Abstract:
An attachment device, attachment receiving device and system for identifying a secured container are disclosed. The system may include an attachment device, a first identification device embedded into the attachment device, the first identification device containing identification data relating to the attachment device, an attachment receiving device coupled to a container, a second identification device embedded into the attachment receiving device, the second identification device containing identification data relating to the container, wherein when the attachment device is attached to the attachment receiving device, the attachment device identification data and the container identification data are associated, and the associated identification data is capable of being read by an identification data reader.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to identifying secured containers for inventory and integrity monitoring purposes. 
     2. Introduction 
     To address heightened security concerns, governmental agencies require means to seal intermodal cargo containers and determine whether the seal has been compromised during transport. One conventional container-sealing solution is a bolt lock. Once locked, the bolt must be cut to break the seal. The bolt can be stamped with an identification number. This simple solution is inadequate because a cut seal can be replaced with one that is easily forged with the same identification number. Also, this solution is not compatible with automation. 
     Another conventional solution involves using a modified bolt lock in conjunction with an active radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. The bolt slides through the door lock and into a housing containing the tag electronics and bolt-sensing circuitry. The bolt has an insulating layer with an outer conductive layer that electrically connects to the bolt steel at the exposed end only. This design presents a short circuit to the sensing circuitry when the bolt is intact and an open circuit when it is cut at the exposed end. When the open-circuit condition is detected, the electronics records the event and an alert is transmitted the next time the seal is interrogated by an RFID reader. A second RFID tag is used to identify the container. Association between the container and the seal is made at the system level. 
     Although this solution accommodates automation, it requires two active tags per container, which presents an undesirable cost issue. In addition, the seal mechanism can be overridden by artificially creating a short across the contacts to the bolt-sensing circuitry prior to cutting the bolt. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An attachment device, attachment receiving device and system for identifying a secured container are disclosed. The system may include an attachment device, a first identification device embedded into the attachment device, the first identification device containing identification data relating to the attachment device, an attachment receiving device coupled to a container, a second identification device embedded into the attachment receiving device, the second identification device containing identification data relating to the container, wherein when the attachment device is attached to the attachment receiving device, the attachment device identification data and the container identification data are associated, and the associated identification data is capable of being read by an identification data reader. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and features of the invention can be obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary diagram of a container identification system in accordance with a possible embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary flowchart illustrating one possible container identification process in accordance with a possible embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary container identification system illustrating a broken seal condition in accordance with a possible embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary schematic diagram of a portion of possible components of an attachment receiving device in accordance with a possible embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a device for implementing the identification reading process in accordance with a possible embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 6  is an exemplary diagram illustrating a possible configuration in which an identification device may be attached to an attachment device in accordance with a possible embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is an exemplary diagram illustrating another possible configuration in which an identification device is attached to an attachment device in accordance with a possible embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth herein. 
     Various embodiments of the invention are discussed in detail below. While specific implementations are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for illustration purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other components and configurations may be used without parting from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
     The present invention comprises a variety of embodiments, such as an attachment device, an attachment receiving device and system and other embodiments that relate to the basic concepts of the invention. 
     The invention concerns a container identification system. The system is designed to monitor the integrity status of sealed containers and their respective securing attachment devices such that if the security of one of the containers is breeched, the system can identify the breeched container. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary diagram of a container identification system  100  in accordance with a possible embodiment of the invention. In particular, the container identification system  100 , shown as a cross-sectional view, includes an attachment device  110  which may be wrapped with an electrical insulator  120  and coated with an electrically conductive layer  130 ,  180 . In one possible embodiment, the electrical insulator  120  and conductive layer  130 ,  180  may be applied as conductive paint, for example, and the body of the attachment device  110  may be formed from an electrically conductive material, such as hardened steel, for example. While  FIG. 1  shows a bolt as an example attachment device  110 , one of skill in the art would recognize that any device suitable for attaching to and securing a container may be used, such as a nail, a metal rod, a lock, etc. 
     An identification device  140 , such as a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, device or chip, is attached to (embedded into) the bolt  110 . The identification device  140  contains (stores) identification data relating the attachment device  110 , such as a serial number, etc. and may be an active or passive device. 
     The attachment device  110  is intended to be placed into an attachment receiving device  150  with electrical contact points  160 ,  170 , such as contact rings. While contact rings are shown as the electrical contact points  160 ,  170  in  FIG. 1 , one of skill in the art will recognize that other contact mechanisms or housings may be used as long as an electrical connection results, such as a latch, clamp, lock, washer, nut, etc. 
     The attachment receiving device  150  may be attached (connected/coupled) to a container or other storage compartment. Another identification device  190  may be embedded into or connected electrically in a manner known to those of skill in the art to the attachment receiving device  150  and/or its assembly, for example. Although identification device  190  is shown to be embedded into the attachment receiving device  150 , the identification device  190  may be associated, placed or embedded in manner to the attachment receiving device  150 . The identification device  190  may contain identification information relating to the container to which it is attached and may be an active or passive device, as well as other information and/or data, for example. 
     The identification device  140  and the identification device  190  associated with the attachment receiving device  150  may both be active devices. However, as a practical matter, since passive identification devices are generally less expensive than active identification devices, one of the identification devices may be passive and the other one may be active. Since the attachment device  110  may be severed upon reaching its destination and the attachment receiving device  190  likely to remain in tact, the identification device  140  may be the less expensive passive device and the identification device  190  associated with the attachment receiving device  150  may the active device, for example. 
     The conductive layer  130 ,  180  serves to permit electrical coupling throughout the attachment device  110 . The conductive layer  130  may contact the neck of the attachment device  110 , portions of the identification device  140 , and at least one electrical contact point  160 ,  170  on the attachment receiving device  150 . As shown, an electrical current path exists between electrical contact points  160  and  170 , through conductive layer  180 , identification device  140 , conductive layer  130 , and attachment device  110 . In this manner, if the attachment device  110  is severed in any manner, the electrical conductivity between electrical contact points  160  and  170  is broken indicating that the security of the container the attachment device  110  may be attached to may have been breached. 
     For illustrative purposes, the container identification process will be described below in relation to the diagram shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 2  is an exemplary flowchart illustrating some of the basic steps associated with a container identification process in accordance with a possible embodiment of the invention. The process begins at step  2100  and continues to step  2200  where an identification device  140  is embedded into the attachment device  110 . The identification device  140  contains identification information relating to the attachment device  110 . At step  2300 , a second identification device  190  is embedded into the attachment receiving device  150  which is attached to a container. The second identification device  190  may contain identification data relating to the container. 
     At step  2400 , if the attachment device  110  is attached to the attachment receiving device  150 , the attachment device identification data and the container identification data are associated and/or combined. At step  2500 , the transfer of the associated identification data to an identification data reader is enabled. Therefore, when the associated identification data is read by an identification data reader, the attachment device is automatically associated with the container it is securing. The process goes to step  2600  and ends. 
       FIG. 3  shows an exemplary diagram of a container identification system  300  with the attachment device  110  of  FIG. 1  illustrating as possible condition in which the attachment device is opened, removed, severed, disturbed, tampered with, etc. For exemplary purposes,  FIG. 3  illustrates the same elements as in  FIG. 1  but with a break  310  in the attachment device  110 . The break  310  disturbs the electrical connectivity to identification device  140  from electrical contact points  160 ,  170  provided by the conductive layer  130 ,  180  such that if the attachment device  110  is interrogated by an identification data reader, the reader will be able to determine that the integrity of the attachment device  110  has been compromised. The identification device  140  in the attachment device  110  may also operate (if it is an active device) to alert an identification data reader directly upon a breach, or if the identification device  190  located in the attachment receiving device  150  senses that a connection with the attachment device  110  no longer exist, attachment receiving device&#39;s  150  identification device can send the alert. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary diagram  400  illustrating a portion of possible components of the attachment receiving device  150  that may be used to permit the transfer of information from the attachment device  110  to the attachment receiving device  150  and subsequently to an external or internal reader device. The attachment receiving device  150  may includes a processor  410  as electrically connected to the attachment device  110  through the electrical contact points  160 ,  170  of the container identification system  100  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . The processor  410  may be connected to logic circuitry such that if it sends out an excitation signal (125 kHz, for example) and if the attachment device  110  is intact, identification device  140  residing on attachment device  110  will modulate the amplitude and/or phase of the excitation signal with its identification information as observed at electrical contact point  160 . The logic signal on the return loop  420  will contain the associated identification data for recovery by the identification data reader. 
     If the attachment device  110  is removed, for example, the logic signal on the return loop  420  will not contain valid identification information and associated identification data is not received by the attachment receiving device  150 . This indicates to the attachment receiving device  150  that there is an integrity problem with the attachment device  110  and/or the container associated with that attachment device  110 . Thus, the container integrity problem may be easily identified and communicated to a reader device, an inventory control system, or other container inspection system. 
     The attachment receiving device  150  may identify the integrity problem upon interrogation of each container&#39;s associated identification data. Alternatively, the circuitry may be configured so that or other monitoring system is notified immediately if there is a container integrity problem. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary identification data reader  500 , or device which may implement one or more modules or functions of the identification data reading process shown in  FIG. 4 . The identification data reader  500  may communicate wirelessly or a wired manner with the identification device  190  in the attachment receiving device  150  and/or the identification device  140  in the attachment device  110 . The exemplary identification data reader  500  may include a bus  510 , a processor  520 , a memory  530 , a read only memory (ROM)  540 , a storage device  550 , input device  560 , output device  570  and a communication interface  580 . Bus  510  may permit communication among the components of the container identification system  100 ,  400 . 
     Processor  520  may include at least one conventional processor or microprocessor that interprets and executes instructions. Memory  530  may be a random access memory (RAM) or another type of dynamic storage device that stores information and instructions for execution by processor  520 . Memory  530  may also store temporary variables or other intermediate information used during execution of instructions by processor  520 . ROM  540  may include a conventional ROM device or another type of static storage device that stores static information and instructions for processor  520 . Storage device  550  may include any type of media, such as, for example, magnetic or optical recording media and its corresponding drive. 
