# US 10,769,934 B2 · Container security system

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- Number: US 10,769,934 B2
- Document ID: US10769934B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/451,879
- Filed: 2019-06-25
- Published: 2019-10-17
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-03-28
- Assignees: In-Tech Enterprise Ltd.
- Applicants: In-Tech Enterprise, Ltd.
- Inventors: Jacky Sai Ping Tsang; Cheuk Kuen Chim; Gordon Christopher Pope; Wing Hung Cheung
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10769934B2

## CPC

- G08B 25/10: using wireless transmission systems {(G08B25/009 takes precedence)}
- B65D 55/02: Locking devices; Means for discouraging or indicating unauthorised opening or removal of closure
- G06F 21/83: input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
- H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
- H04W 4/08: User group management
- H04W 4/35: for the management of goods or merchandise
- H04W 84/18: Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

A container network includes a first container system that includes a first container first type communication interface, and a second container system that includes a second container first type communication interface. The second container system communicatively couples to the first container first type communication interface via the second container first type communication interface to form a first container-to-container connection. The second container system performs an exchange of election information of the first container system and second container system with the first container system via the first container-to-container connection, and elects, based on the election information, a second container second type communication interface included on the second container system to provide container network communications to a wide area network. The second container system then provides the container network communications via the second container second type communication interface to the wide area network.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A container network, comprising:
a first container system that includes a first container first type communication interface; and
a second container system that includes a second container first type communication interface, wherein the second container system is configured to:
communicatively couple to the first container first type communication interface via the second container first type communication interface to form a first container-to-container connection;
perform a first exchange of first election information of the first container system and second election information of the second container system with the first container system via the first container-to-container connection;
elect, based on the first election information and the second election information, a second container second type communication interface included on the second container system to provide container network communications to a wide area network; and
provide first container network communications via the second container second type communication interface to the wide area network.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The container network of claim 1, wherein the first container network communications include first container communications received from the first container system via the first container-to-container connection.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The container network of claim 1, wherein the first container network communications include second container communications from the second container system.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The contain network of claim 3, wherein the second container communications include second container sensor data from at least one sensor included in the second container system.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The container network of claim 1, wherein the first container system is configured to:
elect, based on the first election information and the second election information, the second container second type communication interface included on the second container system to provide container network communications to the wide area network; and
reduce power to a first container second type communication interface included on the first container system.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The container network of claim 1, wherein the first container system is configured to:
elect, based on the first election information and the second election information, a first container second type communication interface included on the first container system and the second container second type communication interface included on the second container system to provide container network communications to the wide area network; and
provide a portion of the first container network communications on the first container second type communication interface to the wide area network.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The container network of claim 1, wherein the first container system is configured to:
elect, based on the first election information and the second election information, a first container component included on the first container system to operate, wherein the second container system is configured to:
reduce, based on the first election information and the second election information, power provided to a second container component included on the second container system that corresponds with the first container component due to the second container component providing a redundant function to a function provided by the first container component.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The container network of claim 1, wherein the second container system is configured to:
perform a second exchange of third election information of the first container system and fourth election information of the second container system subsequent to the first exchange via the first container-to-container connection;
elect, based on the third election information and the fourth election information of the second exchange, a first container second type communication interface included on the first container system to provide container network communications to the wide area network; and
provide, via the first container-to-container connection, second container network communications destined to the wide area network to the first container system.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The container network of claim 8, wherein the second container system is configured to:
reduce power to the second container second type communication interface.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The container network of claim 1, wherein the second container system is configured to:
receive a notification, via the first container-to-container connection, that a third container system has communicatively coupled to the first container first type communication interface via a third container first type communication interface included on the third container system to form a second container-to-container connection; and
provide third container network communications, received from the first container system via the first container-to-container connection that originated from the third container system, via the second container second type communication interface to the wide area network.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The container network of claim 10, wherein the second container system is configured to:
perform a second exchange of third election information of the first container system, fourth election information of the second container system, and fifth election information of the third container system with the first container system and the third container system via the first container-to-container connection and the second container-to-container connection;
elect, based on the third election information, the fourth election information, and the fifth election information a third container second type communication interface included on the third container system to provide container network communications to the wide area network; and
provide second container network communications to the first container system via the first container-to-container connection to be routed to the third container system by the first container system via the second container-to-container connection.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The container network of claim 1, wherein the second container system is configured to:
receive first sensor information from the first container system via the first container-to-container connection;
determine, based on the first sensor information, that a predetermined condition is satisfied; and
provide, in response to the determining that the predetermine condition is satisfied, a notification included in the first container network communications via the second container second type communication interface to the wide area network.

### Claim 13

A container module, comprising:
a first type communication interface;
a first component;
a processing system that is coupled to the first type communication interface and the first component; and
a memory system that is coupled to the processing system and that includes instruction that, when executed by the processing system, causes the processing system to provide a container engine that is configured to:
communicatively couple to a first type second communication interface include in a first container system via the first type communication interface to form a first container-to-container connection;
perform a first exchange of first election information of the container module and second election information of the first container system with the first container system via the first container-to-container connection;
elect, based on the first election information and the second election information, the first component over a first container component included on the first container system that corresponds with the first component; and
operate the first component.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The container module of claim 13, wherein the container engine is configured to:
perform a second exchange of third election information of the container module and fourth election information of the first container system subsequent to the first exchange via the first container-to-container connection;
elect, based on the third election information and the fourth election information of the second exchange, the first container component included on the first container system over the first component that corresponds; and
reduce power to the first component.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The container module of claim 13, wherein the first container system is configured to:
elect, based on the first election information and the second election information, the first component over the first container component; and
reduce power to the first container component.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The container module of claim 13, further comprising:
a second component coupled to the processing system, wherein the container engine is configured to:
elect, based on the first election information and the second election information, a second container component included on the first container system that corresponds with the second component; and
reduce power to the second component.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The container module of claim 13, wherein the first component is one of a second communication interface configured to communicate with a wide area network, a first container sensor that gathers data that is redundant to a second container sensor provided on the first container system, or a positioning system.

### Claim 18

A method to provide container network communications, comprising:
communicatively coupling, by a container module, a first type communication interface included in the container module to a first type second communication interface included in a first container system to form a first container-to-container connection;
performing, by the container module, a first exchange of first election information of the container module and second election information of the first container system with the first container system via the first container-to-container connection;
electing, by the container module and based on the first election information and the second election information, a second type communication interface include in the container module to provide container network communications to a wide area network; and
providing first container network communications via the second type communication interface to the wide area network.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising:
electing, by the container module based on the first election information and the second election information, a first container second type communication interface included on the first container system to provide container network communications to the wide area network; and
providing, by the container module, a portion of the first container network communications on the first container second type communication interface to the wide area network.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising:
performing, by the container module, a second exchange of third election information of the container module and fourth election information of the first container system subsequent to the first exchange via the first container-to-container connection;
electing, by the container module based on the third election information and the fourth election information of the second exchange, a first container second type communication interface included on the first container system to provide container network communications to the wide area network;
providing, by the container module via the first container-to-container connection, second container network communications destined to the wide area network to the first container system; and
reducing, by the container module, power to the second type communication interface.