Two-phase commit synchronizing seal state

• US 20060202825A1
• Filed: 03/17/2005
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Savi Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Savi Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Alcock, Andrew Edward Savige, Chang, Leo Shang-Hua, Chan, Joseph Siufai, Rajapakse, Ravindra U., Jeyakeerthi, Jeyappragash
• Granted Patent: US 7,358,856 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/568.200
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A conveyance tracking system provides two-phase transaction commit processing for synchronizing seal state information between a seal device attached to a conveyance and a host for tracking conveyances. The system uses a reader device for synchronization and communication between the seal device and host system regarding various operations, such as a lock operation, an unlock operation, and a clear tamper operation. In the first phase of the two-phase commit, the seal device prepares for the operation and the host executes the operation. In the second phase, the seal device fulfills the irreversible operation, ensuring that the seal state of the seal device and host are in sync.

Claims

1. A method of two-phase transaction commit processing in a conveyance tracking system using a reader device for synchronizing seal state information between a seal device attached to a conveyance and a host for tracking conveyances, comprising:

placing the seal device in a prepared state for a seal operation;

communicating seal device preparation to the host;

causing the host to execute the seal operation;

communicating seal operation execution to the seal device; and

causing the seal device to fulfill the seal operation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising in response to a loss of communication with the seal device, causing the host to mark as suspect the conveyance attached to the seal device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the seal device to fulfill the seal operation places the seal device into a locked state.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the seal device goes into a tamper state if a seal sensor detects that a lock on the conveyance has been physically removed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the seal device physically prevents the conveyance from opening when the seal device is in a locked state.

8. The method of claim 1, 6, or 7 wherein the seal operation is one from the group consisting of a lock operation, an unlock operation, and a clear tamper operation.

9. The method of claim 1, 6, or 7, wherein seal operation execution is successful and fulfilling the seal operation commits the operation.

10. The method of claim 1, 6, or 7, wherein seal operation execution fails and fulfilling the seal operation aborts the operation.

6. A method of two-phase transaction commit processing in a conveyance tracking system using a reader device for synchronizing seal state information between a seal device attached to a conveyance and a host for tracking conveyances, comprising:

in response to receiving user input to initiate a seal operation, transmitting a prepare operation message to the seal device to place the seal device in a prepared state for the seal operation;

in response to receiving a prepare operation status message from the seal device, transmitting an initiate operation message to the host to cause the host to execute the seal operation; and

in response to receiving an operation status message from the host, transmitting a fulfill operation message to the seal device to cause the seal device to fulfill the seal operation.

11. The method of claim 6 or 7, wherein the prepare operation status message includes authorization and seal state information.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising, in response to a loss of communication with the seal device, transmitting a fulfill fail message to the host to cause the host to mark as suspect the conveyance attached to the seal device.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the initiate operation message includes authorization and seal state information.

7. A method of two-phase transaction commit processing in a conveyance tracking system, using a device for tracking conveyances, for synchronizing seal state information with a seal device attached to a conveyance, comprising:

in response to receiving user input to initiate a seal operation, transmitting a prepare operation message to the seal device to place the seal device in a prepared state for the seal operation;

in response to receiving a prepare operation status message from the seal device, synchronizing seal state information with a seal device seal state;

executing the seal operation;

writing a complete operation event to the event log; and

transmitting a fulfill operation message to the seal device to cause the seal device to fulfill the seal operation.

14. A computer program product for two-phase transaction commit processing in a conveyance tracking system using a reader device for synchronizing seal state information between a seal device attached to a conveyance and a host for tracking conveyances, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer program code, coded on the medium, for;

placing the seal device in a prepared state for a seal operation;

communicating seal device preparation to the host;

causing the host to execute the seal operation;

communicating seal operation execution to the seal device; and

causing the seal device to fulfill the seal operation.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, the computer program code further coded for, in response to a loss of communication with the seal device, causing the host to mark as suspect the conveyance attached to the seal device.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, 16, or 17 wherein the seal operation is one from the group consisting of a lock operation, an unlock operation, and a clear tamper operation.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, 16, or 17, wherein seal operation execution is successful and fulfilling the seal operation commits the operation.

20. The computer program product of claim 14, 16, or 17, wherein seal operation execution fails and fulfilling the seal operation aborts the operation.

16. A computer program product for two-phase transaction commit processing in a conveyance tracking system using a reader device for synchronizing seal state information between a seal device attached to a conveyance and a host for tracking conveyances, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer program code, coded on the medium, for;

in response to receiving user input to initiate a seal operation, transmitting a prepare operation message to the seal device to place the seal device in a prepared state for the seal operation;

in response to receiving a prepare operation status message from the seal device, transmitting an initiate operation message to the host to cause the host to execute the seal operation; and

in response to receiving an operation status message from the host, transmitting a fulfill operation message to the seal device to cause the seal device to fulfill the seal operation.

21. The computer program product of claim 16 or 17, wherein the prepare operation status message includes authorization and seal state information.

