System and method for managing the temperature of a transport vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a temperature management system and a temperature management method for a transport vehicle, comprising a temperature measuring sensor for measuring the internal temperature of a transport vehicle’s transport compartment and a control unit that controls a temperature control device based on the temperature measurement result to maintain the internal temperature of the transport compartment at a preset temperature, wherein the control unit monitors whether there is a temperature abnormality and provides this information to at least one of a control system, a management terminal, and a driver terminal.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a temperature management system and a temperature management method for a transport vehicle, and more specifically, to a temperature management system and a temperature management method for a transport vehicle that controls the internal temperature of the transport compartment of the transport vehicle to be maintained at a constant level, and analyzes the temperature abnormality pattern when an internal temperature abnormality occurs to identify the cause and provide improvement measures for problem solving. Background Technology

[0003] In general, for products such as agricultural, livestock, and fishery products, food products, and pharmaceuticals that are prone to spoilage or decay at room temperature, the temperature must be maintained at a low level throughout the distribution process to ensure product quality and safety. In particular, when transported in refrigerated or frozen vehicles, it is crucial to maintain a constant internal temperature of the refrigerator or freezer. Specifically, if temperature management is inadequate during the transportation and distribution process to the final consumer, not only will the freshness and quality of the product deteriorate, but bacteria may also proliferate, potentially causing safety issues.

[0004] For example, in the case of food products such as agricultural, livestock, and fishery products or dairy products, freshness is directly related to safety, so in order to maintain the freshness of these foods during transportation, the temperature inside the refrigerator or freezer must be properly maintained at 0 to 10 degrees for refrigerated foods and -18 degrees or lower for frozen foods.

[0005] In the case of a conventional cooling device installed in a refrigerated / freezing vehicle, it comprises a refrigeration means including a compressor connected to and driven by an engine located in the vehicle's engine room, a condenser located in a condensing cabinet located at the front outside the vehicle's storage compartment, and an expansion valve and evaporator located in an evaporator cabinet located at the front inside the vehicle's storage compartment, and an air conditioning means including a compressor connected to and driven by an engine, a condenser located in the vehicle's engine room, and an expansion valve and evaporator located on a dashboard located at the front inside the driver's cab.

[0006] However, in the case of such conventional cooling devices, since the compressors of both the refrigeration and air conditioning means are operated by the vehicle engine, there is a problem of high maintenance costs due to increased fuel consumption caused by the need to keep the vehicle engine running continuously to maintain the cooling of the refrigeration and cold storage compartments for the vehicle.

[0007] In addition, given the risk of food spoilage due to the inability to maintain the proper temperature in the event of unexpected situations where the set temperature cannot be maintained—such as when a problem occurs with the cooling unit itself or the external temperature rises abnormally high due to abnormal temperatures—technology is required to monitor the cooling units installed in refrigerated / freezer vehicles in real time and control them so that they can always operate in an optimal state. Prior art literature

[0009] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2009-0035289 The problem to be solved

[0010] The present invention aims to solve the aforementioned problems by providing a temperature management system and a temperature management method for a transport vehicle that control the internal temperature of the transport compartment of the transport vehicle to be maintained at a constant level, and analyze the temperature abnormality pattern when an internal temperature abnormality occurs to identify the cause and provide improvement measures for solving the problem. means of solving the problem

[0012] A temperature management system (100) for a transport vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a temperature measuring sensor (110) for measuring the internal temperature of a transport vehicle’s transport compartment and a control unit (120) for controlling a temperature control device of the transport vehicle based on the temperature measurement result to maintain the internal temperature of the transport compartment at a preset temperature. The control unit (120) can monitor whether there is an abnormal temperature based on the temperature measurement result and provide it to at least one of a control system, a management terminal, and a driver terminal.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (120) controls the temperature control device to bring the temperature inside the transport box to within the allowable temperature range when the temperature inside the transport box deviates from the allowable temperature range, and when the temperature inside the transport box reaches within the allowable temperature range, it can change the operating state of the temperature control device to a standby state.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (120) may determine that an abnormal temperature has occurred inside the transport box if the time taken for the internal temperature of the transport box to deviate from the allowable temperature range corresponds to a reference time for determining whether an abnormality has occurred.

[0015] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, when the control unit (120) determines that an abnormal temperature has occurred within the transport container, it may identify a transport item among a plurality of transport items loaded within the transport container that has a possibility of an abnormal temperature occurring in the current temperature state within the transport container, and provide information regarding the identified transport item to the control system or the management terminal.

