Shipping container having integral geoclock system

• US 20110018707A1
• Filed: 07/27/2009
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Trakloc International LLC
• Original Assignee: Trakloc International LLC
• Inventors: Dobson, Eric L., Reed, Joel K.
• Application Number:
  US12/460,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20110018707A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/10 Arrangement of fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/18 Devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/42 Devices for identifying luggage; Means for attaching same
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/162 the container, the lid and the hinge being made of one piece B65D43/161 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 55/028 initial opening or unauthorised access being indicated by the presence or absence of an audible or electrical signal
• 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: E05B 83/10 Rotary bars
• 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: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/08 by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind

Abstract

A shipping apparatus for small, high value or accountable items comprises: a substantially rigid housing comprising two opposed sections connected to one another, forming a container capable of being opened and closed, typically in a clamshell arrangement; and an integral locking device to secure the container in the closed position. The locking device includes: a microprocessor; a global positioning system (GPS) receiver; a power supply; and an electromechanical latching mechanism to actuate the locking device and to unlock the locking device upon signal from the microprocessor when the shipping container has reached a selected geographic location. The locking device may further contain additional sensing and communication functions.

Claims

1. A shipping apparatus comprising:

a substantially rigid housing comprising two opposed sections connected to one another and configured to form a container capable of being opened and closed;

an integral locking device configured to secure said container in the closed position, said locking device comprising;

a microprocessor;

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver;

a power supply; and

,

an electromechanical latching mechanism configured to actuate said locking device and to permit the unlocking of said locking device 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, RFID tag readers, near-field/proximity RF devices and computer readable RF identification cards.

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 shipping apparatus comprising:

a substantially rigid, lockable housing containing an integral locking device, said locking device comprising;

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 a nearby device so that the proximity of said apparatus to a designated carrier may be continuously monitored.

16. A shipping apparatus comprising:

a substantially rigid, man-portable housing comprising two opposed sections connected to one another and configured to form a lockable container capable of being opened and closed;

a handle for carrying said container; and

,

a locking device configured to secure said container in the closed position, said locking device comprising;

a microprocessor;

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver;

a power supply; and

,

an electromechanical latching mechanism configured to actuate said locking device and to permit the unlocking of said locking device upon signal from said microprocessor when said shipping container has reached a selected geographic location.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising a near-field RF communication system configured to communicate with a nearby device so that the proximity of said apparatus to a designated carrier may be continuously monitored.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said designated carrier is a person and said near-field RF communication system is configured to monitor the condition that said person is maintaining physical custody of said container.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said designated carrier is a vehicle and said near-field RF communication system is configured to monitor the condition that said container is remaining within said vehicle.