# US 12,223,463 B2 · Reliable observability in control towers based on side-channel queries > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,223,463 B2 - Document ID: US12223463B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/524,909 - Filed: 2021-11-12 - Published: 2023-05-18 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-11-12 - Assignees: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Marcelo Yannuzzi; Joel Abraham Obstfeld - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12223463B2 ## CPC - G06Q 10/0833: Tracking - G06F 21/60: Protecting data - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract In one embodiment, a control tower device obtains, first state information from sensing or reporting systems or devices at a particular location via a first communication channel. The control tower device makes, based on the first state information, an evaluation regarding the particular location using one or more digital twins representing one or more entities of the particular location. The control tower device obtains second state information from one or more trusted verifiers for the particular location via a second communication channel. The control tower device verifies, based on the second state information, the evaluation regarding the particular location. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: obtaining, at a control tower device, first state information from sensing or reporting systems or devices at a particular location of a supply chain via a first communication channel; making, by the control tower device and based on the first state information, an evaluation regarding the particular location using one or more digital twins, wherein the one or more digital twins comprise a model that represents a state of the supply chain that has been constructed using supply chain specific data and context data obtained from sensors located across the supply chain and are automatically updated by information obtained from the control tower device; obtaining, by the control tower device, second state information from one or more trusted verifiers for the particular location via a second communication channel that is a side-channel to the first communication channel, at least one trusted verifier of the one or more trusted verifiers configured to use video analytics for processing video feeds to count a number of pallets present in the particular location; and verifying, by the control tower device and based on the second state information, the evaluation regarding the particular location in response to determining, by the control tower device, that there is a consensus for the evaluation, wherein verifying the evaluation is indicative of the state of the supply chain, as represented by the model of the one or more digital twins, being reliable. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the one or more trusted verifiers for the particular location comprise a local verifier device or a remote verifier device to the particular location. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the one or more trusted verifiers for the particular location is selected at random by the control tower device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the one or more trusted verifiers comprise a sensor device configured to measure weight, time, humidity, or air pressure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the particular location comprises a seaport terminal, an airport, a transport vehicle, a warehouse, or a distribution center. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the first state information is of a different type of data than the second state information. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, further comprising: verifying, by the control tower device and based on information gathered by one or more other trusted verifiers, the second state information from the one or more trusted verifiers. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, further comprising: causing, by the control tower device, an indication of the evaluation to be displayed at a graphic user interface. ### Claim 9 An apparatus, comprising: one or more network interfaces; a processor coupled to the one or more network interfaces and configured to execute one or more processes; and a memory configured to store a process that is executable by the processor, the process when executed configured to: obtain first state information from sensing or reporting systems or devices at a particular location of a supply chain via a first communication channel; make, based on the first state information, an evaluation regarding the particular location using one or more digital twins, wherein the one or more digital twins comprise a model that represents a state of the supply chain that has been constructed using supply chain specific data and context data obtained from sensors located across the supply chain and is updated by information obtained from the apparatus; obtain second state information from one or more trusted verifiers for the particular location via a second communication channel that is a side-channel to the first communication channel, at least one trusted verifier of the one or more trusted verifiers configured to use video analytics for processing video feeds to count a number of pallets present in the particular location; and verify, based on the second state information, the evaluation regarding the particular location in response to determining, by the apparatus, that there is a consensus for the evaluation, wherein verifying the evaluation is indicative of the state of the supply chain, as represented by the model of the one or more digital twins, being reliable. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus as in claim 9, wherein the one or more trusted verifiers for the particular location comprise a local verifier device or a remote verifier device to the particular location. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus as in claim 9, wherein the one or more trusted verifiers for the particular location is selected at random. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The apparatus as in claim 9, wherein the one or more trusted verifiers comprise a sensor device configured to measure weight, time, humidity, or air pressure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The apparatus as in claim 9, wherein the particular location comprises a seaport terminal, an airport, a transport vehicle, a warehouse, or a distribution center. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The apparatus as in claim 9, wherein the first state information is of a different type of data than the second state information. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The apparatus as in claim 9, wherein the process when executed is further configurable to: verify, based on information gathered by one or more other trusted verifiers, the second state information from the one or more trusted verifiers. ### Claim 16 A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing program instructions that cause a control tower device to execute a process comprising: obtaining, at the control tower device, first state information from sensing or reporting systems or devices at a particular location of a supply chain via a first communication channel that is a side-channel to the first communication channel; making, by the control tower device and based on the first state information, an evaluation regarding the particular location using one or more digital twins, wherein the one or more digital twins comprise a model that represents a state of the supply chain that has been constructed using supply chain specific data and context data obtained from sensors located across the supply chain and is updated by information obtained from the control tower device; obtaining, by the control tower device, second state information from one or more trusted verifiers for the particular location via a second communication channel, at least one trusted verifier of the one or more trusted verifiers configured to use video analytics for processing video feeds to count a number of pallets present in the particular location; and verifying, by the control tower device and based on the second state information, the evaluation regarding the particular location in response to determining, by the control tower device, that there is a consensus for the evaluation, wherein verifying the evaluation is indicative of the state of the supply chain, as represented by the model of the one or more digital twins, being reliable.