[0016] The control unit (120) according to one embodiment of the present invention can be used in the process of obtaining information on the allowable storage temperature for each of the plurality of transport items loaded in the transport box from one or more of the control system or the management terminal to identify transport items that may have an abnormality in the current temperature state in the transport box.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the transport box is divided into a plurality of zones, and the temperature measuring sensor (110) is placed in each zone and provides the temperature measuring result for each zone to the control unit (120). The control unit (120) determines the temperature maintenance status for each zone based on the temperature measuring result provided individually from each temperature measuring sensor (110), and requests a temperature re-measurement from the temperature measuring sensor (110) placed in the zone for zones where the preset temperature deviates by more than a certain value, and can determine that a temperature abnormality has occurred in the zone based on the average value of the temperature measuring result measured at least twice.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (120) obtains battery status information of the transport vehicle from the electronic control unit (ECU) of the transport vehicle and obtains real-time operation status information of the temperature control device from the temperature control device. When a temperature abnormality occurs within the transport container, the control unit analyzes the pattern of the temperature abnormality and, based on the previously obtained battery status information and real-time operation status information, identifies the cause of the temperature abnormality within the transport container and provides it to the control system or the management terminal.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (120) calculates the real-time power supply amount supplied from the battery of the transport vehicle to the temperature control device based on the battery status information obtained earlier, calculates the real-time power consumption amount of the temperature control device based on the result of calculating the real-time power supply amount and the real-time operation status information obtained earlier, and then determines the real-time operation status of the temperature control device based on the real-time power supply amount and the real-time power consumption amount, and then verifies the real-time operation status information by comparing the result of determination with the real-time operation status information.

[0020] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (120) determines that a problem has occurred in one or more of the battery of the transport vehicle or the temperature control device of the transport vehicle when the result of comparing the identification result and the real-time operation status information is different, and requests the battery status information and the real-time operation status information again from the electronic control unit and the temperature control device, respectively, and based on the newly acquired battery status information and the real-time operation status information, determines the target among the battery and the temperature control device where the problem has occurred and provides the determination result to the control system or the management terminal.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (120) can determine an improvement procedure to resolve the cause of the abnormal temperature occurrence in the transport box and guide it to the control system or the management terminal.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (120) can obtain weather information corresponding to the location from an external weather information providing server based on GPS location information obtained from a location identification means or a transporter terminal installed in the transport vehicle, and then determine the urgency of proceeding with the improvement procedure determined based on the weather information and guide the result of the determination to the control system or the management terminal.

[0023] A temperature management method for a transport vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention may include the steps of measuring the internal temperature of the transport compartment of the transport vehicle through a temperature measuring sensor, controlling a temperature control device of the transport vehicle based on the temperature measurement result through a control unit to maintain the internal temperature of the transport compartment at a preset temperature, and monitoring whether there is a temperature abnormality based on the temperature measurement result in the control unit and providing the result to at least one of a control system, a management terminal, and a driver terminal. Effects of the invention

[0025] According to the present invention, there is an advantage in that the internal temperature of a transport vehicle's transport compartment is controlled to be maintained at a constant level, and when an internal temperature abnormality occurs, the temperature abnormality pattern is analyzed to identify the cause and provide a solution for problem resolution. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0027] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a temperature management system (100) of a transport vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the hardware configuration of a temperature management system (100) of a transport vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the process of controlling a temperature control device based on the temperature measurement result of a temperature measurement sensor (110) in the control unit (120) to maintain an allowable temperature range in sequence. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the process of determining whether an abnormal temperature occurs in the transport container based on the temperature measurement result of the temperature measurement sensor (110) in the control unit (120). FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the process of determining whether an abnormal temperature occurs in a transport container based on the temperature measurement results for each zone arranged in a plurality of zones within the transport container by the control unit (120). FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the process of identifying the cause of an abnormal temperature inside the transport container based on the battery status information and real-time operation status information of the transport vehicle in the control unit (120). FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the process of verifying real-time operating status information obtained from a temperature control device during the process of identifying the cause of an abnormal temperature occurrence in the transport container by the control unit (120). Specific details for implementing the invention

[0028] Hereinafter, specific details for implementing the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, in the following description, specific descriptions regarding widely known functions or configurations will be omitted if there is a risk that the gist of the present invention may be unnecessarily obscured.

[0029] In the attached drawings, identical or corresponding components are given the same reference numerals. Additionally, in the description of the following embodiments, the description of identical or corresponding components may be omitted. However, even if a description of a component is omitted, it is not intended that such component is not included in any embodiment.

[0030] The advantages and features of the disclosed embodiments and the methods for achieving them will become clear by referring to the embodiments described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below but can be implemented in various different forms, and these embodiments are provided merely to make the present invention complete and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the invention.

[0031] The terms used in this specification will be briefly explained, and the disclosed embodiments will be described in detail. The terms used in this specification have been selected to be as generally used as possible, taking into account their functions in the present invention; however, these terms may vary depending on the intent of those skilled in the relevant field, case law, the emergence of new technologies, etc. Additionally, in specific cases, terms may be arbitrarily selected by the applicant, and in such cases, their meanings will be described in detail in the relevant description of the invention. Therefore, the terms used in this invention should be defined not merely by their names, but based on their meanings and the overall content of the present invention.

[0032] In this specification, singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly specifies them as singular. Additionally, plural expressions include singular expressions unless the context clearly specifies them as plural. Throughout the specification, when a part is described as including a certain component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components.

[0033] Additionally, the terms 'module' or 'part' as used in the specification refer to software or hardware components, and the 'module' or 'part' performs certain roles. However, the meaning of 'module' or 'part' is not limited to software or hardware. The 'module' or 'part' may be configured to reside in an addressable storage medium or configured to run on one or more processors. Thus, as an example, the 'module' or 'part' may include components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components, and task components, and at least one of processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, or variables. The components and the functions provided within the 'module' or 'part' may be combined into a smaller number of components and 'modules' or 'parts', or further separated into additional components and 'modules' or 'parts'.

[0034] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a 'module' or 'part' may be implemented as a processor and memory. The term 'processor' should be broadly interpreted to include a general-purpose processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a controller, a microcontroller, a state machine, etc. In some environments, the term 'processor' may refer to an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc. The term 'processor' may also refer to a combination of processing devices, such as, for example, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a combination of multiple microprocessors, a combination of one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP core, or a combination of any other configurations. Additionally, the term 'memory' should be broadly interpreted to include any electronic component capable of storing electronic information. 'Memory' may refer to various types of processor-readable media, such as Random Access Memory (RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), Non-Volatile Random Access Memory (NVRAM), Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM), Erasable-Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), Electrically Erasable PROM (EEPROM), Flash Memory, Magnetic or Optical Data Storage Devices, Registers, etc. If a processor can read information from memory and / or write information to memory, memory is considered to be in an electronic communication state with the processor. Additionally, memory integrated into a processor is considered to be in an electronic communication state with the processor.

[0035] In the present invention, the 'system' may include at least one device among a computing device including a device management device, a server device, and a cloud device, but is not limited thereto. For example, the system may be composed of one or more computing devices or server devices. As another example, the system may be composed of one or more cloud devices. As yet another example, the system may be configured to operate together with a computing device or server device and a cloud device.

[0037] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a temperature management system (100) of a transport vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the hardware configuration of a temperature management system (100) of a transport vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 1, a temperature management system (100) for a transport vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention may largely include a temperature measuring sensor (110) and a control unit (120).

[0039] A temperature measuring sensor (110) can measure the internal temperature of a transport container (or storage) of a transport vehicle (e.g., a vehicle equipped with a cooling device for transporting products or foods that are prone to spoilage or perishability at room temperature, such as agricultural and fishery products, food products, or medicines). The temperature measurement result obtained through the temperature measuring sensor (110) is transmitted to a control unit (120), and the control unit (120) can control a temperature control device installed in the transport vehicle based on this result to maintain the internal temperature of the transport container at a preset temperature.

[0040] The hardware configuration of the temperature management system (100) of such transport vehicles is as follows.

[0041] Referring to FIG. 2, a temperature management system (100) for a transport vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention is implemented in the form of a computing device including hardware (200) and may include memory (210), a processor (220), a communication module (230), and an input / output unit (240).

[0042] The memory (210) is a non-transient computer-readable recording medium and may include a permanent mass storage device such as RAM (random access memory), ROM (read only memory), disk drive, SSD (solid state drive), flash memory, etc. Here, the permanent mass storage device such as ROM, SSD, flash memory, disk drive, etc. may be included in the device or server described above as a separate permanent storage device distinct from the memory (210).

