Packaging system with code-based detection of product falsification
A packaging system for at least one article includes a multilayer laminate structure that encapsulates a transformative material between first and second conductive layers where one of the first and second conductive layers defines a set of elongate sections. An NFC/RFID IC is electrically coupled to an antenna. The NFC/RFID IC has a plurality of input terminals electrically coupled to a plurality of electrical circuits that provide for electrical connection or electrical disconnection between sections in the set of elongate sections in accordance with a predefined codeword. The NFC/RFID IC is configured to sense voltage signals produced by the plurality of electrical circuits, determine a sensed codeword based on the sensed voltage signals, compare the sensed codeword to the predefined codeword, and output a signal based on such comparison. The predefined codeword can be associated with the packaging system for the at least one article or the at least one article, and the output signal output can be related to suspected counterfeiting or falsification of the at least one article. The NFC/RFID IC or an additional NFC/RFID IC can be configured to detect and register an intrusion or perforation in the multilayer laminate structure that relates to suspected tampering.
1. A packaging system for at least one article, comprising:
a multilayer laminate structure having a conductive layer that is configured to define a set of elongate sections; and
a first NFC/RFID integrated circuit electrically coupled to an antenna, wherein the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit has a plurality of input terminals electrically coupled to a plurality of electrical circuits that provide for electrical connection or electrical disconnection between sections in the set of elongate sections in accordance with a predefined codeword, wherein the plurality of electrical circuits includes conductive material that provides for electrical connection between adjacent sections in the set of elongate sections;
wherein the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit is configured to sense voltage signals produced by the plurality of electrical circuits and supplied to the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit via the plurality of input terminals, determine a sensed codeword based on the sensed voltage signals, compare the sense codeword to the predefined codeword, and output a signal based on such comparison.
2. The packaging system of claim 1 , wherein:
the conductive material is provided by the same conductive layer that forms the elongate sections of the set.
3. The packaging system of claim 1 , wherein:
the predefined codeword is associated with the packaging system for the at least one article or the at least one article.
4. The packaging system of claim 1 , wherein:
the signal output by the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit is related to suspected counterfeiting or falsification or intrusion of the at least one article.
5. The packaging system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit includes
non-volatile memory that stores data representing the predefined codeword in an encrypted or scrambled form, and
electronic circuitry that reads the data representing the predefined codeword in an encrypted or scrambled form from the non-volatile memory and processes such data to reconstruct the predefined codeword for comparison to the sensed codeword.
6. The packaging system of claim 5 , wherein:
the electronic circuitry comprises a controller.
7. The packaging system of claim 1 , wherein:
each one of the plurality of electrical circuits includes a resistor network that is electrically-coupled to a corresponding pair of adjacent sections in the set of elongate sections.
8. The packaging system of claim 7 , wherein:
the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit includes a positive power supply voltage terminal and a ground power supply terminal; and
the resistor network comprises a first resistor electrically coupled between the positive power supply voltage terminal and one section of the adjacent section pair, a second resistor electrically coupled between the positive power supply voltage terminal and the other section of the adjacent section pair, and a third resistor electrically coupled between the other section of the adjacent section pair and the ground power supply voltage terminal.
9. The packaging system of claim 1 , wherein:
the multilayer laminate structure encapsulates a transformative material which is configured to change impedance between first and second conductive layers of the multilayer laminate structure in response to an intrusion or perforation.
10. The packaging system of claim 9 , wherein:
the elongate sections of the multilayer laminate structure are electrically coupled to corresponding input terminals of the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit or a second NFC/RFID integrated circuit which is configured to detect the change in impedance between the first and second conductive layers of the multilayer laminate structure due to an intrusion or perforation and output a signal based thereon; or
at least one detection surface that is separate from the elongate sections and defined by one of the first and second conductive layers of the multilayer laminate structure is electrically coupled to a corresponding input terminal of the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit or a second NFC/RFID integrated circuit which is configured to detect the change in impedance between the first and second conductive layers of the multilayer laminate structure due to an intrusion or perforation and output a signal based thereon.
