Container defense system

Abstract

A container includes multiple panels defining an interior volume, with a first panel including a composite material. A first beam detector element positioned within the interior volume detects a directed radiation scan beam that includes a modulated query message. Also positioned within the interior volume are a security element to detect an intrusion and an identification element communicatively coupled to the first beam detector element to store an identity of the container and to produce a query response message without breaking a seal of the container. A transmitter element is coupled to the identification element to transmit a response message to a receiver unit. The beam enters the inter volume along a path directed through the first panel, across a portion of the interior volume and onto the first beam detector element allowing for determination of a material property of contents of the interior volume.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container comprising:
 a plurality of panels defining an interior volume of a container, wherein a first panel of the plurality of panels comprises a composite material;   a first beam detector element positioned within the interior volume of the container to detect an incoming portion of a directed radiation scan beam received from an external scanner comprising a query message modulated thereon and directed through the composite material of the first panel into the interior volume, and to demodulate the query message from within the interior volume of the container, resulting in a demodulated query message;   a security element positioned within the interior volume of the container to detect an intrusion into the interior volume of the container;   an identification element positioned within the interior volume of the container, communicatively coupled to the security element and the first beam detector element to store identification information, resulting in stored identification information indicative of an identity of the container, and to produce a response message from within the interior volume of the container based on the demodulated query message, the stored identification information and information received from the security element without breaking a seal of the container when sealed; and   a transmitter element positioned within the interior volume of the container and communicatively coupled to the identification element to transmit the response message to an external receiver unit, wherein the response is modulated onto an outgoing portion of the directed radiation scan beam passing to the external receiver unit through the composite material of the first panel of the plurality of panels.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the incoming portion of the directed scan beam and the outgoing portion of the directed scan beam are implemented by means of a radio frequency identification transponder. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the identification element produces a response message allowing the identity of the container to be verified based on the response message. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 3 , wherein the query message includes a randomly generated number. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the external scanner determines, from the response sent by the container over a communication channel, one or more material properties of the container, the external scanner inferring from the material properties one of a presence of a nuclear device, an absence of the nuclear device or another security condition, wherein the external scanner in response to inferring the one of the presence of the nuclear device, the absence of the nuclear device or the other security condition, providing one or more numeric values, wherein the one or more numeric values include values associated with the identity of the container, the values being transmitted over the communications channel and stored by the container in the interior volume of the container without breaking the seal, the one or more numeric values responsive to being queried by another scanner, allowing a determination to be made whether any of the one or more numeric values have been altered and, and supporting an inference of a security risk based on the determination. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 5 , further comprising a second panel of the plurality of panels comprising a composite material, wherein the outgoing portion of the directed radiation scan beam exits the container through the composite material of the second panel and is directed onto an external second beam detector element, resulting in a second detected scan beam. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a dosimeter positioned within the interior volume of the container, the dosimeter comprising:   a radon detection element to detect a radon level for the interior volume; and   a neutron detection element to detect a neutron level for the interior volume, wherein the dosimeter measures the radon level and neutron level, resulting in a measured radon level and a measured neutron level, for a period of time, compares the measured radon level to a first threshold and compares the measured neutron level to a second threshold, resulting in further comparisons, determines dosimeter information indicative of the presence or absence of fissile material within the interior volume based on the further comparisons, and communicates the dosimeter information to one of the identification element, the transmitter element, the first beam detector element, the second beam detector element, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the container comprises a sealed container having a substantially air tight interior volume, and wherein the security element comprises a radon detector unit performing operations comprising:
 detecting a change in radon level, resulting in a detected change, in the interior volume of the sealed container;   comparing the detected change to an expected change value based on a half-life of radon; and   indicating the presence or absence of an intrusion into the sealed container based on the comparing of the detected change to the expected change value.   
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 5 , wherein the identification element irrecoverably alters a portion of the stored identification information in response to one of an intrusion detected by the security element or another detected condition, thereby changing a state of the container such the container cannot thereafter be restored the state prior to detection of the intrusion or other condition 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 6 , wherein the first panel comprises a first plurality of plugs of composite material positioned within apertures through a first metal wall, wherein the second panel comprises a second plurality of plugs of composite material positioned within apertures through a second metal wall, wherein a path of the directed radiation scan beam along the interior volume extends through a first plug of the first plurality of plugs and a second plug of the second plurality of plugs, a separation distance between the first and second plugs spanning the interior volume of the container. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 5 , wherein the identification element stores identification information which cannot be transmitted to any scanner or receiver located outside the container. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 5 , wherein the security element comprises a sensor grid embedded in a partially composite panel of the plurality of at least partially composite panels. 
     
