Portable security container

• US 8,749,382 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2010
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MySpace Incorporated (Capital V LLC)
• Original Assignee: MySpace Incorporated (Capital V LLC)
• Inventors: Sterzinger, Hermann, Hyatt, Richard G., Leicher, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jiang, Yong Hang
• Application Number:
  US12/848,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20110187530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.73, 340/3.1, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.51, 340/5.52, 340/5.53, 340/5.54, 340/5.7, 340/5.8, 340/5.81, 340/5.82, 340/541
• US Class Current: 340/541
• 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 1/10 with alarm, signal or indicator E05G1/14 takes precedence; burglar, theft or intruder alarm per se G08B13/00; fire or explosion alarm per se G08B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00761 with data transmission performed by connected means, e.g. mechanical contacts, plugs, connectors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0092 for cargo, freight or shipping containers and applications therefore in general
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/12 Containers for valuable papers

Abstract

A process and security container that enable local protection and remote transportation of items found with the environment of a contemporary office, while generating a log of users who have gained access to the container. e container may be constructed with one or more sidewalls bearing a removable lid. The container may have a closed interior while the lid is in complete engagement with the sidewalls, and have an open interior able to removably receive items within the interior while the lid is dislodged from its complete engagement. A port is exposed through one of said sidewalls to receive data signals and a control stage with a non-volatile a memory, is mounted within the container and operationally coupled to a host computer to provide communication with the interior of the container via the port. A microprocessor based host computer sited externally to the container, has a keyboard initiating formation of the data signals and a monitor driven by the host computer to visually display video images. The host computer is operationally coupled to the port to participate in the communication by generating the data signals. The controller may generate a control signal and allow access to the interior of the container in response to occurrence of a coincidence between a data key received From the host computer among the data signals via the port and a data sequence obtained by the control stage in dependence upon information stored within the memory.

Claims

1. A container managing system comprising at least:

a portable container and a host computer, wherein the portable container comprises;

a housing comprised of a plurality of sidewalls bearing a removable lid, forming said portable container having a closed interior while said lid is in complete engagement with said housing, and providing an open interior able to removably receive items within said open interior while said lid is dislodged from said complete engagement;

a port borne by said housing to accommodate conduction of transmission of data signals between said closed interior and an environment external to said housing;

a control stage comprised of a memory storing information specific to said container said control stage being mounted entirely within and being completely encased by said container during said complete engagement, and being operationally coupled to provide communication with said interior via said port, and generating a control signal in dependence upon disposition of said port relative to the host computer as a source of said data signals, in dependence upon disposition of said container at a geographical location within an authorized range of siting of the container, and in response to occurrence of a coincidence between a data key received among said data signals via said port and a data sequence obtained by said control stage in dependence upon said information stored within said memory;

a moveable latch disposed to engage said lid and hinder removal of said lid from said complete engagement, and to respond to said control signal by releasing said lid from said complete engagement; and

wherein the host computer is sited externally to the portable container and can be coupled to the port of the portable container via a cable, infrared or RF to transmit and receive data signals to/from the control stage inside portable container, wherein the host computer includes an input device for inputting a request for access and personalized information of a user, wherein the host computer is adapted to verify the personalized information and to send the data signals including a data key to the control stage, wherein the host computer includes a display unit for displaying security status information received from the control stage via said port,

wherein the control stage is configured to generate an alarm signal in response to an unauthorized interruption of said communication via said port, wherein a first alarm is driven by said control stage to broadcast an indication of said unauthorized interruption in response to said alarm signal; and

the microprocessor based host computer is operationally coupled to said control stage via said port to periodically make a determination of whether said an unauthorized interruption of said communication has occurred; and

a second alarm is driven by said host computer to broadcast an indication of said unauthorized interruption upon said determination.

2. The container managing system of claim 1, further comprising a socket mounted within said housing providing said port.

3. The container managing system of claim 1, further comprising an infrared receiver mounted within said housing providing said port.

4. The container managing system of claim 1, further comprising an antenna mounted within said housing providing said port.

5. The container managing system of claim 1, wherein the host computer is operationally coupled to said control stage via said port and is generating said data key, wherein said host computer is coupled to said port via a cable or a local area network.

6. The container managing system of claim 1, comprising:

a first antenna of the port mounted on one of the sidewalls of the container;

a data transceiver connecting said first antenna and said control stage; and

a second antenna driven by said host computer, operationally connecting said host computer to said first antenna.

7. The container managing system of claim 1, further comprising:

an infrared transmitter driving by said host computer to broadcast an infrared signal corresponding to said data key; and

an infrared receiver disposed to receive said data key from said infrared transmitter.

8. The container managing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first infrared transmitter and receiver driven by said host computer to broadcast an infrared signal corresponding to said data key; and

a second infrared transmitter and receiver mounted on one of said sidewalls, disposed to receive said data key from said infrared transmitter, and to transmit operational communications from said control stage to said host computer via said first infrared transmitter and receiver.

9. The container managing system according to claim 1, wherein said control stage is generating an alarm signal in response to an unauthorized interruption of said communication via said port, wherein an alarm is driven by said control stage to broadcast an indication of said unauthorized interruption in response to said alarm signal.