[0043] Additionally, the memory (210) may store an operating system and at least one program code (e.g., code for a security module or an application installed to provide a specific service). These software components may be loaded from a computer-readable recording medium separate from the memory (210). This separate computer-readable recording medium may include a computer-readable recording medium such as a floppy drive, disk, tape, DVD / CD-ROM drive, or memory card.

[0044] In another embodiment, software components may be loaded into memory (210) via a communication module (230) rather than a computer-readable recording medium. For example, at least one program may be loaded into memory (210) based on a computer program installed by files provided over a network by developers or a file distribution system (e.g., an application store service server) that distributes installation files for applications.

[0045] The processor (220) may be configured to process instructions of a computer program by performing basic arithmetic, logic, and input / output operations. Instructions may be provided to the processor (220) by memory (210) or a communication module (230). For example, the processor (220) may be configured to execute instructions received according to program code stored in a recording device such as memory (210).

[0046] The communication module (230) can provide a function for communicating with a user terminal, etc., through a network. Additionally, the communication module (230) can provide a function for communicating with one or more other devices through a wired and / or wireless network. That is, the communication module (230) is a part that realizes each function module described above with reference to FIG. 1 by controlling its function by a processor (220) that references memory (210).

[0047] The input / output unit (240) may be a means for interfacing with an external input / output device (not shown). For example, the external input device may include devices such as a keyboard, mouse, microphone, camera, etc., and the external output device may include devices such as a display, speaker, haptic feedback device, etc. As another example, the input / output unit (240) may be a means for interfacing with a device in which the functions for input and output are integrated into one, such as a touchscreen.

[0048] Additionally, in other embodiments, the temperature management system (100) of a transport vehicle may include more hardware components than those shown in FIG. 1 depending on the nature of the device to which it is applied. For example, it may be implemented to include at least some of the input / output devices described above, or it may include additional components such as a transceiver, a GPS (Global Positioning System) module, a camera, various sensors, a DB, etc. As a more specific example, if the terminal device is a smartphone, it may be implemented to include additional components such as an accelerometer or gyroscope sensor, a camera module, various physical buttons, buttons using a touch panel, input / output ports, and a vibrator for vibration, which are generally included in smartphones.

[0049] However, the components and forms of the computing device described in this specification are merely exemplary, and the configuration of the computing device in which the word-based text data quality diagnosis system is implemented may differ from that described in this specification due to the adoption of other known technologies or future advancements in information and communication technology.

[0051] Returning to FIG. 1, at least one temperature measuring sensor (110) may be placed inside the transport compartment of a transport vehicle. The temperature measuring sensor (110) is installed in the transport vehicle to continuously monitor the temperature inside the transport compartment to maintain the freshness and safety of the transported goods, measure the temperature, and provide the temperature measurement result to the control unit (120).

[0052] In one embodiment, the temperature measuring sensor (110) may be a resistance temperature detector (RTD), a thermocouple, a semiconductor temperature sensor, an NTC thermistor, etc.

[0053] A resistance thermometer (RTD) is a device that measures temperature using a metal (e.g., platinum) whose resistance changes with temperature; it offers high accuracy and repeatability, as well as a long lifespan.

[0054] A thermocouple is a device that measures temperature by utilizing the thermoelectric effect generated when two types of metals are joined, and it has a wide measurement range and a fast response speed.

[0055] Semiconductor temperature sensors are devices that measure temperature using the electrical characteristics of semiconductor components, and they are characterized by their ability to be miniaturized and their low cost.

[0056] An NTC servo is a device that measures temperature by utilizing the characteristic that resistance decreases as temperature rises; it is characterized by being relatively inexpensive and capable of detecting temperature changes within a short period of time.

[0057] These temperature measuring sensors (110) may be placed inside the transport compartment of a transport vehicle. In one embodiment, if the interior of the transport compartment is divided into multiple zones and the permissible temperature of the transported goods stored in each zone is different from each other, the temperature measuring sensors (110) may be placed in each zone. At this time, each temperature measuring sensor (110) may individually transmit the temperature measurement results for the corresponding zone to the control unit (120) described later, and the control unit (120) may monitor the temperature status of each zone based on these temperature measurement results.

[0059] The control unit (120) controls the temperature control device mounted on the transport vehicle based on the temperature measurement results transmitted from the temperature measurement sensor (110) described above, thereby ensuring that the internal temperature of the transport container always maintains a preset temperature. In addition, in one embodiment, the control unit (120) can monitor whether there is an abnormality in the temperature inside the transport container based on the temperature measurement results and provide this information to at least one of the linked control system, management terminal, and driver terminal. This is described in more detail as follows.

