Abstract:
The present invention provides an apparatus that pairs a container monitoring system with a handheld terminal application for ensuring a secure and verifiable chain of custody, real-time asset tracking, and document management. According to one aspect of the present invention, the remote monitoring station verifies identification and licenses and oversees transferring container custody from agent to agent for each container unit. The present invention further provides a system to manage documentation in which information from multiple sensors and multiple shipments travel and arrive with the actual shipments allowing the user to collect, view, scan, transmit and print all pertinent information pertaining to each specific shipment. The present invention may be used in conjunction with the prior art and function as a universal open architecture capable of linking to, for example, existing container sensor systems and/or shipping document management systems.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Present invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a secure system for tracking shipping containers, and more particularly, to a handheld terminal apparatus paired with shipping containers or ULD vehicles for providing a method for ensuring a secure chain of custody. 
     2. Background of the Invention 
     When shipping a product, the shipper must be aware of packing, labeling, documentation, and insurance requirements. In this environment, it is important that shippers ensure that the merchandise is packed correctly so that it arrives in good condition; labeled correctly to ensure that the goods are handled properly and arrive on time at the right place; documented correctly to meet U.S. and foreign government requirements as well as proper collection standards; and insured against damage, loss, and delay. 
     Most exporters rely on an international freight forwarder to perform these services because of the multitude of considerations involved in physically exporting goods. An international freight forwarder is an agent for the exporter in moving cargo to an overseas destination. These agents are familiar with the import rules and regulations of foreign countries, the export regulations of the U.S. government, the methods of shipping, and the documents related to foreign trade. Export freight forwarders are licensed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to handle air freight and the Federal Maritime Commission to handle ocean freight. 
     Freight forwarders assist exporters in preparing price quotations by advising on freight costs, port charges, consular fees, costs of special documentation, insurance costs, and their handling fees. They recommend the packing methods that will protect the merchandise during transit or can arrange to have the merchandise packed at the port or containerized. If the exporter prefers, freight forwarders can reserve the necessary space on a vessel, aircraft, train, or truck. 
     Freight forwarders may also arrange with customs brokers overseas to ensure that the goods comply with customs export documentation regulations. A customs broker is an individual or company licensed to transact customs business on behalf of others. Customs business is limited to those activities involving transactions related to the entry and admissibility of merchandise; its classification and valuation; the payment of duties, taxes, or other charges assessed or collected; or the refund, rebate, or drawback thereof. 
     Documentation must be precise because slight discrepancies or omissions may prevent merchandise from being exported, result in nonpayment, or even result in the seizure of the exporter&#39;s goods by U.S. or foreign government customs. Collection documents are subject to precise time limits and may not be honored by a bank if the time has expired. Most documentation is routine for freight forwarders and customs brokers, but the exporter is ultimately responsible for the accuracy of its documents. The number and kind of documents the exporter must deal with varies depending on the destination of the shipment. Because each country has different import regulations, the exporter must be careful to provide all proper documentation. 
     Since the 9-11 terrorist attacks, a strong emphasis has been placed on studying the security threat to the U.S. by way of the estimated 6-12 million containers entering and reentering the U.S. each year. The 2002 Container Security Initiative (CSI) called for significant improvements in this area of security as it pertains to Intermodal shipping, port inspections and container monitoring. The most promising innovations for container security systems lay in the development of smart containers. 
     A smart container monitoring system includes a sensing system for monitoring the contents of the container as well as the exterior environment of the container, an on-board processing system comprising a signal receiving element for receiving sensor data from the sensing system, a communication systems, a memory for storing predetermined conditions, and a control element for analyzing received sensor data and declaring security alerts. Wide-spread fielding of smart container monitoring systems will require standardization and system-wide infrastructure to ensure container systems are able to communicate effectively with the remote monitoring station, data fusion centers and/or satellites. 
     However, given the level of complexity found in the global shipping industry in just meeting the documentation requirements of the U.S. government and the government of the importing country a smart container may be only part of the solution. Shipping companies must provide a user-friendly means of allowing controllable access to the smart container device and ensure that containers are efficiently passed through a clear chain of custody. 
     3. Description of Related Art 
     Global packaging delivery companies especially those offering a door-to door service such as UPS, DHL and FedEx focus on one basic task: delivering packages or services quickly and affordably around the globe. United Parcel Services has been using handheld electronic packaging devices since 1991. UPS&#39; 1991 tablet was the first to capture customer signatures. The UPS Delivery Information Acquisition Device (DIAD) was an 11 by 14 inch unit with microprocessor, keypad, infrared bar code scanner, small LCD screen and an electronic signature pad for capturing customer&#39;s signatures electronically. 
     By 2007, UPS rolled out its fourth generation of wireless handheld computers for its 70,000 drivers. The 4 th  generation DIAD powered by Microsoft Windows CE.net included built-in cellular, wireless LAN and a Bluetooth short range wireless system. It also included a GPS receiver, a bar code scanner and a color screen. 
     The latest handheld computer model for tracking package delivery is the FedEx MC9500. The MC9500 is an “industrial rugged device” that boasts to be the lightest, the most ergonomic, the fastest working in a 3.5 G Network with greater efficiencies in scanning and data capture. This device is touted to save FedEx from $50 million to $100 million in revenue next year. However, the cost of developing the MC9500 is an enormous investment that could only be absorbed by profitable commercial package delivery companies which can balance the costs with the long term savings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     To address the shortcomings presented in the prior art, the present invention provides a unique apparatus that pairs a smart container monitoring system with a handheld terminal application for ensuring a secure and verifiable chain of custody, real-time asset tracking, and document management. Further, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the chain of custody authorization ensures that drivers, shipping agents and carriers are securely entered into the system for ensuring controllable access to a cargo container. According to one aspect of the present invention, the remote monitoring station verifies identification and licenses and oversees transferring container custody from agent to agent for each container unit. This verification may preferably include biometric parameters for authenticating an agent. Further, the present invention provides a system to manage documentation in which information from multiple sensors and multiple shipments travel and arrive with the actual shipments allowing the user to collect, view, scan, transmit and print all pertinent information pertaining to each specific shipment. The present invention may be used in conjunction with the prior art and function as a universal open architecture capable of linking to, for example, existing container sensor systems and/or shipping document management systems. 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of the specification, illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a block diagram in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows an electrical wiring diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  shows a functional flow chart for establishing authorized chain of custody for document management with a container monitoring system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  shows a block diagram of a sensor control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  shows a method for establishing an authorized chain of custody for tracking assets and document management within a container monitoring system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the present invention is hereby intended and such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated devices are contemplated as would normally occur to one, skilled in the art. 
     The terms “program,” “computer program,” “software application,” and the like as used herein, are defined as a sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer system. A program, computer program, or software application may include a subroutine, a function, a procedure, an object implementation, an executable application, an applet, a servlet, a source code, an object code, a shared library, a dynamic load library and/or other sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer system. A data storage means, as defined herein, includes many different types of computer readable media that allow a computer to read data therefrom and that maintain the data stored for the computer to be able to read the data again. Such data storage means can include, for example, non-volatile memory, such as ROM, Flash memory, battery backed-up RAM, Disk drive memory, CD-ROM, DVD, and other permanent storage media. However, even volatile storage such a RAM, buffers, cache memory, and network circuits are contemplated to serve as such data storage means according to different embodiments of the present invention. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 1 , a block diagram in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention will now be discussed. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the present invention provides a handheld terminal as a platform for pairing with a monitoring device of a cargo container or other Unit Load Device (ULD) for authorizing the carrier agent, tracking the vehicle load and managing shipping documents. According to one aspect of the present invention, the handheld terminal includes a Processor-OCR element  108 , a RFID reader  104 , a barcode scanner  110 , a wireless transceiver element  114 , serial ports  120  and a micro-processing unit  402 . Preferably, the processor-OCR element  108  may include an external scanner for inputting and updating documentation. Preferably, the processor-OCR elements may be capable of recognizing and integrating any form of document regardless of the format, language and other variables. Further, the barcode scanner  110  of the present invention may access the network elements of the micro-processor  402  to run applications for Universal Barcode Identification, preferably incorporating 1D or 2D technology. Preferably, the RFID reader  104  of the present invention may be capable of querying passive, semi-passive and active RFID tag, recording the data and gathering it onto a digital manifest. 
