System, methods and computer program products for monitoring transport containers

• US 7,154,390 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Specter, LLC
• Original Assignee: Powers International, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Philippus Lodewyk Jacobus, Van Rooyen, Vincent Rigardo, Giermanski, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V.
• Application Number:
  US10/500,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20050110635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 340/541, 340/545.1, 340/989, 340/825.49, 340/626, 340/992, 340/540, 340/577, 340/635, 340/636, 340/539.22, 340/550
• US Class Current: 340/539.22
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/00 Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for monitoring access to a transport container. The system includes a monitoring unit secured to the transport container and at least one sensor in operable communication with the monitoring unit. The sensor is structured to detect incidents of access to the transport container and to communicate data corresponding to the incidents to the monitoring unit. The system includes at data key configured to communicate with the monitoring unit. The data key is capable of being configured as an activation key and/or a deactivation key. The activation key is configured to activate the monitoring unit so that the monitoring unit begins to monitor access to the transport container. The deactivation key is configured to deactivate the monitoring unit. The monitoring unit is configured to communicate data corresponding to the access incidents to the deactivation key.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring access to a transport container, comprising:

a monitoring unit secured to the transport container;

at least one sensor in operable communication with said monitoring unit, said at least one sensor being structured to detect incidents of access to the transport container and to communicate data corresponding to the access incidents to said monitoring unit;

an interface unit being configured to communicate with said monitoring unit;

at least one activation key configured to communicate with said monitoring unit and being configured by said interface unit to activate said monitoring unit using an activation code so that said monitoring unit begins to monitor access to the transport container;

at least one deactivation key configured to communicate with said monitoring unit and being configured by said interface unit to deactivate said monitoring unit using a deactivation code; and

wherein said monitoring unit is configured to communicate data corresponding to the access incidents to said interface unit.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring unit comprises:

a controller, said controller being configured to communicate with said at least one sensor, said activation key and said deactivation key;

a power supply in operable communication with said controller;

a data repository in operable communication with said controller and being structured to store the data corresponding to access incidents;

a transmitter in operable communication with said controller, said transmitter being configured to communicate data corresponding to the access incidents to said interface unit; and

a receiver in operable communication with said controller, said receiver being configured to receive communications from said interface unit.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said interface unit is configured to communicate to said activation key an activation code and data corresponding to the contents of the transport container, and wherein said activation key is configured to communicate the activation code and data corresponding to the contents of the transport container to said monitoring unit.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the activation code comprises data corresponding to the operator of said interface unit communicating with said activation key.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said interface unit is configured to communicate to said deactivation key a deactivation code, and wherein said deactivation key is configured to communicate the deactivation code to said monitoring unit.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the deactivation code comprises data corresponding to the operator of said interface unit communicating with said deactivation key.

7. A system according to claim 5, wherein said monitoring unit is configured to communicate to said deactivation key the data corresponding to the contents of the transport container and the data corresponding to the access incidents.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said deactivation key is configured to communicate to said interface unit the data corresponding to the contents of the transport container and the data corresponding to the access incidents.

9. A system according to claim 7, wherein said monitoring unit is configured to communicate to said deactivation key data corresponding to the operator of said interface unit communicating with said activation key and data corresponding to the operator of said interface unit communicating with said deactivation key, and wherein said deactivation key is configured to communicate to said interface unit the data corresponding to the contents of the transport container, data corresponding to the access incidents, data corresponding to the operator of said interface unit communicating with said activation key, and data corresponding to the operator of said interface unit communicating with said deactivation key.

10. A system according to claim 1 wherein said monitoring unit is configured to communicate the data corresponding to the access incidents to said interface unit through wireless communication.

11. A system according to claim 1 wherein said monitoring unit is configured to communicate the data corresponding to the access incidents to said interface unit through low-earth orbiting satellite communication.

12. A system according to claim 1 wherein said interface unit comprises at least one programming unit and a second controller, said at least one programming unit being configured to communicate with said second controller.

13. A system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one sensor comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of an infrared motion sensor, an optical sensor, a temperature sensor, a sound sensor, a vibration sensor, a magnetic switch, and a radiation sensor.

