Document security system

• US 7,129,840 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2002
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Graham, Jamey, Hull, Jonathan J., Lee, Dar-Shyang, Segawa, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung T.
• Application Number:
  US10/235,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20040041707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.1, 340/10.42, 3405721-5728, 340/825.36, 340/825.49, 340/10.1, 235/385
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2454 Checking of authorisation of a person accessing tagged items in an EAS system

Abstract

Document monitoring provides a measure of document security. Documents incorporating radio frequency identification (RFID) tags can be monitored by appropriate interrogation components for movement activity. A surface suitable for placement of documents is configured for monitoring RFID tagged documents. Such documents can be monitored in a document processing device to control access to the document processing functions.

Claims

1. A document monitoring device comprising:

a plurality of sensors disposed about an area of a structure suitable for placement of one or more documents, each sensor producing a sensor output signal in response to sensing a response signal produced by a document; and

a detection module coupled to receive sensor output signals from said sensors to produce a detection signal indicative of movement of a first document disposed on said structure,

wherein a first set of sensor output signals that are produced by a first set of said sensors is associated with a first position of said first document and a second set of sensor output signals that are produced by a second set of said sensors is associated with a second position of said second document,

wherein said detection signal is produced based on said first set of sensors and said second set of sensors.

2. The device of claim 1 further including a recording device operable to collect audio, or visual, or audio-visual data in response to a presence of said detection signal to produce captured data.

3. The device of claim 2 further including associating said captured data with information indicative of said first document.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein said captured data includes image data representative of a person who caused said movement of said first document.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein each said sensor includes circuitry to generate an interrogation signal suitable for producing said response signal from a radio frequency identification device (RFID) disposed upon said structure.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said RFID device is disposed in said document and is re-writable, and said interrogation signal is suitable to effect storage of first information on said RFID device, said first information representative of said detection signal wherein a history of movement of said document can be stored in said RFID device.

7. The device of claim 1 further including at least one signal source to generate an interrogation signal suitable for producing said response signal from a radio frequency identification device (RFID) disposed in said document.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said RFID device is re-writable and said interrogation signal is suitable to effect storage of first information on said RFID device, said first information representative of said detection signal wherein a history of movement of said document can be stored in said RFID device.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein said sensors are radio frequency identification device (RFID) interrogation devices suitable for interrogating at least one RFID component that is physically associated said first document.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein said sensors are arranged in a regular pattern.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein said sensors are arranged in an irregular pattern.

12. The device of claim 1 as incorporated in an output tray of a document processing apparatus, and including a recording device operatively coupled with said detection signal and in response to said detection signal operative to collect audio, or visual, or audio-visual data.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein said document processing apparatus includes one of a printer, a copier, and a facsimile transmission machine.

14. A document monitoring device comprising:

an interrogation source to produce an interrogation signal;

a plurality of sensors disposed about an area of a structure suitable for placement of one or more documents, each sensor responsive to proximity of a document by producing a sensor output signal, said document producing a response signal upon exposure to said interrogation signal, said response signal being detectable by one or more of said sensors; and

a detection module coupled to receive sensor output signals from said sensors to produce a detection signal indicative of movement of a first document disposed on said structure.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said interrogation source comprises a transmitter to generate and transmit an interrogation signal suitable to produce a response signal from a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein said RFID tag is a re-writable, said interrogation signal being suitable to effect storage of information on said RFID tag, wherein said information is representative of said detection signal.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein said sensors comprise an antenna and a receiver circuit suitable to detect said response signal.

18. The device of claim 14 wherein a first set of sensor output signals that are produced by a first set of said sensors is associated with a first position of said first document and a second set of sensor output signals that are produced by a second set of said sensors is associated with a second position of said second document,

wherein said detection signal is produced based on determining whether said first set of sensors is the same as said second set of sensors.

19. A method for monitoring a first document disposed atop a surface, said first document having at least one radio frequency identification device (RFID) tag physically associated therewith, the method comprising:

in a first period of time, transmitting one or more first interrogation signals and in response thereto receiving one or more first response signals from said RFID tag;

in a second period of time, transmitting one or more second interrogation signals and in response thereto receiving one or more second response signals from said RFID tag; and

based on said first response signals and said second response signals, determining whether a position of said first document has changed between said first period of time and said second period of time.

