIT> discloses procedures for power efficient and rapid access point discovery using wake up radios.

According to one aspect of the invention a method is provided. The method includes: receiving, by a transceiver of a shipping container, a first activation signal from an activation device; responsive to receiving the first activation signal, transmitting, by the transceiver, network credentialing data to the activation device, the network credentialing data including a container identifier of a shipping container; receiving, by a first controller of a first device of the shipping container, a second activation signal from the activation device, the second activation signal comprising an activation request and the network credentialing data; responsive to receiving the second activation signal, transitioning the first device from a low power state to a high power state; and broadcasting, by the first device, a wireless network, wherein the first device comprises an access point for the wireless network.

The method includes receiving, from the activation device, a request to join the wireless network and granting, by the first device, access to the wireless network for the activation device.

The method may include transmitting, over the wireless network to the activation device, container data associated with the shipping container.

The method may include that responsive to transmitting the container data to the activation device, transitioning the first device from the high power state to the low power state.

The method may include receiving a deactivation signal and responsive to receiving a deactivation signal, transitioning the first device from the high power state to the low power state.

The method may include that the activation device transmits the first activation signal responsive to being within a range of the transceiver.

The method may include that the activation device comprises at least one of smart phone, tablet, and computer.

The method may include that the activation device comprises an interface coupled to the shipping container.

According to another aspect of the invention, a system is provided. The system includes a first controller of a first device of a shipping container and a transceiver of the shipping container, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive a first activation signal from an activation device and responsive to receiving the first activation signal, transmit network credentialing data to the activation device, the network credentialing data including a container identifier of the shipping container, wherein the first controller is configured to receive a second activation signal from the activation device, the second activation signal comprising an activation request and the network credentialing data, responsive to receiving the second activation signal, transition the first device from a low power state to a high power state, and broadcast, by the first device, a wireless network, wherein the first device comprises an access point for the wireless network.

The system includes that the first controller is further configured to receive, from the activation device, a request to join the wireless network and grant access to the wireless network for the activation device.

The system may include that the first controller is further configured to: transmit, over the wireless network to the activation device, container data associated with the shipping container.

The system may include that the first controller is further configured to responsive to transmitting the container data to the activation device, transition the first device from the high power state to the low power state.

The system may include that the first controller is further configured to receive a deactivation signal and responsive to receiving a deactivation signal, transition the first device from the high power state to the low power state.

The system may include that the activation device transmits the first activation signal responsive to being within a range of the transceiver.

The system may include that the activation device comprises at least one of smart phone, tablet, and computer.

The system may include that the activation device comprises an interface coupled to the shipping container.

The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:.

As shown and described herein, various features of the disclosure will be presented. Various embodiments may have the same or similar features and thus the same or similar features may be labeled with the same reference numeral, but preceded by a different first number indicating the figure to which the feature is shown. Thus, for example, element "a" that is shown in FIG. X may be labeled "Xa" and a similar feature in FIG. Z may be labeled "Za. " Although similar reference numbers may be used in a generic sense, various embodiments will be described and various features may include changes, alterations, modifications, etc. as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, whether explicitly described or otherwise would be appreciated by those of skill in the art.

Shown in <FIG> is a refrigerated cargo container <NUM>. The cargo container <NUM> is formed into a generally rectangular construction, with a top wall <NUM>, a directly opposed bottom wall <NUM>, opposed side walls <NUM> and a front wall <NUM>. The cargo container <NUM> further includes a door or doors (not shown) at a rear wall <NUM>, opposite the front wall <NUM>. The cargo container <NUM> is configured to maintain a cargo <NUM> located in the interior <NUM> of the cargo container <NUM> at a selected temperature through the use of a refrigeration unit <NUM> located at the container <NUM>. The cargo container <NUM> is mobile and is utilized to transport the cargo <NUM> via, for example, a truck, a train or a ship. The refrigeration unit <NUM> is located at the front wall <NUM>, and includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, and an evaporator fan, as well as other ancillary components. The cargo container <NUM> described herein is merely exemplary and not intended to limit the application, uses, and/or technical scope of the present disclosure, which can be embodied in various forms known in the art.

