Security monitoring system and method
First Claim
1. A tamperproof security device for remotely monitoring the security status of an article, said device including:
- a passive two way communication circuit for receiving a remotely generated request for status information and, responsive to said request, for transmitting said status information to a remote location; and
breakable substrate means for supporting said passive circuit and for support positioning the security device on said article so that said substrate is broken and said circuit is desabled when said article has been subject to tampering.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An arrangement for monitoring the security status of an object includes affixing to the object a passive two way communication circuit such as a frangible radio security tag or smart label. The tag or label, when operational, is arranged to receive a remotely generated request for status information and, responsive to the request, to transmit status information to a remote device. The radio tag or label is affixed to the object in a manner so that it is rendered inoperative if the object is tampered with. By remotely monitoring the status information on a periodic basis, the security of the object can thus be determined. The tag can include a circuit built on a substrate that is scored or otherwise rendered breakable along a predetermined axis or in a predetermined direction. This assures that when the object to which the radio tag is affixed is subject to authorized manipulation or tampering, critical components in the tag will in fact break. If desired, the radio tag can be incorporated into a label or other covering to make the radio tag inconspicuous.
-
Citations
13 Claims
-
1. A tamperproof security device for remotely monitoring the security status of an article, said device including:
-
a passive two way communication circuit for receiving a remotely generated request for status information and, responsive to said request, for transmitting said status information to a remote location; and breakable substrate means for supporting said passive circuit and for support positioning the security device on said article so that said substrate is broken and said circuit is desabled when said article has been subject to tampering. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A method of monitoring an object to detect the occurrence of tampering with said object, the method including the steps of:
-
affixing a radio tag to said object; and arranging said radio tag to respond to remotely generated status inquiry signals only if said object has not been tampered with. - View Dependent Claims (8)
-
-
9. A method of monitoring an article to detect the occurrence of tampering with said article, the method including the steps of:
-
arranging a radio tag so that the functionality of said radio tag is impaired if at least one component in said radio tag is broken; and affixing said radio tag to said article, so that said component is broken when said article is tampered with.
-
-
10. A tamperproof security device for monitoring the security status of an article, said device including a multilayer structure including:
-
a first layer including a printable surface; a second layer adjacent to said first layer and including a passive two way communication circuit for receiving a remotely generated request for status information and, responsive to said request, for transmitting said status information to a remote device; and a third layer adjacent to said second layer and including a breakable backing.
-
-
11. A system for remotely monitoring the security status of an object, said system comprising:
-
a radio tag assembly; means arranged to send messages to said radio tag assembly and, to receive responses from said radio tag assembly; and means for affixing said radio tag assembly to said object so that said radio tag assembly does not respond to said messages when said object has been tampered with.
-
-
12. A method for remotely monitoring the security status of an object, said method comprising the steps of:
-
affixing a passive transponder to said object; sending messages from a remote site to said transponder; receiving messages from said transponder in said remote site when said transponder is operational; and disabling said transponder from responding to messages from said remote site when said object has been tampered with.
-
-
13. A method of remotely monitoring the security status of an article, including the steps of:
-
receiving in a passive two way communication circuit, a remotely generated request for status information; responsive to said request, transmitting said status information to a remote location; and positioning the security device on said article so that said circuit is disabled when said article has been subject to tampering.
-
Specification