Abstract:
The present invention provides a platform for translating between devices, updating device software, receiving and normalizing device signals, processing them, and determining appropriate responses to containers. The present invention seeks to keep intelligence at the back end allowing smart devices to remain effective under the complex conditions of the intermodal shipping industry. According to a further preferred embodiment, the invention further includes container transponders adapted to receive local signals and repeat or forward the signals. Further, the present invention discloses a method designed to increase signal reliability between smart devices which may act as relay nodes to communicate with existing devices.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Present Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a system for remote monitoring of smart cargo container security devices and more specifically to providing a platform for translating between device inputs that includes container transponders adapted to receive local signals and repeating or forwarding signals to an Information Management Bureau (IMB) capable of providing a universal device architecture for normalizing system functions from container to container. 
     2. Background of the Invention 
     In today&#39;s security conscious shipping environment, smart container monitoring systems and alarming devices have become part of the long term solution. Current computer tracking systems are effective at monitoring the location of individual containers from point of origin to destination and maintaining an inventory of loaded and empty containers. Most of these systems rely on transponders mounted on the containers that send messages to satellites or ground stations, from which the messages are rerouted to shipping companies, freight forwarders and companies. 
     A smart container monitoring system may include 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 system, a memory for storing predetermined conditions, and a control element for analyzing received sensor data and declaring security alerts. Wide-spread fielding of the smart container monitoring systems will require standardization and the system wide infrastructure to ensure container systems are able to communicate effectively with the remote monitoring station, data fusion centers and/or satellites. 
     Today, approximately 90% of non-bulk cargo worldwide is transported by container, and modern container ships can carry up to 15,000 Twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). As a class, container ships now rival crude oil tankers and bulk carriers as the largest commercial vessels on the ocean. On the decks of modern barges and transport ships, a single smart cargo container stacked among the freight of the massive bulk carriers may experience a Faraday Cage effect whereby the reception of external radio signals and electromagnetic transmissions can be greatly attenuated or blocked altogether. 
     A Faraday Cage&#39;s operation depends on the fact that an external static electrical field will cause the electrical charges within the cage&#39;s conducting material to be redistributed so as to cancel the field&#39;s effects in the cage&#39;s interior. This phenomenon is used, for example, to protect electronic equipment from lightning-strikes and other electrostatic discharges. While Faraday Cages cannot block static and slowly varying magnetic fields, such as Earth&#39;s magnetic field (a compass will still work inside), to a large degree, they can shield the interior from external electromagnetic radiation if the conductor is thick enough and any holes are significantly smaller than the radiation&#39;s wavelength. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     To address the shortcomings presented in the prior art, the present invention provides a universal device architecture at the IMB level to provide a platform for translating between devices, updating device software, receiving and normalizing device signals, processing them, and determining appropriate responses to containers. The present invention seeks to keep intelligence at the back end allowing smart devices to remain effective under the complex conditions of the intermodal shipping industry. According to a further preferred embodiment, the invention further includes container transponders adapted to receive local signals and repeat or forward the signals to the IMB. Further, the present invention discloses a method designed to increase signal reliability between smart devices which may act as relay nodes to communicate with existing devices. 
     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  describes a method for establishing platform for translating between devices in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows a functional configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  shows a functional configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  describes a method for establishing platform for translating between devices in accordance with one aspect 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 method according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be discussed. As shown in  FIG. 1 , a first container monitoring device attempts to transmit a signal to the IMB  102 . After a certain predetermined number of failed attempts to transmit the signal, the device will automatically seek another container monitoring device to act as courier for sending the message  104  to the IMB. Upon detecting communication with a second smart container monitoring device  106  the first container monitoring device will relay its message to the second container monitoring device which has been determined as capable of intercepting its signal  108 . The second container monitoring device becomes a relay node for transmitting this message  110 . 
     Preferably, according to one aspect of the present invention, there may be more than one monitoring device participating as multiple relay nodes in a series act to successfully ensure that a single message is transmitted to the IMB. Further, preferably, the same devices will participating in receiving and relaying a message from the IMB back to the target device in a reverse series of relays. 
