US6057779A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of controlling access to a movable container and to a compartment of a vehicle, and a secure cargo transportation system
Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
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Filing: 1997-08-14
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Granted: 2000-05-02
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Expires: 2017-08-14
Abstract
Abstract A method of controlling access to a movable container, the method comprising controllably locking the container using an electronically actuated locking mechanism; storing in a memory a desired geographical location; determining the geographical location of the container; and enabling the locking mechanism to unlock the container if the determined geographical location matches the desired geographical location. A secure cargo transportation system comprises a vehicle including an enclosure having an opening; a door movable relative to the opening between a closed position, wherein the door restricts access to the enclosure; and an open position; an electronically actuable lock configured to selectively lock or unlock the door relative to the enclosure; a memory supported by the vehicle and configured to store a location coordinate; and a global positioning system supported by the vehicle and coupled to the memory and to the lock, and configured to enable the lock to unlock the door if the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the location coordinate.
Inventors
- 👤 Benjamin G. Bates
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 14:12
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/08; G07; G07C; G07C9/00; G07C9/20; G07C9/28; G07C5/00; G07C5/008; G07C9/00174; G07C9/00309; G07C9/00896; G07C9/00912; G07C9/30; G07C9/32; G07C9/33; G07C9/00817; G07C2009/00825; G07C2009/0092; G07C2209/00; G07C2209/60; G07C2209/63
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of controlling access to a movable container by a processor coupled to the movable container, the method comprising: controllably locking the container using an electronically actuated locking mechanism in response to a command from the processor; storing in a memory a desired geographical location in response to a command from the processor; determining the geographical location of the container; comparing, in the processor, the geographical location of the container and the desired geographical location; and enabling the locking mechanism to unlock the container in response to the processor determining that the determined geographical location is within a predetermined distance from the desired geographical location.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of controlling access to a movable container by a processor coupled to the movable container, the method comprising: controllably locking the container using an electronically actuated locking mechanism in response to a command from the processor; storing in a memory a desired geographical location in response to a command from the processor; determining the geographical location of the container; comparing, in the processor, the geographical location of the container and the desired geographical location; and enabling the locking mechanism to unlock the container in response to the processor determining that the determined geographical location is within a predetermined distance from the desired geographical location.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the step of determining the geographical location of the container comprises using a global positioning system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein the global positioning system is movable with the container.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein the global positioning system is in communication with the memory and the locking mechanism.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein the global positioning system communicates with the locking mechanism via radio frequency to enable the locking mechanism to unlock the container if the determined geographical location matches the desired geographical location.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein the global positioning system is electrically wired to the locking mechanism.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising, before, the storing step, the step of receiving the desired geographical location via wireless communication.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising, before the storing step, the step of receiving the desired geographical location via microwave.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising, before the storing step, the step of receiving the desired geographical location via radio frequency.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
73 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the step of storing in a memory a desired geographical location comprises storing coordinates of at least three geographical points, and wherein the step of enabling the locking mechanism to unlock the container if the determined geographical location matches the desired geographical location comprises enabling the locking mechanism to unlock the container if the determined geographical location falls within an area defined by the coordinates.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
84 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the step of storing in a memory a desired geographical location comprises storing data representing a point, and storing data representing a radius, and wherein the step of enabling the locking mechanism to unlock the container if the determined geographical location matches the desired geographical location comprises enabling the locking mechanism to unlock the container if the determined geographical location falls within an area defined within a radius about the point corresponding to the stored radius.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the step of determining the geographical location is repeated multiple times.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the step of determining the geographical location is repeated periodically.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of controlling access to a movable container, the method comprising: using an electronically actuated locking mechanism to lock the container; storing in memory a plurality of geographical areas through which it is desired that the container travel; logging the geographical location of the container at each of a plurality of different times; and enabling the locking mechanism to unlock the container if the container passed through each of the geographical areas stored in the storing step.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of controlling access to a movable container, the method comprising: using an electronically actuated locking mechanism to lock the container; storing in memory a plurality of geographical areas through which it is desired that the container travel; logging the geographical location of the container at each of a plurality of different times; and enabling the locking mechanism to unlock the container if the container passed through each of the geographical areas stored in the storing step.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein the storing step further comprises defining an order of geographical areas, and wherein the step of enabling the locking mechanism to unlock the container comprises enabling the locking mechanism to unlock the container if the container passed through each of the geographical areas in the defined order.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
70 words
A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein the storing step further comprises defining an order of geographical areas, including defining a final destination geographical area, and wherein the step of enabling the locking mechanism to unlock the container comprises enabling the locking mechanism to unlock the container if the container passed through each of the geographical areas in the defined order and is in the final destination geographical area.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
106 words
