INTELLIGENT SENSOR OPEN ARCHITECTURE FOR A CONTAINER SECURITY SYSTEM

• US 20110044207A1
• Filed: 11/01/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globaltrak LLC (ORBCOMM Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: System Planning Corporation
• Inventors: Martin, Ron, Meyers, Richard C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,991,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/10 using a centralized architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/86 Performing a diagnostic of the sensing device
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A system and method for interfacing with sensors using an open architecture and standards based approach is provided. A sensor controller located on each container and any variety of one or more sensors are equipped with complementary short range wireless communications devices. The sensor may adhere to a predefined interface specification such that it may be automatically commissioned into, and operation in conjunction with the sensor controller and the container security system.

Claims

1. A method for providing an open standard wireless interface between a sensor control element and one or more sensors which are associated with a container during transit and which together form a monitoring network, the method comprising:

programming a sensor element with a sensor configuration table containing sensor configuration data regarding at least one operating parameter of the sensor element;

transmitting a message from the sensor element to the sensor control element, wherein the message includes sensor configuration data;

transmitting a request from the sensor element to the sensor control requesting to be accepted into the monitoring network;

analyzing the sensor configuration data to determine whether the sensor element should be added to the monitoring network; and

transmitting a message from the sensor control element to the sensor element either confirming inclusion in the network or declining the request to join.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes the step of transmitting a message from the sensor control element to a central monitoring station indicating that a new sensor has been integrated into the monitoring network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor configuration data transmitted to the sensor control element by the sensor element contains information including the sensor type, trigger thresholds, dynamic range, data formats, battery power, and other data pertinent to the operation of said sensor element within the container security system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor control element and the sensor operate in a manner which is automatically commissioned into the container security system without field programming, wiring, or manual intervention.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor control element performs diagnostics on the requesting sensor element.