WO2008147425A1

WO2008147425A1 - Method and apparatus for automatic non-invasive container breach detection system using rfid tags

Info

Publication number: WO2008147425A1
Application number: PCT/US2007/078931
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gianni Arcaini; Aydin Arpa; Scott Carns
Original assignee: Gianni Arcaini; Aydin Arpa; Scott Carns
Priority date: 2007-05-30
Filing date: 2007-09-19
Publication date: 2008-12-04

Abstract

This is a method and apparatus for the noninvasive detection of a container breach and the integration of this information in a readable form at a remote facility by employing RFID tags and software that will present the images at a remote facility in a readable fashion. This will save tremendous amounts of time and money with regard to the inspection of individual trains and also minimize the necessity of randomly stopping a train and randomly inspecting individual container on the cars of a train.

Description

TITLE OF INVENTION

Method and Apparatus for Automatic Noninvasive Container Breach Detection System using RFID tags BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This relates to providing an early warning system that detects container breaches using RFID tags. This type of technology is particularly suited to the railroad industry but can have other applications as well.

It is costly to stop every train and inspect every rail car. This system greatly reduces the cost and maximizes the efficiency of a type of early warning system to detect container breaches and present the information about a possible breach in a readable form at a remote facility.

B. PRIOR ART

Many other prior art references exist which deal with security systems and in particular container security systems. Some of these container security systems employ radio frequency identification tags or RFID tags.

A representative example in the prior art that teaches container security can be found at Easley, U. S. patent number 7,098,784. Easley teaches a system that monitors the contents of the interior of the container using electronic means to transmit this information to a remote facility. Another example can be found at U.S. patent Stratmoen 7,002,472 which teaches a smart and secure container. The container has a means to access the cargo and certain predetermined factors are selected that when violated would determine a possible breach to the container. The information about the breach is then forwarded to a central data collection station.

The use of RFID tags to monitor activity is found in the prior art and examples of patents that teach this technology include Nowak, U.S. patent number 7,123,149 and Hornbacker, U.S. patent 7,047,103.

A system that teaches the tracking of goods through a variety of tracking stations can be found at Clift, U.S. patent number 7,126,470. Clift, however, is an inventory control system and does not specifically address the issue of container breach.

There are other systems in the prior art that teach article tracking methods and systems including real time tracking of goods and examples of this type of device and method can be found at Chung, U.S. patent number 7,036,729 and Li, U.S. patent number 7,136,832. Both the Chung and Li patents use RFID technology in the tracking methods.

None of the prior art references teach a system that combines technology that detects the presence of a container breach and then provides a panoramic view of a moving object in a readable form such that the exact location of a breach can be easily pinpointed. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This is a system that will provide noninvasive inspection of a train or other moving object from a fixed position. It will facilitate the detection of container breaches. This particular problem i.e. detection of container breaches costs the train industry, in particular, millions of dollars.

One of the difficulties is pinpointing the exact location of a problem, particularly on a train with multiple containers. Currently the entire train is stopped to inspect every rail car and every container for container breaches and/or random spot inspections of the containers are performed. On a train with hundreds of containers, this method of inspection proves to be daunting not to mention costly in terms of slowing the movement of goods on the rail line. The current method of inspection is also very inexact in addition to being extremely inefficient .

This method addresses these problems by avoiding the complete stoppage of the train for an inspection. This is done through a device and method to detect the presence and exact location of a container breach using a radio frequency identification tag or simply an RFID tag. The information about a container breach and its location is then sent to a remote facility and placed in an easily readable form. Any evidence that may be gathered can be archived for later use and for law enforcement purposes as well. This method employs a system that will initially electronically seal the container with a radio frequency identification tag or RFID tag. After the container is sealed in this fashion, the operator can automatically check the integrity of the container without the need to completely stop the train. RFID tags can be active tags or passive tags. The active tag constantly emits a signal and is designed to either stop functioning or emit a different signal when a predetermined event has occurred. The passive RFID tag is silent until a predetermined event has occurred and then emits a signal. The RFID tag may emit a predetermined signal or a different signal to alert operators or attendants of possible problems along the system.

This alert system will give the operator a general idea about the location of a breach but in a train with multiple containers greater efficiency is needed. Cameras are installed to capture a video image, convert the images into a readable format and display those images at a remote facility. The readable images will allow the operator to pinpoint the exact container or containers that may have been breached.

This system will also operate regardless of the number of containers on a given train.

As stated previously, although this method may have multiple applications, the example of its use in a train system will be highlighted. All trains pass through portals, which are large trusses on the rail line onto which cameras are mounted. These cameras will view the container from many different angles and are designed to operate in low or dim lighting situations as well.

The difficulty with any moving object such as a train is that the train is moving at a great speed in generally remote areas. It is an object of this method and apparatus to compile the video images from the cameras, integrate that information with the data concerning a container breach via the RFID tag and integrate all the information into a readable form for an operator in a remote location so that the person in addition to being able to locate the exact location of a container breach can visually view the specific container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the camera mounted to a truss and several containers on a train line.

Figure 2 is a schematic of the parts of the method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Containers 3 are in widespread use today to move goods across great distances. Containers are loaded on ships, trains and trucks and travel great distances. For purposes of this application the shipment of a container along rail lines 5 will be discussed although this method can also be used with other methods of transport.

