JP2001301979A - Container identification device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] To transmit an identification code from each container from a transmitter,
In a container identification device that receives this identification code by a management receiver and manages the container, when a large number of containers are stacked, one container is surrounded by another container, and the identification radio wave is transmitted to the receiver. It may not arrive. When a container (1a) is stacked on a container (1), an upper stacking sensor (6) of the container (1) senses this, transmits a result of the detection to a control unit of a transmitter (2), stops transmission output, and IDs. The light emitting unit 5 outputs its own container identification code. The output of the light emitting unit 5 is the I of the container 1a.
The light is received by the D light receiving unit 7a, combined with the identification code of the container 1a by the control unit of the transmitter 2a, and emitted from the position signal transmitting antenna 4a of the transmitter 2a of the container 1a.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a container for freight transportation, and more particularly to a container identification device capable of easily identifying the position of each individual container when a large number of containers are stacked.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, containers used for transportation are:
Simplify freight transportation operations such as packing, unpacking, transshipment, and temporary storage, reduce transportation costs by enabling integrated transportation from door to door, and prevent loss or theft of cargo during transportation. Has advantages. Furthermore, effective transportation is possible by using a container-only vehicle, a ship, or the like, which is an important means of mass transportation. As a method of managing individual identification of large containers transported in large quantities, a method of mounting a transmitter for emitting an individual identification code radio wave to each container, receiving this radio wave and decoding the identification code is adopted. .

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a system configuration of a conventional container identification device for identifying a container individual using a wireless identification signal. As shown in the figure, in the present identification device, a transmitter 9 having a control circuit (not shown) and a battery 3 are installed inside a container 1, and a position signal transmitting antenna 4 is installed above the container 1. The receiver 8 is a receiver that receives a radio wave transmitted from the position signal transmitting antenna 4 and decodes an identification code. In the above-described configuration, the identification code assigned to the container generated by the control circuit is intermittently transmitted from the transmitter 9 via the position signal transmitting antenna 4 by, for example, a weak radio wave. The receiver 8 can confirm the position of the container or the identification number by receiving the emission radio wave and decoding the identification code.

[0004]

However, as described above, when receiving the radio waves emitted from the antenna mounted on each container and identifying the position of each container,
When a large number of containers are stacked, one container is surrounded on all sides by another container. For this reason, radio waves emitted from each container may not reach the receiver, causing a problem that storage management cannot be performed sufficiently.
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and has as its object to provide a container identification device capable of easily identifying individual containers even when many containers are stacked.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transmitter installed in an individual container for transmitting an identification code assigned to each container by radio waves, A management receiver for receiving the identification code, wherein the container identification device performs management of the container based on the identification code, wherein when the second container is loaded on the first container, the first The transmitter installed in the container stops the wireless transmission of its own identification code and transfers its own identification code to the transmitter installed in the second container, and the transmitter installed in the second container It is characterized by wirelessly transmitting its own identification code and the identification code of the first container transferred from the transmitter installed in the first container.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the container identification device according to the first aspect, when the containers are stacked in multiple stages, the transmissions installed in the uppermost container are sequentially transmitted from the transmitter installed in the lowermost container. The identification code of each container is transferred to the machine, and the identification code of its own container and the identification codes transferred from all the lower containers are transmitted from the transmitter of the uppermost container. Also,
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the container identification device according to the first or second aspect, optical communication is used as a means for transferring an identification code between containers. Further, in the invention according to claim 4, in the container identification device according to claims 1 to 3, each container is provided with an overload detecting means for detecting overloading, and the overload detecting means is provided on another container above the own container. The wireless transmission from the transmitter of the own container and the transfer of its own identification code are performed based on the detection that the container is stacked.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below based on an embodiment shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system configuration of a container identification device according to the present invention, in which containers having container identification devices having exactly the same configuration and function are stacked in two tiers. As shown in the drawing, in the present identification device, transmitters 2 and 2a having a control unit (not shown) inside containers 1 and 1a and batteries 3 and 3a are provided.
The position signal transmitting antennas 4 and 4a, the ID light emitting units 5 and 5a, and the stacking sensors 6 and 6a are provided above the containers 1 and 1a.
D light receiving units 7 and 7a are provided, respectively. The receiver 8 is a receiver for receiving position signal radio waves emitted from the position signal transmitting antennas 4 and 4a.

The transmitters 2 and 2a transmit their own container identification codes generated by the control unit to the position signal transmitting antennas 4, 4a.
a. The upper sensing sensors 6 and 6a are infrared light emitting units that can detect reflected light. For example, when the container 1a is stacked on the container 1 as shown in FIG. 1, the upper sensing sensor 6 detects the reflected light. Thereby, the container on the upper stack is sensed and the sensing result is output to the controller. The ID light emitting units 5 and 5a emit an infrared signal modulated by an identification code output from the control unit.
For example, when the container 1 is placed under the container 1a as shown in FIG. 1, the ID light receiving units 7 and 7a receive the infrared identification code output from the ID light emitting unit 5 of the container 1 and demodulate the infrared identification code. To the control unit of the transmitter 2a.