     As also shown in  FIG. 1 , the sensing system of the present invention may include environmental sensors such as an external optical sensor module  118 . According to one embodiment of the present, the external optical sensor module  118  may include biometric measuring capabilities, a motion sensing suite including a 3-axis accelerometer  120 , a magnetometer  122  and an audio sensor suite  124  which may include a speakerphone, a microphone, and a receiver. Additionally, the sensing system may also include a geolocation transponder  112  which may include assisted GPS, Wi-Fi location databases, and cellular network locators. Preferably, the present invention may track shipping by package and provide real-time geolocation information accessible to the customer via a remote monitoring station. 
     Preferably, the present invention includes circuitry to continuously monitor the sensors and capture the highest amplitude signal over a determined, short time interval. Thereafter, as signals are detected, it is preferred that a sensor manager  126  is provided to sample the measured values or cumulative values once per programmed interval and provide the sampled results for further processing and analysis by processing system  402  of the present invention. Together the sensors of the present invention may provide continuous monitoring of environmental conditions. Preferably, each of these should be designed to be adjusted to suit particular applications. Data from these sensors is processed, stored and acted upon by the processing system of the present invention as discussed in detail below. 
     Displaying System 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the display screen  102  of the present invention preferably may be made of a durable housing, a color screen with high resolution VGA with digitizer and backlighting. Preferably, the display screen may be manipulated from the function input module  130  which may include a multitouch display, a pressure triggered stylus, an onscreen keyboard or a keypad. According to one aspect of the present invention, the display screen device may be managed and synced by a remote monitoring station. 
     Processing System 
     With reference now to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 , a first preferred embodiment of the processing system  402  of the present invention will now be discussed. As discussed above, it is preferable that the processing system  402  compare the sequence and threshold performance of the sensors  404  in the clusters to a set of predetermined patterns and levels derived from empirical trials on an instrumented static test container. Based on a series of rule sets stored in memory, the controller  406  then operates to declare security events and initiate recording and communication actions as programmed. 
     In operation, the micro-processing unit  402  is preferably programmed to routinely scan the conditions of the sensors to ensure operability. It is further preferable that the Controller Processing Unit (CPU)  406  has access to all other subsystem managers and provides control of the sensors, communications, power, and alerting functions. To achieve this function it is preferred that the controller  406  have access to and handle all of the system logging of sensor data on a sensor log  128  or similar medium. 
     Communication System 
     As further shown in  FIG. 1 , a wireless transceiver  114  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention may be a wireless connection in a satellite mode to communicate with a satellite system such as Globalstar or Orbcomm. Preferably, such a satellite device will be a device such as the Axxon, AutoTracker, or the like, or a customized Orbcomm VHF satellite GPS tracking communications device may be adapted with Zigbee interface antenna devices to incorporate them into the overall LAN architecture of the security system. These devices include a satellite transceiver, GPS receiver, a customized Zigbee wireless antenna with a serial (Ax Tracker) or duplex (OrbComm) interface. 
     In accordance with an alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reporting may also be made using a wireless system independent from the satellite system. According to this embodiment, wireless signals may be transmitted to a wireless relay, base station or the like for routing and transmission to a chosen centralized location independent from or in combination with the transmissions made from the satellite system. In accordance with this alternative embodiment, signals may also be received by the communications manager and wireless interface from such external wireless networks as well. 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferred that the wireless communications used within the present invention will be based on the Zigbee (IEEE 802.15.4) standard. This standard transmits RF signals in the 2.4 GHz ISM band and operates with low power consumption due to its relatively slower data transmission rate (128 Kpps-250 Kbps). This approach enables additional capacity and flexibility of design through an up to 255 node pico-network. Communications are simplex or duplex in design, meaning that data can be assessed in either a push or pull process. 
     Remote Monitoring 
     To support and monitor the dataflow generated by the present invention, it is preferred that users establish a centralized location to collect and analyze data. This central location or “data fusion center” would preferably consolidate all tracking signals, sensor alarms and reports generated by the monitoring systems and provide further context and links with current intelligence. 
