Transport container and transport container managing system

• US 5,907,286 A
• Filed: 08/30/1995
• Issued: 05/25/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Kuma, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US08/521,425
• Time in Patent Office: 1,364 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.31, 340/825.32, 340/825.34, 340/988, 340/989, 340/568, 340/573, 235/379, 235/380, 235/382, 902/4, 902/5, 902/9, 902/27, 902/39, 70/63, 220/1.5
• US Class Current: 340/5.5
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5031 Receptacle

Abstract

A transport container and a transport container managing system are suitable for use for security management when valuable goods are transported by a transportation service. A transport container, which is closed in a condition that goods are housed therein and lock by the key mechanism upon transportation, has a key driving unit for switching a lock/unlock condition of the key mechanism by driving the key mechanism, a storage unit for storing, in advance, position information of a destination of the transportation where the key mechanism is unlocked, a position detecting unit for detecting a present position, a position collating unit for collating the position information of the destination of the transportation stored in the storage unit with present position information detected by the position detecting unit upon an operation to unlock the key mechanism to determine whether these two sorts of position information are in agreement or not, and an unlock directing unit for directing the key driving unit to unlock the key mechanism if the position collating unit determines that the position information of the destination of the transportation and the present position information are in agreement, thereby performing an unlocking operation under a specific condition so that the security of the transported goods may be improved.

Claims

1. A transport container closed in a condition where goods are housed therein and locked by a key mechanism upon transportation comprising:

a key driving means for switching a lock/unlock condition of said key mechanism by driving said key mechanism;

a storage means for storing in advance position information about a destination of the transportation where said key mechanism is unlocked;

a position detecting means for detecting a present position;

a position collating means for collating said position information about the destination of the transportation stored in said storage means with present position information detected by said position detecting means to determine whether these two position information are in agreement upon an operation to unlock said key mechanism; and

an unlock directing means for directing said key driving means to switch said key mechanism to the unlock condition if said position collating means determines that the position information about the destination of the transportation agrees with said present position information.

2. The transport container according to claim 1 further comprising:

a transmitting means for transmitting destination arrival information attached to said present position information, to a host apparatus if said position collating means determines that the position information about the destination of the transportation agrees with said present position information.

3. The transport container according to claim 1 further comprising:

an alarming means for generating an alarm if said position collating means determines that the position information about the destination of the transportation disagrees with said present position information.

4. The transport container according to claim 1 further comprising:

a transmitting means for transmitting alarm information to a host apparatus if said position collating means determines that the position information about the destination of the transportation disagrees with said present position information.

5. The transport container according to claim 1 further comprising:

a receiving means for receiving said position information about the destination of the transportation from a host apparatus before a start of the transportation;

said position information about the destination of the transportation from said host apparatus received by said receiving means is entered and stored in said storage means.

6. The transport container according to claim 1 further comprising:

a receiving means for receiving an unlock command giving a direction to unlock said key mechanism from a host apparatus upon an operation to unlock said key mechanism; and

an unlock command collating means for determining whether the unlock command from said host apparatus received by said receiving means is correct;

said unlock directing means directing said key driving means to switch said key mechanism to the unlock condition if said position collating means determines that said position information about the destination of the transportation agrees with said present position information and said unlock command collating means determines that said unlock command is correct.

7. The transport container according to claim 6 further comprising:

a transmitting means for transmitting abnormal information to said host apparatus if said unlock command collating means determines that said unlock command is incorrect.

8. The transport container according to claim 1 further comprising:

a receiving means for receiving password information for collation necessary when said key mechanism is unlocked from a host apparatus;

a password information input means for inputting password information for unlocking said key mechanism; and

a password information collating means for collating said password information for collation received by said receiving means with input password information input through said password information input means to determine whether these two password information are in agreement upon an operation to unlock said key mechanism;

said unlock directing means directing said key driving means to switch said key mechanism to the unlock condition if said position collating means determines that said position information about the destination of the transportation agrees with said present position information, and said password information collating means determines that said password information for collation agrees with said input password information.

9. The transport container according to claim 8 further comprising:

an alarming means for generating an alarm if said password information collating means determines that said password information for collation disagrees with said input password information.

10. The transport container according to claim 8 further comprising:

a transmitting means for transmitting alarm information to said host apparatus if said password information collating means determines that said password information for collation disagrees with said input password information.

11. The transport container according to claim 8, wherein said password information for collation is a specific password, and said password information input means is a pin pad operated to input the password as said input password information.

12. The transport container according to claim 8, wherein said password information for collation is a specific password, and said password information input means is a magnetic card reader for reading said password information as said input password information from a magnetic card in which said password information is stored in advance.

13. The transport container according to claim 8, wherein said password information for collation is a specific password, and said password information input means is an IC card reader for reading said password information as said input password information from an IC card in which said password information is stored in advance.

14. The transport container according to claim 8, wherein said password information for collation is fingerprint data of a specific unlocking operator who unlocks said key mechanism, and said password information input means is a fingerprint reading apparatus for reading a fingerprint of the unlocking operator as said input password information.

15. The transport container according to claim 8, wherein said password information for collating is fingerprint data of a specific unlocking operator who unlocks said key mechanism, and said password information input means is an IC card reader for reading said fingerprint data as said input password information from an IC card in which the fingerprint data of the unlocking operator is stored in advance.

16. The transport container according to claim 8, wherein said password information for collation is voice data of a specific unlocking operator who unlocks said key mechanism, and said password information input means is a voice input apparatus for picking up a voice of the unlocking operator as said input password information.

17. The transport container according to claim 8, wherein said password information for collation is voice data of a specific unlocking operator who unlocks said key mechanism, and said password information input means is an IC card reader for reading said voice data as said input password information from an IC card in which the voice data of the unlocking operator is stored in advance.

18. A transport container managing system having a transport container closed when goods are housed therein and locked by a key mechanism upon transportation and a host apparatus for managing said transport container comprising:

said transport container comprising;

a receiving means for receiving management information from said host apparatus;

a transmitting means for transmitting information about said transport container to said host apparatus;

a key driving means for switching a lock/unlock condition of said key mechanism by driving said key mechanism;

a storage means for storing, in advance, position information about a destination of said transport container where said key mechanism is unlocked;

a position detecting means for detecting a present position of said transport container;

a position collating means for collating said position information about the destination stored in said storage means with present position information detected by said position detecting means upon an operation to unlock said key mechanism to determine whether these two position information are in agreement;

an unlock directing means for directing said key driving means to switch said key mechanism to the unlock condition if said position collating means determines that said position information about the destination agrees with said present position information;

said host apparatus comprising;

a central storage means for storing management data for said transport container;

a transmitting means on a side of said host apparatus for transmitting management information for managing said transport container to said transport container; and

a receiving means on the side of said host apparatus for receiving information about said transport container from said transport container;

before transportation of said transport container starts, said transmitting means on the side of said host apparatus transmitting said position information about the destination stored as said management data in said central storage means to said transport container as said management information;

in said transport container, said position information about the destination received as said management information from said host apparatus by said receiving means being entered and stored in said storage means of said transport container;

in said transport container, said transmitting means transmitting destination arrival information, which is attached to said present position information, to said host apparatus upon an operation to unlock said key mechanism if said position collating means determines that said position information about the destination agrees with said present position information.

19. The transport container managing system according to claim 18, wherein said transport container further comprising:

an alarming means for generating an alarm if said position collating means determines that said position information about the destination of the transportation disagrees with said present position information.

20. The transport container managing system according to claim 18, wherein in said transport container, said transmitting means transmits alarm information to said host apparatus if said position collating means determines that said position information of the destination of the transportation disagrees with said present position information;

and

said host apparatus further comprises a reporting means for reporting an emergency to a department concerned therewith when said receiving means, on the side of said host apparatus, receives said alarm information from said transport container.

21. The transport container managing system according to claim 18, wherein said host apparatus further comprises a position collating means, on the side of said host apparatus, for collating said present position information, which is attached to said destination arrival information received from said transport container by said receiving means on the side of said host apparatus, with said position information about the destination stored as said management data in said central storage means to determine whether these two position information are in agreement;

if said position collating means on the side of said host apparatus determines that said present position information agrees with said position information about the destination, said transmitting means on the side of said host apparatus transmits an unlock command giving a direction to unlock said key mechanism of said transport container as said management information to said transport container;

said transport container further comprises an unlock command collating means for determining whether said unlock command received as said management information from said host apparatus by said receiving means on the side of said host apparatus is correct;

if said position collating means determines that said position information about the destination agrees with said present position information, and said unlock command collating means determines that said unlock command is correct, said unlock directing means directing said key driving means to unlock said key mechanism.

22. The transport container managing system according to claim 21, wherein in said transport container, if said unlock command collating means determines that said unlock command is incorrect, said transmitting means transmits abnormal information to said host apparatus;

said host apparatus further comprises a counting means for counting the number of times of receipt of said abnormal information from said transport container by said receiving means on the side of said host apparatus, a comparing means for comparing a counted value obtained by said counting means with a predetermined value, and a reporting means for reporting an emergency to a department concerned therewith if said comparing means determines that said counted value has reached said predetermined value;

if said comparing means determines that said counted value is below said predetermined value, said transmitting means on the side of said host apparatus transmits again the unlock command giving a direction to unlock said key mechanism as said management information to said transport container.

23. The transport container managing system according to claim 22, wherein in said host apparatus, if said comparing means determines that said counted value has reached said predetermined value, said transmitting means on the side of said host apparatus transmits an alarm command directing an alarming operation as said management information to said transport container;

said transport container further comprises an alarming means for generating an alarm if said receiving means receives said alarm command as said management information from said host apparatus.

24. The transport container managing system according to claim 18, wherein said host apparatus further comprises a position collating means, on the side of said host apparatus, for collating said present position information, which is attached to said destination arrival information received from said transport container by said receiving means on the side of said host apparatus, with said position information about the destination stored as said management data in said central storage means to determine whether these two position information are in agreement;

if said position collating means on the side of said host apparatus determines that said present position information agrees with said position information about the destination, said transmitting means on the side of said host apparatus transmits password information for collation necessary when said key mechanism of said transport container is unlocked as said management information to said transport container;

said transport container further comprises;

a password information input means for inputting password information for unlocking said key mechanism; and

a password information collating means for collating said password information for collation which is received as said management information from said host apparatus by said receiving means, with input password information input through said password information input means upon an operation to unlock said key mechanism to determine whether these two password information are in agreement;

if said position collating means determines that said position information about the destination agrees with said present position information and said password information collating means determines that said password information for collation agrees with said input password information, said unlock directing means directs said key driving means to switch said key mechanism to the unlock condition.

25. The transport container managing system according to claim 24, wherein said transport container further comprises an alarming means for generating an alarm if said password information collating means determines that said password information for collation disagrees with said input password information.

26. The transport container managing system according to claim 25, wherein in said transport container, if said password information collating means determines that said password information for collation disagrees with said input password information, said transmitting means transmits abnormal information to said host apparatus;

said host apparatus further comprises a reporting means for reporting an emergency to a department concerned therewith when said receiving means on the side of said host apparatus receives said alarm information from said transport container.

33. The transport container managing system according to claim 18, wherein said transmitting means on the side of said host apparatus transmits, on occasion, a position confirm command demanding a transmission of position information about said transport container during transportation as said management information to said transport container;

in said transport container, when said receiving means receives said position confirm command as said management information, said transmitting means transmits present position information about said transport container during transportation which is detected by said position detecting means to said host apparatus.

35. The transport container managing system according to claim 24 further comprising an alarming means for generating an alarm if said password information collating means determines that said password information for collation disagrees with said input password information.

37. The transport container managing system according to claim 24 further comprising a transmitting means for transmitting alarm information to said host apparatus if said password information collating means determines that said password information for collation disagrees with said input password information.

39. The transport container managing system according to claim 24, wherein said password information for collation is a specific password;

and

said password information input means is a pin pad operated to input the password as said input password information.

41. The transport container managing system according to claim 24 wherein said password information for collation is a specific password, and said password information input means is a magnetic card reader for reading said password information as said input password information from a magnetic card in which said password information is stored in advance.

43. The transport container managing system according to claim 24, wherein said password information for collation is a specific password, and said password information input means is an IC card reader for reading said password information as said input password information from an IC card in which said password information is stored in advance.

45. The transport container managing system according to claim 24, wherein said password information for collation is fingerprint data of a specific unlocking operator who unlocks said key mechanism, and said password information input means is a fingerprint reading apparatus for reading a fingerprint of the unlocking operator as said input password information.

47. The transport container managing system according to claim 24, wherein said password information for collating is fingerprint data of a specific unlocking operator who unlocks said key mechanism, and said password information input means is an IC card reader for reading said fingerprint data as said input password information from an IC card in which the fingerprint data of the unlocking operator is stored in advance.

49. The transport container managing system according to claim 24, wherein said password information for collation is voice data of a specific unlocking operator who unlocks said key mechanism, and said password information input means is a voice input apparatus for picking up a voice of the unlocking operator as said input password information.

51. The transport container managing system according to claim 24, wherein said password information for collation is voice data of a specific unlocking operator who unlocks said key mechanism, and said password information input means is an IC card reader for reading said voice data as said input password information from an IC card in which the voice data of the unlocking operator is stored in advance.

