Tamper detection system, method and apparatus

• US 20070146132A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Dixon, Walter, Krug, Florian, Mayer, Oliver, Zettl, Marcus, Stromberger, Joerg
• Application Number:
  US11/315,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20070146132A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/553
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/08 by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/187 by interference of a radiation field

Abstract

A tamper and/or intrusion detection system is provided for making a structure tamperproof. The tamper and/or intrusion detection system includes an energy source for transmitting energy through an energy-transmitting layer, and a detector for detecting a change in energy distribution within the energy-transmitting layer.

Claims

1. A tamper detection system, comprising:

an energy source for transmitting energy through an energy-transmitting layer; and

a detector for detecting a change in energy distribution within the energy-transmitting layer.

2. The tamper detection system of claim 1, wherein the energy source comprises a current source or a light source.

3. The tamper detection system of claim 1, wherein the energy-transmitting layer comprises a layer which is at least partially optically transmissive or an electrical conductive layer.

4. The tamper detection system of claim 1, wherein the energy-transmitting layer comprises a foam, a film, a foil, or a plate.

5. The tamper detection system of claim 1, wherein the energy-transmitting layer is disposed on or within a breachable surface of a container, a package, a door, or a window.

6. The tamper detection system of claim 1, wherein the energy-transmitting layer is doped with fluorescent material to minimize optical attenuation.

7. The tamper detection system of claim 1, wherein the detector comprises a current sensing device for sensing a change in current density or a light sensing device for sensing a change in light intensity.

8. The tamper detection system of claim 1, further comprising an alarm system coupled to the detector, wherein the alarm triggers when the detector detects the change in energy distribution within the energy-transmitting layer.

9. A tamperproof structure, comprising:

at least one surface vulnerable to breach, the surface comprising an energy-transmitting layer;

an energy source for transmitting energy through the energy-transmitting layer; and

a detector for detecting a change in energy distribution within the energy-transmitting layer.

10. The tamperproof structure of claim 9, wherein the surface vulnerable to breach is a door, a window, a surface of a cargo container, or a surface of a package box.

11. The tamperproof structure of claim 9, wherein the energy-transmitting layer is disposed on or within the surface vulnerable to breach.

12. The tamperproof structure of claim 9, wherein the energy-transmitting layer is coated with a material to minimize energy loss.

13. The tamperproof structure of claim 9, wherein the energy-transmitting layer comprises a layer which is at least partially optically transmissive.

14. The tamperproof structure of claim 13, wherein the layer is doped with a fluorescent material to minimize the optical attenuation.

15. The tamperproof structure of claim 13, wherein the layer is coated with a reflecting material to minimize optical loss via total internal reflection.

16. The tamperproof structure of claim 13, wherein the energy source comprises a light source configured to illuminate the layer.

17. A kit for upgrading a structure, the kit comprising:

an energy-transmitting layer;

an energy source configured to be disposed on one end of the energy-transmitting layer, wherein the energy source is adapted to create an energy distribution profile within the energy-transmitting layer; and

a detector configured to be disposed on another end of the energy-transmitting layer, wherein the detector is configured to detect a change in the energy distribution profile.

18. The kit of claim 17, further comprising an alarm system configured to be coupled to the detector, wherein the alarm triggers when the detector detects the change in the energy distribution profile.

19. The kit of claim 17, wherein the energy source comprises a current source or a light source.

20. The kit of claim 17, wherein the energy-transmitting layer comprises a layer which is at least partially optically transmissive or electrically conductive.

21. The kit of claim 17, wherein the detector comprises a current sensing device for sensing a change in current density or a light sensing device for sensing a change in light intensity.

22. A method of detecting tampering of a surface vulnerable to breach, the method comprising:

creating an energy distribution profile within an energy-transmitting layer, wherein the energy-transmitting layer is disposed on or within the surface vulnerable to breach; and

detecting a change in the energy distribution profile.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising generating an alarm in response to the change in the energy distribution profile.

24. A method of making a structure tamperproof, the method comprising:

disposing an energy-transmitting layer on or within a surface of the structure, the surface being vulnerable to breach;

disposing an energy source on one end of the energy-transmitting layer; and

disposing a detector on another end of the energy-transmitting layer.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the surface vulnerable to breach is a door, a window, a surface of a cargo container, or a surface of a package.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the energy-transmitting layer comprises a layer which is at least partially optically transmissive or electrically conductive.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising doping the optically transmissive layer with a fluorescent material to minimize the optical attenuation.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising coating the optically transmissive layer with a reflecting material to minimize optical loss.