ELECTRONIC SEAL

• US 20110130987A1
• Filed: 11/27/2009
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Syris Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Syris Technology Corporation
• Inventors: LIAO, KUO- LIANG, CHEN, CHIN-CHENG, CHIU, CHIEN-SHENG
• Granted Patent: US 8,666,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/65
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/06 by tampering with fastening
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0317 having bolt like sealing means means for preventing relative axial movement of a pin, spigot, shaft or the like and a member surrounding it F16B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0329 having electronic sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5004 For antitheft signaling device on protected article
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/8027 Condition indicators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/8243 With seal

Abstract

An electronic seal of the present invention includes a bolt. The bolt is used to mount on a door latch of a cargo and inserts into a shell. The shell is provided with a control circuit to actively send a warning signal as the bolt is moved. As such, the user of the electronic seal can be properly informed to prevent theft.

Claims

1. An electronic seal, comprising:

a shell, defining a passage, the shell having a circuit board and a power supply disposed therein, the circuit board comprising at least one control circuit and at least three terminals, each of the terminals being electrically connected to the control circuit and extending into the passage;

a bolt, comprising a rod portion, the rod portion having at least one conducting surface disposed around its outer surface, the rod portion being inserted into the passage and selectively engaged with the shell, the conducting surface being in contact with the terminals to define a conducting state, the conducting state varies as the rod portion sliding with respect to the passage, the control circuit sending a warning signal corresponding to a variation of the conducting state.

2. The electronic seal of claim 1, wherein the bolt further comprises at least one insulation unit, the insulation unit divides the conducting surface into at least two conducting zones isolated from each other.

3. The electronic seal of claim 2, wherein the insulation unit locates between two of the terminals as the rod portion engages with the shell.

4. The electronic seal of claim 1, wherein the control circuit further electrically connects to a memory unit, a processor, a signal unit and a radio frequency chip, the memory unit is stored with at least one operational information, the processor is adapted to read the operational information to make the signal unit send signals to the terminals, then the signal unit receives the conducting state and sends a feedback to the processor.

5. The electronic seal of claim 4, wherein the control circuit further electrically connects to a clocking unit, the clocking unit provides the processor with a time information, the processor makes the signal unit send different signals to the terminals corresponding to the time information.

6. The electronic seal of claim 1, wherein the control circuit further electrically connects to an alarm device, the alarm device sends an alarm signal corresponding to the warning signal.

7. The electronic seal of claim 1, further comprising a remote server, both the remote server and the control circuit electrically connecting to a bidirectional wireless communicating device, whereby the remote server and the control circuit are in a signal communicable relationship.

8. The electronic seal of claim 6, wherein the alarm device is selected from a group consisting of a lighting device, an audio device and a combination thereof.