GB2340977A

GB2340977A - Tagging apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2340977A
Application number: GB9818576A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bryan Stephen Rickett; Andrew Paul Davies
Original assignee: Roke Manor Research Ltd
Current assignee: Roke Manor Research Ltd
Priority date: 1998-08-27
Filing date: 1998-08-27
Publication date: 2000-03-01
Anticipated expiration: 2018-08-27
Also published as: GB2340977B; GB9818576D0

Abstract

Personnel security tagging apparatus comprising a housing module 2 which includes a signal transmitter, a security control circuit and an electrical power source, a strap 1 by means of which the module is in use secured to a person to be tagged, the strap comprising a flexible printed circuit having a plurality of elongate contiguous layers 27,28 which each carry at least one printed conductor loop, which loops extend along the strap from, an electrical connector 29 positioned at one end of thereof in which connection of the loops is made to the security control circuit, to loop end positions spaced at mutually different relative positions from the end of the strap whereby cropping of the strap at a suitable point to fit a wearer, results in a predetermined number of the loops being cut and open-circuited, the number cut being dependent upon the cropping point, the security control circuit being operative to provide an alarm signal if during use of the apparatus the conductive state of one or more of the loops changes.

Description

IMPROVEMINTS IN OR RELATING TO TAGGING APPARATUS This invention relates to

tagging apparatus and more especially it relates to personnel security tagging apparatus.

Personnel security tagging apparatus comprising a transmitter which is strapped to the arm or leg of a person so that their whereabouts can be monitored is well known. Such apparatus is presently used for keeping track of offenders for example, who may be the subject of curfew orders or other restrictions on their movements, the security tagging apparatus being used to confine them to a particular place without a need for the attendance of supervisory personnel such as prison officers, police, or probation officers which can be expensive to provide.

Known tagging apparatus usually includes a security feature whereby a warning signal is provided consequent upon unauthorised removal of the apparatus from a wearer's arm or leg, as the case may be. This security feature, which is intended to provide a deterrent against unauthorised removal of the apparatus, commonly comprises a single electrical conductor which is embedded in, or formed integrally with the strap, and coupled to a continuity detector.

It is an object of the present invention to provide personnel security tagging apparatus, which affords a high level of confidence that unauthorised removal of the apparatus from a tagged person will be rapidly detected.

According to the present invention personnel security 1 tagging apparatus comprises a housing module which includes a signal transmitter, a security control circuit and an electrical power source, a strap by means of which the module is in use secured to a person to be tagged, the strap comprising a flexible printed circuit having a plurality of elongate contiguous layers which each carry at least one printed conductor loop, which loops extend along the strap from an electrical connector positioned at one end of thereof in which connection of the loops is made to the security control circuit, to loop end positions spaced at mutually different relative positions from the end of the strap whereby cropping of the strap at a suitable point to fit a wearer, results in a predetermined number of the loops being cut and opencircuited, the number cut being dependant upon the cropping point, the security control circuit being operative to provide an alarm signal if during use of the apparatus the conductive state of one or more of the loops changes.

By providing a fixing strap which embodies a plurality of contiguous layers, each carrying a number of printed conductor loops, some of which are continuous and some of which are open circuited in accordance with a position along the strap whereat it is cropped to fit a wearer, it is virtually impossible to cut the strap without changing the conductive state of at least one of the loops which would trigger an alarm. Thus, security against unauthorised removal of the apparatus is greatly enhanced as will be readily appreciated.

The strap may be pierced at regular intervals along its length with holes which extend along each side of the strap in two mutually spaced rows to form equi-spaced juxtaposed pairs so that a pair adjacent tlie cropping point facilitates fixing of the strap to the housing module.

Printed conductors which define the loops may be arranged to extend around holes on each side of the strap whereby substantially the full width of the str-ap along substantially its whole length is covered by at least a part of at least one of the loops.

