CONTAINER TAMPER-PROOF PROTECTION BY USE OF PRINTED FIBER OPTICS MANUFACTURING AND INTEGRATED SENSORS

• US 20170011667A1
• Filed: 08/30/2016
• Published: 01/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OpticalLock, Inc.
• Original Assignee: OpticalLock, Inc.
• Inventors: Sanchez, Jorge, Fuller, Carol E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,990,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 50/00 Closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal thereof, with or without indicating means, e.g. child-proof closures tamper-indicating closures without means for discouraging, see the relevant groups, e.g. B65D41/32, B65D51/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/268 using optical fibres G01D5/28 - G01D5/38 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/088 of optical fibres; Mechanical features associated with the optical testing of optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/30 Testing of optical devices, constituted by fibre optics or optical waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/31 with a light emitter and a light receiver being disposed at the same side of a fibre or waveguide end-face, e.g. reflectometers
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/126 for a housing, e.g. a box, a safe, or a room
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/186 using light guides, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2003/0273 Labels for bottles, flasks
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0329 having electronic sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0376 using a special technique to detect tampering, e.g. by ultrasonic or optical means

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments provide a method for tamper-proof protection of containers used for shipment of goods. An optical fiber is embedded in an Optical Shield Wallpaper which lines all interior surfaces of any size of a shipping container, package, box, barrel or other shaped container. Wallpaper is manufactured using large scale rollers that press fibers with encapsulated adhesives onto an appropriate medium. Small medicine containers are protected with a fiber optic shield and sensors manufactured using ink jet printing techniques. Light is applied to the optical fiber and a measurement of optical fiber characteristics is performed. Digital signal processing is used to generate pedigree information, which may include items such as shipping location, serial numbers and lot numbers for the goods. The status of the autonomous anti-tampering system is monitored real-time for unauthorized intrusions. Intrusions detected are relayed to an authorized recipient via a variety of communication channels.

Claims

1. A system for detecting tampering of an object, comprising:

a substrate;

optical fiber that is inkjet printed on a substrate;

one or more sensors inkjet printed on the optical fiber and configured to detect light transmitted through the optical fiber; and

a detection device configured to receive a signal from the sensors and process the signal, which includes information regarding physical characteristics of the optical fiber.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors are attached to ends of the optical fiber.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors are located along a length of the optical fiber.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the sensors are spaced apart from one another at a regular interval.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the sensors is configured to detect light transmitted through a portion of the optical fiber.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the substrate includes shrink wrap material.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical fiber and substrate are located around a cap of a medicine container.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection device is further configured to encrypt the information and transmit the encrypted information to a remote server configured to identify whether tampering has been detected.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the physical characteristics includes movement of the optical fiber.

10. A system for detecting tampering of an object, comprising:

a plurality of panels comprising optical fiber, wherein the panels are connected to each other such that the optical fiber of adjacent panels are connected to each other;

a detection device connected to at least one of the panels and configured to measure an optical signature of the optical fiber to detect movement of the optical fiber; and

a plurality of connectors respectively located at two ends of each optical fiber to connect to an adjacent optical fiber or the detection device.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising temperature-activated adhesive placed on the panels and configured to adhere the panels against an interior wall of a shipping container.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the adhesive includes an encapsulate that is temperature-activated.

13. A method of manufacturing optical fiber for anti-tampering detection, comprising:

printing optical fiber via an ink-jet printing process on a substrate;

printing at least one sensor on the optical fiber; and

placing the substrate including the optical fiber around a container.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one sensor is located at an end of the optical fiber.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one sensor is located along a length of the optical fiber.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one sensor includes a plurality of sensors that are spaced apart from one another at a regular interval.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the container includes a cap, and wherein the placing of the optical fiber includes placing the optical fiber and the attached sensor around the cap.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the container contains medicine.

19. A method of providing optical fiber for anti-tampering detection, comprising:

providing a roll of optical fiber;

pretreating the optical fiber with temperature-activated adhesive;

pushing a substrate and the optical fiber through a roller to attach the optical fiber to the substrate so as to form an optical shield wallpaper; and

placing the optical shield wallpaper in an interior wall of a container.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

heating the roller; and

activating the temperature-activated adhesive to attach the optical fiber to the substrate.