Life raft container security system and method

• US 20040239435A1
• Filed: 05/30/2003
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vane Line Bunkering, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vane Line Bunkering, Inc.
• Inventors: Brophy, Kevin, Hornig, Frank, Hughes, C. Duff
• Granted Patent: US 7,183,913 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 333/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/22 Devices for holding or launching life-buoys, inflatable life-rafts, or other floatable life-saving equipment equipment for handling life-boats or the like B63B23/00

Abstract

A method comprises providing a container having a first container portion and a second container portion, placing an inflatable life raft within the container, placing a transmitter mechanism adjacent the container, and automatically detecting whether a tamper condition has occurred. The tamper condition comprises at least one of the following: removal of the life raft from the container; an increase in distance between the first and second container portions; and a change in position of at least a portion of the life raft relative to one of the portions of the container. The transmitter mechanism is adapted and configured to transmit a signal upon the detection of the tamper condition.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a container having a first container portion and a second container portion;

placing an inflatable life raft within the container;

placing a transmitter mechanism adjacent the container;

automatically detecting whether a tamper condition has occurred, the tamper condition comprising at least one of the following;

removal of the life raft from the container;

an increase in distance between the first and second container portions; and

a change in position of at least a portion of the life raft relative to one of the portions of the container;

the transmitter mechanism being adapted and configured to transmit a signal upon the detection of the tamper condition.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tamper condition constitutes a removed life raft tamper condition, the removed life raft tamper condition comprising removal of the life raft from the container, the method further comprising:

automatically detecting whether a distance increase tamper condition has occurred, the distance increase tamper condition comprising an increase in distance between the first and second container portions; and

automatically detecting whether a position change tamper condition has occurred, the position change tamper condition comprising a change in position of at least a portion of the life raft relative to one of the portions of the container.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the transmitter mechanism is adapted and configured to transmit a signal upon the detection of any of the tamper conditions.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 further comprising:

placing a dedicated short range communication system within the container, the transmitter mechanism being a portion of the dedicated short range communication system.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the dedicated short range communication system comprises an RFID system.

6. A method as set forth in claim 3 further comprising:

placing an RFID system within the container, the RFID system comprising a plurality of RFID tags, the RFID system being adapted and configured to detect whether any of the tamper conditions have occurred, the transmitter mechanism being a portion of the RFID system.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the transmitter mechanism comprises portions of at least two of the RFID tags.

8. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the RFID system comprises a father RFID tag, a mother RFID tag and a daughter RFID tag, and wherein the step of placing an RFID system within the container comprises:

placing the father and mother RFID tags within the container;

attaching the daughter RFID tag to the life raft.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein:

the father RFID tag is adapted and configured to detect whether the distance increase tamper condition has occurred; and

the mother and daughter RFID tags are adapted and configured to detect whether the removed life raft tamper condition has occurred.

10. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein:

the RFID system is adapted and configured to detect whether the mother and daughter RFID tags are spaced from each other by a distance greater than a distance D;

the RFID system is adapted and configured to transmit a signal upon detection of the mother and daughter tags being spaced from each other by a distance greater than the distance D.

11. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the RFID tags are active RFID tags.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein:

the RFID system is adapted and configured to transmit a removed life raft signal upon detection of the removed life raft tamper condition; and

the RFID system is adapted and configured to transmit a distance increase signal upon detection of the distance increase tamper condition.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the distance increase signal is different than the removed life raft signal.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13 further comprising:

providing a remote field generation apparatus, the field generation apparatus being adapted and configured to receive the distance increase signal and the removed life raft signal.

15. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the RFID system and the field generation apparatus are adapted and configured to communicate with each other using spread spectrum communication.

16. A method as set forth in claim 6 further comprising:

providing a remote field generation apparatus, the field generation apparatus and the RFID system being adapted and configured to communicate with each other using spread spectrum communication.

17. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tamper condition constitutes a distance increase tamper condition, the distance increase tamper condition comprising an increase in distance between the first and second container portions, the method further comprising:

automatically detecting whether a position change tamper condition has occurred, the position change tamper condition comprising a change in position of at least a portion of the life raft relative to one of the portions of the container; and

wherein the transmitter mechanism is adapted and configured to transmit a signal upon the detection of either of the tamper conditions.

18. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tamper condition constitutes a removed life raft tamper condition, the removed life raft tamper condition comprising removal of the life raft from the container, the method further comprising:

automatically detecting whether a position change tamper condition has occurred, the position change tamper condition comprising a change in position of at least a portion of the life raft relative to one of the portions of the container; and

wherein the transmitter mechanism is adapted and configured to transmit a signal upon the detection of either of the tamper conditions.

19. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tamper condition constitutes a removed life raft tamper condition, the removed life raft tamper condition comprising removal of the life raft from the container, the method further comprising:

automatically detecting whether a distance increase tamper condition has occurred, the distance increase tamper condition comprising an increase in distance between the first and second container portions; and

wherein the transmitter mechanism is adapted and configured to transmit a signal upon the detection of either of the tamper conditions.

20. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

intermittently transmitting a status signal, the status signal being transmitted by the transmitter mechanism, the status signal being a tamper signal if after a point in time the tamper condition is detected via the detecting step, the status signal being a non-tamper signal if after the point in time the tamper condition is not detected via the detecting step, the tamper signal being different than the non-tamper signal.

21. A method comprising:

providing a container having a first container portion and a second container portion;

placing an article within the container;

placing a transmitter mechanism adjacent the container;

automatically detecting whether a removed tamper condition has occurred, the removed tamper condition comprising a condition in which the article is removed from the container;

automatically detecting whether a distance increase tamper condition has occurred, the distance increase tamper condition comprising an increase in distance between the first and second container portions; and

automatically detecting whether a position change tamper condition has occurred, the position change tamper condition comprising a change in position of at least a portion of the article relative to one of the portions of the container.

22. A method as set forth in claim 21 wherein the transmitter mechanism is adapted and configured to transmit a signal upon the detection of any of the tamper conditions.

23. A method as set forth in claim 22 further comprising:

placing an RFID system within the container, the RFID system comprising a plurality of RFID tags, the RFID system being adapted and configured to detect whether any of the tamper conditions have occurred, the transmitter mechanism being a portion of the RFID system.

24. A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein the RFID system comprises a father RFID tag, a mother RFID tag and a daughter RFID tag, and wherein the step of placing an RFID system within the container comprises:

placing the father and mother RFID tags within the container;

attaching the daughter RFID tag to the article.

25. A method as set forth in claim 24 wherein:

the RFID system is adapted and configured to detect whether the mother and daughter RFID tags are spaced from each other by a distance greater than a distance D;

the RFID system is adapted and configured to transmit a signal upon detection of the mother and daughter tags being spaced from each other by a distance greater than the distance D.

26. A method as set forth in claim 25 wherein:

the father RFID tag is adapted and configured to detect whether the distance increase tamper condition has occurred.

27. A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein:

the RFID system is adapted and configured to transmit a removed signal upon detection of the removed tamper condition; and

the RFID system is adapted and configured to transmit a distance increase signal upon detection of the distance increase tamper condition, the distance increase signal being different than the removed signal.

28. A method as set forth in claim 27 further comprising:

providing a remote field generation apparatus, the field generation apparatus being adapted and configured to receive the distance increase signal and the removed signal.

29. A method as set forth in claim 23 further comprising:

providing a remote field generation apparatus, the field generation apparatus and the RFID system being adapted and configured to communicate with each other using spread spectrum communication.

30. A method as set forth in claim 21 further comprising:

intermittently transmitting a status signal, the status signal being transmitted by the transmitter mechanism, the status signal being a tamper signal if after a point in time any of the tamper conditions are detected via the detecting step, the status signal being a non-tamper signal if after the point in time any of the tamper conditions are not detected via the detecting step, the tamper signal being different than the non-tamper signal.

31. A method comprising:

providing a container having a first container portion and a second container portion;

placing an inflatable life raft within the container;

automatically detecting whether a tamper condition has occurred, the tamper condition comprising at least one of the following;

removal of the life raft from the container, an increase in distance between the first and second container portions, and a change in position of at least a portion of the life raft relative to one of the portions of the container;

intermittently transmitting a status signal, the status signal being a tamper signal if after a point in time the tamper condition is detected via the detecting step, the status signal being a non-tamper signal if after the point in time the tamper condition is not detected via the detecting step, the tamper signal being different than the non-tamper signal.

32. A method as set forth in claim 31 wherein the tamper condition constitutes a distance increase tamper condition, the distance increase tamper condition comprising an increase in distance between the first and second container portions, the method further comprising:

automatically detecting whether a position change tamper condition has occurred, the position change tamper condition comprising a change in position of at least a portion of the life raft relative to one of the portions of the container.

33. A method as set forth in claim 32 wherein the tamper signal is a distance increase signal if after the point in time the distance increase tamper condition is detected via the detecting step, the tamper signal being a position change signal if after the point in time the position change tamper condition is detected via the detecting step, the distance increase signal being different than the position change signal.

34. A method comprising:

providing a container having a first container portion and a second container portion;

placing an article within the container;

placing a transmitter mechanism within the container;

automatically detecting whether a distance increase tamper condition has occurred, the distance increase tamper condition comprising an increase in distance between the first and second container portions; and

automatically detecting whether a position change tamper condition has occurred, the position change tamper condition comprising a change in position of at least a portion of the article relative to one of the portions of the container.

35. A method as set forth in claim 34 further comprising:

placing a dedicated short range communication system within the container, the transmitter mechanism being a portion of the dedicated short range communication system, the dedicated short range communication system being adapted to detect whether either of the tamper conditions have occurred.

36. A method as set forth in claim 35 wherein the dedicated short range communication system comprises an RFID system comprising a plurality of active RFID tags.

37. A method as set forth in claim 34 further comprising:

intermittently transmitting a status signal, the status signal being transmitted by the transmitter mechanism, the status signal being a tamper signal if after a point in time at least one of the tamper conditions is detected via at least one of the detecting steps, the status signal being a non-tamper signal if after the point in time neither of the tamper conditions are detected via the detecting steps, the tamper signal being different than the non-tamper signal.

38. A method as set forth in claim 34 further comprising:

intermittently transmitting a status signal, the status signal being transmitted by the transmitter mechanism, the status signal being a distance increase signal if after a point in time the distance increase tamper condition is detected via the step of detecting whether the distance increase tamper condition has occurred, the status signal being a position change signal if after the point in time the position change tamper condition is detected via the step of detecting whether the position change tamper condition has occurred, the status signal being a non-tamper signal if after the point in time neither of the tamper conditions are detected via the detecting steps, the non-tamper signal being different than the distance increase signal, the non-tamper signal being different than the position change signal.

39. A method as set forth in claim 38 wherein the distance increase signal is different than the position change signal.

40. A method comprising:

providing a container;

placing an article within the container;

providing an RFID system comprising a mother RFID tag and a daughter RFID tag, the RFID system being adapted and configured to detect a change in position of the daughter tag relative to the mother tag;

placing one of the mother and daughter RFID tags adjacent the container;

placing the other of the mother and daughter RFID tags adjacent the article;

detecting with the RFID system whether a tamper condition has occurred, the tamper condition comprising a change in position of the daughter tag relative to the mother tag;

the RFID system being adapted and configured to transmit a tamper signal upon detection of the tamper condition.

41. A method as set forth in claim 40 further comprising:

intermittently transmitting a status signal, the status signal being transmitted by the RFID system, the status signal being a tamper signal if the RFID system has detected the tamper condition after a point in time, the status signal being a non-tamper signal if the RFID system has not detected the tamper condition since the point in time, the tamper signal being different than the non-tamper signal.

42. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of assemblies, each assembly comprising a container having first and second container portions, an article within the container, and a detector mechanism adapted and configured to detect the occurrence of a tamper condition, the tamper condition comprising at least one of the following;

removal of the article from the container;

increasing distance between the first and second container portions; and

a change in position of at least a portion of the article relative to one of the portions of the container;

transporting the plurality of assemblies in one shipment from an initial location to a quarantine location;

determining for each of the plurality of assemblies whether the detector mechanism corresponding to said each of the plurality of assemblies has detected the occurrence of the tamper condition, the determining step occurring with the plurality of assemblies at the quarantine location;

transporting the plurality of assemblies from the quarantine location to a destination location, the step of transporting the plurality of assemblies from the quarantine location to the destination location occurring after the determining step.

43. A method as set forth in claim 42 wherein the step of transporting the plurality of assemblies from the quarantine location to the destination location comprises transporting only those assemblies of which the determining step has determined that no tamper condition has occurred.

44. A method as set forth in claim 42 wherein the tamper condition comprises a first tamper condition, the detector mechanism of each assembly being further adapted and configured to detect the occurrence of a second tamper condition, the second tamper condition being different than the first tamper condition, the second tamper condition comprising at least one of the following:

removal of the article from the container;

increasing distance between the first and second container portions; and

a change in position of at least a portion of the article relative to one of the portions of the container;

45. A method as set forth in claim 44 further comprising:

determining for each of the plurality of assemblies, while the plurality of assemblies are at the quarantine location, whether the detector mechanism corresponding to said each of the plurality of assemblies has detected the occurrence of the second tamper condition.

46. An anti-tamper life raft assembly comprising:

a container having a first container portion and a second container portion;

an inflatable life raft within the container;

a transmitter mechanism adapted and configured to transmit a signal upon the occurrence of a tamper condition and indicative of the tamper condition, the tamper condition comprising at least one of the following;

removal of the life raft from the container;

increasing distance between the first and second container portions; and

a change in position of at least a portion of the life raft relative to one of the portions of the container.

47. An anti-tamper life raft assembly as set forth in claim 46 further comprising a detector mechanism adapted and configured to detect whether the tamper condition has occurred, the transmitter mechanism being adapted and configured to transmit the signal upon the detector mechanism detecting that the tamper condition has occurred.

48. An anti-tamper life raft assembly as set forth in claim 47 further comprising an RFID system, the RFID system comprising the transmitter mechanism and the detector mechanism.

49. An anti-tamper life raft assembly as set forth in claim 48 wherein the tamper condition comprises a distance increase tamper condition, the distance increase tamper condition comprising an increase in distance between the first and second container portions, the RFID system being adapted and configured to detect whether the distance increase tamper condition has occurred, the RFID system further being adapted and configured to detect whether a position change tamper condition has occurred, the position change tamper condition comprising a change in position of at least a portion of the life raft relative to one of the portions of the container.

50. An anti-tamper life raft assembly as set forth in claim 49 wherein the RFID system is adapted to intermittently transmit a status signal, the status signal being a tamper signal after the occurrence of the tamper condition, the status signal being a non-tamper signal before the occurrence of the tamper condition.

51. An anti-tamper life raft assembly as set forth in claim 48 wherein the RFID system comprises a mother RFID tag and a daughter RFID tag, the mother RFID tag being attached to a portion of the container, the daughter RFID tag being attached to the life raft, the RFID system being adapted and configured to detect whether the mother and daughter RFID tags are spaced from each other by a distance greater than a distance D, the RFID system being adapted and configured to transmit a signal upon detection of the mother and daughter tags being spaced from each other by a distance greater than the distance D.

52. An anti-tamper assembly comprising:

a container having a first container portion and a second container portion;

an article within the container;

a detector mechanism adapted and configured to detect whether a removed tamper condition has occurred, the removed tamper condition comprising a condition in which the article is removed from the container, the detector mechanism further being adapted and configured to detect whether a distance increase tamper condition has occurred, the distance increase tamper condition comprising an increase in distance between the first and second container portions.

53. An anti-tamper assembly as set forth in claim 52 wherein the detector mechanism is adapted and configured to detect whether a position change tamper condition has occurred, the position change tamper condition comprising a change in position of at least a portion of the article relative to one of the portions of the container.

54. An anti-tamper assembly as set forth in claim 53 further comprising an RFID system, the RFID system comprising the detector mechanism, the RFID system being adapted and configured to transmit a signal upon the detection of any of the tamper conditions.

55. An anti-tamper life raft assembly comprising:

a container having a first container portion and a second container portion;

an inflatable life raft within the container;

a detector mechanism adapted and configured to detect the occurrence of a tamper condition, the tamper condition comprising at least one of the following;

removal of the life raft from the container;

increasing distance between the first and second container portions; and

a change in position of at least a portion of the life raft relative to one of the portions of the container.