Anti-counterfeiting label preserving functionality after use

• US 9,893,889 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2015
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WISeKey Semiconductors
• Original Assignee: WISeKey Semiconductors
• Inventors: Enguent, Jean-Pierre, Boiron, Ghislain, Pic, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): LY, TOAN C
• Application Number:
  US15/312,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20170195120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 235451
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/023 Neck construction
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2539/008 with coatings or coverings
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2555/02 Locking devices; Means for discouraging or indicating unauthorised opening or removal of closure
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 39/0011 from natural or synthetic cork, e.g. for wine bottles or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 39/0058 from natural or synthetic cork, e.g. for wine bottles or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 55/028 initial opening or unauthorised access being indicated by the presence or absence of an audible or electrical signal
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 55/06 Deformable or tearable wires, strings, or strips containers specially constructed to be opened by tear-strips, strings or the like B65D17/00; caps or cap-like closures with tear-strips B65D41/32; Use of seals , e.g. destructible locking pins B65D55/022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• 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 19/0739 the incapacitated circuit being part of an antenna
• 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: G08B 13/2431 Tag circuit details
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials

Abstract

A near field magnetically coupled anti-counterfeiting tag comprises a control microcircuit configured to implement a basic function and a cryptographic function; a sacrificial conductive track located across a sacrificial area of the tag; and a circuit for detecting continuity of the sacrificial track, cooperating with the microcircuit to implement the basic function without implementing the cryptographic function when the sacrificial track is broken.

Claims

1. A near field magnetically coupled contactless tag, comprising:

a control chip for implementing a basic function and a cryptographic function (CCP);

a sacrificial conductive track located across a sacrificial area of the tag; and

a circuit for detecting continuity of the sacrificial track, cooperating with the microcircuit to implement the basic function without implementing the cryptographic function when the sacrificial track is broken.

2. The tag according to claim 1, wherein the microcircuit is a standard microcircuit comprising a programmable digital input/output pin (IO), the sacrificial track being connected between the input/output pin and a power supply pin (GND) of the microcircuit, the microcircuit being programmed to test the state of the input/output pin to determine the implementation of the cryptographic function.

3. The tag according to claim 1, comprising an antenna circuit configured to ensure a continuity detection function, the sacrificial track being connected to the antenna circuit so that its rupture shifts the frequency tuning of the antenna circuit, the offset in the tuning frequency being selected such that the supply power received by the microcircuit is lowered to a level insufficient for implementing the cryptographic function, yet sufficient for implementing the basic function.

4. The tag according to claim 3, comprising:

a foldable substrate in the form of a tape;

an antenna included in the antenna circuit;

a capacitor (C1) connected to the antenna circuit;

a sacrificial impedance (C1s, C2s); and

the sacrificial track configured on the tape to connect the sacrificial impedance (C1s, C2s) to the antenna circuit.

5. The tag according to claim 4, wherein:

the antenna comprises turns wound in a ring around a central area of the tape;

the sacrificial impedance (C1s) is located at a first end of the tape; and

the sacrificial track includes a loop extending toward a second end of the tape.

6. The tag according to claim 5, comprising a plurality of tapes intersecting at the antenna, the sacrificial track forming a loop in each tape segment extending from the antenna, except a segment supporting the sacrificial impedance (C1s).

7. The tag according to claim 5, comprising a plurality of tapes intersecting at the antenna, the sacrificial track forming a loop in a tape segment opposite to that supporting the sacrificial impedance (C1s).

8. A container comprising:

a cork; and

a tag according to claim 5 wherein the substrate region carrying the antenna has a smaller diameter than the cork, fixed by glue to the container and cork so that the antenna is centered on the cork.

9. The container of claim 8, wherein conductive tracks of the tag are located on the side of the tape facing the container, whereby an attempt to remove the tape damages the conductive tracks.

10. The container of claim 8 in the form of a bottle comprising a cap enveloping the cork, the neck of the bottle, and the tape, the cap including, in the vicinity of the cork, a material permeable to magnetic field.

11. The tag according to claim 4, wherein the tape includes breaking points between the antenna and the sacrificial impedance.

12. The tag according to claim 4, wherein the sacrificial track comprises two segments located on either side of the tape, and configured as a twisted pair.