# US 8,786,437 B2 · Cargo monitoring method and arrangement > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,786,437 B2 - Document ID: US8786437B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/852,119 - Filed: 2013-03-28 - Published: 2014-03-06 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2000-09-08 - Assignees: Intelligent Technologies International, Inc. - Applicants: Intelligent Technologies International, Inc. - Inventors: David S. Breed - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8786437B2 ## CPC - G01P 15/02: by making use of inertia forces {using solid seismic masses}(G01P15/14 takes precedence) - B60P 7/06: Securing of load (vehicle retainers B60P3/073) - G06V 20/52: Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects (recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69) - G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G}) - B60P: VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS (vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00) - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING ## Abstract Method and arrangement for monitoring cargo includes coupling an inertial measurement unit to the cargo such that accelerations of the cargo are detected by the inertial measurement unit, monitoring, using a processor, the accelerations of the cargo as detected by the inertial measurement unit, and generating a warning based on the monitoring of the accelerations. The warning may be generated when the detected acceleration is excessive in magnitude, duration or frequency and/or when integration of the detected acceleration is indicative of excessive velocity, angular velocity or angular displacement. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for monitoring cargo when present in a container, comprising: coupling a measurement unit including a plurality of accelerometers to the cargo, the measurement unit including three accelerometers configured to detect acceleration in three orthogonal directions; detecting accelerations of the cargo in the three orthogonal directions using the measurement unit; monitoring, using a processor, the detected accelerations of the cargo, said monitoring step comprising configuring the processor to use pattern recognition to convert data related to the accelerations of the cargo detected by the measurement unit into an output indicative of an event causing the accelerations of the cargo; generating a warning based on the output indicative of the event causing the accelerations of the cargo; and transmitting information about the event causing the accelerations of the cargo to a site separate and apart from the container using a communication system coupled to the processor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement unit includes a plurality of gyroscopes such that the measurement unit constitutes an inertial measurement unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement unit includes a plurality of gyroscopes, further comprising detecting angular accelerations of the cargo using the gyroscopes. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting at least one of the detected accelerations at a site off of the cargo based on data from a GPS system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a measurement unit correction to the detected accelerations. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a location of the cargo. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the processor executes a pattern recognition algorithm when monitoring the accelerations of the cargo. ### Claim 8 A method for monitoring cargo when present in a container, comprising: coupling a measurement unit including a plurality of accelerometers to the cargo, the measurement unit including three accelerometers configured to detect acceleration in three orthogonal directions; detecting accelerations of the cargo in the three orthogonal directions using the measurement unit; determining a location of the cargo to enable monitoring of location of the cargo; monitoring, using a processor, the detected accelerations of the cargo, said monitoring step comprising configuring the processor to use pattern recognition to convert data related to the accelerations of the cargo detected by the measurement unit into an output indicative of an event causing the accelerations of the cargo; transmitting the output indicative of the event causing the accelerations of the cargo and the location of the cargo to a site separate and apart from the container using a communication system coupled to the processor; and generating a warning based on the output indicative of the event causing the accelerations of the cargo. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising adjusting at least one of the detected accelerations at a site off of the cargo based on data from a GPS system that determines the location of the cargo. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising applying a measurement unit correction to the detected accelerations. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the cargo is situated in a container and the measurement unit, the processor and the communication system are arranged on the container. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein said processor is configured to execute a pattern recognition algorithm when converting the data using pattern recognition. ### Claim 13 A cargo monitoring arrangement arranged in conjunction with the cargo and that monitors the cargo when present in a container, comprising: a measurement unit that detects accelerations of the cargo, said measurement unit including three accelerometers configured to detect acceleration in three orthogonal directions; a processor coupled to said measurement unit and that monitors the accelerations of the cargo in the three orthogonal directions as detected by said measurement unit, said processor being configured to use pattern recognition to convert data related to the accelerations of the cargo detected by said measurement unit into an output indicative of an event causing the accelerations of the cargo; and said processor being configured to cause a warning to be generated based on the output indicative of the event causing the accelerations of the cargo; and a communication system arranged on the container and that transmits information about the event causing the accelerations of the cargo to a site separate and apart from the container. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The arrangement of claim 13, wherein said measurement unit further comprises three gyroscopes that measure angular acceleration in three orthogonal directions. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The arrangement of claim 13, wherein said processor is configured to execute a pattern recognition algorithm when converting the data using pattern recognition. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The arrangement of claim 13, further comprising a location determining system arranged on the container and that determines a location of the container.