Shipping container vent cover for theft detection, theft prevention and logistics management

• US 8,797,161 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2010
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Loginno Logistic Innovation Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Loginno Logistic Innovation Ltd.
• Inventors: Aflalo, Amit
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/320,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20120075100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,610 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.1, 3405721-5729, 340/567, 340/552, 340/561, 340/568.8, 340/569, 3405685-5687, 340/571, 340/581, 340612-614
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2211/00 Anti-theft means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2590/0083 Computer or electronic system, e.g. GPS systems
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/121 ISO containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/741 aerating by ambient air through openings in the wall
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/00 Component parts, details or accessories for large containers B65D88/34 - B65D88/78 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2491 Intrusion detection systems, i.e. where the body of an intruder causes the interference with the electromagnetic field

Abstract

A vent cover (16) for installing on a shipping container. The vent cover includes a housing (16a) adapted for covering a vent hole (24) of the shipping container. A direct current (DC) power source is encased or enclosed in the housing. The DC power source includes a battery. The vent cover may also include a circuit board (34) attached to the DC power source. An antenna (36) may be located on a surface of the housing and attached to the circuit board. The circuit board may include a satellite antenna interface for a satellite antenna and a global positioning system (GPS) module attached to the satellite antenna interface. The vent cover may include an environmental sensor (304) for sensing a parameter of the shipping container. The environmental sensor may be adapted to protrude through a hole in a wall (12) of the shipping container when the vent cover is mounted on the shipping container. The electromagnetic sensor may be configured to transmit an electromagnetic signal (324) and sense an electromagnetic response signal (322) responsive to the transmitted wave and sensitive to variations within the container.

Claims

1. A vent cover for installing on a shipping container and thereby securing the shipping container, the vent cover comprising:

a housing adapted for attaching over a vent hole of the shipping container;

a circuit board encased or enclosed in said housing;

an environmental sensor, attachable to said circuit board, for sensing an environmental parameter of the shipping container; and

a wide area network transceiver, encased or enclosed in said housing.

2. The vent cover of claim 1, wherein a DC power source, for said circuit board and for said WAN transceiver, is enclosed or encased in said housing.

3. The vent cover of claim 2, wherein said DC power source is encased in said housing and said DC power source is a rechargeable battery.

4. The vent cover of claim 2, wherein said DC power source is enclosed in said housing and said DC power source is a replaceable battery.

5. The vent cover of claim 2, wherein said DC power source includes a rechargeable battery chargeable by mutual inductance through said housing.

6. The vent cover of claim 1, wherein said circuit board includes:

a satellite antenna interface for a satellite antenna; and

a global positioning system (GPS) module operatively attached to said satellite antenna interface.

7. The vent cover of claim 1, further comprising:

an electromagnetic sensor adapted for transmitting an electromagnetic signal and sensing an electromagnetic response signal responsive to said transmitted electromagnetic signal.

8. The vent cover of claim 7, wherein a wavelength of said transmitted electromagnetic signal is selected to correspond to a full-wave, half-wave or quarter-wave of a dimension of said container.

9. A method for securing a shipping container, the method using a vent cover including a housing;

a circuit board encased or enclosed in said housing;

a wide area network transceiver encased or enclosed in said housing; and

an environmental sensor, attachable to said circuit board;

the method comprising;

attaching the housing over a vent hole of the shipping container;

using the environmental sensor, enabling sensing an environmental parameter of the shipping container; and

responsive to said environmental parameter alerting of a potential theft using the wide area network transceiver.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting an electromagnetic signal into a space of the shipping container;

sensing a response signal responsive to said electromagnetic signal from said space; and

based on said response signal said alerting of a potential theft, wherein said transmitting and said sensing are performed periodically in a monitoring mode.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

upon said alerting, changing from a monitoring mode to an active mode.

12. The method of claim 11, further includes:

during said active mode, communicating said alert of theft with other communication systems selected from the group consisting of;

a satellite link, a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), a global system for mobile communications (GSM) gateway and a portable cell.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said sensing and said alerting are performed using power from a direct current power source encased or enclosed in the housing.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said environmental sensor is selected from the group consisting of an electromagnetic sensor, thermal, humidity, motion sensor, gas sensor, pressure sensor, shipping container door switch sensor, optical sensor, acoustic sensor.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein said environmental sensor is adapted to protrude through a hole in a wall of said shipping container when said vent cover is mounted on the shipping container.