Monitoring Container Conditions of Intermodal Shipping Containers on a Cargo Ship Through Use of a Sensor Grid

Abstract

A method, system, and/or computer program product determines conditions of intermodal shipping containers on a cargo ship. A processor establishes a baseline composite vibration pattern from readings generated by multiple vibration sensors that are affixed to multiple intermodal shipping containers on a cargo ship. Subsequent readings are taken from the multiple vibration sensors to generate a new composite vibration pattern. The processor also receives humidity readings from humidity sensors that are affixed to interiors of the multiple intermodal shipping containers, and then combines the humidity readings with the new composite vibration pattern to create a vibration/humidity pattern. In response to the new composite vibration pattern being different from the baseline composite vibration pattern, the processor matches the vibration/humidity pattern with a known vibration/humidity pattern in order to identify a cause of the new vibration/humidity pattern and a condition of the intermodal shipping containers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of determining conditions of intermodal shipping containers on a cargo ship, the method comprising:
 a processor establishing a baseline composite vibration pattern from readings generated by multiple vibration sensors, wherein each vibration sensor, of the multiple vibration sensors, is a uniquely-identified vibration sensor that has been affixed to one of multiple intermodal shipping containers, wherein each vibration sensor comprises a vibration sensor for detecting mechanical vibration, wherein the multiple intermodal shipping containers have been loaded onto a cargo ship, and wherein the baseline composite vibration pattern is generated by combining two or more frequency plus amplitude vibration patterns generated by two or more of the multiple vibration sensors that are affixed to the multiple intermodal shipping containers;   the processor taking subsequent readings from the multiple vibration sensors to generate a new composite vibration pattern, wherein the new composite vibration pattern is generated by combining two or more new frequency plus amplitude vibration patterns generated by two or more of the multiple vibration sensors that are affixed to the multiple intermodal shipping containers;   the processor receiving humidity readings from humidity sensors affixed to interiors of each of the multiple intermodal shipping containers;   the processor combining the humidity readings with the new composite vibration pattern to create a new vibration/humidity pattern; and   the processor, in response to the new composite vibration pattern being different, beyond a predefined range, from the baseline composite vibration pattern, matching the new vibration/humidity pattern with a known vibration/humidity pattern in order to identify a cause of the new vibration/humidity pattern and a condition of the intermodal shipping containers.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the processor identifying a physical shifting of the multiple intermodal shipping containers by matching the new composite vibration pattern with a known vibration pattern.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the processor identifying damage to a non-mechanical physical structure of the cargo ship by matching the new composite vibration pattern with the known vibration pattern.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the processor identifying damage to a drive train of the cargo ship by matching the matching the new composite vibration pattern with a known vibration pattern.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said each vibration sensor further comprises an acoustic sensor, and wherein the method further comprises:
 the processor incorporating acoustic readings from acoustic sensors in the multiple vibration sensors to modify the baseline composite vibration pattern to create a baseline vibration/acoustic composite pattern;   the processor incorporating subsequent acoustic readings from the acoustic sensors to generate a new composite vibration/acoustic pattern; and   the processor, in response to the new composite vibration/acoustic pattern being different from the baseline composite vibration/acoustic pattern, matching the new composite vibration/acoustic pattern with a known composite vibration/acoustic pattern in order to identify a cause of the new composite vibration/acoustic pattern.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said each vibration sensor further comprises a chemical sensor, and wherein the method further comprises:
 the processor incorporating chemical readings from chemical sensors in the multiple vibration sensors to modify the baseline composite vibration pattern to create a baseline composite vibration/chemical pattern;   the processor incorporating subsequent chemical readings from the chemical sensors to generate a new composite vibration/chemical pattern; and   the processor, in response to the new composite vibration/chemical pattern being different from the baseline composite vibration/chemical pattern, matching the new composite vibration/chemical pattern with a known composite vibration/chemical pattern in order to identify a cause of the new composite vibration/chemical pattern.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to a pre-determined level of change in weather conditions currently being experienced by the cargo ship, the processor re-establishing the baseline composite vibration pattern by taking new readings from the multiple vibration sensors.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the vibration sensors comprises a uniquely-identified radio frequency identifier (RFID) device, and wherein the computer implemented method further comprises:
 the processor mapping a location of each of the multiple intermodal shipping containers by interrogating RFID devices in the multiple vibration sensors; and   the processor adjusting the baseline composite vibration pattern and the new composite vibration pattern according to the location of each of the multiple intermodal shipping containers.   
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing computer executable instructions to perform a method for determining conditions of intermodal shipping containers on a cargo ship, the method comprising:
 establishing a baseline composite vibration pattern from readings generated by multiple vibration sensors, wherein each vibration sensor, of the multiple vibration sensors, is a uniquely-identified vibration sensor that has been affixed to one of multiple intermodal shipping containers, wherein each vibration sensor comprises a vibration sensor for detecting mechanical vibration, wherein the multiple intermodal shipping containers have been loaded onto a cargo ship, and wherein the baseline composite vibration pattern is generated by combining two or more frequency plus amplitude vibration patterns generated by two or more of the multiple vibration sensors that are affixed to the multiple intermodal shipping containers;   taking subsequent readings from the multiple vibration sensors to generate a new composite vibration pattern, wherein the new composite vibration pattern is generated by combining two or more new frequency plus amplitude vibration patterns generated by two or more of the multiple vibration sensors that are affixed to the multiple intermodal shipping containers;   receiving humidity readings from humidity sensors affixed to interiors of each of the multiple intermodal shipping containers;   combining the humidity readings with the new composite vibration pattern to create a vibration/humidity pattern; and   in response to the new composite vibration pattern being different, beyond a predefined range, from the baseline composite vibration pattern, matching the vibration/humidity pattern with a known vibration/humidity pattern in order to identify a cause of the new vibration/humidity pattern and a condition of the intermodal shipping containers.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:
 identifying a physical shifting of the multiple intermodal shipping containers by matching the new composite vibration pattern with a known vibration pattern.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:
 identifying damage to a non-mechanical physical structure of the cargo ship by matching the new composite vibration pattern with a known vibration pattern.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:
 identifying damage to a drive train of the cargo ship by matching the new composite vibration pattern with a known vibration pattern.   
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein said each vibration sensor further comprises an acoustic sensor, and wherein the method further comprises:
 incorporating acoustic readings from acoustic sensors in the multiple vibration sensors to modify the baseline composite vibration pattern to create a baseline vibration/acoustic composite pattern;   incorporating subsequent acoustic readings from the acoustic sensors to generate a new composite vibration/acoustic pattern; and   in response to the new composite vibration/acoustic pattern being different from the baseline composite vibration/acoustic pattern, matching the new composite vibration/acoustic pattern with a known composite vibration/acoustic pattern in order to identify a cause of the new composite vibration/acoustic pattern.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein said each vibration sensor further comprises a chemical sensor, and wherein the method further comprises:
 incorporating chemical readings from chemical sensors in the multiple vibration sensors to modify the baseline composite vibration pattern to create a baseline composite vibration/chemical pattern;   incorporating subsequent chemical readings from the chemical sensors to generate a new composite vibration/chemical pattern; and   in response to the new composite vibration/chemical pattern being different from the baseline composite vibration/chemical pattern, matching the new composite vibration/chemical pattern with a known composite vibration/chemical pattern in order to identify a cause of the new composite vibration/chemical pattern.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:
 in response to a pre-determined level of change in weather conditions currently being experienced by the cargo ship, the processor re-establishing the baseline composite vibration pattern by taking new readings from the multiple vibration sensors.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein each of the vibration sensors comprises a uniquely-identified radio frequency identifier (RFID) device, and wherein the method further comprises:
 mapping a location of each of the multiple intermodal shipping containers by interrogating RFID devices in the multiple vibration sensors; and   adjusting the baseline composite vibration pattern and the new composite vibration pattern according to the location of each of the multiple intermodal shipping containers.   
     