Referring to <FIG>, there is shown an embodiment of a processing system <NUM> for implementing the teachings herein. In this embodiment, the system <NUM> has one or more central processing units (processors) 21a, 21b, 21c, etc. (collectively or generically referred to as processor(s) <NUM>). In one or more embodiments, each processor <NUM> may include a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) microprocessor. Processors <NUM> are coupled to system memory <NUM> (RAM) and various other components via a system bus <NUM>. Read only memory (ROM) <NUM> is coupled to the system bus <NUM> and may include a basic input/output system (BIOS), which controls certain basic functions of system <NUM>.

<FIG> further depicts an input/output (I/O) adapter <NUM> and a network adapter <NUM> coupled to the system bus <NUM>. I/O adapter <NUM> may be a small computer system interface (SCSI) adapter that communicates with a hard disk <NUM> and/or tape storage drive <NUM> or any other similar component. I/O adapter <NUM>, hard disk <NUM>, and tape storage device <NUM> are collectively referred to herein as mass storage <NUM>. Operating system <NUM> for execution on the processing system <NUM> may be stored in mass storage <NUM>. A network communications adapter <NUM> interconnects bus <NUM> with an outside network <NUM> enabling data processing system <NUM> to communicate with other such systems. A screen (e.g., a display monitor) <NUM> is connected to system bus <NUM> by display adaptor <NUM>, which may include a graphics adapter to improve the performance of graphics intensive applications and a video controller. In one embodiment, adapters <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> may be connected to one or more I/O busses that are connected to system bus <NUM> via an intermediate bus bridge (not shown). Suitable I/O buses for connecting peripheral devices such as hard disk controllers, network adapters, and graphics adapters typically include common protocols, such as the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI). Additional input/output devices are shown as connected to system bus <NUM> via user interface adapter <NUM> and display adapter <NUM>. A keyboard <NUM>, mouse <NUM>, and speaker <NUM> all interconnected to bus <NUM> via user interface adapter <NUM>, which may include, for example, a Super I/O chip integrating multiple device adapters into a single integrated circuit.

In exemplary embodiments, the processing system <NUM> includes a graphics processing unit <NUM>. Graphics processing unit <NUM> is a specialized electronic circuit designed to manipulate and alter memory to accelerate the creation of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display. In general, graphics processing unit <NUM> is very efficient at manipulating computer graphics and image processing and has a highly parallel structure that makes it more effective than general-purpose CPUs for algorithms where processing of large blocks of data is done in parallel.

The processing system <NUM> described herein is merely exemplary and not intended to limit the application, uses, and/or technical scope of the present disclosure, which can be embodied in various forms known in the art.

Thus, as configured in <FIG>, the system <NUM> includes processing capability in the form of processors <NUM>, storage capability including system memory <NUM> and mass storage <NUM>, input means such as keyboard <NUM> and mouse <NUM>, and output capability including speaker <NUM> and display <NUM>. In one embodiment, a portion of system memory <NUM> and mass storage <NUM> collectively store an operating system coordinate the functions of the various components shown in <FIG> is merely a non-limiting example presented for illustrative and explanatory purposes.

In one or more embodiments, the processing system <NUM> can be utilized in a thermostat, controller, or other component in the refrigeration unit <NUM> in <FIG>, for example.

Turning now to an overview of technologies that are more specifically relevant to aspects of the disclosure, as described above, intermodal shipping containers are very useful for shipping goods through long distances, without the need to load and unload a single container multiple times through the journey. Certain intermodal containers are computerized, such as refrigerated intermodal containers. It can be desirable to access the computer of an intermodal shipping container to control or monitor the container. However, it can be difficult to do so.

It could be possible to establish a wireless connection to the computer system in the container. Once established, a user or field engineer can access information associated with the container. This can assist with accessing the containers that may be stacked <NUM> to <NUM> containers high. However, a difficulty arises because, typically, the containers, when stacked on the shipyard, operate on battery power. The controllers on these containers have embedded wireless cards that can be operated as a wireless access point or operated to connect to a wireless access point. However, these embedded wireless cards on the container controllers consume a considerable amount of power when operating as either an access point or when connecting to a wireless network. With the controllers operating on battery power, keeping these wireless cards active or "on" can drain the battery relatively quickly.

Turning now to an overview of the aspects of the disclosure, one or more embodiments address the above-described shortcomings of the above described technologies by providing systems and methods for switching wireless systems for a container. In typical cargo containers, a user can connect to the container through a wireless connection utilizing a user device such as a table or smart phone or a pc/laptop. However, for this to be achieved, the wireless network needs to be switched (turned on) for the duration of the wireless connection. To achieve this switching, systems and methods herein provide for using a hardware transmitter (transceiver) associated with a container controller to switch on the wireless network when needed for connecting to the container controller to access data associated with the container. This transceiver can be activated when an activation device comes within range of the transceiver. The activation device can send an activation signal to the transceiver requesting network information or credentialing data for the activation of a wireless network by a wireless device on the container. The transceiver can send credentialing data such as a secure set identifier (SSID) to the activation device. Once receive, the activation device can verify the SSID and transmit a second activation signal to the transceiver to operate the wireless device to broadcast a wireless network as an access point. Once activated the activation device can connect to the wireless network and access data associated with the container.

Turning now to a more detailed description <FIG> depicts a block diagram depicting a group of containers <NUM> each including a container controller <NUM> having a wireless card <NUM> embedded in the controller according to one or more embodiments. The container controllers also include a container transmitter <NUM>. In one or more embodiments, an activation device <NUM> includes a hardware transmitter <NUM>. The hardware transmitter <NUM> can utilize low energy proximity sensing to transmit a signal to be picked up by a compatible system. The hardware transmitter <NUM>, when within range of the container transmitter <NUM>, can transmit an activation signal to this container transmitter <NUM>. In one or more embodiments, the hardware transmitter <NUM> transmits the activation signal to the container transmitter <NUM>. In the activation signal is a request to get a secure set identifier (SSID) from the container transmitter <NUM>. The container transmitter <NUM> can verify the activation signal request and then return the SSID to the hardware transmitter <NUM>. Once the SSID is received by the hardware transmitter <NUM>, the hardware transmitter <NUM> can send a request to the container controller <NUM> to activate the wireless card <NUM> to broadcast a wireless network from the container <NUM>. The activation device <NUM>, having the SSID, can connect to the wireless network broadcast from the container <NUM>. Once connected, the activation device <NUM> can access data associated with the container <NUM> through the container controller <NUM>. In one or more embodiments, the activation device <NUM> can be a user device such as, for example, a smart phone, tablet, or laptop. In one or more embodiments, the data associated with the container <NUM> can include information such as, for example, contents data, transportation data, status data for the container, and the like.

In one or more embodiments, the activation signal transmitted by the activation device <NUM> can be received by the container transmitter <NUM> that can be operated in a low power mode prior to receiving the activation signal. The activation signal thus "wakes up" the container transmitter <NUM> which then notifies the container controller <NUM> to activate the wireless card <NUM>. The container controller <NUM> transitions the wireless card <NUM> from a low power mode to a high power mode. Or, in other embodiments, the container transmitter <NUM> can activate the wireless card <NUM> directly to turn on the wireless card (e.g., transition from low power mode to a high power mode). The illustrated example includes containers <NUM> - <NUM> not within range of the activation device <NUM>. These containers <NUM> - <NUM> might not be from the same company owning the container <NUM>.

In one or more embodiments, the hardware transmitter <NUM> and the container transmitter <NUM> can be a BLLTETOOTH ™ low - energy beacon that can transmit an identifier to the activation device <NUM> to be utilized to configure the wireless network for the container <NUM>. In one or more embodiments, the hardware transmitter <NUM> and the container transmitter <NUM> can be radio frequency (RF) transmitters. In one or more embodiments, the activation device <NUM> can be an interface coupled to one of the shipping containers. For example, a key pad or display can be on the side of a shipping container and can be utilized to transmit the activation signal to turn on the wireless network.

In one or more embodiments, the container controllers <NUM>, transmitters <NUM>, <NUM>, wireless cards <NUM>, and activation device <NUM> can be implemented on the processing system <NUM> found in <FIG>. The container <NUM> benefits from improved energy efficiency as the operation of the wireless card <NUM> is utilized when there is active accessing of data associated with the container <NUM>. In one or more embodiments, after a certain amount of time passes or when the hardware transmitter <NUM> is no longer in range of the container <NUM>, the wireless card <NUM> can be turned off or revert back to a low power mode.

In one or more embodiments, the activation device <NUM> (e.g., phone or tablet) includes an application that sends out an activation signal (e.g., beacons, RF signals, etc.) to probe all hidden SSIDs. In response to the activation signal with a valid credential, all the containers that received the signal can send their corresponding SSID information in return. All such collected SSIDs are populated in a list box in the activation device <NUM> application. This has the added benefit of helping fetch the container IDs list automatically especially when SSIDs are hidden for security reasons.

Also, one or more embodiments circumvent the limitations on highly restricted phones/tablets operating systems. The application on the activation device <NUM> can scan all the WiFi SSIDs around (container IDs) and then populate a list of container IDs on the application. A user will select one of the container IDs (e.g., SSIDs) from a list and then ask the application to automatically connect/join/associate the selected network. Some manufacturer's operating systems do not let an application control the WiFi association/disassociation. It is the user (via the O/S WiFi settings) who has to manually associated/disassociate to/from a network. To circumvent the restrictive operating systems, the activation device <NUM> user manually connects/associates to one access point network, where more than one container is already connected to in the form of clients. Now, instead of manually connecting to multiple networks manually one by one, the user can now connect to one container and access all the connected containers.

<FIG> depicts a flow diagram of a method for wireless switching according to one or more embodiments. The method <NUM> includes receiving, by a transceiver, a first activation signal from an activation device, as shown in block <NUM>. At block <NUM>, the method <NUM> includes responsive to receiving the first activation signal, transmitting, by the transceiver, network credentialing data to the activation device. Also, at block <NUM>, the method <NUM> includes receiving, by a first controller of a first device, a second activation signal from the activation device, the second activation signal comprising an activation request and the network credentialing data. The method <NUM> includes responsive to receiving the second activation signal, transitioning the first device from a low power state to a high power state, as shown at block <NUM>. And at block <NUM>, the method <NUM> includes broadcasting, by the first device, a wireless network, wherein the first device comprises an access point for the wireless network.

In one or more embodiments, the activation device <NUM> with already known/valid (i.e., active/not yet expired) credentialing data and known SSID can directly turn on the wireless network instead of sending/waiting on a second activation signal.

Additional processes may also be included. It should be understood that the processes depicted in <FIG> represent illustrations and that other processes may be added or existing processes may be removed, modified, or rearranged without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claim 1:
A method for wireless switching, the method comprising:
receiving, by a transceiver (<NUM>) of a shipping container (<NUM>), a first activation signal from an activation device (<NUM>);
responsive to receiving the first activation signal, transmitting, by the transceiver (<NUM>), network credentialing data to the activation device (<NUM>), the network credentialing data including a container identifier of the shipping container (<NUM>);
receiving, by a first controller (<NUM>) of a first device (<NUM>) of the shipping container (<NUM>), a second activation signal from the activation device (<NUM>), the second activation signal comprising an activation request and the network credentialing data;
responsive to receiving the second activation signal, transitioning the first device (<NUM>) from a low power state to a high power state;
broadcasting, by the first device (<NUM>), a wireless network, wherein the first device comprises an access point for the wireless network;
receiving, from the activation device (<NUM>), a request to join the wireless network; and
granting, by the first device (<NUM>), access to the wireless network for the activation device.