• Universitat de València

Security seals are used to ensure that goods inside containers are not tampered with during transport. They consist of a physical device that is placed over the vehicle's lock. Thus, tampering with the seal prior to opening the container would lead to deformation or destruction. Classic seals are mechanical, cannot be reused, and are easily broken. They cannot provide information on how, where and when the goods were handled.

In order to avoid the systematic discarding of such seals and to obtain information on the route and handling of the goods, electronic seals have appeared on the market. However, although they incorporated a GPS (Global Positioning System) and a memory where the position of the vehicle is stored at any given moment during the journey, they did not have communication for real-time monitoring. More recently, seals capable of communicating their position by exploiting mobile phone links have become commercially available.

In any case, current commercial electronic seals include a mechanical part to block the opening of the container. The resulting device is usually very heavy and large, making it slow and difficult to handle.

Researchers from the Universitat de València have developed a device that maintains the features of the most advanced commercial systems and completely lacks the mechanical parts of current electronic seals.

The invention of the new seal includes a microprocessor that is responsible for the integral management of the equipment, an Internet connection system through mobile phone networks, a communications module for short-range communication with users' smartphones and a positioning module that allows the real-time position of containers of goods in transit to be known.

The fixing mode is magnetic and incorporates sensors for metal and proximity detection. The magnetic fixing system is completely secure and resistant to shocks and vibrations during transport. The sensors provide preventive information on whether an attempt has been made or whether the seal has been tampered with. The elimination of mechanical elements makes possible a compact and sealed design, reduced in size and weight, and very low manufacturing cost.

The system is completed with a cloud-based fleet management application, an app for local control of the seal, and a wireless charging module capable of managing a large set of seals and preparing them for multiple cycles of use.

The invention is useful for the entire freight transport sector.

The advantages provided by the invention could be summarised as follows:

• The mechanism is quick, safe and easy to install as it has no mechanical parts or screws.
• Door opening alert.
• Knowledge of the location of the goods at all times.
• Rechargeable battery without the use of cables or connectors.
• Reusable.

• Patent granted