Adjusting components of cargo transportation units

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10937254-B2
Application number	US-201916547145-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2019
Priority date	Mar 13, 2017
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

In some examples, a controller detects a compromised condition of a component of a cargo transportation unit (CTU), determines a time of performing a next maintenance of the CTU, and controls adjustment of the component in response to detecting the compromised condition and based on the time of performing the next maintenance of the CTU.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A controller comprising:
at least one processor configured to:
detect a compromised condition of a component of a cargo transportation unit (CTU);
determine a time of performing a next maintenance of the CTU based on an amount of time for the CTU to travel to a service facility; and
control adjustment of the component in response to detecting the compromised condition and based on the determined time of performing the next maintenance of the CTU, the adjustment of the component to extend a serviceable life of the component until the determined time of performing the next maintenance of the CTU.

2. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the compromised condition of the component comprises wear of the component exceeding a wear threshold.

3. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the compromised condition of the component comprises a faulty operation of the component.

4. The controller of claim 1 , wherein extending the serviceable life of the component is to extend a time for the CTU to deliver cargo to one or more destinations before the determined time of performing the next maintenance of the CTU.

5. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment of the component comprises disabling the component.

6. The controller of claim 5 , wherein disabling the component comprises inactivating the component.

7. The controller of claim 5 , wherein disabling the component comprises moving the component to a position to prevent the component from being operated while other components of the CTU are operational.

8. The controller of claim 5 , wherein disabling the component comprises lifting a wheel of the CTU in response to detecting the compromised condition.

9. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to further:
send, over a network, a notification to a target entity, in response to detecting the compromised condition.

10. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to further:
detect a compromised condition of a second component of the CTU; and
provide a notification of a reduction of a load capacity of the CTU, in response to detecting the compromised condition of the second component.

11. A method comprising:
sensing, using a sensor of a cargo transportation unit (CTU), a condition of a component of the CTU;
determining, by a controller, whether the sensed condition from the sensor indicates a compromised condition of the component;
determining, by the controller, a time of performing a next maintenance of the CTU based on an amount of time for the CTU to travel to a service facility; and
causing, by the controller, a modification of an operation of the CTU in response to detecting the compromised condition and based on the determined time of performing the next maintenance of the CTU, the modification of the operation of the CTU extending a serviceable life of the component until the determined time of performing the next maintenance of the CTU.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the modification of the operation of the CTU comprises adjusting or disabling the component.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the modification of the operation of the CTU comprises setting a reduced load capacity of the CTU.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the modification of the operation of the CTU comprises lifting a wheel of the CTU that disables the component.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the modification of the operation of the CTU comprises reducing a speed of the CTU, the method further comprising:
sending, by the controller to a vehicle transferring the CTU, a notification to cause the vehicle to reduce a speed of the vehicle to correspondingly reduce the speed of the CTU.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the time of performing the next maintenance of the CTU is further based on when the service facility is available to receive the CTU for maintenance.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
ordering, by the controller, a part for repairing the component in response to determining the compromised condition of the component.

18. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing instructions that upon execution cause a controller to:
detect a compromised condition of a component of a cargo transportation unit (CTU);
determine a time of performing a next maintenance of the CTU based on an amount of time for the CTU to travel to a service facility; and
cause adjustment of the component in response to detecting the compromised condition and based on the determined time of performing the next maintenance of the CTU, the adjustment of the component to extend a serviceable life of the component until the determined time of performing the next maintenance of the CTU.

19. The controller of claim 1 , wherein determining the time of performing the next maintenance of the CTU is further based on when the service facility is available to receive the CTU for maintenance.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein determining the time of performing the next maintenance of the CTU is further based on when the service facility is available to receive the CTU for maintenance.

Assignees

• Blackberry Ltd

Inventors

• Seaman Conrad Delbert
• West Stephen
• Dev Prabhul

Classifications

• G07C5/008

  communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C) · CPC title

• B60W50/038

  Limiting the input power, torque or speed · CPC title

• B60W2050/0292

  Fail-safe or redundant systems, e.g. limp-home or backup systems · CPC title

• B60W50/029

  Adapting to failures or work around with other constraints, e.g. circumvention by avoiding use of failed parts · CPC title

• G07C5/006 Primary

  Indicating maintenance · CPC title