Method and device for securing objects

• US 20060146133A1
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Inventors: Pieper, Norbert
• Granted Patent: US 7,518,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2454 Checking of authorisation of a person accessing tagged items in an EAS system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2457 Lending systems using EAS tags wherein the tags are reusable, e.g. they can be activated and deactivated more than once, e.g. for a library
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00

Abstract

A method and a device for securing objects that are present in protected spatial areas, whereby the objects to be secured are provided with an identifier or linked with an identifier and said identifier is detected by a receiving unit when the object to be secured is displaced. For this purpose, the receiving unit detects the presence of the identifier and electronic data for proving the presence of the identifier are stored. The electronic data are adapted to allow an unambiguous assignment of the signal detected by the receiving unit to the identifier. Data are detected independently of the detection of the identifier that allow an identification of a person carrying an object to be secured.

Claims

1. A device for securing an object inside closed buildings, the device comprising:

a transmitter that supplies an encoded signal in the presence of a receiving field;

a receiving unit that detects the encoded signal and subsequently converts the encoded signal into electronically processable encoded data; and

an interface connected to the receiving unit by a first data transmission line, the interface being configured to transmit the encoded data to a data transmission network, the data transmission network connecting the interface to a data archive for purposes of processing and storing data, and the data archive being configured to store the encoded data, wherein

the receiving unit amplifies the encoded data, and

the encoded data triggers a switching operation that activates a recording unit, located in the vicinity of the receiving field and the switching operation serves to process video data taped by the recording unit, and the video data is transmitted to the data archive by means of a second data transmission line and the video data is stored in the data archive, and after expiration of a time interval during which no other receiving event occurs as a result of a signal of the encoded data, a reading out of the stored data of the object previously belonging to the encoded data as well as of the video data is triggered.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein it is ascertained when the object taken out of a secure area has been brought back to the secure area.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the receiving unit processes at least one signal selected from the group consisting of electromagnetic waves, acoustic waves, and infrared radiation.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the receiving unit allows the transmission of signals.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second data transmission lines are each capable of loss-free transfer of data.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first data transmission line is an RS 232 cable.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second data transmission line is a coaxial cable.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the interface is a gateway.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the receiving unit and the interface share a power supply.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the data transmission network comprises at least one RS 485 bus and at least one data transmission line.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the data transmission line is an RS 485 cable.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the data archive is connected to the data transmission network.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the data archive has at least one FBAS (BNC) video input and, at the maximum, four FBAS (BNC) video inputs.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein the data archive is connected to a local network, and data from the data archive are supplied for evaluation purposes to different places within the network.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the local network is an Ethernet.

16. The device according to claim 14, wherein the data are evaluated by a computer capable of processing Internet standards.

17. The device according to claim 1, wherein the data archive is a digital data archive.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the digital data archive comprises a hard disk to store the data.

19. The device according to claim 1, wherein the data archive is an analog data archive.

20. The device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter supplies at least one signal selected from the group consisting of electromagnetic waves, acoustic waves and infrared radiation.

21. The device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter is a transponder.

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein the transmitter is a semi-active transponder.

23. The device according to claim 1, wherein the objects belong to an office inventory.