Container Unit, Message Switching Equipment, Routing Method, Routing Directory, and System for Monitoring Containers

• US 20080090523A1
• Filed: 10/12/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Niklas Sohlberg, Ove Ohlstrom, Stephen Lowe, Tom Sarpaneva, Traxer, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: CargoTrax Oy
• Inventors: Heinonen, Tero, Noronen, Pauli
• Granted Patent: US 8,082,002 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/004 Alarm propagated along alternative communication path or using alternative communication medium according to a hierarchy of available ways to communicate, e.g. if Wi-Fi not available use GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/16 Security signalling or alarm systems, e.g. redundant systems

Abstract

The invention includes a message switching equipment for transmitting messages between container units placed in containers and a monitoring server. The message switching equipment comprises at least a container unit 201, a gateway unit 202 providing communication links 203, and a message handler 204 which is coupled to the monitoring server 205. The message switching equipment is adapted to send a first message 206 from the container unit 201 via a cellular network 207 to the message handler 204 in response to an event relating to the container. In more detail, the first message 206 is sent through a cellular network radio 208 of the container unit 201. The equipment is further adapted to receive through a short range radio 209 of the container unit 201 a second message 210 originated from one of the container units and transmit the second message 210 from the container unit 201 via the cellular network 207 to the message handler 204. The equipment is further adapted to receive through a short range radio 211 of the gateway unit 202 a third message 212 and transmit the third message through the gateway unit 202 to the message handler 203.

Claims

1. A container unit capable of communicating with a monitoring server, the container unit comprising:

a cellular network radio;

a short range radio;

a power source;

a wake-up unit;

a memory;

a connection set-up logic stored in the memory;

wherein the container unit is configured to form a message in response to an event, the event relating to a container in which the container unit is placed;

perform on the basis of the connection set-up logic at least two of the following connection set-up attempts;

a) a connection through the short range radio directly to a gateway unit providing communication links between the container unit and the monitoring server;

b) a connection through the short range radio to the gateway unit via at least one other container unit which is placed in another container;

c) a connection through the cellular network radio to a base station of a cellular network; and

,

d) a connection through the short range radio directly or via at least one other container unit to such container unit which is capable to communicate with the base station;

stop the connection set-up attempts when a number of the connection set-up attempts reaches a certain limit;

start the connection set-up attempts when the wake-up unit responsive to movements has detected a movement of the container in which the container unit is placed; and

send the message through an available connection towards the monitoring server when any of the connection set-up attempts results in the available connection to the gateway unit or to the base station of the cellular network.

2. The container unit as in claim 1, wherein the connection set-up logic further defines criteria for the order, the criteria comprising at least one of the following criteria:

costs, latency, throughput, a number of hops, energy consumption, or a combination thereof.

3. The container unit as in claim 1, wherein the event is one of following events:

an event detected by a sensor connected to the container unit, an event initiated by a message sent from the monitoring server, or a combination thereof.

4. The container unit as in claim 1, wherein the container unit further comprises a satellite locator.

5. The container unit as in claim 1, wherein the container unit comprises a node of a message switching equipment and wherein the container unit is configured to

receive a message from another node of the message switching equipment;

and,

store the received message in the memory until one of the connection set-up attempts results in the available connection or a certain time limit is reached.

6. A message switching equipment for transmitting messages between a monitoring server and a plurality of container units placed in containers, the message switching equipment comprising:

a gateway unit providing communication links between at least one container unit and the monitoring server;

a message handler coupled to the monitoring server;

wherein the message switching equipment is configured to;

add to a first message at least one container unit identifier, identifying a candidate container unit through which a container unit is able send the first message;

send the first message from the container unit via a cellular network to the message handler in response to an event, the event relating to a container in which the container unit is placed;

receive through a short range radio of the container unit a second message which is originated from another of the plurality of container units;

transmit the second message from the container unit via the cellular network to the message handler;

receive through a short range radio of the gateway unit a third message which is originated from another container unit of the plurality of container units;

transmit the third message from the gateway unit to a message handler; and

receive the first, the second, and the third message at the message handler.

7. The message switching equipment as in claim 6, wherein the container unit is configured to

encrypt the first message with a public key of the monitoring server before sending the first message.

8. The message switching equipment as in claim 6, wherein the container unit is configured to perform at least one of the following operations:

adding its container unit identifier to the first message before sending the first message; and

,

adding its container unit identifier to the second message before transmitting the second message.

9. The message switching equipment as in claim 6, wherein the gateway unit is configured to add its gateway identifier to the third message before transmitting the third message.

10. The message switching equipment as in claim 9, wherein the monitoring server is configured to

read a set of container unit identifiers from the first, the second, or the third message, the set identifying at least one container unit;

store the set of container unit identifiers in a memory;

read the gateway identifier from the third message; and

store the gateway identifier in the memory.