[0061] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the process of controlling a temperature control device based on the temperature measurement result of a temperature measurement sensor (110) in the control unit (120) to maintain an allowable temperature range in sequence.

[0062] Referring to FIG. 3, the control unit (120) obtains a temperature measurement result from the temperature measurement sensor (110) and monitors in real time whether the internal temperature of the transport container maintains an allowable temperature range based on this (S301). If the internal temperature of the transport container is higher than the allowable temperature range or is supercooled below the allowable temperature range, the control unit (120) controls the temperature control device to adjust the internal temperature of the transport container so that it reaches within the allowable temperature range again (S302).

[0063] This temperature control process of the control unit (120) is continuously repeated within the allowable temperature range set by the control system or management terminal associated with the temperature control device, thereby allowing the temperature inside the transport container to always be maintained within the allowable temperature range.

[0064] Additionally, when the control unit (120) determines that the internal temperature of the transport box has reached within the allowable temperature range through temperature control, it can minimize unnecessary power waste by changing the operating state of the temperature control device to a standby state (S303). In this case, as the temperature control device operates in power-saving mode, all operations are temporarily suspended except for the minimum power required to operate the compressor, and the standby state of the temperature control device can be maintained until a signal to resume operation is input from the control unit (120) thereafter.

[0065] Additionally, in one embodiment, the control unit (120) may temporarily disable the operation of the compressor of the temperature control device or reduce or stop the speed of the fan supplying cold air toward the inside of the transport box through rotational operation when it is determined that the internal temperature of the transport box is maintained within an allowable temperature range in order to minimize power consumption while maintaining the internal temperature of the transport box at a certain level. Additionally, depending on the case, the control unit (120) may cause the fan to operate for only a minimum amount of time at a preset cycle so that only minimal air circulation occurs inside the transport box.

[0066] Meanwhile, in one embodiment, even if the allowable temperature range is set by a control system or management terminal linked to a temperature control device, the control unit (120) may automatically adjust the allowable temperature range according to the external environment so that an optimal refrigeration or freezing state is maintained in accordance with the changed temperature. This will be described later.

[0067] In addition, in one embodiment, the control unit (120) may go further than controlling the temperature control device to ensure that the internal temperature of the transport container always maintains an allowable temperature range, and may determine that a temperature abnormality has occurred within the transport container based on the time taken for the internal temperature of the transport container to exceed the allowable temperature range. This is described as follows.

[0069] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the process of determining whether an abnormal temperature occurs in the transport container based on the temperature measurement result of the temperature measurement sensor (110) in the control unit (120).

[0070] Referring to FIG. 4, the control unit (120) obtains a temperature measurement result from the temperature measurement sensor (110) and monitors in real time whether the internal temperature of the transport container maintains an allowable temperature range based on this (S401). At this time, if it is determined that the time taken for the internal temperature of the transport container to rise above or fall below the allowable temperature range does not correspond to a standard time for determining abnormality (e.g., 5 minutes, etc.), the control unit (120) causes the step of S302, which was previously examined in FIG. 3, to proceed (S402).

[0071] If the time taken for the internal temperature of the transport container to rise or fall above the allowable temperature range is determined to be within the standard time for determining whether there is an abnormality, the control unit (120) determines that the internal condition of the transport container is a temperature abnormality (S403).

[0072] When it is determined that an abnormal temperature has occurred within the transport container, the control unit (120) identifies a transport item among the multiple transport items loaded within the transport container that may have an abnormal temperature condition within the current temperature state of the transport container, and provides information about the identified transport item to at least one of the control system, management terminal, and driver terminal (S404).

[0073] Looking more specifically at step S404, the control unit (120) obtains and stores information regarding the allowable storage temperature for each of the multiple transport items loaded in the transport container from one or more of the control system or the management terminal.

[0074] If it is determined that an abnormal temperature has occurred in the transport container, the control unit (120) compares the current real-time temperature in the transport container due to the abnormal temperature with the allowable storage temperature of each of the transport items individually. The control unit (120) identifies a transport item among the transport items in which the difference between the current real-time temperature and the allowable storage temperature exceeds a preset standard temperature range (e.g., 2 to 5 degrees, etc.) and determines that the transport item is a transport item in which there is a possibility of an abnormality occurring in the current temperature state.

