US Patent 8959036 Real time monitoring of ship cargo

Remote monitoring and control of the interior environment of a refrigerated shipping container is described. A communications and monitoring device is coupled to a data communications port of a controller of a shipping container. The device is able to receive an operational parameter directly from the controller, without having to install additional instrumentation within the interior of the refrigerated shipping container, and send the operational parameter to a remote station. The device is also able to receive data to control the operation of the refrigerated shipping container from a remote station and send this control data to the controller of the refrigerated shipping container through the data communications port.