MONITORING UNIT CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

• US 20120262272A1
• Filed: 04/18/2011
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Inventors: Donlan, Brian, Baumgartner, Michael, Minassian, Norayr, Hester, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 8,836,475 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit

Abstract

A monitoring device in accordance with the disclosure stores a serial number list in non-volatile memory, the serial number list including data indicative of at least one valid serial number associated with one or more key fobs permitted to interact with the monitoring device. The monitoring device is configured to receive a wakeup signal via a key fob interface configured to communicate with a key fob. The monitoring device reads a serial number from a key fob via the key fob interface and searches the stored serial number list for data indicative of a valid serial number matching the serial number read via the key fob interface. The monitoring device reads action data from the key fob via the key fob interface, the action data being indicative of an action to be taken by the monitoring device. The monitoring device, in response to the read serial number matching a valid serial number of the stored serial number list, takes an action based on the action data.

Claims

1. A monitoring device for monitoring a container or other cargo, the monitoring device comprising:

a key fob interface configured to communicate with a key fob;

a wireless interface;

a memory storing a serial number list, the serial number list including data indicative of at least one valid serial number associated with one or more key fobs permitted to interact with the monitoring device;

a processing unit coupled to the key fob interface, the wireless interface and the memory, the processing unit configured to;

receive a wakeup signal via the key fob interface,

read a serial number from a key fob via the key fob interface,

search the serial number list for data indicative of a valid serial number matching the serial number read via the key fob interface,

read action data from the key fob via the key fob interface, the action data being indicative of an action to be taken by the processing unit, and

in response to the read serial number matching a valid serial number of the serial number list, cause the monitoring device to take an action based on the action data.

2. The monitoring device for monitoring a container or other cargo as in claim 1, wherein the serial number list further includes data indicative of at least one rescinded serial number associated with one or more key fobs that is not permitted to interact with the monitoring device.

3. The monitoring device for monitoring a container or other cargo as in claim 1, wherein the serial number list further includes data indicative of a range of sequential serial numbers associated with a plurality of key fobs that are permitted or are prohibited from interacting with the monitoring device.

4. The monitoring device for monitoring a container or other cargo as in claim 1, wherein the serial number read from the key fob is encrypted and the processing unit is further configured to decrypt the serial number read from the key fob.

5. The monitoring device for monitoring a container or other cargo as in claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to cause the wireless interface to receive data indicative of a serial number to add to the stored serial number list.

6. The monitoring device for monitoring a container or other cargo as in claim 1, wherein the action data is associated with one or more actions to be performed by the monitoring device, the one or more actions including at least one of arming the monitoring device, powering on the monitoring device, causing the monitoring device to test one or more modules of the monitoring device, powering off the monitoring device or disarming the monitoring device.

7. The monitoring device for monitoring a container or other cargo as in claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to, in response to reading a serial number that does not match any valid serial number in the serial number list, cause the wireless interface to transmit a message to a remote location.

8. The monitoring device for monitoring a container or other cargo as in claim 7, wherein the processing unit is further configured to, in response to causing the monitoring device to take the action, cause the wireless interface to transmit a message to a remote location.

9. The monitoring device for monitoring a container or other cargo as in claim 1, further comprising:

a position location module coupled to the processing unit, wherein the serial number list includes location data indicative of a location where certain serial numbers are permitted or not permitted to interact with the monitoring device, and the processing unit is further configured to;

determine a location of the monitoring device based on data received from the position location module, and

when searching the serial number list for the valid serial number, determine that the stored location data matches the determined location.

10. The monitoring device for monitoring a container or other cargo as in claim 1, wherein the action data associated with one or more actions to be performed by the monitoring device is encrypted and the memory stores a key to decrypt the action data.

11. The monitoring device for monitoring a container or other cargo as in claim 1, wherein the read serial number is an unencrypted serial number and the processing unit is further configured to:

read an encrypted version of the serial number from the key fob;

decrypt the encrypted serial number to form a decrypted serial number; and

compare the unencrypted serial number with the decrypted serial number to verify that the key fob is valid.

12. A method of operating a monitoring device for monitoring a container or other cargo, the method comprising:

storing a serial number list in non-volatile memory, the serial number list including data indicative of at least one valid serial number associated with one or more key fobs permitted to interact with the monitoring device;

receiving a wakeup signal via a key fob interface configured to communicate with a key fob,

reading a serial number from a key fob via the key fob interface,

searching the stored serial number list for data indicative of a valid serial number matching the serial number read via the key fob interface,

reading action data from the key fob via the key fob interface, the action data being indicative of an action to be taken by the monitoring device; and

in response to the read serial number matching a valid serial number of the stored serial number list, causing the monitoring device to take an action based on the action data.

13. The method of operating the monitoring device for monitoring the container or other cargo as in claim 12, wherein the serial number read from the key fob is encrypted and the method further comprises decrypting the serial number read from the key fob.

14. The method of operating the monitoring device for monitoring the container or other cargo as in claim 12, the method further comprising receiving, via a wireless interface, data indicative of a serial number to add to the stored serial number list.

15. The method of operating the monitoring device for monitoring the container or other cargo as in claim 12, wherein the action data is associated with one or more actions to be performed by the monitoring device, the one or more actions including at least one of arming the monitoring device, powering on the monitoring device, causing the monitoring device to test one or more modules of the monitoring device, powering off the monitoring device or disarming the monitoring device.

16. The method of operating the monitoring device for monitoring the container or other cargo as in claim 12, the method further comprising, in response to reading a serial number that does not match any valid serial number in the serial number list, transmitting, via a wireless interface, a message to a remote location.

17. The method of operating the monitoring device for monitoring the container or other cargo as in claim 12, the method further comprising, in response to causing the monitoring device to take the action, transmitting a message via a wireless interface to a remote location.

18. The method of operating the monitoring device for monitoring the container or other cargo as in claim 12, the method further comprising:

receiving data indicative of the monitoring device, wherein the serial number list includes location data indicative of a location where certain serial numbers are permitted or not permitted to interact with the monitoring device;

determining a location of the monitoring device based on received data; and

when searching the serial number list for the valid serial number, determining that the stored location data matches the determined location.

19. The method of operating the monitoring device for monitoring the container or other cargo as in claim 12, wherein the action data associated with one or more actions to be performed by the monitoring device is encrypted and the memory stores a key to decrypt the action data, the method further comprising decrypting the action data using the stored key.

20. The method of operating the monitoring device for monitoring the container or other cargo as in claim 12, wherein the read serial number is an unencrypted serial number, the method further comprising:

reading an encrypted version of the serial number from the key fob;

decrypting the encrypted serial number to form a decrypted serial number; and

comparing the unencrypted serial number with the decrypted serial number to verify that the key fob is valid.