Patent ID: 7415613

Claim:
A system for detecting if an object has been tampered with comprising: a characterizer configured to generate a first digital characterization of an object at a first time, said characterizer generating at least one subsequent digital characterization of the object at a subsequent time; a comparator configured to receive and compare said first digital characterization with said second digital characterization, said comparator further configured to determine whether said first digital characterization is substantially different from said second digital characterization and generating a pre-selected characterization notification when said second digital characterization has substantially changed compared to said first digital characterization; an indicator configured to receive said pre-selected characterization notification, said indicator providing a pre-selected characterization signal, and a signer configured to provide a first cryptographic signature associated with said first digital characterization and a second cryptographic signature associated with said second digital characterization to said comparator, wherein said comparator is configured to generate a pre-selected signature characterization when said second cryptographic signature is not substantially identical to said first cryptographic signature, wherein said indicator is configured to receive said pre-selected signature notification, and provide a pre-selected signature signal.