METHOD OF CARGO SECURITY MONITORING

Abstract

 The invention applies to cargo sealing and can be used for both locking and sealing of doors, cargo canvas covers, containers, tank hatches etc.
A method of cargo security control by using a watchdog circuit having the form of a closed loop comprising an elongated current-conducting flexible control element (1) that runs through eyelets in the secured cargo item or in the casing of said item, as well as through primary (2) and secondary (3) toroidalcore induction coils located with a gap between them in the monitoring device casing; a generator (4) induces electromagnetic pulse signals in the primary induction coil (2) thus originating electromotive force (EMF) in the secondary induction coil (3); the EMF value is controlled by using a converter (5), a threshold device (6) as analog-to-digital converter, an actuator (7) and a microprocessor (8) connected in series; and the monitored parameter data are sent over a wireless channel by an electronic transmitting module.
An elongated current-conducting flexible control element (1) can be a cord made of natural or synthetic materials with a metallic filament or a polymer material with current-conducting metallic coating applied by spraying.

Description

[0001] The invention applies to cargo sealing and can be used for both locking and sealing of doors, cargo canvas covers, containers, tank hatches etc.

[0002] There is a method of ensuring the security of a cargo by covering it with flexible canvas cover followed by canvas edge fastening to the casing of monitored item with rope (RU, C1, No. 2243907, 2005).

[0003] Disadvantage of this known solution is low safety of item covered by canvas cover.

[0004] The nearest to the claimed invention is an electronic sealing module with a socket for non-reusable mechanical locking device with flexible enveloping cord. The casing of the module hosts an electronic unit with electronic components which control the seal, track its closing, location and movements, as well as receive, process, store and transfer data for which purpose the electronic module generates electromagnetic signal registered by an external receiver (RU, U1, No. 125237, 2013).

[0005] Disadvantage of this known solution is its low sealing security.

[0006] The purpose of the claimed invention is to improve protection of cargo items from unauthorized access. In addition, the claimed method extends the functionality of cargo securing by implementing a method of sealing the canvas and similar items used to cover the cargo on a vehicle.

[0007] These technical results are achieved in the method of cargo security control by using a watchdog circuit having the form of a closed loop comprising an elongated current-conducting flexible control element that runs through eyelets in the secured cargo item or in the casing of said item, as well as through primary and secondary toroidal-core induction coils located with a gap between them in a monitoring device casing. A generator induces electromagnetic pulse signals in the primary induction coil thus originating electromotive force (EMF) in the secondary induction coil; the EMF value is controlled by using a converter, a threshold device as analog-to-digital converter, an actuator and a microprocessor connected in series; and the monitored parameter data are sent over a wireless channel by an electronic transmitting module.

[0008] A monitoring device with a socket for replaceable mechanical seals is used.

[0009] The elongated current-conducting flexible control element may comprise a current-conducting cord made of metal or synthetic materials with metallic filament.

[0010] The elongated current-conductive flexible control element may comprise a cord made of polymer material with current-conducting metal coating applied by spraying.

[0011] The claimed method allows securing the monitored item (cargo) and tracking its location online both by replaceable non-reusable mechanical seals and without them, for instance, only by using vehicle canvas covers.

[0012] Fig.1 shows principal diagram of a device, which uses the claimed method.

[0013] To implement this method of securing an object (not shown), a watchdog circuit having the form of a closed loop made of current-conducting flexible element 1, namely, a cord, wire, braid with a metal-coated wire etc. is used; the flexible element 1 runs through holes in the body of the secured cargo item, i.e. through lugs in a closed door, hatch etc., or through the holes in the perimeter edge of flexible cover or canvas. The flexible element 1 also passes through toroidal primary 2 and secondary 3 induction coils hosted with a gap between them in the monitoring device casing, which has at least one hole to pass current-conducting flexible element 1.

[0014] Generator 4 sends a pulse to toroidal coil of the primary induction coil 2 the electromagnetic field of which induces EMF in the closed loop of flexible element 1. The electric current that runs through the closed loop of flexible element 1 generates electromagnetic field, which induces EMF in the secondary induction coil 3. Parameters of the induced EMF are measured and sequentially processed by converter 5, threshold device 6, and actuator 7; then the results are stored in the memory of microprocessor 8.

[0015] Toroidal coils 2, 3 and elements 4, 5, 6 and 7 that generate, measure, and check parameters of generated pulse, as well as microprocessor 8 can be located inside the casing (not shown) of the monitoring module (device) which may also have a socket for replaceable non-reusable seal. In such case, the cord of mechanical seal plays the role of flexible element 1. After passing the cord through the holes of the monitoring module casing, through the lugs of the secured cargo item and fastening the cord in a certain position, a loop is formed the status of which ("closed/opened") is controlled based on parameters of the signal in the toroidal induction coil 3.

[0016] If these parameters are changed as a result of violating integrity of the watchdog element or changing the parameters of the loop evidencing that its is open or that there was an attempt to open it, a wireless signal is sent to a monitoring center (situation center) and to cargo forwarding and delivery points.

[0017] A canvas-covered cargo item can be secured by passing the ends of flexible element 1 (which may be current-conducting metal cord made of natural or synthetic materials with metallic filament) through the holes along the canvas perimeter or through rings attached to canvas edges, and then passing these ends through a monitoring device with toroidal coils 2, 3 and elements 4-8; after that, the ends of the cord are tightly fixed by any well-known method, i.e. fastening, twisting or fixing with known mechanical fixers.

[0018] The elongated flexible current-conducting control element 1 can comprise a flexible cord made of polymer material with current-conducting metallic coating applied by spraying.

[0019] During cargo transportation, the electronic module (monitoring device) generates a pre-programmed signal received by an external receiver and then sent to a control room over a wireless communication channel.

Claims

1. A method of cargo security control comprising forming a watchdog circuit having a form of a closed loop comprising an elongated current-conducting flexible control element (1) that runs through eyelets in the secured cargo item or in a casing of said item, as well as through primary (2) and secondary (3) toroidal-core induction coils arranged with a gap between them in a monitoring device; an electromagnetic pulse signal generator (4) excites electromagnetic field in the primary induction coil (2), that induces electromotive force (EMF) in said closed loop and generates secondary EMF in the secondary induction coil (3); value of said secondary EMF is controlled by using a converter (5), a threshold device (6) made in the form of an analog-to-digital converter, an actuator (7) and a microprocessor (8) connected in series; and information for the value of the secondary EMF is sent over a wireless channel by an electronic transmitting module.

2. A method of cargo security control as per claim 1 characterized by using a monitoring device with a socket for replaceable mechanical seal.

3. A method of cargo security control as per claim 1 characterized by using a cord made of natural or synthetic material with metallic filament as elongated flexible current-conducting control element.

4. A method of cargo security control as per claim 1 characterized by using an elongated flexible current-conducting control element having the form of a cord made of polymer material with metallic coating applied by spraying.

Drawing