Storage container including multi-layer insulation composite material having bandgap material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9413396-B2
Application number	US-201313907470-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2013
Priority date	May 13, 2008
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

In one embodiment, a storage container includes a container structure defining at least one storage chamber. The container structure includes multi-layer insulation (MLI) composite material having at least one thermally-reflective layer. The at least one thermally-reflective layer includes bandgap material that is transmissive to radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
providing a container structure that at least partially defines at least one storage chamber, the at least one storage chamber including at least one first device positioned therein that is configured to transmit one or more radio-frequency signals, the container structure including,
one or more accesses to the at least one storage chamber; and
a multi-layer insulation composite material having a bandgap material that is transmissive to the one or more radio-frequency signals, the multi-layer insulation composite material including,
a first thermally-reflective layer;
a second thermally-reflective layer spaced from the first thermally-reflective layer; and
a region between the first and second thermally-reflective layers that limits heat conduction therebetween; and
transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals from the at least one first device positioned in the at least one storage chamber and through the container structure;
wherein transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals from the at least one first device positioned in the at least one storage chamber and through the container structure includes transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals from the at least one first device to at least one second device positioned external to the container structure.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals from the at least one first device positioned in the at least one storage chamber and through the container structure includes transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals having information about the at least one storage chamber encoded therein.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals from the at least one first device positioned in the at least one storage chamber and through the container structure includes transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals having an identity of an object positioned in the at least one storage chamber encoded therein.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals from the at least one first device positioned in the at least one storage chamber and through the container structure includes transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals having temperature-history information about the at least one storage chamber encoded therein.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals from the at least one first device positioned in the at least one storage chamber and through the container structure includes transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals responsive to the at least one first device receiving a request from at least one second device positioned external to the container structure.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more accesses includes at least one of a lid, one or more interlocks configured to provide ingress of an object into the at least one storage chamber, or one or more interlocks configured to provide egress of an object from the at least one storage chamber.

7. A method, comprising:
providing a container structure that at least partially defines at least one storage chamber, the container structure including,
one or more accesses to the at least one storage chamber; and
a multi-layer insulation composite material having a bandgap material that is transmissive to one or more radio-frequency signals, the multi-layer insulation composite material including, a first thermally-reflective layer;
a second thermally-reflective layer spaced from the first thermally-reflective layer; and
a region between the first and second thermally-reflective layers that limits heat conduction therebetween; and
transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals through the container structure from at least one first device positioned external to the container structure;
wherein the transmitting one or more radio-frequency signals through the container structure from at least one first device positioned external to the container structure includes transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals from the at least one first device to at least one second device positioned in the at least one storage chamber.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals through the container structure from at least one first device positioned external to the container structure includes transmitting a request encoded in the one or more radio-frequency signals from the at least one first device to at least one second device positioned in the at least one storage chamber.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals through the container structure from at least one first device positioned external to the container structure includes transmitting one or more instructions encoded in the one or more radio-frequency signals from the at least one first device to at least one second device positioned in the at least one storage chamber.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals through the container structure from at least one first device positioned external to the container structure includes transmitting information encoded in the one or more radio-frequency signals from the at least one first device to at least one second device positioned in the at least one storage chamber.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals through the container structure from at least one first device positioned external to the container structure includes directing an at least one second device to alter a temperature of the at least one storage chamber.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein directing the at least one first device to alter a temperature of the at least one storage chamber includes lowering the temperature of the at least one storage chamber.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein directing the at least one first device to alter a temperature of the at least one storage chamber includes increasing the temperature of the at least one storage chamber.

14. The method of claim 7 , wherein transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals through the container structure from at least one first device positioned external to the container structure includes transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals from the at least one first device to at least one second device positioned in the at least one storage chamber responsive to the at least one first device receiving information from the at least one second device associated with the at least one storage chamber.

15. The method of claim 7 , wherein transmitting the one or more radio-frequency signals through the container structure from at least one first device positioned external to the container structure includes directing the one or more radio-frequency signals at a radio-frequency window of the container structure.

16. A method, comprising:
providing a container structure that at least partially defines at least one storage chamber, the container structure including,
one or more accesses to the at least one storage chamber; and a multi-layer insulation composite material having a bandgap material that is transmissive to one or more radio-frequency signals, the multi-layer insulation composite material including,
a first thermally-reflective layer;
a second thermally-reflective layer spaced from the first thermally-reflective layer; and
a region between the first and second thermall

Assignees

• Tokitae Llc

Inventors

• Bowers Jeffrey A
• Hyde Roderick A
• Ishikawa Muriel Y
• Jung Edward K Y
• Kare Jordin T
• Leuthardt Eric C
• Myhrvold Nathan P
• Nugent Jr Thomas J
• Tegreene Clarence T
• Whitmer Charles
• Wood Jr Lowell L

Classifications

• Y10T428/1376

  Foam or porous material containing · CPC title

• G08C17/02

  using a radio link · CPC title

• B65D81/3874

  formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls · CPC title

• B65D81/3823 Primary

  formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls · CPC title

• H04B1/02 Primary

  Transmitters · CPC title