ANTI-TAMPERING RE-USABLE SEAL DEVICE

• US 20180171665A1
• Filed: 12/08/2017
• Published: 06/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jay Steinmetz, Maarten A. Anderson
• Original Assignee: Maarten A. Anderson
• Inventors: Anderson, Maarten A., Steinmetz, Jay
• Application Number:
  US15/835,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20180171665A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2045/067 Switches triggered by inertia
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2045/0695 Actuation of a lock triggering an alarm system, e.g. an alarm system of a building
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 39/005 Locks with means for tracking the location of locked items, e.g. freight containers
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 45/005 Chain-locks, cable-locks or padlocks with alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0019 the keyless data carrier having only one limited data transmission rangs
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00261 the keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00642 by battery
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00944 Details of construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0335 using RFID tags
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0347 having padlock-type sealing means padlocks in general E05B67/00

Abstract

Disclosed are devices, systems, apparatus, methods, products, and other implementations, including a seal device that includes a housing and a controller disposed inside the housing, with the controller including at least one sensor configured to measure motion data to detect motion of the seal device, and a communication module. The seal device further includes a seal connectable to the housing, with the seal including a shell and a conductive wire connectable to the controller. The controller is configured to cause the communication module to transmit at least one signal at least in response to one of, for example: a) determination, based on the motion data measured by the at least one sensor, of movement of the seal device, and/or b) detection of structural damage to the seal.

Claims

1. A seal device comprising:

a housing;

a controller disposed inside the housing, the controller comprising;

at least one sensor configured to measure motion data to detect motion of the seal device, and

a communication module; and

a seal connectable to the housing, wherein the seal comprises a shell and a conductive wire connectable to the controller;

wherein the controller is configured to;

cause the communication module to transmit at least one signal at least in response to one of;

a) determination, based on the motion data measured by the at least one sensor, of movement of the seal device, orb) detection of structural damage to the seal.

2. The seal device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of:

an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a barometer, a thermometer, an optical sensor, or an RF receiver.

3. The seal device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine structural integrity of the seal.

4. The seal device of claim 3, wherein the controller configured to determine the structural integrity of the seal is configured to:

determine disruption of electrical current flowing in the conductive wire of the seal, the electrical current generated using one or more batteries disposed inside the housing of the seal device.

5. The seal device of claim 1, wherein the controller configured to cause the communication module to transmit the at least one signal is configured to:

cause the communication module to transmit at least one Bluetooth-based signal, the at least one Bluetooth signal receivable by one or more Bluetooth-based remote receiving devices.

6. The seal device of claim 1, wherein the at least one signal comprises one or more of:

identifier data representative of identity of the seal device, or alert data representative of detected status of the seal device.

7. The seal device of claim 1, wherein the controller configured to cause the communication module to transmit the at least one signal is configured to:

cause the communication module to transmit periodical signals receivable by one or more remote receiving devices; and

cause the communication module to terminate transmission of the periodical signals in response to receipt, from a remote server, of a termination signal authorizing termination of the periodical signals, wherein the remote server is in communication with at least one of the one or more remote receiving devices configured to receive the periodical signals transmitted by the seal device.

8. The seal device of claim 1, further comprising a mechanical latch to secure the seal to the housing of the seal device, the latch configured to allow the seal to be removed from the housing.

9. The seal device of claim 1, further comprising a magnetic attachment mechanism disposed inside the housing, the magnetic attachment mechanism configured to magnetically attach the seal to the housing.

10. The seal device of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises an inductive or capacitive shell configured to detect physical contact between an object and the shell.

11. A method comprising:

receiving motion data for a seal device comprising a housing, a controller disposed inside the housing, and a seal connectable to the housing, the seal including a shell and a conductive wire connectable to the controller;

determining structural integrity of the seal connectable to the housing; and

transmitting at least one signal at least in response to one of;

a) determination, based on the motion data received for the seal device, of movement of the seal device, or b) detection, based on the determined structural integrity of the seal, of structural damage to the seal device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the motion data comprises:

measuring motion data using at least one sensor coupled to the seal device, the at least one sensor comprising at least one of;

an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a barometer, a thermometer, an optical sensor, or an RF receiver.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the structural integrity of the seal comprises:

determining disruption of electrical current flowing in the conductive wire of the seal.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein transmitting the at least one signal comprises:

transmitting at least one Bluetooth-based signal, the at least one Bluetooth signal receivable by one or more Bluetooth-based remote receiving devices.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one signal comprises one or more of:

identifier data representative of identity of the seal device, or alert data representative of detected status of the seal device.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein transmitting the at least one signal comprises:

transmitting periodical signals receivable by one or more remote receiving devices until receipt, from a remote server, of a termination signal authorizing termination of the transmitting of the periodical signals, wherein the remote server is in communication with at least one of the one or more remote receiving devices configured to receive the periodical signals transmitted by the seal device.

17. A system comprising:

a seal device comprising a housing, a controller disposed inside the housing, and a seal connectable to the housing, with the seal including a shell and a conductive wire connectable to the controller, wherein the controller comprises at least one sensor configured to measure motion data to detect motion of the seal device, and a communication module, and wherein the controller is configured to cause the communication module to transmit periodic wireless signals at least in response to one of;

a) determination, based on the motion data measured by the at least one sensor, of movement of the seal device, orb) detection of structural damage to the seal; and

one or more remote wireless nodes, with one of the one or more remote wireless nodes configured to transmit a termination signal, in response to receipt of at least one of the periodical wireless signals by at least one of the one or more remote wireless nodes, to terminate transmission of the at periodic wireless signals by the seal device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of:

an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a barometer, a thermometer, an optical sensor, or an RF receiver.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to determine structural integrity of the seal based on a determination of disruption of electrical current flowing in the conductive wire of the seal, the electrical current generated using one or more batteries disposed inside the housing of the seal device.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the communication module of the seal device to terminate transmission of the periodical wireless signals in response to receipt, from the one of the one or more wireless nodes, of the termination signal.