Tag

• US 20030122673A1
• Filed: 06/12/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John Anderson
• Original Assignee: John Anderson
• Inventors: Anderson, John
• Application Number:
  US10/149,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20030122673A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/568.7
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2454 Checking of authorisation of a person accessing tagged items in an EAS system
• 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: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/248 EAS system combined with another detection technology, e.g. dual EAS and video or other presence detection system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2482 EAS methods, e.g. description of flow chart of the detection procedure
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/02 with smoke, gas, or coloured or odorous powder or liquid

Abstract

There is described an electronic tag system and protection means using the tag system. The tag system has a remotely activated electronic tag and a reader. The system includes means for providing information and data relating to the goods. In addition to the foregoing, which discourages theft there is also provided means for rendering the protected articles useless by staining them with a glue or dye or causing their destruction.

Claims

1. An electronics unit for a tag adapted to detect a signal and to be activated by remote means.

2. An electronics unit as claimed in claim 1 comprising means to alter the carrier frequency of the detected signal.

3. An electronics unit as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means to alter the carrier frequency of a detected signal comprises an oscillator adapted to provide a signal of frequency substantially different from the carrier frequency.

4. An electronics unit as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 comprising software adapted to interpret data from a signal of altered carrier frequency.

5. A tag system comprising a remotely activated electronics unit as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4;

and control means.

6. A tag system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said electronics unit and said control means are configured to co-operate regardless of their relative orientation and/or without line of sight.

11. Means for protection of cash comprising a container;

a tag or tag system in accordance with any of claims 1 to 7; and

/or a dye distribution system according to any of claims 8 to 10.

12. Means for protection of cash as claimed in claim 11 wherein said tag is adapted to control access to the container.

13. Means for protection of cash as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12 wherein said tag is adapted to control and/or delay access to the container.

14. Means for protection of cash as claimed in any of claims 11 to 13 wherein said tag is conditioned to initiate said dye distribution system.

15. Means for protection of cash as claimed in claim 14 wherein said tag is conditioned to trigger the dye distribution system when it recognises that the container is not in or in transit between ‘

areas of safety’

as defined by the control means.

22. Means for protection of cash comprising a container;

a dye distribution system according to any of claims 8 to 10; and

a tag or tag system in accordance with any of claims 1 to 7.

23. Means for protection of cash as claimed in claim 22 wherein said tag is adapted to control access to the container.

7. A dye distribution system comprising a dye reservoir and a compliant vessel.

8. A dye distribution system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said compliant vessel is said dye reservoir.

9. A dye distribution system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said compliant vessel is adapted to expel dye from said dye reservoir.

10. A dye distribution system comprising a trough or troughs configured to distribute dye delivered under pressure thereto.

21. Means for protection of cash comprising a container;

and a dye distribution system according to any of claims 8 to 10.

24. Means for protection of cash as claimed in any of claims 21 to claim 23 wherein said tag is adapted to control and/or delay access to the container.

25. Means for protection of cash as claimed in any of claims 21 to 24 wherein said tag is conditioned to initiate said dye distribution system.

26. Means for protection of cash as claimed in claim 25 wherein said tag is conditioned to trigger the dye distribution system when it recognises that the container is not in or in transit between ‘

areas of safety’

as defined by the control mean.

16. A method of electronic protection or ‘

tagging’

comprising the steps of;

placing an electronics unit in physical relationship with an article;

activating or ‘

waking’

said electronics unit by means of a signal from a reader at a remote location; and

communicating data to or obtaining data from said electronics unit.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 further including the step of encoding data prior to communicating said data to said electronics unit.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16 or claim 17 further including the step of decoding data in said electronics unit and/or in said control means.

19. A method as claimed in any of claims 16 to 18 comprising the steps of:

sending an encoded data signal to the electronics unit;

converting the signal to a low frequency signal;

compensating for unsynchronised data;

amplifying the low frequency signal;

decoding the signal by means of a transmit/receive unit;

a decode stage; and

a microprocessor; and

transmitting information from the electronics unit.

20. A method as claimed in any of claims 16 to 19 comprising the step of compensating for drift in time between the decoded signal and the transmitted signal.