System and method for managing the unlocking of an anti-theft device

• US 10,134,209 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2013
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exaqtworld
• Original Assignee: Exaqtworld
• Inventors: Favier, Alain, Lodi, Tamas
• Primary Examiner(s): Haile, Benyam
• Application Number:
  US14/414,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20150187150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,027 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0017 Anti-theft devices, e.g. tags or monitors, fixed to articles, e.g. clothes, and to be removed at the check-out of shops
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0047 Unlocking tools; Decouplers
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0064 of the mechanical type
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/003 Anti-theft control theft alarms G08B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2431 Tag circuit details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/246 Check out systems combined with EAS, e.g. price information stored on EAS tag anti-theft systems in point of sale systems G07G3/003
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/50 Readily interlocking, two-part fastener requiring either destructive or tool disengagement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5004 For antitheft signaling device on protected article

Abstract

A system for managing the unlocking of a device for identifying a commercial item includes at least two elements capable of assuming a locked position in which they enclose the article between them, and an unlocked position. The system includes a device for unlocking the identification device, elements for preventing unlocking, which are activated, and decision elements for deciding whether to deactivate or not deactivate the elements for preventing unlocking. The decision elements are capable of deciding on the basis of the identification or lack of identification of the association of the identification device and the commercial item to which the device is attached.

Claims

1. A system for managing the unlocking of an identification device of a packaged or unpackaged commercial article, wherein the system comprises:

an identification device of a packaged or unpackaged commercial article, the device comprising at least two elements which are displaceable with respect to one another between two positions, a locked position, in which said at least two elements imprison between them, in a locked manner under the action of a lock, the article or its packaging, and at least one unlocked position, the identification device bearing information identifying said device and/or the commercial article to which said device is fixed, means for identifying the association of the identification device and of the commercial article to which said device is fixed, an unlocking device comprising an unlocking zone and unlocking means for unlocking, with respect to one another, said at least two elements of the identification device and freeing the article or its packaging of said identification device, means for preventing the unlocking of the identification device which are able, on the one hand, to be activated so as to prevent the unlocking of the identification device and, on the other hand, to be deactivated so as to permit the unlocking of the identification device, means for deciding deactivation or non-deactivation of the means for preventing the unlocking of the identification device as a function of the identification or of the absence of identification of the association of the identification device and of the commercial article to which said device is fixed, wherein the means for preventing unlocking are mechanical means which prevent physical access of the identification device to the unlocking zone of the unlocking device, wherein the mechanical means for preventing unlocking comprise one or more mobile blocking members which are able to occupy, on the one hand, a deployed position preventing physical access of the identification device to the unlocking zone of the unlocking device and, on the other hand, a retracted position permitting physical access of the identification device to the unlocking zone of the unlocking device, and wherein the system comprises blocking means which are able to block in a blocking position, in the unlocking zone of the unlocking device, said unlocked identification device or one of said at least two unlocked elements of said identification device, and, the blocking means comprise the mobile blocking member or members of the mechanical means for preventing unlocking, and wherein said system further comprising means for activating and deactivating the means for preventing unlocking, and the means for activating and deactivating the mobile blocking member or members comprise a mechanism for displacing the mobile blocking member or members, and wherein the displacement mechanism comprises a motor cooperating with a toothed wheel for driving the latter in rotation, a component mounted so as to be integral in rotation with the toothed wheel and comprising a contact portion, the mobile member or members cooperating by contact with the contact portion of said component by way of a cam so that the rotation of the wheel drives the displacement of the mobile blocking member or members.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for activating, in a blocking position, and for deactivating as a function of a predetermined condition, in a deblocking position, the means for blocking the identification device or one of said at least two elements blocked in the unlocking zone.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unlocking zone comprises a housing which is able to receive the identification device or one of said at least two elements and which has a shape and dimensions substantially complementary to those of said device or of the element.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identification device of a commercial article is a device for protection against the theft of this article.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the device for protection against theft comprises at least one active or passive member which is able to emit toward the exterior of the device or to receive electromagnetic waves from the exterior.