[0075] Additionally, in one embodiment, the control unit (120) may induce the registration of an allowable storage temperature by sending a guidance message to the carrier terminal to register the allowable storage temperature for a shipment among a plurality of shipments loaded in the transport container for which information regarding the allowable storage temperature has not been obtained from the control system or the management terminal. If feedback is received from the carrier terminal indicating that the allowable storage temperature for the shipment cannot be verified or registered, the control unit (120) may instruct the carrier terminal to input verifiable information (e.g., shipment item name, barcode, etc.) regarding the shipment, and then search for the input information in a database within the server or a web server to look up the allowable storage temperature for the shipment and automatically register it.

[0076] If a transport item for which an allowable storage temperature is not found in the database or web server within the server, the control unit (120) first ensures that the transport proceeds normally, but if it is determined that an abnormal temperature has occurred in the transport container, the transport item for which an allowable storage temperature is not found is determined to be the primary target most likely to have an abnormality and notifies at least one of the control system, management terminal, and driver terminal.

[0077] In addition, in one embodiment, the internal area of ​​the transport compartment within the transport vehicle may be divided into a refrigerated area / a frozen area, and the refrigerated area may be divided into various zones according to temperature. For example, the refrigerated area may be divided into a 0-4 degree zone, a 4-10 degree zone, a 10-15 degree zone, etc. The process of performing individual temperature management for each of these multiple zones by the control unit (120) is as follows.

[0079] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the process of determining whether an abnormal temperature occurs in a transport container based on the temperature measurement results for each zone arranged in a plurality of zones within the transport container by the control unit (120).

[0080] Referring to FIG. 5, a temperature measuring sensor (110) may be placed in each zone, and the temperature measurement result measured through each temperature measuring sensor (110) may be transmitted to a control unit (120) (S501). Based on the temperature measurement result transmitted from each temperature measuring sensor (110), the control unit (120) may determine the temperature maintenance status of each of the multiple zones (S502).

[0081] In this state, the control unit (120), in the process of determining the temperature maintenance status for each zone based on the temperature measurement results provided individually from each temperature measurement sensor (110), may request a temperature re-measurement from the temperature measurement sensor (110) placed in the zone for zones where the preset temperature deviates by more than a certain value (S503). Through this, the control unit (120) can determine that a temperature abnormality has occurred in the zone based on the average value of the temperature measurement results measured at least twice.

[0082] This allows the control unit (120) to verify the temperature measurement results transmitted from each temperature measurement sensor (110) through a process of reconfirming the temperature measurement results, thereby determining whether the transmitted abnormal temperature value is a value transmitted due to a simple one-time error of the temperature measurement sensor (110) or the temperature control device, or a value transmitted due to a problem occurring in the temperature measurement sensor (110) or the temperature control device.

[0083] If the transmitted abnormal temperature value is identified as a value transmitted due to a problem with the temperature measuring sensor (110) or the temperature control device, the control unit (120) determines that an abnormal temperature has occurred in the area and provides the result to at least one of the control system, management terminal, and driver terminal (S504).

[0084] In addition, in one embodiment, the control unit (120) may identify the cause of the temperature abnormality occurring inside the transport container based on the battery status information and real-time operation status information of the transport vehicle, and provide the result of the cause identification to at least one of the control system, the management terminal, and the driver terminal. This is described as follows.

[0086] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the process of identifying the cause of an abnormal temperature inside the transport container based on the battery status information and real-time operation status information of the transport vehicle in the control unit (120).

[0087] Referring to FIG. 6, the control unit (120) obtains battery status information of the transport vehicle from the electronic control unit (ECU) of the transport vehicle and obtains real-time operation status information of the temperature control device from the temperature control device (S601).

[0088] When the control unit (120) determines that an abnormal temperature has occurred in the transport container, it analyzes the pattern of the abnormal temperature occurrence (S602), identifies the cause of the abnormal temperature occurrence in the transport container based on the battery status information and real-time operation status information obtained earlier (S603), and provides the result of identifying the cause to at least one of the control system, management terminal and driver terminal (S604).

[0089] Looking more specifically at step S603, the control unit (120) first calculates the real-time power supply amount supplied from the battery of the transport vehicle to the temperature control device based on the battery status information of the transport vehicle obtained from the electronic control unit (ECU) of the transport vehicle.

[0090] In addition, the control unit (120) calculates the real-time power consumption of the temperature control device based on the result of calculating the real-time power supply amount and the real-time operation status information obtained from the temperature control device.

[0091] Through this process, the control unit (120) can determine how power is supplied from the battery of the transport vehicle to the temperature control device and how much power the temperature control device consumes to operate based on the supplied power.