11. The packaging system of claim 10 , wherein:
the signal output by the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit or the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit is related to suspected tampering or intrusion of the at least one article.
12. The packaging system of claim 10 , wherein:
the set of elongate sections of the multilayer laminate structure that are electrically coupled to the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit and a plurality of detection surfaces that are electrically coupled to the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit or the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit are arranged in an interdigitated layout.
13. The packaging system of claim 10 , wherein:
the set of elongate sections of the multilayer laminate structure that are electrically coupled to the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit and the at least one detection surface that is electrically coupled to the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit are arranged in a stacked configuration.
14. The packaging system of claim 10 , wherein:
the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit and the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit are both present and arranged in a stacked configuration.
15. The packaging system of claim 10 , wherein:
the set of elongate sections of the multilayer laminate structure that are electrically coupled to the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit and the at least one detection surface that is electrically coupled to the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit are arranged in a stacked configuration; and
the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit and the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit are arranged in a stacked configuration.
16. The packaging system of claim 9 , wherein:
the multilayer laminate structure has a first configuration that provides a relatively high impedance electrical current path between the first and second conductive layers under normal conditions absent intrusion or perforation; and
the multilayer laminate structure has a second configuration that provides a relatively low impedance electrical current path between the first and second conductive layers in response to the intrusion or perforation.
17. The packaging system of claim 9 , wherein:
the transformative material undergoes a state change that changes impedance between the first and second conductive layers in response to the intrusion or perforation.
18. The packaging system of claim 17 , wherein:
the transformative material comprises a reactive material that undergoes a physical change or chemical reaction that irreversibly deposits material that forms to a relatively low impedance electrical current path between the first and second conductive layers in response to the intrusion or perforation.
19. The packaging system of claim 18 , wherein:
the multilayer laminate structure further includes an encapsulated reagent that reacts with the transformative material to aid the physical change or chemical reaction that irreversibly deposits material that form the relatively low impedance electrical current path between the first and second conductive layers in response to the intrusion or perforation.
20. The packaging system of claim 18 , wherein:
the multilayer laminate structure includes microcapsules of the transformative material or microcapsules of the reagent or both, where such microcapsules release encapsulated material or reagent for mixing in response to the intrusion or perforation.
21. The packaging system of claim 9 , wherein:
the transformative material comprises metal ions that undergo a galvanic displacement reaction that precipitates solid-phase metal in response to the intrusion, wherein the solid phase metal forms all or part of a low impedance electrical current path between the first and second conductive layers in response to the intrusion or perforation.
22. The packaging system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an additional multilayer laminate structure that encapsulates a transformative material between first and second conductive layers; and
a second NFC/RFID integrated circuit electrically coupled to the antenna or additional antenna, wherein the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit is also electrically coupled to the first and second conductive layers of the additional multilayer laminate structure, wherein the transformative material is configured to change impedance between the first and second conductive layers in response to an intrusion or perforation, and wherein at least one operational characteristic of the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit is dependent on the change in impedance between the first and second conductive layers of the additional multilayer laminate structure due to an intrusion or perforation.
23. The packaging system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit further includes decode circuitry and a register, wherein the decode circuitry is configured to decode the voltage signals supplied by the plurality of electrical circuits to generate the sensed codeword, and wherein the register is configured to store the sensed codeword generated by the decode circuitry.
24. The packaging system of claim 22 , wherein:
the additional multilayer laminate structure includes at least one detection surface defined by one of the first and second conductive layers of the additional multilayer laminate structure; and
the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit has at least one input terminal that is electrically coupled to the at least one detection surface, wherein the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit is configured to detect the change in impedance between the first and second conductive layers of the separate multilayer laminate structure due to an intrusion or perforation in the at least one detection surface and output a signal based thereon.
25. The packaging system of claim 24 , wherein:
the signal output by the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit is related to suspected tampering of the at least one article.
26. The packaging system of claim 24 , wherein:
the set of elongate sections of the multilayer laminate structure that are electrically coupled to the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit and the at least one detection surface that is electrically coupled to the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit are arranged in a stacked configuration.
