DEVICE, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURING CARGO ITEMS

• US 20070085680A1
• Filed: 10/19/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Victor Cohen
• Original Assignee: Victor Cohen
• Inventors: Cohen, Victor
• Application Number:
  US11/550,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20070085680A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/542
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0017 Anti-theft devices, e.g. tags or monitors, fixed to articles, e.g. clothes, and to be removed at the check-out of shops
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0092 for cargo, freight or shipping containers and applications therefore in general
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/0069 actuated in a predetermined sequence

Abstract

A system enabling detection of unauthorized removal of a cargo item 414 from a cargo claim area 420, said system may comprise: a locking device 100 attachable to cargo item 414, wherein locking device 100 may comprises a transmitter 110 adapted to transmit data wirelessly, said data being indicative on whether said locking device is locked or not; a key 170 adapted to unlock said locking device; one or more detectors 424a-d positioned in an manner such that wireless signals transmitted from a plurality of transmitters exiting cargo claim area 420 are detected at detectors 424a-d; and a computing module 430 operatively associated with detectors 424a-d. Computing module 430 may give rise to a suitable response in case computing module 430 determines that data received via said signals is indicative of locking device 100 being locked.

Claims

1. A system enabling detection of unauthorized removal of a cargo item from a cargo claim area, said system comprising:

a) a locking device attachable to said cargo item;

wherein said locking device comprises a transmitter adapted to transmit data wirelessly, said data being indicative on whether said locking device is locked or not;

b) a key adapted to unlock said locking device;

c) one or more detectors positioned in an manner such that wireless signals transmitted from a plurality of transmitters exiting said cargo claim area are detected at said detectors; and

d) a computing module operatively associated with said detectors, said computing module giving rise to a suitable response in case said computing module determines that data received via said signals is indicative of said locking device being locked.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said computing module is adapted to process substantially simultaneously data carried over said signals detected at said detectors.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said computing module is adapted to process substantially in real-time data carried over said signals detected at said detectors.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said key comprises one of the following group:

e) a mechanical key;

f) a biometric input;

g) a smartcard;

or

h) an electronic key.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said locking device is unlocked by entering a personal identification number (PIN).

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said locking device stores therein data related to said cargo item.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said key stores data related to said cargo item.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said locking device includes a processor adapted to determine whether the data stored in the locking device corresponds to the data stored in the key.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said locking device is unlocked in case an application executed by said processor determines that that the data stored in the locking device corresponds to the data stored in the key.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said key is adapted unlock a plurality of locking devices.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said key is adapted to unlock only one locking device associated thereto.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said computing module is adapted to identify a person authorized to unlock said locking device by comparing person-identifying data provided by said person with authentication data representing information about the person authorized to unlock said locking device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said person authorized to unlock said locking device is a person assigned to pick up said cargo item from a cargo claim area.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said computing module determines whether the number of unlocked devices associated to the authorized person passing said detectors, matches the number of checked-in cargo items, said computing module giving rise to an alarm if there is a mismatch between the number of unlocked devices associated to the authorized person and the number of checked-in cargo items.

16. A method for detecting unauthorized removal of a cargo item from a cargo claim area, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting signals from a transmitter of a locking device, said signals carrying data indicating whether said locking device is locked or not;

detecting at detectors said signals transmitted from locking devices exiting said cargo claim area; and

triggering a suitable response from a computing module in case signals detected at said detectors carry data indicating that said locking device is in locked state.

2. The system of claim 17 wherein said detectors are adapted to detect signals from a plurality of transmitters substantially simultaneously.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

i) providing a computing module with data representing cargo information associated to said cargo item;

j) loading data that corresponds to said cargo item into said locking device

k) locking said locking device onto said checked-in cargo;

l) determining which person is authorized to collect said cargo item, by checking which data provided by persons corresponds with data representing said authorized person;

m) handing out to said authorized person a key adapted to unlock said locking device;

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said detectors are adapted to detect signals from a plurality of transmitters substantially simultaneously.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said computing module is adapted to process substantially simultaneously data carried over said signals detected at said detectors.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said computing module is adapted to process substantially in real-time data carried over said signals detected at said detectors.