Identification and surveillance systems for freight container, and method for the same

• US 20030160695A1
• Filed: 04/10/2002
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Hisano, Atsushi
• Application Number:
  US10/119,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20030160695A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/181 using active radiation detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/24 by interference with electromagnetic field distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2491 Intrusion detection systems, i.e. where the body of an intruder causes the interference with the electromagnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range

Abstract

The objective of the present invention is to detect, using a universal method, any “movement” inside of the object being monitored while maintaining security of a container. In this surveillance system according to this invention, the communication relay system is used for sensing the movement of the object to be monitored, not for communication purposes as in the prior art. To wit, the object being monitored has nodes (communication nodes) that have communication functions (low-power transmitters), which are attached at various places in the space where the object to be monitored is located. The communication graph matrix represents which node can or cannot communicate with each node. This matrix has the same kind of ID function as a fingerprint for the human, and it can tell whether the container has been kept secure during the time of transportation.

Claims

What. What is claimed is:

1. A status surveillance system to survey an object status in a predetermined space by a communication status data, comprising:

one or more communication devices having a wireless communication capability of communicating with a plurality of communication nodes randomly installed in said predetermined space;

an information collecting means to collect communication data from said plurality of nodes; and

a status information generating means to generate a status information of said object based on a communication distribution data obtained by said communication data from said plurality of nodes.

2. A status surveillance system according to claim 1, wherein said status information generating means generates said status information of said object to be surveyed using a totality of said communication data, or only a characteristic portion of said communication data.

3. A status surveillance system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an initial status recording means to record an initial status information of said object to be surveyed, which is generated by said status information generating means; and

a comparison means to compare a current status information of said object, which is generated by said status information generating means at a predetermined time interval, with said initial status information recorded in said initial status recording means, and output the comparison result.

4. A status surveillance system according to claim 3, wherein, when a deviation resulting from said comparison between said current status information and said current status information is more than a predetermined range, or said comparison itself is not possible to execute, or a communication with the other communication nodes is not possible, then said status surveillance system judges whether or not there is an abnormality in said object to be surveyed, and deletes said status information recorded in each communication device if said status information is already recorded in a surveillance center.

5. A status surveillance system according to claim 1, further comprising an information transmitting means to transmit an initial status information of said object and a current status information at a predetermined time interval, which are generated by said status information generating means, to a surveillance center which is located at a remote location from said object to be surveyed.

6. A status surveillance system according to claim 5, wherein, when a deviation resulting from said comparison between said current status information and said current status information is more than a predetermined range, or said comparison itself is not possible to execute, or a communication with the other communication nodes is not possible, then said status surveillance system judges there is an abnormality in said object to be surveyed, and deletes said status information recorded in each communication device if said status information is already recorded in said surveillance center.

7. A status surveillance system according to claim 3, further comprising a sensor device provided in each communication node to detect the local status of a neighboring space around said communication node, wherein said status surveillance system judges there is an abnormality in said object if said sensor device outputs an abnormal local status signal.

8. A status surveillance system according to claim 3, wherein said sensor device is a vibration sensor to detect a vibration of said object to be surveyed, a temperature sensor to detect the temperature of said object, any type of sensors to detect an invasion from outside of said predetermined space provided with said object.

1-1. A status surveillance system to survey an object status in a predetermined space by a communication status data, comprising:

one or more communication devices having a wireless communication capability of communicating with a plurality of communication nodes randomly installed in said predetermined space;

an information collecting means to collect communication data from said plurality of nodes; and

a status information generating means to generate a status information of said object based on a communication distribution data obtained by said communication data from said plurality of nodes.

2-2. A status surveillance system according to claim 1, wherein said status information generating means generates said status information of said object to be surveyed using a totality of said communication data, or only a characteristic portion of said communication data.

3-3. A status surveillance system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an initial status recording means to record an initial status information of said object to be surveyed, which is generated by said status information generating means; and

a comparison means to compare a current status information of said object, which is generated by said status information generating means at a predetermined time interval, with said initial status information recorded in said initial status recording means, and output the comparison result.

4-4. A status surveillance system according to claim 3, wherein, when a deviation resulting from said comparison between said current status information and said current status information is more than a predetermined range, or said comparison itself is not possible to execute, or a communication with the other communication nodes is not possible, then said status surveillance system judges whether or not there is an abnormality in said object to be surveyed, and deletes said status information recorded in each communication device if said status information is already recorded in a surveillance center.