27. The packaging system of claim 24 , wherein:
the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit and the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit are arranged in a stacked configuration.
28. The packaging system of claim 24 , wherein:
the set of elongate sections of the multilayer laminate structure that are electrically coupled to the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit and the at least one detection surface that is electrically coupled to the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit are arranged in a stacked configuration; and
the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit and the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit are arranged in a stacked configuration.
29. The packaging system of claim 1 , wherein:
the NFC/RFID integrated circuit is a passive NFC/RFID integrated circuit that cooperates with the antenna to receive and store electrical power from electromagnetic radiation emitted by an external NFC/RFID interrogator.
30. The packaging system of claim 1 , which is configured as a sensing barrier or surface that protects at least one article, wherein:
the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit is configured to detect and register suspected counterfeiting or falsification or intrusion of the at least one article.
31. The packaging system of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one article is selected from the group consisting of
medicine
foods or beverages
chemicals
forensics samples
electronics
electro-mechanical products
branded products
lifestyle personal products
documents or works of art
plastics or rubbers
fabrics or leather goods
wood
combinations of these products or other products thereof.
32. A method of monitoring at least one packaged article, comprising:
i) providing a packaging system of claim 1 ; and
ii) employing an NFC/RFID interrogator to configure the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit of the packaging system to detect and register suspected counterfeiting or falsification of the at least one article.
33. A method according to claim 32 , further comprising:
iii) repeating the operations of ii) at multiple points in time to detect and register suspected counterfeiting or falsification of the at least one article over time.
34. A method according to claim 33 , wherein:
the multiple points in time are along the supply chain such that the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit of the packaging system detects and registers suspected counterfeiting or falsification of the at least one article along the supply chain.
35. A method according to claim 32 , wherein:
the multilayer laminate structure or another multilayer laminate structure of the packaging system encapsulates a transformative material between first and second conductive layers, wherein the transformative material is configured to change impedance between the first and second conductive layers in response to an intrusion or perforation in the multilayer laminate structure;
the packaging system optionally includes a second NFC/RFID integrated circuit electrically coupled to the antenna or additional antenna, wherein the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit or the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit is electrically coupled to the first and second conductive layers; and
an NFC/RFID interrogator is employed to configure the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit or the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit to detect and register an intrusion or perforation in the multilayer laminate structure that is related to suspected tampering of the at least one article.
36. A packaging system for at least one article, comprising:
a first multilayer laminate structure having a conductive layer that is configured to define a set of elongate sections;
a first NFC/RFID integrated circuit electrically coupled to an antenna, wherein the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit has a plurality of input terminals electrically coupled to a plurality of electrical circuits that provide for electrical connection or electrical disconnection between sections in the set of elongate sections in accordance with a predefined codeword, wherein the plurality of electrical circuits includes conductive material that provides for electrical connection between adjacent sections in the set of elongate sections, and wherein the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit is configured to sense voltage signals produced by the plurality of electrical circuits and supplied to the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit via the plurality of input terminals, determine a sensed codeword based on the sensed voltage signals, compare the sense codeword to the predefined codeword, and output a signal based on such comparison;
a second multilayer laminate structure that encapsulates a transformative material between first and second conductive layers, wherein the transformative material is configured to change impedance between the first and second conductive layers in response to an intrusion or perforation in the second multilayer laminate structure; and
a second NFC/RFID integrated circuit electrically coupled to the antenna or additional antenna, wherein the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit is electrically coupled to the first and second conductive layers of the second multilayer laminate structure, wherein the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit is configured to output a signal based on an intrusion or perforation in the second multilayer laminate structure.
37. The packaging system of claim 36 , wherein:
a signal output by the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit is related to suspected counterfeiting or falsification of the at least one article; and
a signal output by the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit is related to suspected tampering or intrusion of the at least one article.
38. The packaging system of claim 36 , wherein:
first multilayer laminate structure and the first NFC/RFID integrated circuit are arranged in a stacked configuration above or below the second multilayer laminate structure and the second NFC/RFID integrated circuit.
39. The packaging system of claim 36 , which is formed in a sheet or rolled form.