System and method for detecting access to an article or opening of a package

• US 7,598,871 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2007
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT Rhode Island LLC (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: GTECH Rhode Island Corporation (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Napolitano, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US11/649,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20070115128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.8, 340/568.1, 340/539.22, 340/539.26, 340/5.92, 235/375
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0029 the arrangement being specially adapted for wireless interrogation of grouped or bundled articles tagged with wireless record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/04 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0776 the adhering arrangement being a layer of adhesive, so that the record carrier can function as a sticker
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal

Abstract

A system for detecting access to an article, including an RFID tag, a reader detecting the RFID tag via wireless communication, and a container including conductive material is described. The container encloses the article. The conductive material surrounds the RFID tag and substantially prevents wireless communication between the RFID tag and the reader unless the container is opened. Detection of the RFID tag may indicate that the container has been opened or the article has been accessed. A host computer may be notified of the detection and may receive from the RFID tag information associated with the article for inventory and accounting purposes.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a game ticket;

an RFID tag; and

a container including conductive material, wherein the container encloses the game ticket and the conductive material encloses the RFID tag and substantially blocks radio frequency signals transmitted to and from the RFID tag unless the container is opened.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an RFID tag reader, wherein the conductive material substantially blocks transmission of the radio frequency signal from the RFID tag to the RFID tag reader.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second RFID tag not enclosed within the conductive material.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the container encloses a pack of game tickets.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag further comprises a passive RFID tag.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag further comprises an active RFID tag.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the conductive material further comprises a metal foil.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the conductive material further comprises a metallized plastic sheet.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the conductive material further comprises a conductive mesh.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the container further comprises two layers of adhesive tape containing the conductive material, the RFID tag being located between the two layers of tape.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the RFID tag further comprises a memory storing information associated with the article.

12. A method for detecting access to an article, comprising:

receiving information associating an RFID tag with an item stored in a container comprising a conductive material, the conductive material substantially blocking radio frequency signals transmitted to and from the RFID tag while the container is unopened;

after receiving the information associating an RFID tag with the item, receiving an indication that the RFID tag has been detected; and

conditioned on receiving the indication that the RFID has been detected, storing an indication that the container has been opened.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the indication that the RFID tag has been detected includes information stored in a memory on the RFID tag.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the memory stores information associated with the item stored in the container.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving the information stored in the memory.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving the indication that the RFID tag has been detected when the RFID tag is detected by an RFID tag reader.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the RFID tag reader is located in the proximity of a vending machine.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the RFID tag reader is located inside a vending machine.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the RFID tag reader is attached to a vending machine.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the item comprises a game ticket.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the item comprises a pack of game tickets.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving an indication that a second RFID tag was detected, the second RFID tag not contained within the conductive material.

23. A system for detecting access to an article, comprising:

a database storing information associating an RFID tag with an article, the article being stored in a container comprising a conductive material, the conductive material substantially blocks radio frequency signals transmitted to and from the RFID tag while the container is unopened; and

a host computer in communication with the database, the host computer configured to receive an indication that the RFID tag has been detected, and responsive to receiving the indication to update the database to include an indication that the container has been opened.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the host computer is further configured to receive information associated with the article.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the RFID tag comprises a memory and the information associated with the article is stored in the memory.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the host computer is further configured to receive an indication that a second RFID tag has been detected, the second RFID tag not enclosed within the conductive material.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the host computer is configured to initiate at least one of an inventory, accounting, and billing procedure, in response to the indication that the RFID tag has been detected.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the host computer is further configured to record that the article has been accessed in response to the indication that the RFID tag has been detected.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the host computer is further configured to receive an indication that the article has been loaded in a vending machine.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the host computer is further configured to receive the indication that the article has been loaded, responsive to an RFID tag reader located within the vending machine detecting the RFID tag.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the host computer is further configured to update the database to include an indication that the article has been loaded, responsive to the indication that the article has been loaded in the vending machine.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the article comprises a game ticket.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein the article comprises a pack of game tickets.