Tamper detection device, system and method

Abstract

A tamper detection device for detecting tampering with packaging is described, the device comprising: i) a first electrode comprising a first patterned structure, and ii) a second electrode comprising a second patterned structure. The first electrode and the second electrode are arranged such that the first patterned structure and the second patterned structure are at least partially opposite each other. In a first arrangement state of the first patterned structure and the second patterned structure relative to each other, a first capacitance is measurable, and in a second arrangement state of the first patterned structure and the second patterned structure relative to each other, a second capacitance is measurable, wherein the first capacitance is different from the second capacitance, and wherein the first arrangement state is different from the second arrangement state. The device further comprises: iii) a detection unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a tamper detection device for detecting tampering with packaging. The present invention further relates to a tamper detection system comprising the device. The present invention further relates to a method for detecting tampering with packaging. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing the tamper detection device. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a use of the tamper detection device. Furthermore, the present invention relates to product packaging comprising the tamper detection device. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, mechanical protection, such as seals, has been applied to secure packaging against tampering. A disadvantage of such seals is that physical inspection is required to detect tampering. The application of electronic tamper protection has traditionally been either very costly or not very accurate and reliable. Providing efficient tamper detection devices or methods in a cost-effective manner remains a challenge. Summary of the Invention

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to enable tamper detection on packaging in an efficient, in particular cost-effective, and robust manner.

[0004] In order to achieve the objects defined above, a tamper detection device, a tamper detection arrangement, a manufacturing method, a use and a product packaging according to the independent claims are provided.

[0005] According to aspects of the present invention, a tamper detection device for detecting tampering with packaging is described. The device includes: i) a first electrode including a first patterned structure, and ii) a second electrode including a second patterned structure. The first electrode and the second electrode are arranged such that the first patterned structure and the second patterned structure (at least partially) face each other (with a dielectric material and / or air between them). In a first arrangement state of the first patterned structure and the second patterned structure relative to each other (e.g., an untampered state, specifically, a high level of correlation between the patterned structures), the first capacitance is measurable (e.g., the capacitance is at its maximum or minimum value, wherein the maximum or minimum value may include a certain spread due to random effects and measurement errors), and in a second arrangement state of the first patterned structure and the second patterned structure relative to each other (e.g., a tampered state, specifically, a low level of correlation between the patterned structures), the second capacitance is measurable (e.g., the capacitance is not at its maximum or minimum value), wherein the first capacitance is different from the second capacitance, and wherein the first arrangement state is different from the second arrangement state (specifically, the first measurable capacitance corresponds to the first arrangement state and the second measurable capacitance corresponds to the second arrangement state). The device further comprises: iii) a detection unit (specifically, comprising a capacitance measuring unit and a (capacitance) correlator) (connected to the first electrode and the second electrode), wherein the detection unit is configured to: a) measure the capacitance (e.g., the first capacitance and / or the second capacitance) between the first electrode and the second electrode (specifically, via the terminals), b) obtain information indicating the arrangement state based on the measured capacitance (Cm) (specifically, obtain the first arrangement state or the second arrangement state), and c) evaluate (determine) whether tampering with the packaging is detected based on the information indicating the arrangement state (e.g., obtaining the first arrangement state based on the first capacitance can lead to a determination that there is no tampering, while obtaining the second arrangement state based on the second capacitance can lead to a determination that there is tampering).

[0006] According to another aspect of the present invention, a tamper detection system is described. The system comprises: i) a tamper detection apparatus as described above, and ii) an external device. The apparatus and the external device are configured to establish communication (specifically, wireless communication) with each other.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of manufacturing a tamper detection device as discussed above is described. The method comprises: i) providing a conductive preform (particularly a foil), ii) forming at least two electrodes from the conductive preform, and iii) patterning the electrodes to provide corresponding patterned structures (on the electrodes). Forming and / or patterning comprises at least one item from the group consisting of: applying / removing a conductive material to / from the preform, applying / removing a dielectric material to / from the preform, and embossing (at least partially) the preform.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for detecting tampering with respect to packaging by a tamper detection device is described. The device has a first electrode comprising a first patterned structure and a second electrode comprising a second patterned structure. The method comprises: i) arranging the first electrode and the second electrode so that the first patterned structure and the second patterned structure are at least partially opposite to each other. Accordingly, in a first arrangement state of the first patterned structure and the second patterned structure relative to each other, a first capacitance is measurable; in a second arrangement state of the first patterned structure and the second patterned structure relative to each other, a second capacitance is measurable; wherein the first capacitance is different from the second capacitance, and wherein the first arrangement state is different from the second arrangement state. The method further comprises ii) measuring the capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode,

[0009] iii) obtaining information indicative of the arrangement status based on the measured capacitance, and iv) evaluating whether tampering with the packaging has been detected based on the information indicative of the arrangement status.

[0010] According to another aspect of the invention, the use of the tamper detection device (see above) is described as at least one of the group consisting of: a security seal, device protection, access control to a function or service, a ticket, a pressure sensor.

[0011] According to another aspect of the invention, a product package comprising a tamper detection device as discussed above is described.

[0012] In the context of this application, the capacitance of a capacitor consisting of two (substantially) opposing (parallel) electrodes (plates) having an area A and separated from each other by a distance d can be expressed as: C = ε r ε0A / d. Therefore, ε r is the relative static permittivity (sometimes called dielectric constant) of the material (or air) between the two electrode plates (for vacuum, ε r =1), and ε0 is the dielectric constant or vacuum permittivity (=8.854×10 -12As / Vm). From the formula, it can be seen that the capacitance is proportional to the area of ​​overlap between the electrodes.

[0013] In the context of this application, the term "electrode" may specifically refer to an electrical conductor. In an embodiment, the electrode may be formed as a plate having a patterned structure on at least one of its two main surfaces. The electrodes may be contacted via terminals. The electrode may further include two or more electrode portions. The material of the electrode may include, for example, one of Ag, Al, Au, Be, Cr, Cu, Fe, In, Mg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Pd, Pt, Rh, Sb, Sn, Ti, Zn, and alloys including at least one of these elements.

[0014] In the context of the present application, the term "patterned structure" may specifically refer to an area of ​​an electrode comprising a patterned structure (e.g. on the surface of an electrode plate). The electrode may be at least partially patterned, for example by conductive plates and / or conductive holes. The patterned structure may, for example, comprise spatially separated portions of a pattern of conductive material on a conductive substrate or a dielectric substrate. The patterned structure may also comprise spatially separated portions of a pattern of dielectric material on a conductive substrate or a dielectric substrate. The pattern may, for example, be a highly complex pattern, such as a Gold code pattern. The patterned structure in this context may also be a definition of a positioned sequence of material patterns (e.g. plates and holes) formed on / in the electrode.

[0015] In the context of the present application, the term "correlation" may refer to a measure of how well two patterns (specifically, patterned structures of electrodes) match (fit) each other. For example, when the conductive pattern of the first patterned structure and the conductive pattern of the second patterned structure are equivalent, the correlation will be (substantially) perfect. If the patterns are very similar and the match is very good, a high level of correlation (in other words, a high level of similarity or match) will be obtained. Correlation can also be expressed by a quality standard. For example, a good correlation may meet a certain correlation quality standard. On the other hand, if the patterns are not very similar (no match), a low level of correlation will be obtained. In this case, the correlation between the patterns may not meet a certain correlation quality standard. The first patterned structure and the second patterned structure can be configured to be correlated with each other (particularly, correlated at a high level and / or satisfy a correlation quality standard) in a first arrangement state (e.g., an untampered state) of the first patterned structure and the second patterned structure (arranged at least partially opposite to each other), and the first patterned structure and the second patterned structure can be configured to be uncorrelated with each other (particularly, correlated at a low level and / or do not satisfy a correlation quality standard) in a second arrangement state (e.g., a tampered state) of the first patterned structure and the second patterned structure (arranged at least partially opposite to each other). The term "autocorrelation" can refer to a measure of similarity of substantially identical patterns shifted by displacement and / or rotation.

[0016] In the context of the present application, the term "arrangement state" may refer to a specific arrangement between a first electrode and a second electrode, specifically a first patterned structure and a second patterned structure relative to each other. For example, in a first arrangement state, the patterned structures may be arranged relative to each other so that the patterns are correlated to each other at a high level (e.g., the conductive patterns match and the dielectric patterns match). Accordingly, the capacitance between the electrodes may be at its maximum or minimum value, wherein the maximum or minimum value may include a certain extension due to random effects and measurement errors. In a second arrangement state, for example, the patterned structures may be arranged relative to each other so that the patterns are not correlated to each other at a high level (e.g., the conductive patterns do not match and the dielectric patterns do not match). Accordingly, the capacitance between the electrodes may not be at its maximum or minimum value. The two arrangement states can be well distinguished by measuring capacitance (the first capacitance and the second capacitance) because a change in correlation (by changing the arrangement state) can also change capacitance (capacitance change).

[0017] In the context of this application, the term "packaging" may refer to any material that can be used to package a product (provide packaging for the product). The packaging may be some type of paper that can be wrapped around the product. The packaging may also be a bottle and / or bottle cap. The packaging may also be packaging for an electronic component (e.g., for a die).

[0018] In the context of this application, the term "tampering" may refer, in particular, to undesirable effects on packaging as described above. For example, a bottle cap may be (at least partially) opened, or the bottle cap may not be secured to the bottle, as desired. While some tampering may be directly observable, there are many types of tampering that must be measured / detected because, in particular with a large number of packaging, they are not directly observable.

[0019] According to an exemplary embodiment, the present invention may be based on the concept that when the capacitance between the patterned structures of a specific electrode is measured and then information indicating the arrangement state between the patterned structures is obtained, tamper detection in terms of packaging can be achieved in an efficient and stable manner. Accordingly, the arrangement state obtained is based on the correlation between the electrode patterns directly reflected by the measured capacitance. Accordingly, the capacitance may be at its maximum / minimum value in the first pattern arrangement that has not been tampered with, and not at the maximum / minimum value in the second pattern arrangement that has been tampered with. Therefore, the arrangement state obtained can be used to detect tampering. In other words, the capacitance change induced by displacement is used to detect tampering.

[0020] In the following, further exemplary embodiments of the method and the communication system will be explained.

[0021] According to an exemplary embodiment, the information indicating the arrangement state (specifically, the first arrangement state or the second arrangement state) is based on a capacitance change (specifically, between the first capacitance and the second capacitance) caused by a displacement and / or rotation of the electrodes (specifically, the patterned structures) relative to each other. This can provide the advantage that tamper detection can be performed very efficiently and accurately. Even small movements of the packaging can cause one electrode, specifically one patterned structure, to be displaced and / or rotated relative to the other electrode (patterned structure). The displacement / rotation can cause the conductive part and the dielectric part of the patterned structure to be misaligned relative to each other and thereby cause a capacitance change, specifically a (significant) change in the measured capacitance.

[0022] According to another exemplary embodiment, when the first patterned structure and the second patterned structure are in a first arrangement state, no tampering is detected, wherein a high level of correlation is obtained, and when the first patterned structure and the second patterned structure are in a second arrangement state, tampering is detected, wherein a low level of correlation is obtained. This can provide the advantage that tampering can be detected in an accurate and simple manner. The first arrangement state in which the patterned structures are correlated with each other can be regarded as an initial state in which no tampering has been performed. In this state, the capacitance can be at its maximum value. The tampering action can cause the patterned structure to be misplaced (to the second arrangement state), and then the capacitance is no longer at its maximum value. In the example, the patterned structure is accordingly a pattern of conductive material.

[0023] According to another exemplary embodiment, in the first arrangement state, the measured capacitance is at its maximum value or at its minimum value, and in the second arrangement state, the measured capacitance is not at its maximum value or at its minimum value.

[0024] The described embodiments can also be applied in reverse, whereby in the untampered state (first arrangement state) the capacitance may be at its minimum value, and upon tampering and the patterned structure being misaligned with each other (second arrangement state) the capacitance is no longer at its minimum value.

[0025] In embodiments, an inverse correlation may be applied, for example by matching electrodes formed as plates with holes therein, correlating a first electrode pattern to a second electrode pattern, and vice versa, such that under untampered electrode placement, the capacitance is minimum, and under tampered electrode placement, the capacitance may be maximum. Thus, a capacitance greater than a minimum value may be an indication of a displaced electrode in a tampered state. In the tampered state, the capacitance change may be measured relative to the maximum capacitance or minimum capacitance, which may be applicable if the electrode distance can be kept constant during the correlation but may face significant manufacturing expansion.

[0026] According to another exemplary embodiment, the first patterned structure and the second patterned structure are (substantially) equivalent (identical). This can provide the advantage that a high capacitance maximum (or minimum) can be established for the untampered state, which can be easily distinguished from the tampered state. This can make tamper detection more accurate.

[0027] According to a further exemplary embodiment, the first patterned structure and / or the second patterned structure comprises a highly complex pattern, in particular a Goldcode pattern. This may provide the advantage that a very high accuracy may be achieved for tamper detection.

[0028] In the following, advantageous designs of electrodes (and electrode patterned structures) will be described:

[0029] According to another exemplary embodiment, the first electrode and / or the second electrode comprises a plurality of spatially separated conductive (material) patterns.

[0030] According to another exemplary embodiment, the first electrode and / or the second electrode comprises a plurality of spatially separated dielectric (material) patterns.

