Smart Insulating Container with Anti-theft Features by M2M Tracking

This paper describes a smart insulating shipping container with anti-theft features based on M2M communication for mutual tracking. The container includes a wireless sensor node for sensing the temperature and moisture of the interior of the container as well as the vibration and orientation to ensure integrity of the contents. In case of abnormal conditions, the node notifies the deliverer wirelessly on the smart phone. A distinguishing feature of our container is its anti-theft feature. It detects unauthorized opening of the container lid using a magnetic sensor on a satellite node, and it detects unauthorized removal of one or more containers by exploiting the proximity scanning feature in the Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy Technology (BLE) already used for its data communication. Experimental results show that not only are our anti-theft and shake detection features effective and responsive but also of low overhead.