IC tag whose function can be changed upon separation

• US 7,843,315 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2005
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hinode, Haruo, Kumai, Hisao, Hiraide, Junji, Sugayama, Touru, Satoh, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang; Son M
• Application Number:
  US11/665,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20090121876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,876 Days
• Field of Search: 3405723-5727, 340/372.5, 340/10.1, 340/10.2, 340/10.51, 340/825.71, 343/776, 235/383
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/072 the record carrier comprising a plurality of integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/073 Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07381 with deactivation or otherwise incapacitation of at least a part of the circuit upon detected tampering
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07726 the record comprising means for indicating first use, e.g. a frangible layer

Abstract

Data falsification or the like is prevented and security is enhanced in an IC tag. The IC tag consists of three portions: separable portions A1 and A2, and a non-separable portion B (tag main body). The portions A1, A2, and B include IC1, IC2, and IC3, and antenna 1, antenna 2, and antenna 3, respectively, the antennas being an interface between the tag and the outside (a reader/writer device for the exchange of data with the tag). IC1 (10) and IC2 (20) are connected by a signal line L1 for signal transmission between IC1 (10) and IC2 (20). IC2 (20) and IC3 (30) are connected by a signal line L2 for signal transmission between IC2 (20) and IC3 (30). Upon separation of A1 from the tag main body, the signal line L1 is also severed. Similarly, upon separation of A2 from the tag main body, the signal line L2 is severed. Each time the separable portions are separated in the order of A1 to A2, the separation of A1 or A2 is detected, and the function of the tag is changed from the first function to the third function sequentially.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit (IC) tag comprising

a number n of separable portions Ak from A1 to An, wherein n is a natural number such that n≧

1 and k is a natural number such that 1≦

k≦

n, and

a portion An+1 in addition to the separable portions A1 to An,

wherein each separable portion Ak includes an integrated circuit ICk and the portion An+1 includes an integrated circuit ICn+1, the IC tag further comprising

a number n of signal lines Lk from L1 to Ln, wherein each signal line Lk electrically connects the ICk and the ICk+1 such that an electrical signal connection is broken upon separation of the portion Ak from the portion Ak+1,

wherein each time a separable portion Ak is separated from portion Ak+1, the separation of the portion Ak is detected and a function of the tag is changed from a k-th function to a k+1-th function.

2. The IC tag according to claim 1, wherein the ICk has the k-th function individually, and the ICn+1 has a n+1-th function.

3. The IC tag according to claim 1, wherein the ICk and at least one of the ICk+1 to ICn+1 share a function for realizing the k-th function.

4. The IC tag according to claim 1, wherein the ICk has an independent function, and the ICk and at least one of the ICk+1 to ICn+1 share a function for realizing the k-th function.

5. The IC tag according to claim 1, wherein any one of IC1 to ICk that include at least ICk has the function of restricting the expression of the k+1-th function of the tag as a whole.

6. The IC tag according to claim 1, wherein the separable portion Ak includes a storage unit Mk and the portion An+1 includes a storage unit Mn+1, the storage unit Mk having a storage region for storing at least one of items of data obtained by the tag based on the first function to the k-th function,

wherein the storage unit Mn+1 has a storage region for storing at least one of items of data obtained by the tag based on the k-th to a n+1-th function.

7. The IC tag according to claim 6, wherein the ICk to ICn+1 include a read-dedicating circuit for making, upon separation of the Ak, the regions of the storage unit Mk to Mn+1 for storing the data obtained on the basis of the k-th function, dedicated for reading.

8. The IC tag according to claim 1, wherein the IC includes a communication unit for communication with the outside, and a control unit for controlling the communication unit.

9. The IC tag according to claim 8, wherein the Ak portion separated from the tag main body functions as an independent IC tag by maintaining its external communication function.

10. The IC tag according to claim 1, wherein the Ak portion comprises:

an Lk severing detection unit for detecting a severing in the line Lk; and

an Ak severing determination unit that uses the result of detection of the presence or absence of severing in the signal line Lk for a determination of severing of the Ak.

11. The IC tag according to claim 10, wherein the Ak severing determination unit includes a unit for making, upon determining that Ak has been separated from the tag main body, a data storage region of the storage unit Mk allocated to the data obtained by at least the first to the k-th function, dedicated for reading.

12. The IC tag according to claim 11, wherein the Lk severing detection unit of the Ak portion detects severing of the signal line Lk based on the presence or absence of a signal from ICk+1.

13. The IC tag according to claim 12, comprising:

an impedance change detection unit for detecting a change in the impedance of a line that straddles the two regions Ak and Ak+1 and which is severed upon separation of the Ak from the tag; and

an Ak separation detection unit for determining the separation of Ak based on the result of detections made by the Lk severing detection unit and the impedance change detection unit.

14. The IC tag according to claim 1, wherein the separable portion Ak+1 comprises:

an Lk severing detection unit for detecting severing of the signal line Lk; and

an Ak severing determination unit that uses the result of detection of presence or absence of severing of the signal line Lk for the determination of separation of the Ak,

wherein the Lk severing detection unit of the Ak+1 portion determines the separation of the signal line Lk based on the presence or absence of a signal from ICk.

15. The IC tag according to claim 14, wherein the Ak+1 portion comprises:

an impedance change detection unit for detecting a change in the impedance of a line that straddles the two regions Ak and Ak+1 and which is severed when the Ak portion is separated from the tag,

wherein the Ak severing determination unit determines the separation of Ak based on the result of detection conducted by the Lk severing detection unit and the impedance change detection unit.