     
         17 . A system comprising:
 a processor, a computer readable memory, and a computer readable storage media;   first program instructions to establish a baseline composite vibration pattern from readings generated by multiple vibration sensors, wherein each vibration sensor, of the multiple vibration sensors, is a uniquely-identified vibration sensor that has been affixed to one of multiple intermodal shipping containers, wherein each vibration sensor comprises a vibration sensor for detecting mechanical vibration, wherein the multiple intermodal shipping containers have been loaded onto a cargo ship, and wherein the baseline composite vibration pattern is generated by combining two or more frequency plus amplitude vibration patterns generated by two or more of the multiple vibration sensors that are affixed to the multiple intermodal shipping containers;   second program instructions to take subsequent readings from the multiple vibration sensors to generate a new composite vibration pattern, wherein the new composite vibration pattern is generated by combining two or more new frequency plus amplitude vibration patterns generated by two or more of the multiple vibration sensors that are affixed to the multiple intermodal shipping containers;   third program instructions to receive humidity readings from humidity sensors affixed to interiors of each of the multiple intermodal shipping containers;   fourth program instructions to combine the humidity readings with the new composite vibration pattern to create a vibration/humidity pattern; and   fifth program instructions to in response to the new composite vibration pattern being different, beyond a predefined range, from the baseline composite vibration pattern, match the vibration/humidity pattern with a known vibration/humidity pattern in order to identify a cause of the new vibration/humidity pattern and a condition of the intermodal shipping containers; and wherein   
       the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 sixth program instructions to identify a physical shifting of the multiple intermodal shipping containers by matching the new composite vibration pattern with a known vibration pattern; and wherein   
       the sixth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 sixth program instructions to, in response to a pre-determined level of change in weather conditions currently being experienced by the cargo ship, re-establish the baseline composite vibration pattern by taking new readings from the multiple vibration sensors; and wherein the sixth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein each of the vibration sensors comprises a uniquely-identified radio frequency identifier (RFID) device, and wherein the system further comprises:
 sixth program instructions to map a location of each of the multiple intermodal shipping containers by interrogating RFID devices in the multiple vibration sensors; and   seventh program instructions to adjust the baseline composite vibration pattern and the new composite vibration pattern according to the location of each of the multiple intermodal shipping containers; and wherein   
       the sixth and seventh program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory.