Packaging supporting verification of package integrity and detection of related intrusion

• US 10,332,373 B1
• Filed: 11/05/2018
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ETEP Inc.
• Original Assignee: ETEP Inc.
• Inventors: Dehmubed, Rohinton S., Gompper, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): McCormack, Thomas S
• Application Number:
  US16/180,512
• Time in Patent Office: 232 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2431 Tag circuit details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2442 Tag materials and material properties thereof, e.g. magnetic material details

Abstract

A packaging system is provided includes a sensing barrier protecting at least one article. The sensing barrier is formed from a multilayer laminate structure that encapsulates a transformative material between first and second conductive layers. The transformative material is configured to undergo a state change (for example, by a chemical reaction or physical reaction) that changes impedance between the first and second conductive layers in response to intrusion through the multilayer laminate structure. An NFC/RFID circuit is electrically coupled to the first and second conductive layers of the multilayer laminate structure. At least one operational characteristic of the NFC/RFID circuit is dependent on the change in impedance between the first and second conductive layers of the multilayer laminate structure in response to intrusion. The operational characteristic(s) of the NFC/RFID circuit can be ascertained and analyzed (for example, by suitable operations of an external NFC/RFID interrogator) to detect the intrusion and provide an indication of the intrusion if and when detected.

Claims

1. A packaging system comprising:

a sensing barrier protecting at least one article, wherein the barrier comprises a multilayer laminate structure that encapsulates a transformative material between first and second conductive layers, wherein the transformative material is configured to change impedance between the first and second conductive layers in response to intrusion; and

an NFC/RFID circuit electrically coupled to the first and second conductive layers of the multilayer laminate structure, wherein at least one operational characteristic of the NFC/RFID circuit is dependent on the change in impedance between the first and second conductive layers of the multilayer laminate structure due to intrusion.

2. The packaging system of claim 1, wherein:

the multilayer laminate structure has a first configuration that provides a relatively high impedance electrical current path between the first and second conductive layers under normal conditions absent intrusion; and

the multilayer laminate structure has a second configuration that provides a relatively low impedance electrical current path between the first and second conductive layers in response to the intrusion.

3. The packaging system of claim 1, wherein:

the transformative material undergoes a state change that changes impedance between the first and second conductive layers in response to intrusion.

4. The packaging system of claim 3, wherein:

the transformative material comprises a reactive material that undergoes a physical change or chemical reaction that irreversibly deposits material that forms to a relatively low impedance electrical current path between the first and second conductive layers in response to intrusion.

5. The packaging system of claim 4, wherein:

the multilayer laminate structure further includes an encapsulated reagent that reacts with the transformative material to aid the physical change or chemical reaction that irreversibly deposits material that form the relatively low impedance electrical current path between the first and second conductive layers in response to intrusion.

6. The packaging system of claim 5, wherein:

the multilayer laminate structure includes microcapsules of the transformative material or microcapsules of the reagent or both, where such microcapsules release encapsulated material or reagent for mixing in response to intrusion.

7. The packaging system of claim 3, wherein:

the transformative material comprises metal ions that undergo a galvanic displacement reaction that precipitates solid-phase metal in response to the intrusion, wherein the solid phase metal forms all or part of a low impedance electrical current path between the first and second conductive layers in response to intrusion.

8. The packaging system of claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna with two antenna terminals that are electrically coupled to the NFC/RFID circuit.

9. The packaging system of claim 8, wherein:

the antenna is printed on a flexible substrate that also supports the NFC/RFID circuit.

10. The packaging system of claim 8, wherein:

the NFC/RFID circuit is a passive NFC/RFID circuit that cooperates with the antenna to receive and store electrical power from electromagnetic radiation emitted by an external NFC/RFID interrogator.

11. The packaging system of claim 10, wherein:

the first and second conductive layers of the multilayer laminate structure are electrically coupled to the two antenna terminals; and

the transformative material is configured to provide all or part of a relatively low impedance electrical current path between the first and second conductive layers and the two antenna terminals electrically coupled thereto in response to intrusion.

12. The packaging system of claim 11, wherein:

the relatively low impedance electrical current path between the two antenna terminals as provided by the transformative material in response to intrusion automatically configures the passive NFC/RFID circuit to remain in a power-off state in the presence of electromagnetic radiation that is normally sufficient to provide electrical power to the passive NFC/RFID circuit.

