초록 ▼

Method for monitoring a cargo container in which a transmitter is arranged on the container and periodically transmits messages to a remote site or location according to a schedule of messages. When a message is not received according to the schedule, which may be the result of tampering with the tr

Method for monitoring a cargo container in which a transmitter is arranged on the container and periodically transmits messages to a remote site or location according to a schedule of messages. When a message is not received according to the schedule, which may be the result of tampering with the transmitter or another nefarious action involving the container, it may be considered that the container has been stolen. A rate of transmission of the messages may be modified based on a condition of the vehicle, such as the presence of a driver inside the vehicle, a distance between a driver inside the vehicle and the vehicle, the vehicle being at rest after motion of the vehicle stops, a location of the vehicle, biometric identification of a driver of the vehicle and deviation of the vehicle from an expected route, and/or based on current time and weather around the vehicle.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for monitoring a cargo container, comprising: providing a transmitter on the container and a remote location apart from the container with an initial schedule of messages to be transmitted by the transmitter from the container to the remote location;transmitting messages from the transmi

1. A method for monitoring a cargo container, comprising: providing a transmitter on the container and a remote location apart from the container with an initial schedule of messages to be transmitted by the transmitter from the container to the remote location;transmitting messages from the transmitter to the remote location according to the initial schedule of messages;creating, using a processor, a new schedule of messages that is different from the initial schedule of messages when one of a pre-determined plurality of conditions of contents of the container, the container or an environment around the container is detected;providing the remote location with the new, different schedule of messages to be transmitted from the container to the remote location; andproviding the new, different schedule of messages to the transmitter and transmitting messages from the transmitter to the remote location according to the new, different schedule such that the transmitter transmits messages to the remote location according to the new, different schedule of messages instead of according to the initial schedule of messages,whereby theft of the container is determinable when one of the messages in the initial schedule of messages is not received at the remote location after it should have been transmitted according to the initial schedule of messages provided to the remote location or when one of the messages in the new, different schedule of messages is not received at the remote location after it should have been transmitted according to the new, different schedule of messages provided to the remote location. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating the new schedule of messages that is different from the initial schedule of messages comprises modifying a rate of transmission of the messages from the transmitter based on detection of a condition of a vehicle on which the container is being transported that constitutes one of the plurality of conditions of the contents of the container, the container or the environment around the container. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the predetermined plurality of conditions of the contents of the container, the container or the environment around the container is the presence of a driver inside a vehicle on which the container is being transported. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the predetermined plurality of conditions of the contents of the container, the container or the environment around the container is a distance between a driver of a vehicle on which the container is being transported and the vehicle. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the predetermined plurality of conditions of the contents of the container, the container or the environment around the container is a vehicle on which the container is being transported being at rest after motion of the vehicle stops. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the predetermined plurality of conditions of the contents of the container, the container or the environment around the container is a location of a vehicle on which the container is being transported. 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising: determining the location of the vehicle using an on-board location-determining system on the vehicle; andproviding the determined location of the vehicle to the processor that creates the new, different schedule of messages. 8. The method of claim 2, wherein the condition of the vehicle is deviation of the vehicle from an expected route. 9. The method of claim 2, wherein the condition is a biometric identification of a driver of the vehicle. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising installing or incorporating the biometric identification of the driver onto a portable electronic communication or processing device, the device being carried by the driver when the vehicle is in transit. 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: creating, using the processor and based on current time, a revised schedule of messages that is different from the initial schedule of messages and the new, different schedule of messages;providing the remote location with the revised schedule of messages to be transmitted from the container to the remote location; andproviding the revised schedule of messages to the transmitter and transmitting messages from the transmitter to the remote location according to the revised schedule such that the transmitter transmits messages to the remote location according to the revised schedule of messages,whereby theft of the container is determinable when one of the messages in the revised schedule of messages is not received at the remote location after it should have been transmitted according to the revised schedule of messages provided to the remote location. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating the new schedule of messages that is different from the initial schedule of messages comprises modifying a rate of transmission of the messages from the transmitter based on weather around the vehicle such that different weather conditions constitute the plurality of conditions of the contents of the container, the container or the environment around the container. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating the new schedule of messages that is different from the initial schedule of messages comprises modifying a rate of transmission of the messages from the transmitter based on a property of an item of cargo inside the container, the item property constituting one of the plurality of conditions of the contents of the container, the container or the environment around the container. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit text messages according to the initial schedule of messages or according to the new, different schedule of messages. 15. The method of claim 1, further comprising: detecting a property of a vehicle on which the container is being transported using at least one sensor, the vehicle property constituting one of the plurality of conditions of the contents of the container, the container or the environment around the container; andwherein the step of creating the new schedule of messages that is different from the initial schedule of messages comprises modifying a rate of transmission of the messages from the transmitter based on the detected property of the vehicle. 16. The method of claim 1, further comprising: arranging at least one sensor in or on the container to detect information about a property of the container or a property of an environment in or around the container, the container property or environment property constituting one of the plurality of conditions of the contents of the container, the container or the environment around the container; andinterrogating the at least one sensor to obtain information about a property monitored by the at least one sensor at a frequency that is independent of the transmission of messages by the transmitter according to the initial or new, different schedule of messages. 17. The method of claim 1, further comprising: arranging at least one sensor in or on the container to detect information about a property of the container or a property of an environment in or around the container, the container property or environment property constituting one of the plurality of conditions of the contents of the container, the container or the environment around the container; anddirecting commands from a remote site to the container to cause the at least one sensor to be interrogated and obtain information about a property monitored by the at least one sensor. 18. A method for monitoring a cargo container, comprising: providing a transmitter on the container and a remote location apart from the container with an initial schedule of text messages to be transmitted by the transmitter from the container to the remote location, the transmitter being configured to transmit text messages using SMS protocol;transmitting text messages from the transmitter to the remote location according to the initial schedule of text messages;creating, using a processor, a new schedule of text messages that is different from the initial schedule of text messages when one of a pre-determined plurality of conditions of contents of the container, the container or an environment around the container is detected;providing the remote location with the new, different schedule of text messages to be transmitted by the transmitter from the container to the remote location; andproviding the new, different schedule of text messages to the transmitter and transmitting text messages from the transmitter to the remote location according to the new, different schedule of text messages such that the transmitter transmits text messages to the remote location according to the new, different schedule of text messages instead of according to the initial schedule of text messages,whereby theft of the container or contents of the container is determinable based on content of a text message received at the remote location, when one of the text messages in the initial schedule of text messages is not received at the remote location after it should have been transmitted according to the initial schedule of text messages provided to the remote location or when one of the text messages in the new, different schedule of text messages is not received at the remote location after it should have been transmitted according to the new, different schedule of text messages provided to the remote location. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: periodically obtaining data about the container or contents of the container using at least one sensor; anddetermining whether one of the plurality of conditions of the contents of the container, the container or the environment around the container is satisfied based on the obtained data,the text messages being transmitted based on the sensor-obtained data,wherein data about the container or contents of the container is obtained at a different frequency than a text message transmission frequency or upon reception of a command from the remote location. 20. A method for monitoring a cargo container, comprising: providing a transmitter on the container and a remote location apart from the container with an initial schedule of messages to be transmitted from the container to the remote location;transmitting messages from the transmitter to the remote location according to the initial schedule of messages using the Internet or a smartphone;creating, using a processor, a new schedule of messages that is different from the initial schedule of messages when one of a pre-determined plurality of conditions of contents of the container, the container or an environment around the container is detected;providing the remote location with the new, different schedule of messages to be transmitted from the container to the remote location; andproviding the new, different schedule of messages to the transmitter and transmitting messages from the transmitter to the remote location according to the new, different schedule such that the transmitter transmits messages to the remote location according to the new, different schedule of messages instead of according to the initial schedule of messages,whereby theft of the container or contents of the container is determinable based on content of a message received at the remote location, when one of the text messages in the initial schedule of text messages is not received at the remote location after it should have been transmitted according to the initial schedule of text messages provided to the remote location or when one of the text messages in the new, different schedule of text messages is not received at the remote location after it should have been transmitted according to the new, different schedule of text messages provided to the remote location.