Flexible Memory Device Tamper-Evident Perforated Substrate
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flexible memory devices lack a mechanism to detect tampering or modification, such as intentional lead destruction, which can compromise the integrity of product authentication and tracking, particularly in products like liquor and cigarettes prone to counterfeiting.
Innovation Solution
The flexible memory device is designed with tamper-evident features by routing leads through perforated areas, where severing these areas breaks the connection between memory cells and contact pads, allowing detection of tampering and enabling selective disabling of memory bits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If flexible memory devices are used for product sealing and tracking, then product authentication and tracking capabilities are provided, but the devices lack tamper detection capability allowing undetected counterfeiting and lead destruction
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible substrate is divided into multiple segments with perforated areas creating predetermined breakable sections. Leads are routed through these segmented perforated areas, allowing the device to be divided into separate portions when tampered with, while maintaining functional integrity during normal use.
Solution Approach 2:
Perforated areas are pre-formed in the flexible substrate during manufacturing, creating predetermined paths for leads that are designed to break under specific tampering conditions. This preliminary preparation enables automatic tamper detection without requiring additional active components or complex circuits.
2Reliability
If leads are made vulnerable to breaking for tamper detection, then tampering can be detected, but the connection between memory cells and contact pads can be accidentally broken
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible substrate has different mechanical properties in different regions: perforated areas with reduced material strength where leads are intended to break for tamper detection, and non-perforated areas with full structural integrity that protect accidental breakage. This localized differentiation of material properties enables selective lead failure only in predetermined zones.
Solution Approach 2:
Perforated areas in the flexible substrate create regions with reduced material continuity and increased porosity, making these specific zones more susceptible to lead breakage under tampering forces while maintaining lead integrity in non-perforated regions during normal handling and application.
3Loss of information
If all memory data is retained after tampering, then complete product history is preserved, but tampering evidence is lost
Solution Approach 1:
When the flexible substrate is torn through a perforated area, leads are selectively extracted or disconnected from specific memory cells while other leads remain connected. This extraction mechanism separates tampered data access from intact data, allowing the device to preserve some memory information while simultaneously providing evidence of tampering through the physical discontinuity of broken leads.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A flexible memory device including a flexible substrate, a plurality of contact pads, a plurality of lines and a first partially weakened portion of the flexible substrate. The plurality of contact pads are disposed on the flexible substrate. At least one contact pad of the plurality of contact pads forms at least one first tamper evident pad. The plurality of lines are disposed on the flexible substrate, each line of the plurality of lines connected to a contact pad of the plurality of contact pads. At least one line of the plurality of lines forms at least one first tamper evident line and is connected to the at least one first tamper evident contact pad. The first partially weakened portion of the flexible substrate is arranged across the at least one tamper evident line.