6. A method for managing the unlocking of an identification device of a packaged or unpackaged commercial article, the device comprising at least two elements which, in a locked position, imprison between them the article or its packaging, characterized in that, the identification device bearing information identifying said device and/or the commercial article to which it is fixed, the method comprises:

preventing of unlocking, in an unlocking zone of an unlocking device, of said at least two elements of the identification device with respect to one another, wherein a means for preventing unlocking are mechanical means which prevent physical access of the identification device to the unlocking zone of the unlocking device, identifying of the association of the identification device and of the commercial article to which said device is fixed, deciding of deactivation or non-deactivation of the prevention of the unlocking of the identification device and of freeing of the article or of its packaging as a function of the identification or of the absence of identification of the association of the identification device and of the commercial article to which said device is fixed engaging said mechanical means for preventing unlocking that has one or more mobile blocking members which are able to occupy, on the one hand, a deployed position to prevent physical access of the identification device to the unlocking zone of the unlocking device and, on the other hand, a retracted position permitting physical access of the identification device to the unlocking zone of the unlocking device, and engaging a blocking means to block, in its blocking position, in the unlocking zone of the unlocking device, the unlocked identification device or one of said at least two unlocked elements of said identification device, and, where the blocking means has the mobile blocking member or members of the mechanical means for preventing unlocking, and activating and deactivating the means for preventing unlocking using a means for activating and deactivating that has the mobile blocking member or members having a mechanism for displacing the mobile blocking member or members, and displacing the mobile blocking member or members with the displacement mechanism that has a motor cooperating with a toothed wheel for driving the latter in rotation, a component mounted so as to be integral in rotation with the toothed wheel and comprising a contact portion, the mobile member or members cooperating by contact with the contact portion of said component by way of a cam so that the rotation of the wheel drives the displacement of the mobile blocking member or members.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the prevention of unlocking is a prevention of physical access of the identification device to the unlocking zone of the unlocking device.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step of activating the prevention of unlocking comprises a step of deploying one or more mobile blocking members in a deployed position preventing physical access of the identification device to the unlocking zone of the unlocking device.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said step of blocking, in the unlocking zone of the unlocking device, the identification device or one of said at least two elements in such a way that, after unlocking of said at least two elements and freeing of the article or of its packaging, said device or one of said at least two elements is blocked in said unlocking zone.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein it comprises a step of deblocking the identification device or one of said at least two elements blocked in the unlocking zone as a function of a predetermined condition.

11. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein, the unlocking device comprising a mobile part surrounding the unlocking zone, the method comprises a step of displacing the mobile part between, on the one hand, a high blocking position in which the mobile part is situated at a height above or equal to the height of the identification device or of one of said at least two elements disposed in said unlocking zone and, on the other hand, a low deblocking position in which the mobile part is situated at a height below the height of the identification device or of the element disposed in said unlocking zone.

12. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the identification device of a commercial article is a device for protection against the theft of this article.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the device for protection against theft comprises at least one active or passive member which is able to emit toward the exterior of the device or to receive electromagnetic waves from the exterior.

14. A system for managing the unlocking of an identification device of a packaged or unpackaged commercial article, wherein the system comprises:

an identification device of a packaged or unpackaged commercial article, the device comprising at least two elements which are displaceable with respect to one another between two positions, a locked position, in which said at least two elements imprison between them, in a locked manner under the action of a lock, the article or its packaging, and at least one unlocked position, the identification device bearing information identifying said device and/or the commercial article to which said device is fixed, means for identifying the association of the identification device and of the commercial article to which said device is fixed, an unlocking device comprising an unlocking zone and, in said zone;

unlocking means for unlocking, with respect to one another, said at least two elements of the identification device and freeing the article or its packaging of said identification device,

blocking means which are able to be activated so as to block at least one of the two elements from being removed from the unlocking device, after unlocking of the latter with respect to one another and freeing of the article or of its packaging, said blocking means being able to be deactivated as a function of the realization of a predetermined condition

wherein said at least two elements of the identification device are two separable elements which are able to be fixed to one another, on the one hand, in the locked position and, on the other hand, in said at least one unlocked position,

wherein the blocking means are able to be deactivated or not as a function of the identification information borne by one of the two elements when the two separable elements are in said at least one unlocked position.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the two separable elements are able to be fixed to one another, on the one hand, in the locked position in which they are arranged opposite one another according to an axial configuration and, on the other hand, in said at least one unlocked position for which they are arranged according to at least one configuration shifted transversely with respect to the axial locking configuration.

16. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein a first of the two elements comprises a tip intended to pass through the article or its packaging, the second element being provided, in a first zone, with an orifice so as to insert axially thereinto, according to a first insertion axis, the tip and maintain it, under the action of a locking means, in the locked axial position so as to prevent its withdrawal, the second element also being provided with at least one second zone for receiving the tip which is shifted transversely with respect to the first zone and in which the tip is able to be inserted axially according to several insertion axes parallel to the first insertion axis, so as to obtain several distinct possible unlocked positions of the two elements, each unlocked position corresponding to a transversely shifted configuration of said two elements.

17. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the unlocking zone comprises a housing which is able to receive the identification device or one of said at least two elements and which has a shape and dimensions substantially complementary to those of said device or of the element.

18. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the identification device of a commercial article is a device for protection against the theft of this article.

19. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the device for protection against theft comprises at least one active or passive member which is able to emit toward the exterior of the device or to receive electromagnetic waves from the exterior.

