TAMPER DETECTOR

• US 20180156854A1
• Filed: 12/01/2016
• Published: 06/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Verhoeven, Henri, van Lammeren, Joop Petrus Maria, Moonen, Oswald
• Granted Patent: US 10,725,077 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/02 by investigating impedance
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/28 Measuring attenuation, gain, phase shift or derived characteristics of electric four pole networks, i.e. two-port networks; Measuring transient response in line transmission systems H04B3/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0709 the source being an interrogation field
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• 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

One example discloses a tamper detection device, comprising: a detection circuit, configured to be powered by a near-field-communication (NFC) signal and store a status of a detection element; wherein the detection circuit is configured to set the status to undisturbed in response to an undisturbed state of the detection element; wherein the detection circuit is configured to set the status to disturbed in response to a disturbed state of the detection element; and wherein the detection circuit is configured to electrically report the detection element status in response to a wireless query signal.

Claims

1. A tamper detection device, comprising:

detection circuit, configured to be powered by a near-field-communication (NFC) signal and store a status of a detection element;

wherein the detection circuit is configured to set the status to undisturbed in response to an undisturbed state of the detection element;

wherein the detection circuit is configured to set the status to disturbed in response to a disturbed state of the detection element; and

wherein the detection circuit is configured to electrically report the detection element status in response to a wireless query signal.

2. The device of claim 1:

wherein the detection circuit is configured to continue to operate and electrically report the detection element status even after the detection element is in the disturbed state.

3. The device of claim 1:

further comprising an antenna coupled to the detection circuit; and

wherein the antenna and the detection circuit are configured to continue to interoperate even after the detection element is disturbed.

4. The device of claim 1:

wherein the detection circuit is configured so that, once the status is set to disturbed, the status cannot afterwards be reset to undisturbed.

5. The device of claim 1:

wherein the detection circuit includes a reference oscillator and a detection oscillator;

wherein the detection circuit is configured to count a number of detection oscillator clock cycles and compare to a number of reference oscillator clock cycles; and

wherein the detection circuit sets the detection element status to the disturbed status if the count of the number of detection oscillator clock cycles is above or below a predetermined tolerance range.

6. The device of claim 1:

wherein the detection circuit includes a reference oscillator and a detection oscillator; and

wherein the detection circuit is configured to compare the reference oscillator'"'"'s and the detection oscillator'"'"'s frequencies, and set the detection element status to the disturbed status if the frequencies differ by more than a predetermined tolerance range.

7. The device of claim 6:

wherein a frequency of the reference oscillator is less than the frequency of the detection oscillator.

8. The device of claim 6:

wherein the detection oscillator is coupled to the detection element; and

wherein the detection circuit is configured to set the frequency of the detection oscillator based on an energy storage property of the detection element;

9. The device of claim 6:

wherein the detection circuit is configured to set the frequency of the detection oscillator based on either an inductance or a capacitance of the detection element.

10. The device of claim 6:

wherein the detection oscillator includes a ring oscillator circuit; and

wherein the detection circuit is configured to set the frequency of the detection oscillator based on a delay characteristic of the detection element.

11. The device of claim 1:

wherein the detection circuit is configured to set to the disturbed status in response to a change in either an inductance or a capacitance of the detection element.

12. The device of claim 11:

wherein either the inductance or the capacitance is distributed over the detection element.

13. The device of claim 1:

wherein the detection circuit set to the disturbed status in response to a change in a distributed resistance of the detection element.

14. The device of claim 1:

wherein the detection element includes at least one of a discrete;

inductance, capacitance, diode, or resistance.

15. The device of claim 1:

wherein the tamper detection device is coupled to a package; and

wherein the package is at least one of;

a bottle, a box, a bag, a pharmaceutical, a single-use device, an electronic device, an entry device, a security device, a stamp, an envelope, an electronic seal, a gas meter, a water meter, an electrical meter, as a seal of trucks, or a suitcase.

16. The device of claim 1:

wherein the detection circuit set to the disturbed status in response to at least one of;

a breach, a tear, a displacement, a repair, or an electrical variation that exceeds a predetermined tolerance, in the detection element.

17. The device of claim 1:

further comprising a plurality of detection elements;

wherein the detection circuit is configured to report a number of detection elements having the disturbed status.

18. The device of claim 17:

wherein the detection circuit is configured to rank the detection elements having the disturbed status in terms of importance.

19. The device of claim 1:

wherein the detection circuit includes a comparator circuit;

wherein the comparator circuit is configured to sample a voltage drop over the detection element during a defined time window; and

wherein the comparator circuit sets the detection element status to the disturbed status if the voltage drop is above or below a predetermined tolerance range.

20. The device of claim 19:

wherein the detection element includes at least one of;

a distributed resistance, a discrete resistance or a diode.

21. A method for tamper detection, comprising:

powering a detection circuit with a near-field-communication (NFC) signal;

setting a status of a detection element to undisturbed in response to an undisturbed state of the detection element;

setting the status of a detection element to disturbed in response to a disturbed state of the detection element; and

reporting the detection element status in response to a wireless query signal.

22. The method of claim 21:

setting the status of a detection element to the disturbed status in response to a change in either an inductance or a capacitance of the detection element.

23. The method of claim 21:

setting the status of a detection element to the disturbed status in response to a change in a delay characteristic of the detection element.