Wireless monitoring device

• US 7,825,803 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2006
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amsted Rail Company Incorporated (Amsted Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Amsted Rail Company Incorporated (Amsted Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Barrett, Fred, Neff, Raymond Lynn
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout; Brent
• Application Number:
  US11/397,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20070085677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,673 Days
• Field of Search: 340/545.1, 340/545.2, 340/545.3, 340/545.4, 340/545.5, 340/545.6, 340/545.7, 340/545.8, 340/552, 340/540
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2482 EAS methods, e.g. description of flow chart of the detection procedure
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence

Abstract

The system of the invention includes a method for monitoring changes in the status or condition of a Container using one or more monitoring units mounted to the Container. The monitoring units preferably include a power supply, sensors using reflective energy with programmable parameters, globally-unique sensor identification, recording capability on a timeline, long term memory and the ability to rebroadcast information on RFID radio technology. Programmable monitoring hardware in the monitoring unit detects significant changes in the sensor outputs as a triggering event. The programmable monitoring hardware includes memory for storing identification information for the Container. The sensors which can include conventional devices that detect various forms of energy including visible light, infrared light, magnetic fields, radio frequency energy and sound. In one embodiment, a monitoring unit is mounted inside a shipping Container suitable for long distance transport. The triggering event can be used for tamper detection security.

Claims

1. A security system for monitoring a cargo storage compartment, the system comprising:

a cargo storage compartment;

a sensor positioned within the storage compartment and capable of emitting and receiving a monitoring signal;

monitoring electronics positioned within the storage compartment and connected to the sensor, said monitoring electronics capable of comparing the emitted and received signals of the sensor and identifying a triggering event based on the comparison of the emitted and received signals; and

an active RFID tag positioned within the storage compartment and connected to the monitoring electronics and capable of storing data about a triggering event and;

wherein said active RFID is further configured to receive radio transmissions for initiating operation of said sensor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said storage compartment comprises an access port.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said access port comprises a door.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said sensor is mounted adjacent said access port so that signals emitted from said sensor will impinge thereon.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said compartment has an interior and an exterior and said sensor is disposed in the interior of said compartment.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises a reflective energy sensor.

7. A secure cargo storage system, the system comprising:

a cargo storage compartment defined by an interior and an exterior;

a sensor in the interior of said cargo storage compartment, said sensor capable of emitting energy and receiving the emitted energy;

monitoring electronics positioned inside the storage compartment and coupled to the sensor, the monitoring electronics for detecting and recording changes in the emitted and received energy as a triggering event;

a power supply electrically connected to the sensor; and

an active RFID positioned inside the storage compartment and coupled to the monitoring electronics, said active RFID configured to transmit information on the triggering event supplied by the monitoring electronics, the information including a sensor identifier for the monitoring unit, said active RFID further configured to receive radio transmissions for initiating operation of said sensor.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising a radio frequency reader wirelessly coupled to said active RFID.

9. The system of claim 7 further comprising a microprocessor, wherein the monitoring electronics are configured to place the microprocessor in a sleep mode and further comprising an interrupt driven timer which periodically wakes the monitoring electronics out of sleep mode.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the monitoring electronics are configured to record each triggering event along with a timestamp on a timeline and wherein the active RFID is configured to transmit the timeline to the reader upon receiving a command.

11. The system of claim 8 further comprising means for receiving data from the reader as a storage compartment identifier, the storage compartment identifier being associated with a storage compartment in which the sensor is disposed and means for transmitting the storage compartment identifier to the reader upon receiving a command.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the monitoring electronics is configured to change a sensor identifier based on a command received from the reader.

13. The system of claim 7 further comprising means for transmitting information on each triggering event in realtime.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein said interior is defined by a first interior surface and a second interior surface and wherein said sensor is attached to the first interior surface.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said sensor is positioned on said first interior surface so that the emitted energy can be reflected off of said second interior surface.

16. The system of claim 7, wherein said interior is defined by an interior surface and wherein said sensor positioned in said interior so that the emitted energy can be reflected off of said interior surface.

17. The system of claim 7, wherein said sensor signal is an IR signal.

18. The system of claim 7, wherein said sensor signal is an ambient light signal.

19. The system of claim 7, wherein said sensor is an ambient light sensor.

20. The system of claim 7, wherein said sensor comprises a proximity sensor.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein said interior surface is an access port.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein said first interior surface is an access port.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said access port is a door.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein said access port is a door.

25. The system of claim 7, wherein the interior of the cargo storage compartment further comprises an access port defined in said interior;

wherein said sensor is disposed in said cargo storage compartment so that the emitted energy signal will reflect off of said access port;

wherein the monitoring electronics comprise a microprocessor, firmware memory for storing a program for the microprocessor, and data memory; and

wherein the active RFID is disposed within said storage compartment for transmitting information on the triggering event supplied by the monitoring electronics.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the data memory of the active RFID comprises a nonvolatile memory and the data memory of the monitoring electronics comprises a volatile memory.

27. A security system for monitoring a cargo storage compartment, the system comprising:

a cargo storage compartment defined by an interior and an exterior;

a sensor in the interior of said cargo storage compartment, said sensor capable of emitting energy and receiving emitted energy;

an active RFID positioned in the interior of the storage compartment and connected to the sensor;

a radio frequency reader wirelessly coupled to said active RFID and configured to transmit and receive radio frequency communications with said active RFID; and

wherein said active RFID is further configured to receive radio transmissions for initiating operation of said sensor.