Water friend or foe system for global vessel identification and tracking

• US 7,979,088 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2007
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Miller, Landon C. G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannon; Christian A
• Application Number:
  US11/837,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20090045909A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,429 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 4554141-4142, 455/427, 455/12.1, 455/66.1, 455/557, 455/558
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/78 discriminating between different kinds of targets, e.g. IFF-radar, i.e. identification of friend or foe G01S13/75, G01S13/79 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 15/00 Tags attached to, or associated with, an object, in order to enable detection of the object record carriers for use with machines having a detectable tag or marker G06K19/00

Abstract

Disclosed are a method, system, and computer program product for a Water Friend or Foe System (WFSS) including a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card in a SIM reader on a marine vessel. The WFFS system on the marine vessel transmits secure identity information and location information to a WFFS tracking station. The WFFS system on the marine vessel detects anomalies on the marine vessel and in response transmits an alarm signal to a WFFS tracking station and/or shuts down a propulsion system of the marine vessel. The WFFS system on the marine vessel can also receive a one-time “override” encrypted code to re-enable ship control of the propulsion system. The secure identity information and real-time vessel location are transmitted in one of: an Automatic Identifier System (AIS) message type or a Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS) message type.

Claims

1. A method for tracking marine vessels, the method comprising:

encoding, at a Water Friend or Foe System (WFFS) issuer, one or more Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards with secure identity information for a marine vessel;

the WFFS issuer supplying the one or more SIM cards to a SIM card reader on the marine vessel, wherein the SIM card reader is configured to read and write data between the one or more SIM cards and a WFFS system on the marine vessel;

the WFFS system on the marine vessel pinpointing a real-time vessel location of the marine vessel;

in response to the WFFS system on the marine vessel detecting an anomaly, transmitting an alarm signal to the WFFS tracking station.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the secure identity information and real-time vessel location are transmitted in an Automatic Identifier System (AIS) message type that has been adapted for transmitting security and marine vessel information.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the secure identity information and the real-time vessel location are transmitted in a Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS) message type that has been adapted for transmitting the secure identity information and the real-time vessel location.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the one or more SIM cards are encoded with a security protocol for the marine vessel; and

wherein the anomaly is one of;

the an unauthorized use of the one or more SIM cards;

tampering of the SIM card reader;

tampering of the one or more SIM cards; and

failure to enter a correct user password for the one or more SIM cards.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

wherein the one or more SIM cards has embedded therein a fingerprint recognition membrane, and the anomaly is the fingerprint recognition membrane detecting an unauthorized user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the WFFS tracking station monitors transmissions to and from the marine vessel and one or more other marine vessels.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the WFFS system on the marine vessel is coupled to a battery backup.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to a normal power supply to the WFFS system on the marine vessel being interrupted, continuing transmitting of the alarm signal to the WFFS tracking station using a power supplied by the battery backup.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to the WFFS system on the marine vessel detecting an anomaly, shutting down a propulsion system of the marine vessel.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising, in response to the WFFS system on the marine vessel receiving, from the WFFS tracking station, a one-time “

override”

encrypted code to re-enable ship control of the propulsion system, re-enabling ship control of the propulsion system.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising, in response to connecting a master SIM card to the card reader, enabling ship control of the propulsion system.

12. A computer-readable storage medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising instructions executable by the processor and configured for tracking marine vessels by performing the steps of:

encoding, one or more Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards with secure identity information for a marine vessel;

supplying the one or more SIM cards to a SIM card reader on the marine vessel, wherein the SIM card reader is configured to read and write data between the one or more SIM cards and a Water Friend or Foe System (WFFS) system on the marine vessel, and wherein the one or more SIM cards are encoded with a security protocol for the marine vessel;

pinpointing a real-time vessel location of the marine vessel;

in response to the WFFS system on the marine vessel detecting an anomaly performing one or more of;

transmitting an alarm signal to a WFFS tracking station; and

shutting down a propulsion system of the marine vessel;

