Patent ID: 11928541
Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (ROUSSET) SAS
Field: Telecommunications (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  H | IPC G  H

Claim 7:
8. A system comprising:
a container;
a detection device comprising a contactless passive transponder configured to communicate with a reader via an antenna using a carrier signal;
wherein the contactless transponder includes an integrated circuit having first and second antenna terminals connected to the antenna, and first and second additional terminals that are linked by a first electrically conductive wire;
the first electrically conductive wire having:
a severable part and configured to be severed at the severable part in response to an opening or attempted opening of the container; and
shorting circuitry configured to short-circuit the first additional terminal with another terminal of the integrated circuit in response to severing of the severable part and reconstruction of an electrical connection between the first and second additional terminals;

wherein the integrated circuit comprises generation circuitry configured to deliver a test signal to the first additional terminal, and detection circuitry configured to detect presence or absence of said test signal on the second additional terminal and on a third additional terminal;
wherein the detection circuitry, in a first configuration in which the first electrically conductive wire is not severed, is configured to detect presence of the test signal on the second additional terminal and the absence of the test signal on the third additional terminal; and
wherein the detection circuitry, in a second configuration in which the first electrically conductive wire has been rejoined after having been severed, is configured to detect presence of the test signal on the second additional terminal and on the third additional terminal;
wherein detection of presence of the test signal on the second additional terminal and detection of the absence of the test signal on the third additional terminal by the detection circuitry is indicative of the container not having been opened;
wherein the detection of presence of the test signal on the second additional terminal and on the third additional terminal by the detection circuitry is indicative of the container having been opened but the first electrically conductive wire having been rejoined after being severed.