Interactive programmable container security and compliance system

• US 7,696,869 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2007
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Health Hero Network Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Health Hero Network Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Brown, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/696,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20080246598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/568.1, 340/571, 340/517, 340/523, 340/539.26, 340/539.31, 340/539.22, 235/380, 235/381, 250/221, 250/222.1, 700/241, 700/244
• US Class Current: 340/539.22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A monitoring system and method comprises a container adapted to house contents therein and a sensor device attached to the container, wherein the sensor device comprises at least one sensor that collects past and present data of the container, wherein the data comprises container content identification data, container geographic location data, container motion data, evidence of container tampering data, and biometric data of individuals handling the container; and a processor operatively connected to the at least one sensor and adapted to communicate the data to any of a user and a remote storage device. The processor is adapted to communicate the data into a language of choice of the user. The sensor device comprises an identification code, wherein the processor is adapted to regulate types of services the container is eligible to receive based on the identification code.

Claims

1. A monitoring system comprising:

a container that houses contents therein; and

a sensor device attached to said container, wherein said sensor device comprises;

at least one sensor that collects past and present data of said container, wherein the data comprises container content identification data, container geographic location data, container motion data, evidence of container tampering data, and biometric data of individuals handling said container;

a processor operatively connected to said at least one sensor, wherein said processor communicates said data to a user;

a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter that receives and transmits data in said sensor device and between;

various said at least one sensor;

at least one data input comprising an external sensor port, an accelerometer, a tamper detector, a fingerprint recorder; and

said processor;

a display driver operatively connected to said processor;

a liquid crystal display controlled by said display driver; and

a real-time clock that records a date/time stamp of a user input to said sensor device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor device comprises a communications device, and wherein said system further comprises:

a database system; and

a communications channel,

wherein said communications device transmits said data to said database system through said communications channel.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said sensor device comprises a receiver, and wherein said system further comprises a transmitter that transmits past data from said database system, wherein said receiver receives said past data from said transmitter.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising at least one service access device operatively connected to said database system, wherein said at least one service access device generates computer executable applications and reports based on data processed by said sensor device and transmitted to said database system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications from said processor comprise any of audio communications and visual communications.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor communicates said data into a language of choice of said user.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor device comprises an identification code, wherein said processor regulates types of services said container is eligible to receive based on said identification code.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises any of a location sensor, a heat sensor, a smoke sensor, a sound sensor, a battery sensor, a motion sensor, a video sensor, a user identification sensor, and a three-dimensional accelerometer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor device comprises a user interface that receives instructions from said user and transmits the communications from said processor to said user.

10. A monitoring system comprising:

a remote data storage device;

a container that houses contents therein;

a sensor device attached to said container, wherein said sensor device comprises;

at least one sensor that collects past and present data of said container, wherein the data comprises container content identification data, container geographic location data, container motion data, evidence of container tampering data, and biometric data of individuals handling said container;

a processor operatively connected to said at least one sensor, wherein said processor transmits said data to said remote data storage device;

a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter that receives and transmits data in said sensor device and between;

various said at least one sensor;

at least one data input comprising an external sensor port, an accelerometer, a tamper detector, a fingerprint recorder; and

said processor;

a display driver operatively connected to said processor;

a liquid crystal display controlled by said display driver; and

a real-time clock that records a date/time stamp of a user input to said sensor device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said sensor device comprises a communications device, wherein said remote data storage device comprises a database system, and wherein said system further comprises a communications channel, wherein said communications device transmits said data to said database system through said communications channel.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said sensor device comprises a receiver, and wherein said system further comprises a transmitter that transmits past data from said database system, wherein said receiver receives said past data from said transmitter.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising at least one service access device operatively connected to said database system, wherein said at least one service access device generates computer executable applications and reports based on data processed by said sensor device and transmitted to said database system.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the communications from said processor comprise any of audio communications and visual communications.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein said processor communicates said data into any one of a plurality of languages.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein said sensor device comprises an identification code, wherein said processor regulates types of services said container is eligible to receive based on said identification code.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein said at least one sensor comprises any of a location sensor, a heat sensor, a smoke sensor, a sound sensor, a battery sensor, a motion sensor, a video sensor, a user identification sensor, and a three-dimensional accelerometer.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein said sensor device comprises an interface that receives instructions from said remote storage device and transmits the communications from said processor to said remote storage device.

19. A method of monitoring a container, said method comprising:

collecting past and present data of a container using a sensor device attached to said container, wherein said container houses contents therein, and wherein the data comprises container content identification data, container geographic location data, container motion data, evidence of container tampering data, and biometric data of individuals handling said container, wherein said sensor device sensor device comprises;

at least one sensor that collects said past and present data of said container, wherein the data comprises container content identification data, container geographic location data, container motion data, evidence of container tampering data, and biometric data of individuals handling said container;

a processor operatively connected to said at least one sensor;

a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter that receives and transmits data in said sensor device and between;

various said at least one sensor;

at least one data input comprising an external sensor port, an accelerometer, a tamper detector, a fingerprint recorder; and

said processor;

a display driver operatively connected to said processor;

a liquid crystal display controlled by said display driver; and

a real-time clock that records a date/time stamp of a user input to said sensor device;

communicating said data to any of a remote storage device and a user; and

receiving and transmitting said data between said at least one sensor and said remote storage device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said data indicates:

a description of said contents in said container;

a description of all geographic locations where said container has been transported;

a description of mechanical movements of said container; and

a description of whether said container has been opened and if said container has been opened whether such opening is authorized by a predetermined code.