Patent ID: 8392296

Claim:
A system for monitoring contents of a shipping container, the system comprising: a lock mechanism configured to lock at least one door of the shipping container in a closed position by attaching to an outside of the door of the shipping container; a housing enclosing at least a portion of the lock mechanism; and a lock circuit at least partially enclosed within the housing, the lock circuit comprising: a memory, a wireless module electrically coupled with the memory, wherein: the wireless module is configured to wirelessly receive information from at least one sensor associated with the shipping container, the information includes manifest data of the contents of the shipping container, the wireless module is configured to store in the memory: the information from the at least one sensor, a serial number associated with the shipping container, a serial number associated with the lock mechanism, and an identification number associated with at least one of the at least one sensor, and at least one of the wireless module or the sensor is powered wirelessly, a wireless power transmitter configured to generate a wireless power signal to supply power to a sensor on a second shipping container, without requiring the wireless module to receive information from the sensor; and a lock controller electrically coupled with the memory and the wireless module configured: to receive commands related to operation of the lock mechanism, to monitor the stored information, to identify a change of state of the at least one sensor, and to generate data to be transmitted to a remote location via the wireless module, the data including at least two of: sensor measurements, a chain-of-custody record, an authentication code that identifies the sensor, and/or an authentication code that identifies the lock mechanism.