[0092] In addition, in one embodiment, the control unit (120) may determine the real-time operating status of the temperature control device based on the real-time power supply amount and the real-time power consumption amount, and verify the real-time operating status information by comparing the real-time operating status information with the result of the determination. This is described as follows.

[0094] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the process of verifying real-time operating status information obtained from a temperature control device during the process of identifying the cause of an abnormal temperature occurrence in the transport container by the control unit (120).

[0095] Referring to FIG. 7, the control unit (120) determines whether the temperature control device is operating normally by comparing the real-time power supply amount supplied to the temperature control device with the real-time power consumption amount of the temperature control device (S701).

[0096] Through this, the control unit (120) compares the results of this identification with real-time operation status information obtained from the temperature control device to determine whether the real-time operation status information obtained from the temperature control device is a correct value and whether there are any errors (S702).

[0097] If the result of determining whether the temperature control device is operating normally is different from the real-time operating status information obtained from the temperature control device, the control unit (120) determines that a problem has occurred in one or more of the battery of the transport vehicle or the temperature control device of the transport vehicle (S703), and requests battery status information and real-time operating status information again from the electronic control unit and the temperature control device, respectively (S704).

[0098] The control unit (120) newly acquires battery status information and real-time operation status information from the electronic control unit and the temperature control unit, determines the target among the battery and the temperature control unit where a problem has occurred based on the newly acquired battery status information and real-time operation status information (S705), and provides the determination result to at least one of the control system, the management terminal, and the driver terminal (S706).

[0099] In addition, during this process, the control unit (120) may determine a procedure for improvement to resolve the cause of the temperature anomaly occurring within the transport container and provide guidance to at least one of the control system, management terminal, and driver terminal. For example, the control unit (120) may determine whether the temperature control device is operating normally by comparing the real-time power supply amount supplied to the temperature control device with the real-time power consumption amount of the temperature control device, and if it is determined that the temperature control device is not operating normally, it may transmit a signal or message to the control system or management terminal to check the operating status of the temperature control device.

[0100] Additionally, if the control unit (120) determines that there is a problem with the real-time power supply amount from the battery of the transport vehicle to the temperature control device while the temperature control device is operating normally, it may transmit a signal or message to the control system or management terminal to check the battery status of the transport vehicle.

[0101] In addition, in one embodiment, the control unit (120) can obtain weather information corresponding to the location from an external weather information providing server based on GPS location information obtained from a location identification means installed on a transport vehicle or from a transporter terminal. Through this, the control unit (120) can determine the urgency of proceeding with the aforementioned improvement procedure and provide guidance by providing the determination result to at least one of a control system, a management terminal, and a driver terminal.

[0102] For example, the control unit (120) obtains GPS location information from a GPS device installed in a transport vehicle or a transporter terminal (smartphone, etc.), and then connects to an external weather agency server to check weather information for the area based on the GPS location information (e.g., precipitation, wind conditions, temperature and humidity conditions, etc.).

[0103] If it is determined that an abnormal temperature has occurred inside the transport vehicle's transport compartment, the control unit (120) can determine the urgency of the improvement procedure that must be carried out first based on weather information for the area.

[0104] For example, if a temperature anomaly (rapid temperature rise) occurs inside the transport vehicle, and the difference between the internal temperature of the transport vehicle identified through the temperature measuring sensor (110) and the external temperature identified based on weather information is determined to be greater than a preset value, the control unit (120) determines that an improvement procedure to move the current transport vehicle to a shaded area should be prioritized, and can transmit a notification or signal to the control system, management terminal, or transporter terminal indicating that it is urgent to move the transport vehicle to a shaded area.

[0106] Although the embodiments described above have been described as utilizing aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein in one or more standalone computer systems, the present invention is not limited thereto and may be implemented in conjunction with any computing environment, such as a network or a distributed computing environment. Furthermore, aspects of the subject matter in the present invention may be implemented in a plurality of processing chips or devices, and storage may be similarly affected across a plurality of devices. Such devices may include PCs, network servers, and portable devices.

