DESC:TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates generally to locking systems, and in particularly relates to locking systems for tanker trucks carrying petroleum products.
BACKGROUND
Cargo is transported from one location to another by air, land and sea. However, the most widely used and preferred form of transportation of cargo is by land. Cargo is loaded typically in containers which are then loaded onto trucks and transported. Prior to transportation, the containers are locked to secure the cargo within the container and avoid damage or theft of the cargo. The locks used for locking the container are generally standard locks such as pad locks, combination locks and the like.
A valuable cargo transported is fuel which includes petrol, diesel, oil, kerosene, and the like. Fuel is transported by land for retail distribution by using tanker trucks which are loaded with the fuel from fuel depots or oil terminals and distributed to various retail outlets as well as industrial units. A tanker truck has a cylindrical tank/container for storing the fuel. The tank/container of the tanker truck is typically divided into multiple compartments for storing the fuel to prevent load movement of fuel from destabilizing the tanker truck during transportation especially when the tanker truck is travelling at high speeds.
A major hazard in transportation of fuels in tanker trucks is adulteration and pilferage of fuel during transportation. Hence it is essential that the compartments of the tanker trucks are properly locked to prevent adulteration and pilferage of fuel during transportation. The compartments of the tank are generally secured with mechanical padlocks, with a master key used to lock the compartments at fuel depots and a dealer specific key is used to unlock the compartments at retail outlets. However, the keys are susceptible to duplication, making the use of mechanical locks with different keys unreliable. Furthermore, companies involved in distribution and/or production of fuel have put in place standard operating procedures to make fuel transportation safe and secure. The standard operating procedures relate to key management including issuing periodic circulars, manuals for regulating use of keys. Notwithstanding these standard operating procedures, there have been multiple instances of loss/misplacement of the master key, resulting in frequent replacement of all the locks.
The use of mechanical padlocks, in addition to strict standard operating procedures, has not been able to make transportation of fuel secure, leading to loss of revenue. Moreover, adulteration and pilferage of fuel during transportation not only affects the dealer network directly and the customer indirectly but also results in loss of the brand image and reputation of companies involved in distribution and/or production of fuel.
Hence, there is a need for a reliable and secure locking system to safeguard fuels during transportation and distribution.
OBJECTS
Some of the objects of the present disclosure, aimed to ameliorate one or more problems of the prior art or to at least provide a useful alternative, are listed herein below.
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a locking system that safeguards fuel during transportation and distribution of the fuel.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a locking system that eliminates the hazards of adulteration and pilferage of fuel during transportation.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a locking system that includes electronic interlocking in addition to manual locking/unlocking of containers carrying fuel.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a locking system that saves overall cost of distribution of fuel.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a locking system that increases the revenue of companies involved in distribution and/or production of fuel.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a locking system that enhances the brand image of companies involved in distribution and/or production of fuel.
Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
SUMMARY
The present disclosure envisages an electro-mechanical locking system for securing a container of a container vehicle, which precludes major disadvantages associated with conventional locking systems.

