Global asset tracking enterprise system

• US 8,026,792 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2010
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cubic Corporation, RSAE Labs Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Inventors: Bertuna, Daniel, Powers, David R., Bonneau, Walter C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): OTT, FREDERICK R
• Application Number:
  US12/825,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20100328031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 70/14, 70/19, 340/542, 340/5.64
• US Class Current: 340/5.64
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0057 Feeding
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0058 by batteries
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0069 bolt position
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0094 Mechanical aspects of remotely controlled locks electronic locks G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0096 Mechanical aspects of locks whose actuation is dependent on geographical location, e.g. by means of a GPS system electronic locks G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0097 including means for monitoring voltage, e.g. for indicating low battery state
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 39/005 Locks with means for tracking the location of locked items, e.g. freight containers
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 51/02 by pneumatic or hydraulic means E05B17/0029 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/10 Hydraulic or pneumatic hydraulic or pneumatic circuits E05B81/52
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/02 Locks for railway freight-cars, freight containers or the like; Locks for the cargo compartments of commercial lorries, trucks or vans
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/186 with a pair of hooks, which are movable towards each other for grasping of an element on the wing, respectively on the frame, or for grasping of an element on each of the wings forming a double door
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00634 Power supply for the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0092 for cargo, freight or shipping containers and applications therefore in general
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00174 Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/06 by tampering with fastening
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/32 Freight car door fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/23 Cross bars
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/37 : Portable securer plate or bar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/51 : Seal bolts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/40 : Portable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/498 : Shields or canopies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5031 : Receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/554 : Cover, lid, cap, encasing shield
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5544 : Pivoted
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5566 : External locking devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5765 : Rotary or swinging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5779 : With padlock
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5973 : Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7051 : Using a powered device [e.g., motor]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 : Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]

Abstract

A system for operating a container lock mechanism includes a housing, at least two lock members, the two lock members including a first lock member configured to engage a first portion of a container and a second lock member configured to engage a second portion of the container to mount the container lock mechanism outside of the container and lock at least one container door in a closed position. The system further includes a latching mechanism coupled to the first and second lock members, a lock circuit at least partially enclosed within the housing. The lock circuit includes a first memory, a wireless module configured to receive a wireless signal and a lock controller coupled to the first memory, the wireless module and the latching mechanism and configured to receive commands related to operation of the lock mechanism, at least a portion of the commands being part of the wireless signal, to cause the latching mechanism to resist having the first and second lock members be disengaged from the first and second portions of the container when the first and second lock members are engaged to the first and second portions of the container, thereby locking the at least one container door in response to the received commands, and a battery coupled to the lock circuit and configured to provide electrical power to at least a portion of the lock circuit.

Claims

1. A system for operating a container lock mechanism, the system comprising:

a housing;

at least two lock members, the two lock members comprising a first lock member configured to engage a first portion of a container and a second lock member configured to engage a second portion of the container to mount the container lock mechanism outside of the container and lock at least one container door in a closed position;

a latching mechanism attached to the first and second lock members;

a lock circuit at least partially enclosed within the housing, the lock circuit comprising;

a first memory,

a wireless module configured to receive a wireless signal; and

a lock controller coupled to the first memory, the wireless module and the latching mechanism and configured to receive commands related to operation of the lock mechanism, at least a portion of the commands being part of the wireless signal, to cause the latching mechanism to resist having the first and second lock members be disengaged from the first and second portions of the container when the first and second lock members are engaged to the first and second portions of the container, thereby locking the at least one container door in response to the received commands; and

a battery coupled to the lock circuit and configured to provide electrical power to at least a portion of the lock circuit,

wherein the latching mechanism remains attached to the first and second lock members while the first and second lock members are being engaged to or being disengaged from the first and second lock members.

2. The system for operating the container lock mechanism of claim 1, wherein the lock circuit further comprises an inductive power supply coupled to the lock circuit, wherein the inductive power supply receives a wakeup command wirelessly from a wireless device and provides power to the lock circuit to wakeup the lock circuit.

3. The system for operating the container lock mechanism of claim 2, wherein the wireless module receives a wireless data signal, the data signal containing information relevant to contents of the container, wherein the inductive power supply receives the wakeup command from a source within the container.

4. The system for operating the container lock mechanism of claim 3, wherein the data signal is received from a sensor module in the container and, in response to receiving the data signal, the wireless module stores the received information in a second memory, different from the first memory.

5. The system for operating the container lock mechanism of claim 2, wherein the wireless module receives a wireless data signal from the wireless device and, in response to receiving the data signal, the wireless module wakes up the lock controller.

6. The system for operating the container lock mechanism of claim 3, wherein the housing comprises a sealed unit without wired interfaces to any of the lock circuit when sealed.

7. The system for operating the container lock mechanism of claim 2, wherein the lock circuit further comprises:

a second memory configured to store information relevant to the container; and

another wireless module coupled to the inductive power supply and configured to be powered by the inductive power supply to transmit a wireless data signal, the data signal containing at least some of the stored information relevant to the container.

8. The system for operating the container lock mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a drive mechanism configured to cause at least one of the first or second lock members to engage the first or second portions of the container.

9. The system for operating the container lock mechanism of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the container is a first bar, and the second portion of the container is a second bar.

10. The system for operating the container lock mechanism of claim 1, wherein the housing is user detachable from the container.

11. A method of operating a container lock mechanism, the container lock mechanism comprising a housing, at least two lock members comprising a first lock member configured to engage a first portion of a container and a second lock member configured to engage a second portion of the container to mount the container lock mechanism outside of the container and to lock at least one container door in a closed position, a latching mechanism attached to the first and second lock members, a lock circuit at least partially enclosed within the housing, a wireless module and a battery, the method comprising:

receiving a wireless signal with the wireless module;

receiving commands related to operation of the lock mechanism at a lock controller of the lock circuit, at least a portion of commands being received in the wireless signal;

in response to the received commands, the lock controller causing the latching mechanism to resist having the first and second lock members be disengaged from the first and second portions of the container when the first and second lock member are engaged to the first and second portions of the container, thereby locking the at least one container door; and

providing electrical power to at least a portion of the lock circuit from the battery,

wherein the latching mechanism remains attached to the first and second lock members while the first and second lock members are being engaged to or being disengaged from the first and second lock members.

12. The method of operating the container lock mechanism of claim 11, the method further comprising:

receiving a wakeup command wirelessly from a wireless device with an inductive power supply of the lock circuit;

the inductive power supply providing power to the lock circuit to wakeup the lock circuit in response to receiving the wakeup command.

13. The method of operating the container lock mechanism of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a wireless data signal with the wireless module, the data signal containing information relevant to contents of the container; and

wherein the inductive power supply receives the wakeup command from a source within the container.

14. The method of operating the container lock mechanism of claim 13, wherein the data signal is received from a sensor module in the container, the method further comprising:

in response to receiving the data signal, storing the received information in a non-volatile memory of the lock circuit.

15. The method of operating the container lock mechanism of claim 12, further comprising:

the wireless module receiving a wireless data signal from a wireless device; and

in response to receiving the data signal, waking up the lock controller with the wireless module.

16. The method of operating the container lock mechanism of claim 12, wherein the lock circuit further comprises non-volatile memory storing information relevant to the container, the method further comprising:

transmitting a wireless data signal with the wireless module, the wireless data signal containing at least some of the stored information relevant to the container.