22. The computer program product of claim 16, the computer program code further coded for, in response to a loss of communication with the seal device, transmitting a fulfill fail message to the host to cause the host to mark as suspect the conveyance attached to the seal device.

23. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the initiate operation message includes authorization and seal state information.

17. A computer program product for two-phase transaction commit processing in a conveyance tracking system, using a device for tracking conveyances, for synchronizing seal state information with a seal device attached to a conveyance, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer program code, coded on the medium, for;

in response to receiving user input to initiate a seal operation, transmitting a prepare operation message to the seal device to place the seal device in a prepared state for the seal operation;

in response to receiving a prepare operation status message from the seal device, synchronizing seal state information with a seal device seal state;

executing the seal operation;

writing a complete operation event to the event log; and

transmitting a fulfill operation message to the seal device to cause the seal device to fulfill the seal operation.

24. A system for synchronizing seal state information in a conveyance tracking system using two-phase transaction commit processing, comprising:

a host communicatively coupled to a reader device and comprising a module to execute a seal operation;

a seal device communicatively coupled to the reader device and comprising a first module to initially enter a prepared state for the seal operation and a second module to fulfill the seal operation; and

the reader device communicatively coupled to the host and the seal device and comprising transceivers to transmit and receive operation messages between the host and the seal device.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the reader device is further comprises a module to detect a loss of communication between the seal device and the host.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the host and the reader device communicate via IEEE standard 802.11 protocol.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the seal device and the reader device communicate via ultra high frequency range signals.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the ultra high frequency range signals are at a frequency of 433 MHz.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the ultra high frequency range signals are at a frequency of 900 MHz.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the second module to fulfill the seal operation places the seal device into a locked state.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the seal device goes into a tamper state if a seal sensor detects that a lock on the conveyance has been physically removed.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein the seal device physically prevents the conveyance from opening when the seal device is in a locked state.

33. A reader device for two-phase transaction commit processing in a conveyance tracking system for synchronizing seal state information between a seal device attached to a conveyance and a host for tracking conveyances, comprising:

a processing unit for controlling and executing reader device operations;

a seal transceiver communicatively coupled to the processing unit for transmitting messages to and receiving messages from a seal device;

a host transceiver communicatively coupled to the processing unit for transmitting messages to and receiving messages from a host; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the processing unit for storing data.

34. The reader device of claim 33, further comprising:

a display communicatively coupled to the processing unit for displaying visual information regarding the functioning of the reader device or any input received; and

an input for communicatively coupled to the processing unit to allow a user of the reader device to input commands.

35. The reader device of claim 33, the processor further comprising software for initiating operations and orchestrating communication between the seal device and the host, comprising:

an initiation module for initiating seal device operations;

a communications module for initiating transmission and reception of messages to and from the seal device and the host;

a communication loss module for detecting losses of communication in the conveyance tracking system; and

a signal processing module processing signals sent to and received from the seal device.

36. The reader device of claim 33, wherein the reader device is handheld.

37. The reader device of claim 33, wherein the reader device is stationary.

38. A method of two-phase transaction commit processing in a conveyance tracking system for synchronizing seal state information in a seal device attached to a conveyance with seal state information stored by a host for tracking conveyances, comprising:

writing a prepare operation event to an event log;

transmitting a prepare operation status message to a reader device; and

if a fulfill operation message is received from the reader device, fulfilling the operation and writing a fulfill event to the event log.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein writing the prepare operation event to an event log occurs in response to receiving a prepare operation message from a reader device.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the operation is one from the group consisting of a lock operation, an unlock operation, and a clear tamper operation.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the prepare operation status message includes authorization and seal state information about the seal device.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein fulfilling the operation commits the operation.

43. The method of claim 38, wherein fulfilling the operation aborts the operation.

44. The method of claim 38, fulfilling the operation places the seal device into a locked state.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the seal device goes into a tamper state if a seal sensor detects that a lock on the conveyance has been physically removed.

46. The method of claim 38, wherein the seal device physically prevents the conveyance from opening when the seal device is in a locked state.

47. A method of two-phase transaction commit processing in a conveyance tracking system for synchronizing seal state information stored in a host for tracking conveyances with seal state information in a seal device attached to a conveyance, comprising:

in response to receiving an initiate operation message from a reader device, synchronizing seal state information stored in an event log to correspond with a seal device seal state;

executing an operation corresponding to the initiate operation message;

writing a complete operation event to the event log; and

transmitting an operation status message to the reader device.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising inferring a successful operation fulfill.

49. The method of claim 47, further comprising, in response to receiving a fulfill fail message, marking as suspect a conveyance corresponding to the seal device.

50. The method of claim 47, further comprising, in response to discovering a discrepancy between seal state information upon synchronization, marking as suspect a conveyance corresponding to the seal device.

51. The method of claim 47, wherein the operation is one from the group consisting of a lock operation, an unlock operation, and a clear tamper operation.