SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TAMPER DETECTION USING RFID DEVICES

• US 20160275769A1
• Filed: 03/19/2015
• Published: 09/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: MCINTOSH, DARREN C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,697,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07798 part of the antenna or the integrated circuit being adapted for rupturing or breaking, e.g. record carriers functioning as sealing devices for detecting not-authenticated opening of containers electronic seals G09F3/03
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/126 for a housing, e.g. a box, a safe, or a room
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2414 using inductive tags
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2451 Specific applications combined with EAS

Abstract

A system for tamper detection includes a security device and a data device. The security device has a first portion disposable on a first side of a separation boundary of a separable object, and a second portion disposable on a second side of the separation boundary. The security device further includes a first Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) circuit configured to provide a first return signal. The data device includes a microprocessor and system memory, an RFID reader and a radio antenna. The data device is configured to send and receive radio frequency signals with the first RFID circuit, and to recognize the first return signal as indicating an untampered condition of the separable object.

Claims

1. A system for status indication, comprising:

a security device, having a first portion disposable on a first side of a separation boundary of a separable object, a second portion disposable on a second side of the separation boundary, and a separation region between the first portion and the second portion, the security device further having a first Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) circuit configured to provide a first return signal and a second RFID circuit configured to provide a second return signal, wherein the first RFID circuit includes a first processor disposed entirely on the first portion and a first antenna spanning the separation region, and wherein the second RFID circuit includes a second processor disposed entirely on the second portion and a second antenna disposed entirely on the second portion; and

a data device, comprising a microprocessor and system memory, an RFID reader and a radio antenna, configured to send and receive radio frequency signals with the first RFID circuit, and to recognize the first return signal as indicating an untampered condition of the separable object.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first RFID circuit is a passive RFID circuit.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the separable object is an openable portion of an aircraft.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the security device comprises a single-use adhesive strip with the first RFID circuit embedded therein.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the single-use adhesive strip comprises a substrate that is transparent.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the security device further comprises:

a selectively breakable electrical connection between the first processor and the first antenna, the first return signal being possible only when the selectively breakable electrical connection is connected.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first processor and the first antenna are disposable upon the separable object in an interior location thereof.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising a reset device configured to receive a reset input to reset the first RFID circuit.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the data device is configured to recognize simultaneous reception of both the first and second return signal as indicating the untampered condition, and reception of only the second return signal as indicating a tampered condition of the separable object.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the data device comprises a mobile device, configured to:

query and receive return signals from a plurality of security devices within a broadcast range of the mobile device; and

generate a security sweep indication based on the return signals.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising

a plurality of antennae, electrically connected to the data device, each antenna disposed in a fixed location with respect to a plurality of the security devices and configured to send and receive signals with at least a subset of the plurality of security devices;

and

wherein the data device is positionable in a fixed location with respect to the plurality of antennae, and is configured to provide information regarding a condition of all of the plurality of security devices.

12. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) device, comprising:

a first portion and a second portion, coupled at a separation region that is configured to be disposed across a separation boundary of a separable object;

a first RFID circuit, configured to transmit a first signal, having a first processor disposed entirely on the first portion and a first antenna extending across the separation region, separation of the first processor and first antenna preventing transmission of the first signal; and

a second RFID circuit, configured to transmit a second signal, having a second processor disposed entirely on the second portion and a second antenna disposed entirely on the second portion;

wherein transmission of the first signal indicates an untampered condition of the separable object.

13. The RFID device of claim 12, wherein the first and second portions comprise opposing portions of a single-use adhesive strip, the first RFID circuit being embedded in a substrate of the strip, the separation region comprising a breakable portion of the strip.

14. The RFID device of claim 12, wherein the separation region comprises a selectively breakable electrical connection between the processor and antenna.

15. The RFID device of claim 14, wherein the selectively breakable electrical connection comprises a non-contact electromagnetic proximity connection across the separation region.

16. The RFID device of claim 12,

wherein simultaneous transmission of the first and second signals indicates the untampered condition;

and

wherein transmission of the second signal simultaneously with failure of transmission of the first signal indicates a tampered condition of the separable object.

17. A method for facilitating inspection of a plurality of sealed objects, comprising:

placing a first processor of a first Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) device on a first side of a separation boundary;

placing a first antenna of the first RFID device across a separation boundary of a sealed object;

placing a second processor of a second RFID device on a second side of the separation boundary;

placing a second antenna of the second RFID device entirely on the second side of the separation boundary;

configuring a data device to scan and receive a return signal from the first RFID device and from the second RFID device that indicates a tampered condition of the sealed object; and

providing, via the data device, an output via a graphical user interface that associates the tampered condition with one of three statuses, the three statuses including a secured indication, a no signal indication, and a compromised indication.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein placing the first RFID device further comprises placing an RFID device having a passive RFID circuit, and wherein configuring the data device further comprises configuring a mobile computing device to scan and receive the return signal from the first RFID device when within a transmission radius.

19. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein configuring the data device further comprises:

providing a computing device at a fixed location; and

coupling the data device to a fixed-location radio antennae configured to send and receive signals with the first RFID device.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein configuring the data device further comprises programming the data device to be reset within a predetermined time interval of resetting the first RFID device after a tampered condition signal has been received.