Two-part security tag
AssigneeMotorola Solutions, Inc.
InventorTimothy J. Collins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A security tag contains two parts. The contact (or lack thereof) of the two parts defines the operational state of the security tag. In one state, the security tag responds when a central control station runs a wireless security scan. In the other state, the tag does not respond. Thus the wireless security scan reveals the tag's operational state. If, for example, one part of the tag is affixed to a window, and the other part affixed to a flame of the window, then the two parts can be arranged so that they are in contact when the window is closed but not in contact when the window is open. A wireless scan of the tag thus reveals whether or not the window is open. In one embodiment, one part of the security tag includes an RFID circuit, and the other part includes an antenna.
Claims20
A security tag comprising:
- a first part and a second part operatively connectable to, and separable from, one another;
- wherein the security tag is configured to have two operational states, a first operational state when the first and second parts are operatively connected together and a second operational state when the first and second parts are not operatively connected together;
- and
- wherein the security tag is configured to respond to a wireless scan when in one of the two operational states and is configured to not respond to a wireless scan when in the other operational state, even though RF is presented to the security tag.
A security tag comprising:
- a thin-film antenna and an RFID circuit operatively connected together providing a two-part security tag;
- wherein the security tag is configured to have two operational states, a first operational state when the antenna is unbroken and a second operational state when the antenna is broken, the antenna operating at an original resonant frequency when unbroken and a different resonant frequency when broken;
- and
- wherein the security tag is configured to respond to a wireless scan when in one of the two operational states and is configured to not respond to a wireless scan when in the other operational state.
A security switch comprising:
- a first part and a second part operatively connectable to, and separable from, one another;
- and
- a security tag comprising a third part and a fourth part operatively connectable to, and separable from, one another;
- wherein the first part of the security switch comprises the third part of the security tag;
- wherein the second part of the security switch comprises the fourth part of the security tag;
- wherein the third and fourth parts of the security tag are operatively connected together when, and only when, the first and second parts of the security switch are operatively connected together;
- wherein the security tag is configured to have two operational states, a first operational state when the third and fourth parts are operatively connected together and operating at a first frequency and a second operational state when the third and fourth parts are not operatively connected together and operating at a second frequency different from the first frequency;
- and
- wherein the security tag is configured to respond to a wireless scan using the first frequency when in one of the two operational states and is configured to not respond to a wireless scan when in the other operational state and operating at the second frequency.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.