[0107] Although the present invention has been described in relation to some embodiments, various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as understood by a person skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. Furthermore, such modifications and changes should be considered to fall within the scope of the claims appended to this specification. Explanation of the symbols

[0109] 100: Temperature management system for transport vehicles 110: Temperature measurement sensor 120: Control unit

Claims

Claim 1 A temperature measuring sensor (110) for measuring the internal temperature of the transport vehicle's transport compartment; The method includes a control unit (120) that controls the temperature control device of the transport vehicle based on the temperature measurement results to maintain the internal temperature of the transport container at a preset temperature; wherein the control unit (120) determines that a temperature anomaly has occurred if the time taken for the internal temperature of the transport container to deviate from the allowable temperature range is within a reference time, and notifies at least one of a control system, a management terminal, and a driver terminal of the cause of the temperature anomaly and the improvement procedure; the identification of the cause of the temperature anomaly involves obtaining battery status information of the transport vehicle and real-time operation status information of the temperature control device, calculating the real-time power supply amount supplied from the battery of the transport vehicle to the temperature control device based on the battery status information, calculating the real-time power consumption amount of the temperature control device based on the result of calculating the real-time power supply amount and the real-time operation status information, identifying the real-time operation status of the temperature control device based on the real-time power supply amount and the real-time power consumption amount, verifying the real-time operation status information by comparing the result of identifying the real-time operation status with the real-time operation status information, and, based on the verification result, identifying the object among the battery and the temperature control device that caused the temperature anomaly. A temperature management system for a transport vehicle that determines, and the above improvement procedure determination determines one of the following as an improvement procedure: checking the operating status of the temperature control device, checking the battery status, or moving the vehicle, depending on the object that caused the above and the internal / external temperature difference. Claim 2 A temperature management system for a transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (120) controls the temperature control device to bring the temperature inside the transport vehicle to within the allowable temperature range when the temperature inside the transport vehicle exceeds the allowable temperature range, and changes the operating state of the temperature control device to a standby state when the temperature inside the transport vehicle reaches within the allowable temperature range. Claim 3 delete Claim 4 A temperature management system for a transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (120), when it is determined that an abnormal temperature has occurred in the transport container, identifies a transport item among a plurality of transport items loaded in the transport container that may have an abnormal temperature state in the current temperature condition in the transport container, and provides information regarding the identified transport item to the control system or the management terminal. Claim 5 In paragraph 4, the temperature management system of a transport vehicle, wherein the control unit (120) obtains information regarding the allowable storage temperature for each of the plurality of transport items loaded in the transport container from one or more of the control system or the management terminal, and is used in the process of identifying transport items that may have an abnormality in the current temperature state in the transport container. Claim 6 A temperature management system for a transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the transport container is divided into a plurality of zones, and the temperature measuring sensor (110) is placed in each zone and provides the temperature measurement results for each zone to the control unit (120), and the control unit (120) determines the temperature maintenance status for each zone based on the temperature measurement results provided individually from each temperature measuring sensor (110), and requests a temperature re-measurement from the temperature measuring sensor (110) placed in the zone for zones where the preset temperature deviates by more than a certain value, and determines that a temperature abnormality has occurred in the zone based on the average value of the temperature measurement results measured at least twice. Claim 7 delete Claim 8 delete Claim 9 delete Claim 10 delete Claim 11 delete Claim 12 The method includes: a step of measuring the internal temperature of a transport vehicle's transport compartment through a temperature measuring sensor; a step of controlling a temperature control device of the transport vehicle through a control unit based on the temperature measurement result to maintain the internal temperature of the transport compartment at a preset temperature; and a step in which, if the time taken for the internal temperature of the transport compartment to deviate from an allowable temperature range is within a reference time, the control unit determines that a temperature anomaly has occurred and notifies at least one of a control system, a management terminal, and a driver terminal of the cause of the temperature anomaly and a procedure for improvement; wherein the step of identifying the cause of the temperature anomaly includes: a step of obtaining battery status information of the transport vehicle and real-time operating status information of the temperature control device; a step of calculating the real-time power supply amount supplied from the battery of the transport vehicle to the temperature control device based on the battery status information; a step of calculating the real-time power consumption amount of the temperature control device based on the result of calculating the real-time power supply amount and the real-time operating status information; a step of identifying the real-time operating status of the temperature control device based on the real-time power supply amount and the real-time power consumption amount, and then verifying the real-time operating status information by comparing the result of identifying the real-time operating status with the real-time operating status information. A method for managing the temperature of a transport vehicle, comprising: a step of determining, based on the verification results, the object that caused the occurrence of a temperature abnormality among the battery and the temperature control device; and a step of determining the improvement procedure, wherein, depending on the object that caused the abnormality and the internal / external temperature difference, one of checking the operating status of the temperature control device, checking the battery status, or moving the vehicle is determined as the improvement procedure.

Images