Methodandsystemforarmingacontainersecurity……

1、Method and system for arming a container security device without use of electronic readerBACKGROUND1. Technical FieldThe present invention relates to a method of and system for remotely arming a container security device without the use of an electronic reader device, while not compromising the secu

2、rity of the system.2. History of the Related ArtThe vast majority of goods shipped throughout the world are shipped via what are referred to as intermodal freight containers. As used herein, the term “containers” includes any container (whether with wheels attached or not) that is not transparent to

3、 radio frequency signals, including, but not limited to, intermodal freight containers. The most common intermodal freight containers are known as International Standards Organization (ISO) dry intermodal containers, meaning they meet certain specific dimensional, mechanical and other standards issu

4、ed by the ISO to facilitate global trade by encouraging development and use of compatible standardized containers, handling equipment, ocean-going vessels, railroad equipment and over-the-road equipment throughout the world for all modes of surface transportation of goods. There are currently more t

5、han 12 million such containers in active circulation around the world as well as many more specialized containers such as refrigerated containers that carry perishable commodities. The United States alone receives approximately six million loaded containers per year, or approximately 20,000 per day,

6、 representing nearly half of the total value of all goods received each year.Since approximately 90% of all goods shipped internationally are moved in containers, container transport has become the backbone of the world economy.The sheer volume of containers transported worldwide renders individual

7、physical inspection impracticable, and only approximately 3% to 4% of containers entering the United States are actually physically inspected. Risk of introduction of a terrorist biological, radiological or explosive device via a freight container is high, and the consequences to the international e

8、conomy of such an event could be catastrophic, given the importance of containers in world commerce.Even if sufficient resources were devoted in an effort to conduct physical inspections of all containers, such an undertaking would result in serious economic consequences. The time delay alone could,

9、 for example, cause the shut down of factories and undesirable and expensive delays in shipments of goods to customers.Current container designs fail to provide adequate mechanisms for establishing and monitoring the security of the containers or their contents. A typical container includes one or m

10、ore door hasp mechanisms that allow for the insertion of a plastic or metal indicative “seal” or bolt barrier conventional “seal” to secure the doors of the container. The door hasp mechanisms that are conventionally used are very easy to defeat, for example, by drilling an attachment bolt of the ha

11、sp out of a door to which the hasp is attached. The conventional seals themselves currently in use are also quite simple to defeat by use of a common cutting tool and replacement with a rather easily duplicated seal.A more advanced solution proposed in recent time is known as an “electronic seal” (“

12、e-seal”) The e-seals are equivalent to traditional door seals and are applied to the containers via the same, albeit weak, door hasp mechanism as an accessory to the container, but include an electronic device such as a radio or radio reflective device that can transmit the e-seals serial number and

13、 a signal if the e-seal is cut or broken after it is installed. However, the e-seal is not able to communicate with the interior or contents of the container and does not transmit information related to the interior or contents of the container to another device. The container security device must b

14、e armed in order to be able to monitor the integrity of the container doors while the container is in transit. However, one of the challenges in implementing a global in-transit security system for freight contains is to adequately distribute the global reader infrastructure so as to be able to arm

15、the container security device on demand anywhere in the world, i.e., to download to a given container security device an encrypted arming key that has been issued by an authorized arming server. There are hundreds of thousands of shippers of cargo containers in over 130 countries that would potentia

16、lly need to use some type of reader device in order to perform such arming transactions.This need for reader devices poses a problem when the shipper does not ship regularly and/or does not have an account with the carrier, as it becomes problematic to distribute readers. Furthermore, it is not unus

17、ual that some shippers have their location in remote places (e.g., in-land China, Africa or Latin America), where there is limited or no wired not wireless public network coverage nor Internet capability, or where such IT capabilities are too expensive. In such cases, which are not expected to be un

18、usual or uncommon in terms of the number of locations but rather pre-dominant, it may be very difficult to distribute the readers and thus implement a global in-transit container security system.It would therefore be advantageous to provide a method and of and system for remotely arming a container

19、security device without use of a reader device while still maintaining a very high security and authentication process.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThese and other drawbacks are overcome by embodiments of the present invention, which provides a method of and system for efficiently and reliably monitoring

20、 a container and its contents as well as tracking containers to maintain the security thereof. More particularly, one aspect of the invention includes a system for monitoring the condition of a container. A container security device secures at least one door of the container. The container security

21、device is programmably armed to implement the securing. The container security device is adapted to sense at least one condition of the container, transmit information relative to the at least one sensed condition to a location outside the container, and interpret the at least one sensed condition.

22、A remote arming plug is coupled to the container security device. The remote arming plug has a unique identifier, or an arming key, or other data related to the arming key, to be communicated to the container security device to initiate an arming sequence of the container security device. the remote

23、 arming plug may be used as part of a mechanical seal.In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for monitoring the condition of a container. At least one door of the container is secured with a container security device. The container security device is adapted to sense at least o

24、ne condition of the container, transmit information relative to the at least one sensed condition to a location outside the container, and interpret the at least one sensed condition. In response to a movement of a remote arming plug, an arming sequence of the container security device is initiated.

25、 The remote arming plug has a unique identifier to be communicated to the container security device to initiate an arming sequence of the container security device.In another aspect, the present invention relates to a system for monitoring the condition of a container having a container security dev

26、ice for securing at least one door of the container. A user server stores a list of authorized users and issues a remote arming plug ID for a remote arming plug coupled to the container security device. In response to a movement of a remote arming plug, an arming sequence of the container security d

27、evice is initiated. The remote arming plug is coupled to the container security device. The remote arming plug has a unique identifier to be communicated to the container security device to initiate an arming sequence of the container security device.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGSA more complete unde

28、rstanding of exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be achieved by reference to the following Detailed Description of Exemplary Embodiments of the Invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings, wherein:FIG. 1A is a diagram illustrating a container according to an emb

29、odiment of the invention;FIG. 1B illustrates a flow of an exemplary supply chain;FIG. 1C illustrates a system for pre-loading keys into the container security device according to an embodiment of the invention;FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the container security device;FIGS. 3A-F illustrate various v

30、iews of a container security device and a remote arming plug according to an embodiment of the invention;FIG. 4 illustrates the remote arming process of a container security device according to an embodiment of the invention; andFIG. 5 illustrates the remote arming system including the shipper in co

31、mmunication with the authentication server and a user server.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTIONIt has been found that a container security device of the type set forth, shown, and described below, may be positioned in and secured to a container for effective monit

32、oring of the integrity and condition thereof and its contents. The container security device has to be armed with a unique electronic arming key for authentication purposes. The container security device can be armed using a reader device, in which case the arming key is retrieved and downloaded fro

33、m an authentication server which issues the arming key.Alternatively, according to embodiments of the present invention, a remote arming plug is initially coupled to the container security device. The arming key is generated in the container security device itself once the remote arming plug has bee

34、n disconnected and the containers doors have been closed. Accordingly, the container security device can be armed with a unique arming key without use of a reader device. However, after the remote arming key has been generated, the remote arming key must subsequently be authenticated. As a subsequen

35、t entity in the shipping chain that has a reader interrogates the container security device, the arming key in the container security device is authenticated by the authentication server.The container security device secures at least one door of the container. The container security device may be si

36、milar to the one disclosed in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/667,282, filed on Sep. 17, 2003, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. The container security device is armed with a unique, encrypted arming key, which ensures the security of the system. The container

37、security device is adapted to sense at least one condition of the container, transmit information relative to the at least one sensed condition to a location outside the container, interpret the at least one sensed condition. The cornerpiece of embodiments of the present invention consists of a so-c

38、alled remote remote arming plug. The remote arming plug has a unique identifier such as a unique pin combination, a serial number, etc. The remote arming plug communicates this unique identifier to the container security device via any suitable manner such as, e.g., infra-red, a wireless connection,

39、 or a physical connection. The connector could be a RS-232 connector (D-SUB) which could connect to the data port on the back of the container security device, but it could be any other type of connector and connect to other part(s) of the container security device. The remote arming plug may have a

40、 unique serial number physically marked (numbers written or bar codes) on it, as well as programmed (once) in its electronic memory.FIG. 1A is a diagram illustrating a container 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. The container 100 is stuffed with various materials to be transported by

41、a shipper. The container 100 has doors 105 that are opened when the shipper initially stuffs the container 100. A container security device 110 secures the containers 100 doors 105 after they have closed and until the container security device 110 is properly disarmed such as when, e.g., the contain

42、er 100 reaches its final destination and its doors 105 need to be opened to remove the containers 100 contents. The container security device 110 will activate an alarm when the containers 100 doors 105 are opened without being properly disarmed. The container security device 110 ensures that the co

43、ntainer 100 has not been breached after the container 100 has been secured. The process for arming the container security device 12 is described below with respect to FIGS. 3A-F.FIG. 1B illustrates a flow 120 of an exemplary supply chain from points (A) to (I). Referring first to point (A), the cont

44、ainer 100 is filled with cargo by the shipper or the like. At point (B), the loaded container 100 is shipped to a port of embarkation via highway or rail transportation. At point (C), the container 100 is gated in at the port of loading such as a marine shipping yard.At point (D), the container 100

45、is loaded on a ship operated by a carrier. At point (E), the container 100 is shipped by the carrier to a port of discharge. At point (F), the container 100 is discharged from the ship. Following discharge at point (F), the container 100 is loaded onto a truck and gated out of the port of discharge

46、at point (G). At point (H), the container 100 is shipped via land to a desired location in a similar fashion to point (B). At point (I), upon arrival at the desired location, the container 100 is unloaded by a consignee.As will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, there are many ti

47、mes within the points of the flow 120 at which security of the container 100 could be compromised without visual or other conventional detection. In addition, the condition of the contents of the container 100 could be completely unknown to any of the parties involved in the flow 120 until point (H)

48、 when the contents of the container 100 are unloaded.As discussed above, the container security device 110 is armed during shipping for security purposes. The container security device 110 may be armed without use of an electronic reader. Accordingly, a shipper who does not have any readers can arm

49、the container security device 110. Instead, the container security device can be armed through use of a remote arming plug having a unique serial number, provided (a) the container security device has been pre-loaded with at least one registered key, and the unique identifier of the arming plug is a

50、ssociated with one of the at least one arming key; (b) the unique identifier is read from the remote arming plug and is used in the container security device to calculate a unique arming key; or (c) the container security device acquires an arming key from the remote arming plug.FIG. 1C illustrates

51、a system for pre-loading keys into the container security device 110 according to an embodiment of the invention. The system includes a authentication server 140. The authentication server 140 generates keys and may transmit the keys to a factory 145, where container security devices 110 are manufac

52、tured. Accordingly, the new keys may be stored directly onto the newly manufactured container security devices 110 before the container security devices 110 are used in the field. A container security device 110 that is already in use may also be re-filled with additional keys in the field. For exam

53、ple, the authentication server 140 may transmit additional keys to a computer 150, such as a portable laptop. The computer 150 may transmit the keys to a portable electronic device in communication with the container security device 110 being re-filled, such as phone 155 or personal digital assistan

54、ce (“PDA”) 160. Each key may be a unique number, and a different key may be used each time the container security device 110 is armed and a container 100 having the container security device 110 ships.FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the container security device 110. The container security device 110 i

55、ncludes an antenna 200, an RF/baseband unit 205, a microprocessor (MCU) 210, a memory 215, and a door sensor 220. The container security device 110 further includes an interface 229 for attachment of additional sensors to monitor various internal conditions of the container such as, for example, tem

56、perature, vibration, radioactivity, gas detection, and motion. A remote arming plug may be coupled to the interface 229 to arm the container security device 110, as described but not limited below with respect to FIGS. 3A-F.The container security device 110 may also include an optional power source

57、230 (e.g., battery); however, other power arrangements that are detachable or remotely located may also be utilized by the container security device 110. When the power source 230 includes a battery (as shown herein), inclusion of the power source 230 in the container security device 110 may help to

58、 prolong battery life by subjecting the power source 230 to smaller temperature fluctuations by virtue of the power source 230 being inside the container 100. The presence of the power source 230 within the container 100 is advantageous in that the ability to tamper with or damage the power source 2

59、30 is decreased. The container security device 110 may also optionally include a connector for interfacing directly with an electronic reader. For example, a connector may be located on an outer wall of the container 100 for access by the reader. Although not required to arm the container security device 110, the reader may connect via a cable or other direct interface to download information from the container security device 110.The microprocessor 210 (equipped with an internal memory) discerns do