Merchandise display security systems and methods

• US 10,347,061 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2019
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InVue Security Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: InVue Security Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Grant, Jeffrey A., Phillips, Jonathon D., Fawcett, Christopher J., Bomber, Karen Bellum, McKinney, Larry T., Warren, William M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blouin, Mark S
• Application Number:
  US16/245,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20190147675A1
• Time in Patent Office: 179 Days
• Field of Search: 340 525
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00865 remotely by wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0088 centrally
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00857 where the code of the data carrier can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1445 with detection of interference with a cable tethering an article, e.g. alarm activated by detecting detachment of article, breaking or stretching of cable furniture, e.g. shelves for displaying merchandise, incorporating tethers to prevent theft A47F7/024, A47F5/0861

Abstract

Merchandise security systems and methods are provided. In one example, a merchandise security system includes a plurality of electronic keys and a plurality of merchandise security devices located within a retail store. Each electronic key and each merchandise security device is configured to store one or more serial numbers. In addition, each electronic key is configured to be authorized for communication with one or more merchandise security devices within the retail store. An electronic key is configured to communicate with a merchandise security device for locking, unlocking, arming, and/or disarming the merchandise security device when the serial numbers match.

Claims

1. A security system comprising:

a plurality of security devices arranged in a wireless mesh network, the plurality of security devices arranged in a planogram and each configured to protect one or more items from theft, each of the plurality of security devices configured to wirelessly communicate data comprising an identifier of the security device and an identifier of the one or more items;

a gateway configured to receive the data via wireless communication, wherein the gateway is configured to communicate the data and information regarding the planogram to a remote computing device.

2. The security system of claim 1, wherein the gateway is configured to communicate with the remote computing device via a cloud network.

3. The security system of claim 1, wherein the data further comprises a type of the items.

4. The security system of claim 1, wherein the items are items of merchandise located in a retail store.

5. The security system of claim 1, wherein the data further comprises a system health of the items.

6. The security system of claim 1, wherein the data further comprises a system health of the plurality of security devices.

7. The security system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of security devices are locks and/or alarming security displays.

8. The security system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of security devices are locks and alarming security displays.

9. The security system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of security devices comprise different types.

10. The security system of claim 1, wherein the identifier of each of the plurality of security devices is a serial number.

11. The security system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of electronic keys configured to operate the plurality of security devices.

12. The security system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic keys is configured to be authorized for locking, unlocking, arming, and/or disarming one or more of the plurality of security devices.

13. The security system of claim 11, wherein the gateway is configured to communicate data to the remote computing device comprising a date and time of activation of each electronic key, a user of each electronic key, a serial number of each electronic key, a number of activations of each electronic key, and/or events resulting from activation of each electronic key.

14. The security system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic keys is configured to be authorized for locking, unlocking, arming, and/or disarming one or more different security devices than at least one other electronic key.

15. The security system of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of electronic keys is configured to receive a command from the remote computing device for controlling the electronic key.

16. The security system of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of electronic keys comprises a serial number.

17. The security system of claim 16, wherein the gateway is configured to communicate the serial numbers to the remote computing device.

18. The security system of claim 16, wherein one of the plurality of electronic keys is configured to communicate with one of the plurality of security devices for locking, unlocking, arming, and/or disarming the security device based on the serial number.

19. The security system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of security devices is configured to receive a command from the remote computing device for controlling the security device.

20. The security system of claim 1, wherein the gateway is configured to automatically communicate the data and the information regarding the planogram to the remote computing device.

21. The security device of claim 1, wherein the planogram represents a layout of the plurality of security devices within a retail store, and wherein the information regarding the planogram comprises serial numbers mapped to the layout.

22. The security device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of nodes configured to communicate in the wireless mesh network.

23. The security device of claim 22, wherein the plurality of nodes are configured to wirelessly communicate with one another in the wireless mesh network.

24. The security device of claim 22, wherein the plurality of security devices are configured to wirelessly communicate with the plurality of nodes.

25. The security device of claim 22, wherein the gateway is configured to wirelessly communicate with the plurality of nodes and to wirelessly communicate the data and the information regarding the planogram to the remote computing device.

26. The security device of claim 22, wherein the plurality of nodes are independent of the plurality of security devices.

27. The security device of claim 22, wherein the plurality of nodes are associated with the plurality of security devices.

28. The security device of claim 27, wherein the plurality of nodes and the plurality of security devices are located within one or more zones so as to be associated therewith.

29. The security device of claim 28, wherein the plurality of nodes and the plurality of security devices are spatially located with respect to one another within the one or more zones.

30. The security device of claim 1, wherein the gateway is configured to communicate the data and the information regarding the planogram to the remote computing device for auditing the plurality of security devices.

31. The security device of claim 1, wherein the gateway is configured to communicate the data and the information regarding the planogram to the remote computing device for monitoring the plurality of security devices.

32. The security device of claim 1, wherein the remote computing device is a tablet or a computer.

33. The security device of claim 1, wherein the gateway is configured to communicate the data and the information regarding the planogram to a plurality of remote computing devices.

34. A method for protecting items from theft, the method comprising:

a plurality of security devices wirelessly communicating in a wireless mesh network, the plurality of security devices arranged in a planogram and each configured to protect one or more items from theft;

each of the plurality of security devices wirelessly communicating data comprising an identifier of the security device and an identifier of the one or more items;

a gateway wirelessly receiving the data; and

the gateway wirelessly communicating the data and information regarding the planogram to a remote computing device.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising a plurality of nodes wirelessly communicating with one another in the wireless mesh network.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the plurality of nodes wirelessly communicate with one another in the wireless mesh network.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the plurality of security devices wirelessly communicate with the plurality of nodes.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the gateway wirelessly communicates with the plurality of nodes and wirelessly communicates the data and the information regarding the planogram to the remote computing device.

39. A security system comprising:

a plurality of security devices arranged in a wireless mesh network, the plurality of security devices arranged in a planogram and each configured to protect one or more items from theft, wherein the planogram represents a layout of the plurality of security devices within a retail store, and wherein each of the plurality of security devices is configured to wirelessly communicate data comprising an identifier of the security device and an identifier of the one or more items;

a gateway configured to receive the data via wireless communication, wherein the gateway is configured to communicate the data to a remote computing device for managing the planogram.