5-5. A status surveillance system according to claim 1, further comprising an information transmitting means to transmit an initial status information of said object and a current status information at a predetermined time interval, which are generated by said status information generating means, to a surveillance center which is located at a remote location from said object to be surveyed.

6-6. A status surveillance system according to claim 5, wherein, when a deviation resulting from said comparison between said current status information and said current status information is more than a predetermined range, or said comparison itself is not possible to execute, or a communication with the other communication nodes is not possible, then said status surveillance system judges there is an abnormality in said object to be surveyed, and deletes said status information recorded in each communication device if said status information is already recorded in said surveillance center.

7-7. A status surveillance system according to claim 3, further comprising a sensor device provided in each communication node to detect the local status of a neighboring space around said communication node, wherein said status surveillance system judges there is an abnormality in said object if said sensor device outputs an abnormal local status signal.

8-8. A status surveillance system according to claim 3, wherein said sensor device is a vibration sensor to detect a vibration of said object to be surveyed, a temperature sensor to detect the temperature of said object, any type of sensors to detect an invasion from outside of said predetermined space provided with said object.

9. A status surveillance system to survey an inside status of a cargo container by a communication status data, comprising:

one or more communication devices having a wireless communication capability to communicate with a plurality of communication nodes randomly installed in said container;

an information collecting means to collect communication data from said plurality of nodes;

a status information generating means to generate a status information of said container based on a communication distribution data obtained by said communication data from said plurality of nodes;

an initial status recording means to record an initial status information of said container to be surveyed, which is generated by said status information generating means;

a comparison means to compare a current status information of said container, which is generated by said status information generating means at a predetermined time interval, with said initial status information recorded in said initial status recording means, and output of the comparison result; and

a surveillance center to receive said comparison result from said comparison means, wherein, if said comparison result from said comparison means is more than a predetermined deviation, then said surveillance center sends a warning signal to an unloading crane to handle said container with special attention.

9-9. A status surveillance system to survey an inside status of a cargo container by a communication status data, comprising:

one or more communication devices having a wireless communication capability to communicate with a plurality of communication nodes randomly installed in said container;

an information collecting means to collect communication data from said plurality of nodes;

a status information generating means to generate a status information of said container based on a communication distribution data obtained by said communication data from said plurality of nodes;

an initial status recording means to record an initial status information of said container to be surveyed, which is generated by said status information generating means;

a comparison means to compare a current status information of said container, which is generated by said status information generating means at a predetermined time interval, with said initial status information recorded in said initial status recording means, and output of the comparison result; and

a surveillance center to receive said comparison result from said comparison means, wherein, if said comparison re-suit from said comparison means is more than a predetermined deviation, then said surveillance center sends a warning signal to an unloading crane to handle said container with special attention.

10. A status surveillance device to be installed in a freight container to survey the inside status of said container by a communication status data, comprising:

one or more communication units having a wireless communication capability to communicate with a plurality of communication nodes randomly installed in said container;

an information collecting means to collect communication data from said plurality of nodes; and

a status information generating unit to generate a status information of said container based on a communication distribution data obtained by said communication data from said plurality of nodes.

10-10. A status surveillance device to be installed in a freight container to survey the inside status of said container by a communication status data, comprising:

one or more communication units having a wireless communication capability to communicate with a plurality of communication nodes randomly installed in said container;

an information collecting means to collect communication data from said plurality of nodes; and

a status information generating unit to generate a status information of said container based on a communication distribution data obtained by said communication data from said plurality of nodes.

11. A status surveying method to survey an inside status of a cargo container by a communication status data, comprising the steps of:

collecting communication data from said plurality of nodes randomly installed in said container

generating a status information of said container based on a communication distribution data obtained by said communication data from said plurality of nodes;

recording an initial status information of said container;

comparing a current status information of said container, which is generated at a predetermined time interval, with said initial status information and outputting the comparison result; and

judging whether or not said container is safety base on said comparison result.

11-11. A status surveying method to survey an inside status of a cargo container by a communication status data, comprising the steps of:

collecting communication data from said plurality of nodes randomly installed in said container generating a status information of said container based on a communication distribution data obtained by said communication data from said plurality of nodes;

recording an initial status information of said container;

comparing a current status information of said container, which is generated at a predetermined time interval, with said initial status information and outputting the comparison result; and

judging whether or not said container is safety base on said comparison result.