20. The method of claim 19 further including producing captured data comprising audio, or visual, or audio-visual data in response to a determination that said position of said first document has changed.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said RFID tag is re-writable, the method further including storing said captured data on said RFID tag.

22. The method of claim 20 further including associating said captured data with information indicative of said first document.

23. The device of claim 20 wherein said captured data includes image data representative of a person who caused said changed of position of said first document.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein said one or more first response signals are received at one or more first locations, said one or more second response signals are received at one or more second locations, and said comparing includes comparing said first locations and said second locations.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein said one or more first response signals and said one or more second response signals each is associated with a sensor, said comparing includes comparing the set of sensors associated with said first locations and the set of sensors associated with said second locations.

26. The method of claim 19 wherein said one or more first interrogation signals are transmitted from a plurality of locations and said one or more second interrogation signals are transmitted from said plurality of locations.

27. The method of claim 19 as incorporated in a desktop.

28. The method of claim 19 further including collecting audio, or visual, or audio-visual data in response to a determination that said position of said first document has changed.

29. The method of claim 28 as incorporated in a document processing device.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein said document processing device includes one of a printer, a copier, and a facsimile transmission machine.

31. Apparatus for monitoring documents having radio frequency identification (RFID) devices physically associated therewith, the apparatus comprising:

interrogation means for interrogating an RFID device disposed on a surface of a structure, said RFID producing one or more response signals in response to said interrogating;

sensing means for sensing said response signals at a plurality of locations arranged about said structure; and

detection means for detecting a change in location of said RFID device on said surface based on a first set of response signals and a second set of response signals,

wherein said first set of response signals are produced when said RFID device is at a first position and said second set of response signals are produced when said RFID device is at a second position.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein each response signal is associated with one of said locations, wherein said detecting a change in location is based on differences between locations of said first response signals and locations of said second response signals.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said sensing means comprises a plurality of antennas, wherein said detecting a change in location is based on differences between antennas which received said first response signals and antennas which received said second response signals.

34. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said interrogation means includes a plurality of interrogation circuits disposed about said structure.

35. In a document processing device, a document monitoring component comprising:

at least one interrogation source to produce an interrogation signal;

a plurality of sensors disposed about a document reception area suitable for receiving one or more documents, each sensor responsive to proximity of a document and operable to produce a sensor output signal indicative of said document;

a detection module coupled to receive sensor output signals from said sensors to produce a detection signal indicative of movement of a first document disposed on said structure; and

a recording device operatively coupled to receive said detection signal and to obtain user identification information representative of a user,

wherein said document produces a response signal upon exposure to said interrogation signal and said sensors can detect said response signal,

wherein a first set of sensor output signals is associated with a first position of said first document and a second set of sensor output signals is associated with a second position of said second document,

wherein said detection signal is produced based on said first set of sensor output signals and on said second set of sensor output signals.

36. The device of claim 35 wherein said document reception area is an input component for receiving original documents, wherein document processing functions are enabled based on said sensor output signals and said user identification information.

37. The device of claim 35 wherein said first set of sensor output signals are produced by a first set of said sensors and said second set of sensor output signals are produced by a second set of said sensors, wherein said detection signal is produced based on determining whether said first set of sensors is the same as said second set of sensors.

38. The device of claim 35 wherein each said sensor includes said one or more interrogation sources, said interrogation signal suitable for producing a response signal in a radio frequency identification tag (RFID) disposed upon said structure.

39. The device of claim 35 wherein said RFID tag is disposed in said document.

40. The device of claim 35 wherein there is only a single interrogation source comprising a transmitter circuit to generate and transmit an interrogation signal suitable for producing a response signal in a radio frequency identification device (RFID) disposed upon said structure.

41. The device of claim 40 wherein said sensors are antennas, each having an associated receiver circuit.

42. The device of claim 35 wherein said document processing apparatus includes one of a printer, a copier, and a facsimile transmission machine.