Hierarchical and distributed information processing architecture for a container security system
First Claim
1. A hierarchical network system architecture of multiple levels and distributed processing elements for a container monitoring system having a plurality of containers transported by one or more carriers, wherein the system includes at least one monitored container which includes sensors for monitoring at least two aspects of the physical status of the monitored container, wherein the system comprises:
- a data fusion center processing element which is configured to aggregate data from multiple monitored processing elements, wherein the multiple monitored processing elements comprise at least two carrier level processing elements;
wherein each carrier level processing element is configured to receive and analyze container level data from a group of container level processing elements, and to produce and transmit carrier level data to the data fusion center;
wherein each container level processing element is configured to receive and analyze sensor level data from a sensor level processing element, and to produce and transmit container level data;
wherein the sensor level processing element comprising one or more sensors; and
the sensor level processing element is further configured to produce and transmit the sensor level data to the container level processing element.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hierarchical and distributed system architecture for a container monitoring and security system is provided. The architecture may be a hierarchical chain of separate, related processing elements. The partitioning of functions and distribution of processing among these or other similar hierarchical elements in the network is provided. The elements may further be described in successive layers, each have a greater level of network intelligence than the former.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A hierarchical network system architecture of multiple levels and distributed processing elements for a container monitoring system having a plurality of containers transported by one or more carriers, wherein the system includes at least one monitored container which includes sensors for monitoring at least two aspects of the physical status of the monitored container, wherein the system comprises:
-
a data fusion center processing element which is configured to aggregate data from multiple monitored processing elements, wherein the multiple monitored processing elements comprise at least two carrier level processing elements; wherein each carrier level processing element is configured to receive and analyze container level data from a group of container level processing elements, and to produce and transmit carrier level data to the data fusion center; wherein each container level processing element is configured to receive and analyze sensor level data from a sensor level processing element, and to produce and transmit container level data; wherein the sensor level processing element comprising one or more sensors; and the sensor level processing element is further configured to produce and transmit the sensor level data to the container level processing element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A container monitoring system having a plurality of containers transported by one or more carriers, wherein the system includes at least one monitored container which includes sensors for monitoring at least two aspects of a physical status of the monitored container, wherein the network system comprises:
-
a sensor level processing element comprising one or more sensors, wherein the sensor level processing element is further configured to produce and transmit sensor level data; a container level processing element, wherein the container level processing element receives and analyzes data provided by at least two sensors located within a single container; and further wherein the container level processing element is configured to produce and transmit at least a first set of container level data and a second set of container level data, wherein the second set of container level data includes data regarding at least one aspect of the physical status of the container not included in the first set of container level data; a carrier level processing element for collecting and relaying information related to a group of containers, wherein the group of containers are transported or stored together, and the carrier level processing element is configured to aggregate container level data from the group of containers and transmit carrier level data; and a data fusion center which is configured to receive and analyze carrier level data which includes the first set of container level data, wherein the data fusion center is configured to request carrier level data which includes the second set of container level data based on an analysis of the first set of container level data.
-
-
12. A method for managing a container monitoring system having a plurality of containers transported by one or more carriers in a hierarchical network structure, the method comprising:
-
(a) processing sensor level data at a sensor level processing element; (b) transmitting sensor level data to a container level processing element; (c) receiving and analyzing data at the container level processing element from at least two sensors located within a single container; (d) producing and transmitting container level data from a group of containers being transported or stored together to a carrier level processing element; (e) aggregating container level data from multiple containers at the carrier level processing element, producing and transmitting carrier level data to a data fusion center; and (f) receiving and analyzing carrier level data from at least two carrier level processing elements at the data fusion center. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification