SECURING, MONITORING AND TRACKING SHIPPING CONTAINERS

• US 20090322510A1
• Filed: 05/18/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TeraHop Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: PAYNE, Edward Allen, KOOP, LaMonte Peter, TWITCHELL, Robert W. JR., ROBINS, David S., BERGER, Thomas R., DENNY, Joseph E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,279,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• 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: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration

Abstract

A method of securing a container includes inserting, into a seal device at a container, an electronic bolt; reading, by the seal device, a serial number stored in the electronic bolt; communicating, from the seal device, to a user application, insertion of the bolt; scanning, by the user via a handheld device, a barcode on the seal device representative of an identification of the seal device; communicating, from the handheld device to the user application, the identification of the seal device; inputting, by a user at the container via the handheld device, information associated with the container; communicating, from the handheld device to the user application, the information associated with the container; associating, in a database by the user application, the information associated with the container with the bolt serial number and the identification of the seal device; communicating, by the user application, a confirmation to the seal device.

Claims

1. (canceled)

4. A method of reconfiguring a wireless communications device in a network, comprising:

connecting, by a wireless communications device of a plurality of wireless communications devices, to a network via a gateway of a plurality of gateways, each gateway of the plurality of gateways being associated with a location;

communicating an indication of the wireless communications device'"'"'s connection to a user application running at a remote server;

comparing, by the user application at the remote server, the location associated with the gateway to a stored database;

selecting, based on this comparison, a profile corresponding to location associated with the gateway;

communicating, from the user application at the remote server, to the wireless communications device, an identification of the selected profile together with an instruction to engage the selected profile;

comparing, by the wireless communications device, the communicated identification of the selected profile to a list of profiles stored at the wireless communications device;

determining, based on such comparison, that the selected profile does not correspond to any profile of the list of profiles stored at the wireless communications device;

communicating, from the wireless communications device, an identification of the selected profile to a remote database;

comparing, at the remote database, the communicated identification of the selected profile to stored profiles;

selecting, from the remote database, a stored profile corresponding to the selected profile;

communicating, to the wireless communications device, the stored profile;

engaging, by the wireless communications device, the identified profile.

2. The method of claim 4, wherein the wireless communications device is a remote sensor node.

3. The method of claim 4, wherein the wireless communications device is a seal.

5-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A method of alerting a user of unauthorized tampering with a shipping container, comprising:

securing a seal device to a shipping container, the seal device including a bolt receiving area;

inserting, by a user at the container, an electronic bolt into the bolt receiving area of the seal device;

reading, by the seal device, a serial number stored in the electronic bolt;

communicating, from the seal device, to a user application, insertion of the bolt;

scanning, by the user via a handheld device, an electronically readable element on the seal device representative of an identification of the seal device;

communicating, from the handheld device to the user application, the identification of the seal device;

associating, in a database by the user application, the bolt serial number and the identification of the seal device;

communicating, by the user application, a confirmation to the seal device

communicating, by the user application, a confirmation to the handheld device;

receiving, at the seal device, sensor data indicative of tampering;

communicating, by the seal device to the user application, an alert.

29-87. -87. (canceled)

88. A system, comprising:

(a) a gateway corresponding to a location identification; and

(b) a wireless communications device;

(c) wherein the gateway is configured to

(i) broadcast a beacon signal, including the location identification, upon expiration of a beacon timer of the gateway, and

(ii) upon broadcasting the beacon signal, reset the beacon timer of the gateway based on a pre-selected maximum value;

(d) wherein the wireless communications device is configured to,

(i) in response to receipt of the beacon signal, attempt to register with the gateway,

(ii) when registered with the gateway, utilize a beacon timer of the wireless communications device to control broadcasting of beacon signals,

(iii) in response to receipt of another beacon signal which includes the location identification, reset the beacon timer of the wireless communications device based upon a randomly selected value,

(iv) upon expiration of the beacon timer of the wireless communications device, broadcast a device beacon signal, which device beacon signal includes the location identification, and

(v) upon broadcasting the device beacon signal, reset the beacon timer of the wireless communications device based on the pre-selected maximum value;

(e) wherein the wireless communications device is further configured to, when registered with the gateway,

(i) forward messages received from other wireless communications devices registered with the gateway to the gateway, and append an identification of the wireless communication device to the message;

(ii) communicate a check-in message to the gateway, upon expiration of a check-in timer of the wireless communications device,

(iii) upon communicating the check-in message, reset the check-in timer of the wireless communications device;

(f) wherein the gateway is further configured to, in response to receipt of a message originated by one of the other wireless communications devices that was forwarded by the wireless communications device, communicate an acknowledgment message to the wireless communications device; and

(g) wherein the wireless communications device is still further configured to, in response to receiving the acknowledgment message,

(i) reset the check-in timer of the wireless communications device, and

(ii) forward the acknowledgment message to the originating one of the other wireless communications devices.

89. The system of claim 88, wherein the wireless communications device comprises an RSN.

90. The system of claim 88, wherein the wireless communications device comprises a seal.