Systems and methods for protecting retail display merchandise from theft

• US 10,482,734 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2016
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InVue Security Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: InVue Security Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Phillips, Jonathon D., Johnston, Michael R., Grant, Jeffrey A., Taylor, Gary A., Howell, William B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US15/255,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20160371944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 3405682, 3405681, 340571, 3405721-5729, 3405683, 3405688, 3405684, 340 61, 340 81, 3405391, 340531
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1409 for removal detection of electrical appliances by detecting their physical disconnection from an electrical system, e.g. using a switch incorporated in the plug connector
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/149 with electric, magnetic, capacitive switch actuation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0247 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0277 Communication between units on a local network, e.g. Bluetooth, piconet, zigbee, Wireless Personal Area Networks [WPAN]

Abstract

Security systems and methods for protecting retail display merchandise from theft are provided. For example, a security system includes a sensor configured to removably engage an input port of an item of merchandise, and a monitoring component configured to wirelessly communicate with the sensor and to removably support the sensor thereon, wherein the monitoring component and the sensor are configured to communicate with one another to determine a proximity of the item of merchandise relative to the monitoring component, wherein the monitoring component and/or the sensor is configured to initiate a security signal when the proximity between the monitoring component and the sensor is not within a predetermined range, and wherein the monitoring component and/or the sensor is configured to initiate a security signal in response to the sensor being removed from the input port of the item of merchandise.

Claims

1. A security system configured for securing a portable electronic device from theft, the security system comprising:

a portable electronic device;

a sensor configured to attach to and be in electrical communication with the portable electronic device; and

a monitoring component configured to wirelessly communicate with the sensor,

wherein the monitoring component and the sensor are configured to wirelessly communicate with one another to determine a proximity of the portable electronic device relative to the monitoring component and to be associated with one another using an identifier of the monitoring component and/or the sensor,

wherein the monitoring component and/or the sensor is configured to initiate a security signal based on the proximity between the monitoring component and the sensor, and

wherein the portable electronic device is programmed to initiate a security signal in response to the sensor being removed from the portable electronic device.

2. The security system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to removably engage an input port of the portable electronic device.

3. The security system of claim 2, wherein the portable electronic device is programmed to initiate a security signal in response to the sensor being removed from the input port of the portable electronic device.

4. The security system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring component is configured to be coupled to a remote power source for providing power to the portable electronic device when the sensor is supported on the monitoring component.

5. The security system of claim 4, wherein the sensor and the monitoring component each comprises one or more electrical contacts configured to contact one another and establish electrical communication with one another for transferring power to the portable electronic device when the sensor is supported on the monitoring component.

6. The security system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring component and the sensor are each configured to initiate a security signal based on the proximity between the monitoring component and the sensor.

7. The security system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring component and/or the sensor are configured to communicate with a key for arming or disarming the monitoring component and/or the sensor.

8. The security system of claim 1, wherein the sensor and the monitoring component are configured to be paired to one another in response to the sensor being positioned on the monitoring component for associating the monitoring component with the sensor.

9. The security system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring component and the sensor are configured to communicate with one another to exchange data in predetermined increments of time, and wherein the monitoring component and/or the sensor are configured to initiate a security signal in response to data provided by the monitoring component and/or the sensor.

10. The security system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring component comprises a display stand, and wherein the display stand comprises an alarm component configured to generate a security signal in response to communication with the monitoring component.

11. The security system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is not mechanically or electro-mechanically tethered to the monitoring component.

12. The security system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring component and the sensor are configured to determine a proximity of the portable electronic device relative to the monitoring component based on ultra-wideband time of flight communication between the monitoring component and the sensor.

13. The security system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to receive power from the portable electronic device for performing one or more security functions.

14. The security system of claim 13, wherein the sensor does not have a power source for performing the one or more security functions.

15. The security system of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is programmed with a software application to initiate a security signal.

16. The security system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring component is configured to be paired to and communicate with the portable electronic device.

17. The security system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring component and the sensor are configured to determine a proximity of the portable electronic device relative to the monitoring component based on a signal strength of communication between the monitoring component and the sensor.

18. The security system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring component is configured to communicate with a plurality of sensors, and wherein the monitoring component is further configured to filter out wireless communication with any sensors not associated therewith.

19. A method for securing a portable electronic device from theft, the method comprising:

wirelessly communicating between a monitoring component and a sensor, the sensor being in electrical communication with the portable electronic device;

associating the monitoring component and the sensor using an identifier of the monitoring component and/or the sensor;

determining a proximity of the portable electronic device relative to the monitoring component;

initiating a first security signal at the monitoring component and/or sensor based on a proximity between the monitoring component and the sensor; and

initiating a second security signal with the portable electronic device in response to the sensor being removed from portable electronic device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein associating comprises pairing the sensor and the monitoring component in response to the sensor being positioned on the monitoring component.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein initiating the first security signal comprises generating the first security signal at each of the monitoring component and the sensor.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein generating the first security signal comprises generating a warning signal based on the proximity between the monitoring component and the sensor.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein initiating the first security signal comprises generating the first security signal at each of the monitoring component and sensor when the proximity between the monitoring component and the sensor is not within a predetermined range.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising transferring power to the sensor from the portable electronic device for performing one or more security functions.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein transferring comprises transferring power from the portable electronic device to the sensor for communicating with the monitoring component.

26. A security system configured for securing a portable electronic device from theft, the security system comprising:

a sensor configured to be in electrical communication with the portable electronic device and to receive power from a power source of the portable electronic device for performing one or more security functions; and

a monitoring component configured to wirelessly communicate with the sensor,

wherein the monitoring component and/or the sensor is configured to initiate a security signal based on a proximity between the monitoring component and the sensor.

27. The security system of claim 26, wherein the sensor is configured to receive power from the portable electronic device for communicating with the monitoring component.