OLIVEIRA, André Diniz de (Rua Adolpho Kirchmaier, 113Sáo Pedro, -630 Juiz de Fora/MG, CEP-36036, BR)
LAMY, Gladstonny, Silva (Rua Floriano Peixoto, 559/302Centro, CEP:-440 Juiz de Fora/MG, 36015, BR)
FONTANNA, Martha Beatriz Plazas de (Rua das Arvores, 332Novo Horizonte, CEP:-560 Juiz de Fora/MG, 36038, BR)
FONTANA, Massimiliano (Rua das Arvores, 332Novo Horizonte, CEP:-560 Juiz de Fora/MG, 36038, BR)
LAMY, Hércules, Jr. (Rua Floriano Peixoto, 559/302Centro, -440 Juiz de Fora /MG, CEP-36015, BR)
OLIVEIRA, André Diniz de (Rua Adolpho Kirchmaier, 113Sáo Pedro, -630 Juiz de Fora/MG, CEP-36036, BR)
LAMY, Gladstonny, Silva (Rua Floriano Peixoto, 559/302Centro, CEP:-440 Juiz de Fora/MG, 36015, BR)
FONTANNA, Martha Beatriz Plazas de (Rua das Arvores, 332Novo Horizonte, CEP:-560 Juiz de Fora/MG, 36038, BR)
FONTANA, Massimiliano (Rua das Arvores, 332Novo Horizonte, CEP:-560 Juiz de Fora/MG, 36038, BR)
CLAIMS
ELECTRONIC PROTECTION SYSTEM WITH RPID TECHNOLOGY IMPLANTED INTO CULTURAL GOODS THROUGH RESTORATION TECHNIQUES, characterized by 1) Deployment of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology; 2) Implantation of RFID components in art pieces through restoration techniques and criteria; 3) Controlling hardware composed of microcontrollers and integrated circuits, which enables connection to RFID readers, electrical-electronic devices, communication networks, microcomputers, palms and smartphones . This component is projected in a modular fashion, being the modules compatible with each other and capable of being associated in several ways in order to cover the needs of each environment. The modules projected to compose the controlling hardware are: (a) Basic Module, composed by the association of alimentation, modulation and demodulation circuits with the microcontroller; (b) Power Module, with circuits form the activation of several charges; (c) Mobile Module, with cellular dialing system; (d) GPS Module, circuit with GPS module to be used with the microcontroller; (e) RF Module, circuit provided with transmitting and receiving radiofrequency module to be used with microcontrollers; 4) Server, supervising and user interface software for monitoring the system. |
ELECTRONIC PROTECTION SYSTEM WITH RFID TECHNOLOGY IMPLANTED INTO CULTURAL GOODS THROUGH RESTORATION TECHNIQUES
Being aware of the fact that both the identity and the self-determination of the peoples are deeply connected to the preservation of their cultural values, States and national and international organizations have been developing laws and initiatives aimed at valorizing, divulging and preserving the Cultural Patrimony of Nations . However, the set of important policies and acts for the preservation of cultural goods still lacks more efficient technologies in order to prevent pieces from being stolen from their original sites and, mainly, in order to recover stolen pieces. This utility model patent presents as its objective a system for enhancing both cultural goods protection and its recovery, in case they are stolen.
Cultural goods protection systems are commonly found in museums and art galleries and aim at protecting the pieces against thievery or vandalism. They usually consist of physical barriers (such as doors, windows, glasses or security display windows) , which are associated to monitoring systems (sensors and detectors) , surveillance
(surveillance teams and cameras) , and alarms (visual, sound, silent, and also with alert sending devices) . There
is no doubt concerning the efficiency of such systems, nevertheless, some sensors can only be activated when visitation is finished, reducing its efficiency. Moreover, protection is restricted to the implantation site, and there is no possibility of tracking the pieces in case of stealing or miscarriage.
The Radio Frequency Identification Technology (RFID) is a protective technology for goods widely deployed in book, car and department stores, which offers safer protection possibilities for cultural goods. It consists of electronic systems which use radiofrequency to identify and track an object and which are, basically, composed of three devices: tags, readers and antennae. Tags are made of a microchip and a small antenna, capable of storing and transmitting an identifying code which makes it different from the others and allows the identification and categorization of the object to which it is associated. The reader is a device which interrogates the tags, reads the data and identifies them. The antenna makes the connection between tags and readers through radiofrequency .
The RFID technology is seldom deployed for the protection of cultural goods: more sophisticated systems using such technology are expensive and use components
which, though being attached discretely, can be noted and removed, making the system vulnerable and impeding it of tracking the piece, even if some alarm be activated
(Aspects ARTS - Art Register Tracking Software. ISIS Limited - http://www.isis.co.uk).