The housing module may comprise a body portion sandwiched between a base portion which in use is clamped by the strap against a wearer and a top portion, the portions being held together by means of screws which enter the base portion and pass through the body portion to be received by complementary threads within the top portion.

The body portion may include a rebate into which that end of the strap adjacent the cropping point is inserted to be secured in position by screws which enter the top portion. pass through a pair of holes in the strap, and are screwed into anchor points in the base portion, the screws being arranged to make an electrical contact when fully screwed home, which contact is sensed by the control circuit so that subsequent breaking of the contact initiates transmission to a monitor station of an alarm signal by the transmitter.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of personnel security tagging apparatus; FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of a strap and centre moulding of circuit module forming a part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the strap and centre moulding shown in Figure 2 as viewed from the direction of an arrow A; FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the strap and centre moulding shown in Figure 2 as viewed from the direction of an arrow X; FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the underside of a top cap which forms part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 viewed from the direction of an arrow B; FIGURE 6 is plan view of a bottom cap which forms part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 viewed from the direction of an arrow C; FIGURE 7a, 7b and 7c are plan views of three individual layers which in combination form part of the strap shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4; FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the layers shown in Figures 7a, 7b and 7c assembled to form the strap, and FIGURE 9 is a somewhat schematic system block diagram of a circuit module which forms a part of the apparatus as shown in Figures 1 to 6.

Referring now to Figure 1, tagging apparatus, designed to be strapped to the wrrist of a person to be tagged, comprises a moulded strap 1 which is secured within a housing 2 comprising a moulded top cap 3 and a moulded bottom cap 4.

As shown in Figure 2, the strap 1 is secured to a centre moulding 5 with which it is integrally moulded. When assembled, the top cap 3 and bottom cap 4 are arranged to totally enshroud the centre moulding 5. In order to hold the parts together, four fixing screws are provided which enter holes 6 in the bottom cap 4. pass through holes 7 in the centre moulding and engage threaded holes 8 in the top cap 3. When secured in place on the wrist of a wearer it will be appreciated that the fixing screws (not shown) will not be accessible.

In order to secure the strap 1, it is cropped in length along a suitable cropping line 9, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, chosen to provide a required length and assuming a cropping length as indicated by broken line 10, a pair of holes in the strap 11, 12 adjacent the cropping line become available for fixing within the housing 2.

In order to fix the strap, it is looped around the wrist of a wearer and inserted in a rebated portion 13 of the housing defined between the top cap 3 and the bottom cap 4 so that the holes 11, 12 align with corresponding holes 14 and 15, which extend through the top cap 3, the centre moulding 5 and part of the bottom cap 4, the holes in the bottom cap 4 being threaded to receive fixing screws (not shown) which are entered through the top cap 3. The holes 14 and 15 in the top cap 3 are each associated with a pair of contacts 16, 17 and 18, 19, so that the contacts 16, 17 and 18, 19 are shorted together when the screws used to secure the strap (not shown) are inserted in the holes 14, 15 respectively and screwed home. As wffi hereinafter be explained, if these contacts are broken after the strap has been fitted, then it is arranged that an alarm signal is initiated.

Referring now to Figures 7a, 7b, 7c and Figure 8, wherein the cropping length is indicated by the broken line 10, the strap 1 is shown to comprise three layers 20, 21 and 22 as shown in Figures 7a, 7b and 7c, respectively, which are assembled as shown in Figure 8 to comprise the strap 1, the layers being covered by a thin covering of flexible plastics moulding material (not shown in detail).

The fixing holes 11, 12 adjacent the broken line 10, comprise one pair of a plurality of equi-spaced hole pairs, such as pairs 23, 24 and 25, 26 which are formed in the strap by two mutually spaced apart rows of holes which extend fully through the strap 1.

Each layer which is formed from flexible printed circuit substr-ate material supports at least two printed conductive loops such as the loops 2 7, 2 8, shown in Figure 7a, which are terminated at an electrical connector 29, as shown most clearly in Figure 7a and Figure 8. The electrical connector 29 is received within a recess 30 of the centre moulding, as shown in Figure 3, and arranged to make contact with appropriate conductors feeding a circuit module 31 as shown in Figure 9 supported within a recess 32 of the centre moulding as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

As shown in Figure 9, the circuit module 31 comprises a transmitter 3 3, a battery 34, and a tamper proofing circuit 3 5. The tamper proofing circuit 35 is linked electrically to the screw contacts 16, 17 and 18, 19, shown also in Figure 5, so that if the contacts are broken the transmitter 33 is arranged to transmit an appropriate alarm signal. The tamper proofing circuit 35 is also connected via the electrical connector 29, shown also in Figures 7a and 8, to the printed circuit conductor loops, for example 27, 28, which are carried on the printed circuit layers 20, 21 and 22, shown in Figures 7a, 7b and 7c.

When the strap 1 is initially fitted to a wearer, it is cropped to length as indicated by the broken line 10, so that some of the loops carried on the three printed circuit layers 20, 21 and 22 are cut and open circuited. The conductive state of the various loops is sensed by the tamper proofing circuit 35 when the strap is initially fitted and any change in the conductive state is thereafter sensed by the tamper proofing circuit 35 and consequent upon detection of a change in the conductive state of the loops and alarm signal is arranged to be transmitted from the transmitter 33.

Although not shown in detail, detection of changes of conductive state of the loops 2 7, 2 8, for example, may be effected quite simply in many ways as well known to those skilled in the art and similarly breaking of the contacts 16, 17 or 18, 19 may be detected in any well known manner.

It will be appreciated that since the strap comprises a number of different layers, each of which carries a number of loops of various lengths which are open circuited in accordance with the position whereat the strap is cropped to length, a virtually fool proof system is provided wherein the strap cannot be cut without a alarm signal being generated.

Various modifications may be made to the arrangement hereinbefore described without departing from the scope of the invention and for example, any number of loops per layer may be used and any number of layers may be used to form a strap.

Claims

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. Personnel security tagging apparatus comprising a housing module which includes a signal transmitter, a security control circuit and an electrical power source, a strap by means of which the module is in use secured to a person to be tagged, the strap comprising a flexible printed circuit having a plurality of elongate contiguous layers which each carry at least one printed conductor loop, which loops extend along the strap from, an electrical connector positioned at one end of thereof in which connection of the loops is made to the security control circuit, to loop end positions spaced at mutually different relative positions from the end of the strap whereby cropping of the strap at a suitable point to fit a wearer, results in a predetermined number of the loops being cut and open-circuited, the number cut being dependant upon the cropping point, the security control circuit being operative to provide an alarm signal if during use of the apparatus the conductive state of one or more of the loops changes.

2. Personnel security tagging apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the strap is pierced at regular intervals along its length with holes which extend along each side of the strap in two mutually spaced rows to form equi-spaced juxtaposed pairs so that a pair adjacent the cropping point facilitates fixing of the strap to the housing module.

3. Personnel security tagging apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein printed conductors which define the loops are arranged to extend around holes on at least one side of the strap whereby substantially the full width of the strap along substantially its whole length is covered by at least a part of at least one of the loops.

4. Personnel security tagging apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the housing module comprises a body portion sandwiched between a base portion which in use is clamped by the strap against a wearer and a top portion, the portions being held together by means of screws which enter the base portion and pass through the body portion to be received by complementary threads within the top portion.

5. Personnel security tagging apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the body portion includes a recess into which that end of the strap adjacent the cropping point is inserted to be secured in position by screws which enter the top portion, pass through a pair of holes in the strap, and are screwed into anchor points in the base portion, the screws being arnanged to make an electrical contact when fully screwed home, which contact is sensed by the control circuit so that subsequent breaking of the contact initiates transmission to a monitor station of an alarm signal by the transmitter.

6. Personnel security tagging apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.