[0031] According to another exemplary embodiment, the first electrode and / or the second electrode comprises a plurality of spatially separated conductive (material) patterns on a dielectric substrate and / or a plurality of spatially separated dielectric (material) patterns on a conductive substrate.

[0032] According to another exemplary embodiment, the first electrode and / or the second electrode includes a plurality of spatially separated conductive patterns on a conductive substrate.

[0033] According to another exemplary embodiment, the first electrode and / or the second electrode includes a plurality of spatially separated conductive patterns formed as an imprinted structure on a conductive substrate.

[0034] Electrodes can be constructed on a conductive substrate by, for example, applying regions of dielectric material with a permittivity significantly greater than 1 (free air), thereby forming regions of increased capacitance that can be considered as plates. Furthermore, the electrodes can be separated by additional dielectric layers. This embodiment can have the advantage that the regions of printed dielectric can act as spacers between the electrodes. In combination with a force applied to one electrode towards the other, the distance d can be increased. 空气 minimized, thereby maximizing the capacitance Cm.

[0035] The first electrode can be constructed by forming a plate on a dielectric material and electrically coupling regions of conductive material to each other, while the second electrode can be constructed on a conductive substrate by applying a region of dielectric material having a permittivity significantly greater than 1 (e.g., by printing), thereby forming a region of increased capacitance that can also be considered a plate. Furthermore, the electrodes can be separated by an additional dielectric layer.

[0036] Conductive materials may include, for example, metals such as copper or aluminum, and also include, for example, conductive polymers or carbon.Dielectric materials may include all kinds of dielectric materials, for example PCB materials such as FR4.

[0037] According to another exemplary embodiment, i) the first electrode includes a first electrode portion and a second electrode portion, wherein the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion are interconnected, ii) the second electrode includes a third electrode portion connected to the first end and a fourth electrode portion connected to the second end, iii) the first electrode portion is arranged substantially opposite the third electrode portion, iv) the second electrode portion is arranged substantially opposite the fourth electrode portion, and v) the device is configured such that a package can be placed between the first electrode and the second electrode, while both ends are accessible from one side of the package. This can provide the advantage that tamper detection can be applied in a very flexible manner, in particular even complex structures, such as bottle closures, can be effectively accessed from only one side.

[0038] The described "floating" patterned electrodes (two or more electrode portions) can enable capacitive sensing from a single interconnect plane that can be positioned entirely inside a package. In particular, this configuration significantly reduces integration costs.

[0039] According to another exemplary embodiment, the third electrode portion includes an outer electrode portion, the fourth electrode portion includes an inner electrode portion, and the outer electrode portion surrounds the inner electrode portion. This can provide the advantage that the device can be implemented with an efficient and robust design. The inner portion and / or the outer portion can be implemented as a disk, in particular a metal disk.

[0040] According to another exemplary embodiment, the tamper detection device further comprises: a communication unit coupled to the detection unit, wherein the communication unit is configured to i) communicate with an external device (particularly wirelessly), and ii) send the detection result to the external device (upon request). This can provide the advantage that the tamper detection result can be obtained in a feasible and flexible manner.

[0041] According to another exemplary embodiment of the tamper detection system, the wireless communication is at least one of the group consisting of NFC, Bluetooth, RFID, WiFi, and Zigbee. This can provide the advantage that established industry standards can be directly implemented to effectively obtain tamper detection results.

[0042] According to another exemplary embodiment of the tamper detection system, the external device is configured to wirelessly supply energy to the tamper detection device. This may provide the advantage that the tamper detection device does not require its own energy source (such as a battery) and can therefore be applied more flexibly and cost-effectively.

[0043] According to another exemplary embodiment of the tamper detection system, the external device is configured to request a tamper detection result from the device. This may provide the advantage that tampering may be tested and assessed in a flexible manner, also in the case of large-scale packaging of many products.

[0044] According to a further exemplary embodiment, the method additionally comprises: i) generating a Goldilocks code, and ii) patterning the first electrode and / or the second electrode such that the pattern of the first patterned structure and / or the pattern of the second patterned structure comprises the Goldilocks code.

[0045] Generating a Gold code may include the following steps: i) defining the code length based on the desired resolution, ii) defining the number of correlation locations that provide high capacitance under reliable placement, and iii) searching for a code with the smallest peak level under unreliable placement. The selection criterion may be the desired resolution, as this fundamentally defines the bit length of the code. Next, the number of correlation locations representing high capacitance areas that contribute to the measured capacitance (Cm) may be defined. Finally, it may be beneficial to select a code that meets the previously defined requirements and, in addition, shows the smallest peak level under tampered placement and, in addition, exhibits the smallest ripple in the tampered state.

[0046] The aspects defined above and further aspects of the invention will become apparent from the examples of embodiment described hereinafter and will be explained with reference to these examples of embodiment.The invention will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to examples of embodiment but to which the invention is not limited. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] Figure 1 A tamper detection system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0048] Figure 2 A tamper detection system according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0049] Figures 3 to 7 A basic concept of a tamper detection apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0050] Figures 8 to 13 The misalignment of one electrode relative to another electrode is shown according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Figures 14 to 20 An electrode design according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0052] Figures 21 to 32 An implementation of capacitance change measurement according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0053] Figures 33 to 38 An embodiment of spatially separated electrode parts according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0054] Figure 39 The use of the tamper detection device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention as a pressure sensor is shown.

[0055] Figures 40 to 43 A detailed configuration of a loop antenna according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0056] The illustrations in the drawings are schematic. In different drawings, similar or identical elements are denoted by the same reference numerals. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] Before describing the exemplary embodiments in more detail with reference to the drawings, some basic considerations based on which the exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been formed will be outlined.

[0058] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method and apparatus for ensuring that a package is protected from tampering by sensing specific patterned electrodes coupled to the package are disclosed. The electrodes are patterned by highly complex structures such as Goldilocks codes, and tampering is sensed by evaluating the correlation (quality) between the patterned structures of the electrodes (using, for example, a capacitive correlator), where only the untampered arrangement state will provide a detectable high level of correlation. As a secondary feature, if the patterns (Goldilocks codes) of the patterned structures of the two electrodes match, the method can be applied to grant access to a function or service. The capacitance formed between the patterned structures of the electrodes can be very small, and the capacitance change induced by the displacement of the electrodes relative to each other can be even smaller. However, the method disclosed herein provides a significantly large displacement-induced capacitance change. Preferred embodiments include a dielectric material with a high permittivity applied to a conductive substrate (such as aluminum foil or embossed metal sheet or foil). The benefit of these methods is compatibility with packaging manufacturer processing, thereby avoiding specific tool investment and shielding the sensing capacitor from electromagnetic coupling of unwanted noise components. According to an example, an external device (host device) provides energy via electromagnetic coupling, and the detected placement status is wirelessly transmitted to the external device. The capacitance measurement unit can be configured to attenuate the coupled electromagnetic radiation component. The described tamper detection device identifies tampering with the package and wirelessly transmits the identified tampering status to a data processing unit of the external device.

