Electronic control system used in security system for cargo trailers

• US 20060220847A1
• Filed: 06/02/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mi-Jack Systems and Technology LLC (Lanco International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Clark E. Smith, David S. Schuman, Harvey E. Schmidt, Maciej Labowicz, William P. Lanigan
• Inventors: Smith, Clark E., Schmidt, Harvey E., Labowicz, Maciej, Lanigan, William P., Schuman, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,501,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/545.600
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0092 for cargo, freight or shipping containers and applications therefore in general
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements

Abstract

A security system is provided for a cargo container having a door. An electronic control unit is provided for monitoring the locked status of the door. The electronic control unit is operably communicable with a remote computer terminal. A first software control program is located within the electronic control unit to monitor the locked status of the door. A second software control program is located within the remote computer terminal and is capable of retrieving activity and functions from the first software control program. A protocol is provided to facilitate communication between the electronic control unit and the remote computer terminal.

Claims

1. A method of determining whether to provide a user with access to a cargo security system, comprising the steps of:

entering a user password for verification by a computing device program;

opening a stored license file of the computing device program and reading a first data pair including a first serial number and a first access password;

attempting to find a data pair match;

using the first access password of the computing device to send a first request command to an electronic control unit to verify the first serial number, if the electronic control unit confirms the first serial number matches the first access password, defining a data pair match, communication is established between the computing device and the electronic control unit;

using a second data pair from the stored license file to verify a second serial number, if the electronic control unit rejects the first request, and if the electronic control unit confirms the second serial number matches the second password, a data pair match has successfully occurred and communication is established between the computing device and the electronic control unit; and

continuing this process until a data pair match has successfully occurred and communication is established between the computing device and the electronic control unit; and

indicating an error message if no data pair matching has occurred, whereby communication between the computing device and electronic control unit has failed.

2. A method of determining whether to provide a user with access to a cargo security system, comprising the steps of:

entering an administrator password for verification by a program in a computing device;

sending a request command from the program to an electronic control unit to verify the administrator password, and if confirmed the access password is returned to the program;

opening the computing device program license file and confirming that the provided access password is included;

attempting to find a data pair match;

obtaining a serial number from the electronic control unit;

comparing the access password and the serial number from the electronic control unit with data pairs stored in the license file;

establishing communication between the computing device and the electronic control unit if a data pair matching has occurred;

providing administrator privileges to a user; and

indicating an error message if no data pair matching has occurred, whereby communication between the computing device and electronic control unit has failed.

3. A method of determining whether to provide a user with access to a cargo security system, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing a communication link with an electronic control unit of the cargo security system;

receiving input from the user;

determining whether the user is authorized to access the electronic control unit through utilization of the user input;

validating that the computing device is authorized to access the electronic control unit if the user is authorized to access the electronic control unit, comprising the steps of;

storing a first data set in the computing device, the first data set comprising a license file including a serial number and an access password;

receiving a second data set from the electronic control unit, and

determining whether the first data set matches the second data set; and

providing the user with access to a predetermined number of electronic control unit functions if both the user and the computing device are authorized to access the system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of determining whether the user is authorized to access the electronic control unit comprises:

storing a user password in the computing device,

determining whether the user input matches the user password, and

providing the user with access to a first set of functions if the user input matches the user password.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving additional user input requesting access to an administrator set of functions,

receiving an administrative password input from the user,

requesting an administrative password verification from the electronic control unit,

determining whether the administrative password input matches a stored administrative password.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of determining whether the user is authorized further comprises:

requesting an administrative password verification from the electronic control unit if the user input does not match the user password; and

determining whether the user input matches the administrative password.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of providing the user with access comprises:

providing the user with access to an administrator set of functions if the user input matches the administrative password.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of determining whether the user is authorized further comprises:

requesting a default password verification from the electronic control unit if the user input does not match the user password; and

determining whether the user input matches the default password.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of providing the user with access comprises:

providing the user with access to a limited set of default functions if the user input matches the default password.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of receiving the second data set comprises:

sending a command packet from the computing device to the electronic control unit;

receiving a data packet that includes an electronic control unit serial number; and

receiving a status packet, wherein the status packet indicates the status of the execution of the command packet.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of providing the user with access to a second set of functions comprises:

providing the user with the ability to modify a license or a password relating to the cargo security system.

12. A method of determining whether to provide a user with access to a cargo security system, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing a communication link with an electronic control unit of the cargo security system;

receiving input from the user;

determining whether the user is authorized to access the electronic control unit through utilization of the user input;

validating that the computing device is authorized to access the electronic control unit if the user is authorized to access the electronic control unit, comprising the steps of;

storing a first data set in the computing device, the first data set comprising a license file including a serial number and an access password;

receiving a second data set from the electronic control unit, and

determining whether the first data set matches the second data set;

providing the user with access to a predetermined number of electronic control unit functions if both the user and the computing device are authorized to access the system;

receiving a command from the user to place the electronic control unit in a diagnostic mode,

requesting an administrative password from the user,

determining whether the user input matches the administrative password, and

providing the user with access to a second set of functions, including electronic control unit set up and diagnostic functions if the user input matches the administrative password.

13. A method of determining whether to provide a user with access to a cargo security system, comprising the steps of:

entering an administrator password for verification by a program in a computing device;

sending a request command from the program to an electronic control unit to verify the administrator password, and if confirmed the access password is returned to program;

opening the computing device program license file and confirming that the provided access password is included; and

attempting to find a data pair match, by;

obtaining a serial number from the electronic control unit;

comparing the access password and the serial number from the electronic control unit with data pairs stored in the license file;

establishing communication between the computing device and the electronic control unit if a data pair matching has occurred; and

providing administrator privileges to a user, by including at least one of the following steps of;

allowing loading and updating of a firmware of the electronic control unit;

allowing access passwords to be written to and changed in a memory of the electronic control unit and when changed, updating a software license file which includes access passwords;

allowing the administrator to save the updated license to computer media to be transferred to other computing devices; and

requiring all computing devices to use the updated license file, thereby eliminating the users without the new license.

14. A security system with configuration data correction, comprising the steps of:

storing essential configuration data in nonvolatile memory;

maintaining a duplicate copy of essential configuration data in a different area of the memory;

loading the first configuration data to a microcontroller memory after each reset;

inspecting the integrity of the first configuration data to determine if it is corrupted;

loading the duplicate copy of configuration data to a microcontroller memory;

examining the integrity of the duplicate configuration data to determine if it is corrupted;

overwriting the corrupted configuration data if one of the configuration data sets is corrupted with one that is correct; and

using a default value from the program memory if both configuration data sets are corrupted.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of storing essential configuration data in nonvolatile memory comprises EEPROM and the loading of the first configuration data comprises a header.