Cargo theft prevention system and method

• US 9,033,116 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2013
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Technologies International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Technologies International, Inc.
• Inventors: Breed, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHWARTZ, CHRISTOPHER P
• Application Number:
  US14/024,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20140202800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 303/89, 303/123, 180/287, 340/568.1, 340/572.1, 340/539.13, 701/1, 701/45, 188/19, 188/20, 188/68, 188/69, 188/82.7, 188/265
• US Class Current: 188/82.7
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/005 by locking of wheel or transmission rotation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/067 employing drum B60T1/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/16 operated by remote control, i.e. initiating means not mounted on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/00 Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1436 with motion detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19647 Systems specially adapted for intrusion detection in or around a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/22 for communication related to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/222 wherein jamming detection includes detecting the absence or impossibility of intelligible communication on at least one channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/226 Selection of non-jammed channel for communication spectrum sharing arrangements H04W16/14; selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/88 related to allowing or preventing alarm transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/65 Central control

Abstract

Arrangement and method for monitoring a structure at a fixed location, e.g., a house, parked boat or parked airplane, includes a monitoring or sensor system arranged to obtain information about the structure, an exterior of the structure and/or an interior of the structure different than the location of the structure, and a communication system coupled to the sensor system and being provided with a location of the structure. The communication system transmits the information about the structure obtained by the sensor system and the location of the structure to a remote facility. The remote facility can therefore monitor the structure, and take steps to ensure the integrity of the reservoir and the fluid therein. To enable wireless and powerless monitoring, a power source independent of a power grid extending outside of the trailer may be provided to supply power to the sensor system and the communications unit.

Claims

1. A brake locking system for a vehicle including a drum brake applied during non-movement of the vehicle, comprising:

a ratchet wheel adapted to be coupled to the drum brake such that when rotation of said ratchet wheel is prevented, release of the drum brake is prevented;

a plurality of pawls arranged to engage with said ratchet wheel, each at a respective location along a circumference of said ratchet wheel; and

a release system for moving said pawls out of engagement with said ratchet wheel, said release system being configured to receive a remotely-issued command to move said pawls out of engagement with said ratchet wheel.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a rotatable S-cam having a first rotatable state wherein release of the drum brake is possible and a second non-rotatable state in which rotation of said S-cam is prevented by said pawls.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a solenoid associated with each of said pawls for withdrawing the associated one of said pawls from engagement with said ratchet wheel.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said release system comprises a respective brake lock out controller that controls each of said solenoids.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said release system is configured to receive the remotely-issued command to move said pawls out of engagement with said ratchet wheel as a message from a message-generating communication system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of pawls comprise two pawls arranged on opposite sides of said ratchet wheel.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a communication device configured to generate the command for said release system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said release system comprises a respective brake lock out controller that controls movement of said pawls, said release system being configured to receive encoded commands and decode the commands to control the movement of said pawls.

9. A vehicle including a theft prevention system associated with a wheel on which a drum brake is operative, comprising

a brake locking system comprising:

a ratchet wheel adapted to be coupled to the drum brake such that when rotation of said ratchet wheel is prevented, release of the drum brake is prevented;

a plurality of pawls arranged to engage with said ratchet wheel, each at a respective location along a circumference of said ratchet wheel; and

a release system for moving said pawls out of engagement with said ratchet wheel, said release system being configured to receive a remotely-issued command to move said pawls out of engagement with said ratchet wheel; and

a plate and mud guard that shields said brake locking system such that removal of the wheel is required to gain access to said brake locking system.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said brake locking system in its entirety is arranged in a brake area around the wheel.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said brake locking system is partly arranged outside of a brake area around the wheel, said part arranged outside of the brake area including components that are adversely affected by elevated temperatures in the brake area.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein said brake locking system further comprises a solenoid for withdrawing said pawls from engagement with said ratchet wheel.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said release system comprises a brake lock out controller that controls said solenoid.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said controller is arranged outside of a brake area around the wheel and coupled to said solenoid via at least one wire.

15. The system of claim 9, further comprising a communications unit that generates the commands to be received by said release system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said communications unit is arranged to generate a coded message such that said release system is configured to decode the message.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein said plurality of pawls comprise two pawls arranged on opposite sides of said ratchet wheel.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein said release system comprises a respective brake lock out controller that controls movement of said pawls, said release system being configured to receive encoded commands and decode the commands to control the movement of said pawls.

19. A method for monitoring a cargo container, comprising:

providing a transmitter on the container and a remote location apart from the container with an initial schedule of messages to be transmitted from the transmitter on the container to the remote location when an authorized driver moving the container is not present proximate the container;

transmitting messages from the transmitter to the remote location according to the initial schedule of messages;

modifying the initial schedule of messages to create a new schedule of messages different than the initial schedule of messages when the authorized driver is present proximate the container, the new, different schedule providing a reduced rate of transmission of messages relative to the rate of transmission according to the initial schedule of messages;

providing the new, different schedule of messages to the transmitter and transmitting messages from the transmitter to the remote location according to the new, different schedule such that the transmitter transmits messages to the remote location according to the new, different schedule of messages instead of according to the initial schedule of messages when the driver is present proximate the container;

notifying the remote location of the presence of the driver and providing the remote location with the new, different schedule of messages to be transmitted from the transmitter on the container to the remote location; and

identifying theft of the container when a message is not received at the remote location according to the initial schedule of messages prior to notification of the remote location of the presence of the driver proximate the container or when a message is not received at the remote location according to the new, different schedule of messages after notification of the remote location of the presence of the driver proximate the container.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising

determining location of the container using an on-board location-determining system;

and

providing the determined location of the container with the messages being transmitted from the transmitter on the container to the remote location.