Process and overall system for the secure transportation of valuable objects

• US 8,054,183 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2006
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peter Villiger
• Original Assignee: Peter Villiger
• Inventors: Villiger, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): WANG, JACK K
• Application Number:
  US11/886,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20080278322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,073 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.1, 340/5.73, 109/25
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: E05G 1/005 Portable strong boxes, e.g. which may be fixed to a wall or the like E05G1/08, E05G1/14 take precedence; devices to prevent theft or loss of bags, trunks, baskets, or the like A45C13/18; coin boxes for coin freed apparatus G07F9/06
• CPC Class Codes: E05G 1/14 with means for masking or destroying the valuables, e.g. in case of theft

Abstract

Method and system for safely transporting valuable articles to a client. A known amount of articles for transport are packed in a transport package comprising a security circuit and a security system for the valuable articles. In the armed state the valuable articles are devaluated in case of an unauthorized manipulation in the transport package. A first client identifier is given. The valuable articles in the transport package are transported to the client. A portable computer transported with the valuable articles serves for recording and/or capturing the first client identifier, for capturing a second client identifier, for evaluating the first client identifier and the second client identifier, and for establishing a communication connection with the security circuit of the transport package, in order to transfer and release the package into the not-armed state, if permitted after evaluating the client identifiers.

Claims

1. Method for the safe transport of valuable articles to a client comprising the following steps:

packing valuable articles to be transported in a transport package, the transport package comprising a security circuit and a security system adapted to devaluate the valuable articles in case of an unauthorized manipulation of the transport package;

arming the security system of the transport package into an armed state;

providing a first client identifier that identifies the client to whom the valuable articles are to be transported;

transporting the valuable articles in the transport package to the client; and

transporting a portable computer with the valuable articles to said identified client, said portable computer being separate from but transported with the transport package transporting said valuable articles, and

the portable computer performing the following steps;

at least one of (i) recording and (ii) capturing the first client identifier, and

capturing a second client identifier at the client, and

analyzing the first client identifier and the second client identifier, and

based on said analyzing, establishing a communications connection with the security circuit of the transport package to bring it from the armed state into a not-armed state and to clear it if the analyzing of the client identifiers permits this.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the following steps:

providing a computer, which provides the first client identifier;

capturing a package identifier of the transport package by a computer; and

transmitting the first client identifier from the computer to the portable computer.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the following steps:

compiling transport data by the computer; and

recording the transport data by the portable computer.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a combination of

an interior package, and

an exterior package

serves as the transport package.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein after disarming of the transport package used, the interior package with the valuable articles is removed out of the exterior package and a package identifier is captured in at least one of (i) a client computer and (ii) the portable computer.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the second client identifier is transmitted by the computer to the client whereby the transmittal occurs daily or as needed.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the transmittal of the second client identifier occurs by at least one of (i) facsimile (ii) E-Mail (iii) SMS and (iv) telephone.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of (i) the first client identifier and (ii) a package identifier is provided by reading it into the computer by a read unit, which is connectable to the computer, or at least one of (i) the first client identifier and (ii) a package identifier is provided by reading it into the portable computer, which comprises a respective read unit.

9. The method according to claim 3, wherein one of:

a) the transport data contain at least one of the following information;

the first client identifier, and

the package identifier; and

b) the transport data contain both

the first client identifier, and

the package identifier.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transport package becomes armored or armors itself after it is filled with the valuable articles to be transported.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein when filling, the security circuit of the transport package is programmed for the transport, whereby this programming is done with the aid of the portable computer.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein during the programming, at least one of the following parameters are defined:

a pavement time,

a total time,

a buffer time, and

package identifiers of interior package(s) used inside an exterior package.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the programming of the transport package is possible only if a cryptographic key is entered.

14. The method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the transport package is brought to a vehicle and locked therein by an interlocking mechanism to a storage means.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the transport package can only be removed from the storage means if it is released from the interlocking mechanism by means of the portable computer, whereby this releasing is possible only if certain conditions are fulfilled.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the transport package is brought by the vehicle to the client and can be opened or disarmed only after releasing of the transport package has taken place.

20. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first client identifier is different from the second client identifier.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the portable computer further performs the step of determining whether the transport package has arrived at the correct client.

17. Overall system for safe transport of valuable articles to a client, comprising the following components:

a transport package configured for being filled with the valuable articles, which is in an armed state during said transport, with a security circuit and a security system for the valuable articles, in order, in the armed state, to neutralize the valuable articles in case of an unauthorized manipulation of the transport package;

means for providing a first client identifier that identifies the client to whom the valuable articles are to be transported;

a portable computer which is separate from but transported with the transport package containing the valuable articles and which is adapted to;

at least one of (i) record and (ii) capture the first client identifier, and

capture a second client identifier at the client, and

analyze the first client identifier and the second client identifier, and

based on said analyzing, establish a communications connection with the security circuit of the transport package to bring it from the armed state into a not-armed state and to clear it if the analyzing of the client identifiers permits this.

18. The overall system of claim 17, wherein the system comprises a computer to at least one of:

provide the first client identifier,

capture a package identifier of the transport package, and

transmit the first client identifier to the portable computer.

19. The overall system of claim 18, wherein the computer is designed to generate transport data and to transmit the data to the portable computer.

22. The overall system of claim 18, wherein the portable computer is further adapted to determine whether the transport package has arrived at the correct client.