AVANTE Electronic Cargo Tracking Solution including real-time container tracking and monitoring solution and electronic container real-time tracking solution applications are covered by one or more of the following US patents: 7,513,425; 7,508,308; 7,501,954; 7,423,535; 7,382,255; 7,342,497; 7,319,397; 7,158,030; 7,098,793; 7,036,729; 6,961,000; 6,943,688; 6,883,710; 6,703,935; 6,696,954; 6,657,543; and other pending patents.
Many aspects of the Cargo Tracking Solution and particularly for cargo tracking security and safety application have been tested and verified by EPA EVT program.
The U.S. EPA Environmental Technology Verification Program (ETV) provides credible performance data for innovative commercial-ready environmental technologies to help speed their implementation for the benefit of purchasers, permitters, vendors, and the public. Additional information is available on the ETV Web Site at www.epa.gov/etv
AVANTE REAL-TIME CONTAINER TRANSPORT SECURITY TRACKING SYSTEM AND MONITORING SERVICES WITH EMBEDDED RFID-SENSORS FOR INSIDE CONTAINER MONITORING AND CONTAINER SECURITY SEAL FOR CONTAINER AND TRAILER DOOR INTRUSION TRACKING
AVANTE provides web-based 24/7 end-to-end real-time container tracking security and monitoring services of using its RFID ZONER™-RELAYER™ container security device, carrier-based and yard based fixed site communication links, and association of personnel badges to provide cargo container visibility and security management:
Leasing of a set of SMART-TRAKKER™ consisting of one set of RFID ZONER™-RELAYER™ container security device (two ZONER™-CTID tags and one RELAYER™-CTOR), three personnel ZONER™-SSID badges, and one carrier-based communicator of RELAYER™-CTCR (equipped with GPS, GPRS and SATCOM).
Optional fix site installation of networks of nodal and real-time locating system of RELAYER™-RTLS readers along the supply chain.
Flexible service charges based on scheduled regular reporting and real-time exception reporting. This cost effective supply chain security system and visibility solution does not require capital investment. Return of investment (ROI) in using this patented transport security system is immediate and can be tailored to your specific requirements.
Finding out if cargo containers carry any weapon-of-destruction after they arrived at or near our ports will be too late!
The AVANTE container security tracking and monitoring services using RFID technology dramatically minimizes false alarms that have plagued the e-seal technology. An RF network of reader-monitors RELAYER™ outside the containers constantly monitor signal strength changes using ZONER™ tags. Quantitative measurements of distinct changes in the RF signals received by the monitoring network are made over a continuous span of time. This is unlike some systems that use a single-event based detection system. All of the common false positives plagued all existing RFID intermodal container electronic seals due to invariable shocks and movements during transport are eliminated.
AVANTE container security tracking and monitoring services incorporates a secure onboard communication system automatically reports any in-transit container intrusion or tampering immediately to the destination custom and port authorities. The tampered carrier can be inspected away from the destination port to prevent mass destruction.
AVANTE pioneered the use and patented the first RFID technology for tracking and tracing personnel and assets over multiple locations and IT networks. This Avante capability is strengthened by the issuance of multiple US patents on “Article Tracking System and Method” (US 6,883,710 and 7,036,729) along with multiple pending patents. “The basis of the innovation is gathering RFID tag data in different tracking stations that are distributed over wide areas. The data is shared between stations to users over the Internet and other communication means,” said Dr. Kevin Chung, CEO of AVANTE. “This patented solution provides true end-to-end visibility to secure the supply chain.”
This patented and pending patent active RFID ZONER™ tag and RELAYER™ network technologies provide complete coverage of a ship’s deck and port terminal yard. The resulting intermodal container security system is dramatically affordable lower in cost over other current offerings.
The ability to have constant communication of active RFID ZONER™ tags inside the containers with RELAYER™ reader on the outside ensure that RELAYER™ is actually on top of the intermodal container and not removed and place on another container. The capability of real-time reporting of any exception and intrusion provides the ultimate intermodal container security management and supply chain security management solution.
Monitoring door locks for container security managment are widely acknowledged as hardly effective. There are just too many ways to tamper with an intermodal container without touching or destroying the e-seal on locks during the transit.
