Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-22
2002-07-16
Trieu, Van (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S556000, C340S571000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06420971
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic seal capable of monitoring its own security state, for example an electronic seal for securing in a closed position a door or other closure closing an aperture allowing access to an enclosed space (e.g. a container). The invention also includes a seal capable of communicating with a reading and/or programming device.
2. Description of the Related Art
There exists a need to monitor the security status of cables, bands or other elongate members which form a loop or other connection either of themselves or when one or both ends thereof are fixed to a lock or seal. In particular, if the continuity integrity of the loop, connection or elongate member is broken b tampering, e.g. by cutting the cable, band etc. or by releasing the cable from the lock/seal, then there is a need to detect this.
Various solutions to this problem have been proposed. For example, a recently publicised “electronic tag” for criminals (The Times 29th January 1999) emits coded electric pulses every few seconds by radio frequency. If the securing strap is broken or tampered with, an alert code is transmitted to the monitor which sends an alarm to a control station. If the tag moves out of range of a monitor, an alarm is also sent to the control station.
The Crypta III device marketed by Encrypta Electronics Ltd. UK and described in publications EP 0,193,297 A1 and B1 monitors the receipt and release of the releasable end of a security cable into/from a recess in a housing. A random code generated by the receipt or release is displayed via an LED. However, this device cannot detect its cable being cut.
There are numerous electronic seals (for example, Electronic Seal PTE Ltd, Singapore; Sealtronic SA, Switzerland) which check for electrical continuity of a standard steel rope or cable. Tampering is assumed to break the electrical continuity of a steel security cable. However, it is believed that the circuit could be kept intact with a simple shunt cable while cutting the security cable, in which case the tampering would probably not be detected by the seal. Information is transmitted by radio frequency.
An application note published in 1992 by Dallas Semiconductor describes a tamper detection circuit completed by a loop of wire which is the centre conductor of a coaxial cable. The electrical continuity of the centre conductor is thereby monitored This arrangement prevents keeping the circuit intact with a simple shunt cable connected to the outer conductor of the coaxial cable while cutting the cable. However, two problems remain with this arrangement. Firstly, as electrical contacts with the cable are involved, the device is susceptible to electrical noise or being damaged by deliberate voltage spikes being applied to the cable. Secondly, it is still feasible that a thief could carefully peel back the outer sheath and central insulation of the device to expose the central conducting core. Shunt cables could then be provided by the thief for both inner and outer conductors of the coaxial cable so that the cable could then be cut while maintaining the electrical continuity of the tamper detection circuit.
The present invention aims to mitigate or solve one or more of the problems associated with the above-mentioned prior art devices.
Additionally or alternatively, the present invention aims to provide an electronic seal or system capable of/adapted to monitor/sense the integrity and/or continuity of (i) a closure member (e.g. an elongate member such as a cable, band, padlock hook, etc.) comprised in the seal or system and/or (ii) a security loop or other connection including/involving part or all of the closure member.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Additionally or alternatively, the present invention aims to provide an electronic seal or system capable of/adapted to monitor/sense the integrity and/or continuity of (i) a closure member (e.g. an elongate member such as a cable, band, padlock hook, etc.) comprised in the seal or system and/or (ii) a security loop or other connection including/involving part or all of the closure member.
First Aspect of the Invention
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic seal comprising:
a housing;
a closure member cooperable with the housing to form a connection to close the seal,
the closure member comprising an outer portion enclosing one or more inner cores; and
means for sensing the integrity and/or continuity of some or all of the one or more inner cores.
The inventive seal has an advantage over the prior art Scaltronic and Electronic Seal PTE devices, which sense the electrical continuity of a standard cable, in that it is an inner core of the closure member rather tan the whole of the closure member whose integrity/continuity is sensed. This means that it is more difficult for a thief to cut the cable without the tampering being detected. In particular, attaching a shunt cable to the outer portion of the closure member. before cutting the closure member, to allow access to a container secured by the seal, would result in maintained continuity in the outer portion but a discontinuity in the inner core which would be detected; in contrast this procedure would avoid tamper detection in the Sealtronic devices as electrical continuity would be maintained by the shunt cable.
The closure member is preferably an elongate member. This allows easy threading through a hole in a member to be secured by the seal (e.g. a hole in a lug in a container closure mechanism). Also, the present invention is more useful with an elongate member which is more likely to be cut (see below).
The outer portion is merely limited by its enclosing one or more inner cores, and can include a or the central axis (which can be curved) of the closure member or elongate member when this is not occupied by the one or more inner cores.
Preferably, the connection is formed by formation of a closed loop including part or all of the closure member. The loop can be any shape, not merely a curved shape. Two or more portions (e.g. end portions) of the closure member (e.g. elongate member) can be connected to the housing to form the loop.
In an alternative embodiment, when the connection is formed only one portion (e.g. an end portion) of the closure member (e.g. a rigid or flexible elongate member, e.g. a bolt or cable) is connected to the housing. The closure member here preferably comprises an enlarged head (e.g. bolt head) attached to one end of an elongate portion (e.g. shaft, shank, cable etc) of narrower cross-section containing the inner core(s), an opposing end of the elongate portion being adapted to be received (e.g. by means of a screw connection) by a recess of the housing. For example, the inner corc(s) can comprise an optical fibre, one end of which is mirrored at the enlarged head, the other end of which is exposed at tie opposing end of the elongate portion (e.g. bolt shaft/shank). Alternatively, the inner core(s) can comprise a conductor forming part of or connected to a capacitor, one end of the conductor being exposed at the elongate portion opposing end for electrical connection to the seal when connected. The sensing means is preferably disposed inside, and/or is fixed to, the housing so as to communicate with the inner core(s) when connected. Here, the bolt shank or other closure member elongate portion could pass through a hole in a lug to seal a container without a loop having been formed.
Preferably, the sensing means is for sensing (or during use senses) opening of the seal after closure of the seal. More preferably, the seal is for sensing (or during use senses) the integrity and/or continuity of the connection, the loop (if present) and/or a communication path or paths (e.g. optical path or electrical circuit) including (e.g. between) the sensing means and the sensed inn
Leck Michael John
Mason John Edward
Gipple & Hale
Hale John S.
Trieu Van
TRIpseal Limited
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