in response to the WFFS system on the marine vessel receiving, from the WFFS tracking station, a one-time “

override”

encrypted code to re-enable ship control of the propulsion system, re-enabling ship control of the propulsion system;

in response to connecting a master SIM card to the card reader, re-enabling ship control of the propulsion system;

wherein the WFFS tracking station monitors transmissions to and from the marine vessel and one or more other marine vessels;

wherein the WFFS system on the marine vessel is coupled to a battery backup;

responsive to a normal power supply to the WFFS system on the marine vessel being interrupted, continuing transmitting of the alarm signal to the WFFS tracking station using a power supplied by the battery backup;

wherein secure identity information and real-time vessel location are transmitted in one of;

an Automatic Identifier System (AIS) message type that has been adapted for transmitting security and marine vessel information and a Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS) message type that has been adapted for transmitting the secure identity information and the real-time vessel location, and

wherein the anomaly is one or more of;

an unauthorized use of the one or more SIM cards;

tampering of the SIM card reader;

tampering of the one or more SIM cards; and

failure to enter a correct user password for the one or more SIM cards.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the computer-readable storage medium is a component of a remote server, and wherein the instructions are deployable to a supervisory computer from the remote server.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions are provided by a service provider to a customer on an on-demand basis.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the WFFS tracking station monitors transmissions to and from the marine vessel and one or more other marine vessels.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising:

wherein the WFFS system on the marine vessel is coupled to a battery backup; and

responsive to a normal power supply to the WFFS system on the marine vessel being interrupted, program instructions configured for continuing transmitting of the alarm signal to the WFFS tracking station using a power supplied by the battery backup.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, the instructions further configured for, in response to the WFFS system on the marine vessel receiving, from the WFFS tracking station, a one-time “

override”

encrypted code to re-enable ship control of the propulsion system, re-enabling ship control of the propulsion system.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, the instructions further configured for, in response to connecting a master SIM card to the card reader, enabling ship control of the propulsion system.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the instructions further configured for, in response to the WFFS system on the marine vessel detecting an anomaly, shutting down a propulsion system of the marine vessel.

20. A Water Friend or Foe System (WFFS) system on a marine vessel, comprising:

a processor;

an input/output (I/O) interface;

at least one transceiver;

a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card reader

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory includes a processing logic executing on the processor to perform the functions of;

receiving one or more SIM cards with secure identity information for a marine vessel;

coupling the one or more SIM cards to the SIM card reader on the marine vessel, wherein the SIM card reader is configured to read and write data to the one or more SIM cards, and wherein the one or more SIM cards are encoded with a security protocol for the marine vessel;

pinpointing a real-time vessel location of the marine vessel;

in response to the WFFS system on the marine vessel detecting an anomaly performing one or more of;

transmitting an alarm signal to a WFFS tracking station; and

shutting down a propulsion system of the marine vessel;

in response to the WFFS system on the marine vessel receiving, from the WFFS tracking station, a one-time “

override”

encrypted code to re-enable ship control of the propulsion system, re-enabling ship control of the propulsion system;

in response to connecting a master SIM card to the card reader, re-enabling ship control of the propulsion system;

wherein the WFFS tracking station monitors transmissions to and from the marine vessel and one or more other marine vessels;

wherein the WFFS system on the marine vessel is coupled to a battery backup;

responsive to loss of a normal power supply to the WFFS system on the marine vessel being interrupted, continuing transmitting of the alarm signal to the WFFS tracking station using a power supplied by the battery backup;

wherein secure identity information and real-time vessel location are transmitted in one of;

an Automatic Identifier System (AIS) message type that has been adapted for transmitting security and marine vessel information and a Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS) message type that has been adapted for transmitting the secure identity information and the real-time vessel location; and

wherein the anomaly is one or more of;

an unauthorized use of the one or more SIM cards;

tampering of the SIM card reader;

tampering of the one or more SIM cards; and

failure to enter a correct user password for the one or more SIM cards.