FR2795164A1 - SYSTEM FOR OPERATING AND MANAGING A PARK OF REFRIGERATED CONTAINERS - Google Patents

Abstract

Refrigerated container has recorder (2) fitted to wall of container (1), temperature sensor (3) installed in container and connected to recorder so as to record values of temperature measured by sensor. Transmitter-receiver is connected to recorder to enable exchange of data with latter from outside of container, in particular to interrogate recorded temperature values and/or temperature variation during transport of containers. Independent claims are also included for (a) the set of containers, and for (b) the automatic management system of the set of containers.

Description

SYSTEM FOR OPERATING AND MANAGING A

REFRIGERATED CONTAINER PARK

  The present invention relates to a refrigerated container usable for the transport of foodstuffs under controlled temperature, as well as a system for the automatic management of a fleet of such containers, in particular, but not exclusively, for monitoring the temperature at interior of the containers and the monitoring of said containers through their different stages of

  packaging, loading and routing.

  To ensure the transport of foodstuffs under controlled temperature, it is known to use autonomous containers which are loaded with a reserve of a refrigerant product such as dry ice, in sufficient quantity to cover the transport time while respecting a temperature setpoint. Like any transport of foodstuffs, this principle is subject to legislation or regulations which seek to guarantee the continuity of the cold chain, from production to consumption, including storage and transport. It has therefore proved important, both for a sender and for a recipient of the refrigerated container (s), to be able to monitor or control the temperature inside the container (s), without opening them, and possibly also to be able to follow the or the said containers during their stages of packaging, loading and routing and / or checking that they have actually gone through the said stages, in compliance with the legislation or

  regulation on temperature-controlled transport.

  The main object of the present invention is therefore to provide a refrigerated container whose internal temperature can be monitored and controlled automatically without having to open the container and without requiring the intervention of a worker.

outside.

  The invention aims alternatively to provide a system for monitoring one or more refrigerated containers of a fleet of containers during their various stages of

  packaging, loading and routing.

  To this end, the refrigerated container according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises a recorder carried by a wall of said container, a temperature probe installed in said container and connected to said recorder to record temperature values measured by said probe, and a transceiver connected to said recorder to allow an exchange of information with it from outside said container, in particular for interrogating it on the values of the temperatures recorded in said recorder and / or on the evolution of said temperatures during a

transport of food.

  Preferably, said recorder is capable of recording 0o also of information received by said transceiver during the passage of the container by stages of its route, said information being specific to each stage, at the same time as the date

  and the time of passage at each stage.

  In one embodiment of the invention, said probe

  temperature can be connected to said recorder by a wire connection.

  In another embodiment of the invention, said temperature probe can be connected to said recorder by a link

  radio frequency, said probe itself comprising a transmitter-

  receiver capable of communicating with the transceiver connected to said audit

recorder.

  Said recorder may include a microprocessor associated with a data memory and a real time clock, for recording at predefined time intervals the instantaneous value of the temperature measured by said probe, as well as the date and time of this

recording.

  The container may also comprise a detector capable of detecting the state in which the door is located through which the foodstuffs to be transported are introduced into and taken out of the container. This detector is connected to the microprocessor to supply it with information on the open or closed state of said door, information which is recorded in said data memory with the date and time of closing of the door and with the date and opening time

  door during transport of food.

  Said microprocessor can be programmed to control the starting and stopping of the recording of the temperature values measured by the probe during a transport of food respectively in response to the arrival of the closed status information and to the arrival of the open state information from said entry / exit door of the container. During each transport of foodstuffs, said microprocessor can be programmed to monitor if the temperature measured by said temperature probe exceeds a temperature threshold not to be crossed. The microprocessor can also be programmed in such a way that, in the event of crossing said temperature threshold, it records each time in the data memory the date and time io of crossing the temperature threshold, the duration of this crossing, as well as the temperature value reached during this crossing. Said microprocessor can also be programmed to cause the activation of an alarm when said threshold

  temperature has been exceeded at least once.