[0059] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the following features may be provided: i) tampering is detected by determining a change in (capacitance) of a high level of (auto)correlation between an untampered state and a tampered state of at least two hardware-encoded Gold codes fixed to the product packaging, ii) hardware encoding is achieved by constructing electrodes forming a capacitor from a Gold code pattern showing strong autocorrelation, iii) a capacitive correlator is applied to measure the correlation between the at least two patterned electrodes, iv) alternatively, if the Gold code is correlated with the inverse of the same Gold code, the inverse correlation provides a minimum correlation, v) the tamper detection device (token) is connected to an external The invention provides a method for manufacturing a capacitively coupled device comprising: a first embodiment of the invention which wirelessly communicates with a peripheral device (host unit) to enable automated tamper testing, a second embodiment of the invention which wirelessly communicates with a peripheral device (host unit) to enable automated tamper testing, a third embodiment of the invention which wirelessly communicates with a peripheral device (host unit) to enable automated tamper testing, a fourth embodiment of the invention which wirelessly communicates with a peripheral device (host unit) to enable automated tamper testing, a fourth embodiment of the invention which wirelessly supplies energy to the device to enable automated tamper testing, a fourth embodiment of the invention which wirelessly supplies energy to the device to enable automated tamper testing, a fourth embodiment of the invention which wirelessly supplies energy to the device to enable automated tamper testing, a fifth embodiment of the invention which wirelessly supplies energy to the device to enable automated tamper testing, a fourth ...

[0060] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a contactless token (device) having a capacitive correlator for detecting displacement from a reliable position (e.g., a first arrangement state) is described. The high level of correlation of the patterned structure is used to provide increased relative capacitance with improved linear / angular resolution. Displacement is thereby measured via a change in capacitance rather than absolute position. Therefore, a specific correlation pattern is utilized. The correlator is used to measure the correlation of at least two electrodes patterned with the same Goldilocks code. The capacitive correlator outputs a maximum level in an untampered position (e.g., the first arrangement state). The electrodes can be randomly shaped and positioned. Generally speaking, the tamper protection method disclosed herein supports many low-cost use cases where at least two parts of an untampered package must match to indicate an untampered state, or where access to a function or service should be limited to the availability of a token carrying an encoded key, or to a certain time period if the encoded key is configured to degrade over time or as a result of an applied chemical or mechanical process.

[0061] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a universal capacitive correlator comprises a first electrode and at least a second electrode opposite to each other that can form a tamper-dependent capacitance (Cm), wherein at least two electrodes can each be formed on a separate plane including an arbitrarily positioned and shaped area, the plane providing a higher relative capacitance inside the area than outside the area. Areas of relatively high capacitance should form plates, while areas of relatively low capacitance or no capacitance should form holes. On each electrode, the plates and holes that do not have zero capacitance can be electrically coupled. All conductive portions of the first electrode can be insulated from all conductive portions of at least the second electrode, thereby forming a capacitance Cm. The first electrode and at least the second electrode can have plates and holes formed and positioned so that the capacitance formed between the electrodes has a detectable maximum or minimum value in the untampered state and deviates significantly from the capacitance in the tampered state. This may mean that the pattern formed by shaping and positioning the electrodes can exhibit strong correlation or strong inverse correlation in the untampered state, while having poor correlation in the tampered state. In this case, a strong correlation may mean a maximum capacitance of Cm in the untampered state at a fixed electrode distance if the plates are correlated and the holes are correlated, or a strong inverse correlation should mean a minimum capacitance of Cm in the untampered state at a fixed electrode distance if the plates are correlated and the holes are correlated (inverse electrode pattern). For good correlator performance, it may be desirable to maximize the displacement-induced change in capacitance Cm / area, which can be achieved if, in the case of maximum capacitance in the untampered state, the pattern applied by shaping and positioning the plates and holes is used to make virtually identical correlated electrodes, or, in the case of minimum capacitance in the untampered state, the pattern applied by shaping and positioning the plates and holes to the first electrode is inversely applied to at least the second correlated electrode by replacing the plates with holes, and vice versa.

[0062] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a capacitance Cm is formed between two electrodes A and B. The change in the correlation α r The capacitance change ΔCm and the maximum capacitance Cm max The ratio is expressed as: α r =ΔCm / (max(Cm)). The capacitance change of Cm should be consistent with the resolution of the capacitance measurement result, and the maximum capacitance of Cm should be consistent with the range of the capacitance measurement result.

[0063] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a capacitive correlator can be integrated into a bottle closure as an additional security feature that supplements the mechanical tamper protection and thus adds the option of automatically checking the tamper status of the bottle closure. This type of closure consists of two mechanical parts: an inner closure with a thread that matches, for example, the bottle thread, and an outer closure. When opening this type of closure, the outer closure is first rotated relative to the inner closure. After being rotated through a small angle, for example 25°, the outer closure must overcome a rotational barrier. The rotational barrier can only be passed in the direction required to open the bottle, and once passed, the outer closure cannot be rotated before the rotational barrier. From an angle of, for example, 35° onwards, the outer closure couples force to the inner closure, and the bottle can therefore be opened. The tamper detection token disclosed herein should now detect whether the outer closure has been rotated more than 25° and whether it has passed the rotational barrier. This means that a rotation of the outer closure relative to the inner closure by more than 25° should indicate tampering and this must be detected. The challenges for this application are:

[0064] i) the available space for the protective device between the outer cover and the inner cover is ≤ 25 mm in diameter and ≤ 3 mm in height, meaning that the capacitance change Cm from the untampered position to the tampered position is less than 1 pF;

[0065] ii) The protection needs to be divided into two parts: a) an inlay, which includes a loop antenna, a first correlator electrode and a correlator device with an NFC communication unit and is mounted on the top outside the inner cover, b) a second correlator electrode, which is mounted on the inside of the outer cover below the top of the outer cover, leaving space for integrating the protection token between the outer cover and the inner cover;

[0066] iii) a first correlator electrode is constructed by metal (Cu) on a dielectric (FR4), and a second correlator electrode is constructed by dielectric on a conductive substrate, wherein the conductive substrate may be a conductive polymer or aluminum foil;

[0067] iv) The air gap between the two electrodes can be ≥100 μm;

[0068] v) A mobile device can be coupled to the NFC interface to read out the tamper status. The mobile device can inject EM radiation into the capacitive correlator. Thus, the second electrode structured on the conductive substrate by the dielectric code pattern can be shielded from EM radiation;

[0069] vi) The resolution of the CMU is ≈250 fF; and

[0070] vii) The angular resolution is ≈20°, so Gold codes with a bit length of 12-18 bits may be suitable.

