ACTIVE CONTAINER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20100332359A1
• Filed: 06/28/2010
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Inventors: Wilson, Scott, Neasham, Jon D., Kamai, Moses M., Bertuna, Daniel, Bonneau, Walter C. JR., Waddell, Stuart J., Aberizk, David K., Powers, David R., Warf, Donald H., Frankie, Keith L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,392,296 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0057 Feeding
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0058 by batteries
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0069 bolt position
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0094 Mechanical aspects of remotely controlled locks electronic locks G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0096 Mechanical aspects of locks whose actuation is dependent on geographical location, e.g. by means of a GPS system electronic locks G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0097 including means for monitoring voltage, e.g. for indicating low battery state
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 39/005 Locks with means for tracking the location of locked items, e.g. freight containers
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 51/02 by pneumatic or hydraulic means E05B17/0029 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/10 Hydraulic or pneumatic hydraulic or pneumatic circuits E05B81/52
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/02 Locks for railway freight-cars, freight containers or the like; Locks for the cargo compartments of commercial lorries, trucks or vans
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/186 with a pair of hooks, which are movable towards each other for grasping of an element on the wing, respectively on the frame, or for grasping of an element on each of the wings forming a double door
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00634 Power supply for the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0092 for cargo, freight or shipping containers and applications therefore in general
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00174 Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/06 by tampering with fastening
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/32 Freight car door fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/23 Cross bars
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/37 : Portable securer plate or bar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/51 : Seal bolts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/40 : Portable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/498 : Shields or canopies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5031 : Receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/554 : Cover, lid, cap, encasing shield
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5544 : Pivoted
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5566 : External locking devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5765 : Rotary or swinging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5779 : With padlock
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5973 : Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7051 : Using a powered device [e.g., motor]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 : Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]

Abstract

A system for monitoring chain of custody of contents of a container includes a lock mechanism configured to lock at least one door of the container in a closed position, a housing enclosing at least a portion of the lock mechanism, and a lock circuit at least partially enclosed within the housing. The lock circuit includes a memory, a lock controller, a wireless module configured to receive information from at least one sensor associated with the container, the information regarding at least one property of the contents of the container, wherein the wireless module is configured to store the information in memory, wherein at least one of the wireless module or the sensor is powered wirelessly, and a lock controller configured to receive commands related to operation of the lock mechanism, to monitor the stored information to identify a change of state of the at least one sensor, and to generate chain of custody data to be transmitted to a remote location via the wireless module. The chain of custody data includes at least two of sensor data, an authentication code associated with the sensor, and/or an authentication code associated with the lock mechanism.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring chain of custody of contents of a container, the system comprising:

a lock mechanism configured to lock at least one door of the container in a closed position;

a housing enclosing at least a portion of the lock mechanism; and

a lock circuit at least partially enclosed within the housing, the lock circuit comprising;

a memory,

a lock controller,

a wireless module configured to receive information from at least one sensor associated with the container, the information regarding at least one property of the contents of the container, wherein the wireless module is configured to store the information in memory, wherein at least one of the wireless module or the sensor is powered wirelessly, and

a lock controller configured to receive commands related to operation of the lock mechanism, to monitor the stored information to identify a change of state of the at least one sensor, and to generate chain of custody data to be transmitted to a remote location via the wireless module, the chain of custody data including at least two of;

sensor data,

an authentication code associated with the sensor, and/or

an authentication code associated with the lock mechanism.

2. The system for monitoring chain of custody of contents of a container of claim 1, wherein the lock circuit further comprises an inductive power supply coupled to the wireless module, the inductive power supply being configured to receive a wireless power signal and supply power to the wireless module.

3. The system for monitoring chain of custody of contents of a container of claim 2, wherein the wireless power signal is received from a wireless power transmitter associated with the sensor.

4. The system for monitoring chain of custody of contents of a container of claim 1, wherein the lock circuit further comprises a wireless power transmitter configured to generate a wireless power signal to supply power to the sensor.

5. The system for monitoring chain of custody of contents of a container of claim 1, wherein the lock controller is configured to authenticate that the stored information is associated with the sensor based on the authentication code associated with the sensor.

6. The system for monitoring chain of custody of contents of a container of claim 5, wherein the stored information includes a digital signature generated using a private key associated with the sensor and the lock controller authenticates the stored information by verifying the digital signature using a public key associated with the sensor.

7. The system for monitoring chain of custody of contents of a container of claim 1, wherein the lock controller is configured to generate a digital signature for the chain of custody data, the digital signature serving as the authentication code associated with the lock mechanism.

8. The system for monitoring chain of custody of contents of a container of claim 7, wherein the wireless module is further configured to transmit the chain of custody data and the digital signature toward the remote location.

9. A method of monitoring chain of custody of contents of a container, the method comprising:

locking at least one door of the container in a closed position with a lock mechanism, the lock mechanism comprising a lock circuit at least partially enclosed within a housing of the lock mechanism, the lock circuit comprising a memory, and a wireless module, wherein at least one of the wireless module or the sensor is powered wirelessly;

receiving information from at least one sensor associated with the container with the wireless module, the information regarding at least one property of the contents of the container;

storing the information in memory;

receiving commands related to operation of the lock mechanism;

monitoring the stored information to identify a change of state of the at least one sensor; and

generating chain of custody data to be transmitted to a remote location via the wireless module, the chain of custody data including at least two of;

sensor data,

an authentication code associated with the sensor, and/or

an authentication code associated with the lock mechanism.

10. The method of monitoring chain of custody of the contents of the container of claim 9, wherein the lock circuit further comprises an inductive power supply coupled to the wireless module, the method further comprising receiving a wireless power signal and supplying power to the wireless module with the inductive power supply.

11. The method of monitoring chain of custody of the contents of the container of claim 10, wherein the wireless power signal is received from a wireless power transmitter associated with the sensor.

12. The method of monitoring chain of custody of the contents of the container of claim 9, wherein the lock circuit further comprises a wireless power transmitter, the method further comprising generating a wireless power signal with the wireless power signal to supply power to the sensor.

13. The method of monitoring chain of custody of the contents of the container of claim 9, further comprising authenticating that the stored information is associated with the sensor based on the authentication code associated with the sensor.

14. The method of monitoring chain of custody of the contents of the container of claim 13, wherein the stored information includes a digital signature generated using a private key associated with the sensor, the method further comprising authenticating the stored information by verifying the digital signature using a public key associated with the sensor.

15. The method of monitoring chain of custody of the contents of the container of claim 9, further comprising generating a digital signature for the chain of custody data with the lock circuit, the digital signature serving as the authentication code associated with the lock mechanism.

16. The method of monitoring chain of custody of the contents of the container of claim 15, further comprising transmitting the chain of custody data and the digital signature toward the remote location with the wireless module.