Portable Cooler

Abstract

A portable container has a payload chamber for holding medicines, vaccines, biological samples or other medical goods and a lid operable to access the payload chamber. The portable container also has an electronic system with one or more power storage devices, circuitry that wirelessly communicates via a cell radio with a cloud-based data storage system or a remote electronic device, and an electronic display screen. The electronic system can a) automatically switch sender and recipient information on the electronic display screen to facilitate return of the portable container to the sender or b) automatically contact a parcel carrier to alert the parcel carrier that the portable container is ready for pickup.

1 . A portable container for medicines, vaccines, biological samples or other medical goods, comprising:
 an outer housing;   a payload chamber defined by a circumferential wall and a base, the payload chamber configured to removably receive one or more medicines, vaccines, biological samples or other medical goods;   one or more vacuum insulated panels disposed between the payload chamber and the outer housing and extending along the circumferential wall and the base;   a lid operable to access the payload chamber; and   an electronic system, comprising:
 circuitry configured to wirelessly communicate with a cloud-based data storage system or a remote electronic device, and 
 an electronic display screen on a side surface of the outer housing configured to selectively display an electronic shipping label for the portable container. 
   
     
     
         2 . The portable container of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more volumes of a phase change material or a thermal mass configured to at least partially surround the one or more medicines, vaccines, biological samples or other medical goods. 
     
     
         3 . The portable container of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more volumes of the phase change material or the thermal mass are removably disposed in the payload chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The portable container of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensors configured to sense one or more parameters and to communicate the sensed parameters to the circuitry. 
     
     
         5 . The portable container of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature in the payload chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The portable container of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a humidity sensor configured to sense a humidity in the payload chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The portable container of  claim 1 , further comprising an accelerometer configured to sense a force on the portable container and to communicate the sensed force to the circuitry. 
     
     
         8 . A portable container for medicines, vaccines, biological samples or other medical goods, comprising:
 an outer container body;   a payload chamber in the container body defined by a circumferential wall and a base, the payload chamber configured to removably receive one or more medicines, vaccines, biological samples or other medical goods;   one or more vacuum insulated panels disposed between the payload chamber and the outer container body and extending along the circumferential wall and the base;   a lid operable to access the payload chamber; and   an electronic system, comprising:
 circuitry configured to wirelessly communicate with a cloud-based data storage system or a remote electronic device, and 
 an electronic display screen on one of the lid and a side surface of the outer container body. 
   
     
     
         9 . The portable container of  claim 8 , further comprising one or more volumes of a phase change material or a thermal mass removably disposed in the payload chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The portable container of  claim 8 , further comprising one or more sensors configured to sense one or more parameters of the payload chamber and to communicate the sensed parameters to the circuitry. 
     
     
         11 . The portable container of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature in the payload chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The portable container of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a humidity sensor configured to sense a humidity in the payload chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The portable container of  claim 8 , further comprising an accelerometer configured to sense a force on the portable container and to communicate the sensed force to the circuitry. 
     
     
         14 . A portable container, comprising:
 an outer insulated container body;   a payload chamber in the container body defined by a circumferential wall and a base, the payload chamber configured to removably receive one or more medicines, vaccines, biological samples or other medical goods;   one or more vacuum insulated panels disposed between the payload chamber and the outer insulated container body and extending along the circumferential wall and the base;   a lid operable to access the payload chamber; and   an electronic system, comprising:
 circuitry configured to wirelessly communicate with a cloud-based data storage system or a remote electronic device, and 
 an electronic display screen. 
   
     
     
         15 . The portable container of  claim 14 , further comprising one or more volumes of a phase change material or a thermal mass configured to at least partially surround the one or more medicines, vaccines, biological samples or other medical goods. 
     
     
         16 . The portable container of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more volumes of the phase change material or the thermal mass are removably disposed in the payload chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The portable container of  claim 14 , further comprising one or more sensors configured to sense one or more parameters and to communicate the sensed parameters to the circuitry. 
     
     
         18 . The portable container of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature in the payload chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The portable container of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a humidity sensor configured to sense a humidity in the payload chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The portable container of  claim 14 , further comprising an accelerometer configured to sense a force on the portable container and to communicate the sensed force to the circuitry.