     As further shown in  FIG. 1 , thereafter, the IMB may verify the identity and location of the last transmitting device in the series  112  and receive the details of the message from the last transmitting device. After processing the information received, the IMB may attempt to make directly make contact with the first container monitoring device from which the message was initiated, but will also transmit its response via the series of devices from which the message was successfully received  116 . Further, after the IMB receives details from the first monitoring device, the IMB may apply backend analysis and provide information and updates as ongoing support to the shipping companies and other clients  118 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 2 , a functional configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention will now be discussed. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a cross sectional view of the deck of a ship  204  on which nine smart cargo containers, A-I, are stacked above the ship deck  204  and nine smart cargo containers, J-R, below the ship&#39;s deck  204 , a satellite  202  and an IMB  100 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , each container, A-R, has a smart container monitoring device which includes a transponder capable of serving as a signal relay node  222 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , Container Q is signaling an alarm event  218  which is intended to reach the IMB  200 . However, based on the positioning of Container Q, the signal is blocked horizontally by the adjacent containers and vertically by the deck  204  and the three containers H, E and B, which are on top of the container and additionally attenuating the signal transmitted from Container Q  220 . 
     As further shown in  FIG. 2 , the initial signal transmitted by Container Q  220  may be received by the transponder in the monitoring device of Container N and the repeater module of the monitoring device of Container N may receive the signal, strengthen it and relay the signal  206  to the transponder of the Container K. Preferably, the signal from Container K may be received by the transponder of the Container B which may transmit the signal  214  to a receiving satellite  202  which may transmit the signal  216  to the IMB  200 . Also preferably, the signal from Container K  208  may be received by the transponder of Container H, picked up by the signal repeater and transmitted  210  to transponder of Container E, the signal will be picked up by the signal repeater of Container E and transmitted  212  to repeater unit of Container B, which may transmit the signal  214  to a receiving satellite  202  which may transmit the signal  216  to the IMB  200 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 3 , a functional configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention will now be discussed. As shown in  FIG. 3 , a cross sectional view of the deck of a ship  304  on which three smart cargo containers, A-C, are stacked above the ship deck  304  and six smart cargo containers, D-I, below the ship&#39;s deck  304 , and an IMB  300 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , each container, A-I, has a smart container monitoring device  322  which includes a transponder capable of serving as a signal relay node. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , Container H is signaling an alarm event  318  which is intended to reach the IMB  300 . However, based on the positioning of Container H, the signal is blocked horizontally by adjacent containers and vertically by the deck  304  and containers E and B, which are on top of the container and additionally attenuating the signal transmitted from Container H  320 . 
     As further shown in  FIG. 3 , the initial signal transmitted by Container H  320  may be received by the transponder in the monitoring device of Container E and the repeater module of the monitoring device of Container E may receive the signal, strengthen it and relay the signal  316  to the transponder of the Container B. Preferably, the signal from Container H  320  may be received by the transponder of the Container B which may transmit the signal  314  to the IMB  300 . Also preferably, the signal from Container H  320  may be received by the transponder of Container E, picked up by the signal repeater and transmitted  316  to the transponder of Container B, the signal  316  will be picked up by the signal repeater of Container B and transmitted  314  to the IMB  300 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 4 , a method according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be discussed. As shown in  FIG. 4 , a first container monitoring device attempts to transmit a signal to a second container monitoring device  402 . After a certain predetermined number of failed attempts to transmit the signal  404 , the device is programmed to automatically seek assistance from a first remote monitoring station  406 . The first container monitoring device relays a signal, the data it has on the second container monitoring device, and its message to the first remote monitoring station  408 . The first remote monitoring station applies back end analysis and attempts to determine the identity, ownership and management of the second container monitoring device  410 . The first remote monitoring station may relay its data, signal, and message to a second remote monitoring station to seek assistance with the communication protocol for the second container monitoring device  412 . The first remote monitoring station receives a response, from the second remote monitoring station  414  and sends the message to the first container monitoring device  416 . The first container monitoring device addresses the second container monitoring device with the proper signaling protocol  418 . The two container monitoring devices are now free to communication directly. The first remote monitoring station may apply back end analysis and updates to shipping companies and clients  420 . 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the communication system may include 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 which 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. 
     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. 
     It is preferred that the controller unit of a smart container monitoring unit incorporates a microprocessor, a real time clock, a general purpose Input/Output port to support external peripheral control, a Universal Synchronous/Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (USART), a Serial Port Interface (SPI), and memory such as RAM, a FLASH memory, and EEPROM. The controller will preferably manage power and host the master date-time clock, communication scheduling and annotation of flash memory records. 
     The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.