TAMPER-EVIDENT ITEM AND ITEM VALIDATION SYSTEM AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A tamper sensing element for a product wherein the product comprises a housing or casing having a critical area where the housing or casing can be opened or separated at or along a critical area;
- the tamper sensing element being operable to determine if the housing or casing has been opened or separated at or along the critical area;
the tamper sensing element comprising;
a sensor for detecting a change in a monitored parameter indicative of the housing or casing having been opened or separated at or along the critical area;
a memory for storing product data and tag data;
a circuit for updating the memory upon detection of a change in the parameter monitored by the sensor; and
means for transmitting information contained in the memory upon being queried by a scanning device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A tamper sensing element is provided which can be applied to a product having a housing or casing with a critical area where the housing or casing can be opened or separated at or along a critical area. The tamper sensing element is operable to determine if the housing or casing has been opened or separated at or along the critical area. The tamper sensing element comprises a sensor for detecting a change in a monitored parameter indicative of the housing or casing having been opened or separated at or along the critical area, a memory for storing product data and tag data; a circuit for updating the memory upon detection of a change in the parameter monitored by the sensor; and means for transmitting information contained in the memory upon being queried by a scanning device. Also disclosed is a system and method for use at security check points for scanning/screening products provided with the tamper sensing element so that a security official/screener can readily determine if a product has potentially been tampered with.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A tamper sensing element for a product wherein the product comprises a housing or casing having a critical area where the housing or casing can be opened or separated at or along a critical area;
- the tamper sensing element being operable to determine if the housing or casing has been opened or separated at or along the critical area;
the tamper sensing element comprising;a sensor for detecting a change in a monitored parameter indicative of the housing or casing having been opened or separated at or along the critical area; a memory for storing product data and tag data; a circuit for updating the memory upon detection of a change in the parameter monitored by the sensor; and means for transmitting information contained in the memory upon being queried by a scanning device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
- the tamper sensing element being operable to determine if the housing or casing has been opened or separated at or along the critical area;
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22. A method for scanning a tamper evident product at a security screening checkpoint;
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a tamper evident product comprising housing or casing having critical area where the housing or casing can be opened or separated and a tamper sensing element capable of determining if the housing or casing has been separated at or along the critical area;
wherein the tamper sensing element comprises a sensor for detecting a change in a monitored parameter indicative of the housing or casing having been separated or opened at or along the critical area, a memory for storing tamper indicator data indicative of the a state of the tamper sensing element, product data comprising data identifying the product, and tag data comprising data identifying the tamper sensing element;
a circuit for updating the memory upon detection of a change in the parameter monitored by the sensor; and
means for transmitting the data contained in the memory upon being queried;the method comprising; reading with a scanner the tamper indicator data, the product data, and the tag data stored on the tamper sensing element; accessing a data record of a remote database containing product data and tag data corresponding to the scanned product; electronically evaluating the value of the tamper indicator data to determine if the housing or casing of the product has been opened or separated at or along the critical area; electronically comparing the tag data and product data stored on the tamper sensing element with the tag data and product data stored in the remote database; and activating an indicator on the scanner to provide a “
go”
signal (a) if the value of the tamper indicator data indicates that the housing or casing has not been separated or opened at or along he critical area and (b) if the tag data and product data stored on the tamper sensing element is identical to the tag data and product data stored in the database, andactivating the indicator on the scanner to provide a “
no go”
signal (a) if the value of the tamper indicator data indicates that the housing or casing has been separated or opened at or along he critical area or (b) if the tag data and product data stored on the tamper sensing element is not identical to the tag data and product data stored in the database. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification