HK1100585A - Rfid seal tag - Google Patents

Description

RFID sealing label

Technical Field

The present invention relates to electronic tracking and identification of packaged items, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for tracking or identifying items using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags.

Background

Various techniques have been developed to track and identify items. For example, it is now common to apply a bar code to an item, and such a bar code may be optically scanned to identify the item or a coded characteristic of the item, such as the price of the item. However, a disadvantage of optical scanning based techniques is that a line of sight is required between the scanning device and the barcode. Thus, if the applied barcode is not directed toward the scanning device, or if the object is contained in a box, shipping crate, or other optionally light-tight packaging, it is not possible to identify the object.

For this and other reasons, RFID technology has been developed to identify objects without establishing a line of sight between the scanning device and the identification tag. RFID transponders (i.e., transmitters/transponders), often referred to simply as RFID tags, are thin wireless radio frequency transceivers that include an integrated circuit chip mounted on a supporting substrate and an antenna. The tag may be active or passive, the active type including a battery for powering the transceiver, while the passive type operates powered by an RF signal for interrogating the tag.

The integrated circuit chip of the RFID tag includes RF circuitry, control logic, and memory, while the antenna generally comprises a metal conductor such as copper or aluminum formed into an induction coil on a supporting substrate. The capacitor may additionally be formed by a metal conductor, thereby adjusting the resonance of the antenna to a desired operating frequency. The substrate is typically a thin, flexible film of plastic such as polyester or polyimide. For example, a common polyester substrate is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). RFID tags formed in this manner can be very thin, e.g., 0.5 millimeters or less for the thickness of the integrated circuit chip, and 0.1 millimeters or less for portions on other areas of the tag.

An interrogation device (interrogator device) is used to read the object identification information stored in the memory of the integrated circuit chip of the RFID transponder. The interrogation device transmits a coded RF signal that can be received by a transponder that is within range of the transmitter even when the tag is not in the line of sight of the interrogation device. Typically, the transponder reflects an incident RF carrier back to the interrogating device, while in the process the information stored in the memory is encoded onto the carrier. In the case of a writable tag, the information in the memory may also be adjusted according to new information encoded on the incident RF carrier. In this manner, the RFID transponder operates to receive, store and transmit object identification data back and forth through the memory in the chip.

Since the transponders are thin, they are easily integrated with additional supporting material, such as paper or plastic, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Thus, the RFID may be configured in the form of an adhesive label or tape that can be easily applied to an item for tracking and identification purposes.

RFID tags have a significant advantage over other forms of identifying objects in that they can be configured for substantially automatic tracking and identification applications because they do not rely on a line of sight for operation. For example, the interrogation devices may be mounted at fixed locations on a production or packaging line so that items carrying RFID tags are identified and their locations tracked as they pass through the interrogation devices. Whenever items come within the radio frequency range of the interrogation device, they can be identified without being affected by their orientation, the location of the RFID tag on the item, or whether the item is contained in a closed packaging container. Such tracking systems allow early detection of a missing or misleading item, for example, when an item that is about to pass an interrogation location point is not identified at a desired time, or when an item is identified at an interrogation location point where it is not desired to be located.

While conventional RFID tags provide a useful means for tracking and identification of objects, the tags, and not the objects to which they are attached, are still identified by the interrogation device. Thus, the RFID tracking system may be deactivated by removing the item from the RFID tracking system while leaving the tag in place. For example, in some cases, tagged items are removed from containers of such items in an undetected manner by removing the tag from the item and repositioning the tag in the container. In other cases, the RFID tag is applied only to the packaging of the item, and thus the item is removed in an undetectable manner simply by removing the item from the tagged packaging and leaving the packaging in the system. At a subsequent interrogation location point, the tag will respond to the interrogation device and the system will not be able to detect that the item has been removed.

Failure of tracking and identification systems is an important issue in the logistics and related transportation industries, particularly those involving the transportation or movement of relatively portable items of high value, such as watches, wine, jewelry, and cell phones. This type of article has a relatively high rate of theft and theft may involve removal of one or more articles from a container, such as a cardboard box, prior to sealing or resealing the container. Thus, until the container is opened at the final destination, no theft is detected, at which time it will be difficult to determine at which stage of the supply and transport chain the article was removed.

One method that has been used to detect items in a tamper evident container is to seal the container using a tamper evident band. Such tape is not resealable and is printed with a unique pattern of tissue responsible for sealing the container so that any attempt to cut and reseal the tape will be detected. However, the tape roll can be stolen or counterfeited. In any event, until the container is detected proximate to the destination, tampering may still not be detected, and there is still no way to determine whether the contents of the container have been tampered with prior to opening the container.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved apparatus and method for use in an RFID tracking and identification system that makes it difficult to disable the system by separating the tag from the item being tracked.

It should be noted that any discussion of documents, devices, acts or insights in the specification is included in the context of the present invention. Any material that is part of the state of the art or that is part of the state of the art, on or before the priority date of the claims, should be considered acceptable.

Disclosure of Invention

According to one aspect, the present invention provides an RFID tag for use as a tamper-evident seal, comprising an RFID transponder including an integrated circuit chip and an antenna connected to the integrated circuit chip, the RFID transponder being capable of communicating with an RFID interrogation device in an intact state,

wherein the RFID tag includes a line of weakness that extends across at least a portion of the antenna or between the antenna and the integrated circuit chip, thereby rendering the RIFD transponder incapable of communicating with the RFID interrogation device when the tag is broken along the line of weakness.

Thus, the RFID tag according to the invention may be adhered to the package in such a way that it is difficult to open the package for removal of the articles contained therein without tearing the tag along the line of weakness and thereby rendering the transponder inoperable. Where the package has a line of opening, for example a box, with a connection between the lid and the body of the box or a line of intersection of flaps forming a closed box, the label may be adhered to the package so that the line of weakness of the label is aligned with the line of opening of the package. It is difficult to open the package along the line of opening without breaking the label along the line of weakening.

Accordingly, in another aspect, the present invention provides a method for sealing a package so that unauthorized access to the articles in the package can be detected, comprising the steps of:

providing an RFID tag according to the present invention; and is

Adhering the RFID tag to the package such that the line of weakness of the tag is aligned with the line of opening of the package,

whereby the label is broken along the line of weakness when the package is opened along the line of opening.

Advantageously, if the packages sealed in this way are placed in larger containers which are closed on their own, the RFID tags attached to the packages located in the containers can then be interrogated at different points on the supply and conveyor chains by means of RFID interrogation devices. If any one of the RFID tags fails to respond to the interrogation device, it will be inferred that the corresponding item may have been tampered with or removed between successive points of interrogation.

Thus, in another aspect, the present invention provides a method for detecting unauthorized tampering with or removal of an item stored in a container, comprising the steps of:

providing an RFID tag according to the present invention;

adhering the RFID tag to the item;

storing the item in the container;

subsequently interrogating the RFID tag with an RFID interrogation device; and is

Detecting unauthorized tampering or removal of the item for the case where the RFID tag fails to respond to the RFID interrogation device.

The method may further comprise the step of providing identification information stored in said RFID tag before storing said item in said container. Then, the step of interrogating the RFID tag may include reading the identification information from the RFID tag, and the step of detecting unauthorized tampering includes detecting whether the identification information has changed based on the items stored in the container. Advantageously, this makes it difficult for a thief to fool the system by replacing a damaged tag with a good tag, since the identification information stored in the replacement tag will not match the original identification information and thus detect the change.

Identification information may be electronically transmitted from a first location where the item is stored in the container to a second location where the RFID tag is interrogated. Thus, the step of detecting whether the identification information has changed may comprise comparing the electronically transmitted identification information with the identification information read from the RFID tag.

Preferably, the RFID tag further comprises an adhesive coating applied to its outer surface to allow the tag to be adhered to an article. Advantageously, this allows the label to be supplied in a completely self-contained form so that the label can be applied directly to the article without the user having to provide a separate means of adhering the label to the article.

The RFID transponder may include a support substrate on which the integrated circuit chip and the antenna are mounted.

In a preferred embodiment, the RFID tag further comprises a first sheet (web) of flexible material, the transponder being integrally formed with the first sheet, and the adhesive coating being applied on an outer side surface of the first sheet of flexible material. Advantageously, the first sheet of flexible material provides additional mechanical support and protection for the transponder, as well as a larger surface area that may be more suitable for applying an adhesive coating.

Preferably, the RFID tag further comprises a second sheet of flexible material, and the transponder is disposed between the first and second sheets of flexible material forming a laminated structure. This configuration has the advantage of providing superior mechanical support and protection for the transponder.

The first and second sheets of flexible material may be made of paper. Alternatively, they may be made of plastic such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the lines of weakness comprise lines of perforations. Alternatively, the line of weakness may be formed in some other manner, for example by scoring the label along the desired line. Preferably, the line of weakness is provided in the first and/or second sheet of flexible material. However, in either way the line of weakness is formed, it is important to ensure that the tag operates effectively, for example by utilising a part of the antenna or a connection on the integrated circuit chip.

The tag may also include one or more additional lines of weakness that each extend across at least a portion of the antenna or between the antenna and the integrated circuit chip, thereby rendering the RFID transponder unable to communicate with the RFID interrogation device when the sealed tag is broken along any one or more of the lines of weakness. Providing a plurality of lines of weakness advantageously improves the flexibility of applying the label whilst allowing it to be applied as a line across the opening of articles having a variety of different geometries.

Although RFID transponders may be active or passive, it is preferred to use passive RFID transponders, thereby reducing the cost and complexity of the RFID tag.

Drawings

Further benefits and advantages of the RFID tag of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention, which, however, should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention in any way as described in the foregoing. In order that the invention may be more fully understood, embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an RFID tag according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates the use of the RFID tag shown in FIG. 1 to seal a package;

FIG. 3 is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating a method of detecting unauthorized tampering with a package in accordance with the present invention; and is

Fig. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of an RFID tag according to the present invention.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an RFID tag 100 used as a tamper-evident seal in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. The RFID tag 100 comprises an RFID transponder comprising an integrated circuit chip 102 and an antenna 104 connected to the integrated circuit chip. As is currently known in the art, the antenna 104 is shaped as a loop antenna. The form of the RFID transponder is not critical to the present invention, so long as it is thin enough to be easily broken when tampered with an item to which it is attached. In a fully intact state, the RFID transponder may communicate with an RFID interrogation device that emits an encoded RF signal by reflecting an incident RF carrier back to the interrogation device and encoding information stored in the memory of the integrated circuit chip 102 on the carrier in the process. The transponder shown in fig. 1 is a passive device that does not require a battery, but instead is powered by the RF signal used to interrogate the tag.

Suitable RFID transponders are available from suppliers such as texas instruments. As known to those skilled in the art, commercially available transponders are typically fabricated and supplied with an integrated circuit chip 102 and an antenna 104 on an organic substrate (not shown in the figures), such as polyester or polyimide. As shown in FIG. 1, the transponder is also integrally provided with at least one sheet 106 of flexible material that provides a backing that gives the label additional strength and support during handling and application, and provides a suitable surface to apply the adhesive coating. The backing material 106 may comprise, for example, paper or a polymeric material such as PVC.

In a preferred embodiment, at least one additional sheet of flexible material (not shown in the figures) may also be applied attached on the top side of the transponder to provide additional protection during handling. Thus, the entire RFID tag 100 may be assembled by means of a laminated process, wherein the transponder on its substrate is sandwiched between at least two sheets of a flexible material, such as paper or plastic.

The back of the RFID tag is then coated with a suitable adhesive, which is preferably a strong, pressure sensitive adhesive. A releasable layer, such as waxed paper or plastic film, will generally be applied over the adhesive to maintain the useful life of the adhesive and prevent the label from prematurely adhering to other items or surfaces. The label is then adhered to the article by removing the releasable layer and pushing the adhesive surface of the label against the article at the desired location.

The RFID tag 100 also includes a line of weakness in the form of a line of perforations 108 that extends across the metal conductor 110 that connects the integrated circuit chip 102 to the antenna 104. It will be appreciated that the line of weakness need not take the form of perforations, but may be formed in any suitable manner, for example by scoring the label along the desired line. Whatever way the weakening line is formed, the basic requirement is that the label is weakened so that it tears more easily along the line and that the transponder is not damaged during the process of forming the line. Thus, for example, in the case of perforation line 108, the perforation may be made proximate conductor 110, and care must be taken to ensure that conductor 110 itself is not perforated.

In accordance with the present invention, upon breakage of the label 100 along the perforated line 108, the connection between the integrated circuit chip 102 and the antenna 104 will be affected, causing the RFID transponder to be inoperable and unable to communicate with the RFID interrogation device. Thus, a possible breakage of the tag 100 along the line 108 can be detected by interrogating the transponder. If the transponder responds to the interrogation, then the tag 100 can be assumed to be unbroken.

Fig. 2 illustrates the manner in which an example label 100 may be used as a tamper-evident seal on a package 200. As shown, the package 200 is a box that includes a base 202 and a hinged cover 204 (the hinge is located at the back of the box and not shown), such as a jewelry box. Thus, the case 200 includes an open line 206 that extends between the base 202 and the cover 204. The contents of the enclosure 202 cannot be accessed without damaging the enclosure or without separating the base 202 and cover 204 along the line of opening 206 by opening the enclosure in the usual manner.

The RFID tag 100 is used as a tamper evident seal by adhering it across the base 202 and lid 204 of the case so that the perforation line 108 is aligned with the line 206 of the opening. Thus, if case 200 is opened, label 100 will break along perforation line 108, and will not respond to any subsequent attempts to interrogate the label 100 if the items in case 200 have been tampered with or removed.

Advantageously, interrogation of tag 100 can be accomplished without visual inspection, even if case 200 is enclosed in a larger container. Thus, fig. 3 schematically shows an example method according to the invention, which enables detection of unauthorized tampering or removal of an item stored in a container.

In a first step 302 of the method, a container 200 containing a valuable item, such as jewelry, is sealed with an RFID tag according to the invention in the manner described above with reference to fig. 2.

In another step 304, the box 200 is enclosed in a larger container, such as a cardboard shipping box. The container may include a plurality of individual labels and sealed articles.

In a subsequent step 306, the container is closed in a sealed manner. It will be appreciated that containers such as cartons, for example, include open lines 307 that may be sealed using conventional packaging tape, tamper-evident tape, and/or additional RFID tags according to the present invention.

At any desired later stage 308 in the transportation and handling process, the items in the container may be interrogated by an RFID interrogation device. To simplify processing, the interrogation device may be positioned on a surface 309 on which the container rests or is passed by the container, for example, during normal processing. If all of the initially closed RFID tags respond to the interrogation device, there is reason to confirm that all of the corresponding items are still closed in the container and that the case 200 has not been opened, for example, during handling or shipping. On the other hand, the failure of any initially closed RFID tag to respond to an interrogation device provides an indication that the corresponding item has been removed and/or that the corresponding bin has been opened or otherwise tampered with. In each case, it is not necessary to open the container, or to visually inspect the item, unless the RFID tag fails to respond. Advantageously, since the container does not have to be opened unless tampering is suspected, it may be desirable to provide a typical transmitter, receiver or guard for the article for opening and detection of the container, if desired.

To ensure safety during transport, the identification information stored in each RFID tag, also called TagID (tag identification), is transmitted individually to the recipient, for example in electronic form. After receiving the delivery, the recipient may then confirm that there is a consistent match between the TagID obtained by interrogating the RFID tag in the container and the TagID received electronically. This ensures that not only is the number of responding RFID tags within the container correct, but also that each contains the desired identification information. Thus, it is not possible for a thief to fool the system by replacing a damaged tag with a good one, since the TagID of the replaced tag will be incorrect.

Although it seems feasible in principle that a sophisticated thief could read the TagID from the original tag and program an alternative tag with the same TagID, in practice it is very difficult to do so because different tags communicate using different protocols and thus the thief would have to know the correct protocol corresponding to the tag to be read. However, greater security may be achieved by using a security protocol to communicate with the RFID tag.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the RFID tag of the present invention is not limited to the form of the embodiment 100 described with reference to fig. 1 to 3. By way of further example only, FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment 400 of an RFID tag. As with embodiment 100, RFID tag 400 also includes an RFID transponder comprising an integrated circuit chip 402 and a loop antenna 404 connected to the integrated circuit chip via a conductor 410. The transponder is integrally formed with at least one flexible sheet 406 of backing material, such as paper or plastic, having an adhesive coating on its opposite surface. Integrated circuit chip 402 is located in the perimeter defined by the loop of antenna 404 and thus, in embodiment 400, it is not practical nor convenient to form a line of weakness across connection conductor 410.

Thus, in the case of alternative embodiment 400, the line of weakness is formed substantially across the loop of antenna 404. Breakage of the antenna loop will render the transponder unresponsive to interrogation action. Any line that would cause the antenna to break would thus serve the purpose of rendering the tag inoperable and thus multiple lines of weakness are provided in alternative embodiment 400. These include full diagonal 412, horizontal line 414, vertical line 416, and half diagonal 418, each formed as a perforated line. Providing a plurality of lines of weakness advantageously improves the flexibility of application of the label so that it can be applied as a line across the opening of articles having a variety of different geometries.

To provide a higher level of protection to articles, particularly those held in larger packages having weakened areas or allowing access from more than one side or opening, multiple labels may be applied across different lines or possible areas of the opening. If it is subsequently found that any of the tags applied to the package do not respond to the interrogation, this will indicate that the package has been opened or otherwise tampered with.