Regarding such problems and intending to solve them, a protection system for moveable cultural goods has been developed using the RFID technology being the tags implanted into the piece through restoration techniques, which are, in their turn, guided by the international principles and criteria which regulate interventions in cultural goods . The most common materials in which the tags will be implanted are wood (carving, sculptures, tools), fabrics (canvas, vestments, tapestry), metal (cups, candlesticks, jewelry, tools), paper (documents, books, watercolors, pictures) , porcelain and pre and post Colombian pottery. The operation of implantation and/or fixation of the tags into the pieces is specified by both the type of tag to be used and the application technique. The criterion defining both variables is the piece itself and choices are to be made always regarding the preservation of the physical integrity of the piece. Exemplifying: tag implantations can be performed taking
advantage of recesses, mortises or weaves, which can be a part of the piece, or even in perforations made with extra- thin drills. In this latter case, tags are to be inserted in non-significant parts of the piece and the eyelet will be then covered and disguised in order to hinder its localization. When the localization of the tag implanted is necessary, the operation will be performed in laboratory with appropriate equipment and methodology.
The strategy of implanting tags will bring more security and protection comparing to the other techniques used so far, for it will be very difficult to offenders to visualize and remove the tags without causing harm to the pieces, or without using specific equipment. In case of thievery, this system also allows identification and tracking, enhancing the possibility of recovery of the pieces by police and protection organisms.
The system was designed in order to cover three environments: the local environment, defined by the sites in which are the pieces to be protected; the global environment, represented by the control posts in seaports, airports, roads etc; and the information center, where data from the system are gathered and monitored.
In the local environment, readers with antennae will
be placed at strategic points for reading tags. They will interact with other local alarm systems, computers and operators. In the global environment, fixed and mobile readers and antennae will interact with electrical- electronic devices, computers and operators. The information center will gather information from both environments, receiving online data concerning the status and location of the protected pieces, besides communicating to several actors in this process.
The communication between the RFID technology and the other components of the system will be performed by a controlling hardware, a communication network, a server software and a human-machine interface software. The controlling hardware will be composed basically of microcontrollers and integrated circuits for the connection with the readers and the communication network.
The controlling hardware is designed to provide greater flexibility to the system. The modules are compatible and can be associated in several ways, aiming at covering the needs of each environment .
The basic module (fig. 5) is composed by the association of the alimentation, modulation and demodulation circuits with the microcontroller. This module
is capable of interpreting information provided by RFID readers, processing them, operating other electronic devices, communicating with microcomputers, palms and smartphones, besides sending and receiving data through communication networks, such as the telephone networks, mobile networks, Internet and satellite networks.
It is possible to aggregate other modules to the basic module (fig.6): the power module, which allows the operation of several charges, such as visual and sound alarms, locks and lighting system; the cellular module, which sends messages to cell phones; the GPS module, which provides access to GPS coordinates; the RF module, which is in charge of transmitting and receiving wireless data, through radiofrequency; and others.
Hence, the controlling hardware becomes an extremely versatile device, for it is possible, through the association of the modules, to add new functionalities to i the system, suiting them to it.
The system functioning will be guided by the rules which follow. Readers in the local environments will constantly ask implanted tags for information about the presence of the pieces in the environment. Such information will be sent to the controlling hardware, which will
compare it to an internal data bank and communicate with computers in the local environment and in the information center from time to time or in case of absence of some tag, activating, in the latter case, all local alarm systems. Readers in the global environment will only detect a tag if a protected piece approximates it. In this case, they will send the information to the controlling hardware, which transmit it to the information center and activates the alarm systems of this global environment. In the information center, the controlling hardware will convert the data received through the communication network and send them to the computer, where the server will capture and process them, showing information in a user-friendly fashion, through the human-machine interface, in the computer monitor. The server will have access to a data bank containing the serial numbers of the goods to be preserved, their exhibition sites, their history and other information, besides sending alerts for the unauthorized removal of a protected pieces from their original locations or for the detection of a stolen piece in the global environment, presenting also its location.
The drawings attached exemplify the implantation of tags into the cultural goods, the placement of the
components of the system in the various environments and a diagram of the circuits deployed.
Fig. 1 shows a tag implanted into a good to be protected.
Fig. 2 shows the components of the system which covers local environments .
Fig. 3 (a) and Fig. 3 (b) show the components of a system covering global environments .
Fig. 4 presents the components of a system in an information Center.
Fig. 5 presents the diagram of the basic module of the controlling hardware.
Fig. 6 shows the modules which can be associated in order to compose the controlling hardware.
According to that is shown by the figures listed above, the kind of Electronic Protection System With RFID Technology Implanted Into Cultural Goods Through Restoration Techniques which is the object of the present utility model can be outlined as follows:
Tags (1) will be implanted into the protected goods and they will be able to broadcast unique information. In
the exhibition or storage locations, there will be antennae (2) connected to readers (3) which, by their turn, will be connected to a controlling hardware (4) in order to capture information from each tag and decide about the presence or absence of some piece. The controlling hardware (4) may be connected to local computers (5), mobile communication networks (6) and alarm and locking systems (7) .
In the information center, the controlling hardware
(4) will receive information from the local and global environments through the communication network (6) , and a local computer (5) will contain the server software and the human-machine interface software for system monitoring.