CONTAINER SECURITY SYSTEM

• US 20140345382A1
• Filed: 09/20/2012
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conexbird Oy
• Original Assignee: Conexbird Oy
• Inventors: Heikkil, Teuvo
• Granted Patent: US 10,450,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/579
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/48 Arrangements of indicating or measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 1/101 for containers B66C1/223 and B66C1/663 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/16 Applications of indicating, registering, or weighing devices in crane hooks B66C1/40; in safety gear B66C15/00; weighing-apparatus G01G; remote indicating in general G08
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/46 Position indicators for suspended loads or for crane elements
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 19/002 Container cranes B66C19/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 3/16 measuring variations of frequency of oscillations of the body
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/014 Resonance or resonant frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/12 by measuring frequency or resonance of acoustic waves measuring frequency or resonant frequency of mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in general G01H1/06, G01H3/04, G01H13/00; acoustic resonators G10K11/04; vibration or shock testing of structures G01M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/4427 with stored values, e.g. threshold values
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A container handling system may include force sensors and acceleration sensors to be attached to a container handling device, an electronics unit of the system, an oscillation device and the software, user interfaces, encrypted and wireless data transmission traffic, ID cards/readers as well as identifier number keyboards of the system. Using the container handling system, in different container handling stages can be created a code based on oscillation that identifies and secures the container and the container contents. Using container handling devices coupled to the system and using the container security system, in the logistics chain, it is possible to secure and inspect containers to be moved in different container handling stages and the container contents as well as the condition of the container.

Claims

1-3. -3. (canceled)

4. A container security system comprising

force sensors and acceleration sensors to be attached to a lifting beam of a container handling device or to some other part of a frame of the container handling device,

an electronics unit of the system;

and

an oscillation device;

wherein the oscillation device is attached to the lifting beam of the container handling device or to some other part of the frame of the container handling device, and the oscillation device creates oscillation of the container and the container contents, and that the system recognizes a change in a condition of the container or container contents as well as a change in an amount of the container contents between different container handling stages.

5. A system according to the claim 4, wherein the oscillations of the container and the container contents created by the oscillation device attached to the container handling device are measured by the force and acceleration sensors.

6. A system according to the claim 4, wherein during an oscillation stage, the force, oscillation and variations in force signals are handled in the electronics unit of the container handling device by means of signal handling, wherein in the electronics unit is created in the container handling stage a code that identifies and secures the container and the container contents.

7. A system according to the claim 4, comprising using container handling devices coupled to the system, in the logistics chain, enables to compare codes produced and recorded in different container handling stages.

8. A system according to the claim 4, wherein the signals received from the sensors are analyzed by comparing in the electronics unit of the apparatus.

9. A system according to the claim 4, comprising results obtained by the electronics unit of the system, which are conveyed and stored in a software of the system and/or some other information system of the harbor operator by means of encrypted and wireless data transmission traffic.

10. A system according to the claim 4, comprising results to be presented, which are determined by comparing changes in elasticity of the container and/or container contents to be measured.

11. A system according to the claim 10, wherein said elasticity and the changes in the elasticity of the container and/or container contents to be measured are determined by measuring forced oscillation using the acceleration and force sensors installed into the container handling device and by analyzing the measurement results in the electronics unit of the device.

12. A system according to the claim 4, wherein the sensors, the electronics unit of the system and the oscillation device are installed in the frame of the container handling device.

13. A system according to the claim 4, wherein the electronics unit of the system controls the oscillation device programmatically producing forced oscillation of the container and the container contents.

14. A system according to the claim 4, comprising programming commands and code files affecting control of the oscillation device, received from computers of the system.

15. A system according to the claim 4, wherein the container handling device is a harbor container crane, a container straddle carrier or a container telehandler.

16. A system according to the claim 4, comprising software and user interface(s) of the system installed in an information system of an operator, a PDA/mobile device of a user or fixedly in an usage area of the container handling device.

17. A method for performing a container handling with a container security system, comprising:

in a container handling stage of the system, the system produces using an oscillation device a mechanical oscillation directed onto a container and contents, during oscillation produced in the container handling stage,

the system creates for the container, on the basis of signals received from sensors, its own container-specific code based on forces, oscillation forces and variations in force, and compares this to a code retrieved from a database of the system.

18. A method according to the claim 17, wherein the system compares the said codes in the electronics unit.

19. A method according to the claim 17, wherein the comparison seeks to find a so-called virtual resonance between two moments of comparison, and wherein by the resonance it is meant that the same container oscillates in the same manner at both moments of comparison.

20. A method according to the claim 17, wherein a result of the comparison is an indication that inside above said container is a stowaway;

or an indication of deviation from the contents declared in advance in the freight information;

or an indication that the condition of the container contents according to freight information or the condition of the container has changed;

or indication of correct freight contents and safe condition of the container.

21. A method according to the claim 17, wherein in the handling stage the handled container and its contents are inspected as well as secured with codes for the next handling stage.

22. A method according to the claim 17, wherein the system performs the same kind of container handling method in the container handling stage ending the logistics chain on an unloaded, empty container and creates for the container, on basis of signals received from the sensors, its own container-specific code based on forces, oscillation forces and variations in force and compares this to the code for the empty container retrieved from the database of the system.

23. A method according to the claim 17, wherein the system is arranged to monitor indications based on the container codes, container handling stages, container inspection results and progress of the container.