[0071] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the described method is applied to provide low-cost protection for devices requiring reliable, attachable components. For this purpose, the device carries a first correlation electrode, a capacitive correlator, and a communication unit, while the attachable component carries a second correlation electrode. When the electrode patterns of the two electrodes match, a function or service of the device is enabled, wherein the protection can be designed to disable the function or service after a certain period of time has elapsed.

[0072] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the wear of a reliable component coupled to a device can be detected at low cost. Thus, the device carries a first correlation electrode, a capacitive correlator and a communication unit, while the coupled component facing the wear carries a second correlation electrode. When the electrode patterns of the two electrodes match, the function or service of the device is enabled, and when the correlation drops, the wear of the attached component is indicated to the device triggering the relevant reaction. If the second correlation electrode can interact with its environment by means of a chemical process, the second correlation electrode can disappear after some processing time, thereby providing a time constant related to the chemical process, the type and concentration of the chemical reagents involved, and environmental process parameters such as temperature, humidity or pressure. The coupling of a component with unreliable coding to the device can cause the device to take relevant actions immediately.

[0073] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, access to a service provided by a device may be limited to a group of people with a matching access token (device). The device may carry a first coded electrode, a capacitive correlator, and the components required to provide the service, while the token may carry a second coded electrode. Access to the service is granted only when the coding of the first electrode and the second electrode shows a strong correlation when coupled. The token may be a low-cost ticket that provides, for example, a conductive area in which the coding can be printed at the ticket issuing office. Thus, different codings that can match different device codings can be applied, thereby granting access to different services. For improved selectivity, the coding should provide sufficient entropy or be designed to provide a strong mutual correlation with different dedicated codings. The present application may provide supplementary access control that is inferior to the control provided by, for example, an NFC-based access control mechanism. Due to the low cost of this method, this method can be applied to product marketing-related activities, such as customer relationship management.

[0074] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, access to a service provided by a device can be limited to a group of people with a matching access token (device). The device can carry a first coded electrode, a correlator, and the components required to provide the service, while the token can carry a second coded electrode. Access to the service is only granted if the coding of the first and second electrodes shows a strong correlation when coupled. The token can be, for example, a low-cost ticket that provides a conductive area carrying a code pattern. The code pattern can be invalidated at the point of ticket issuance by, for example, a mechanical process that removes the self-correlation properties of the code pattern. Thus, access to a function or service can be revoked at the point of ticket issuance. If the ticket carries various codes, access to various functions / codes can be revoked.

[0075] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the described correlation tamper protection mechanism is applied to a sticker or flag for sealing purposes. A device, such as any kind of packaging or bottle, can carry a correlation electrode, a capacitor correlator and a communication unit, while a second correlation electrode is included in the seal. The second electrode can utilize any conductive area from the seal, or a conductive material of a simple geometric structure can be applied to the seal. The correlation pattern is applied in dots or strips using a dielectric glue, which is also used to apply the seal to the device, wherein the areas with glue between the conductive plates are areas of high capacitance. Removing the seal causes the adhesive function of the glue to be lost, thereby changing the correlation between the electrodes, thereby causing a detectable capacitance change. No current is required to connect to the second electrode, so the simplicity of production results in cost-effective two-factor tamper protection (replacing the seal to the original position of the seal will never cause the original autocorrelation between the electrodes because the glue pattern has been destroyed).

[0076] Figure 1A tamper detection system 190 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. The tamper detection system 190 includes a tamper detection device 100 and an external device 180. The device 100 includes a first electrode 110 and a second electrode 120, which are arranged opposite each other with an insulator (e.g., air) between them, thereby forming a capacitor. The device 100 further includes a detection unit 130, which is configured to i) measure the capacitance between the first electrode 110 and the second electrode 120, ii) obtain information indicating the arrangement state (between the electrodes) based on the measured capacitance, and iii) evaluate whether tampering with the packaging has been detected based on the information indicating the arrangement state. In other words, a tamper-related capacitance Cm is measured between the electrodes 110 and 120 attached to the packaging (not shown). Displacement of the electrodes 110 and 120 relative to each other can indicate tampering. The deviation of the tamper-related capacitance from a reference value that has not been tampered with is therefore used as a measure of tamper detection. The device 100 further includes a communication unit 140 coupled to the detection unit 130. The device 100 and the external device 180 are configured to establish wireless communication (e.g., NFC, Bluetooth, RFID) with each other via the first loop antenna 141 of the device 100 and the second loop antenna 181 of the external device 180. In addition, the external device 180 is configured to wirelessly supply energy to the tamper detection device 100 and request a tamper detection result from the device 100.

[0077] Figure 2 A more detailed example of a tamper detection system 190 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. The device 100 comprises a position correlation module 135 having a detection unit 130, a communication unit (e.g., an NFC unit) 140, and a power regulation unit 136, which can organize the energy supply (energy harvesting) by the external device 180. The detection unit 130 comprises a capacitance measurement unit 131 and a (offset / rotation) correlation unit 132. The external device 180 comprises a communication interface 182 and a data processing unit 183. Accordingly, the electromagnetic field of the second loop antenna 181 can be coupled to the schematically indicated coupling capacitance C Ant1 and C Ant2 Interference capacitance measurement (see also below Figures 40 to 43 ).

[0078] Figures 3 to 7 A basic concept of a tamper detection apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0079] Figure 3An example is shown of electrodes 110 and 120 arranged opposite each other in the form of a capacitor with a distance D and an electrode area A between the electrodes 110 and 120. Each electrode 110, 120 is in contact via a terminal T1, T2.

[0080] Figure 4 An example is shown according to which the capacitance Cm measured in the case of rotation can be 360° (2π) periodic. This type of periodicity of Cm can be obtained by applying a plate (electrode) distance The plate (electrode) distance is removed by the simultaneous rotation-related changes. The capacitance Cm can be reduced at an uncertain rotation angle Depends on angular displacement The displacement along the axis of rotation can be achieved, for example, by means of a thread, since this removes positional ambiguity. It may be advantageous such that the change in capacitance between the untampered position and any rotated ambiguous position may be no greater than the change in capacitance between the untampered position and any non-ambiguous rotated position.

[0081] Figure 5 Examples of displacements and / or rotations in three-dimensional space that may provide capacitance changes indicative of tampering of a package are shown. Such displacements may include displacements by Δx in the x-direction, by Δy in the y-direction, and / or by Δz in the z-direction, or by rotations by an angle or any combination thereof, shifting from an authentic (untampered) position P0 to a tampered position P1.

[0082] Figure 6 An example is shown in which the displacements Δx, Δy and Δz may define a position P1 and may further define an axis of rotation passing through the starting point P0 and the position P1. Shift to position The plane perpendicular to the rotation axis can be rotated to an angle of displacement results.