  Preferably, before each transport of foodstuffs, said temperature threshold is recorded in said data memory or selected from among several temperature threshold values stored in said data memory. The microprocessor can then be programmed to control the start of the recording of the temperature values measured by said probe under the double condition that a temperature threshold value has been recorded or selected in the data memory before a new transport of foodstuffs , and that the entry / exit door is closed. The invention also provides a fleet of containers which is constituted, at least in part, by containers having one or more of the above-mentioned characteristics. The invention also provides a system for the automatic operation and management of this fleet of containers, in particular for monitoring the temperature inside the containers and monitoring them through their different stages of packaging, loading and routing, this system being characterized by the fact that it comprises several beacons arranged at least in some of the said conditioning, loading and routing stages, each beacon being equipped with at least one transmitter and capable of sending information to the recorder of each container passing in front of the tag. Preferably, each recorder contains, in its memory, a serial number identifying the container to which it is assigned. Each tag is able to send a code that identifies the stage where the tag is located. This code is picked up by the transceiver of the container when it passes in front of said tag and is recorded in the memory of the recorder of the container together with the date and time of the passage of said container in front of said tag.

0o beacon.

  Preferably, the system according to the invention further comprises at least one portable reader, identifiable by an identification code, equipped with a transceiver and capable of exchanging information with any container of said fleet of containers located in its range and equipped with a recorder. Preferably, the reader has at least one of the functions consisting in reading the instantaneous temperature in the container, in acknowledging receipt of said container, in analyzing if necessary the severity of an alarm affecting said container

  and to validate or identify a transport.

  Preferably, the system according to the invention further comprises a calibration device which can be temporarily installed in a container of said container park and which comprises a temperature probe having a greater precision than that of the containers of said container park, and a transceiver capable of transmitting a calibration instruction to the recorder of the container in which the calibration device has been temporarily placed, to correct any drift of the temperature probe of said container. Preferably, at least one of the aforementioned beacons is equipped in addition to its transmitter, a receiver and an interface connected by a computer link to a computer located at a control and consultation station. Said interface can have at least one of the functions consisting in: a) acquiring and temporarily storing the records stored in the recorder of a container passing in front of the tag equipped with said interface, and in retransmitting said records thus acquired, in time deferred, said computer; b) transmitting parameters, determined by said computer, to the recorder of a container passing in front of said tag; c) to transmit a command to start recording the temperature inside said passing container

in front of said tag.

  Other features and advantages of this

  invention will emerge during the following description of a

  io embodiment of the present invention, which is indicated by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a container according to the invention, in a side view, thus that several stations with which the container is able to communicate; - Figure 2 shows, in more concrete terms, the various stages through which a refrigerated container according to the invention passes during its packaging, until it is loaded onto a truck for delivery to a recipient; - Figure 3 shows the block diagram of a recorder installed in the container according to the invention, with a temperature probe and a door contact; Figure 4 shows another temperature probe usable with the recorder of Figure 3; - Figure 5 shows the block diagram of a tag capable of exchanging information with the recorder of Figure 3, said tag can be equipped with an interface allowing it to be connected to a computer; and - Figure 6 shows the block diagram of a portable reader capable of exchanging information with the recorder of the

  Figure 3 and can possibly also be connected to a computer.

  The refrigerated container 1 shown schematically in FIG. 1 can be an insulated and refrigerated container of any known type usable for the transport of foodstuffs under controlled temperature. The container 1 usually has double walls in order to thermally insulate its internal volume from the external environment, and it is usually equipped with a tank (not shown) which can be charged with a refrigerant, such as for example dry ice. However, container 1 could also be a

  container of the type equipped with its own refrigerating machine.

  According to the present invention, the container 1 comprises a recorder 2 and a temperature probe 3, which measures the temperature inside the container 1 and is connected to the recorder 2 to record the temperature values measured by the probe therein. The container 1 further comprises a transceiver 4 (not shown in FIG. 1, but visible in FIG. 3) which is connected to the register 2 and allows the latter to exchange information with a certain number of Pl, P2 - P .... Pn stations, fixed or mobile, directly or through fixed beacons B1, B2 .... Bi, located

  at various stages through which the container 1 must pass.

