Method and apparatus for removing heat from a protection region within a tamper responsive package

Abstract

A thermal conductor provides a thermal pathway from a protected region within a security envelope to an exterior region outside of the security envelope to remove heat from a protected device within the protected region. The thermal conductor, such as a section of copper tape, is thermally connected to the protected device and is threaded through a fold in the security envelope.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A tamper responsive package comprising: 
 security material forming a security envelope surrounding a protected region, the security envelope having at least one fold where a first section of security material overlaps a second section of security material;    a thermal conductor positioned between the first section of security material and the second section of security material and forming a thermal pathway between the protected region and an exterior region.    
     
     
         2 . A tamper responsive package in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the security material is one or more planar sheets of tamper detection mesh.  
     
     
         3 . A tamper responsive package in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the security material is at least a single sheet of thin material with a pattern of electrically conductive pathways and having an electrical characteristic for changing in response to a tampering of the security material.  
     
     
         4 . A tamper responsive package in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein tampering comprises a cutting of the material.  
     
     
         5 . A tamper responsive package in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein tampering comprises a drilling of the material.  
     
     
         6 . A tamper responsive package in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein tampering comprises a puncturing of the material.  
     
     
         7 . A tamper responsive package in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein tampering comprises a separating layers of the material.  
     
     
         8 . A tamper responsive package in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein tampering comprises separating at least a portion of the material from a housing enclosing the protected device.  
     
     
         9 . A tamper responsive package in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein tampering comprises separating at least a portion of the material from the thermal conductor.  
     
     
         10 . A tamper responsive package in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the security material is at least a single sheet of thin material with a pattern of electrically conductive pathways and having an electrical characteristic for changing in response to an altering of the security material.  
     
     
         11 . A tamper responsive package in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the thermal conductor is a section of conductive tape.  
     
     
         12 . A tamper responsive package in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the conductive tape is copper tape.  
     
     
         13 . A tamper responsive package in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the thermal conductor is a section of wire.  
     
     
         14 . A tamper responsive package in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a housing containing the protected device, the security envelope wrapped around the housing.    
     
     
         15 . A tamper responsive package in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the housing includes an opening for the thermal conductor.  
     
     
         16 . A tamper responsive system comprising: 
 a housing containing a protected device;    a tamper detection mesh shaped around the housing to form a security envelope surrounding the housing, the security envelope having at least one fold where a first section of tamper detection mesh overlaps a second section of tamper detection mesh;    a thermal conductor thermally connected to the protected device and positioned between the first section of tamper detection mesh and the second section of tamper detection mesh forms a thermal pathway from the protected device to the exterior region of the security envelope.    
     
     
         17 . A tamper responsive system in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the thermal conductor is a section of conductive tape.  
     
     
         18 . A tamper responsive system in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the conductive tape is copper tape.  
     
     
         19 . A tamper responsive system in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the thermal conductor is a section of wire.  
     
     
         20 . A method of removing heat from a protected device within a protected region of a security envelope formed from a tamper detection mesh, the method comprising: 
 channeling heat from the protected device through a fold in the security envelope along a thermal conductor to an exterior region of the security envelope.    
     
     
         21 . A method in accordance with  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 channeling heat from the protected device through a thermal connection between the protected device and the thermal conductor.    
     
     
         22 . A method in accordance with  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 dissipating the heat to air within the exterior region through convection.    
     
     
         23 . A method in accordance with  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 dissipating the heat to a heat sink within the exterior region through conduction.    
     
     
         24 . A method in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein channeling heat from the protected device along the thermal conductor through a fold of the security envelope comprises: 
 channeling heat from the protected device along the thermal conductor between a first section of tamper detection mesh and a second section of tamper detection mesh overlapping the first section of tamper detection mesh.    
     
     
         25 . A method in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein the providing further comprises: 
 channeling the heat from the protected device along the thermal conductor through a an opening of a housing enclosing the protected device.    
     
     
         26 . A method of manufacturing a tamper responsive package, the method comprising: 
 attaching a thermal conductor to a protected device; and    enclosing the protected device in a security material to form a security envelope having a fold, the thermal conductor positioned between two or more sections of security material forming the fold.    
     
     
         27 . A method in accordance with  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 enclosing the protected device in a housing, wherein the enclosing the protected device in the security material comprises wrapping the housing in the security material to form the security envelope.    
     
     
         28 . A method in accordance with  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 guiding the thermal conductor through an opening in the housing.    
     
     
         29 . A method in accordance with  claim 28 , further comprising: 
 encasing the envelope in a potting material.    
     
     
         30 . A method comprising: 
 mounting a device on a circuit board;    attaching a thermal conductor to the device;    guiding the thermal conductor through an opening within a housing;    enclosing the device in the housing;    enclosing the housing in a security material to form a security envelope having a fold, the thermal conductor positioned between two or more sections of security material forming the fold; and    encasing the security envelope in a potting material.