System for maintaining security of evidence throughout chain of custody
First Claim
1. A method of tracking custody of evidence using a portable evidence container comprising side and bottom walls forming a unitary container body and an internal space for receiving the cargo;
- an openable lid hinged to the container body for engaging tops of the side walls;
means for locking the lid to the container body for preventing the lid from opening; and
, an electronics module disposed within the container, the module having a controller, a battery supply unit connected to and supplying power to the controller, an RF transceiver unit in communication with the controller, an RFID reader in communication with the controller, a plurality of condition sensors disposed within the container and in communication with the controller, and a locator unit in communication with the controller, the method comprising the steps of;
providing for receiving at the controller through the RFID reader a unique evidence identifier from an RFID tag associated with the evidence;
providing for receiving at the controller through at least one of the condition sensors an evidence in container signal;
providing for receiving at the controller a portable container location signal from the locator unit;
providing for transmitting evidence information, evidence in container information, and container location information to a central computer system for tracking the status of the evidence within the container; and
,providing for periodically transmitting an updated container location information to the central computer system for continuous tracking of the status of the evidence within the container.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An evidence chain of custody system that is application-specific auditable and trackable secure smart mobile containers (SMC) for securely storing evidence items that are collected at crime scenes and search locations pursuant to subpoenas or warrants. Each SMC includes a electronics package that can read RF tags applied to evidence bags or totes placed in the SMC or for oversized items, associated with the event or scene, that are tagged with active RF tags. The electronics package also includes condition sensors and an RF transmitter module to permit remote reporting and monitoring of GPS/RSSI location and condition. The SMC includes an electronic lock that provides access security and an audit trail of all opening, closing, and other events.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method of tracking custody of evidence using a portable evidence container comprising side and bottom walls forming a unitary container body and an internal space for receiving the cargo;
- an openable lid hinged to the container body for engaging tops of the side walls;
means for locking the lid to the container body for preventing the lid from opening; and
, an electronics module disposed within the container, the module having a controller, a battery supply unit connected to and supplying power to the controller, an RF transceiver unit in communication with the controller, an RFID reader in communication with the controller, a plurality of condition sensors disposed within the container and in communication with the controller, and a locator unit in communication with the controller, the method comprising the steps of;providing for receiving at the controller through the RFID reader a unique evidence identifier from an RFID tag associated with the evidence; providing for receiving at the controller through at least one of the condition sensors an evidence in container signal; providing for receiving at the controller a portable container location signal from the locator unit; providing for transmitting evidence information, evidence in container information, and container location information to a central computer system for tracking the status of the evidence within the container; and
,providing for periodically transmitting an updated container location information to the central computer system for continuous tracking of the status of the evidence within the container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
- an openable lid hinged to the container body for engaging tops of the side walls;
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24. In a method of tracking evidence and actions associated the evidence relative to a container used to store the evidence, the container comprising side and bottom walls forming a unitary container body and an internal space for receiving the cargo;
- an openable lid hinged to the container body for engaging tops of the side walls;
means for locking the lid to the container body for preventing the lid from opening; and
, an electronics module disposed within the container, the module having a controller, a battery supply unit connected to and supplying power to the controller, an RF transceiver unit in communication with the controller, an RFID reader in communication with the controller, a plurality of condition sensors disposed within the container and in communication with the controller, and a locator unit in communication with the controller, the method comprising the steps of;providing for receiving evidence information at a central computer system, the evidence information comprising a unique evidence identifier from an RFID tag associated with the evidence received at the controller through the RFID reader; providing for receiving evidence in container information at the central computer system, the evidence in container information indicating that the evidence has been placed within the container based on an evidence in container signal received at the controller through at least one of the condition sensors; providing for receiving container location information at a central computer system, the container location information indicating the present location of the container based on a container location signal from the locator unit received at the controller; and
,providing for receiving an updated container location information at the central computer system for continuous tracking of the status of the evidence within the container. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
- an openable lid hinged to the container body for engaging tops of the side walls;
Specification