State surveillance system and method for an object and the adjacent space, and a surveillance system for freight containers

• US 6,879,257 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2002
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Nakamura, Akihiko, Hisano, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US10/200,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20030164763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.2, 340/572.1, 340/539.1, 340/825.49, 340/539.23, 340/539.36, 340/540, 235/437, 235/337, 235/491, 235/435, 235/438, 235/375, 709220-224, 370/254
• US Class Current: 340/568.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/181 using active radiation detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/24 by interference with electromagnetic field distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2491 Intrusion detection systems, i.e. where the body of an intruder causes the interference with the electromagnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range

Abstract

The objective of the present invention is to detect, using a universal method, any “movement” inside of the object being monitored, while maintaining the security of a container. The movement inside of the object to be monitored includes 1) a human movement when a human enters into a container to be monitored, 2) a movement to bring a foreign article in, 3) a movement to take cargo out. To achieve the objective, this invention uses the concept of a so-called “inside-seal”. In actual configuration, a plurality of communication units (communication nodes) are installed on the walls of the container. These communication units have a predetermined powered communication capability and form a communication network communicating with each other. A communication status between each node and all of the other nodes provided in the network, and a network graph matrix is generated which defines the nodal relationship between the nodes. Since the matrix is determined not only by the property of the object to be monitored, but also by the spatial condition within the container, it is possible to detect even a small change in the space. According to the first preferred embodiment, each node transmits a low power electric wave which can reach only neighboring nodes, and each node can transmit data to remote nodes only by relaying the data to the neighboring nodes. The relaying counts (HOP counts) of each node to communicate with all of the other nodes are obtained, and based on these relaying counts, a network graph matrix is generated which defines the relaying counts to communicate between all nodes. According to the second preferred embodiment, each node transmits UWB waves to all of the other nodes, which can reach to all of the other nodes, and the distances between all the nodes are measured and a network graph matrix between all the nodes is generated.

Claims

1. A status surveillance system to survey a movement of an object to be surveyed and a spatial status in the proximate space of said object by a network structure information which is generated by assembling a plurality of communication link statuses, said network being configured by a plurality of wireless communication nodes which are attached to said object to be surveyed,

wherein said wireless communication node comprises:

1) a data communication means to communicate transmission data to other wireless communication nodes; and

2) a link status detecting means to detect and memorize a link status with other wireless communication nodes,

wherein said link status detecting means detects a relay count to relay a message between said wireless communication nodes, or a characteristic value to be generated based on said relay count.

2. The status surveillance system according to claim 1,

wherein said network structure information is generated from a totality or a portion of a network graph matrix.

3. The status surveillance system according to claim 1,

wherein said network structure information is generated from a totality or a portion of a network graph matrix in which the non-functioning or fallen down nodes were extracted.

4. The status surveillance system according to claim 1, wherein said object to be surveyed is an object having an inner space which is accessible through a door or a window, and said wireless communication nodes are attached inside surface of said inner space for monitoring said object from the inside.

5. The status surveillance system claim 4, wherein a communication between said inner space on which said communication nodes are installed and an outer space is performed via an electro magnetic type communication device which is used during said inner space is closed.

6. The status surveillance system according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor device provided in each communication node to detect the local status of a neighboring space around said communication node, wherein said status surveillance system judges there is an abnormality in said object if said sensor device outputs an abnormal local status signal.

7. The status surveillance system according to claim 6, wherein said sensor device is a vibration sensor to detect a vibration of said object to be surveyed, a temperature sensor to detect the temperature of said object, or an invasion detecting sensor to detect an invasion from outside of said object.

8. A status surveillance system to survey the inside status of a container during a transportation, comprising;

a communication network comprising a plurality of communication nodes which hare installed randomly or regularly in said container;

a network structure information generating means to generate a network structure information from a characteristic distribution information of said plurality of communication nodes;

an initial network structure information recording means to record an initial network structure information of said container to be surveyed, which is generated by said network structure information generating means;

a monitoring network structure information recording means to record a monitoring network structure information of said container to be surveyed, which is generated by said network structure information generating means in a predetermined time interval;

a comparison means to compare said initial network structure information recorded in said initial network structure information recording means and said monitoring network structure information recorded in said monitoring network structure information recording means, and output a comparison result; and

a surveillance center to receive said comparison result from said comparison means, wherein, if said comparison result from said comparison means has more than a predetermined deviation, then said surveillance center sends a warning signal to an unloading crane to handle said container with special attention.