     Input device  560  may include one or more conventional mechanisms that permit a user to input information to the identification data reader  410 , such as a keyboard, a mouse, a pen, a voice recognition device, etc. The output device  570  may include one or more conventional mechanisms that output information to the user, including a display, a printer, one or more speakers, or a medium, such as a memory, or a magnetic or optical disk and a corresponding disk drive. 
     Communication interface  580  may include any transceiver-like mechanism that enables the identification data reader  500  to communicate wirelessly or a wired manner with the identification device  190  in the attachment receiving device  150  and/or the identification device  140  in the attachment device  110 , as well as to other devices communicate via a network, directly or otherwise. For example, communication interface  580  may include a modem, or an Ethernet interface for communicating via a local area network (LAN). Alternatively, communication interface  580  may include other mechanisms for communicating with other devices and/or systems via wired, wireless or optical connections. In some implementations of the container identification system  100 ,  400 , communication interface  580  may not be included in the exemplary identification data reader  500  when the identification data reading process is implemented completely within the identification data reader  500 . 
     The identification data reader  500  may perform such functions in response to processor  520  by executing sequences of instructions contained in a computer-readable medium, such as, for example, memory  530 , a magnetic disk, or an optical disk. Such instructions may be read into memory  530  from another computer-readable medium, such as storage device  550 , or from a separate device via communication interface  570 . 
     The container identification system  100 , and the identification data reader  500  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 5  and the related discussion are intended to provide a brief, general description of a suitable computing environment in which the invention may be implemented. Although not required, the invention will be described, at least in part, in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by the identification data reader  500 , such as a general purpose computer. Generally, program modules include routine programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other embodiments of the invention may be practiced in network computing environments with many types of computer system configurations, including personal computers, hand-held devices, multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. 
     Embodiments may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by local and remote processing devices that are linked (either by hardwired links, wireless links, or by a combination thereof) through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices. 
       FIGS. 6 and 7  are exemplary diagrams showing possible alternative configurations in which the identification device  140  may be attached to or embedded into the attachment device  110 . In these diagrams, only a small cross sectional portion of the attachment device is shown. In container identification system  600  shown in  FIG. 6 , the attachment device  110  may be wrapped in insulation  120  as in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . The identification device  140  may be attached above the insulation  120  and below a screened electrical insulator  610 . Screened electrically conductive pads  620  may be placed on top of the screen insulator  610  which make electrical connection with the terminals of identification device  140  through openings in the screened insulator  610  (not shown). 
     Attachment device  110  may be coated with conductive layer  130 ,  180  to make electrical connections to the screened pads  620 . The identification device  140  maintains contact with the conductive layer  130 . The area where the identification device is place may be coated with a hermetic seal  630  to help maintain system integrity. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the screened insulator  610  and pads  620  may be omitted so that the conductive layer  130 ,  180  makes direct contact with the terminals of identification device  140 . 
     In container identification system  700  shown in  FIG. 7 , the attachment device  110  may be wrapped in insulation  120  and coated with conductive layer  130 ,  180  as in  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  6 . The identification device  140  may be attached to an interposer assembly  710  which may comprise a substrate and electrically conductive pads (not shown) which make electrical connection with the terminals of the identification device  140 . The interposer assembly  710  may be then attached to the conductive layer  130 ,  180  on top of the attachment device  110 . The identification device  140  may fit inside a break in the conductive layer and may sit on top of or just above the insulation  120  and may or may not be directly in contact with the conductive layer  130 ,  180 . The interposer assembly  710  and identification device  140  may further be protected by a hermetic seal (not shown). 
     Embodiments within the scope of the present invention may also include computer-readable media for carrying or having computer-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures. When information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or combination thereof to a computer, the computer properly views the connection as a computer-readable medium. Thus, any such connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of the computer-readable media. 
     Computer-executable instructions include, for example, instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing device to perform a certain function or group of functions. Computer-executable instructions also include program modules that are executed by computers in stand-alone or network environments. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, and data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Computer-executable instructions, associated data structures, and program modules represent examples of the program code means for executing steps of the methods disclosed herein. The particular sequence of such executable instructions or associated data structures represents examples of corresponding acts for implementing the functions described in such steps. 
     Although the above description may contain specific details, they should not be construed as limiting the claims in any way. Other configurations of the described embodiments of the invention are part of the scope of this invention. For example, the principles of the invention may be applied to each individual user where each user may individually deploy such a system. This enables each user to utilize the benefits of the invention even if any one of the large number of possible applications do not need the functionality described herein. In other words, there may be multiple instances of the container identification system  100  in  FIGS. 1 and 4  each processing the content in various possible ways. It does not necessarily need to be one system used by all end users. Accordingly, the appended claims and their legal equivalents should only define the invention, rather than any specific examples given.