Dual-mode anti-counterfeiting tag

• US 9,934,460 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2015
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• 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, Guidet, Tania
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US15/312,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20170193347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 235492
• 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

An NFC tag includes a foldable substrate in the form of a tape; an antenna located at a first end of the tape; a capacitor connected to the antenna, located at the first end of the tape; an impedance, in particular a capacitor, located at a second end of the tape; and conductive tracks running along the tape to connect the impedance to the antenna.

Claims

1. A near field magnetically coupled device comprising:

a foldable substrate in the form of a tape having a first end and a second end, the first end and the second end being located on either side of a sacrificial area;

an antenna located at the first end of the tape;

a capacitor located at the first end of the tape, the capacitor being connected for influencing a tuning frequency of the antenna;

a sacrificial impedance located at the second end of the tape, the sacrificial impedance being connected for influencing the tuning frequency of the antenna; and

conductive tracks running along the tape, across the sacrificial area, to connect the sacrificial impedance to the antenna,

wherein a rupture of the sacrificial area disconnects the sacrificial impedance and modifies the tuning frequency of the antenna.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the sacrificial impedance defines with the antenna and the capacitor a nominal tuning frequency, the device further comprising a control microcircuit connected to be power-supplied from the antenna, a value of the capacitor being chosen so that, in the absence of the sacrificial impedance, the microcircuit power supply is insufficient to provide a full functionality, but sufficient to provide a limited functionality, when the device is powered by a field at the nominal frequency.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the full functionality of the microcircuit includes information reading functions and cryptographic functions, and the limited functionality of the microcircuit is devoid of the cryptographic functions.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the tape includes breaking points in a central part of the tape.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the conductive connecting the sacrificial impedance and the antenna are located on either side of the tape, and are configured as a twisted pair.

6. A container comprising:

a closure member;

a tape placed across the closure member and glued to the container, the tape surface area bonded to the container being chosen so that the rupture strength of the bonding is greater than the rupture strength of the tape, whereby withdrawal of the closure member causes a rupture of the tape in a sacrificial area; and

included on the tape, near field magnetically coupled device comprising;

an antenna at a first end of the tape;

a capacitor located at the first end of the tape and connected for influencing a tuning frequency of the antenna;

a sacrificial impedance located at the second end of the tape and connected for influencing the tuning frequency of the antenna; and

conductive tracks running along the tape, and across the sacrificial area, to connect the impedance to the antenna,

wherein a rupture of the sacrificial area disconnects the sacrificial impedance and modifies the tuning frequency of the antenna.

7. The container of claim 6, wherein the tape includes break points adjacent the closure member.

8. The container of claim 6, wherein conductive tracks forming the antenna and interconnecting the components of the near field magnetically coupled device are located on the side of the tape facing the container, whereby an attempt to remove the tape damages the conductive tracks.

9. The container of claim 6, wherein the container is a bottle and the closure member is a cork.

10. The container of claim 9 in the form of a bottle including a cap enveloping the cork, the neck of the bottle, and the tape, the tape length up to the antenna being selected so that the cap exposes the antenna to electromagnetic fields.

11. A near field magnetically coupled device comprising:

a foldable substrate in the form of a tape having first and second ends attachable to respective separable objects, and configured to rupture when the objects are separated;

an antenna located at the first end of the tape;

a control microcircuit connected to be powered by the antenna, capable of providing full functionality when the antenna is tuned to a nominal frequency, and providing limited functionality when the antenna is tuned to an offset frequency;

a capacitor connected to the antenna, located at the first end of the tape, and configured, when used alone, to tune the antenna to the offset frequency;

an impedance connected to the antenna, located at the second end of the tape, and configured in conjunction with the capacitor to tune the antenna to the nominal frequency; and

conductive tracks running along the tape to connect the impedance to the antenna,

wherein, when the tape is ruptured, the impedance is disconnected from the antenna and the antenna is tuned to the offset frequency.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the full functionality of the microcircuit includes information reading functions and cryptographic functions, and the limited functionality of the microcircuit is devoid of the cryptographic functions.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the tape includes breaking points in a central part of the tape.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the conductive tracks connecting the impedance and the antenna are located on either side of the tape, and are configured as a twisted pair.