Method of controlling access to a movable container and to a compartment of a vehicle, and a secure cargo transportation system
First Claim
1. A method of controlling access to a movable container by a processor coupled to the movable container, the method comprising:
- electronically locking the container in response to a command from the processor;
storing a desired geographical location in a memory in response to a command from the processor;
comparing, in the processor, a present geographical location of the container and the desired geographical location; and
electronically unlocking the container in response to the processor determining, by comparing, that the present geographical location is within a predetermined distance from the desired geographical location.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of controlling access to a movable container, the method comprising controllably locking the container using an electronically actuated locking mechanism; storing in a memory a desired geographical location; determining the geographical location of the container; and enabling the locking mechanism to unlock the container if the determined geographical location matches the desired geographical location. A secure cargo transportation system comprises a vehicle including an enclosure having an opening; a door movable relative to the opening between a closed position, wherein the door restricts access to the enclosure, and an open position; an electronically actuable lock configured to selectively lock or unlock the door relative to the enclosure; a memory supported by the vehicle and configured to store a location coordinate; and a global positioning system supported by the vehicle and coupled to the memory and to the lock, and configured to enable the lock to unlock the door if the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the location coordinate.
-
Citations
47 Claims
-
1. A method of controlling access to a movable container by a processor coupled to the movable container, the method comprising:
-
electronically locking the container in response to a command from the processor;
storing a desired geographical location in a memory in response to a command from the processor;
comparing, in the processor, a present geographical location of the container and the desired geographical location; and
electronically unlocking the container in response to the processor determining, by comparing, that the present geographical location is within a predetermined distance from the desired geographical location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
electronically locking the container comprises locking the container using an electronically actuated locking mechanism in response to a command from the processor; and
comparing comprises determining the geographical location of the container using a global positioning system, wherein the global positioning system communicates with the locking mechanism via radio frequency to enable the locking mechanism to unlock the container in response to the processor determining, by comparing, that the determined geographical location matches the desired geographical location.
-
-
6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein:
-
electronically locking the container comprises locking the container using an electronically actuated locking mechanism in response to a command from the processor; and
comparing comprises determining the geographical location of the container using a global positioning system, wherein the global positioning system is electrically coupled to the locking mechanism.
-
-
7. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising receiving the desired geographical location via wireless communication.
-
8. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising receiving the desired geographical location via microwave.
-
9. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising receiving the desired geographical location via radio frequency.
-
10. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein storing comprises storing coordinates of at least three geographical points in the memory, and wherein electronically unlocking the container comprises:
-
unlocking the container using an electronically actuated locking mechanism in response to a command from the processor; and
enabling the locking mechanism to unlock the container in response to the processor determining, by comparing, that present geographical location falls within an area defined by the coordinates.
-
-
11. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein storing comprises:
-
storing data representing a point; and
storing data representing a radius, and wherein electronically unlocking the container comprises unlocking the container in response to comparing determining that the present geographical location matches the desired geographical location by falling within an area defined by the stored radius about the point.
-
-
12. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:
-
determining the present geographical location; and
repeating determining multiple times.
-
-
13. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:
-
determining the present geographical location; and
repeating determining periodically.
-
-
14. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising determining the present geographical location of the container after storing and before comparing.
-
15. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein electronically locking the container comprises electronically locking the container using an electronically actuated locking mechanism in response to a command from the processor.
-
16. A method of controlling access to a compartment of a vehicle, the method comprising:
-
employing an electronically actuated locking mechanism for locking the compartment;
receiving via wireless communications a specified geographical area;
storing the received geographical area in memory;
periodically determining a present geographical location of the vehicle using a global positioning system;
comparing respective determined geographical locations with the stored geographical area on-board the vehicle to ascertain whether the vehicle is within the stored geographical area; and
enabling, from on-board the vehicle, the electronically actuated locking mechanism to unlock the compartment in response to the processor determining, by comparing, that the vehicle is within the stored geographical area. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
-
19. A method of controlling access to a movable container, the method comprising:
-
electronically locking the container;
storing, in a memory, a plurality of geographical areas through which the container is to travel;
logging a present geographical location of the container at each of a plurality of different times; and
electronically unlocking the container in response to determining that the container passed through each of the stored plurality of geographical areas. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
determining that the container passed through each of the geographical areas in the defined order;
determining that the container is in the final destination geographical area; and
enabling a locking mechanism to unlock the container in response to determining that the container passed through each of the geographical areas in the defined order and in response to determining that the container is in the final destination geographical area.
-
-
22. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein electronically locking comprises using an electronically actuated locking mechanism to lock the container.
-
23. A method in accordance with claim 22, wherein electronically unlocking the container comprises enabling the locking mechanism to unlock if the container passed through each of the stored geographical areas.
-
24. A method of controlling access to a movable container, the method comprising:
-
using an electronically actuated locking mechanism to lock the container;
storing in memory data defining a desired path of travel through which it is desired that the container travel, and storing a geographical area defining desired final destination;
producing an alert signal if the vehicle deviates from the desired path of travel;
determining that the container is within the geographical area defining the desired final destination; and
enabling the locking mechanism to unlock the container in response to determining that the container is within the geographical area defining the desired final destination. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
producing a first alert signal in response to the container deviating from the desired path by a first measurable quantity; and
producing a second alert signal in response to the container deviating from the desired path by a second measurable quantity.
-
-
28. A secure cargo transportation system comprising:
-
a vehicle including an enclosure having an opening;
a door movable relative to the opening between a closed position, wherein the door restricts access to the enclosure, and an open position;
a memory supported by the vehicle and configured to store a location coordinate; and
an electronic position-determining system, supported by the vehicle and coupled to the memory and configured to electronically unlock the door in response to determining that the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the location coordinate. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
-
38. A secure cargo transportation system comprising:
-
a vehicle including an enclosure having an opening;
a door movable relative to the opening between a closed position, wherein the door restricts access to the enclosure, and an open position;
an electronic position-determining system, supported by the vehicle and including a memory configured to store a location coordinate, the electronic position-determining system being configured to selectively lock and unlock the door relative to the enclosure, and to unlock the door when the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the location coordinate; and
a wireless receiver supported by the vehicle and coupled to the memory and configured to transfer to the memory a location coordinate received from a transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42)
-
-
43. A secure cargo transportation system comprising:
-
a vehicle including an enclosure having an opening;
a door movable relative to the opening between a closed position, wherein the door restricts access to the enclosure, and an open position; and
a remote intelligent communications device including an electronic position-determining system, supported by the vehicle and coupled to the door, the remote intelligent communications device including a memory configured to store data representing a location, the remote intelligent communications device enabling unlocking of the door when the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the location coordinate, the remote intelligent communications device being configured to receive the data via wireless communications. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47)
-
Specification