14. A system for monitoring access to a transport container, comprising:

a monitoring unit secured to the transport container;

at least one sensor in operable communication with said monitoring unit, said at least one sensor being structured to detect incidents of access to the transport container and to communicate data corresponding to the incidents to said monitoring unit; and

at least one data key configured to communicate with said monitoring unit, said at least one data key is capable of being configured an activation key or a deactivation key, wherein said activation key is configured to activate said monitoring unit using an activation code so that said monitoring unit begins to monitor access to the transport container, and said deactivation key is configured to deactivate said monitoring unit using a deactivation code; and

wherein said monitoring unit is configured to communicate data corresponding to the access incidents to said deactivation key.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein said monitoring unit comprises:

a controller, said controller being configured to communicate with said at least one sensor, said activation key and said deactivation key;

a power supply in operable communication with said controller; and

a data repository in operable communication with said controller and being structured to store the data corresponding to access incidents.

16. A system according to claim 14, wherein said activation key comprises a data repository, said data repository storing an activation code and data corresponding to the contents of the transport container, and wherein said activation key is configured to communicate the activation code and data corresponding to the contents of the transport container to said monitoring unit.

17. A system according to claim 14, wherein said deactivation key comprises a data repository, said data repository storing a deactivation code.

18. A system according to claim 14, wherein said monitoring unit is structured to communicate to said deactivation key the data corresponding to the contents of the transport container.

19. A system according to claim 14 wherein said at least one sensor comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of an infrared motion sensor, an optical sensor, a temperature sensor, a sound sensor, a vibration sensor, a magnetic switch, and a radiation sensor.

20. A computer program product for monitoring access to a transport container, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program portions comprising:

an executable portion for identifying an activation code from an activation key, said executable portion activates at least one sensor structured to detect incidents of access to the transport container, said executable portion receives data corresponding to the access incidents from the at least one sensor, said executable portion identifies a deactivation code from a deactivation key, and wherein said executable portion communicates the data corresponding to the access incidents to the deactivation key.

21. A computer program product according to claim 20 wherein said executable portion stores the data corresponding to access incidents in a data repository.

22. A computer program product according to claim 20 wherein said executable portion receives an activation code and data corresponding to the contents of the transport container from the activation key.

23. A computer program product according to claim 20 wherein said executable portion communicates the data corresponding to the access incidents to an interface unit.

24. A computer program product according to claim 20 wherein said executable portion receives a deactivation code from the deactivation key.

25. A computer program product according to claim 20 wherein said executable portion communicates to the deactivation key the data corresponding to the contents of the transport container.

26. A computer program product for activating and deactivating a monitoring unit for monitoring access to a transport container, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program portions comprising:

an executable portion for communicating an activation code and data corresponding to the contents of the transport container to an activation key, said executable portion receives data corresponding to the access incidents from the monitoring unit, said executable portion communicates a deactivation code to a deactivation key.

27. A computer program product according to claim 26 wherein said executable portion receives data corresponding to the contents of the transport container and the data corresponding to the access incidents.

28. A method for monitoring access to a transport container, comprising:

identifying an activation code from an activation key;

activating at least one sensor structured to detect incidents of access to the transport container;

receiving data corresponding to the access incidents from the at least one sensor;

identifying a deactivation code from a deactivation key; and

communicating the data corresponding to the access incidents to the deactivation key.

29. A method according to claim 28 further comprising storing the data corresponding to access incidents in a data repository.

30. A method according to claim 28 further comprising receiving an activation code and data corresponding to the contents of the transport container from the activation key.

31. A method according to claim 28 further comprising communicating the data corresponding to the access incidents to an interface unit.

32. A method according to claim 28 wherein said second identifying step comprises receiving a deactivation code from the deactivation key.

33. A method according to claim 28 further comprising communicating to the deactivation key the data corresponding to the contents of the transport container.

34. A method for activating and deactivating a monitoring unit for monitoring access to a transport container, comprising:

communicating an activation code and data corresponding to the contents of the transport container to an activation key;

receiving data corresponding to the access incidents from the monitoring unit; and

communicating a deactivation code to a deactivation key.

35. A method according to claim 34 further comprising subsequent to said third communicating step, receiving data corresponding to the contents of the transport container and the data corresponding to the access incidents.