Circuit and method for electronic security seal

• US 20030189491A1
• Filed: 03/25/2003
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sing King Ng
• Original Assignee: Sing King Ng
• Inventors: Ng, Sing King
• Application Number:
  US10/396,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20030189491A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.9
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/04 characterised by the shape
• 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 19/07798 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

Abstract

Disclosed is an electronic circuit for an electronic seal of an identification system, wherein the seal is for communicating with a reader of the identification system, the seal including a bolt, the bolt including a shank and a housing that defines a cavity for receiving the shank. The electronic circuit includes: a controller having an input channel for receiving a first signal indicative of a status of the shank, and for generating a second signal based on the first signal; and a transmitter in communication with the controller for transmitting the second signal to the reader.

Claims

1. An electronic circuit for an electronic seal of an identification system, wherein the seal is for communicating with a reader of the identification system, the seal including a bolt, the bolt including a shank and a housing that defines a cavity for receiving the shank, the electronic circuit comprising:

a controller having an input channel for receiving a first signal indicative of a status of the shank, and for generating a second signal based on the first signal; and

a transmitter in communication with the controller for transmitting the second signal to the reader.

2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the status of the shank is selected from the group consisting of a locked state and a tampered state.

3. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the second signal includes a data frame, wherein the data frame includes a preamble, at least one data block, and at least one synchronization block, wherein the data block includes data indicative of the status of the shank.

4. The circuit of claim 3, wherein the data frame includes three identical data blocks and a synchronization block between each data block.

5. The circuit of claim 3, wherein the controller is for pseudo-randomly generating the data frame of the second signal, such that the data frame may be pseudo-randomly transmitted by the transmitter to the reader.

6. The circuit of claim 3, wherein the data block includes data associated with the seal.

7. The circuit of claim 6, wherein the data associated with the seal includes data indicative of an identification number of the seal.

8. The circuit of claim 3, wherein the data block includes data associated with a shipment.

9. The circuit of claim 8, wherein the data associated with the shipment is selected from the group consisting of destination, consignee, load port, discharge port and vessel number.

10. The circuit of claim 3, wherein the data block includes data associated with a container.

11. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising a power supply for powering both the controller and the transmitter.

12. The circuit of claim 11, further comprising an antenna in communication with the transmitter.

13. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising a memory in communication with the controller, wherein the memory stores a tamper code and a normal code, and wherein the controller is for generating the second signal using one of the tamper code and the normal code based on the status of the shank.

14. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the controller includes:

a security checking module in communication with the memory, wherein the security checking module is for receiving the first signal and generating the second signal based thereon; and

a modulation circuit in communication with the security checking module and the transmitter for encoding the signal second prior to transmission by the transmitter.

15. The circuit of claim 14, wherein the modulation circuit is for FSK encoding the second signal.

16. The circuit of claim 14, wherein the controller further includes a random generator module in communication with modulation circuit.

17. The circuit of claim 16, wherein the controller includes a clock generator module in communication with the random generator module.

18. The circuit of claim 14, wherein the controller includes a start-up checking module for generating the second signal upon insertion of the bolt into the housing.

19. A method of monitoring an electronic seal of an identification system, wherein the seal is for communicating with a reader of the identification system, the seal including a bolt, the bolt including a shank and a housing that defines a cavity for receiving the shank, the method comprising:

receiving a first signal indicative of a status of the shank;

generating a second signal based on the first signal; and

transmitting the second signal to the reader.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein generating the second signal includes generating a data frame, wherein the data frame includes a preamble and at least one data block, wherein the data block includes data indicative of the status of the shank.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the transmitting the second signal to the reader includes pseudo-randomly transmitting the data frame to the reader.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the data frame includes three identical data blocks and a synchronization block between each data block.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the data frame includes data associated with the seal.

24. The circuit of claim 23, wherein the data associated with the seal includes data indicative of an identification number of the seal.

25. The circuit of claim 20, wherein the data frame includes data associated with a shipment.

26. The circuit of claim 25, wherein the data associated with the shipment is selected from the group consisting of destination, consignee, load port, discharge port and vessel number.

27. The circuit of claim 20, wherein the data frame includes data associated with a container.