The electro-mechanical locking system for securing a container of a container vehicle travelling from a starting point to a specific destination comprises an electro-mechanical lock (EML) for securing the container, the electro-mechanical lock configured to be opened using a location-specific and time-specific electronic key, and a GPS system to provide an instantaneous geographical location of the container vehicle en route a desired destination in real time, wherein the electronic key is accessible over a communication network as and when the container-carrying vehicle reaches the desired destination within a permissible limit of a standard trip time required to reach the desired destination from the starting point.
To access the electronic key, a user is required to send a request message, using an authorized communication device, to an authorization center to receive a confirmation message in reply on the authorized communication device, wherein the reply includes the electronic key.
The reply includes a message to open a housing with the help of a physical key which has a chip installed thereon to open the electromechanical lock through a control unit communicatively coupled with the electromechanical lock.
The request message requires the user to further place a request for one-time password (OTP).
The confirmation message is generated only if the container vehicle is within predefined limits of geo-coordinates of the desired destination and the confirmation message is sent only upon the container vehicle reaching the desired destination.
Typically, the permissible limit of a standard trip time is calculated based on an average of a prior predefined number of trips to said desired destination.
The system is configured to map geo-coordinates of each location en route the desired destination.
The system is configured to automatically generate and send the electronic key on the authorized mobile communication device upon the container vehicle reaching the destination within the permissible limit of the standard trip time.
Typically, the system is configured to store standard trip times between a plurality of locations en route the destination.
The electronic key is inputted to a computer system in communication with a control unit of the container carrying vehicle, wherein the control unit, in combination with additional peripheral components, is configured to unlock the electromechanical lock.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Sole Figure is provided to illustrate a system diagram of an electro-mechanical locking system in use with a fuel container carried on a vehicle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Fuel adulteration and pilferage are major hazards confronting transportation and distribution of fuel. Fuel is generally transported in tanker trucks having a cylindrical tank divided into different compartments for storing the fuel, with each compartment locked/sealed to protect the fuel. Over time the locking/sealing of the compartments has graduated from lead seals to plastic seals and then to mechanical locks. However, mechanical locks used in locking compartments of fuel tanker trucks are ineffective in safeguarding the fuel in tanker trucks as the keys of the mechanical locks are susceptible to duplication. Loss/misplacement of the keys can be also potentially risky. Standard operating procedures introduced for operation of the mechanical locks and key management are inadequate in avoiding loss/misplacement of keys and thereby in safeguarding the fuel in tanker trucks. Adulteration and pilferage of fuel during transportation results not only in financial loss to the companies involved in production and/or distribution of fuel but also loss of control thereby eroding the confidence of stake holders in those companies.
To overcome these aforementioned limitations, the present disclosure envisages an electro-mechanical locking system for securing tanker trucks that is foolproof and safeguards the fuel during transportation and distribution.
The electro mechanical locking system of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the embodiments of the electro mechanical locking system. The embodiments do not limit the scope and ambit of the disclosure. The description relates purely to the examples and preferred embodiments of the disclosed system and its suggested applications.
The embodiments described herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
The electro mechanical locking (EML) system 10 of the present disclosure comprises an electro-mechanical lock 20 that is openable by an individual electronic key. The electro-mechanical lock 20 is installed on a container of a container vehicle 15, interchangeably referred hereinafter as tanker truck, to lock, for example, a compartment and/or an opening of the tanker truck 15. The electro-mechanical lock 20 is communicatively coupled with a control unit 25 of the container vehicle 15.
The electro-mechanical lock 20 as described herein may be used to lock containers, for example, a fuel container, carried by the tanker trucks 15. For a fuel container or fuel tank divided into multiple compartments, multiple electro-mechanical locks 20 can be used to lock each compartment of the tank. In an embodiment, a single electro-mechanical lock 20 can be used to lock a top dome cover for full load, multiple electro-mechanical locks for part load, and a single electro-mechanical lock can be used to lock bottom dome covers. The control unit 25, through a suitable interface system, is connected to a computer system (not shown), whereby information relating to multiple destinations is fed in the computer system at a fuel depot.
Further, the EML system 10 comprises a GPS system (not shown) to capture geo-based information of the container carrying vehicle 15, in real time, and may track leaving of tanker truck from one place to another, for example, from a depot that is the starting point to a destination. The geo-based information is sent to a server 40 located in an authorization center, which is in communication with the computer system. The computer system may communicate with the server 40 over a satellite system 50. The satellite system 50 is in communication with a communication network 70 through an internet gateway 60. The internet gateway 60 may have a restricted access.
In an embodiment, geo-coordinates of all desired destinations are pre-stored on the server 40. In addition, a standard trip time for each destination is also stored on the server 40. The server 40 is configured to compare, through a tracking module 42, geo-coordinates of the container vehicle 15 with pre-stored geo-coordinate data in real time, and deduce whether the container vehicle 15 has reached a particular destination, or is within a predefined distance from the particular destination, within a predetermined travel time to reach the destination.
The EML system 10 ensures that the electronic key enables the opening of the electro-mechanical lock 20 through the control unit 25 only when the container vehicle 15 reaches the desired destination, at a standard trip time. The tracking module 42, based on real time geo-coordinates of the container vehicle 15 as received over the communication network 70, and based on the standard trip time, verifies and/or decides whether a user can have access to the electronic key. In an embodiment, the user is required to send an SMS using an authorized mobile communication device 80 to an authorization center (not shown) where the server 40 is located as part of a request to provide the electronic key. The authorized mobile number can be a mobile number of the dealer of a retail outlet, an official of an industrial unit, and the like. In response, the authorization center sends a confirmation or decline message, also via SMS, based on the verification of the location of the container vehicle and the standard trip time. The confirmation message, will include the electronic key, which may then be used to unlock the elecro-mechanical lock (EML) 20. The electronic key, may be an alphanumeric key, and may be inputted to the computer system to unlock the electro-mechanical lock 25, which is in communication with the computer system via the control unit 25.
In one embodiment, the server requires the request message from the dealer requesting OTP. The mobile number is first verified for its authenticity at the server, and upon verification the confirmation message having the OTP is shared with the user, for example, as an SMS. The dealer on receiving the OTP resends the confirmation to the server that OTP is received, then the SKH box opens automatically and the key can be taken out of it to unlock the TT.
In an embodiment, the server 40 is in communication with a database (not shown) having details of a fleet of container vehicle, electronic keys to open respective electro-mechanical locks of each tanker truck, and standard trip times to various destinations from a central location or depot. The destinations include retail outlets, industrial units, and the like. Further, the GPS system is configured to provide inputs to the computer system via one or more interfaces, as commonly known in the art.
To ensure foolproof security for safeguarding the fuel in the tanker truck, in an embodiment, the EML system 10 of the present disclosure may implement a geo-validating technique, wherein a time-bound, one-time-password (OTP) is generated by the server for unlocking the electro-mechanical lock when the container vehicle approaches a geo-location of a desired destination within the standard trip time. The OTP is sent to the user who may confirm the receipt of the OTP within a predefined time, over a web-based application, following which the server sends a confirmation along with the electronic key for unlocking the EML 20.
Thus, it can be seen that the electronic key remains ordinarily inaccessible while the fuel is being transported in the tanker trucks having the electromechanical locking systems as described herein. Only when a tanker truck reaches within the predefined limits of the geo-location of the desired destination, the user can have access to the electronic key.
Further, the EML system 10 may also implement a time-validating technique wherein a trip time of the tanker truck from one location to another, for example, from the depot to the destination, is used as a factor in the enablement and/or access of the electronic key. An OTP is generated by the tracking module 40 when the trip time of the tanker truck, as it approaches a geo-location of a desired destination, is within an acceptable time period. In accordance with one embodiment, the acceptable time period for journey to a particular destination can be manually set at the fuel depot before the departure of the tanker truck. The tracking module 40 may calculate the acceptable time period for a journey to a particular destination as the average journey time of the last fifteen trips made to that particular destination, excluding exceptions. Moreover, calculating the journey time will also induce driving discipline in a driver of the tanker truck.
The electro mechanical system of the present disclosure may further comprise a secured key housing, placed within the tanker truck itself, for securely holding a chip based physical key therein. In one embodiment, the computer system in combination with additional peripheral components, such as control unit 25, microprocessor, actuation mechanism, and the like, enables to unlock a mechanical lock of the key housing using the electronic key. The key housing is locked before leaving the fuel depot and remotely unlocked upon reaching the destination when all the security conditions are met.
The physical key remains in inactive state while the fuel is being transported in a container vehicle. As the container vehicle approaches the geo-location of the desired destination, the server generates an OTP and sends the same to the authorized mobile number of the user, i.e., the dealer, over SMS. The EML system 10 enables the physical key to unlock the electro-mechanical lock only on successful confirmation of the OTP from the user over SMS.
Thus the electro mechanical locking system 10 of the present disclosure is a very reliable, foolproof and secure locking system that safeguards fuel in tanker trucks during transportation and distribution and eliminates the hazards of adulteration and pilferage of the fuel during transportation, thereby saving the cost of distribution of fuel, increasing the revenue of companies involved in distribution and/or production of fuel and eventually enhancing the brand image of those companies.
TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENTS AND ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE
The technical advancements offered by the electro mechanical locking system of the present disclosure include the realization of:
• Safeguarding fuel during transportation and distribution of the fuel;
• Eliminating the hazards of adulteration and pilferage of fuel during transportation;
• Avoiding manual locking/unlocking operations of containers carrying fuel;
• Saving overall cost of distribution of fuel;
• Increasing the revenue of companies involved in distribution and/or production of fuel;
• Enhancing the brand image of companies involved in distribution and/or production of fuel.
• Tamper-proof locking and protection from lock picking.
• Insusceptible to duplication of keys.
• Controlling the locking/unlocking of the electro-mechanical lock through a remote location.
• Inactive state of the electronic key during transportation and activation of the key only through geo validation and/or time validation ensures high security and safeguards the fuel in the tanker truck, thereby eliminating the possibility of adulteration and pilferage of the fuel.
• Not solely dependent on the master key in case the same gets lost at the end destination, one can do without it saving any unnecessary replacement of all the locks.
• The system facilitates creation of audit trail.
Throughout this specification the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.
The use of the expression “at least” or “at least one” suggests the use of one or more elements or ingredients or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment of the invention to achieve one or more of the desired objects or results.
The numerical values mentioned for the various physical parameters, dimensions or quantities are only approximations and it is envisaged that the values higher/lower than the numerical values assigned to the parameters, dimensions or quantities fall within the scope of the invention, unless there is a statement in the specification specific to the contrary.
The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein. ,CLAIMS:1. An electro-mechanical locking system for securing a container of a container vehicle travelling from a starting point to a specific destination, the electro-mechanical locking system comprising:
an electro-mechanical lock for securing the container, the electro-mechanical lock configured to be opened using a location-specific and time-specific electronic key; and
a GPS system to provide an instantaneous geographical location of the container vehicle en route the desired destination in real time, wherein the electronic key is accessible over a communication network as and when the container-carrying vehicle reaches the desired destination within a permissible limit of a standard trip time required to reach the desired destination from the starting point.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system is configured to make the electronic key accessible to a user when said user sends a request message, using an authorized communication device, to an authorization center to receive a confirmation message in reply on the authorized communication device, wherein the reply includes the electronic key.

