Life raft container security system and method

US 20040239435A1

(54) LIFE RAFT CONTAINER SECURITY SYSTEM AND METHOD

(76) Inventors: C. Duff Hughes, Baltimore, MD (US);

Frank Hornig, Annapolis, MD (US);
Kevin Brophy, Baltimore, MD (US)

Correspondence Address:
THOMPSON COBURN, LLP
ONE US BANK PLAZA
SUITE 3500

ST LOUIS, MO 63101 (US)

(21) Appl. No.: 10/449,325

(22) Filed: May 30, 2003

Publication Classification (51) Int. CI.7 H01P 1/38; H01P 1/36

A method comprises providing a container having a first container portion and a second container portion, placing an inflatable life raft within the container, placing a transmitter mechanism adjacent the container, and automatically detecting whether a tamper condition has occurred. The tamper condition comprises at least one of the following: removal of the life raft from the container; an increase in distance between the first and second container portions; and a change in position of at least a portion of the life raft relative to one of the portions of the container. The transmitter mechanism is adapted and configured to transmit a signal upon the detection of the tamper condition.

LIFE RAFT CONTAINER SECURITY SYSTEM AND METHOD

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The conventional practice of inspecting, packing and delivering maritime life rafts presents a potential security risk to the ultimate consumer in that raft containers can be easily tampered with in a manner to conceal potentially dangerous materials while the containers are en route to the consumer. Existing life raft containers are packaged at the manufacturer, opened and inspected annually by maintenance facilities and are secured only by external plastic or metal banding straps. It is possible for a terrorist to intercept a container in transit, remove the external banding straps, insert a weapon of mass destruction or high explosives, re-band the unit and return it to its transit point without anyone else ever noticing that the unit has been compromised.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A method of the present invention comprises providing a container having a first container portion and a second container portion, placing an inflatable life raft within the container, placing a transmitter mechanism adjacent the container, and automatically detecting whether a tamper condition has occurred. The tamper condition comprises at least one of the following: removal of the life raft from the container; an increase in distance between the first and second container portions; and a change in position of at least a portion of the life raft relative to one of the portions of the container. The transmitter mechanism is adapted and configured to transmit a signal upon the detection of the tamper condition.

[0003] Another aspect of the present invention is a method comprising providing a container having a first container portion and a second container portion, placing an article within the container, placing a transmitter mechanism adjacent the container, automatically detecting whether a removed tamper condition has occurred, automatically detecting whether a distance increase tamper condition has occurred, and automatically detecting whether a position change tamper condition has occurred. The removed tamper condition comprises a condition in which the article is removed from the container. The distance increase tamper condition comprises an increase in distance between the first and second container portions. The position change tamper condition comprises a change in position of at least a portion of the article relative to one of the portions of the container.

[0004] Another aspect of the present invention is a method comprising providing a container having a first container portion and a second container portion, placing an inflatable life raft within the container, and automatically detecting whether a tamper condition has occurred. The tamper condition comprises at least one of the following: removal of the life raft from the container, an increase in distance between the first and second container portions, and a change in position of at least a portion of the life raft relative to one of the portions of the container. The method further comprises intermittently transmitting a status signal. The status signal is a tamper signal if after a point in time the tamper condition is detected via the detecting step. The status signal is a non-tamper signal if after the point in time the tamper

condition is not detected via the detecting step. The tamper signal is different than the non-tamper signal.

[0005] Another aspect of the present invention is a method comprising providing a container having a first container portion and a second container portion, placing an article within the container, placing a transmitter mechanism within the container, and automatically detecting whether a distance increase tamper condition has occurred. The distance increase tamper condition comprises an increase in distance between the first and second container portions. The method further comprises automatically detecting whether a position change tamper condition has occurred. The position change tamper condition comprises a change in position of at least a portion of the article relative to one of the portions of the container.

[0006] Another aspect of the present invention is a method comprising providing a container, placing an article within the container, and providing an RFID system comprising a mother RFID tag and a daughter RFID tag. The RFID system is adapted and configured to detect a change in position of the daughter tag relative to the mother tag. The method further comprises placing one of the mother and daughter RFID tags adjacent the container, placing the other of the mother and daughter RFID tags adjacent the article, and detecting with the RFID system whether a tamper condition has occurred. The tamper condition comprises a change in position of the daughter tag relative to the mother tag. The RFID system is adapted and configured to transmit a tamper signal upon detection of the tamper condition.

[0007] Another aspect of the present invention is a method comprising providing a plurality of assemblies. Each assembly comprises a container having first and second container portions, an article within the container, and a detector mechanism adapted and configured to detect the occurrence of a tamper condition. The tamper condition comprises at least one of the following: removal of the article from the container, increasing distance between the first and second container portions, and a change in position of at least a portion of the article relative to one of the portions of the container. The method further comprises transporting the plurality of assemblies in one shipment from an initial location to a quarantine location, determining for each of the plurality of assemblies whether the detector mechanism corresponding to said each of the plurality of assemblies has detected the occurrence of the tamper condition, and transporting the plurality of assemblies from the quarantine location to a destination location. The determining step occurs with the plurality of assemblies at the quarantine location. The step of transporting the plurality of assemblies from the quarantine location to the destination location occurs after the determining step.

[0008] Another aspect of the present invention is an antitamper life raft assembly comprising a container, an inflatable life raft, and a transmitter mechanism. The container has a first container portion and a second container portion. The inflatable life raft is within the container. The transmitter mechanism is adapted and configured to transmit a signal upon the occurrence of a tamper condition and indicative of the tamper condition. The tamper condition comprises at least one of the following: removal of the life raft from the container, increasing distance between the first and second