Tamper Evident Container with Embedded Integrity Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tamper evident solutions primarily protect single or few points of a container and lack robustness for high-security applications, such as protecting physical assets from adversarial disclosure, requiring enhanced security and monitoring capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A tamper resistant and evident container with a non-electrically conductive body embedding integrity sensors and a monitoring circuit that includes resistance measurement, accelerometers, GPS, anti-probing sensors, and countermeasures, utilizing conductive filaments with varying lengths and thicknesses, and a space-filling, self-avoiding random walk algorithm for trace pattern generation, integrated through additive layer techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional tamper evident seals are used, then the container is protected at single or few points, but the security robustness is insufficient for high-security applications
Solution Approach 1:
The container wall is divided into multiple zones with integrity sensors distributed throughout, rather than relying on a single seal. Each sensor independently monitors its local area, and the collective coverage provides comprehensive security. This segmentation allows the system to detect tampering at any location without requiring a single complex sealing mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrity sensors serve multiple functions: they monitor tampering, provide location tracking via GPS, detect acceleration events, and can trigger countermeasures. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized systems, thereby improving security robustness while controlling overall system complexity.
2Measurement precision
If multiple integrity sensors with varying lengths and thicknesses are embedded, then the monitoring precision is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive filaments are designed with varying lengths, thicknesses, and material compositions to create unique electrical resistance signatures for each sensor. These parameter variations enable precise identification and tracking of individual sensors, improving measurement precision while allowing flexible manufacturing through standard additive processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The container wall integrates non-conductive base material with embedded conductive filaments to create a composite structure. This composite approach allows the integrity sensors to be seamlessly integrated during manufacturing rather than requiring separate embedding steps, simplifying production while maintaining precision.
3Manufacturing precision
If additive layer techniques are used to integrate conductive traces, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive traces and structural components are merged into a single additive manufacturing process, eliminating the need for separate wiring and assembly steps. The conductive filaments are deposited as part of the layer-by-layer construction, integrating electrical functionality directly into the structural geometry with high precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional mechanical process of separately embedding wires or traces into container walls is replaced with a digital additive manufacturing process. The conductive paths are defined by computer-generated layer patterns that are automatically deposited, replacing manual or mechanical embedding operations with automated digital fabrication.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The container effectively monitors its state-of-health and detects breaches, providing real-time or post-delivery indications of tampering, ensuring secure storage and protection of assets with enhanced security features.
Implementation Method 1
at least one integrity sensor embedded in the non-electrically conductive material... the at least one integrity sensor includes a first conductive filament having a first resistance and a second conductive filament having a second resistance... a resistance monitoring circuit configured to measure the resistance of the at least one integrity sensor
Implementation Method 2
The monitoring circuit further includes an accelerometer, a global positioning system circuit, at least one anti-probing sensor configured to determine a probing attack on the tamper evident container
Data Source
AI summary
A tamper evident container includes a container body having walls surrounding a cavity. The walls are composed of a non-electrically conductive material and at least one integrity sensor that is embedded in the non-electrically conductive material. A monitoring circuit is configured to monitor the tamper evident container using the at least one integrity sensor and determine a state-of-health of the tamper evident container.