Electronic Cargo Tracking System and Solution, Intermodal Real-time Container Tracking and Rail Car Transport Security Tracking System for End-to-End Supply Chain Tracking Solution and Monitoring Services
Electronic Cargo Tracking Solution including container security tracking is only effective when the transport history are tracked and monitored from end-to-end with holistic approach. As part of the global integrated supply chain monitoring services, AVANTE container transport tracking solution provides end-to-end real-time intermodal container and rail car cargo transport access and intrusion tracking using patented active RFID ZONER™-RELAYER™ containrer security tracking technologies:
1. Real-time intrusion and tampering detection based on AVANTE patented RSSI differential and multi-mode sensors from ZONER™-CTID tags placed inside the container received by RELAYER™-CTOR readers attached outside of the container when any opening of the intermodal container on any of the six surfaces is created. Additional container security seal using optical continuity is available for container and trailer door intrusion tracking.
3. Transportation workers and staff are equipped with ZONER™-SSID badges that include a “transportation worker identification card” (TWIC), compatible passive card (ISO 14443), and an active ZONER™ component, beaconing every second to provide real-time location and proximity to the container for personnel safety and container security. In case of emergency, the driver and staff can press on the panic button to call for assistance.
4. Carriers including trucks, rail trains, aircrafts, and vessels include a monitoring RELAYER™-CTCR that has an embedded GPS, GPRS and SATCOM to provide real-time locating of container and cargo. Unauthorized intrusion into container and exceptions such as temperature excursions beyond normal, excessive mechanical shock, absence of driver, etc., are reported in real-time.
5. Driver and/or staff ZONER™-SSID badges are equipped with a “panic” button for calling for help in real-time.
6. A cost-effective real-time locating system (RTLS) based on received signal strength indicators (RSSI) from active RFID ZONERTM tags and badges received by a network of active RFID RELAYERTM readers that can be installed quickly and in mobile setting. The RELAYERTM-RTLS reader-monitor network is installed in ports, terminals, and yards to provide real-time visibility during temporary storage while in transit. The same network is installed onboard vessels requiring real-time visibility.
AVANTE Intermodal Container Tracking Solution and Integrated Supply Chain Security Monitoring Services Helps to Achieve Commercial Container Theft and Loss Prevention Besides Enhancing National Security
The AVANTE end-to-end intermodal container and cargo transport tracking and security monitoring services that provides real-time reporting capability rather than nodal or choke-point visibility is compatible to the intent of "Smart Box" or "advanced container security device" requirements. The active RFID ZONER™-RELAYER™ system and technologies using RSSI and embedded temperature, shock, sound, and light sensors are a true "container security device" that can detect all known intrusion and tampering with practically no false positives.
The full implementation of the AVANTE end-to-end intermodal container security tracking system as part of the cargo transport tracking and monitoring security system that provides real-time reporting capability meets almost all of the challenges listed below.
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Container Security and Supply Chain Security Challenges in Cargo Tracking Solution |
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Challenges |
Solutions |
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1. Impossible to inspect all of the containers. Not possible to check even 10%.
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§ Incorporate an automatic real-time locating and monitoring system for every container.
§ Track and trace every container through the process of stuffing, loading, transit, rerouting, and disposition.
§ Place an active tag on the outside of the container or incorporate it as part of the outside container seal.
§ Maintain real-time visibility and monitoring for containers and supply chain security including any tampering after sealing.
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2. Detecting tampering during transit. Preventing loss before arrival at the unloading port.
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§ Place one or more RFID “ZONER™” devices inside the container upon sealing. An outside monitoring “RELAYER™” reader may be used to communicate with the inside “ZONER™” devices. This may be optionally integrated with chemical, biological, radioactive, light, impact, temperature, pressure, humidity, and other sensors.
§ Monitor any change of RFID signals from inside the containers associated with the opening of the container with an onboard fixed site network of RELAYER™ reader-monitors.
§ Real-time reporting of any exception and incident of container security violation to destination custom and port authorities for remedial action before arrival.
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3. Whether any content may contain weapons of mass destruction (WMD)
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§ Place one or more RFID “ZONER™” devices integrated with radioactive, chemical, and biological sensors inside the container upon sealing from the shipping agent.
§ Use synchronized “RELAYER™” reader-monitor with date-time clock to monitor any tampering during transit.
§ AVANTE RFID ZONER™, ZONER™ with sensors, and RELAYER™ network technological solution solves the last three of four core elements of the “Container Security Initiative (CSI)”:
o Using intelligence and automated information to identify and target high-risks containers;
o Pre-screening those containers identified as high-risk, at the port of departure, before they arrive at U.S. ports;
o Using detection technology to quickly pre-screen high-risk containers; and
o Using smarter, tamper evident containers.
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The "Needle-in-a-haystack" syndrome is a challenge all container security professionals are faced with in trying to find potential weapons of mass destruction while handling millions of yearly container trips around the world. With the massive flow of products into the US, only a small percentage of the 20-30 thousand containers arriving daily at US ports are inspected. Any container and supply chain security management system and solution faces the same dilemma in tracking containers and monitoring containers in securing the supply chain without stopping the flow of world commerce.
Even with the support of the Department of Homeland Security through the Container Security Initiative (CSI), e-seal technologies for enhancing container and supply chain security still remain, trying to integrate active tags with the outside seals or gaskets around the container doors, exposing them to tampering. The most glaring inadequacy is that seal and gasket monitoring only reflects the integrity of the lock-and-seal on the container rather than actual intrusion into the container for true container security management. By adding sensors for light, heat, sound, and vibration in the smart container approaches can help to fill in some of the voids but they can all be confused with “noises” that caused “false positive” in detection intrusion into containers. Even the best container monitoring system integration can only reduce the “false positive” from 2-5% to 1%. High rate of “false positive” essentially renders all of the proposed container tracking and/or container monitoring solutions ineffective.
Another obvious defect is finding an intrusion into the container has occurred when the container has arrived at our shore, it is much too late for real threats such as a nuclear weapon of mass destruction. Any real smart container system and container security solution must have the ability to detect and report unauthorized container intrusion during all phases of the container transport as close to real-time as possible.
AVANTE is the first to develop what we believe to be the first true RFID container security and supply chain management solution that can monitor container intrusion from any one of the six container surfaces. By using the signal strength attenuation characteristics intrinsic to the steel container box, two or more active ZONER™ RFID tags placed inside the container, a RELAYER™ reader placed on the outside of the container can monitor not only door opening but also cut hole opening as small as a few square inches can be detected. The communication between the ZONER™ tags inside the container and RELAYER™ reader outside containers and the ability to record the message of any exceptions such as excessive variation of signal strengths over a extended period of time (more than few seconds) will indicate opening of door or cut hole. The presence or absence of “talks” between the ZONER™ and RELAYER™ provide additional security against potential tampering in this innovative container monitoring and container tracking system.
The ability to communicate between ZONER™ tags secured inside the intermodal container and RELAYER™ reader mounted outside the intermodal container ensures the common false positives due to drop shock and vibrations during transports can be determined. The ability to resolve the false positives to less than 0.1% or less is critical for the adoption of any intermodal container security system.
With addition of 6-10 RELAYER™ monitors along the perimeters of a ship deck and a grid of the same monitors spaced 100 meters apart in container port and yard, and using the dynamic zoning from the received signal strengths, real-time locating of a container and any security bridges. The incorporation of real-time locating capability along with the itnrusion detections at all time dramatically enhances the container and supply chain management system and solution.
AVANTE has thus developed this long-sought RFID container security management solution including container intrusion detection and reporting in real-time. Even a small opening cut through anywhere in the container can be detected immediately and data relayed to the onsite or onboard RELAYER™ reader-monitor network to the authorities. This data is transmitted within seconds of event happening anywhere along the transport route. ZONER™ tags and RELAYER™ reader-monitors are equipped with a magnetic holder to facilitate place-and-play without special tools and fixtures. When using ZONER™ personnel tags for authorized operators and staff, true real-time visibility of assets are realized with the AVANTE patented RFID network infrastructure.
The following are the illustrations of AVANTE Intermodal Container and Cargo Transport Security Monitoring System and Services:
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