[0083] Figure 7 A first patterned structure 111 and a second patterned structure 121 are shown according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The first electrode 110 and the second electrode 120 are arranged such that the first patterned structure 111 and the second patterned structure 121 are opposite each other. The patterned structures 111 and 121 are implemented as spatially separated conductive plates arranged in a common plane. In this example, the first patterned structure 111 and the second patterned structure 121 are (substantially) completely correlated with each other, and therefore there is a high level of correlation (also known as autocorrelation). This arrangement can be referred to as a first arrangement state (e.g., an untampered state), and in this state, the capacitance can be at its maximum value.

[0084] Figures 8 to 13 The misalignment of one electrode relative to another electrode is shown according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0085] Figure 8 The second electrode 120 is shown displaced by a small displacement Δy1 in the y-direction relative to the first electrode 110 .

[0086] Figure 9 It shows that the second electrode 120 is displaced by a large displacement Δy2 in the y direction relative to the first electrode 110. Figure 8 Compared with the arrangement (state) shown in Figure 9 In the illustrated arrangement (state), the capacitance Cm formed between the first electrode 110 and the second electrode 120 is significantly smaller.

[0087] Figure 10 The second electrode 120 is shown displaced by a small displacement Δx1 in the x-direction relative to the first electrode 110 .

[0088] Figure 11 It shows that the second electrode 120 is displaced by a large displacement Δx2 in the x direction relative to the first electrode 110. Figure 10 Compared with the arrangement (state) shown in Figure 11 In the arrangement (state) shown, the capacitance Cm formed between the first electrode 110 and the second electrode 120 is significantly smaller. If the shape and positioning of the conductive area are random, then in the untampered position and displaced position The capacitance Cm at can be represented by, for example, a Gaussian distribution, defined by a mean and a spread. The spread of these distributions can be narrowed if the shape and positioning randomness of the conductive areas and the complexity of the displacement operation can be limited.

[0089] Figure 12 and Figure 13 Shows rotation limited to an angle If the total area A of electrodes 110 and 120 is tot is limited, then in the untampered position The capacitance at may have a maximum value. In the case of unlimited displacement from P0 to P1, the capacitance Cm may have a minimum value. In the case of rotation, the maximum value of the capacitance Cm may be periodic, where the rotation angle is an integer multiple of 360° (2π). If the total area A of the electrodes 110, 120 is tot is finite, and if the length of the displacement vector is also finite, then it may be desirable to maximize the change in capacitance Cm when displacing electrode 120 relative to electrode 110.

[0090] Figures 14 to 20An electrode design according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0091] Figure 14 The first electrode 110 and the second electrode 120 each include a dielectric substrate 160, thereby forming a patterned structure with conductive material patterns 151, which are electrically coupled to each other (and formed into a plate). The electrodes 110 and 120 are separated by a distance d. Although there is high capacitance between the conductive material patterned structure, the capacitance between the conductive material and the dielectric substrate, or between the dielectric substrates, is very low.

[0092] Figure 15 : The first electrode 110 and the second electrode 120 each include a conductive substrate 150, thereby forming a patterned structure (formed as a plate) through a dielectric material pattern 161.

[0093] Figure 16 : The first electrode 110 includes a conductive substrate 150, while the second electrode 120 includes a dielectric substrate 160. The first electrode 110 further includes a patterned structure of a dielectric material 161, while the second electrode 120 includes a patterned structure of a conductive material 151, thereby forming plates that are electrically coupled to each other.

[0094] Figure 17 : Both the first electrode 110 and the second electrode 120 comprise a conductive substrate 150. The patterned structure is formed by imprinting the substrate 150 so as to provide imprinted structures 155. In this example, these imprinted structures 155 provide a patterned structure.

[0095] Figure 18 : The first electrode 110 and the second electrode 120 each include a conductive substrate 150. Both patterned structures further include a pattern of conductive material 151. The first patterned structure is electrically coupled to the first electrode 110, and the second patterned structure is electrically coupled to the second electrode 120.

[0096] Figure 19 The second electrode 120 comprises a dielectric substrate 160 and a second patterned structure of a conductive material 151 , wherein the second patterned structure is electrically coupled to the second electrode 120 . The first electrode 110 comprises a conductive substrate 150 , wherein a conductive material pattern 151 is connected to an imprinted structure 155 .

[0097] Figure 20 : shows an example of a first electrode 110 configured for inverse correlation. In the case of a stamped electrode, the first electrode 110 can be flipped between correlation and inverse correlation. If the electrode distances between the plates and the holes remain the same for both the untampered and tampered electrode placements, then in the case of inverse correlation, the capacitance Cm can be minimized in the untampered electrode arrangement.

[0098] Figures 21 to 32 An implementation of capacitance (change) measurement according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0099] Figure 21 A displacement of 0...3Δx is shown. The variation of the capacitance Cm may be 5:1. The shown configuration may be considered as a sliding correlator which performs a correlation between the patterned structure of the first electrode 110 and the (substantially) identical / equivalent plate pattern of the electrode 120. The pattern may be a Goldilocks code which has a strong autocorrelation in the untampered state and a poor autocorrelation when tampered. If the Goldilocks codes applied to the relevant electrodes do not match at all, no correlation may occur. In the example, the capacitive correlator only takes into account the capacitance variation Cm / Cm in comparison to the correlation known, for example, from a spread spectrum receiver. max The code positions where each participating electrode shows conductivity.

[0100] Figure 22 Shows that for Figure 21 configuration, due to the correlation in the untampered state (0 displacement), for a specific electrode configuration (see e.g. Figure 15 ), the measured correlation is at least 3 times greater than in the tampered state (shifts 1 to 17).

[0101] Figure 23 An example of an electrode 120 is shown which has been extended by an exact copy of said electrode 120. This type of periodicity occurs if a displacement by rotation is to be detected. The Gold code applied in the capacitive correlator is characterized by i) the maximum capacitance Cm in the case of the untampered arrangement and in the case of the same electrode pattern, ii) the varying capacitance Cm (ripple) in the case of the tampered state and iii) the ratio of the capacitance cm in the untampered arrangement to the peak capacitance in the tampered state. The autocorrelation efficiency (correlation quality factor) can be expressed by the ratio of the capacitance in the untampered state to the theoretical capacitance that a code consisting only of "1"s of the same bit length as the Gold code would provide (see below Figure 24 Column "Change" in the .

[0102] Figure 24 Some Gold codes and their key parameters that provide good autocorrelation performance in a capacitive correlator are shown. The bit length of the Gold code can define the linear / angular resolution, the efficiency of the code can be defined by the number of "1s" (high capacitance states), and the code sequence itself can affect the ripple in the tampered state.

[0103] Figure 25 The above principle is shown applied to rotational displacement. Figure 26 As shown in Figure 22 Correlation diagrams for the electrode configurations shown. Figure 27 The correlators described above are shown for different displacement angles.

