Security barrier for electronic circuitry
AssigneePitney Bowes Inc.
InventorWalter J. Kulpa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An enclosure for protecting at least a portion of a printed circuit board that includes a top and bottom cover each having an insulating layer between an outer conductive layer and an inner conductive layer. Each outer conductive layer and each inner conductive layer are electrically connected to a voltage source to form tamper detection circuits. The enclosure further includes cover switches to detect attempts to lift or remove the covers and a thermal sensor/switch or the like for indicating that a temperature inside the enclosure has moved past a predetermined level due to a tamper attempt. A detection circuit generates and transmits a signal to cause sensitive information contained in one or more electronic components provided on the circuit board to be erased when a tamper attempt is detected.
Claims30
An enclosure for covering and protecting from tamper attempts at least a portion of a printed circuit board including one or more electronic components, comprising:
- a top cover for covering a top side of said at least a portion of a printed circuit board, said top cover including a first outer conductive layer, a first inner conductive layer, and a first insulating layer between said first outer conductive layer and said first inner conductive layer, said first outer conductive layer and said first inner conductive layer being electrically connected to a voltage source to form a first circuit;
- a bottom cover for covering a bottom side of said at least a portion of a printed circuit board, said bottom cover including a second outer conductive layer, a second inner conductive layer, and a second insulating layer between said second outer conductive layer and said second inner conductive layer, said second outer conductive layer and said second inner conductive layer being electrically connected to said voltage source to form a second circuit;
- a first cover switch provided on said top side of said at least a portion of a printed circuit board, said first cover switch being electrically connected to said voltage source to form a third circuit, said first cover switch being in an open position when said top cover is provided on said top side and a closed position when said top cover is lifted away from said top side;
- a second cover switch provided on said bottom side of said at least a portion of a printed circuit board, said second cover switch being electrically connected to said voltage source to form a fourth circuit, said second cover switch being in an open position when said bottom cover is provided on said bottom side and a closed position when said bottom cover is lifted away from said bottom side;
- means for indicating that a temperature inside the enclosure has moved past a predetermined level;
- and
- a detection circuit for generating and transmitting a signal to cause certain information contained in the one or more electronic components to be erased when said detection circuit detects a voltage from said voltage source being present on said first circuit, said second circuit, said third circuit or said fourth circuit or when said indicating means indicates to said detection circuit that said temperature has moved past said predetermined level.
An enclosure for covering and protecting from tamper attempts at least a portion of a printed circuit board including one or more electronic components, comprising:
- a top cover for covering a top side of said at least a portion of a printed circuit board, said top cover including a first outer conductive layer, a first inner conductive layer, and a first insulating layer between said first outer conductive layer and said first inner conductive layer, said first outer conductive layer and said first inner conductive layer being electrically connected to a voltage source to form a first circuit;
- a bottom cover for covering a bottom side of said at least a portion of a printed circuit board, said bottom cover including a second outer conductive layer, a second inner conductive layer, and a second insulating layer between said second outer conductive layer and said second inner conductive layer, said second outer conductive layer and said second inner conductive layer being electrically connected to said voltage source to form a second circuit;
- a first cover switch provided on said top side of said at least a portion of a printed circuit board, said first cover switch being electrically connected to said voltage source to form a third circuit, said first cover switch being in an open position when said top cover is provided on said top side and a closed position when said top cover is lifted away from said top side;
- a second cover switch provided on said bottom side of said at least a portion of a printed circuit board, said second cover switch being electrically connected to said voltage source to form a fourth circuit, said second cover switch being in an open position when said bottom cover is provided on said bottom side and a closed position when said bottom cover is lifted away from said bottom side;
- a temperature sensor for indicating that a temperature inside the enclosure has moved past a predetermined level;
- and
- a detection circuit for generating and transmitting a signal to cause certain information contained in the one or more electronic components to be erased when said detection circuit detects a voltage from said voltage source being present on said first circuit, said second circuit, said third circuit or said fourth circuit or when said temperature sensor indicates to said detection circuit that said temperature has moved past said predetermined level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.