System Planning Corporation Awarded Multiple Patents for its GlobalTrak(R) Container Security System

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Apr 20, 2010, 02:58 ET

ARLINGTON, Va., April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- System Planning Corporation (SPC) today announced the award of its fourth container security patent for its pioneering container tracking and monitoring technology, GlobalTrak^®. GlobalTrak's formidable intellectual property portfolio describes and protects the most advanced container monitoring solution in the market.

The latest patent, US 7,702,358, granted April 20, 2010, describes a wireless ad hoc mesh networking system between supply chain cargo containers equipped with GlobalTrak units. The mesh networking system creates an alternate communications path for sensor and location reports for those GlobalTrak units unable to achieve their own cell or satellite communications connectivity. Successful communications are achieved through a series of relay links using a dynamically formed, short range wireless interface to a unit that does have connectivity.

SPC's original GlobalTrak patent, US 7,098,784, granted Aug. 29, 2006, has been amplified by a new patent, US 7,649,455, granted January 19, 2010. This patent includes the use of integrated RFID readers, eSeals, and container based mobile warehouse inventory management. These two US patents describe any container security device attached to a conveyance and including a least one sensor, a processor to manipulate data, and a wireless communications channel to the outside world. The 12 claims of the new patent are considered a continuation of the 25 claims of the 2006 patent.

On November 24, 2009, SPC was granted patent US 7,623,029 B2, for tracking shipping containers designated as a specific group with unique container addresses in a single lot designation via short range communications between GlobalTrak units. In addition to regular tracking and monitoring information, this "flock" algorithm allows any container in the lot to report the presence or absence of other containers in the group, a "self-aware" management strategy for multi-unit lots, GlobalTrak CEO Richard C. Meyers explained.

In 2009 SPC licensed the Powers Secured^® International Authorized Agent Chain-of-Custody patent for use in the GlobalTrak products. This significant patent buttresses the SPC portfolio by incorporating a type of "registered mail" or access control system concept to the GlobalTrak system. It is essential in applications where the "who" in container security is critical.

Using the GlobalTrak system gives shippers a security and business automation tool that provides operational intelligence for decision support, facilitating supply chain management. On a single multi-service platform, the system offers users fixed or mobile asset status monitoring, layered asset security, in-transit cargo location reporting, chain of custody authentication, cargo condition monitoring, and mobile inventory management. GlobalTrak integrates GPS-tracking with active or passive RFID tagged cargo to form a mobile warehouse.

GlobalTrak's network center, the online Information Management Bureau (IMB), integrates shipment transit data with electronic shipping documents such as BOLs and packing lists into a single envelope of information for each container shipment. Trading partner collaboration is facilitated through secure, shipper-controlled IMB value networks where business documents such as invoices and inventories can be shared and updated. For instance, missing and hard-to-get information for the U.S. Importer Security Filing can be completed by consolidators and third party logistics providers on an electronic version of the ISF for use by a broker. The IMB can publish pre-loaded and updated invoices to shipper customers based upon shipper-set triggers such as destination geozones or Authorized Agent stripping.

www.globaltrak.com

SOURCE System Planning Corporation