The above-described embodiments are not intended to limit the invention, and other embodiments may be employed within the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims.

Claims (21)

1. An RFID tag for use as a tamper-evident seal comprising an RFID transponder including an integrated circuit chip and an antenna connected to the integrated circuit chip, the RFID transponder being capable of communicating with an RFID interrogation device when intact, wherein the RFID tag includes a line of weakness extending across at least a portion of the antenna or between the antenna and the integrated circuit chip to render the RFID transponder incapable of communicating with the RFID interrogation device when the tag is broken along the line of weakness.

2. The RFID tag of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive coating applied to an outside surface of the RFID tag to enable the tag to be adhered to an item.

3. An RFID tag as recited in claim 1 or 2, wherein the RFID transponder further comprises a support substrate, the integrated circuit chip and antenna being mounted on the support substrate.

4. An RFID tag as recited in claim 2 or 3, further comprising a first sheet of flexible material, the transponder being integrally formed with the first sheet, and the adhesive coating being applied to an outer side surface of the first sheet of flexible material.

5. The RFID tag of claim 4, further comprising a second sheet of flexible material, the transponder being disposed between the first and second sheets of flexible material forming a laminate structure.

6. The RFID tag of claim 5, wherein the first and second sheets of flexible material are made of paper.

7. The RFID tag of claim 5, wherein the first and second sheets of flexible material are made of plastic.

8. An RFID tag as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the line of weakness comprises a line of perforations.

9. An RFID tag as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the transponder is a passive RFID transponder.

10. An RFID tag as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 9 when dependent on claim 5 wherein the line of weakness is provided in the first and/or second sheet of flexible material.

11. The RFID tag of any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising one or more additional lines of weakness, each of which extends across at least a portion of the antenna or between the antenna and the integrated circuit chip, thereby rendering the RFID transponder unable to communicate with the RFID interrogation device when the sealed tag is broken along any one or more of the lines of weakness.

12. An RFID tag as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the antenna is a loop antenna.

13. A method for sealing a package so that unauthorized access to the contents of the package can be detected, comprising the steps of:

providing an RFID tag according to any one of claims 1 to 12; and is

Adhering the RFID tag to the package such that the line of weakness of the tag is aligned with the line of opening of the package,

whereby the label is broken along the line of weakness when the package is opened along the line of opening.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the RFID tag includes an adhesive coating applied to an outer surface thereof, and the tag is adhered to the package by means of the adhesive coating.

15. A method for sealing a package so that unauthorized access to the contents of the package can be detected, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of RFID tags according to any one of claims 1 to 12; and is

Adhering the plurality of RFID tags to the package such that the line of weakness of the tags is aligned with the line of one or more openings of the package,

whereby at least one of said labels is broken along the line of weakness of said label when said package is opened along the line of any one or more of said openings.

16. A method for detecting unauthorized tampering or removal of an item stored in a container, comprising the steps of:

providing an RFID tag according to any one of claims 1 to 12;

adhering the RFID tag to the item;

storing the item in the container;

subsequently interrogating the RFID tag with an RFID interrogation device; and is

Detecting unauthorized tampering or removal of the item for the case where the RFID tag fails to respond to the RFID interrogation device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of providing identification information stored in the RFID tag prior to storing the item in the container, and wherein the step of interrogating the RFID tag comprises reading the identification information from the RFID tag, and wherein the step of detecting unauthorized tampering comprises detecting whether the identification information has changed based on the item stored in the container.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the identification information is electronically transmitted from a first location where the item is stored in the container to a second location where the RFID tag is interrogated, and the step of detecting whether the identification information has changed comprises comparing the electronically transmitted identification information to the identification information read from the RFID tag.

19. A method according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the RFID tag comprises an adhesive coating applied to an outer surface thereof, and the tag is adhered to the item by means of the adhesive coating.

20. The method of any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein the item is contained within a package and the step of affixing the RFID tag to the item includes affixing the RFID tag to the package such that the line of weakness of the tag is aligned with the line of opening of the package, such that the tag is broken along the line of weakness when the package is opened along the line of opening.

21. A method for detecting unauthorized tampering or removal of an item stored in a container, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of RFID tags according to any one of claims 1 to 12;

adhering the plurality of RFID tags to the item;

storing the item in the container;

subsequently interrogating the plurality of RFID tags with an RFID interrogation device; and is

Detecting unauthorized tampering or removal of the item for the case where the one or more RFID tags fail to respond to the RFID interrogation device.