Tamper detection system

• US 20090115607A1
• Filed: 07/28/2006
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3-D Image Technology
• Original Assignee: Tamperproof Container Licensing Corp.
• Inventors: Beinhocker, Gilbert D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,608,812 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/541
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/126 for a housing, e.g. a box, a safe, or a room

Abstract

A system and method for detecting radiation from a source in a container is disclosed. A continuous optical fiber path is disposed in a medium which is part of or associated with a container and which encloses the volumetric space of the container. The optical fiber path provides a volumetric mass of optical fiber which is reactive to radiation from a radiation source in the container to cause an irreversible change in the light carrying capacity or other characteristic of the optical fiber. A light source is coupled to one end of the optical fiber path for introducing light having a predetermined characteristic. A light detector is coupled to the other end of the optical path for receiving light from the optical path. A circuit is coupled to the light detector and is operative to detect a total loss of light or a change in the predetermined characteristic of the light and to provide an indication thereof. A continuous wire path can be provided in an alternative embodiment, and which may include e-textiles. In another aspect of the invention, alarm signals from a number of individual detectors can be multiplexed into a gate circuit, such as an OR gate, the output of which provides an alarm signal in response to any one or more of the input signals from the individual detectors.

Claims

1. A tamper and alarm detection system comprising:

a continuous optical fiber path disposed in a medium which is part of or associated with a container and enclosing the volumetric space of the container,

a light source optically coupled to one end of the optical fiber path for introducing light into the optical fiber path;

a light detector optically coupled to the other end of the optical path for receiving light from the optical path;

a circuit connected to the light detector and operative to detect an absence or a decrease in the light from the optical path and to provide an indication thereof;

a plurality of sensors, each sensor being optically coupled to the optical fiber and operable to detect an associated condition inside the container and affect the optical signal received by optical detector in response to detecting the condition; and

a circuit coupled to the light detector and operable to generate an alarm signal if at least one detected condition exceeds a predetermined value.

2. A tamper detection system for a shipping container, comprising:

an optical fiber disposed within the shipping container;

a light source optically coupled to one end of the optical fiber for introducing light therein;

a light detector optically coupled to the other end of the optical fiber and operable to receive light from the optical fiber;

a plurality of sensors, each sensor being optically coupled to the optical fiber and operable to detect an associated condition inside the container and affect the optical signal received by the light detector in response to detecting the condition; and

a circuit coupled to the light detector and operable to generate an alarm signal if at least one detected condition exceeds a predetermined value.

3. A method of detecting radiation from or breach of an enclosure comprising the steps of:

providing a substantially continuous enclosure surface which encloses the volumetric space of the enclosure and having an optical fiber embedded in the enclosure surface to define a continuous fiber path having a predetermined resolution;

introducing light into one end of the continuous fiber path;

detecting light from the other end of the continuous fiber path;

providing an alarm signal in response to a predetermined change in the detected light;

providing one or more detectors each operative to sense a respective condition and to provide an output signal in response to such sensing;

communicating the output signal through the fiber path; and

providing an alarm signal in response to a representation of the output signal received from the fiber path.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of providing an alarm signal includes providing an alarm signal in response to the absence of detected light.

5. For use in an alarm system having a substantially continuous optical fiber or continuous electrical wire path in an enclosure surface which encloses the volumetric space of the enclosure and in which breakage of the path or alteration of a characteristic of signals propagating in the path signifies an alarm condition, a detection system comprising:

at least one sensor operative to sense a predetermined condition in the volumetric space and provide an output signal in response to such sensing;

a first circuit for communicating the output signal through the path;

and a second circuit for providing an alarm signal in response to reception from the path of the output signal or a representation thereof.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said at least one sensor includes a plurality of sensors each operative to sense a respective predetermined condition and provide an output signal in response to such sensing.

7. An alarm system comprising:

a substantially continuous optical fiber or continuous electrical wire path in an enclosure surface which encloses the volumetric space of the enclosure and in which breakage of the path or alteration of a characteristic of signals propagating in the path signifies an alarm condition;

a signal source coupled to one end of the path for introducing signals into the path;

a detector circuit coupled to the other end of the path for receiving signals from the path and operative to provide an alarm signal in response to the absence of signals from the path or detection of signals from the path having an altered characteristic;

at least one sensor operative to sense a predetermined condition in the volumetric space and provide an output signal in response to such sensing;

a first circuit for communicating the output signal from the at least one sensor through the path; and

and a second circuit for providing an alarm signal in response to reception from the path of the output signal or a representation thereof.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said at least one sensor includes a plurality of sensors each operative to sense a respective condition in the volumetric space and to provide an output signal representative thereof;

a gate coupling the output signals of the sensors to the signal source; and

the signal source being operative in response to at least one of said

output signals to cause the detector circuit to produce an alarm signal.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein said at least one sensor includes a plurality of sensors each operative to sense a respective condition in the volumetric space and to provide an output signal representative thereof;

each of the sensors coupled to a respective signal processor operative to provide an output signal having a respective characteristic;

a gate coupling the output signals of the sensors to the signal source for transmission of signals through the path having the respective characteristics; and

wherein the first detector circuit is operative in response to signals from the path having one or more respective characteristics to provide an alarm signal representative of detected condition.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein said at least one sensor includes a plurality of sensors each operative to sense a respective condition in the volumetric space and to provide an output signal representative thereof;

each of the sensors coupled to a respective signal processor operative to provide an output signal having a respective characteristic;

a gate coupling the output signals of the sensors to the detector circuit; and

wherein the detector circuit provides an alarm signal in response to reception from the path of an output signal having a respective characteristic.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the second circuit is incorporated in the detector circuit.

12. The system of claim 7 including a communications system for transmitting the alarm signal to one or more receiving sites.

13. The system of claim 12 including apparatus providing at least one of location data and time data in association with an alarm signal for transmission to one or more receiving sites.

14. The system of claim 7 wherein the at least one sensor includes an e-textile material sensor.

15. A method of detecting breach of a container comprising the steps of:

providing a substantially continuous container surface which encloses the volumetric space of the container and having a conductive wire embedded in the container surface to define a continuous wire path having a predetermined resolution;

introducing an electrical signal into one end of the continuous wirepath;

detecting the electrical signal from the other end of the continuous wirepath; and

providing an alarm signal in response to the absence of detected electrical signal.