  By way of example, FIG. 2 shows six steps P, -P6 through which a refrigerated container 1 usually passes before being sent to a recipient. Step P. is a washing station, in which the container 1 is washed and which is equipped, according to the invention, with a first fixed transceiver beacon B1. The second step P2 is a cold room, for example a room at -18 C, with which is associated a second fixed transmitter-receiver beacon B2. The third step P3 is a filling station, for filling the container i with a refrigerant, for example dry ice. At this

  filling station P3, is associated with a third transmitting beacon-

  receptor B3. The fourth stage P4 is a checkpoint and

  consultation where there is a computer, for example a micro-

  computer, connected by a computer link 5 to a fourth fixed transceiver beacon B4. The fifth step P5 is another cold room, for example a room at +2 C, with which is associated a fifth fixed transceiver beacon Bs. Finally, the sixth step P6 is a loading dock where the container 1 is loaded in a truck 6 with a view to transporting it to a recipient, a sixth fixed transceiver beacon B6 being, here again, associated with

step P6.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the recorder 2 can consist of an electronic card inserted in a box, itself inserted in a wall of the container 1, for example in one of its side walls. This recorder 2 receives information from both the temperature probe 3 placed inside the container 1 and information emitted by the transceiver beacons BI, B2, .... Bi

  placed on the container route 1.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the electronic card of the recorder 2 essentially comprises a microprocessor 7 to which are connected a memory 8 and a real time clock 9. The microprocessor 7 can be, for example, a microprocessor of the PIC57C OTP 8 bit type . The memory 8 can be, for example, a memory of the 2 kbit EEPROM / FLASH type. The real time clock 9 can be any digital clock capable of giving the time and date (day, month, year). For their operation, all of these elements are supplied with current by a direct voltage source 11 of 6 volts, for example lithium batteries or cadmium-nickel batteries preferably having a lifespan of at least 5 years, c ' that is to say a lifetime corresponding at least to the average lifetime of a refrigerated container. However, the DC voltage source 11 could also consist of a rechargeable battery. The microprocessor 7 is electrically connected to the transceiver 4, which can be carried by the same electronic card as the microprocessor or be installed at another location in the container 1 and electrically connected to the microprocessor card by an appropriate link. The transceiver 4 comprises a transmitter 4a, for example a HF 492 MHz transmitter of 0.5 mW, capable of transmitting data in series at a transmission speed of 2400/4800 bps, for transmitting information or data to the aforementioned beacons Bi, B2, ... B, and a receiver 4b, for example an HF receiver 492 MHz, having the same characteristics of data transmission speed as the transmitter, for receiving information or data from said tags. The radiofrequency transmission of information or data between the microprocessor 7 and the beacons B1, B2, ... B via the transceiver 4 can be carried out according to a standard protocol in the field of microcomputing or according to a specific protocol to the owner of the

fleet of refrigerated containers.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the temperature probe 3, for example a silicon temperature probe, PT100 or any other temperature probe, preferably digital, is connected to the microprocessor 7 of the recorder 2 by a link wired 12. In this case, as the probe 3 must be placed inside the container 1 while the recorder 2 is in the double wall of the container, the connection of the probe to the recorder

  should be done by piercing the wall of the container.

  In an alternative embodiment, in order to avoid having to pierce the wall of the container, the probe 3 can be connected to the microprocessor 7 by a radio frequency link, like the probe 3 shown in FIG. 4. In this case, the probe 3 is itself connected to a transceiver 13 capable of communicating with

  the transceiver 4 connected to the microprocessor 7. The transceiver

  receiver 13 can comprise a transmitter 13a and a receiver 13b having the same characteristics as the transmitter 4a and the receiver 4b,

  respectively, of the transceiver 4. The probe 3 and its transmitter-

  receiver 13 can be placed in a small box (not shown) which can be glued inside the container 1, on an internal wall of

this one.

  In FIG. 3, a detector or sensor 14 has also been represented, which is connected to the microprocessor 7 of the recorder 2 and which provides the latter with information on the open or closed state of the door 1a (FIG. 2) of the container 1. For example, the sensor 14 provides the microprocessor 7 a signal having a first logic level when the door is in an open state, and a signal having a second logic level when the door is in the closed state. The sensor 14 can be, for example, constituted by an optical sensor which is lit or unlit depending on whether the door is open or closed and which provides

  therefore a signal having the first or second logic level.

