Global trade is one of the fastest growing portions of the global economy. More countries than ever are importing and exporting more products than ever before. The vast majority of products are shipped in one or more types of cargo containers. About 90% of the world's trade is transported in cargo containers. Containers include ISO (International Organization of Standardization) containers, shipped by ship or train, and truck containers.
Cargo containers can contain valuable products that are easy targets for thieves. Cargo containers can also contain dangerous products that could be used for evil purposes if allowed to fall into the wrong hands. Terrorists, for example, could use a cargo container to transport explosives, or radiological material in order to attempt to disrupt the economic infrastructure of developed countries. The vulnerability of international shipping has been the focus of a program known as the Container Security Initiative (CSI) that was launched in 2002 by the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
CSI addresses the security concerns of shipping by focusing on four main areas. The four main areas addressed by CSI include:                Using intelligence and automated information to identify and target containers that pose a risk for terrorism.        Pre-screening those containers that pose a risk at the port of departure before they arrive at U.S. ports.        Using detection technology to quickly pre-screen containers that pose a risk.        Using smarter, tamper-evident containers.        
Container/cargo monitoring devices are used to monitor various conditions associated with containers or other cargo. Monitoring devices can be reconfigured via various methods including wireless communications. Authentication of individuals desiring to reconfigure a monitoring device provides for more secure transportation of the associated containers. Techniques described herein provide for secure configuration management of monitoring devices associated with containers or other cargo. However, by being field reconfigurable, monitoring devices can be more susceptible to hijackings, theft and/or terrorism. What is needed is a secure way of initiating a reconfiguration of a container/cargo monitoring device in the field.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds