Security tag

• US 20040113792A1
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Talaris Holdings Limited (Glory Limited)
• Original Assignee: De La Rue International Limited (De La Rue PLC)
• Inventors: Armanini, Pietro, Brooks, David Alan, Tribe, Raglan Horatio Andrew Harold, Ireland, Phillip Michael William
• Granted Patent: US 7,015,814 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.8
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/126 for a housing, e.g. a box, a safe, or a room
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1445 with detection of interference with a cable tethering an article, e.g. alarm activated by detecting detachment of article, breaking or stretching of cable furniture, e.g. shelves for displaying merchandise, incorporating tethers to prevent theft A47F7/024, A47F5/0861
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/149 with electric, magnetic, capacitive switch actuation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2448 Tag with at least dual detection means, e.g. combined inductive and ferromagnetic tags, dual frequencies within a single technology, tampering detection or signalling means on the tag

Abstract

A security tag for securely identifying items comprises a housing (1); a securing mechanism (6) for securing the housing to the item; a monitoring system (20, 24) for monitoring a tag status, the tag status indicating at least whether the housing (1) and the securing mechanism (6) have been tampered with; a store (22) for storing item data identifying the item; and a communication system (21) for communicating tag status and item data to a remote host.

Claims

1. A security tag for securely identifying item(s), the security tag comprising:

a. A housing;

b. A securing mechanism for securing the housing to the item(s);

c. A monitoring system for monitoring a tag status, the tag status indicating at least whether the housing and the security mechanism have been tampered with;

d. A store for storing item data, the item data identifying the item(s); and

, e. A communication system adapted to communicate the tag status and the item data to a remote host.

2. A security tag according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply mounted on or in the housing.

3. A security tag according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the housing includes at least a conductive portion, and wherein the monitoring system is adapted to monitor the electrical properties of the conductive portion to thereby determine the integrity of the housing.

4. A security tag according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the housing includes piezoelectric material and wherein the monitoring system is adapted to monitor the electrical potential across the piezoelectric material to determine the integrity of the housing.

5. A security tag according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the securing mechanism comprises a conductive member for securing the housing to the item(s), and wherein the monitoring system includes a mechanism detector adapted to monitor electrical properties of the conductive member to thereby determine the integrity of the securing mechanism.

6. A security tag according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the securing mechanism comprises a piezoelectric material, and wherein the monitoring system includes a mechanism detector adapted to monitor the electrical potential across the piezoelectric material to determine the integrity of the security mechanism.

7. A security tag according. to any of the preceding claims, wherein the securing mechanism comprises a clamp member having a pair of arms which can be pushed into corresponding apertures in a mounting on the housing, and a lock system for preventing the clamp from being removed from the mounting.

8. A security tag according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the securing mechanism comprises an electrically conductive member, such as a plate, to which the housing is connected with part of an item or a container for the item sandwiched therebetween, the conductive member forming part of a transmission line whose impedance can be monitored.

9. A security tag according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the housing is formed from a tamper resistant material such as a lamination of rubber and reinforced plastic.

10. A security tag according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the housing includes a Faraday cage to protect at least the store.

11. A security tag according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the communication system comprises one of a radio, infra-red, inductive, or magnetic communications system.

12. A security tag according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the communications system is adapted to encrypt the tag status and/or the item data prior to transfer to the remote host.

13. A security tag according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the communication system is adapted to communicate with the remote host on at least one of the following occasions:

i. At predetermined time intervals

ii. Upon request from the remote host;

or,

iii. Upon a change in tag status indicating that the security tag and/or the item(s) have been tampered with.

14. A security tag according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the monitoring system includes a location detector for detecting the location of the tag, the tag status including an indication of the tag location.

15. A security tag according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the monitoring system includes an item detector to detect the integrity of the item(s).

16. A security tag according to claim 15 attached to a conductive enclosure, and wherein the item detector is adapted to monitor the electrical properties of the conductive enclosure to thereby determine the integrity of the enclosure.

17. A method of securely identifying and monitoring item(s), the method comprising:

a. Attaching a security tag according to any of the preceding claims to the item(s),

b. Storing item data identifying the item(s) in the store; and

,

c. Monitoring the tag status and/or the item data from a remote host via the communication system.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein step (a) further comprises the steps of:

i. Placing the items in a secure container; and

,

ii. Coupling the security tag to the secure container.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the monitoring system is adapted to monitor electrical properties of the secure container and wherein the method further comprises electrically connecting the monitoring system to the secure container.

20. A method according to any of claims 17 to 19, wherein the method of monitoring the tag status and/or the item data from a remote host comprises causing the communication system to communicate with the remote host system on at least one of the following occasions:

i. At predetermined time intervals

ii. Upon request from the remote host system;

or,

iii. Upon a change in tag status indicating that the security tag and/or the item(s) have been tampered with.

21. A method according to any of claims 17 to 20, wherein the method further comprises monitoring the location of the security tag.

24. A method according to claim 22 or claim 23, wherein the security tag is in accordance with any of claims 1 to 16.

22. A method of transferring the ownership of item(s), the method comprising:

a. Securely identifying the item(s) by attaching a security tag to the item(s), the security tag having a monitoring system for monitoring the tag status, the tag status indicating whether the security tag and/or the item(s) have been tampered with;

b. Detecting remotely the condition of the monitoring system; and

c. Causing the remote host to register a change in ownership of. the item(s) when the monitoring system does not indicate a tamper condition.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the item(s) are not physically transferred between owners in step (c).

25. A method according to any of claims 22 to 24, wherein the item(s) comprises an article of value such as a banknote and/or coin.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the item(s) is securely located in a container to which the security tag is attached.

27. A method according to claim 25, wherein the security tag is attached to a wrapper located about a stack of. banknotes.