Smart connections

• US 20030075603A1
• Filed: 09/13/2002
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telezygology, Inc. (TZ Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Telezygology, Inc. (TZ Ltd.)
• Inventors: Rudduck, Dickory
• Granted Patent: US 7,086,589 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/024 with provisions for preventing unauthorised removal show cases with devices for prevention of theft A47F3/002; devices for locking portable objects against unauthorised removal E05B73/0017

Abstract

The invention provides a method of controlling access to an object (16), such as a product for sale. The object (16) or its packaging (110) is secured, for example to a sales console (12,68) by use of connecting means (26). The connecting means (26) are either capable of release by a chosen external or internal signal or capable of release by activating remote activating means (18). An internal signal may be provided after expiration of a predetermined period. An external signal may be provided by proximity. Remote activation means (18) may be provided by a password or energy such as a magnetic force. The invention also provides novel packaging (110) for an object (16). Packaging (110) is adapted to secure the object (16) by connecting means (26) capable of release by remote activation. Also provided is a security vending system having security vending means, such as a sale console (68) or a cable (48) or a sale hanger (108). The security system also has connecting means (72, 74) capable of release by a chosen internal or external signal or by remote activation. The connecting means (72, 74) may have an intelligent element (94), which may reside in the security means, in the object (16), or partly in one and partly in the other.

Claims

1. A method of controlling access to an object, the method including the steps of securing the object or its packaging by use of connecting means which connect the object or its packaging to a security means, the connecting means being capable of release by a chosen external or internal signal upon provision of a trigger;

and releasing the connecting means by providing the chosen signal upon provision of the trigger;

characterized in that the trigger is chosen from the group consisting of a predetermined period of time or calendar date, location of the object or its packaging and proximity of the object to an authorized item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the packaging of the object is secured by use of the connecting means.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the signal is an internal signal and the trigger is expiration of a predetermined period.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the object is a pharmaceutical object or a perishable foodstuff.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal is an external signal and the trigger is proximity of an authorised item.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the authorized item is a service manual.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger is provided when the object or its packaging is within a chosen location or outside a chosen area.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the signal is provided using global positioning technology.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the security means is chosen from the group consisting of a sales console, a security cable and a sales hanger.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the connecting means is capable of release by remote activation and the signal is provided by remote activation means.

42. A security vending system for carrying out the method of claim 1, the system including the security means and the connecting means capable of release by a chosen external or internal signal.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the connecting means has an intelligent element adapted to receive the chosen signal and the intelligent element resides in the security means.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein the connecting means has an intelligent element adapted to receive the chosen signal and the intelligent element resides in the object.

45. The system of claim 42, wherein the connecting means has a plurality of intelligent elements, at least one of which resides in the security means and at least one of which resides in the object.

47. The system of claim 45, wherein the connecting means has an intelligent element adapted to receive the chosen signal and the intelligent element resides in the security means.

48. The system of claim 45, wherein the connecting means has an intelligent element adapted to receive the chosen signal and the intelligent element resides in the object.

49. The system of claim 45, wherein the connecting means has a plurality of intelligent elements, at least one of which resides in the security means and at least one of which resides in the object.

50. The system of claim 42, wherein the security means is a sales console adapted to secure one or more of the objects or their packages.

51. The system of claim 42, wherein the security means is a security cable or sales hanger.

11. A method of vending an object, the method including the steps of securing the object or its packaging by use of connecting means which connect the object or its packaging to a security means, the connecting means being capable of release by remote activation, accepting an offer to purchase the object, and releasing the connecting means by activating remote activation means.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the connecting means includes a locking means movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, the locking means being disposed in a passageway with walls at least one of which is resilient, the locking means being adapted to hold apart the walls when the locking means is in the locked position and to permit deflection of at least one of the walls when in the unlocked position.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the object is enclosed in one or more packaging elements and is secured within the packaging element or elements by the connecting means.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the security means is chosen from the group consisting of a sales console, a security cable and a sales hanger.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the offer to purchase is conveyed by telephone, by Internet communication, or by a combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the connecting means are released by remote activation means chosen from the group consisting of input of a password, electric current, an electronic signal, a magnetic force, an electromagnetic force, electromagnetic induction, a radio signal, an infra red signal and high frequency heating.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the or at least one packaging element is adapted to enable viewing of the object while enclosed in the packaging element, the method including the additional step of obscuring the packaging element to prevent viewing of the object enclosed in the packaging element.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the packaging element includes transparent material capable of changing to a non transparent state and the obscuring step is carried out by activating change of the transparent material to the non transparent state.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the packaging element includes a confined element capable of expansion and the obscuring step is carried out by causing the confined element to expand.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of releasing the connecting means is caused to occur on a chosen date or at a chosen location.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the object is secured within the packaging element by further connecting means and the packaging element is locked to the security means by the connecting means capable of release by remote activation, the further connecting means being adapted to continue to secure the object within the packaging element despite release of the connecting means, the method including the further step of releasing the further connecting means to expose the object.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the further connecting means are released by a command programmed into the packaging element.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the command is chosen from the group of:

reception of a spoken command, expiration of a chosen period and positioning of the further connecting means at a chosen location or outside a chosen area.

41. The method of claim 11, wherein the object is a game of chance.

46. A security vending system for carrying out the method of claim 11, including a security means and the connecting means capable of release by remote activation.

24. Packaging for an object, the packaging including one or more packaging elements and connecting means adapted to secure the object in the packaging element or elements, the connecting means being capable of release by remote activation.

25. The packaging of claim 24, wherein the packaging element or elements are adapted to enclose the object.

26. The packaging of claim 25, wherein the connecting means are adapted to secure the object in the packaging element or elements by connecting the packaging element to itself or by connecting one packaging element to another.

27. The packaging of claim 25, wherein the connecting means are adapted to secure the object in the packaging element or elements by connecting the packaging element or elements to a security means.

28. The packaging of claim 24, wherein the connecting means are adapted to release by remote activation chosen from the group consisting of:

input of a password, electric current, an electronic signal, a magnetic force, an electromagnetic force, electromagnetic induction, a radio signal, an infra red signal and high frequency heating.

29. The packaging of claim 24, wherein the or at least one packaging element is adapted to enable viewing of the object while enclosed in the packaging element and adapted to be obscured to prevent viewing of the object enclosed in the packaging element.

30. The packaging of claim 29, wherein the packaging element includes transparent material capable of changing to a non transparent state by application of suitable means.

31. The packaging of claim 30, wherein the suitable means is an electric current.

32. The packaging of claim 30, wherein the suitable means causes the transparent material to fluoresce and thus become non transparent.

33. The packaging of claim 29, wherein the packaging element includes a confined element adapted to expand and obscure the packaging element.

34. The packaging of claim 24, which also includes means adapted to allow tracking of the packaging as to location thereof.

35. The packaging of claim 34, wherein the means adapted to allow tracking use global positioning by satellite technology.

36. The packaging of claim 24, which includes alarm activation means.

37. The packaging of claim 36, wherein the alarm activation means are adapted to activate an alarm if the packaging is moved beyond a chosen area without authorisation.

38. The packaging of claim 24, which also includes illumination means.

39. The packaging of claim 24, which includes activatable means adapted to provide information about the object upon activation.

40. The packaging of claim 39, wherein the activatable means is activated by a visual, audio, proximity or olfactory stimulus.