Locking apparatus for shipping containers

• US 20090135015A1
• Filed: 11/20/2008
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trakloc International LLC
• Original Assignee: TrakLok Corporation
• Inventors: Dobson, Eric L., Reed, Joel K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,058,985 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.900
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0096 Mechanical aspects of locks whose actuation is dependent on geographical location, e.g. by means of a GPS system electronic locks G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/186 with a pair of hooks, which are movable towards each other for grasping of an element on the wing, respectively on the frame, or for grasping of an element on each of the wings forming a double door
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/554 Cover, lid, cap, encasing shield

Abstract

A security system for freight containers comprises: a locking device configured to reliably attach to the container and prevent unauthorized opening of the container doors; an electromechanical locking mechanism; and a GPS receiver so that unlocking may be authorized when the container is at a selected location. The system may further include a device to sense conditions affecting the container; and, a communication system to transmit the output of the sensing device to a system administrator located remotely. The locking and sensing devices may be capable of two-way communication with the system administrator. The system may include a visual display on the exterior of the container capable of displaying selected messages. The messages may be preprogrammed or may be changed as the container moves from one geographic location to another.

Claims

1. A locking apparatus for shipping containers comprising:

a substantially rigid housing;

a mechanical member configured to engage a portion of said shipping container and secure said container from being opened when said mechanical member is in the latched position;

a microprocessor;

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver;

a power supply; and

,

an electromechanical latching mechanism configured to latch said mechanical member and to unlatch said mechanical member upon signal from said microprocessor when said shipping container has reached a selected geographic location.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a timing circuit.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one wireless transmitter selected from the group consisting of:

UHF and microwave Low Earth Orbit satellite modems;

quadband Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) modems, and passive and active radio frequency identification (RFID) devices including those with radio mesh networking capabilities.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one sensing device selected from the following group:

accelerometers;

tilt sensors;

impact sensors;

load cells;

strain gauges;

thermal sensors;

chemical sensors;

radiation sensors;

humidity sensors;

air pressure sensors;

biological sensors and RFID tag readers.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein at least one of said sensing devices is contained within said housing.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein at least one of said sensing devices is mounted remotely from said housing and said sensing device is configured to communicate wirelessly with said microprocessor at selected times.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a data input device selected from the group consisting of:

keypads;

USB ports; and

wireless data links, whereby selected data may be input to said microprocessor.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said microprocessor is configured to determine the geographic location of said container based on input from said GPS receiver.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein a second circuit is provided in addition to said GPS receiver and said microprocessor is configured to require a selected input from said second circuit in addition to said input from said GPS receiver.

10. A locking apparatus for shipping containers comprising:

a locking device configured to reliably attach to a freight container and prevent unauthorized opening of said container;

a sensing device including a two-way communication system, said sensing device further including a GPS receiver; and

,

a power supply.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said two-way communication system is configured to communicate with a system monitor located remotely from said container, said system monitor configured to receive data from said sensing device at selected times and to communicate with said sensing device at selected times.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said two-way communication system comprises at least one wireless transmitter selected from the group consisting of:

UHF and microwave Low Earth Orbit satellite modems;

quadband Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) modems, and passive and active radio frequency identification (RFID) devices including those with radio mesh networking capabilities.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising at least one sensing device selected from the following group:

accelerometers;

tilt sensors;

impact sensors;

load cells;

strain gauges;

thermal sensors;

chemical sensors;

radiation sensors;

humidity sensors;

air pressure sensors;

biological sensors and RFID tag readers.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a second circuit configured to provide a redundant check of the output of said GPS receiver.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said two-way communication system is configured to communicate with at least one similar locking device attached to a second container.

16. A locking apparatus for freight containers comprising:

a locking device configured to reliably attach to a freight container and prevent unauthorized opening of said container;

a sensing device configured to sense at least one condition affecting said container;

a communication system configured to transmit the output of said sensing device to a system monitor located remotely from said container;

a visual display device on the outside of said container, said display device capable of displaying selected information; and

,

a power supply.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said system monitor is configured to receive selected data from said sensing device and to transmit selected messages to said visual display device.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said visual display device is configured to display information selected from the following group:

time;

date;

system status;

alarm conditions; and

messages from said system monitor.