  However, the sensor 14 could also be constituted by a simple electrical contactor similar to those which are usually associated with the doors of refrigerators or motor vehicles and whose state

  open or closed depends on the open or closed state of the door.

  FIG. 3 also shows two alarms and 16, for example two indicator lights, which are installed on an external wall of the container 1 and which, under certain conditions, can be activated, preferably flashing, by the microprocessor 7. For example, the alarm 15 can be activated to indicate that the temperature measured by the probe 3 inside the container 1 has exceeded a predefined temperature threshold. Alarm 16 can be activated to signal the expiration of a metrological verification of the temperature monitoring system constituted by the probe 3 and by the microprocessor 7. Preferably, the temperature measurement range is between -35 C and +25 C, with a class 2 measurement accuracy, +/- +/- I1 C, or better class 1 accuracy, or +/- 0.5 C. The temperature measured by probe 3 is recorded, at time intervals regular, in the memory of the recorder 2 over a storage period which is preferably at least

  minus 48 hours. This storage period can be slippery, i.e.

  say that, after 48 hours, the first temperature records are replaced by new temperature records according to the first in, first replaced principle. Preferably, the frequency of the temperature records, that is to say the duration of the time interval between two temperature records, is less than 15 minutes, and it is preferably configurable so that it can be modified, if desired, each time the container passes in front of the B4 beacon of the control station and

P4 consultation (Figure 2).

  The memory capacity of the recorder 7 is preferably chosen so as to be able to store the following information: 1) information relating to the monitoring of the packaging process of the container 1. This is essentially the date and the time of passage at each PL-P stage, and the code for each stage. This information is transmitted by radio frequency by the respective transmitters of the beacons B1, B2, .... placed on the route of the container 1. The number of these transmitters or these beacons can go for example up to 10 if one consider the six beacons B, -B6 of FIG. 2, to which other fixed beacons may possibly be added placed on the route of the truck 6 between the sender

  and the recipient of the container (s) loaded in the truck 6.

  2) information related to temperature monitoring. These are essentially: a) at each temperature recording, the date and time of the recording as well as the temperature value b) the values of the alarm thresholds; c) the date and time of the start of the recording of the temperature values; d) the date and time when the recording of the temperature values stopped; e) the date and time of the last temperature calibration; f) the alarm file; g) optionally, the date and time of each action on the

  detector 14 which detects the state of the container door.

  3) metrology information. It is essentially a) the instantaneous value of the temperature;

  b) the date of the next temperature calibration.

  4) logistics information. This is essentially a) the identification of the sender and the recipient (this information is provided by the control and consultation station P4 in Figure 2); b) an acknowledgment of receipt of the container (this information can be

  emitted by a portable reader 30 which will be described later).

  The memory 8 associated with the microprocessor 7 of the recorder 2 can also contain a certain number of configurable information, which are: 1) parameters relating to the installation, which are entered only once and are preferably inviolable. These include a) the container serial number; b) the date of the first serialization of the container c) the temperature measurement range code d) the alarm code (s); e) the code of each of the stages through which the container must pass (these codes are useful to allow the recorder of the container to recognize and interact with the tags

  transceivers respectively placed in said steps).

  2) variable parameters, such as: a) the sender code; b) the recipient's code c) a protection code (user code). This code must be composed by a user in order to have access to the recorder 2, to read its content or to enter information therein, for example using the portable reader 30 which will be described later. It therefore prevents people

  not authorized have access to said recorder.