27. A transport container managing system having a transport container closed when goods are housed therein and locked by a key mechanism upon transportation and a host apparatus for managing said transport container comprising:

said transport container comprising;

a receiving means for receiving management information from said host apparatus;

a transmitting means for transmitting information about said transport container to said host apparatus;

a key driving means for switching a lock/unlock condition of said key mechanism by driving said key mechanism;

a position detecting means for detecting a present position of said transport container;

an unlock command collating means for determining whether an unlock command is correct when said receiving means receives the unlock command giving a direction to unlock said key mechanism from said host apparatus;

an unlock directing means for directing said key driving means to switch said key mechanism to the unlock condition if said unlock command collating means determines that said unlock command is correct;

when said transport container arrives at a destination, said transmitting means transmitting destination arrival information which is attached to said present position information detected by said position detecting means, to said host apparatus;

said host apparatus comprising;

a central storage means for storing management data about said transport container;

a transmitting means on the side of said host apparatus for transmitting management information for managing said transport container to said transport container;

a receiving means on the side of said host apparatus for receiving information about said transport container from said transport container; and

a position collating means on the side of said host apparatus for collating said present position information which is attached to said destination arrival information received from said transport container by said receiving means on the side of said host apparatus, with said position information about the destination stored as said management data in said central storage means to determine whether these two position information are in agreement;

if said position collating means on the side of said host apparatus determines that said present position information agrees with said position information about the destination, said transmitting means on the side of said host apparatus transmitting an unlock command giving a direction to unlock said key mechanism of said transport container as said management information to said transport container.

28. The transport container system according to claim 27, wherein in said transport container, if said unlock command collating means determines that said unlock command is incorrect, said transmitting means transmits abnormal information to said host apparatus;

said host apparatus further comprises a counting means for counting a number of times of receipt of said abnormal information from said transport container by said receiving means on the side of said host apparatus, a comparing means for comparing a counted value obtained by said counting means with a predetermined value, and a reporting means for reporting an emergency to a department concerned therewith if said comparing means determines that said counted value has reached said predetermined value;

if said comparing means determines that said counted value is below said predetermined value, said transmitting means on the side of said host apparatus transmits again the unlock command giving a direction to unlock said key mechanism as said management information to said transport container.

29. The transport container managing system according to claim 28, wherein in said host apparatus, if said comparing means determines that said counted value has reached said predetermined value, said transmitting means on the side of said host apparatus transmits an alarm command directing an alarming operation as said management information to said transport container;

said transport container further comprises an alarming means for generating an alarm if said receiving means receives said alarm command as said management information from said host apparatus.

34. The transport container managing system according to claim 27, wherein said transmitting means on the side of said host apparatus transmits, on occasion, a position confirm command demanding a transmission of position information about said transport container during transportation as said management information to said transport container;

in said transport container, when said receiving means receives said position confirm command as said management information, said transmitting means transmits present position information about said transport container during transportation which is detected by said position detecting means to said host apparatus.

30. A transport container managing system having a transport container closed when goods are housed therein and locked by a key mechanism upon transportation and a host apparatus for managing said transport container comprising:

said transport container comprising;

a receiving means for receiving management information from said host apparatus;

transmitting means for transmitting information about said transport container to said host apparatus;

a key driving means for switching a lock/unlock condition of said key mechanism by driving said key mechanism;

a position detecting means for detecting a present position of said transport container;

a password information input means for inputting password information for unlocking said key mechanism;

a password information collating means for collating password information for collation with input password information input from said password information input means when said receiving means receives said password information for collation necessary when said key mechanism is unlocked from said host apparatus to determine whether these two password information are in agreement;

an unlock directing means for directing said key driving means to switch said key mechanism to the unlock condition if said password information collating means determines that said password information for collation agrees with said input password information;

when said transport container arrives at a destination, said transmitting means transmitting destination arrival information, which is attached to said present position information detected by said position detecting means, to said host apparatus;

said host apparatus comprising;

a central storage unit for storing management data about said transport container;

a transmitting means on the side of said host apparatus for transmitting management information for managing said transport container to said transport container;

a receiving means on the side of said host apparatus for receiving information about said transport container from said transport container; and

a position collating means on the side of said host apparatus for collating said present position information, which is attached to said destination arrival information which is received from said transport container by said receiving means on the side of said host apparatus, with said position information about the destination stored as the management data in said central storage means to determine whether these two position information are in agreement;

if said position collating means on the side of said host apparatus determines that said present position information agrees with said position information about the destination, said transmitting means on the side of said host apparatus transmitting password information for collation necessary when said key mechanism of said transport container is unlocked as said management information to said transport container.

31. The transport container managing system according to claim 30, wherein said transport container further comprises an alarming means for generating an alarm if said password information collating means determines that said password information for collation disagrees with said input password information.

32. The transport container managing system according to claim 31, wherein in said transport container, if said password information collating means determines that said password information for collation disagrees with said input password information, said transmitting means transmits abnormal information to said host apparatus;

said host apparatus further comprises a reporting means for reporting an emergency to a department concerned therewith when said receiving means on the side of said host apparatus receives said alarm information from said transport container.

36. The transport container managing system according to claim 30 further comprising an alarming means for generating an alarm if said password information collating means determines that said password information for collation disagrees with said input password information.

38. The transport container managing system according to claim 30 further comprising a transmitting means for transmitting alarm information to said host apparatus if said password information collating means determines that said password information for collation disagrees with said input password information.

40. The transport container managing system according to claim 30, wherein said password information for collation is a specific password;

and

said password information input means is a pin pad operated to input the password as said input password information.

42. The transport container managing system according to claim 30, wherein said password information for collation is a specific password, and said password information input means is a magnetic card reader for reading said password information as said input password information from a magnetic card in which said password information is stored in advance.

44. The transport container managing system according to claim 30, wherein said password information for collation is a specific password, and said password information input means is an IC card reader for reading said password information as said input password information from an IC card in which said password information is stored in advance.

46. The transport container managing system according to claim 30, wherein said password information for collation is fingerprint data of a specific unlocking operator who unlocks said key mechanism, and said password information input means is a fingerprint reading apparatus for reading a fingerprint of the unlocking operator as said input password information.

48. The transport container managing system according to claim 30, wherein said password information for collating is fingerprint data of a specific unlocking operator who unlocks said key mechanism, and said password information input means is an IC card reader for reading said fingerprint data as said input password information from an IC card in which the fingerprint data of the unlocking operator is stored in advance.

50. The transport container managing system according to claim 30, wherein said password information for collation is voice data of a specific unlocking operator who unlocks said key mechanism, and said password information input means is a voice input apparatus for picking up a voice of the unlocking operator as said input password information.

52. The transport container managing system according to claim 30, wherein said password information for collation is voice data of a specific unlocking operator who unlocks said key mechanism, and said password information input means is an IC card reader for reading said voice data as said input password information from an IC card in which the voice data of the unlocking operator is stored in advance.

53. A transport container closed when goods are housed therein and locked by a key mechanism upon transportation comprising:

a key driving means for switching a lock/unlock condition of said key mechanism by driving said key mechanism;

a position detecting means for detecting a present position;

a transmitting means for transmitting present position information detected by said position detecting means to a host apparatus;

a receiving means for receiving an unlock command giving a direction to unlock said key mechanism from said host apparatus after said host apparatus confirms that said transport container is at a position of a destination on the basis of the present position information transmitted from said transmitting means upon an operation to unlock said key mechanism;

an unlock command collating means for determining whether the unlock command from said host apparatus received by said receiving means is correct; and

an unlock directing means for directing said key driving means to switch said key mechanism to an unlock condition if said unlock command collating means determines that said unlock command is correct.

54. A transport container closed when goods are housed therein and locked by a key mechanism upon transportation comprising:

a key driving means for switching a lock/unlock condition of said key mechanism by driving said key mechanism;

a position detecting means for detecting a present position;

a transmitting means for transmitting present position information detected by said position detecting means to a host apparatus;

a receiving means for receiving password information for collation necessary when said key mechanism is unlocked from said host apparatus after said host apparatus confirms that said transport container is at a position of a destination on the basis of the present position information transmitted from said transmitting means;

a password information input means for inputting password information for unlocking said key mechanism;

a password information collating means for collating said password information for collation received by said receiving means with said input password information input through said password information input means upon an operation to unlock said key mechanism to determine whether these two password information are in agreement; and

an unlock directing means for directing said key driving means to switch said key mechanism to the unlock condition if said password information collating means determines that said password information for collation agrees with said input password information.

55. A transport container closed in a condition where goods are housed therein and locked by a key mechanism upon transportation comprising:

a storage means for storing, in advance, position information about a destination of the transport container where said key mechanism is unlocked;

a position detecting means for detecting a present position;

a position collating means for collating said position information, about the destination of the transport container which is stored in said storage means, with present position information detected by said position detecting means to determine whether these two position information are in agreement upon an operation to unlock said key mechanism; and

an alarming means for generating an alarm if said position collating means determines that the position information about the destination of the transport container disagrees with said present position Information.