SENSOR TAPE FOR SECURITY DETECTION AND METHOD OF FABRICATION

• US 20130300431A1
• Filed: 07/17/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3-D Image Technology
• Original Assignee: 3D Fuse Sarl
• Inventors: Beinhocker, Gilbert D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,971,673 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/539
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/165 by means of cables or similar elongated devices, e.g. tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/18 for pipes, cables or tubes; for pipe joints or seals; for valves; for welds; for containers, e.g. radiators
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4469 Security aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/12 by the breaking or disturbance of stretched cords or wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/328 comprising violation sensing means

Abstract

A sensor in the form of an elongated flexible tape has a plurality of signal paths made from electrical wire or optical fiber which extend between one end and another end of the tape. The electrical wires or optical fibers are disposed in spaced relation across the width and along the length of the tape, and are terminated in connectors at the endpoints of the tape. One connector includes a multiplexer to which an input signal is applied for propagation along the signal paths, The other connector includes an AND gate which provides an output signal which changes in the event of a break in any one or more of the signal paths, thereby indicating an alarm condition. The connectors may be integrated into a signal detector to interface with communication links. The tape is a material that is non-conductive and in which the wires or optical fibers may be woven, disposed or embedded in some manner.

Claims

1. A sensor security detector tape, comprising:

a material strip having a predetermined width and a predetermined length and first and second ends;

a plurality of separate and parallel signal paths arranged along the predetermined length of the material strip, each signal path having a first end and a second end and operative in a non-alarm condition to carry a signal;

a first circuit coupled to each first end of the plurality of signal paths and cooperative to couple signals from a signal source to each of the plurality of signal paths; and

a second circuit coupled to each second end of the plurality of signal paths and operative to provide an alarm signal in the event of a break in any of the plurality of signal paths.

2. The sensor security detector tape of claim 1, wherein the second circuit includes an AND gate for receiving signals from the plurality of signal paths, and a processor for providing an alarm signal in the event of the loss of signals in one or more of the plurality of signal paths.

4. The sensor security detector tape of claim 1, wherein each of the signal paths is an electrical wire for carrying electrical signals.

5. The sensor security detector tape of claim 1, wherein each of the signal paths is an optical fiber for carrying optical signals.

6. The sensor security detector tape of claim 1, wherein the material strip is a fabric and each of the signal paths is woven into the fabric.

7. The sensor security detector tape of claim 1, further comprising:

a layer of adhesive material disposed on a first surface of the material strip,

wherein each of the signal paths is disposed in the adhesive material layer.

8. The sensor security detector tape of claim 7, further comprising:

a releasable material layer disposed over the adhesive material layer.

9. The sensor security detector tape of claim 1, further comprising:

a first flexible protection layer disposed on a first side of the material strip; and

a second flexible protection layer disposed on the second side of the material strip.

3. The sensor security detector tape of claim 23, wherein the first circuit includes a multiplexer for coupling a signal from a signal source to each of the plurality of signal paths.