Abstract:
A vehicle for carrying responsive objects is outfitted with a proxy for the responsive objects. The vehicle is also outfitted with a sensor that detects which responsive objects it is carrying and sensor that detect environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, etc.) inside and outside of the vehicle. When an inquiry is directed to a responsive object in the vehicle, the proxy intercepts the inquiry and responds with the status of the vehicle. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, the responsive objects use different protocols, and the proxy is multi-lingual in the sense that it can communicate with the inquirer with the same protocol that is used to communicate with the responsive object. In this way, the illustrative embodiment provides a mechanism for monitoring the location and condition of responsive without some of the costs and disadvantages for doing so in the prior art.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of surveillance in general, and, more particularly, to monitoring portable objects. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There are some objects that can be shipped without a great deal of concern for whether the object is lost in transit or for whether the object&#39;s environment stays within acceptable limits. For example, a one-pound ingot of lead can be shipped without a great deal of concern for whether it is lost because the ingot can be easily and inexpensively replaced. Furthermore, the ingot is substantially impervious to damage from changes in temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure. 
     In contrast, there are some objects that can be shipped in which the owner of the object is highly interested in whether the object is lost and whether the object&#39;s environment stays within acceptable limits. In this case, the objects are often outfitted with radios, electronics, and sensors so that the owner can inquire into the location and condition of the object. The inquiries can originate from a location that is near the responsive object or from a location that is thousands of miles away from the object. In either case, a portable object that is capable of responding to an inquiry about itself is called a “responsive object.” 
     When a responsive object is located outside, on land, and is stationary, the responsive object is usually able to receive and respond to an inquiry. In contrast, when a responsive object is inside a vehicle, far from land, or moving, the ability of the responsive object to receive and respond to inquiries can be impeded. Therefore, the need exists for an improvement in the ability to monitor the condition of responsive objects. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Some embodiments of the present invention provide a mechanism for monitoring the condition of responsive objects without some of the costs and disadvantages of techniques in the prior art. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, a vehicle for carrying responsive objects is outfitted with a proxy for the responsive objects. The vehicle is also outfitted with a sensor that detects which responsive objects it is carrying and sensor that detect environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, etc.) inside and outside of the vehicle. 
     When an inquiry is directed to a responsive object in the vehicle, the proxy intercepts the inquiry and responds with the status of the vehicle. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, the responsive objects use different protocols, and the proxy is multi-lingual in the sense that it can communicate with the inquirer with the same protocol that is used to communicate with the responsive object. In this way, the illustrative embodiment provides a mechanism for monitoring the location and condition of responsive without some of the costs and disadvantages for doing so in the prior art. 
     The illustrative embodiment comprises: a vehicle; a first object capable of responding to a first inquiry about the state of the first object, wherein the first inquiry is formatted in accordance with a first protocol; a first sensor for sensing when the first object is within the vehicle; a second sensor for sensing a first state of the vehicle; and a proxy for responding to the first inquiry about the state of the first object with the state of the vehicle when the first object is within the vehicle. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts a schematic diagram of the salient components of transportation system  100  in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the operation of the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  depicts a schematic diagram of the salient components of transportation system  100  in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. Transportation system  100  comprises: vehicle  101 , responsive object  111 , responsive object  112 , proxy  121 , responsive object sensor  131 , location sensor  141 , temperature sensor  142 , and humidity sensor  143 . 
     In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, proxy  121  is within vehicle  101 , but it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which proxy  121  is outside of vehicle  101 . In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, vehicle  101  comprises two responsive objects, but it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention that comprise any number of responsive objects. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, vehicle  101  comprises one temperature sensor, one location sensor, and one humidity sensor, but it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention that comprise any number and kind of environmental sensors, such as, for example and without limitation, barometric sensors, light sensors, gravimetric sensors, etc. 
     Vehicle  101  is a truck for carrying responsive object  111  and responsive object  112 . In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, vehicle  101  is a truck, but it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which vehicle  101  is another mode of transportation, such as, for example and without limitation, a ship, an airplane, a train, etc. In any case, it will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use vehicle  101 . 
     Responsive object  111  comprises:
         (i) a payload (not shown),   (ii) a location sensor (not shown) for detecting the location of responsive object  111 ,   (iii) a humidity sensor (not shown) for detecting the ambient humidity in the proximity of responsive object  111 ,   (iv) a temperature sensor (not shown) for detecting the ambient temperature in the proximity of responsive object  111 ,   (v) hardware and software (not shown) that is capable of responding to an inquiry about the state of responsive object  111  with information from the location sensor, the humidity sensor, and the temperature sensor.
 
In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, the inquiry is formatted in accordance with a first protocol. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use responsive object  111 .
       

     Responsive object  112  comprises:
         (i) a payload (not shown),   (ii) a location sensor (not shown) for detecting the location of responsive object  112 ,   (iii) a humidity sensor (not shown) for detecting the ambient humidity in the proximity of responsive object  112 ,   (iv) a temperature sensor (not shown) for detecting the ambient temperature in the proximity of responsive object  112 ,   (v) hardware and software (not shown) that is capable of responding to an inquiry about the state of responsive object  112  with information from the location sensor, the humidity sensor, and the temperature sensor.
 
In accordance the illustrative embodiment, the inquiry is formatted in accordance with a second protocol that is different from the first protocol. It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which the first protocol and the second protocol are the same. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, the hardware and software of responsive object  112  is the same as that in responsive object  111 , but it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which the hardware and software is different. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use responsive object  112 .
       

     Proxy  121  is hardware and software that intercepts and responds to inquiries directed to responsive object  111  and responsive object  112  for them because they are unable or unwilling to respond to the inquiries themselves while in vehicle  101 . Proxy  121  receives input from responsive object sensor  131 , location sensor  141 , humidity sensor  142 , and temperature sensor  143 , which are described below. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, proxy  121  is capable of responding to inquiries directed to responsive object  111  in accordance with the first protocol and to inquiries directed to responsive object  112  in accordance with the second protocol. 
     Responsive object sensor  131  is hardware and software for detecting the presence or absence of responsive object  111  inside of vehicle  101  and for detecting the presence or absence of responsive object  112  inside of vehicle  101 . In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, responsive object sensor  131  comprises a single housing, but it would be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which responsive object sensor  131  comprises multiple housings. Furthermore, in accordance with the illustrative embodiment, responsive object sensor  131  uses radio-frequency identification (“RFID”) tags in well-known fashion, but it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which responsive object sensor  131  is something else, such as and without limitation, an optical bar code system, etc. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, responsive object sensor  131  is located inside vehicle  101 , but it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which responsive object sensor  131  is located outside of vehicle  101 . It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use responsive object sensor  131 . 
     Location sensor  141  is a Global Positioning System receiver for detecting the geographic location of vehicle  101 . Location sensor  141  acts as a proxy for the location sensors within responsive object  111  and responsive object  112 , respectively. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment location sensor  141  is capable of detecting the latitude, longitude, and altitude of vehicle  101 . Although location sensor  141  is a satellite positioning system receiver, it will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which location sensor  141  uses another technology, such as, for example and without limitation, network-based location systems based on triangulation and trilaterialization, etc. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use location sensor  141 . 
     Humidity sensor  142  is hardware and software for detecting the humidity inside and outside vehicle  101 . Humidity sensor  142  acts as a proxy for the humidity sensors within responsive object  111  and responsive object  112 , respectively. Although humidity sensor  142  is depicted in  FIG. 1  as comprising a single housing within vehicle  101 , it would be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which humidity sensor  142  is within vehicle  101 . Furthermore, it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which humidity sensor  142  comprises a plurality of housings. And still furthermore, it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which humidity sensor  142  is a connection to a weather reporting service, such as, for example, http://www.weather.gov. 
     Temperature Sensor  143  is hardware for measuring the temperature inside and outside of vehicle  101 . Temperature sensor  142  acts as a proxy for the temperature sensors within responsive object  111  and responsive object  112 , respectively. Although temperature sensor  143  is depicted in  FIG. 1  as comprising a single housing within vehicle  101 , it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which temperature sensor  143  is outside of vehicle  101 . Furthermore, it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which temperature sensor  143  comprises a plurality of housings. And still furthermore, it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which temperature sensor  143  is a connection to a weather reporting service, such as, for example, http://www.weather.gov. 
       FIG. 2  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the operation of the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
     At task  201 , location sensor  141  detects the presence of responsive object  111  inside vehicle  101 , which indicates that responsive object  111  is unwilling or incapable of responding to inquiries about its own status. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that accomplish task  201 . 
     At task  202 , location sensor  141  detects the presence of responsive object  112  inside vehicle  101 , which indicates that responsive object  112  is unwilling or incapable of responding to inquiries about its own status. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use embodiments of the present invention that accomplish task  202 . In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, tasks  201  and  202  are accomplished serially, but it will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which tasks  201  and  202  are performed simultaneously or concurrently. 
     At task  203 , proxy  121  intercepts an inquiry directed to responsive object  111 , regarding a state of responsive object  111 , and in accordance with a first protocol. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the inquiry is transmitted to proxy  121  via wireless telecommunications. 
     At task  204 , proxy  121  intercepts an inquiry directed to responsive object  112 , regarding a state of responsive object  112 , and in accordance with a second protocol. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the inquiry is transmitted to proxy  121  via wireless telecommunications. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, tasks  203  and  204  are accomplished serially, but it will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which tasks  203  and  204  are performed simultaneously or concurrently. 
     At task  205 , proxy  121  responds to the inquiry for responsive object  111  with the state of vehicle  101  in accordance with the first protocol. For example, if the inquiry to responsive object  111  requests the temperature of responsive object  111 , proxy  121  responds with the temperature of vehicle  101  (as measured by temperature sensor  143 ) in accordance with the first protocol. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, the operation of proxy  121  is invisible to transmitter of the inquiry, but it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which the operation of proxy  121  is made known to the transmitter of the inquiry. 
     At task  206 , proxy  121  responds to the inquiry for responsive object  112  with the state of vehicle  101  in accordance with the second protocol. For example, if the inquiry to responsive object  112  requests the location of responsive object  112 , proxy  121  responds with the location of vehicle  101  (as measured by location sensor  141 ) in accordance with the second protocol. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, the operation of proxy  121  is invisible to transmitter of the inquiry, but it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which the operation of proxy  121  is made known to the transmitter of the inquiry. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, tasks  205  and  206  are accomplished serially, but it will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which tasks  205  and  206  are performed simultaneously or concurrently. 
     It is to be understood that the disclosure teaches just one example of the illustrative embodiment and that many variations of the invention can easily be devised by those skilled in the art after reading this disclosure and that the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the following claims.