[0104] Figure 28 The capacitances Cm and Cc are shown in The maximum value of capacitance Cm and Cc can be obtained under the untampered placement. Figure 29 As shown, the measured capacitance Cm′ may have Cm′<<(Cm max ' / 4). Figure 30 As shown, the measured capacitance Cm′ is about Cm max ' / 4. Figure 31 As shown, the measured capacitance is Cm′=(Cm max ' / 2), causing Cm' to vary by 2:1 between the untampered position and the rotated (tampered) position.

[0105] Figure 32 An embodiment is shown where m0=m1=1, p1=2, p2=5, p3=9, p4=17 and ζ0=21.2° (for better visibility, the segment width ζ0 is not correctly scaled, m0 is the area multiplier, m1 is the area multiplier factor, see below) Figure 34 ).

[0106] Figure 33 A capacitor is shown formed by a first electrode 110 and a second electrode 120. If one of the terminals T1 or T2 extends beyond the boundary of the package 170, where the packages 170 may not be interconnected, one of the electrodes may be difficult to contact. This may be the case, for example, with bottle closures.

[0107] Figure 34An exemplary embodiment for solving the above-mentioned problems is shown. The first electrode 110 includes a first electrode portion 115 and a second electrode portion 116, wherein the first electrode portion 115 and the second electrode portion 116 are interconnected by an interconnection member I. The second electrode 120 includes a third electrode portion 125 connected to the first terminal T1 and a fourth electrode portion 126 connected to the second terminal T2. The first electrode portion 115 is arranged to be opposite to the third electrode portion 125, and the second electrode portion 116 is arranged to be opposite to the fourth electrode portion 126. Therefore, the package 170 (boundary) can be placed between the first electrode 110 and the second electrode 120, and the two terminals T1 and T2 can be accessed from a common side of the package 170. In other words, to solve the problem described above, it may be necessary to split the electrode forming capacitance Cm into an electrode portion comprising electrode portions 115 and 125, and an electrode portion comprising electrode portions 116 and 126, wherein electrode portions 125 and 126 are accessible from one side of the package boundary, for example, inside the boundary of package 170, while first electrode 110, comprising coupled electrode portions 115 and 116, may be present on the opposite side of the package boundary, for example, outside the boundary of package 170 and therefore not accessible via an interconnect. Thus, capacitance Cm′ formed by electrode portions 115 and 125 can now be capacitively coupled via the capacitance formed by electrode portions 116 and 126. In one embodiment, the area multiplication factor m1 can be selected to be sufficiently large so that capacitance Cm dominates the measured capacitance Cm′. For example, for m1=10*m0, capacitance Cm′ can be measured with negligible error via terminal T1 or T2.

[0108] Figure 35 Another embodiment of the above example is shown, in which a conductive substrate 150 having a dielectric material pattern 161 is used for a first electrode 110, which has a first sub-electrode portion 115 and a second sub-electrode portion 116 electrically coupled to the first sub-electrode portion 115. Dielectric substrate 160 is used for a second electrode 120, which includes a third sub-electrode portion 125 and a fourth sub-electrode portion 126. Sub-electrode portions 125 and 126 are formed by conductive material pattern 151. The ends of sub-electrode portions 125 and 126 are accessible from the same plane, while first electrode 110 is positioned on another plane that is not accessible from the plane. A benefit of this embodiment is that first electrode 110 can be applied, for example, by printing a high-permittivity dielectric ink onto a conductive substrate, such as aluminum foil, making the manufacture of first electrode 110 compatible with standard processing available at packaging manufacturers. In addition, this embodiment provides the benefit that the conductive substrate can act as a shield to prevent electromagnetic coupling into the CMU.

[0109] Figure 36An exemplary embodiment is shown in which third electrode portion 125 comprises an outer electrode portion, fourth electrode portion 126 comprises an inner electrode portion, and the outer electrode portion surrounds the inner electrode portion. Second electrode 120 includes a dielectric substrate 160 and third electrode portion 125 and fourth electrode portion 126 constructed by a conductive material pattern 151. First electrode 110 is made of conductive material 150 including an embossed structure 155. Encapsulation 170 is disposed between electrodes 110, 120.

[0110] Figure 37 Show application through the above Figures 34 to 36 1. An embodiment of a displacement detector for angular displacement based on the principle of a layout. In this particular configuration, the device comprises a "floating metal disk" electrode 110 and a counter electrode 120 comprising an outer metal ring electrode 125 and an inner metal disk electrode 126. Figure 38 As shown, the Gold code "10100100010000000" can be encoded (patterned) by the dots of dielectric material 161 applied to electrodes 110, 120, wherein the pattern of the patterned structure must be aligned. In this embodiment, the angular resolution can be 22.5°. The capacitive correlator below.

[0111] Figure 39 The device 100 is shown as a pressure sensor. Applying a pressure P0 to the assembly carrying the electrode 110 and aligning the electrodes 110 and 120 with a high level of correlation results in regions of high capacitance and regions of lower capacitance forming a measured total capacitance. Applying pressure to the electrode 110 causes mechanical deformation of the raised sections that form a correlation pattern on the electrode, thereby reducing the distance d between the electrodes 110 and 120 in the regions of lower capacitance. The reduced distance d results in a higher capacitance, so the total measured capacitance increases as a function of pressure, where P0 is the initially applied pressure.

[0112] Figure 40 1 shows a schematic diagram of a tamper detection system 190 comprising a tamper detection device 100 operatively coupled to a data processing external device 180 by means of a loop antenna 141 and a loop antenna 181 (cf. Figure 1 ).

[0113] Figure 41 A more detailed view is shown, where capacitances Cm0, Cm1 and Cm2 are the capacitive components of capacitance Cm which indicate displacement and thus tampering. ant1 and C ant2represents the parasitic coupling capacitance from, for example, the loop antenna 141 to the electrodes 110 and 120. More specifically, Cm0 represents the displacement-independent direct plate coupling capacitance between the electrodes 110 and 120. The capacitance Cm can be measured by a capacitance measurement unit (CMU).

[0114] Figure 42 Shown is the noise source V RF RF noise components may be capacitively coupled to the input of the CMU 131. For example, Figure 37 Embodiments of the present invention can have a positive impact on shielding against noise originating from the loop antenna, as the metal disk electrode, along with the ring electrode, acts as a short circuit for the noise. At the coupling location along the loop antenna, the phase of the coupled noise can vary constantly from 0° to 360°, resulting in strong noise attenuation. The electrode configuration also provides shielding from external EM radiation, and the inter-electrode capacitance of the present invention adds to the capacitance Cmx, thus further contributing to noise attenuation.

[0115] Figure 43 shows a simplified view of the configuration shown above, where the components of the capacitor Cm are not separated, the capacitor C ant1 has been neglected because the capacitor C ant1 Connected in parallel to the low impedance voltage source VRF and may not contribute to noise attenuation. In order to attenuate the noise component coupled from VRF, the capacitor Cmx can be coupled in parallel to the capacitive component of Cm. ant2 In contrast, making Cmx large can effectively attenuate the coupled noise component of VRF. This type of noise attenuation can be combined with electrodes constructed by printing an insulating layer on a conductive substrate, such as Figure 37 .

[0116] Reference Numbers

[0117] 100 Tamper Detection Device

[0118] 110 first electrode

[0119] 111 First Warp Patterned Structure

[0120] 115 Part 1

[0121] 116 Part 2

[0122] 120 second electrode

[0123] 121 Second Warp Patterned Structure

[0124] 125 Part 3

[0125] 126 Part 4

[0126] 130 detection units

[0127] 131 Capacitance Measurement Unit

[0128] 132 Correlation Unit

[0129] 135 Position Correlation Module

[0130] 136 Power Unit

[0131] 140 Communication Unit

[0132] 141 First Loop Antenna

[0133] 150 Conductive substrate

[0134] 151 Conductive materials / patterns

[0135] 155 Imprinted Conductive Structure

[0136] 160 dielectric substrate

[0137] 161 Dielectric Materials / Patterns

[0138] 170 packaging

[0139] 180 external units

[0140] 181 Second Loop Antenna

[0141] 182 External Communication Unit

[0142] 183 Data Processing Unit

[0143] 190 Tamper Detection System

[0144] Cm Maximum capacitance

[0145] Interconnect

[0146] P pressure

[0147] T1, T2 first end, second end.

Claims

1. A tamper detection device (100) for detecting tampering with respect to a package (170), characterized in that The device (100) comprises: a first electrode (110), the first electrode (110) comprising a first patterned structure (111); a second electrode (120), the second electrode (120) comprising a second patterned structure (121); wherein the first patterned structure (111) and / or the second patterned structure (121) comprises a Gold code pattern; wherein the first electrode (110) and the second electrode (120) are arranged such that the first patterned structure (111) and the second patterned structure (121) are at least partially opposite to each other, wherein, in a first arrangement state of the first patterned structure (111) and the second patterned structure (121) relative to each other, a first capacitance is measurable, wherein, in a second arrangement state of the first patterned structure (111) and the second patterned structure (121) relative to each other, a second capacitance is measurable, wherein the first capacitance is different from the second capacitance, and wherein the first arrangement state is different from the second arrangement state; and A detection unit (130), wherein the detection unit (130) is configured to: measuring the capacitance between the first electrode (110) and the second electrode (120), obtaining information indicative of a state of the arrangement based on the measured capacitance, and An assessment is made as to whether tampering with respect to the package (170) has been detected based on the information indicative of the arrangement status.

2. The tamper detection device (100) according to claim 1, It is characterized by: The information indicative of the arrangement state is based on capacitance changes caused by a displacement and / or rotation of the electrodes (110, 120) relative to each other.

3. The tamper detection device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, It is characterized by: No tampering is detected when the first patterned structure (111) and the second patterned structure (121) are in the first arrangement state, wherein a high level of correlation is obtained between the first patterned structure (111) and the second patterned structure (121), and wherein tampering is detected when the first patterned structure (111) and the second patterned structure (121) are in the second arrangement state, wherein a low level of correlation between the first patterned structure (111) and the second patterned structure (121) is obtained, in particular wherein in the first arrangement state, the measured capacitance is at its maximum value or at its minimum value, and In the second arrangement state, the measured capacitance is neither at its maximum value nor at its minimum value.

4. The tamper detection device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, It is characterized by: The pattern of the first patterned structure (111) and the pattern of the second patterned structure (121) are substantially the same.

5. The tamper detection device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The first electrode (110) and / or the second electrode (120) include at least one of the following features: a plurality of spatially separated patterns of conductive material (151); a plurality of spatially separated patterns of dielectric material (161); a plurality of spatially separated patterns (151) of conductive material on a dielectric substrate (160), and / or a plurality of spatially separated patterns (161) of dielectric material on a conductive substrate (150); a plurality of spatially separated patterns (151) of conductive material on a conductive substrate (150); A plurality of spatially separated patterns (151) of conductive material are formed as an imprinted structure (155) on a conductive substrate (150).

6. The tamper detection device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, It is characterized by: The first electrode (110) includes a first electrode portion (115) and a second electrode portion (116), wherein the first electrode portion (115) and the second electrode portion (116) are interconnected; wherein the second electrode (120) includes a third electrode portion (125) connected to the first end (T1) and a fourth electrode portion (126) connected to the second end (T2); wherein the first electrode portion (115) is arranged substantially opposite to the third electrode portion (125); wherein the second electrode portion (116) is arranged substantially opposite to the fourth electrode portion (126); and The device (100) is configured such that a package (170) can be placed between the first electrode (110) and the second electrode (120), and two terminals (T1, T2) can be accessed from one side of the package (170).

7. A tamper detection system (190), characterized in that include: The tamper detection device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6; an external device (180), the external device (180) being configured to receive a tamper detection result from the device (100); The device (100) and the external device (180) are configured to establish communication, specifically wireless communication, between each other.

8. A method for manufacturing a tamper detection device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The method comprises: providing a conductive preform, specifically a foil; forming at least two electrodes (110, 120) from the conductive preform; and patterning the electrodes (110, 120) to provide corresponding patterned structures (111, 121); wherein the patterning comprises i) generating a Goldilocks code, and ii) patterning the first electrode and / or the second electrode such that the pattern of the first patterned structure and / or the pattern of the second patterned structure comprises a Goldilocks code; and Wherein forming and / or patterning comprises at least one of the group consisting of: applying a conductive material (151) to the preform / removing a conductive material (151) from the preform, applying a dielectric material (161) to the preform / removing a dielectric material (161) from the preform, at least partially embossing the preform.

9. A method for detecting tampering with respect to a package by means of a tamper detection device, the tamper detection device having a first electrode (110) comprising a first patterned structure (111) and a second electrode (120) comprising a second patterned structure (121), wherein the first patterned structure (111) and / or the second patterned structure (121) comprises a Goldcode pattern, characterized in that The method comprises: Arranging the first electrode (110) and the second electrode (120) such that the first patterned structure (111) and the second patterned structure (121) are at least partially opposite to each other, wherein, in a first arrangement state of the first patterned structure (111) and the second patterned structure (121) relative to each other, a first capacitance is measurable, wherein, in a second arrangement state of the first patterned structure (111) and the second patterned structure (121) relative to each other, a second capacitance is measurable, wherein the first capacitance is different from the second capacitance, and wherein the first arrangement state is different from the second arrangement state; measuring the capacitance between the first electrode (110) and the second electrode (120); obtaining information indicative of a state of the arrangement based on the measured capacitance; and An assessment is made as to whether tampering with respect to the package (170) has been detected based on the information indicative of the arrangement status.

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