Characterizing a cargo container

• US 7,095,326 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2003
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leidos, Inc. (Leidos Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Science Applications International Corporation
• Inventors: Hicks, William Leslie, Cornelius, Wayne D., Young, Phillip E.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US10/430,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20040222888A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.2, 340/572.4, 340/572.5, 340/572.8, 340/571, 340/568.1, 340/825.49, 340/5.1, 342/42, 342/124, 342/127, 324/633
• US Class Current: 340/572.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0724 the arrangement being a circuit for communicating at a plurality of frequencies, e.g. for managing time multiplexed communication over at least two antennas of different types
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

Characterizing a cargo container and its contents. A system comprising an emitter to emit radio frequency (RF) energy, a receiver to receive an RF response related to the energy, and a processor operative to compare a plurality of RF responses. A method for characterizing a cargo container and its contents, the method including providing a system as described above, via the system: emitting a RF energy within a container, receiving an RF response of the container and the container contents, emitting a second RF energy within a container, receiving a second RF response of the container and the container contents, and comparing the second RF response with the first RF response.

Claims

1. A system for characterizing a cargo container and any contents thereof, the system comprising:

at least one emitter operative to emit at least a first radio frequency (RF) energy and second RF energy into an interior of the cargo container,

at least one receiver operative to receive at least;

a first RF response;

related to the first RF energy, and

characteristic of the container and any contents thereof at the time of emission of the first RF energy; and

a second RF response;

related to the second RF energy, and

characteristic of the container and any contents thereof at the time of emission of the second RF energy, and

at least one processor operative to compare a plurality of RF responses.

2. A system for characterizing a cargo container and any contents thereof, the system comprising:

means to emit at least a first radio frequency (RF) energy and a second RF energy into an interior of a cargo container,

means to receive at least;

a first RF response;

related to the first RF energy, and

characteristic of the container and any contents thereof at the time of emission if the first RF energy and

a second RF response;

related to the second RF energy, and

characteristic of the container and any contents thereof at the time of emission if the first RF energy, and

means to compare a plurality of RF responses.

3. A method for characterizing a cargo container and any contents thereof, the method comprising:

providing a system comprising;

at least one emitter operative to emit at least a first radio frequency (RF) energy and second RF energy,

at least one receiver operative to receive at least a first RF response related to the first RF energy and a second RF response relate to the second RF energy, and

at least one processor operative to compare a plurality of RF responses; and

via the system;

emitting the first RF energy within the container;

receiving the first RF response of the container and any contents thereof to the first RF energy,

emitting the second RF energy within the container,

receiving the second RF response of the container and any contents thereof to the second RF energy, and

comparing the second RF response with the first RF response.

4. A method for characterizing a cargo container and any contents thereof, the method comprising:

providing a system comprising;

means to emit at least a first radio frequency (RF) energy and a second RF energy,

means to receive at least a first RF response related to the first RF energy and a second RF response relegated to the second RF energy, and

means to compare a plurality of RF responses; and

via the system;

emitting the first RF energy within the container,

receiving the first RF response of the container and any contents thereof to the first RF energy,

emitting the second RF energy within the container,

receiving the second RF response of the container and any contents thereof to the second RF energy, and

comparing the second RF response with the first RF response.

5. A method for detecting changes in at least one of the composition and distribution of cargo within a cargo container, the method comprising:

providing a system comprising;

at least one emitter operative to emit at least a first radio frequency (RF) energy and second RF energy,

at least one receiver operative to receive at least a first RF response related to the first RF energy and a second RF response related to the second RF energy, and

at least one processor operative to compare a plurality of RF response; and

via the system;

emitting the first RF energy within the container,

receiving the first RF response of the container and the container contents to the first RF energy,

emitting the second RF energy within the container,

receiving the second RF response of the container and the container contents to the second RF energy, and

comparing the second RF responses with the first RF response.

6. A method for detecting changes in at least one of the composition and distribution or cargo within a cargo container, the method comprising:

providing a system comprising;

means to emit at least a first radio frequency (RF) energy and a second RF energy,

means to receive at least a first RF response related to the first RF energy and a second RF response related to the second RF energy, and

means to compare a plurality of RF responses; and

via the system;

emitting the first RF energy within the container,

receiving the first RF response of the container and the container contents to the first RF energy,

emitting the second RF energy within the container,

receiving the second RF response of the container and the container contents to the second RF energy, and

comparing the second RF response with the first RF response.

7. A method for characterizing a cargo container, the method comprising:

emitting a first RF energy within the container,

receiving a first RF responses of the container and the container contents to the first RF energy,

emitting a second RF energy within the container,

receiving a second RF responses of the container and the container contents to the second RF energy, and

comparing the second RF response with the first RF response.

8. A method for characterizing a cargo container the method comprising:

determining a first radio frequency (RF) resonant response of the interior of the container,

determining a second RF resonant response of the interior of the container, and

comparing the second RF response with the first RF response.

9. A method for detecting changes in at least one of the composition and distribution or cargo within a cargo container, the method comprising;

determining a first radio frequency (RF) resonant response of the interior of a container,

determining a second RF resonant response of the interior of a container, and

comparing the second RF response with the first RF response.

10. A cargo container comprising:

at least one emitter antenna;

located inside the container, and

operative to transmit radio frequency (RF) energy at frequencies above the lowest resonant frequencies of the empty container; and

at least one receiving antenna;

located inside the container, and

operative to receive resonant RF energy at frequencies above the lowest resonant frequencies of the empty container.

11. The cargo container of claim 10 wherein the at least one emitter antenna is accessible for energizing from outside the container.

12. The cargo container as in claim 10 wherein the at least one emitter antenna is associated with the container and the authorized contents of the container.

13. A method for detecting changes in at least one of the composition and distribution of cargo within a cargo container, the method comprising:

providing the cargo container;

comprising;

at least one emitter antenna, the emitter antenna;

located inside the container, and

operative to transmit radio frequency (RF) energy at frequencies above the lowest resonant frequencies of the empty container; and

at least one receive antenna;

located inside the container, and

operative to receive resonant RF energy at frequencies above the lowest resonant frequencies of the empty container; and

wherein a first radio frequency signature is associated with the container and the inspected contents of the container;

determining a second RF signature of the container and its contents; and

comparing the second RF signature with the first RF signature.

14. A method for detecting changes in at least one of the composition and distribution of cargo within a cargo container, the container having associated with it a first radio frequency (RF) signature of the container and its inspected contents, the method comprising:

determining a second RF signature of the container and its contents, and comparing the second RF signature with the first RF signature.