Apparatus for electronically determining whether a tax for a product has been paid

• US 7,364,089 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Francis M. Claessens, John P. Palmer, Timo W. Kipp
• Original Assignee: Francis M. Claessens, John P. Palmer, Timo W. Kipp
• Inventors: Kipp, Timo W., Claessens, Francis M., Palmer, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAIL, ALLYSON NEEL
• Application Number:
  US11/391,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20060180650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/375, 235/487, 705/19, 347/5, 345/204, 436/56
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 55/02 Locking devices; Means for discouraging or indicating unauthorised opening or removal of closure B65D41/32 takes precedence; protective covers for bottles B65D23/08; protective cap-like outer covers for bottle or jar closures B65D41/62; pressure-applying means B65D45/00; closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal of closures B65D50/00
• 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 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• 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: G06Q 20/207 Tax processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/13 Tracers or tags

Abstract

An apparatus for electronically determining whether a tax or duty has been paid for the contents of that container. A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag is placed on the container which includes information indicative of whether the tax has been paid. The RFID tag includes a substrate, a radio frequency transceiver circuit mounted upon the substrate and connected to an antenna having a fixed length that is also mounted upon the substrate, and, preferably, a protrusion affixed to or a slot in the substrate. Preferably, the RFID tag is placed within the container'"'"'s cap, such that, when mounted on the container, the cap mates with a ratchet wheel connected to the container that engages the protrusion or slot such that removing the cap from the container will cause the substrate to fracture and thereby cause the RFID tag to become permanently disabled.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in tracking whether a tax has been paid for a closed container, comprising:

a container;

a cap for closing said container;

a radio frequency identification tag comprising a substrate mounted on an inner surface of said cap and a radio frequency transceiver circuit adapted to transmit a signal upon receipt of a transmit command and mounted upon said substrate, said radio frequency identification tag containing information indicating whether the tax for said container has been paid; and

an engagement member interconnecting said substrate mounted on said inner surface of said cap and said container such that removing said cap from said container results in said radio frequency identification tag becoming permanentiy disabled.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, whereby the removal of said cap results in the fracture of said substrate thereby causing said radio frequency tag to become permanently disabled.