10. The container managing system according to claim 1, wherein the control stage is periodically making a determination of whether said an unauthorized interruption of said communication has occurred;

and

an alarm driven by said host computer to broadcast and indication of said unauthorized interruption dependence upon said determination.

11. The container managing system of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor based host computer is sited externally to said container, said host computer comprises a keyboard initiating formation of said data signals and a monitor driven by said host computer to visually display video images, said host computer being operationally coupled to said port and participating in said communication by generating said data signals.

12. The container managing system of claim 1, wherein the container comprises:

a motion sensor providing a first class of information, mounted upon and borne by said housing and indicating a movement of the housing;

the memory storing a second class of information specific to said container.

13. The container managing system of claim 1, wherein the container comprises:

a location detector providing a first class of information indicating a position of the container.

14. The container managing system of claim 1, wherein said control stage is generating said control signal in dependence of said disposition of said port, in dependence of said information represented by said data signal, in dependence of said occurrence of coincidence, and in response to instructions received by said control stage from the host computer (100) coupled to said port.

15. The container managing system of claim 1, wherein said container being transportable between an origin and a destination, and said data key being encoded and being available only at destination.

16. The container managing system of claim 1, wherein said container being transportable between an origin and a destination, and said data key being encoded and being transmitted to said port from said origin.

17. The container managing system of claim 1, further comprising a cellular telephone bearing a graphical user interface, wherein the cellular telephone is coupled to the host computer.

18. The container managing system of claim 1, wherein some or all of said data signals being transmitted across or received one of an Internet and a wide area network.

19. The container managing system of claim 1, wherein said data signals comprising one of an email packet and an attachment to an e-mail message.

20. The container managing system of claim 13, wherein said information represented by said location detector comprising a global location of the container.

21. The container managing system of claim 1, wherein said container being transportable between an origin and a destination, and a user at one of said origin and said destination requests via a network a request for some part of said data key.

23. The container managing system according to claim 1, wherein said control stage (120) comprises a portable computer and said portable computer provides a data to the host computer when said host computer is equipped with a web browser.

24. The container managing system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of portable containers is releasably stored in a secured stationary room, the room having a door and a door lock.

25. The container managing system according to claim 20, wherein the door lock is operationally coupled to a port to provide communication with the host computer and/or a remote control.

26. The container managing system of claim 24, wherein portable containers may be electromechanically released.

27. The container managing system of claim 12, wherein a portion of said second class of information comprises data describing the personal characteristics of a person permitted to access the interior of said container.

28. The container managing system according to claim 24, wherein said housing and said lid may be a housing and drawer.

29. The container managing system according to claim 1, wherein the container may only be opened in certain defined locations.

30. The container managing system according to claim 1, wherein an interruption of communications between the host computer and the container is used to trigger an alarm.

31. The container managing system according to claim 1, wherein the container further comprises a location sensor furnishing an indication of the geological location of the container, wherein access to the container is denied whenever the container is not located on an assigned location.

32. The container managing system according to claim 1, wherein the container further comprises a motion sensor for detecting movement of the container.

33. The container managing system according to claim 1, wherein power for operation of the portable container is supplied from the host computer.

22. The container managing system of 12, wherein said container being transportable between an origin and a destination, and said second class of information is installed at said origin comprises biometric data matching a person of a human user of said container and said coincidence must be made with biometric data matching said person at said destination.

34. A portable container connectable to a host computer, wherein the portable container comprises:

a housing comprised of a plurality of sidewalls bearing a removable lid, forming said portable container having a closed interior while said lid is in complete engagement with said housing, and providing an open interior able to removably receive items within said open interior while said lid is dislodged from said complete engagement;

a port borne by said housing to accommodate conduction of transmission of data signals between said closed interior and the host computer coupled to the port;

a control stage comprised of a memory storing information specific to said container, said control stage being mounted entirely within and being completely encased by said container during said complete engagement, and being operationally coupled to provide communication with said interior via said port, and generating a control signal;

in dependence upon disposition of said port relative to the host computer as source of said data signals, in dependence upon disposition of said container at a geographical location within an authorized range of siting of the container, and

in response to occurrence of a coincidence between a data key received among said data signals via said port and a data sequence obtained by said control stage dependence upon said information stored within said memory;

a movable latch disposed to engage said lid and hinder removal of said lid from said complete engagement, and to respond to said control signal by releasing said lid from said complete engagement;

one or more sidewalls forming an outer casement closed at one end by a continuous bottom surface, wherein an inner casement having one or more sidewalls jointed together and closed at one end by a continuous bottom surface, an upper rim of the inner casement is extended outward to engage the inner surfaces and sidewalls to provide a cavity between the spaced apart sidewalls of the inner casement and inner surfaces of the outer casement, wherein a circuit board is placed in the cavity, wherein the circuit board providing the control stage is connected by a cable to a socket representing the port of the container, wherein an aperture is formed on one of the sidewalls of the outer casement to expose the socket to an environment external to a container, wherein the lid or other panel encloses both the inner and outer casements,

wherein the port is configured to be coupled to the host computer sited externally to the portable container via a cable, infrared or RF to receive data signals including the data key from the host computer to provide the data signals to the control stage inside portable container, and the port is adapted to transmit security status information received from the control stage to the host computer having a display unit for displaying the security status information of the portable container.