9. The status surveillance system according to claim 8, wherein, if said comparison result from said comparison means has more than a predetermined deviation, then said surveillance center sets an automatically generated electronic locking software or data to be an electronic lock system provided on said container, and said surveillance center sends a corresponding password via a separate safe route.

10. A status surveillance method to survey the inside status of a container during a transportation, comprising the steps of:

installing a communication network comprising a plurality of communication nodes which are installed randomly or regularly in said container;

generating an initial network structure information from a characteristic distribution information of said plurality of communication nodes at the time of shipping, and recording said initial network structure information;

recording a monitoring network structure information of an inner space or an object to be monitored installed in said inner space in a predetermined time interval after the container has shipped out;

comparing said initial network structure information and said monitoring network structure information, and outputting a comparison result; and

sending a warning signal to an unloading crane to handle said container with special attention if said comparison result has more than a predetermined deviation.

11. A status surveillance system to survey a movement of an object to be surveyed and a spatial status in the proximate space of said object by a network structure information which is generated by assemblina a plurality of communication link statuses, said network being configured by a plurality of wireless communication nodes which are attached to said object to be surveyed, said status surveillance system further comprising a transmitting means to transmit said network structure information generated at a predetermined time to a surveying center located at a remote location from said object, said network structure information being used as an ID information of said object to be surveyed,

wherein said wireless communication node comprises:

1) a data communication means to communicate transmission data to other wireless communication nodes; and

2) a link status detecting means to detect and memorize a link status with other wireless communication nodes,

wherein said link status detecting means detects the nodal distances between said wireless communication nodes.

14. The status surveillance system according to claim 11, further comprising an information transmitting means to transmit an initial network structure information of said object and a monitoring network structure information at a predetermined time interval, which are generated by a network structure information generating means, to a surveillance center which is located at a remote location from said object to be surveyed.

15. The status surveillance system according to claim 14, wherein, when a deviation resulting from said comparison between said initial network structure information and said monitoring network structure information is more than a predetermined value, or said comparison itself is not possible to execute, or a communication with other communication nodes is not possible, then said status surveillance system judges there is an abnormality in said object to be surveyed, and deletes said network structure information recorded in each node if said network structure information is already recorded in said surveillance center.

16. The status surveillance system according to claim 11, wherein said link status detecting means detects a relay count to relay a message between said wireless communication nodes, or a characteristic value to be generated based on said relay count.

17. The status surveillance system according to claim 11,

wherein said network structure information is generated from a totality or a portion of a network graph matrix.

18. The status surveillance system according to claim 11, wherein said network structure information is generated from a totality or a portion of a network graph matrix in which the non-functioning or fallen down nodes were extracted.

19. The status surveillance system according to claim 11, further comprising a sensor device provided in each communication node to detect the local status of a neighboring space around said communication node, wherein said status surveillance system judges there is an abnormality in said object if said sensor device outputs an abnormal local status signal.

12. The status surveillance system according to clam 11, further comprising:

an initial network structure information recording means to record an initial network structure information of said object to be surveyed, said initial network structure information being assembled by a network structure information assembling means;

a monitoring network structure information recording means to record a monitoring network structure information of said object to be surveyed in a predetermined time interval, said monitoring network structure information being assembled by said network structure information assembling means; and

a comparing means to compare said initial network structure information with said monitoring network structure information, and output the comparison result.

13. The status surveillance system according to claim 12, wherein, when a deviation resulting from said comparison between said initial network structure information and said monitoring network structure information is more than a predetermined value, or said comparison itself is not possible to execute, or a communication with other communication nodes is not possible, then said status surveillance system judges there is an abnormality in said object to be surveyed, and deletes said network structure information recorded in each communication node.