Abstract:
The invention concerns a security sealing device including a sealing element, an integrated circuit and an antenna connected to the integrated circuit, the integrated circuit and the antenna forming a RFID circuit. The security sealing device is characterized by the fact that said sealing element is conductive and is forming a part of said antenna.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to security sealing devices, which comprise a tamper-evident element consisting of a Radio Frequency Identity (RFID) tag.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     On numerous occasions it is necessary to ensure that an item is securely identified, securely meaning that the identification means cannot be removed from the item and used for another item without evidence of tampering.  
         [0003]     For application in retail of expensive goods, such as jewelleries, watches, and precious stones, a secure and unique identification is more and more requested to avoid fraud in the selling shop and in the supply chain from manufacturers to the end customer (buyers).  
         [0004]     In many occasions it is needed to guaranty that the content of an object, e.g. a container, has not been fraudulently modified during a storage period or at any point along the supply chain since the sealing was affixed to the container.  
         [0005]     The term “container ” used in the present text has a broad meaning. It may be a building of which the door or the windows has been sealed, a box which content must not be altered or an electrical/water counter that must be opened only by authorised persons.  
         [0006]     The term “sealing” is also used in a very general manner in the present text. It is not limited to the sealing of an object like a box but encompasses also the sealing of the security object itself. An example of this second definition is an operation of marking an object, like for example a suitcase during a trip, the marking having to remain attached to the object without a possibility of being taken off it, exchanged or altered before the end of the trip, or before the accomplishment of a checking operation, respectively.  
         [0007]     There are many different types of sealing devices existing in today&#39;s market. These sealing devices are used in many applications such as, security seal for postal bags, security boxes, doors, and containers etc. The existing sealing devices are usually identified with various methods, like barcode, engraved serial number or even RFID tags. Those means of identification provide no direct evidence in the event of tampering with the sealing device other than by a visual check.  
         [0008]     International patent application WO 93/12513 discloses a security-sealing device made of a support on which is fixed an electronic circuit comprising an antenna connected to a chip. Any attempt to peel or tear off the support would break the electronic circuit and prevents it from sending out its code when read by an external detecting device such as an RFID reader.  
         [0009]     The above cited prior art security sealing device is efficient. There is, however, some disadvantages related to this type of device. For instance, if by any means the support is detached, e.g. unglued, from the electronic circuit without damaging the wire loop inside, the tag would still be functional, and therefore would not provide any electronic tamper evidence.  
         [0010]     There is therefore a need to improve the tamper evidence of such security sealing devices.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0011]     The previous cited problems are solved with the object of the present invention which is characterized by the fact that, contrary to the prior art device disclosed in WO 93/12513, the antenna itself is designed to constitute the sealing element. The sealing part of the object according to embodiments of the present invention can be made of a conductive band made of a single conductive material or, more simply, the sealing part may consist of an isolated conductive wire.  
         [0012]     This gives much more flexibility when applying the object according to embodiments of the invention on the item to seal or securely identify it, because the length of the sealing part can be on site adapted to the size of the item or its sealing points location. With embodiments of the present invention very small items can be sealed and securely identify as the isolated wire, used as sealing band, can be very small like 0.5 mm diameter, still considering some need for mechanical strength of the sealing.  
         [0013]     With embodiments of the present invention, the design of the antenna and the sealing band or wire, has a positive effect on the reading/writing performance of the tag itself. The bigger loop made with the sealing part when connected to the tag increases the equivalent surface area of the tag antenna crossed by the magnetic field generated from the RFID reader, and therefore increases the reading/writing performance, This positive effect is not possible with the prior art device disclosed WO 93/12513. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     The invention will be better understood in the text below together with the following drawings:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment of a device according to the invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of a connector which can be used with the embodiments depicted in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  shows a second embodiment of a device according to the invention; and  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  shows an embodiment of an electronic module. 
     
