Tamper-detection device to detect unauthorized operations on apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12196601-B2
Application number	US-202217977036-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2022
Priority date	Jun 24, 2022
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

A device to detect unauthorized opening of a casing is disposed in the upper or lower casing of an apparatus. The device includes a base plate with vibrator, carrier, and sensor on the lower case, and receiving grooves. Balls of a lesser number than the number of receiving grooves are installed in the grooves in a predetermined arrangement by the manufacturer. A waveguide element and magnet, fixed on the upper casing, is in contact with the balls, and when the waveguide is vibrated, the number and locations of the balls govern the form of a setting signal derived therefrom at the factory. If the upper casing is separated from the lower casing, the waveguide element separates from the carrier, the magnetic element gathers the balls, the predetermined arrangement being thereby lost, when tested by an authorized repair engineer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A disassembling detection device configure to be disposed in a casing comprising a lower casing and an upper casing, wherein the disassembling detection device comprising:
a base plate configured to being affixed in the lower casing;
a vibrator disposed on the base plate;
a sensor disposed on the base plate;
a carrier disposed between the vibrator and the sensor, the carrier comprising a plurality of receiving grooves;
a plurality of balls arranged in the receiving grooves by a predetermined arrangement, wherein a number of the plurality of balls is less than a number of the plurality of receiving grooves;
a waveguide element in contact with the plurality of balls; and
a magnetic element disposed on the waveguide element, and configured to be affixed to the upper casing;
wherein when the upper casing is separated from the lower casing, the waveguide element is pulled away from the carrier, and the magnetic element attracts the plurality of balls to the waveguide element.

2. The disassembling detection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the vibrator is configured to vibrate the waveguide element when a vibration signal is generated, the sensor detects a vibration of the waveguide element and generates a setting signal when the waveguide element is vibrated by the vibrator.

3. The disassembling detection device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the setting signal corresponds to an arrangement of the plurality of balls in the plurality of receiving grooves, wherein when the arrangement of the balls in the receiving grooves is different from the predetermined arrangement, the sensor detects the waveguide element and generates a test signal, the test signal is different from the setting signal.

4. The disassembling detection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of a top of the vibrator and a top of the sensor is in contact with the waveguide element.

5. The disassembling detection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the base plate is a circuit board, and the vibrator and the sensor are electrically connected to the circuit board.

6. The disassembling detection device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a connecting element connected to the magnetic element and the waveguide element, and the waveguide element is separated from the magnetic element.

7. The disassembling detection device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the connecting element is an elastic part, and configured to reduce vibrations of the waveguide element being transmitted to the magnetic element.

8. The disassembling detection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the carrier comprises:
a carrying body comprising the receiving grooves; and
a buckle structure connected to the carrying body, and fastened to the magnetic element;
wherein when the upper casing is separated from the lower casing, the buckle structure is separated from the magnetic element.

9. The disassembling detection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the magnetic element is a plate structure, and adhered to the upper casing by glue, wherein the magnetic element is parallel to the waveguide element.

10. The disassembling detection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the magnetic element comprises:
a fixed plate having an opening; and
a magnet disposed in the opening,
wherein the opening is at a central area of the fixed plate, and the magnet corresponds to a central area of the carrier.

Assignees

• Ambit Microsystems Shanghai

Inventors

• Tang xiao-hu
• Liu Pei

Classifications

• G09F3/0376

  using a special technique to detect tampering, e.g. by ultrasonic or optical means · CPC title

• G06K19/07372

  by detecting tampering with the circuit · CPC title

• G01H17/00 Primary

  Measuring mechanical vibrations or ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves, not provided for in the other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• G01V1/001 Primary

  Acoustic presence detection · CPC title