The Boeing Company

George W Wells

Joseph S Ng

Peter S Lauenstein

Network-centric systems and methods for monitoring the security of a cargo container during shipment from an origination point to a destination are described. The cargo container includes a container security unit (CSU) having an electronic container identifier. As the container is loaded with various contents, a container processing system obtains produces a manifest of the contents using wireless data collection. The manifest, which also includes the container identifier, is sent to a central server for storage. As the cargo container is shipped through a port, warehouse or other shipping location, the CSU provides a status update to the central server. The status update may include a location of the cargo container, the container identifier and a status of a door seal, hazard detector and/or the like. As the cargo container arrives at its destination, another container processing system creates an arrival report of the received contents that can be compared to the manifest at the central server. The central server may also process data from the manifest, status update(s) and/or arrival report for the cargo container to further identify any security issues arising during shipment.

Network-centric cargo security system

Methods and apparatus are provided for securing and/or tracking cargo containers. The security unit comprises a positioning receiver configured to provide a position of the cargo container and a memory configured to store a first geocentric zone and a second geocentric zone of the cargo container. The security unit also comprises a controller coupled to the positioning receiver and the memory. The security unit is configured to receive the position of the cargo container from the positioning receiver, determine if the position of the cargo container is within one of the first geocentric zone and the second geocentric zone stored in the memory, operate in a first operating mode associated with the first geocentric zone if the position is within the first geocentric zone, and operate in a second operating mode associated with the second geocentric zone if the position is within the second geocentric zone.

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Friendswood, TX, United States of America

George W Wells