IP Library Granted Patent US 10,347,097
Granted Patent B2
US 10,347,097 · App. 16/176,162 · Granted Jul 9, 2019

Plug for detecting tampering of container

Inventors: Mikko Syrjälahti (Espoo, FI); Pirkka Palomaki (Helsinki, FI); Fredrik Kekäläinen (Espoo, FI)
Assignee: ENEVO OY
G08B13/02B65D39/08G01F23/00B65D2101/00B65D2203/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,347,097
App. No.
16/176,162
Granted
Jul 9, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A plug for detecting tampering of a container is configured to close an opening of the container. The plug includes an attachment device for attaching the plug to the opening of the container, a motion sensor for sensing rotation of the plug with respect to the container, a communication device for communicating with a server, a microcontroller unit and a memory unit. The microcontroller unit is configured to compare a sensed rotation of the plug to a service schedule stored in the memory and detect the tampering of the container based on the comparison.

Claims (24)

1. A plug for detecting tampering of a container, the container comprising a lid member that includes an opening, the plug configured to be disposed within and close the opening in the lid of the container, the plug comprising:

a connecting device configured to attach the plug to the opening in the lid of the container;

a motion sensor configured to sense a rotation of the plug with respect to the container and the lid of the container,

a communication device configured to communicate with a server over a network;

a fill level sensor for sensing the fill level of the container;

a microcontroller unit communicatively coupled to the motion sensor, the communication device and the fill level sensor;

a memory unit coupled to the microcontroller unit, the memory unit configured to store a service schedule of the container that is communicated by the server;

wherein the microcontroller unit is configured to compare a sensed rotation of the plug to the service schedule and detect the tampering of the container based on the comparison.

2. The plug according to claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to generate an alert when the microcontroller detects tampering of the container.

3. The plug according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting device comprises a threaded insert or a turnlock.

4. The plug according to claim 3 , wherein the plug is attached to the opening in the lid of the container by rotating the plug in the threaded insert relative to the container for at least 180 degrees.

5. The plug according to claim 3 , wherein the plug is attached to the opening in the lid of the container by rotating the plug in the turnlock relative to the container for at least 90 degrees.

6. The plug according to claim 1 , wherein the motion sensor is at least one of an accelerometer, a magnetometer and a gyroscope.

7. The plug according to claim 1 , wherein the motion sensor is further configured to sense linear movement of the plug with respect to the container and the lid of the container.

8. The plug according to claim 7 , wherein the linear movement is in a direction essentially perpendicular to a plane defined by the rotation of the plug with respect to the container.

9. The plug according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting device is configured to enable the plug to be attached to the lid in a snapfit connection, and detachment of the plug requires rotation of the plug.

10. The plug according to claim 1 , wherein the fill level sensor is configured to authenticate the service schedule.

11. The plug according to claim 1 , wherein the fill level sensor is at least one of an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, a pressure sensor, a weight sensor, an ultra wideband radar sensor, a camera sensor and a laser sensor.

12. The plug according to claim 1 , wherein the plug further comprises a power source that is configured to power the microcontroller.

13. The plug according to claim 1 , wherein the lid is disposed on a top or a bottom of the container.

14. The plug according to claim 1 , wherein the plug further comprises an accelerometer that is configured to detect an acceleration value of the plug and wherein the microcontroller is further configured to detect the tampering of the container based on the acceleration value.

15. The plug according to claim 1 , wherein the communication device is a transceiver unit.

16. The plug according to claim 1 , wherein comparing the sensed rotation of the plug to the service schedule by the microcontroller comprises comparing the sensed motion of the plug to preplanned motions of the plug as defined by the service schedule and identifying deviations between the sensed motion of the plug and the preplanned motions of the plug.

17. The plug according to claim 16 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to use the deviations to identify tampering of the container based on the deviations and generate the alert.

Assignments (5)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Dec 16, 2022
From: ENEVO OY
To: REEN TECHNOLOGY OY
Reel/Frame 062126/0342 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Dec 16, 2022
From: REEN TECHNOLOGY OY
To: REEN AS
Reel/Frame 062126/0433 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Dec 16, 2022
From: REEN AS
To: ENEVO INC.
Reel/Frame 062126/0696 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 2, 2019
From: ENEVO OY
To: RIVERROCK EUROPEAN OPPORTUNITIES FUND II LIMITED
Reel/Frame 048767/0251 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 31, 2018
From: SYRJALAHTI, MIKKO; PALOMAKI, PIRKKA; KEKALAINEN, FREDRIK
To: ENEVO OY
Reel/Frame 047369/0197 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 15236856 · Aug 15, 2016
Related Publication 20190066465A1 · Feb 28, 2019
Cited By (2)
US 12,209,601 US 12,704,137