Trusted monitoring system and method

• US 20060291657A1
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gregory P. Benson
• Original Assignee: Gregory P. Benson
• Inventors: Fistonich, Matthew Anthony, Benson, Greg
• Application Number:
  US11/418,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20060291657A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/270
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0275 using fuzzy logic only
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/202 where processing functionality is redundant redundant communication control functionality G06F11/2005, redundant storage control functionality G06F11/2089
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/52 during program execution, e.g. stack integrity ; Preventing unwanted data erasure; Buffer overflow
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/034 Test or assess a computer or a system
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/048 Fuzzy inferencing
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 7/01 Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/26 Government or public services business processes related to the transportation industry G06Q50/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/28 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading, distribution or shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/30 Transportation; Communications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0092 for cargo, freight or shipping containers and applications therefore in general
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0636 : in which the trolleys or carts are kept in a restricted zone such as a coral-like enclosure, or are passing a gate before use is possible
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 : Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/00 : Alarm indicators, e.g. bells
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/196 : using television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/22 : Electrical actuation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2454 : Checking of authorisation of a person accessing tagged items in an EAS system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 : Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 : responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 : Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/04 : Monitoring of the detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/16 : Security signalling or alarm systems, e.g. redundant systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/22 : including jamming detection and monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 : Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 : Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 : for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 : specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 : Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 : using cryptographic hash functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 : involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for monitoring remotely located objects with a system comprised of at least one master data collection unit, any number of remote sensor units, and a central data collection server are described. The master unit is configured to monitor any object, mobile or stationary, including monitoring multiple remote sensor units associated with the objects being monitored. The master unit may be in a fixed location, or attached to a mobile object. The master unit is configured for monitoring objects that enter and leave the area where it is located. The master unit may act as a parent controller for one or more child devices, wherein the child devices can be remote sensors or monitors of various measurable conditions including environmental conditions, substance identification, product identification and biometric identification. The master unit is able to discover new remote sensor units as they enter or leave the area where the master unit is located. The master unit can be remotely reprogrammed. The reprogramming can be accomplished with authenticated instructions.

Claims

1. A monitoring system, wherein the monitoring system comprises a plurality of communication devices that are authorized to communicate in the monitoring system, the system comprising:

a plurality of sensors authorized and configured to communicate in the monitoring system; and

an electronic device authorized to communicate in the monitoring system and configured to receive data in a secure manner from the sensors when a task authorization message is received and authenticated as having been transmitted from a remote master device authorized to communicate in the monitoring system, wherein the task authorization message comprises information identifying at least a sensor from which to receive the data;

and wherein the electronic device authenticates and encrypts the received data prior to transmitting the received data to the remote master device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is further configured to be activated from a sleep mode upon receiving the task authorization message.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is further configured to transmit the received data in a secure manner to the remote master device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors are configured to broadcast a sensor identification number, and wherein the task authorization information identifying the sensor comprises at least a portion of the broadcast sensor identification number.

5. A monitoring system, wherein the monitoring system comprises a plurality of communication devices that are configured to communicate in a secure manner in the monitoring system, the system comprising:

a plurality of non-system sensors configured to sense information, wherein the non-system sensors are not authorized to communicate securely in the monitoring sensor; and

an electronic device authorized to communicate in the monitoring system and configured to receive data from the non-system sensors when a task authorization message is received and authenticated as having been transmitted from a remote master device authorized to communicate in the monitoring system, wherein the task authorization message comprises information identifying at least a non-system sensor from which to receive the data;

and wherein the electronic device authenticates and encrypts the received data prior to transmitting the received data to the remote master device.

6. The monitoring system of claim 5, wherein the electronic device is further configured to be activated from a sleep mode upon receiving the task authorization message.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the electronic device is further configured to transmit the received data in a secure manner to the remote master device.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the non-system sensors are configured to broadcast a sensor identification number, and wherein the task authorization information identifying the non-system sensor comprises at least a portion of the broadcast sensor identification number.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the electronic device is further configured to encode context information into a message containing the received data, and to transmit the received data message in a secure manner to the remote master device, wherein the context information comprises data identifying a time and a location from which the data was received.

10. A monitoring system, wherein the monitoring system comprises a plurality of communication devices that are authorized to communicate in the monitoring system, the system comprising:

a plurality of sensors configured to sense information, wherein the sensors are authorized and configured to communicate in the monitoring system, and wherein the sensors are configured to be in a sleep mode until activated by a task authorization message received from a master device authorized to communicate in the monitoring system; and

an electronic master device authorized to communicate in the monitoring system and configured to transmit the task authorization message to the sensors, wherein the task authorization message comprises information identifying at least a sensor from which to receive sensed information;

and wherein the sensor encodes a digital signature and encrypts the sensed information prior to transmitting the sensed information to the electronic master device.

11. The monitoring system of claim 10, wherein the electronic device is further configured to be activated from a sleep mode upon receiving a second task authorization message from a remote master device authorized to communicate in the monitoring system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the electronic device is further configured to transmit the received information in a secure manner to the remote master device.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensors are configured to intermittently broadcast a sensor identification number while in the sleep mode, and wherein the task authorization information identifying the sensor comprises at least a portion of the broadcast sensor identification number.

14. A monitoring system, wherein the monitoring system comprises a plurality of communication devices that are authorized to communicate in the monitoring system, the system comprising:

a plurality of sensors; and

an electronic device authorized to communicate in the monitoring system and configured to receive data from the sensors when a task authorization message is received and authenticated as having been transmitted from a remote master device authorized to communicate in the monitoring system, wherein the task authorization message comprises information identifying at least a sensor from which to receive the data;

and wherein the electronic device authenticates and encrypts the received data prior to transmitting the received data to the remote master device via a first communication pathway, and wherein the electronic device is configured to confirm receipt of the transmitted data by the remote master device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the electronic device transmits the received data to the remote master device via a second communication path if the electronic device does not confirm receipt of the data by the remote master device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first communication pathway comprises a satellite network and wherein the second communication pathway comprises a local wireless network.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the first communication pathway comprises a local wireless network and wherein the second communication pathway comprises a satellite network.