    
     LIST OF NUMERICAL REFERENCES  
       [0000]    
       
         
           
               1  IC  
               2  Partial antenna  
               3  Housing  
               4  Conductive sealing element  
               5  First connecting point  
               6  Second connecting point  
               7  Connector  
               8  Sealing element free end  
               9  Additional RFID circuit  
               10  Visual tamper-evident element  
               11  Mechanical tamper-evident element  
               12  Electronic module  
           
         
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0031]     The embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  comprises a housing  3  containing an electronic module made of an IC  1  connected to a partial antenna  2 . The partial antenna  2  is a conductive path, which is interrupted on two points  5 , 6 . A connector  7  is fixed to the first connecting point  5  and one end of a conductive sealing element  4  is connected to the second connecting point  6 .  
         [0032]     The conductive sealing element  4  may be a conductive band, a conductive wire held in an isolated sheath or any similar conductive element. This element has a double function, i.e. a sealing and conductive function. The sealing element free end  8  is adapted to be secured to the connector  7  after the sealing element  4  has been placed on the item. If the sealing element  4  is a band, it can be flexible or semi-rigid.  
         [0033]     The electronic module previously defined is totally sealed in the housing  3 , this latter one being made of any suitable material, e.g. plastic or metal  
         [0034]     When the sealing element free end  8  is secured in the connector  7 , the RFID circuit made of the IC  1 , the partial antenna  2  and the sealing element  4  is closed. In this configuration the security-sealing device is in a functional mode. Any attempt to separate the sealing element  4  from the housing  3  would break the RFID circuit and prevents it from sending out its code when read by an external detecting device such as an RFID reader.  
         [0035]     The connector  7  is made of a conductive sleeve and/or an electrically insulating material. After being separated from the connector  7 , the sealing element  4  cannot be re-connected without leaving an obvious visible or electronic tamper-evident proof.  
         [0036]     The sealing element  4  can be fixed to the housing  3  by any means known in the art, e.g. plugging, gluing, etc.  
         [0037]      FIG. 2  shows an example of a connector  7  made of conductive part housed in a plastic sleeve, the connector  7  having the functions of being inserted into the housing  3  so as to make electrical contact with the first connecting point  5  and being affixed to the housing  3 . The sleeve furthermore includes mechanical tamper-evident elements  11  designed so that the connector cannot be removed without damaging either the connector  7  and/or the housing  3  thus providing evidence of tampering. Alternatively or in addition those elements  11  are also acting as locking system to ensure a proper fixation of the sealing element  4  to the housing  3 .  
         [0038]     One interesting advantage of the device according to the present invention should be pointed out at this stage: The electronic module can be re-used (recycled) after the device is disassembled. As already mentioned, disassembly destroys the functionality the sealing element  4  and, often, the housing  3 , but not the electronic module.  
         [0039]     To add a visual and second level of tamper proof evidence to the electronic tamper proof evidence itself, and to make after tampering any repair of the conductive band or wire not possible without leaving a visual tamperproof evidence, other visual security means can be added on both extremity, such as micro UV dots or hologram micro dots for example.  FIG. 3  shows another embodiment of the invention, which includes such visual tamper-evident elements  10  situated on the sealing element  4 . Those visual elements can also be situated on the housing  3 . Visual tamper-evident elements are known as such, they can consist of security inks, micro particles, adhesives or films.  
         [0040]     The device shown in  FIG. 3  also includes as optional feature, one additional RFID circuits placed in the middle. The additional RFID circuit, made of an antenna connected to a RFID integrated circuit, is programmed to keep any kind of information that needs to be memorized permanently in the memory of the RFID IC. The additional RFID circuit adds a second level of permanent authentication and emphasize a higher security level to avoid any risk of counterfeiting. More additional RFID can be used and can be place inside or outside the primary circuit.  
         [0041]     The sealing element  4  can be of any length, but must still match, within a certain range, the inductivity and self-resonant frequency of the electronics circuits when the sealing element  4  is connected on both extremities of the partial antenna  2 . The length can be adapted when it will be applied to the item, which gives much more flexibility compare to other type of invention for similar functions. The device according to the invention can be of any size or any shape (see e.g.  FIG. 4  showing an oval electronic module), reasonably from a diameter of 5 mm to 500 mm, using a RFID technology from 100 kHz up to 950 MHz, typically 125 kHz, 134.2 kHz, 13.56 MHz, with a read only or read/write RFID IC. The device can also have a tube shape and can contain a ferrite antenna. In this case, the device can be as small as 2.12 mm×8 mm.  
         [0042]     The antenna can be made with any technology such as winding, etching, stamping or printing.  
         [0043]     The sealing element  4  has a positive effect on the reading performance of the device itself. Since there is a bigger loop made with the sealing (conductive) element  4  connected to the housing  3 , the reading/writing performance improves because the loop increases the equivalent surface area of the housing crossed by the magnetic filed generated from the RFID reader.