System and method to enhance security of shipping containers

Abstract

A system and method for enhancing the security of containers and the goods within them and for tracking a shipping container from its origin to its destination. A shipping container uses a breach containment system comprising a transmitter, a receiver, a processor, a status record and a plurality of conductors to detect any breach of the shipping container structure. The conductors are embedded in, or applied to, the structures that form the shipping container and are connected a processor. The processor maintains a local timer. Upon the sealing of the shipping container, the conductors form circuits and the local timer contributes a time value to the status record. An open circuit condition experienced by circuits formed by the conductors causes the local timer to be reset and status record to be revised to reflect the revised time value. A monitoring station maintains a master timer that is synchronized with the local timer when the shipping container is sealed. If the integrity of the shipping container is breached, the local timer value and the master timer value will be different indicating that a breach has occurred. The present invention also provides for reporting of the content of the status record to reporting stations for forwarding to a monitoring station.

1. A shipping container breach detection system comprising:
 a shipping container;  
 a breach detection system (BDS) integrated into the shipping container and including a record;  
 at least one reporting station for receiving record data from the BDS; and  
 a monitoring station in network communication with the at least one reporting station,  
 the BDS comprising a local timer adapted to contribute a time value to the record when the shipping container is sealed and further adapted to contribute a revised time value to the record when the integrity of the container is breached and the monitoring station comprising a corresponding master timer synchronized with the local timer of the BDS.  
 
     
     
       2. The shipping container breach detection system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plurality of conductors, wherein each conductor is embedded in structures that comprise the shipping container adapted to form one or more circuits; and  
 a processor, the processor adapted to determine if any one of the one or more circuits is opened after the container is sealed.  
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1    claim 2 , wherein a  the conductor comprises an electrical conductor. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1    claim 2 , wherein a  the conductor comprises a light conductor. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the processor comprises a tamper-resistant integrated circuit. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is adapted to encrypt the record. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 2    claim 1 , wherein:  the BDS further comprises a transmitter adapted to transmit the record to the at least one reporting station; and wherein said monitoring station is adapted to receive the record over a network from the at least one reporting station and make a determination that the integrity of the container has been breached. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7  wherein the monitoring station is further adapted to take remedial action when the determination that the integrity of the container has been breached has been made. 
     
     
       9. A method for detecting a breach in the integrity of a shipping container comprising:
 integrating a breach detection system (BDS) into a shipping container;  
 sealing the container;  
 setting a local timer in the BDS upon the sealing of the container to contribute a time value to a record;  
 synchronizing a corresponding master timer at a monitoring station with the local timer;  
 revising the time value in the record when the integrity of the container is breached;  
 transmitting the record to a reporting station; and  
 communicating the record from the reporting station to the monitoring station over a network.  
 
     
     
       10. The method for detecting a breach in the integrity of a shipping container of  claim 9  further comprising:
 providing the BDS with a plurality of conductors, wherein each conductor is embedded in structures that comprise the shipping container so as to form one or more circuits; and  
 providing the BDS with a processor adapted to determine if any one of the one or more circuits is opened after the container is sealed.  
 
     
     
       11. The method for detecting a breach in the integrity of a shipping container of  claim 9    claim 10 , wherein the conductor comprises an electrical conductor. 
     
     
       12. The method for detecting a breach in the integrity of a shipping container of  claim 9    claim 10  wherein the conductor comprises a light conductor. 
     
     
       13. The method for detecting a breach in the integrity of a shipping container of  claim 10  wherein the processor comprises a tamper-resistant integrated circuit. 
     
     
       14. The method for detecting a breach in the integrity of a shipping container of  claim 10  wherein the processor is adapted to encrypt the record. 
     
     
       15. The method for detecting a breach in the integrity of a shipping container of  claim 10    claim 9  further comprising:
 providing a transmitter to the BDS to transmit the record to the reporting station; and  
 receiving the record at the monitoring station over a network from the reporting station and making a determination that the integrity of the container has been breached.  
 
     
     
       16. The method for detecting a breach in the integrity of a shipping container of  claim 10    claim 15  wherein the monitoring station is further adapted to take remedial action when the determination that the integrity of the container has been breached has been made. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one reporting station lacks a decryption key and the monitoring station includes a decryption key. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 2    claim 1 , wherein the monitoring station comprises a list of all items in the shipping container. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising decrypting of the record at the monitoring station. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 10    claim 9 , further comprising storing a list of all items in the shipping container at the monitoring station. 
     
     
       21. A method for detecting a breach in the integrity of a shipping container comprising:
   integrating a breach detection system  ( BDS )  into a shipping container;        running a local timer in the BDS;        contributing a time value of the local timer to a record;        synchronizing a corresponding master timer at a monitoring station with the local timer;        revising the time value in the record when the integrity of the container is breached;        transmitting the record to a reporting station; and        communicating the record from the reporting station to the monitoring station over a network.