Importance

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Abstract

The objective of the present invention is to detect, using a universal method, any 'movement' inside of the object being monitored, while maintaining the security of a container. The movement inside of the object to be monitored includes 1) a human movement when a human enters into a container to be monitored, 2) a movement to bring a foreign article in, 3) a movement to take cargo out. To achieve the objective, this invention uses the concept of a so-called 'inside-seal'. In actual configuration, a plurality of communication units (communication nodes) are installed on the walls of the container. These communication units have a predetermined powered communication capability and form a communication network communicating with each other. A communication status between each node and all of the other nodes provided in the network, and a network graph matrix is generated which defines the nodal relationship between the nodes. Since the matrix is determined not only by the property of the object to be monitored, but also by the spatial condition within the container, it is possible to detect even a small change in the space. According to the first preferred embodiment, each node transmits a low power electric wave which can reach only neighboring nodes, and each node can transmit data to remote nodes only by relaying the data to the neighboring nodes. The relaying counts (HOP counts) of each node to communicate with all of the other nodes are obtained, and based on these relaying counts, a network graph matrix is generated which defines the relaying counts to communicate between all nodes. According to the second preferred embodiment, each node transmits UWB waves to all of the other nodes, which can reach to all of the other nodes, and the distances between all the nodes are measured and a network graph matrix between all the nodes is generated.

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First Claim