  The start and stop of the recording, at regular intervals of 1o, of the temperature values measured by the probe 3 can be controlled respectively by the closing and by the opening of the door 1a of the container 1, since these actions frame the storage time of the foodstuffs in container 1. However, care must be taken with the temperature setting, which must have been carried out before each transport of foodstuffs. This is why, it is preferable that the microprocessor 7 of the recorder 2 controls the start of the recording of the temperature values measured by the probe 3 under the double condition that, on the one hand, a temperature threshold value has been recorded or selected in the memory of the recorder 2 before a new transport of foodstuffs, and that, on the other hand, the door 1a of the container 1 is closed. This recording of the temperature threshold or the selection thereof from among several temperature threshold values stored in the memory of the recorder 2 can be carried out, for example, by sending a temperature instruction sent by the station. P4 control and consultation when

  the container 1 passes in front of the tag B4 thereof (FIG. 2).

  Each of the transmitter-receiver beacons B, -B6 placed on the route of the container 1 is intended to validate the passage of the container or compliance with a step essential to its packaging, loading and / or routing. Each tag is designed to send to the recorder 2 of a container, by radio frequency, a code specific to each tag, therefore corresponding to the step where the tag is located. The sending of the tag code can be triggered by random interrogation to detect a container in the container fleet. To this end, the recorder 2 of each container 1 contains, in its memory 8, as indicated above, a serial number identifying the container. Under these conditions, when, during a random interrogation, the tag recognizes the serial number of one of the containers of said container fleet, it sends to the container

  recognized the tag code, which identifies the stage where the tag is located.

  In an alternative embodiment, the sending of the tag code to the recorder 2 of the container 1 can be triggered by the actuation of a proximity detector, itself actuated by the passage of the container 1 in front of the tag. In either case, this code is recorded in the recorder 2 of container 1 at the same time as the

  1o date and time of passage of the container in front of the tag considered.

  This will make it easy to analyze later if the container has actually gone through the stages it had to go through, and

  how much time has passed between two stages.

  Each of the aforementioned tags can be constituted by a waterproof case, preferably meeting the IP65 standard, which is placed on the route of the container and which contains an electronic card 18

  essentially carrying a microprocessor 19 connected to a transmitter-

  receiver 21 (Figure 5). The microprocessor 19, the transmitter 21a and the receiver 21b of the transceiver 21 may be identical respectively to the microprocessor 7 of the recorder 2 and to the transmitter

  4a and to the receiver 4b of the transceiver 4 of FIG. 3.

  However, the transmitter 21a preferably has a power greater than that of the transmitter 4a, for example a power of 10 mW. The DC voltage necessary for the operation of these elements is provided by a DC voltage source 22 constituted for example by a commercial battery or battery and / or by a power supply.

  direct current operating on the 220 volt sector, 50Hz.

  In the case of the tag B4 (Figure 2) which is connected by a

  computer link 5 to a computer 23, for example a micro-

  computer, located at the control and consultation station P4, the beacon can also include an interface 24 allowing it to communicate by computer link 5 with the computer 23. This interface 24 can be, for example, constituted by an interface forming with computer link 5 a serial link of the RS232 type,

  and it essentially comprises a driver circuit 25 and a transmitter-

  universal asynchronous receiver 26 usually designated by men

of art by the abbreviation UART.

  The interface 24 has mainly two missions. The first mission is in the computer 23 direction to the recorder 2, to load the recording parameters determined by the computer 23, such as the temperature or alarm thresholds, the measurement frequency, etc. These parameters are only loaded into the memory of the recorder 2 if the container 1 to which the recorder belongs must be monitored. Indeed, although it is theoretically possible to monitor all the containers in a fleet of refrigerated containers, the official services which monitor compliance with the legislation on transport under controlled temperature suggest carrying out a statistical check of 10% transport in refrigerated containers. Under these conditions, the computer 23 can be programmed to calculate the number of containers to be monitored in a given fleet of refrigerated containers, then to search for containers fitted with a recorder, and finally to automatically program the recorders for these containers, by loading the above parameters, until the quota of checks set by the

  official services or by a user is reached.

  The second mission of said interface is in the recorder 2 direction to the computer 23 to transfer there all the records contained in the memory of the recorder 2 of the container 1 passing in front of the tag B4, in particular the temperature records, the records passages in front of the tags placed on the route of the container or in front of the aforementioned portable reader 30, and the recording of a temperature calibration if the latter has taken place. The records acquired from the recorder 2 are temporarily stored in the memory of the microprocessor 19 of the tag B4 and are retransmitted, in offset time, to the computer 23, preferably in the form of files compatible with a commercial spreadsheet, of so that the records

  can then be processed, used and archived by the computer 23.

  More specifically, the computer 23 is programmed to allow a) an edition of the temperature curves, that is to say the evolution over time of the temperature in each of the monitored containers, with highlighting of the alarms (overshoot temperature threshold) by a different color, and with the possibility of moving point by point on the temperature curve with display, for each point, of the time, date and temperature value at the point examined; b) randomly search or sort the records, sorting can be done by container serial number, by recipient, by date of transport or even over a period of time between two dates; c) print the records in the form of temperature curves and / or tables of values; d) manage the 10% of transport that requires temperature recording; e) quickly access the alarms f) carry out statistical studies, for example on the temperature stability in a determined container, on the average times of transport, washing, filling of the refrigerant, on the alarm frequency, on transport activity, etc. As indicated above, the system according to the invention can comprise at least one portable reader 30, identifiable by an identification code and equipped with a transceiver which enables it to exchange information, by radio frequency, with any container. located within its operating range and equipped with a recorder such as the recorder 2 in FIG. 3. The portable reader 30 preferably has at least one of the following functions: a) read the instantaneous temperature inside container 1 without having to open the latter; b) at the sender's, validate a shipment of foodstuffs before being loaded into a truck; c) at the sender or at the recipient of the container, identify the transport (container, recipient, temperature range, etc.); d) at the recipient's, acknowledge receipt of the container and the foodstuffs it contains, for example by entering the recipient's code on a keyboard and transmitting this code to the container's register 2; e) analyze the severity of an alarm, if it has occurred (what is reported

  by the indicator light 15 associated with the recorder 2 of Figure 3).

  This analysis can for example provide the duration of the exceeding of the temperature threshold, the average value of the temperature during

  the alarm and / or the number of thresholds exceeded.

  The portable reader 30 includes a housing, which is held in the hand and which can be the size of that of a mobile telephone. This case can even be a standard case of a mobile phone, of which only the liquid crystal display screen, the housing

  batteries and the control keyboard.

  FIG. 6 shows, in the form of a block diagram, the essential elements of the portable reader 30. In FIG. 6, the reference number 27 designates a microprocessor, 28 designates an alphanumeric display screen, for example a screen with liquid crystal capable of displaying a line of 16 characters; 29 designates a keyboard which is connected to the microprocessor 27 for entering information therein, for example an identification code or a user code or commands which can be symbolized by logos; the number 31a designates a transmitter and the number 31b a receiver; the number 32 designates a DC voltage source, for example a Cd-Ni battery, providing the DC voltage necessary for the operation of the aforementioned elements. The microprocessor 27, the transmitter 31a and the receiver 31b may be identical respectively to the microprocessor 7 of the recorder 2 and to the transmitter 4a and to the receiver 4b of the transceiver 4 of FIG. 3, the transmitter 31a however having here a power of 1 mW. Preferably, the portable reader 30 is further equipped with an interface 33 provided with a connector (not shown) by means of which the portable reader can be connected by a connecting cable to a computer, for example a micro- computer such as microcomputer 23 at

  the sender or another microcomputer at the addressee.

  The interface 33 can be identical to the interface 24 of FIG. 5 and, for

  therefore, it will not be described again in detail.

  Since the temperature probes 3 equipping the refrigerated containers according to the invention may exhibit drift over time, it is recommended to check, at regular time intervals, the quality of the temperature measurement carried out by each recorder and the probe associated temperature, and to compensate for the temperature difference if necessary. For this purpose, a calibration device is provided, which can be temporarily placed inside a container to be checked and which includes a temperature probe or standard thermometer having greater accuracy than that of the 1o probes 3 of the containers. of the refrigerated container fleet. For example, the standard thermometer can be a PT 100 type probe with an accuracy of +/- 0.1 C and a response time equal to that of the probe

  3 which is permanently installed in the container to be checked.

  Preferably, the standard thermometer is shaped so that it can be slid over the probe 3 of the container 1 to be checked, so that the two probes are at the same temperature for the duration of the check. The temperature measured by the standard thermometer constitutes a reference value or calibration setpoint, which is transmitted for example by radio frequency to the recorder 2 of the container 1 to be checked. In this case, the calibration device can be produced in accordance with the diagram in FIG. 4, already described above with regard to the probe 3 fitted to the container 1. If the temperature measured by the standard thermometer is different from that measured by the probe 3, the microprocessor 7 of the recorder 2 calculates the temperature difference, that is to say a compensation value which is stored in the memory of the recorder, with the date of this metrological verification or temperature calibration . This compensation value is then used, during each temperature measurement carried out by the probe 3, to correct the value of the temperature measured by the said probe 3. This temperature calibration operation also has the effect of initializing a delay in view to trigger, at the expiration of a pre-defined period, an alarm (lighting of the indicator light 16 in FIG. 3) signaling to the user that a new verification or calibration of the

temperature.

  From what precedes, it can be seen that the invention makes it possible not only to continuously monitor the temperature of a refrigerated container, without having to open the latter, but also to follow the path of this container, in particular to verify that it has gone through the various conditioning stages through which it must pass in compliance with the legislation or regulations on temperature-controlled transport. The invention is therefore particularly useful for users of refrigerated containers, who have to manage large fleets

  containers (often more than 10,000), as it facilitates considerably

io ably this management.

  It goes without saying that the embodiment of the invention which has been described above has been given by way of purely indicative and in no way limiting example, and that numerous modifications can be easily made by those skilled in the art. art without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, in particular that, with the exception of the tag B4 which is connected by the computer link 5 to the computer 23 and which must include a receiver such as the receiver 21k of FIG. 5, it is not absolutely it is essential that the other beacons, such as the BC-B3, B5 and B6 beacons, be equipped with such a receiver 21b. Indeed, each of the tags BI-B3, B5 and B6 can comprise only the microprocessor 19, the transmitter 21a and the power supply 22 shown in FIG. 5. In this case, the microprocessor 19 can be programmed to send via the transmitter 21a, either automatically at a predefined repetition frequency, or under the command of a proximity detector detecting the passage of a container, a code identifying the step corresponding to the tag considered. When a container passes in front of the tag, this code is picked up by the container 4k receiver and recorded in the memory of the latter's recorder 2, together with the date and time of the container passing in front of said tag. Optionally, the recording of this code and of the time and date of said passage can only be carried out if the code picked up by the receiver 4b corresponds to one of the pre-recorded tag codes

  as parameters in memory 8 of recorder 2 of the container.

  Furthermore, although, as indicated, the recorder 2 is preferably housed in one of the walls of the container, it could be mounted on one of said walls, inside

or outside the container.

Claims (14)

  1 - Refrigerated container usable for the transport of foodstuffs under controlled temperature, characterized in that it comprises a recorder (2) carried by a wall of said container (1), a temperature probe (3) installed in said container and connected said recorder (2) for recording temperature values measured by said probe therein, and a transceiver (4) connected to said recorder (2) to allow an exchange of information therewith from outside said container (1 ), in particular for interrogating it 10 on the values of the temperatures recorded in said recorder and / or on the evolution of said temperatures during the transport of foodstuffs.  2 - container according to claim 1, characterized in that said recorder (2) is able to also record information received by said transceiver (4) during the passage of the container (1) by stages of its route, said information being specific to each stage, along with the date and time of passage at each stage.   3 - container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said temperature probe (3) is connected to said recorder (2) by a wire connection (12).   4 - Container according to any one of claims 1   to 3, characterized in that said temperature probe (3) is connected to said recorder (2) by a radio frequency link (4, 13), said probe itself comprising a transceiver (13) capable of communicating with the 'transceiver (4) connected to said recorder (2).   - Container according to any one of claims 1   4, characterized in that said recorder (2) comprises a microprocessor (7) associated with a data memory (8) and a real time clock (9), for recording at instantaneous time intervals the instantaneous value of the temperature measured by said   probe (3), as well as the date and time of this recording.   6 - Container according to claim 5, comprising an entry / exit door (la) for the food to be transported in the container (1), characterized in that it further comprises a detector (14) of state of the door, which is connected to the microprocessor (7) to provide it with information on the open or closed state of said door (la) of the container (1), this information being recorded in said data memory (8) with the date and the time the door was closed and with the date and time the door was opened during a transport of food.   7 - container according to claim 6, characterized in that said microprocessor (7) controls the starting and stopping of the recording of the temperature values measured by the probe (3) o0 during transport of food respectively in response to the arrival of closed status information and the arrival of information   open state of said entry / exit door (la).   8 - Container according to any one of claims 5   in 7, characterized by the fact that during each transport of foodstuffs said microprocessor (7) monitors whether the temperature measured by said temperature probe (3) exceeds a temperature threshold not to be crossed and by the fact that in case of crossing of said temperature threshold, the microprocessor (7) records each time in the data memory the date and time of the crossing of the temperature threshold, the duration of this crossing, as well as the value of the   temperature reached during this crossing.   9 - container according to claim 8, characterized in that said microprocessor (7) causes the activation of an alarm   (15) when said temperature threshold has been crossed at least once.   10- A container according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, before each transport of foodstuffs, said temperature threshold is recorded in said data memory (8) or selected from several temperature threshold values stored in said memory data, and by the fact that said microprocessor (7) controls the start of the recording of the temperature values measured by said probe (3) under the double condition that a temperature threshold value has been recorded or selected in the memory (8) before a new one   transport of foodstuffs, and that the entry / exit door (la) is closed.   1 1- Container fleet, characterized in that it consists at least in part of containers (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10.   12 - System for the operation and automatic management of a fleet of containers according to claim 11, in particular for monitoring the temperature inside the containers (1) and monitoring said containers through their different stages ( P, -P6) for packaging, loading and routing, characterized in that it comprises several tags (B, -B6) arranged at least in io some of the said steps (P, -P6) for packaging, loading and routing, each beacon (Bi) being equipped with at least one transmitter (21a) and able to send information to the recorder (2)   of each container (1) passing in front of the tag (Bi).   13 - System according to claim 12, characterized in that each recorder (2) contains, in its memory (8), a   serial number identifying the container (1) to which it is assigned.   14 - System according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that each tag (Bi) is able to send a code which identifies the step (Pi) where the tag (Bi) is located, and by the fact that this code is picked up by the transceiver of the container (1) when it passes in front of said tag (Bi) and is recorded in the memory of the recorder (2) of the container (1) at the same time as the date and   the time of passage of said container in front of said tag.   - System according to any one of claims 12   to 14, characterized in that it further comprises at least one portable reader (30) identifiable by an identification code, equipped with a transceiver (31a, 31b) and capable of exchanging information with any container (1) of said fleet of containers located within its range of action and equipped with a recorder (2), said reader (30) having at least one of the functions consisting in reading the instantaneous temperature in the container (1), to acknowledge receipt of said container, to analyze if necessary the severity of an alarm affecting said container and to validate or identify a transport.   16 - System according to any one of claims 12   to 15, characterized in that it further comprises a calibration device which can be temporarily installed in a container (1) of said fleet of containers and which comprises a temperature probe having a greater accuracy than that (3) of containers of said fleet of containers, and a transceiver capable of transmitting a calibration instruction to the recorder (2) of the container (1) in which the calibration device has been temporarily placed, to correct a   possible drift of the temperature probe (3) of said container (1).   17 - System according to any one of claims 12   to 16, characterized in that at least one beacon (B4) among said beacons (B, -B6) is equipped, in addition to its transmitter (21a), with a receiver (21b) and with an interface (24) connected by a computer link (5) to a computer (23) located at a control and consultation station (P4), said interface (24) having at least one of the functions consisting in: a) acquiring and temporarily store the records which are stored in the recorder (2) of a container (1) passing in front of the beacon (B4) equipped with said interface, and in retransmitting said records thus acquired, in deferred time, to said computer (23) ; b) transmitting parameters, determined by said computer (23), to the recorder (2) of a container (1) passing in front of said tag (B4); c) to transmit a instruction to start recording the temperature inside said container (1) passing in front of said tag (B4).