20. A method for managing the unlocking of an identification device of a packaged or unpackaged commercial article, the device comprising at least two elements which are displaceable with respect to one another between two positions,

a locked position, in which said at least two elements imprison between them, in a locked manner under the action of a lock, the article or its packaging, and

at least one unlocked position, the identification device bearing information identifying said device and/or the commercial article to which said device is fixed,

wherein the method comprises:

identifying of the association of the identification device and of the commercial article to which said device is fixed, unlocking, in an unlocking zone of an unlocking device, of said at least two elements of the identification device with respect to one another and the freeing of the article or of its packaging of said identification device, wherein said at least two elements of the identification device are two separable elements which are able to be fixed to one another, on the one hand, in the locked position and, on the other hand, in said at least one unlocked position,

blocking, in the unlocking zone, of at least one of the two elements after their unlocking and freeing of the article or of its packaging, preventing said at least one of the two elements from being removed from the unlocking device,

deblocking of said blocked element of said at least one of the two elements as a function of the realization of a predetermined condition,

wherein the blocking means are able to be deactivated or not as a function of the identification information borne by one of the two elements when the two separable elements are in said at least one unlocked position.

21. A system for managing the unlocking of an identification device of a packaged or unpackaged commercial article, wherein the system comprises:

an identification device of a packaged or unpackaged commercial article, the device comprising at least two elements which are displaceable with respect to one another between two positions, a locked position, in which said at least two elements imprison between them, in a locked manner under the action of a lock, the article or its packaging, and at least one unlocked position, the identification device bearing information identifying said device and/or the commercial article to which said device is fixed, means for identifying the association of the identification device and of the commercial article to which said device is fixed, an unlocking device comprising an unlocking zone and unlocking means for unlocking, with respect to one another, said at least two elements of the identification device and freeing the article or its packaging of said identification device, means for preventing the unlocking of the identification device which are able, on the one hand, to be activated so as to prevent the unlocking of the identification device and, on the other hand, to be deactivated so as to permit the unlocking of the identification device, means for deciding deactivation or non-deactivation of the means for preventing the unlocking of the identification device as a function of the identification or of the absence of identification of the association of the identification device and of the commercial article to which said device is fixed, wherein the means for preventing unlocking are mechanical means which prevent physical access of the identification device to the unlocking zone of the unlocking device, wherein the unlocking device comprises a mobile part surrounding the unlocking zone and which is able to occupy two positions, namely a high blocking position in which the mobile part is situated at a height above or equal to the height of the identification device or of one of said at least two elements disposed in said unlocking zone and a low deblocking position in which the mobile part is situated at a height below the height of the identification device or of the element disposed in said unlocking zone, and wherein the system comprises a mechanism for displacing the mobile part which is able to be activated as a function of a predetermined condition, and wherein the mechanism for displacing the mobile part comprises a motor cooperating with a toothed wheel for driving the latter in rotation, a component mounted so as to be integral in rotation with the toothed wheel and comprising a first cam, the mobile part comprising a second cam complementary to the first cam and cooperating with said component by way of the two cam so that the rotation of the wheel drives the vertical displacement of the mobile part from one position to the other.

22. A method for managing the unlocking of an identification device of a packaged or unpackaged commercial article, the device comprising at least two elements which, in a locked position, imprison between them the article or its packaging, characterized in that, the identification device bearing information identifying said device and/or the commercial article to which it is fixed, the method comprises:

preventing of the unlocking, in an unlocking zone of an unlocking device, of said at least two elements of the identification device with respect to one another, wherein a means for preventing unlocking are mechanical means which prevent physical access of the identification device to the unlocking zone of the unlocking device, identifying of the association of the identification device and of the commercial article to which said device is fixed, deciding of deactivation or non-deactivation of the prevention of the unlocking of the identification device and of freeing of the article or of its packaging as a function of the identification or of the absence of identification of the association of the identification device and of the commercial article to which said device is fixed, engaging the unlocking device comprises a mobile part surrounding the unlocking zone and which is able to occupy two positions, namely a high blocking position in which the mobile part is situated at a height above or equal to the height of the identification device or of one of said at least two elements disposed in said unlocking zone and a low deblocking position in which the mobile part is situated at a height below the height of the identification device or of the element disposed in said unlocking zone, activating a mechanism for displacing the mobile part as a function of a predetermined condition, and vertically displacing the mobile part via a mechanism that comprises a motor cooperating with a toothed wheel for driving the latter in rotation, a component mounted so as to be integral in rotation with the toothed wheel and comprising a first cam, the mobile part comprising a second cam complementary to the first cam and cooperating with said component by way of the two cam so that the rotation of the wheel drives the vertical displacement of the mobile part from one position to the other.