Transport Climate Vision Control for Cargo and Door Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Transport climate control systems face challenges in accurately controlling environmental conditions and monitoring cargo within transport units, particularly due to unreliable mechanical door sensors and the need for precise cargo placement and security verification.

Innovation Solution

A vision system is integrated into the transport climate control system, using image capturing devices and image recognition to analyze cargo and door states, allowing for adjustments in climate control operations, notification of mismatches, and recommendations for repositioning based on recognized cargo and visual aids.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If mechanical door sensors are used to detect door opening/closing events, then the system can monitor door status, but the sensors become less sensitive or faulty during transportation and extreme temperatures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedoor sensor reliabilityVSAvoidtemperature and vibration effects on sensor

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical door sensors with a vision system that uses image capturing devices and image recognition algorithms to detect door opening and closing events. The vision system processes images to identify door positions and states without relying on mechanical components, thereby eliminating the problem of mechanical sensors becoming faulty under extreme temperatures and vibrations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces visual aids as intermediary elements that enhance the detectability of door states by the vision system. These visual aids provide amplified visual indicators that make it easier for the image recognition system to accurately determine door opening and closing events, serving as a mediator between the physical door state and the detection system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If vision system continuously captures images to monitor cargo, then cargo placement and security can be verified, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecargo monitoring accuracyVSAvoidvision system energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic image capture instead of continuous monitoring. The vision system captures images at specific intervals or triggered by events (such as door opening/closing), which maintains cargo monitoring accuracy while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The vision system is integrated with the climate control system's existing infrastructure and control logic, allowing it to leverage available computational resources and coordinate with other system functions. This integration enables the vision system to operate more efficiently by sharing processing loads and coordinating activation with other system operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If image recognition system analyzes captured images to determine cargo and door events, then operational accuracy improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecargo and door event detection accuracyVSAvoidvision system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The vision system is designed to perform multiple functions: detecting door opening/closing events, verifying cargo placement, monitoring cargo security, and providing visual records. By consolidating these functions into a single integrated system rather than using separate sensors and monitoring devices, the patent reduces overall system complexity while maintaining high operational accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses image capturing devices to create visual copies of the cargo and door states, which are then analyzed by the image recognition system. This approach allows the system to monitor and analyze multiple parameters simultaneously from captured images without requiring direct physical contact or multiple specialized sensors, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS11964542B2Methods and systems for camera vision applications for perishable goods transportation visual aids to improve performance

Publication Date: 2024.04.23 THERMO KING CORP

AI summary

A transport climate control system includes a vision system having an image capturing device to capture an image. An image recognition system is configured to analyze the captured image to obtain analyzed image data, and determine an instruction for adjusting operation of the transport climate control system or the transport unit. A controller is configured to execute the determined instruction. A method of controlling a transport climate control system that provides climate control within a climate controlled space of a transport unit that includes an image capturing device capturing an image within a climate controlled space is provided. The method includes analyzing the captured image by an image recognition system communicatively connected with the image capturing device; determining an instruction; and a controller executing the determined instruction.