Apparatus for tamper proof security mechanism and tamper evident indicator

• US 8,797,160 B1
• Filed: 01/06/2012
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globaltrak LLC (ORBCOMM Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Globaltrak LLC (ORBCOMM Incorporated)
• Inventors: Meyers, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/345,571
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 340/541, 340/568.1, 340/572.1, 340/686.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/635, 340/652
• US Class Current: 340/541
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2211/00 Anti-theft means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/008 Doors for containers, e.g. ISO-containers locking E05B83/12
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/22 Safety features floating covers B65D88/34; arrangements of indicating or measuring devices B65D90/48; fire-fighting A62C
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/08 by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range

Abstract

A system, apparatus, and method for a high degree of container security using tamper evident indicator is provided. According to one embodiment, the tamper evident indicator may be a visible alarm, an audible alarm, or their combinations. Further, the tamper evident indicator may be incorporated into a smart container monitoring system. More specifically, the tamper evident indicator may be linked to a mesh network, thus a primary container in a set of linked containers may alert inspectors to other containers that have been tampered.

Claims

1. A cargo container security apparatus for securing a first cargo container, the apparatus comprising:

a tamper-evident indicator;

a digitally programmed locking device;

a wireless transceiver element, wherein the wireless transceiver element is configured to send and receive wireless signals to and from at least a second cargo container; and

a microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller is capable of determining the occurrence of an alarm event related to the first cargo container and generating a first alarm via a tamper-evident indicator;

wherein the microcontroller is further configured to receive an alert message indicating that an alarm event related to the second cargo container has occurred;

wherein the microcontroller is further configured to provide an alarm based on the alert message received from the second cargo container; and

further wherein the microcontroller is configured to indicate which cargo container triggered the alarm.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tamper-evident indicator is configured to generate an alarm using one type of signal or a combination of signals from the following group comprising:

an indicator light;

an audible alarm;

a visible alarm; and

a digitally displayed message.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus reports an alarm event to a remote monitoring station.

4. A method for managing a tamper-proof cargo container and indicating a suspected event that compromises container security, the method comprising:

programming a digital locking device on a first container;

detecting an unauthorized access to the first container; and

generating an alarm via a tamper-evident indicator on the first container, wherein the first container is wirelessly linked to one or more cargo containers in a given area, and further wherein a second container linked in the network transmits a message to the first container regarding an alarm event, further wherein the tamper-evident indicator indicates which container triggered the alarm event.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first container generates an alarm according to the message.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first container indicates the second container as an origin of the message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first container is capable of acting as a primary container to generate a visible alarm or an audible alarm on behalf of tampered containers in the mesh network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first container reports an alarm event to a remote monitoring station.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the first container generates the alarm using one type of signal or a combination of signals from the following group comprising:

an indicator light;

an audible alarm;

a visible alarm; and

a digitally displayed message.