Self-detaching anti-theft device with power removal station

• US 10,497,238 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2018
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Casanova, Jose, Perez, Sergio M., Clark, John J., Zirk, Randy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, An T
• Application Number:
  US15/975,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20180261062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 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: G08B 13/242 Tag deactivation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details

Abstract

Systems and methods for operating a security tag. The methods involve: establishing an electrical connection between the security tag and an external Power Removal Station (“PRS”); performing operations by the security tag to authenticate a detach command sent from the external PRS; allowing power to be supplied from the external PRS to an electro-mechanical component of the security tag when the detach command is authenticated; and actuating the electro-mechanical component so that a pin of the security tag transitions from an engaged position to an unengaged position without any human assistance or mechanical assistance by a device external to the security tag.

Claims

1. A method for detaching a security tag from an article, comprising:

establishing a direct electrical connection between first power connectors of a power removal station of a retail store system and second power connectors of the security tag;

verifying, by a retail store system, that the article has been successfully purchased; and

in response to a verification that the article has been successfully purchased, automatically initiating a security tag detaching process that involves

supplying power from the power removal station to the security tag via the first and second power connectors; and

causing a selective creation of a closed circuit between the power removal station and an electro-mechanical component of the security tag, whereby the electro-mechanical component receives the power and is actuated so that a pin of the security tag transitions from a fully engaged position to a fully unengaged position without any human assistance or mechanical assistance by a device external to the security tag.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the power removal station is integrated with or coupled to a Mobile Point Of Sale (“

MPOPS”

) device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the power removal station has a fixed location in a retail store.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the closed circuit is selectively created when a detach command sent from the power removal station is authenticated by the security tag.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising communicating a purchase token from the retail store system to the security tag for later use to assist in determining why a failure occurred in relation to the security tag'"'"'s detachment from the article.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising communicating a purchase token from the retail store system to the security tag for later use to determine whether a decently found security tag was removed from a purchased item or stolen item.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a detach command at the power removal station.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising performing operations by the power removal station to authenticate the detach command.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the power is supplied from the power removal station to the security tag when the detach command is authenticated.

10. A retail store system, comprising:

a power removal station comprising first power connectors to establish a direct electrical connection with second power connectors of a security tag coupled to an article, and configured to

supply power to the security tag via the first and second power connectors, and

cause a selective creation of a closed circuit between the power removal station and an electro-mechanical component of the security tag, whereby the electro-mechanical component receives the power and is actuated so that a pin of the security tag transitions from a fully engaged position to a fully unengaged position without any human assistance or mechanical assistance by a device external to the security tag.

11. The retail store system according to claim 10, wherein the power removal station is integrated with or coupled to a Mobile Point Of Sale (“

MPOPS”

) device.

12. The retail store system according to claim 10, wherein the power removal station has a fixed location in a retail store.

13. The retail store system according to claim 10, wherein the closed circuit is selectively created when a detach command sent from the power removal station is authenticated by the security tag.

14. The retail store system according to claim 10, further comprising a communications device configured to communicate a purchase token to the security tag for later use to assist in determining why a failure occurred in relation to the security tag'"'"'s detachment from the article.

15. The retail store system according to claim 10, further comprising a communications device configured to communicate a purchase token to the security tag for later use to determine whether a decently found security tag was removed from a purchased item or stolen item.

16. The retail store system according to claim 10, wherein the power removal station is further configured to receive a detach command from an external device.

17. The retail store system according to claim 16, wherein the power removal station is further configured to authenticate the detach command.

18. The retail store system according to claim 17, wherein the power is supplied from the power removal station to the security tag when the detach command is authenticated.