Smart and secure container

• US 7,002,472 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2003
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Stratmoen, Scott Alan, Moore, Thomas G., Urbanski, Gary M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Jr., Thomas J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US10/412,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20040041706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.26, 340/539.1, 340/539.22, 340/568.1, 340/571.3, 340/438, 340/825.49, 340/573.1, 340/539.13, 340/568.6
• US Class Current: 340/539.26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 31/00 Predictive alarm systems characterised by extrapolation or other computation using updated historic data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A smart container configured for transporting cargo on a transportation vehicle and a method for transporting the smart container on the transportation vehicle are disclosed. The smart container includes a container housing that has an opening for loading and unloading cargo. The opening can be sealed and unsealed. Disposed within the container housing is at least one detector for detecting deviations that could be indicative of possible threats (security concerns). A communications link is also disposed within the container housing. The communications link is capable of transmitting the possible threat information to a central cargo data collection location. For example, the container(s) on a transportation vehicle (e.g., a ship) transport information about the container to a central data collector onboard the ship. The central data collector may then transmit that information off of the ship, e.g., to a C4ISR grid.

Claims

1. A method of transporting cargo in a container via a transportation vehicle to a destination point, the method comprising:

(a) loading the cargo in the container, the container including at least one container security detector for monitoring container security;

(b) electronically sealing the container;

(c) loading the container on the transportation vehicle;

(d) transporting the cargo via the transportation vehicle;

(e) continuously monitoring container security during transit using the at least one container security detector;

(f) evaluating container security risk based on data collected while monitoring container security;

(g) if the container security risk is high, taking corrective action; and

(h) if the container security risk is not high;

(i) proceeding to the destination point; and

(ii) electronically unsealing the smart container.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the corrective action taken when the container security risk is high comprises not proceeding to the destination point.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein evaluating container security risk comprises determining if there was a volumetric change in container contents.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein evaluating container security risk comprises determining if there was breach of the container.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein evaluating container security risk comprises determining if the container contains a material having a radioactive isotope.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein evaluating container security risk comprises determining if there was a route deviation.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising logging container events.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating with at least one other smart container.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating with the transportation vehicle via a central communications link.

10. A smart and secure container for storing cargo having an opening capable of being sealed and unsealed, the smart container comprising:

a container security system for detecting deviations from secure conditions within the container;

a power source; and

at least one wireless communications device for communicating information representative of detected deviations to a monitoring station;

wherein the container security system includes;

a door open/close detection device;

a GPS based route verification feature;

a intrusion detection device;

a motion detection device;

a volumetric change detection device; and

a weapons of mass destruction (WMD) detection feature.

11. The smart container according to claim 10, further including a logging device for storing information from the container security system.

12. The smart container according to claim 10, wherein the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) detection feature includes,

a nuclear material sensing feature;

a biological material sensing feature; and

a chemical sensing feature.

13. The smart device according to claim 10, wherein the volumetric change detection device includes a cargo profiling feature including,

a sensor mounted inside the container housing which maps a profile of the cargo and detects changes from the mapped profile;

and

a plurality of mass strain sensors on the container housing which detect changes in the container housing.

14. The smart device according to claim 10, wherein the volumetric change detection feature includes a reverberation measuring device which takes periodic architectural acoustical measurements characterizing reverberation in the container housing to detect changes in at least one of volume and weight.

15. The smart device according to claim 10, wherein the intrusion detection device includes,

a plurality of accelerometers mounted to the container housing which detect at least one of cutting and opening the container housing via passive vibration;

and

a plurality of strain sensors mounted to the container which detect changes in the container housing structure.

16. The smart device according to claim 10, wherein the GPS based route verification feature compares current location information to planned route information.

17. The smart device according to claim 10, wherein the power source includes,

container battery;

and

rechargeable power source.

18. The smart device according to claim 17, wherein the rechargeable power source is a photovoltaic cell.

19. The smart device according to claim 10, wherein the at least one wireless communication device includes an intra-container and container/interrogator link adapted to communicate with a multi-hop RF network.

20. A smart and secure container for storing cargo having an opening capable of being sealed and unsealed, the smart container comprising:

a container security system for detecting deviations from secure conditions within the container;

a power source;

at least one wireless communications device for communicating information representative of detected deviations to a monitoring station; and

a logging device for storing information from the container security system;

wherein the logging device stores a date and time of significant events, including,

GPS location;

door seal/unseal events;

container volumetric signatures; and

tamper detection events.

21. The smart container according to claim 20 wherein the container security system detects unauthorized opening of the container during transit of the container.

22. The smart container according to claim 20 wherein the container security system detects unauthorized opening of the container, other then opening of the container door during transit of the container.

23. The smart container according to claim 20, wherein GPS location logging occurs when the container is sealed/unsealed and periodically during transit.

24. The smart container according to claim 20, wherein the door seal/unseal events logging events include a biometric identification of an individual sealing/unsealing the container.

25. The smart container according to claim 20, wherein container volumetric signatures are logged whenever the container is sealed/unsealed and periodically during transit.

26. The smart container according to claim 20, further including an electronic seal device.

27. A smart and secure container for storing cargo having an opening capable of being sealed and unsealed, the smart container comprising:

a container security system for detecting deviations from secure conditions within the container;

a power source;

at least one wireless communications device for communicating information representative of detected deviations to a monitoring station; and

an electronic seal device, the electronic seal device including,

a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag;

a tamper detection feature; and

a record of manifest feature including,

a description of the container contents;

a destination; and

a planned route for the container.

28. The smart container according to claim 27, the description of the container contents including,

type of materials stowed in the container;

weight of contents; and

volume of contents.

29. The smart container according to claim 27, wherein the container housing is a retrofitted container housing.

30. A communications and data information network for interdicting a hostile threat within a shipping container, the network comprising:

at least one smart and secure container having a wireless communications link for receiving and transmitting security information representing security of contents within the container;

a communications and data information network grid including at least one vehicle for transporting the at least one smart container, the at least one vehicle having a wireless communications link; and

a central station having a wireless communications link in communication with the grid and the at least one smart container, the central station configured to interrogate the at least one smart container'"'"'s contents and verify security information;

wherein the communications and data information network grid is connectable to intel community databases, customs databases, federal/state/local law enforcement databases, under-vehicle inspection systems, license plate readers, vehicle-based sensor networks, port-based sensor networks, the at least one smart container, vehicle and port smart container interrogators, handheld interrogators, biometric readers, and smart card biometrics data storage.

31. A communications and data information network for interdicting a hostile threat within a shipping container, the network comprising:

at least one smart and secure container having a wireless communications link for receiving and transmitting security information representing security of contents within the container;

a communications and data information network grid including at least one vehicle for transporting the at least one smart container, the at least one vehicle having a wireless communications link;

a central station having a wireless communications link in communication with the grid and the at least one smart container, the central station configured to interrogate the at least one smart container'"'"'s contents and verify security information; and

at least one handheld interrogators to electronically seal and unseal the at least one smart container, and to update records of lading with respect to the container'"'"'s contents.

32. A communications and data information network for interdicting a hostile threat within a shipping container, the network comprising:

at least one smart and secure container having a wireless communications link for receiving and transmitting security information representing security of contents within the container;

a communications and data information network grid including at least one vehicle for transporting the at least one smart container, the at least one vehicle having a wireless communications link; and

a central station having a wireless communications link in communication with the grid and the at least one smart container, the central station configured to interrogate the at least one smart container'"'"'s contents and verify security information;

wherein the network is a multi-hop RF network utilizing an ad hoc network protocol.

33. A communications and data information network for interdicting a hostile threat within a shipping container, the network comprising:

at least one smart and secure container having a wireless communications link for receiving and transmitting security information representing security of contents within the container;

a communications and data information network grid including at least one vehicle for transporting the at least one smart container, the at least one vehicle having a wireless communications link; and

a central station having a wireless communications link in communication with the grid and the at least one smart container, the central station configured to interrogate the at least one smart container'"'"'s contents and verify security information;

wherein the at least one smart container is adapted to communicate directly with and send information to another smart container, and communicate directly with and send information to a central logging location on the at least one vehicle.