13. The packaging system of claim 1, wherein:

one of the first and second conductive layers is configured to define a detection surface;

the transformative material is configured to change impedance between the detection surface and the other conductive layer in response to intrusion;

the detection surface is electrically coupled to a corresponding input terminal of the NFC/RFID circuit.

14. The packaging system of claim 13, wherein:

the NFC/RFID circuit has a configuration that detects a signal at the input terminal that results from the change of impedance between the detection surface and the other conductive layer due to intrusion.

15. The packaging system of claim 14, wherein:

the NFC/RFID circuit is further configured to derive data from such signal and communicate the data to an external NFC/RFID interrogator.

16. The packaging system of claim 14, wherein:

a resistor is electrically coupled between a positive voltage supply terminal of the NFC/RFID circuit and the detection surface; and

the other conductive layer is electrically connected to a ground or common body terminal of the NFC/RFID circuit.

17. The packaging system of claim 13, wherein:

the detection surface encompasses a part, all or nearly all of the area of the sensing barrier.

18. The packaging system of claim 13, wherein:

the multilayer laminate structure has a first configuration that provides a relatively high impedance electrical current path between the detection surface and the other conductive layer under normal conditions absent intrusion; and

the multilayer laminate structure has a second configuration where the transformative material provides all or part of a relatively low impedance electrical current path between the detection surface and the other conductive layer in response to intrusion.

19. The packaging system of claim 1, wherein:

one of the first and second conductive layers is configured to define a plurality of detection surfaces;

the transformative material is configured to change conductivity between at least one detection surface and the other conductive layer in response to intrusion;

the plurality of detection surfaces are electrically coupled to corresponding input terminals of the NFC/RFID circuit.

20. The packaging system of claim 19, wherein:

the NFC/RFID circuit has a configuration that detects a signal at one or more input terminals that results from the change of impedance between a respective detection surface and the other conductive layer due to intrusion.

21. The packaging system of claim 20, wherein:

the NFC/RFID circuit is further configured to derive data from such signal and communicate the data to an external NFC/RFID interrogator.

22. The packaging system of claim 20, wherein:

a plurality of resistors are electrically coupled between a positive voltage supply terminal of the NFC/RFID circuit and corresponding detection surfaces; and

the other conductive layer is electrically connected to a ground or common body terminal of the NFC/RFID circuit.

23. The packaging system of claim 1, wherein:

the sensing barrier covers an opening into a container that houses the at least one article.

24. The packaging system of claim 1, wherein:

the sensing barrier defines a space that houses the at least one article.

25. The packaging system of claim 1, wherein:

the sensing barrier comprises the multilayer laminate structure in a folded arrangement that defines a space that houses the at least one article.

26. The packaging system of claim 1, wherein:

the operational characteristic of the NFC/RFID circuit is tested to detect the intrusion.

27. The package system of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one article is selected from the group consisting of

medicine (e.g., insulin, vaccines, delicate medicines), food (e.g., Kosher, Vegan, Halal, non-GMO, wine provenance), chemicals and radioactive reagents (process integrity), forensics samples (e.g., collected from the scene of a crime), electronics (e.g., specialized microchips), electro-mechanical products (e.g., airplane parts), branded products (e.g., Gucci, Chanel, Wine, Spirits), lifestyle personal products (e.g., condoms, sex toys), documents (e.g., confidential and private documents), and combinations of these products or other products thereof.

28. A method of verifying and validating package integrity, comprising:

i) providing a packaging system of claim 1; and

ii) employing an NFC/RFID interrogator to ascertain the operational characteristic of the NFC/RFID circuit of the packaging system to detect intrusion and output an indication of the intrusion if and when the intrusion is detected.

29. A method according to claim 28, further comprising:

iii) repeating the operations of ii) at multiple points in time to detect intrusion and output an indication of the intrusion if and when the intrusion is detected.

30. A method of verifying and validating package integrity, comprising:

i) providing a packaging system of claim 1 as the article is exchanged along a supply chain; and

ii) at one or more points along the supply chain, employing an NFC/RFID interrogator to ascertain the operational characteristic of the NFC/RFID circuit of the packaging system to detect intrusion and output an indication of the intrusion if and when the intrusion is detected.