     
         13 . A method, comprising:
 storing unique identification information and other values to obtain stored information in an identification element within an interior volume of a sealed container, the interior volume being defined by a plurality of panels, a first panel of the plurality of panels comprising a composite material;   detecting from within the interior volume of the container, a scan beam originating externally from the interior volume of the container and operating according to a predefined protocol and directed into the interior volume of the sealed container through the composite material of the first panel,   without breaching a seal of the sealed container, remotely identifying the container in response to the detecting of the scan beam based on the unique identity information;   without breaching the seal of the sealed container, determining in response to the detecting of the scan beam one of a presence of a nuclear weapon or an absence of a nuclear weapon within the interior volume; and   altering the stored information to obtain altered stored information based on the determination, wherein a remote monitor can identify a dangerous condition based on the altered stored information.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising receiving the unique identification information originating at a secure trusted location, wherein the unique identification information comprises one of a public key, a private key, a random number, or a combination thereof wherein a copy of at least a portion of the one of the public key, the private key the random number, or the combinations thereof is stored in a remote monitor unit. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the remote monitor unit is at a first location, the remote monitor unit in communication with a scanning unit at a second location to communicate with the identification element within the container without breaching the seal of the container, query information generated at the remote monitor unit transmitted to the remote scanning unit, the query information being received by an identification unit from the remote monitor;
 applying a hash algorithm at the identification unit to at least some of the query information with some or all of information stored in the container and optionally information developed by the container to produce response hash information; and   in response to the query information, without breaching the seal of the container, transmitting the response information to the scanning unit, wherein the remote monitor unit, according to the predefined protocol, is able to:
 identify elements of the information received from the scanning unit; 
 apply the hash algorithm to the elements of the information to produce verification hash information; and 
 compare the response hash information to the verification hash information to verify one of an identity of the container, another condition within the container, or both. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising, detecting one of an intrusion of the container, a nuclear weapon, or another security breach, and in response to the detecting of the one of the intrusion of the container, the nuclear weapon or the another security breach, one of modifying or destroying a portion of the stored information. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the scan beam comprises a directed radiation scan beam having a beam energy sufficient to penetrate through the composite material of the first panel but insufficient to penetrate through bulk metal material, wherein the directed radiation scan beam is detectable by a detector unit positioned external to the interior volume, resulting in a detected radiation scan beam having transited a portion of the interior volume, exiting the interior volume through a second panel of the plurality panels, the second panel comprising a composite material, wherein information indicative of material properties of contents of the interior volume is determinable based on the detected radiation scan beam. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising
 measuring, by a dosimeter positioned within the interior volume of the sealed container, one of a radon level, a neutron level or both in the interior volume over a period of time, resulting in one of a measured radon level, a measured neutron level or both;   detecting a presence or absence of fissile material within the interior volume based on the measured radon level, the measured neutron level or both; and   in response to detecting a presence of fissile material, altering a portion of the identification information stored in the identification element.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 monitoring the container for an indication of an imminent nuclear explosion, and   in response to a detection of an imminent nuclear explosion, transmitting a message comprising information indicative of the identity of the container.   
     
     
         20 . A system, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory to store executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 detecting from within an interior volume of a sealed container, a directed radiation scan beam originating externally from the interior volume of the sealed container and directed into the interior volume of the sealed container through composite material of a first panel of a plurality of panels defining the interior volume, 
 without breaching a seal of the sealed container, remotely identifying the sealed container in response to the detecting of the directed radiation scan beam based on unique identity information stored in an identification element within the interior volume of the sealed container; 
 without breaching a seal of the sealed container, determining a presence or absence of a nuclear weapon within the interior volume; and 
 generating a signal to allow information associated with the identity of the sealed container to be stored in a remote monitor unit based on determining an absence of a nuclear weapon within the interior volume.