Prior to departure from a given location a container 3 is loaded and secured on a train rail car such as depicted in Figure 1. This may be a single container or the containers may be stacked one on top of each other. After the access doors of the container are locked and sealed each of the containers is then electronically sealed and a radio frequency identification tag (RFID) 4 is placed on the outside surface of each container.

The RFID tag may be an active tag or a passive tag. An active tag will constantly emit a signal and any interruption or change in the signal will alert the user to a possible problem. A passive tag will not emit a signal until a predetermined event such as a breach has occurred. Either type of tag may be used in this method.

A specific radio frequency is associated with each RFID tag and radio frequency waves are emitted from the tag. A stack of radio frequency identification tag values may be associated with a particular train's containers. The containers may also be double tagged meaning that more than one RFID tag may be placed on the container.

In the event that someone opens the container doors the radio frequency emissions from the tag will be interrupted, altered, cease or begin depending on the type of RFID tag this is being used. This interruption, alteration, cessation or beginning will alert the operator or security personnel to a breach of the specific container. This particular method of determining the security of a container on a rail line is not dependent on the use of cameras 2 that have been positioned around portals 1, which are used on train rail lines although the use of camera would be helpful to assist the operator to verify the exact location of the container that has been breached.

Portals 1 on rail lines are established to view the train through the use of one or more cameras 2. Color or thermal cameras can be installed on the portal 1 with various angles to minimize the occlusions and maximize physical coverage so that multiple views of the container can occur. These particular views can be fused together by using two live feeds in order to enhance the visual information. The cameras may also have the capability to operate in very dim lighting 2B and will most likely have infrared 2A capability as well.

At certain predetermined points along the system, whether at designated positions or at random points along the system, the integrity of the stack of radio frequency identification tag values may be checked against registered values. If there is any diversion from the associated values an indication of a possible breach appears in the system and the operator or security personnel is alerted.

If the container is double tagged one of the RFID tags would be responsible for the container breach and one would be responsible for identifying the specific container. As the container passes through a checkpoint or portal 1, the container may be checked for integrity, using a camera system that allows, among other capabilities infrared detection. If the container has been breached, the signal from the RFID tags either be missing or altered or activated depending on the type or RFID tag that is being used - passive or active. This signal alteration will alert the operator to a possible problem and in conjunction with camera images will allow the operator to pinpoint the exact location of the affected container.

Although cameras are used at the portals, this system of detection is not dependent on the use of cameras. Cameras, however, serve as a valuable tool to assist the operator and allow the images to be assembled in a readable form.

One of the challenges in any security system, particularly when viewing a rapidly moving object is capturing the images and integrating them into a temporal image that can be viewed and analyzed in real time. This is particularly true with a moving object such as a train, which is moving rapidly through checkpoints at speeds in excess of sixty miles per hour and particularly a train, which moves in remote locations. This is also true of any moving object such as a truck with a container on a highway system.

The proper placement of a camera or a plurality of cameras by themselves along a route will capture the video images but will not integrate the data into a readable form at a remote facility. In the situation where the detection of container breaches is sought, it is more useful to have one image per rail car for any given train or container so as to pinpoint the location of the breach. The difficulty is that one image per rail car is not easily readable by the operator at a remote facility.

The camera images 6 from the portals are integrated into software or a computer vision technique 8 like the Lucas Kanade optical flow in which a linear panorama of the moving object can be created and then forwarded to a remote facility 7. This linear panorama technique, which is found in the prior art will allow the operator to view the entire train, not just a specific car or the specific image that is captured by the camera, thus making it readable for the operator.

Once it has been determined that a breach has been identified, there is now a need to locate the exact position of the incident for law enforcement purposes.

Techniques that are used in the Lucas Kanade optical flow system can be used to identify specific locations. The information is presented for the screener at a remote facility in a readable, linear panoramic form so that the exact location can be determined and appropriate corrective action can be taken .

Additionally the images from the system may be archived for historical perspective or for law enforcement purposes.

Claims

CLAIMSWhile the embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, certain modifications may be made by those skilled in the art to modify the invention without departing from the spirit of the invention. The inventor claims:

1. A method and apparatus for automatic noninvasive container breach detection system, which is comprised of:

a. a radio frequency identification tag;

wherein a radio frequency identification tag is placed on a container;

said radio frequency tags are placed on the outside surface of a container;

b. containers;

wherein the containers are electronically sealed;

wherein the containers are placed on a moving object;

c. camera;

wherein a plurality of camera images view the containers as the containers pass through portals;

d. transmission of video images;

wherein software is employed to transmit the video images to a remote facility;

wherein a means to transmit the video images from the cameras is provided;

said video images are transmitted to a remote facility;

e. view of the moving object;

wherein the view of the moving object is presented at a remote facility;

wherein the transmission of the video images is provided in a linear panorama.

2. The method and apparatus as described in Claim 1 wherein the radio frequency identification tag is an active tag.

3. The method and apparatus as described in Claim 1 wherein the radio frequency identification tag is a passive tag.

4. The method and apparatus as described in Claim 1 wherein a plurality of radio frequency identification tags are employed per container.

5. The method and apparatus as described in Claim 1 wherein the moving object is a train.

6. The method and apparatus as described in Claim 1 wherein the moving object is a ship.

7. The method and apparatus as described in Claim 1 wherein the moving object is a truck.

8. The method and apparatus as described in Claim 1 wherein the cameras operate in conditions of low lighting.

9. The method and apparatus as described in Claim 1 wherein the cameras have infrared capability.

10. The method and apparatus as described in Claim 1 wherein a single radio frequency

identification tag is used per container.