A secure cargo transportation system comprising: a vehicle including an enclosure having an opening; a door movable relative to the opening between a closed position, wherein the door restricts access to the enclosure, and an open position; an electronically actuable lock configured to selectively lock or unlock the door relative to the enclosure; a memory supported by the vehicle and configured to store a location coordinate; and a global positioning system supported by the vehicle and coupled to the memory and to the lock, and configured to enable the lock to unlock the door if the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the location coordinate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
106 words
A secure cargo transportation system comprising: a vehicle including an enclosure having an opening; a door movable relative to the opening between a closed position, wherein the door restricts access to the enclosure, and an open position; an electronically actuable lock configured to selectively lock or unlock the door relative to the enclosure; a memory supported by the vehicle and configured to store a location coordinate; and a global positioning system supported by the vehicle and coupled to the memory and to the lock, and configured to enable the lock to unlock the door if the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the location coordinate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system in accordance with claim 17 and further comprising a wireless receiver supported by the vehicle and coupled to the memory and configured to transfer to the memory a location coordinate received from a remote transmitter.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein the electronically actuable lock is actuable in response to a digital key.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein the global positioning system includes the memory.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein the global positioning system communicates with the locking mechanism via radio frequency to enable the lock to unlock the door if the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the location coordinate.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein the global positioning system is electrically hardwired to the locking mechanism.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system in accordance with claim 17 and further comprising a microwave receiver supported by the vehicle and coupled to the memory and configured to transfer to the memory a location coordinate received via microwave from a microwave transmitter.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein the global positioning system comprises a processor configured to determine if the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the location coordinate.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
139 words
A secure cargo transportation system comprising: a vehicle including an enclosure having an opening; a door movable relative to the opening between a closed position, wherein the door restricts access to the enclosure, and an open position; a digitally actuable lock configured to selectively lock or unlock the door relative to the enclosure in response to a digital key; a global positioning system supported by the vehicle and coupled to the lock, the global positioning system including a memory configured to store a location coordinate, and the global positioning system being configured to enable the lock to unlock the door if the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the location coordinate; and a wireless receiver supported by the vehicle and coupled to the memory and configured to transfer to the memory a location coordinate received from a transmitter.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
139 words
A secure cargo transportation system comprising: a vehicle including an enclosure having an opening; a door movable relative to the opening between a closed position, wherein the door restricts access to the enclosure, and an open position; a digitally actuable lock configured to selectively lock or unlock the door relative to the enclosure in response to a digital key; a global positioning system supported by the vehicle and coupled to the lock, the global positioning system including a memory configured to store a location coordinate, and the global positioning system being configured to enable the lock to unlock the door if the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the location coordinate; and a wireless receiver supported by the vehicle and coupled to the memory and configured to transfer to the memory a location coordinate received from a transmitter.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system in accordance with claim 25 wherein the global positioning system communicates with the locking mechanism via radio frequency to enable the lock to unlock the door if the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the location coordinate.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system in accordance with claim 25 wherein the global positioning system is hardwired to the locking mechanism.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system in accordance with claim 25 wherein the receiver is a microwave receiver configured to receive data transmitted at microwave frequencies.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system in accordance with claim 25 wherein the global positioning system comprises a processor configured to enable the lock to unlock the door if the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the location coordinate.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
122 words
A secure cargo transportation system comprising: a vehicle including an enclosure having an opening; a door movable relative to the opening between a closed position, wherein the door restricts access to the enclosure, and an open position; an electronically actuable lock configured to selectively lock or unlock the door relative to the enclosure; and a remote intelligent communications device, including a global positioning system, supported by the vehicle and coupled to the lock, the wireless communications device including a memory configured to store data representing a location, the device enabling the lock to unlock the door if the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the location coordinate, the remote intelligent communications device being configured to receive the data via wireless communications.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
122 words
A secure cargo transportation system comprising: a vehicle including an enclosure having an opening; a door movable relative to the opening between a closed position, wherein the door restricts access to the enclosure, and an open position; an electronically actuable lock configured to selectively lock or unlock the door relative to the enclosure; and a remote intelligent communications device, including a global positioning system, supported by the vehicle and coupled to the lock, the wireless communications device including a memory configured to store data representing a location, the device enabling the lock to unlock the door if the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the location coordinate, the remote intelligent communications device being configured to receive the data via wireless communications.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
24 words
A secure cargo transportation system in accordance with claim 30 wherein the remote intelligent communications device is configured to receive data at microwave frequencies.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
19 words
A secure cargo transportation system in accordance with claim 30 wherein the enclosure is defined by a semi trailer.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
28 words
A secure cargo transportation system in accordance with claim 30 wherein the remote intelligent communications device includes indicia for uniquely identifying the vehicle with respect to other vehicles.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-05-02 | 2003-11-01 | 2004-05-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-05-02 | 2007-11-01 | 2008-05-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-05-02 | 2011-11-01 | 2012-05-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |