Thermo King Corporation

Timothy Alan Walker

Ulrich Fink

Eduardo S Tan

Russell L Sanders

Ashok Muralidhar

Luis Camacho

An embedded security system for an environment-controlled trailer including a transportation refrigeration unit. The security system includes a plurality of sensors mounted to the trailer and a communication device embedded in the transportation refrigeration unit of the trailer, the communication device being configured to receive data from the plurality of sensors, and to send the received data to a controller being remote from the trailer. The controller is configured to monitor the security status of the trailer and to determine a security risk at the trailer based, at least in part, on the received data.

Embedded security system for environment-controlled transportation containers and method for detecting a security risk for environment-controlled transportation containers

A method of operating a transport refrigeration unit that is operable to regulate a temperature of a cargo space. The method includes providing a controller, driving a refrigerant compressor of the transport refrigeration unit with an internal combustion engine to compress a refrigerant defining an engine operating state of the transport refrigeration unit, and driving the refrigerant compressor of the transport refrigeration unit with an electric motor to compress the refrigerant defining a motor operating state of the transport refrigeration unit. The method further includes sensing the temperature of the cargo space, receiving into the controller a signal indicative of the temperature of the cargo space, determining the temperature of the cargo space using the controller, and switching between the engine operating state and the motor operating state in response to a signal generated by the controller based on the temperature of the cargo space.

Electric transport refrigeration unit with temperature-based diesel operation

A transport unit including a container defining a cargo space. The transport unit includes position detection apparatus coupled to the container, and adapted to determine a geographic location of the container and to generate a signal indicative of the geographic location. The transport unit also includes a refrigeration system in communication with the cargo space, and a control system including route data that defines a plurality of potential destinations of the container. The control system is programmed to predict a container route defined by at least two potential destinations of the container based on the geographic location and the route data, and to determine a proximity of the container relative to at least one potential destination of the route. The control system is in communication with the refrigeration system to control the refrigeration system based on the proximity of the container relative to the at least one potential destination.

Growing community of inventors

Plymouth, MN, United States of America

Timothy Alan Walker