3. The electro-mechanical locking system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the reply includes a message to open a secure key housing fitted with (i) a physical key installed with a chip and (ii) a control unit communicatively coupled with the electromechanical lock for unlocking the electromechanical lock.
4. The electro-mechanical locking system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the system is configured to require the request message to include a time-bound, one-time password (OTP).

5. The electro-mechanical locking system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the system is configured to generate a confirmation message only if the container vehicle is within predefined limits of the geo-coordinates of the desired destination and to send the confirmation message only upon the container vehicle reaching the desired destination.

6. The electro-mechanical locking system as claimed in claim 1, which includes a calculator to calculate the permissible limit of a standard trip time based on an average of a prior predefined number of trips between the starting point and the desired destination.

7. The electro-mechanical locking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system is configured to map geo-coordinates of each location en route the desired destination.

8. The electro-mechanical locking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system is configured to automatically generate and send the electronic key on the authorized mobile communication device upon the container vehicle reaching the destination within the permissible limit of the standard trip time.
9. The electro-mechanical locking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system is configured to store standard trip times between a plurality of locations en route the destination.

10. The electro-mechanical locking system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the system is configured to permit the electronic key to be inputted to a computer system in communication with the control unit, wherein the control unit, in combination with additional peripheral components, is configured to unlock the electromechanical lock.