     Preferably, such a data fusion center will receive such source information in a variety of formats such as Electronic Data interchange, XML, E-mail, HTML and flat text files. After receiving such data, the data fusion center preferably would act to process information to identify anomalies. With this data collected and processed, analyst may calculate statistics and probability of detection models used for decision support. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 2 , an electrical wiring diagram of a micro-processing unit  402  according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be discussed. A micro-processing unit  402  receives input from a charging circuit and battery cells  203 , an Optical Sensor unit  205 , an audio sensor module  235 , the status detect sensors  207 , a GPS transponder  211 , a motion sensing module  231  which includes an accelerometer and a magnetometer, a RFID reader  209 , an OCR scanner  213  and a barcode scanner  215 . The micro-processing unit  402  then assesses information and sends out signals to a radio transmitter/transceiver  217 , a sensor log  227 , a battery charge indicator  233 , a remote monitoring station or backend server  221 , a GPS tracking system transmitter  219 , a bar code identifier  223 , an RFID maniest  225  and a sensor manager  229 . Data from these sensors is processed, stored, and acted upon by the micro-processing unit  402 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 3 , a method for pairing the present invention with a container monitoring system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention will now be discussed. As shown in  FIG. 3 , a method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an initial driver or carrier log-in  330  in which an authorized agent may log-in using the function input module  334  and preferably undergo biometric security measurement  328 . Preferably, the log-in data and biometric measurements are processed by the remote monitoring station for authorization  326 . Upon receiving remote monitoring station authorization  326  an authorized agent may proceed with first loading containers  302  during which time it is preferred that package level detail is captured  304  by a REID reader  310  detecting RFID tags on packages and a barcode scanner  306  uploading barcodes. As container is loaded electronic manifests can be transferred via wireless document transfer  316  from the remote monitoring station  312  and/or shipping documents may be scanned  314  via the OCR Scanner  308  of the present invention. After data is transferred to the apparatus of the present invention  100 , transport documents may be sorted, filed, and integrated  318  to become a unified manifest for everything on or in a pallet or container. Finally, the documentation can be managed and transferred through a USB port  324 , an external serial port  322  and printer, an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)  320  or processed by the remote monitoring station backend analyst to prepare the tracking information which may then be made accessible to the consumer or customer on-line  336 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 4 , it is preferred that the micro-processing unit  402  incorporates a microcontroller  406 , a real time clock  418 , a general purpose Input/Output port to support external peripheral control  408 , a Universal Synchronous/Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (USART)  410 , a Serial Port Interface (SPI)  412 , and memory such as RAM  422 , FLASH memory  420 , and EEPROM  414  as shown. 
     Preferably, the controller  406  used may be a low power, high performance, eight-bit intergrated circuit based on the Motorola HCS08 instruction set. The micro-processor  402  will preferably manage power and host the master date-time clock, communication scheduling and annotation of flash memory records. 
     Preferably, the present invention includes circuitry and digital ports to connect to existing electrical and sensor management systems previously configured with embedded circuitry. In operation, a controller unit  406  is preferably programmed to routinely scan the condition of each sensor to ensure operability. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 5 , a method for establishing an authorized chain of custody for tracking assets and document management within a smart container monitoring system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention will now be discussed. As shown in  FIG. 5 , a method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an initial driver or carrier log-in  501  in which an authorized agent may log-in using the function input module and preferably undergo biometric security measurement  503 . Preferably, the log-in data and biometric measurements are processed by the remote monitoring station for authorization  505 . Once an agent is authorized access, the shipping container is loaded  507  and the present invention captures package level detail  509 . Preferably, an electronic manifest is wirelessly transferred and received by the processing unit of the present invention  511  or a copy of the manifest and/or other shipping documents may be manually uploaded by the OCR scanner of the processing unit  513 . Preferably, according to one aspect of the present invention, the package level detail captured at loading can be reconciled to the shipping manifest. In accordance with the present invention, a unified manifest may be generated  515  and transmitted for backend data storage and analysis  517 . In transit and especially at custom points, according to one aspect of the present invention, forms may be generated as needed by authorities  519 . Documentation may be delivered in complete, viewable, and organized shipping documentation folders and transferred through a USB port, an external serial port and printer and/or Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). Preferably, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, sensor data may be captured and the sensor log queried  521  by either the local user or the remote monitoring station. Preferably, tracking and sensor data may be consolidated with shipping documents  523  for generating complete tracking logs and other reports  525  based on actual sensor data collected during transit. 
     While the above descriptions regarding the present invention contain much specificity, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope, but rather as examples. Many other variations are possible. Accordingly, the scope should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.