Cargo container integrity system

• US 20060164231A1
• Filed: 01/07/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MI-3 LLC
• Original Assignee: Christopher M. Smolen, Robert A. Salisbury, Scott F. Grimshaw, William S. Pantle
• Inventors: Pantle, William S., Smolen, Christopher M., Grimshaw, Scott F., Salisbury, Robert A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,218,215 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/505
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00

Abstract

There is provided a method and apparatus that monitors and records the status and cargo inventory of a shipping container. The shipping container includes a container control unit that records and monitors the status and inventory particular to that container. Sensors are provided within the container to determine the container status. A piezoceramic actuator provides power to rechargeable batteries in the container control unit. Thus the container includes a self contained power source. A bridge control unit monitors and records the status and inventory of every container on a vessel. A remote control unit monitors and records the status and inventory of every container worldwide.

Claims

1. A shipping container for storing cargo, wherein said cargo includes indicia relative to the content of said cargo said shipping container comprising:

at least one sensor which senses a predetermined condition of said container, said sensor further including transmitting means for transmitting at least one signal indicative of a sensed condition of said container;

a control unit disposed within said container, said control unit including,

reading means for reading said cargo indicia,

a microprocessor having software for building and maintaining an inventory of said cargo indicia and said at least one sensor signal,

memory for storing said inventory,

said software further including an encoding means responsive to said at least one sensor signal, wherein said encoding means includes generating at least one alarm signal, and wherein said encoding means further includes generating at least one informational signal responsive to an external query;

receiving means for receiving at least one external query, and

transmitting means for transmitting said at least one alarm signal and at least one informational signal.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein said control unit further includes at least one rechargeable battery for powering at least said microprocessor.

3. The container of claim 2, further including a piezoceramic actuator and a conditioning circuit for producing a suitable charge to said at least one rechargeable battery.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor is selected from a group consisting essentially of a chemical sensor, a biological sensor, an explosive sensor, a nuclear sensor, a radiological sensor, a global positioning sensor and a tamper sensor.

5. The container of claim 1, further including an external mounted alarm unit which further includes at least one alarm selected from the group consisting essentially of an audible alarm and a visual alarm.

6. The container of claim 5, wherein said external mounted alarm unit further includes receiving means for receiving said at least one alarm signal and at least one informational signal and said at least one external query, and

transmitting means for transmitting said at least one alarm signal and at least one informational signal and said at least one external query.

7. The container of claim 1, further including at least one radio frequency identification device having a unique indicia indicative of said container.

8. The container of claim 7, wherein said at least one radio frequency identification device obtains electrical power directly through said conditioning circuit.

9. An apparatus for remotely monitoring the status and cargo of at least one shipping container, wherein said cargo includes indicia relative to the content of said cargo, said apparatus comprising:

at least one sensor which senses a predetermined condition of said container, said sensor further including transmitting means for transmitting at least one signal indicative of a sensed condition of said container;

a control unit disposed within said container, said control unit including,

reading means for reading said cargo indicia,

a microprocessor having software for building and maintaining an inventory of said cargo indicia and said at least one sensor signal,

said software further including an encoding means responsive to said at least one sensor signal, wherein said encoding means includes generating at least one alarm signal, and wherein said encoding means further includes generating at least one informational signal responsive to an external query;

receiving means for receiving at least one external query, and

transmitting means for transmitting said at least one alarm signal and at least one informational signal and

a remote central control unit having a transmitting means for transmitting said at least one external query and a receiving means for receiving said at least one alarm signal and at least one informational signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said remote control unit further includes software and memory for building and maintaining an inventory of the status and cargo of said at least one container.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further including satellite communication means which interfaces said control unit to said remote central control unit.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further including a bridge control unit between said control unit and said remote central control unit, wherein said bridge control unit includes transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving said at least one external query, said at least one alarm signal and said at least one informational signal.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further including an external alarm unit exteriorly mounted to said container, wherein said external alarm unit is between said control unit and said bridge control unit and includes transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving said at least one external query, said at least one alarm signal and said at least one informational signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said at least one sensor is selected from a group consisting essentially of a chemical sensor, a biological sensor, an explosive sensor, a nuclear sensor, a radiological sensor, a global positioning sensor and a tamper sensor.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said control unit further includes at least one rechargeable battery for powering at least said microprocessor and wherein said container further includes a piezoceramic actuator and a conditioning circuit for producing a suitable charge to said at least one rechargeable battery.

16. A tamper sensor for generating a tamper signal indicative of an impermissible intrusion to a shipping container, wherein said shipping container includes at least one access door, said tamper sensor comprising:

a piezoceramic actuator which includes at least one internal piezoceramic element which produces an electric voltage when its physical dimensions are altered;

a pair of internal electrodes of said piezoceramic actuator;

a dimension altering means that alters at least one dimension of said at least one internal piezoceramic element, said dimension altering means being present when said at least one access door is closed and being absent when said at least one access door is open;

a conditioning circuit that alters said voltage to a suitable voltage; and

a radio frequency identification transmitting device that is powered through said conditioning circuit, said device having an encoded signal unique to said shipping container wherein said transmitter automatically transmits said encoded signal periodically such that the loss of said encoded signal is detected to determine that said container has been tampered.

17. The tamper sensor of claim 16 wherein said dimension altering means further includes compressing said actuator between said at least one access door and its associated door jamb.

18. A method for providing continuous monitoring of a cargo container and its cargo during shipping from a point of origin to a point of destination, said method comprising:

attaching a radio frequency identifier to at least one piece of cargo;

assigning a signal indicative of the placement and status of said cargo container within a vessel;

inventorying said radio frequency identifier at said point of origin; and

querying said inventory, said placement and said status from a remote location at said point of origin and at any point in between said points of origin and destination.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said inventorying further includes the step of creating a database which stores said queried information.

20. The method of claim 19, further including the step of maintaining said database, wherein the step of maintaining said database further includes the steps of making additions and extractions to said database, and recording the time and duration of opening at least one access door of said container.