34. A smart container configured to transport cargo on a transportation vehicle, the smart container comprising:

(a) a container housing having an opening capable of being sealed and unsealed;

(b) at least one container security detector disposed within the container housing, the at least one container security detector configured to detect deviations in the security of the container; and

(c) a communications link disposed within the container housing and in communication with the at least one container security detector, the communications link configured to receive container security deviation information from the at least one container security detector and to transmit the container security deviation information from the container to a central cargo data collection location;

(d) wherein the at least one container security detector comprises a breach detector configured to detect unauthorized container entry; and

(e) wherein the breach detector detects cutting of the container.

35. A smart container configured to transport cargo on a transportation vehicle, the smart container comprising:

(a) a container housing having an opening capable of being sealed and unsealed;

(b) at least one container security detector disposed within the container housing, the at least one container security detector configured to detect deviations in the security of the container; and

(c) a communications link disposed within the container housing and in communication with the at least one container security detector, the communications link configured to receive container security deviation information from the at least. one container security detector and to transmit the container security deviation information from the container to a central cargo data collection location;

(d) wherein the at least one container security detector comprises a breach detector configured to detect unauthorized container entry; and

(e) wherein the breach detector detects shell openings of the container.

36. A smart container configured to transport cargo on a transportation vehicle, the smart container comprising:

(a) a container housing having an opening capable of being sealed and unsealed;

(b) at least one cargo contents detector disposed within the container housing, the at least one cargo contents detector configured to detect deviations from known characteristics of the cargo; and

(c) a communications link disposed within the container housing and in communication with the at least one cargo contents detector, the communications link configured to receive cargo characteristic deviation information representative of an intrusion into the container housing from the at least one cargo contents detector and to transmit the cargo characteristic deviation information from the container to a central cargo data collection location;

(d) wherein the at least one cargo contents detector comprises a container volumetric change detector, the container volumetric change detector configured to detect a deviation from a known volume of the cargo; and

(e) wherein the container security system includes;

a door open/close detection device;

a GPS based route verification feature;

a intrusion detection device;

a motion detection device;

a volumetric change detection device; and

a weapons of mass destruction (WMD) detection feature.

37. The smart container according to claim 36, wherein the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) detection feature includes,

a nuclear material sensing feature;

a biological material sensing feature; and

a chemical sensing feature.

38. A smart container configured to transport cargo on a transportation vehicle, the smart container comprising:

(a) a container housing having an opening capable of being sealed and unsealed;

(b) at least one container security detector disposed within the container housing, the at least one container security detector configured to detect security deviation information representative of unauthorized access into the container; and

(c) a communications link disposed within the container housing and in communication with the at least one container security detector, the communications link configured to receive container security deviation information from the at least one container security detector and to transmit container security deviation information indicative of the unauthorized access into the container to a remote cargo data collection location;

(d) wherein the container security system includes;

a door open/close detection device;

a GPS based route verification feature;

a intrusion detection device;

a motion detection device;

a volumetric change detection device; and

a weapons of mass destruction (WMD) detection feature.

39. The smart container according to claim 38, wherein the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) detection feature includes,

a nuclear material sensing feature;

a biological material sensing feature; and

a chemical sensing feature.

40. A smart container configured to transport cargo on a transportation vehicle, the smart container comprising:

(a) a container housing having an opening capable of being sealed and unsealed;

(b) at least one route deviation detector disposed within the container housing, the at least one route deviation detector configured to detect deviations from a planned route of the transportation vehicle; and

(c) a communications link disposed within the container housing and in communication with the at least one route deviation detector, the communications link configured to receive route deviation information from the at least one route deviation detector and to transmit the route deviation information from the container to a central cargo data collection location;

(d) wherein the container security system includes;

a door open/close detection device;

a GPS based route verification feature;

a intrusion detection device;

a motion detection device;

a volumetric change detection device; and

a weapons of mass destruction (WMD) detection feature.

41. The smart container according to claim 40, wherein the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) detection feature includes,

a nuclear material sensing feature;

a biological material sensing feature; and

a chemical sensing feature.