Patent ID: 8068023

Claim:
A method of tracking custody of evidence using a portable evidence container comprising side and bottom walls forming a unitary container body and an internal space for receiving the cargo; an openable lid hinged to the container body for engaging tops of the side walls; means for locking the lid to the container body for preventing the lid from opening; and, an electronics module disposed within the container, the module having a controller, a battery supply unit connected to and supplying power to the controller, an RF transceiver unit in communication with the controller, an RFID reader in communication with the controller, a plurality of condition sensors disposed within the container and in communication with the controller, and a locator unit in communication with the controller, the method comprising the steps of: providing for receiving at the controller through the RFID reader a unique evidence identifier from an RFID tag associated with the evidence; providing for receiving at the controller through at least one of the condition sensors an evidence in container signal; providing for receiving at the controller a portable container location signal from the locator unit; providing for transmitting evidence information, evidence in container information, and container location information to a central computer system for tracking the status of the evidence within the container; and, providing for periodically transmitting an updated container location information to the central computer system for continuous tracking of the status of the evidence within the container.