Tamper-evident item and item validation system and method

A system for scanning a tamper evident product at a security scanning checkpoint;

• the system comprising:
• the tamper evident product;
• the tamper evident product comprising a housing or casing having critical area where the housing or casing can be opened or separated and a tamper sensing element capable of determining if the housing or casing has been separated at or along the critical area;
• wherein the tamper sensing element comprises a sensor for detecting a change in a monitored parameter indicative of the housing or casing having been separated or opened at or along the critical area, a memory for storing tamper indicator data indicative of the a state of the tamper sensing element, product data comprising data identifying the product, and tag data comprising data identifying the tamper sensing element;
• a circuit for updating the memory upon detection of a change in the parameter monitored by the sensor;
• and means for transmitting the data contained in the memory upon being queried;
• a remote database containing tag data and product data corresponding to the tag data and product data stored on the tamper sensing element;
• and
• a scanning device adapted to communicate with the tamper sensing element to receive from the tamper sensing element the tamper indicator data, the product data, and the tag data and to communicate with the database to retrieve from the database a data record corresponding to the product data and tag data of a scanned product;
• the scanning device comprising an indicator to provide a visual, auditory, or tactile indication as to the status of the tamper sensing element;
• said scanning device is adapted to evaluate the value of the tamper indicator data to determine if the housing or casting of the product has been opened or separated at or along the critical area, and to compare the tag data and product data stored on the tamper sensing element with the corresponding tag data and product data stored in the database;
• whereby, (a) if the value of the tamper indicator data indicates that the housing or casing has not been separated or opened at or along he critical area and (b) if the tag data and product data stored on the tamper sensing element is identical to the tag data and product data stored in the database, then the scanner activates the indicator to provide an indication that the product has cleared scanning, and
• whereby (a) if the value of the tamper indicator data indicates that the housing or casing has been separated or opened at or along he critical area or (b) if the tag data and product data stored on the tamper sensing element is not identical to the tag data and product data stored in the database, then the scanner activates the indicator to provide an indication that the product requires additional screening.

A tamper sensing element for a product wherein the product comprises a housing or casing having a critical area where the housing or casing can be opened or separated at or along the critical area;

• the tamper sensing element being operable to determine if the housing or casing has been opened or separated at or along the critical area;
• the tamper sensing element comprising:
• a sensor operable to detect a change in a monitored parameter indicative of the housing or casing having been opened or separated at or along the critical area;
• location detecting means;
• a clock;
• a memory for storing product data and tag data;
• the tag data including tamper indicator data and journey data indicative of the location of the product at selected times, the journey data including the data, time, and location of the product when the sensor detects a change in the monitored parameter(s);
• a circuit responsive to output from the sensor;
• the circuit being operable to update product data and/or tag data in the memory upon detection of a change in the parameter monitored by the sensor;
• and
• means for transmitting information contained in the memory upon being queried by a scanning device.