11. The message switching equipment as in claim 10, wherein the message handler is configured to

form a message;

add routing information to the message, the routing information comprising the stored set of container unit identifiers and the stored gateway identifier; and

send the message to a specific container unit which sent the first, the second, or the third message.

12. The message switching equipment as in claim 11, wherein the container unit and the gateway unit are configured to

read the routing information from the message sent from the message handler;

and

transmit the message on the basis of the routing information towards the specific container unit.

13. The message switching equipment as in claim 6, wherein the message handler is configured to

form a message;

add routing information to the message; and

before sending the message to a specific container unit which sent the first, the second, or the third message

perform at least one of the following operations;

encrypting the message utilizing a public key identified with the specific container,

signing the message with a private key identified with the monitoring server.

14. A method for routing a message from a message handler to a container unit comprising a cellular network radio and a short range radio, wherein the container unit is assumed to be available through at least one candidate container unit,

the method comprising the steps of:

reading at the message handler routing information from a memory, the routing information disclosing a transmission path to the container unit;

sending the message with an identifier of the container unit and the routing information from the message handler to a phone number of a candidate container unit when a gateway unit is missing from the transmission path, the phone number of the candidate container unit being specified in the routing information;

performing a connection set-up through a short range radio of the candidate container unit to the container unit when the candidate container unit has received the message; and

transmitting the message from the candidate container unit to the container unit when the connection set-up is successful.

15. The method as in claim 14, the method comprising the steps of:

sending the message with the routing information from the message handler to a satellite phone number of the gateway unit when the transmission path includes the gateway unit, the satellite phone number being specified in the routing information;

receiving the message at the gateway unit;

performing a connection set-up through a short range radio of the gateway unit to the container unit; and

transmitting the message from the gateway unit through the short range radio to the container unit when the connection set-up is successful.

16. The method as in claim 14, the method comprising the steps of:

sending the message with the routing information from the message handler to an alternative phone number disclosed in the routing information when the connection set-up fails;

performing a second connection set-up through a short range radio of a second candidate container unit to the container unit when the second candidate container unit having the other phone number has received the message; and

transmitting the message from the second candidate container unit to the container unit when the second connection set-up is successful.

17. The method as in claim 14, wherein the routing information is stored in a routing directory such that

a data item of the routing directory comprises the following sub-items:

a sub-item of “

container unit”

, a sub-item of “

transmission path”

, and a sub-item of “

candidate container units”

, wherein

the sub-item of “

container unit”

discloses the container unit,

the sub-item of “

transmission path”

discloses the transmission path through which at least one previous message was successfully transmitted between the container unit and the message handler, and

the sub-item of “

candidate container units”

discloses at least one candidate container unit through which the message is assumed to be transmissible to the container unit.

18. A system for monitoring containers, the system comprising:

a plurality of container units placed in containers to be monitored, the plurality of container units including at least a container unit and a candidate container unit through which the container unit is assumed to be available, and

a message switching equipment for transmitting messages between a monitoring server and the plurality of container units, the message switching equipment comprising;

a gateway unit providing communication links;

a message handler coupled to the monitoring server;

wherein the system is configured to;

form in the container unit a first message in response to an event, the event relating to a container in which the container unit is placed;

add to the first message a container unit identifier identifying the candidate container unit through which the container unit is able send the first message;

send the first message from the container unit via a cellular network to the message handler;

receive through a short range radio of the container unit a second message;

transmit the second message from the container unit via the cellular network to the message handler;

receive through a short range radio of the gateway unit a third message;

transmit the third message from the gateway unit to the message handler; and

receive the first, the second, and the third message at the message handler.

19. The system as in claim 18, wherein the message handler is configured to:

read routing information from a memory, the routing information disclosing a transmission path to the container unit; and

send a message with the routing information to the container unit.

20. The system as in claim 19, wherein the routing information is stored in the memory in a routing directory such that

a data item of the routing directory comprises the following sub-items:

a sub-item of “

container unit”

, a sub-item of “

transmission path”

, and a sub-item of “

candidate container units”

, wherein

the sub-item of “

container unit”

discloses the container unit,

the sub-item of “

transmission path”

discloses the transmission path through which at least one previous message is successfully transmitted between the container unit and the message handler, and

the sub-item of “

candidate container units”

discloses at least one candidate container unit through which the message is assumed to be transmissible to the container unit.

21. The system as in claim 18, wherein the system comprises at least one mediator unit coupled via the Internet to the message handler;

the mediator unit comprising at least one radio through which the system is configured to

receive a message from any one of the plurality of container units; and

send another message to at least one of the plurality of container units.