Wireless control of electronic door locking devices for trailers

• US 5,640,139 A
• Filed: 09/14/1995
• Issued: 06/17/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
• Inventors: Egeberg, Gerald W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trieu, Van T.
• Application Number:
  US08/527,997
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/426, 340/539, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/990, 340/993, 340/996, 340/988, 340/438, 379/57, 379/58, 379/59, 379/63, 343/700 MS, 343/727, 343/728, 180/287, 342/357, 342/457, 307/10.2
• US Class Current: 340/426.19
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1001 Alarm systems associated with another car fitting or mechanism, e.g. door lock or knob, pedals features related to the general power supply B60R25/1018
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner

Abstract

A system for preventing theft of cargo from a cargo area of a truck is disclosed. The system includes a lock for locking shut a door to the cargo area of the truck when the lock is engaged. The lock allows the door to the cargo area to be opened when the lock is disengaged. A receiver receives a signal from a remote location. The lock is controlled in response to the signal received from the remote location such that the lock is disengaged when the signal received from the remote location is indicative of predetermined information.

Claims

1. A system for preventing theft of cargo from a cargo area of a truck, the system comprising:

a lock for locking shut a door to the cargo area when the lock is engaged, the lock allowing the door to the cargo area to be opened when the lock is disengaged;

means for receiving a signal transmitted from a remote location;

means for controlling the lock in response to the signal received from the remote location such that the lock is disengaged when the signal received from the remote location is indicative of predetermined information, the means for controlling the lock being coupled to the means for receiving a signal from the remote location and being coupled to the lock;

wherein the means for receiving the signal from a remote location includes a first satellite transceiver for receiving a signal from a first satellite;

wherein the first Satellite is a communications satellite and wherein the signal received from the first satellite corresponds to a signal originating from a control center, the predetermined information including a code that allows the means for controlling the lock to disengage the lock; and

means for receiving a signal from a second satellite, the second satellite being a GPS satellite, a position of the truck being determined as a function of the signal received from the second satellite, wherein the means for controlling the lock in response to the signal received from the first satellite further controls the lock such that the lock is disengaged when both the signal received from the first satellite is indicative of predetermined information and the determined position of the truck is substantially the same as a predetermined desired position of the truck.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first satellite is a GPS satellite and wherein the means for receiving a signal from the first satellite includes a GPS receiver, the predetermined information being indicative of the truck being positioned at a predetermined location.

3. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

means for detecting tampering with the lock; and

an alarm coupled to the means for detecting tampering with the lock, the alarm providing a warning if tampering with the lock is detected.

4. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

means for detecting tampering with the lock; and

means for transmitting a signal to a remote location to provide notification to persons at the remote location of tampering with the lock.