Electronic seal

A reusable electronic seal device removably attached to a latch of a door of a container for detecting that the door has been opened, said electronic seal including:

• a latch pin having a retracted position when the door is open and an extended position when the door is closed;
• a latch pin spring for urging said latch pin to the extended position to secure said electronic seal to the container;
• a switch operatively connected to said latch pin and adapted to be activated when said latch pin is in the extended position;
• and
• means for emitting a frequency signal;
• a timer chip for receiving the frequency signal, and operatively connected to said switch, wherein said has frequency signal flows through said timer chip when said switch is activated, wherein said swatch stops the frequency signal from reaching said timer chip when said latch pin is in its retracted position to derive a time count indicative of the state of the seal,
• wherein said electronic seal is not damaged when removed from the door.

A reusable electronic seal removably attached to a door of a container for detecting that the door has been opened, wherein the door has a latch, said electronic seal including:

• a latch pin having a retracted position when the door is open and an extended position when the door is closed;
• a latch pin spring operatively connected to said latch pin for urging said latch pin to the extended position in which said electronic seal is secured to the latch of the container;
• a switch operatively connected to said latch pin, said switch adapted to be activated when the latch pin is in the extended position;
• means for generating a fixed frequency signal to a timer chip to derive a time count indicative of the state of the seal;
• said timer chip receiving the fixed frequency signal, and operatively connected to said switch, wherein a timer frequency signal flows through said timer chip in response to said fixed frequency signal and when said switch is activated, said switch stopping the fixed frequency signal from reaching said timer chip when said latch pin is in its retracted position to terminate the time count;
• a phototransistor, operatively connected to said timer chip, for receiving a clock signal from an external communications device for synchronizing communications with the external communications device;
• a light emitting diode, operatively connected to said timer chip, for communicating the time count to the external communications device;
• and
• means for supplying power to said timer chip, said generating means, said phototransistor and said light emitting diode,
• wherein said electronic seal is adapted to detect whether the door of the container has been opened, and wherein the electronic seal is not damaged when removed from the door.

A reusable electronic seal removably attached to a lid of a coin box of a pay telephone to detect that the lid has been opened, wherein the lid has a latch, said electronic seal including:

• a latch pin having a retracted position when the lid is open and an extended position when the lid is closed;
• a latch pin spring operatively connected to said latch pin for urging said latch pin to the extended position in which said electronic seal is secured to the latch;
• a switch operatively connected to said latch pin, said switch adapted to be activated when the latch pin is in the extended position;
• means for generating a fixed frequency signal to a clock of a timer chip to derive a time count indicative of the state of the seal;
• said timer chip operatively connected to said switch, wherein said timer chip has said frequency signal flowing through said clock when said switch is activated, said switch stopping the frequency signal from reaching said timer chip when said latch pin is in its retracted position to terminate the time count;
• a phototransistor, operatively connected to said timer chip, for receiving a clock signal from an external communications device for synchronizing communications with the external device;
• a light emitting diode, operatively connected to said timer chip, for communicating the time count to the external communications device;
• and
• means for supplying power to said timer chip, said generating means, said phototransistor and said light emitting diode,
• wherein said switch prevents said frequency signal from reaching said timer chip when said latch pin is in the retracted position, and wherein said switch resets said timer chip when said latch pin spring urges said latch pin to the extended position to secure said electronic seal to the lid of the coin box.