When the container 1 having the above structure is placed alone on the ground or in a vehicle, the control unit of the transmitter 2 generates a predetermined self-identification code.
Are intermittently emitted as position signals via the position signal transmitting antenna 4. The receiver 8 receives the radio wave emitted from the transmitter 2 and decodes this code to identify the container 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, when a container 1a is stacked on a container 1, an overload sensor 6 senses that another container has been stacked on its own container 1 and determines the sensing result. Output to the control unit of the transmitter 2. Then, the control unit controls the transmitter 2 to stop the transmission output, and at the same time, outputs its own container identification code to the ID light emitting unit 5, and the ID light emitting unit 5 transmits the infrared signal modulated by the container identification code. It emits light intermittently. The ID light emitting section 5
Is received by the ID light receiving section 7a of the container 1a stacked above, demodulated and output to the control section of the transmitter 2a. The identification code of the container 1 is combined with the identification code of the container 1a by the control unit of the transmitter 2a, and is intermittently emitted as a position signal from the transmitter 2a of the container 1a via the position signal transmitting antenna 4a. The receiver 8 can receive the radio wave emitted from the transmitter 2a and decode this code to identify the container 1 and the container 1a.

If another container 1b provided with a container identification device having the same configuration and function as the container 1 is placed under the container 1 stacked in two tiers in FIG. 1 (not shown, Hereinafter, a description will be given by adding the letter “b” to the reference numerals of the components of the container 1b).
Container 1b intermittently transmitted from the ID light emitting unit 5b
Is received by the ID light receiving section 7 of the container 1,
The signal is demodulated and input to the control unit of the transmitter 2. In the control unit of the transmitter 2, the identification code of the container 1 b is combined with the identification code of the container 1 and output to the ID light emitting unit 5.

The ID light emitting section 5 outputs the container 1
b and an infrared signal modulated by a signal obtained by synthesizing the identification code of the container 1 is intermittently emitted, and this signal is received by the ID light receiving section 7a of the container 1a, demodulated and transmitted to the transmitter 2
Input to the control unit of a. In the control unit of the transmitter 2a, the identification code of the container 1a is combined with the identification code of the container 1b and the container 1, and the position signal is intermittently emitted from the transmitter 2a via the position signal transmitting antenna 4a. . The receiver 8 receives the radio wave emitted from the transmitter 2a, decodes this code, and decodes the container 1b, the container 1
And the container 1a.

The same operation as described above is performed when another container is placed above the container 1a or when another container is placed below the container 1b. The identification codes of all containers are intermittently emitted as position signals from the transmitter of the uppermost container via the position signal transmitting antenna. The receiver 8 can receive the emitted radio wave, decode the code, and identify all the stacked containers.

The above identification device may be modified as follows. That is, a circuit for measuring the reflected radio wave is added to the position signal transmitting antenna instead of the overlying sensor to detect the reflection of the antenna, and the reflected wave generated by the metal container being stacked on top is detected. By measuring, it is also possible to sense that a container is loaded on top. As a result, the stacking sensor 6 can be omitted.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Even if a large number of containers are stacked, individual containers can be reliably identified, and storage management becomes very easy. Also, if a satellite communication transmitting terminal is used as the position signal transmitting radio in the embodiment, the shipping company can identify and manage each container regardless of the location of the container in the world, and the Even if it is loaded arbitrarily, the number and type of all containers can be checked in real time at the shipping company's office, and tracking of missing containers will be possible. As described above, the present apparatus can greatly contribute to providing an effective container management system widely used worldwide.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a container identification device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a system configuration showing an example of a conventional container identification device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 1a ... container, 2, 2a ... transmitter,
3, 3a battery, 4, 4a position signal transmitting antenna, 5a ID light emitting unit, 6, 6a
.Overlay sensing sensor, 7, 7a
8 ... Receiver, 9 ... Transmitter,

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A transmitter installed in an individual container for transmitting an identification code assigned to each container by radio waves, and a management receiver for receiving the wireless identification code, based on the identification code. In a container identification device that manages containers, when a second container is stacked on a first container, the transmitter installed in the first container stops wireless transmission of its own identification code. And its own identification code is transferred to the transmitter installed in the second container, and the transmitter installed in the second container is transferred from its own identification code and the transmitter installed in the first container. A container identification device for wirelessly transmitting an identification code of a first container. 2. In a case where containers are stacked in multiple stages, the identification code of each container is sequentially transferred from the transmitter installed in the lowermost container to the transmitter installed in the uppermost container. 2. The container identification device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter transmits the identification code of its own container and the identification codes transferred from all the lower containers. 3. The container identification device according to claim 1, wherein optical communication is used as means for transferring an identification code between containers. 4. Each container is provided with an overload detecting means for detecting overloading, and when the overload detecting means detects that another container is overlaid on the own container, transmission of the own container is performed. 4. The container identification apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus stops wireless transmission and transfers its own identification code.