16. The IC tag according to claim 1, wherein an information Ck+1 becomes obtainable upon separation of the portion Ak.

17. The IC tag according to claim 16, wherein the information Ck+1 is information necessary for activating at least one of the k+1-th function to a n+1-th function of the tag.

18. The IC tag according to claim 16, wherein the information Ck+1 is denoted in an electrically or mechanically readable code format, or in a format that can be read by humans, including numbers, letters, and/or symbols.

19. The IC tag according to claim 18, wherein the information Ck+1 is indicated at a position such that it can be acquired only after the Ak is separated.

20. The IC tag according to claim 19, having a structure such that at least part of Ak is layered on Am, wherein m is a natural number such that k<

m≦

n, or An+1,

wherein the information Ck+1 is indicated on Am, or at a portion of An+1 that is hidden by Ak.

21. The IC tag according to claim 1, comprising a line that is used for the determination of the separation of Ak which is electrically separated from the tag upon separation from the tag,

wherein the line used for separation determination has a first wiring pattern such that no electric separation occurs in the line used for separation determination just because a part of Ak is severed from the tag along the separating line.

22. The IC tag according to claim 21, comprising the first wiring pattern arranged such that branch lines used for separation determination and the lines used for separation determination intersect the separating line of Ak at a plurality of locations.

23. The IC tag according to claim 21, wherein the width of the line used for the Ak separation determination is substantially equal to the length of the separating line at and near the separating line.

24. The IC tag according to claim 1, comprising:

a separating line for separating Ak from the tag, and a line used for the determination of separation of Ak which is electrically separated from the tag upon separation from the tag,

the IC tag comprising a second wiring pattern in which electric separation develops in the line used for the Ak separation determination simply upon separation of a part of Ak from the tag along the separating line.

25. The IC tag according to claim 24, wherein the second wiring pattern is arranged such that the separating line and the line used for the Ak separation determination repeatedly intersect each other.

26. The IC tag according to claim 1, wherein A1 or An+1 comprises:

an initial setting cutout line for the initial setting of the IC tag; and

means for detecting the presence or absence of severing in the cutout line.

27. The IC tag according to claim 26, comprising a plurality of the initial setting cutout lines, wherein a different initial setting is made depending on which one of the cutout lines is cut into.

28. An integrated circuit (IC) tag comprising

a number n of separable portions Ak from A1 to An, wherein n is a natural number such that n≧

1 and k is a natural number such that 1≦

k≦

n, and

a non-separable portion An+1 in addition to the separable portions A1 to An,

a number n of signal lines Lk from L1 to Ln, wherein each signal line Lk electrically connects the ICk and the ICn+1 such that an electric signal connection is severed upon separation of separable portion Ak from portion An+1, the portion An+1 having an Ak separation detection unit,

and wherein each time a separable portion Ak is separated from portion An+1 sequentially in the order of k=1 to n, the separation of the portion Ak is detected and a function of the tag changes from a k-th function to a k+1-th function such that the function of the IC tag changes sequentially from a first function when none of portions A1 to An are separated from portion An+1 to a n+1-th function when all of portions A1 to An are separated from portion An+1.

29. The IC tag according to claim 28, wherein the ICk oversees the k-th function individually, and the ICn+1 oversees the n+1-th function.

30. The IC tag according to claim 28, wherein at least one of the ICn+1 to ICk+1 and the ICk share the function for realizing the k-th function.

31. The IC tag according to claim 28, wherein at least one of the IC1 to ICk−

1 has a function for restraining the expression of the k-th function.

32. The IC tag according to claim 28, wherein the separable portion Ak includes a storage unit Mk, the storage unit Mk having a region for storing data obtained by at least the k-th function.

33. The IC tag according to claim 32, comprising a mechanism for making, upon separation of the Ak, the storage region of the storage unit Mj, wherein j is a natural number such that k≦

j≦

n+1, for the data obtained by the k-th function, dedicated for reading.

34. The IC tag according to claim 32, wherein the Ak portion comprises function for communicating with the outside, wherein the communication function is maintained even when the Ak is separated from the tag main body so that the IC tag can function.

35. The IC tag according to claim 34, wherein the Ak portion comprises an Lk severing detection unit for detecting severing of the line Lk, and an Ak severing determination unit that uses the result of detection of presence or absence of severing of the signal line Lk for the Ak separation determination.

36. The IC tag according to claim 35, wherein the Ak severing determination unit detects the separation of the signal line Lk based on the presence or absence of a signal from the ICn+1.

37. The IC tag according to claim 35, wherein the separation detection unit comprises an impedance change detection unit for detecting a change in the impedance of a line that straddles the two portions Ak and portion An+1 and that is severed upon separation of the Ak portion from the tag, wherein the determination of separation of portion Ak is made on the basis of the result of detection by the Lk severing detection unit and the impedance change detection unit.

38. The IC tag according to claim 28, wherein the portion An+1 comprises a storage unit Mn+1, the storage unit Mn+1 includes a region for storing at least one of items of data obtained on the basis of the first to the n+1-th functions.

39. An integrated circuit (IC) tag comprising

a number n of separable portions Ak from A1 to An, wherein n is a natural number such that n≧

1 and k is a natural number such that 1≦

k≦

n, and

a non-separable portion An+1 other than the separable portions A1 to An,

wherein each separable portion Ak includes an integrated circuit ICk and the non-separable portion An+1 includes an integrated circuit ICn+1, the IC tag further comprising;

a number n of signal lines Lk from L1 to Ln, wherein each signal line Lk electrically connects the ICk and the ICn+1 such that an electric signal connection is severed upon separation of the portion Ak from portion An+1, the portion An+1 comprising an Ak separation detection unit, and

wherein the function of the tag is changed depending on which of the portions A1 to An are separated from the tag.