Patent · US Active

Electronic monitoring systems, shipment container monitoring systems and methods of monitoring a shipment in a container

US7629943B2 · kind B2 · utility

9Cited by
6References
59Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 14, 2007
Grant dateDec 8, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 30, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04B7/15507
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A shipping container has a passive radio antenna element having internal and external antennas. A connector spanning the wall joins the two antennas. An internal communications device is disposed within the container and an external communications device is disposed external to the container. Another shipping container has a repeater element having internal and external antennas. A repeater unit spans the wall joining the two antennas. A communications device is disposed within the container and another communications device is disposed externally. RF signals are re-radiated by the antennas. Methodology includes emitting RF signals from a communication device disposed at a first location, receiving the signals through an antenna comprised by an antenna element, and re-radiating the signal from a second antenna comprised by the element, where the element spans the wall of a shipping container. The re-radiated signal is received by a second communications device disposed at a second location.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.