Wireless synchronized operation of pulsed EAS systems

• US 20070296591A1
• Filed: 06/27/2006
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Frederick, Thomas J., Oakes, Jeffrey Thomas, Frederick, Richard, Herring, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,535,338 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.4
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2488 Timing issues, e.g. synchronising measures to avoid signal collision, with multiple emitters or a single emitter and receiver

Abstract

A system and method for providing wireless synchronized operation of electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems are provided. The method may include communicating wirelessly between each of a plurality of controllers connected to a plurality of detectors of the plurality of EAS systems and receiving with a communications receiver of each of the controllers wireless communications from at least some of the other plurality of controllers. The communications receiver may be separate from a tag detection receiver.

Claims

1. A method of communicating information between a plurality of detectors in a plurality of electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems, said method comprising:

communicating wirelessly between each of a plurality of controllers connected to the plurality of detectors of the plurality of EAS systems; and

receiving with a communications receiver of each of the controllers wireless communications from at least some of the other plurality of controllers, the communications receiver separate from a tag detection receiver.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising configuring an antenna connected to the communications receiver to receive the wireless communications, the antenna separate from an interrogation antenna.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein the antenna comprises a single loop antenna.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising wirelessly transmitting a message signal from one of the plurality of controllers to at least one of the other plurality of controllers during a communication phase separate from a tag activation transmit phase.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein transmitting wirelessly further comprises phase modulating the communications to define messages.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein transmitting wirelessly further comprises at least one of amplitude and frequency modulating the communications to define messages.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising configuring the communications receiver to provide near field sensitivity.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising wirelessly transmitting using an interrogation antenna separate from a communications antenna connected to the communications receiver.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein a communication phase for communicating between the plurality of controllers occurs separate from a transmit phase, a noise average phase and a detection processing phase.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising frequency division multiplexing the communications between the plurality of controllers.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of controllers is connected to a different one of the plurality of detectors.

12. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the plurality of detectors are configured as pedestal units.

13. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the wireless communications comprise information relating to controlling transmissions.

14. A method for controlling transmissions between a plurality of electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems, said method comprising:

transmitting an excitation signal into an interrogation zone during a transmit phase;

receiving signals from excited EAS tags in the interrogation zone during the transmit phase;

determining a noise average during a noise average phase wherein no transmissions occur;

processing the received signals during a detection processing phase wherein no transmissions or receptions occur; and

wirelessly communicating information between a plurality of detectors of the plurality of EAS systems during a communications phase.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein wirelessly communicating information comprises one of phase, amplitude and frequency modulation.

16. A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein wirelessly communicating information comprises using an interrogation antenna to transmit information, the interrogation antenna also used to transmit the excitation signal, and using a communications antenna to receive the wirelessly transmitted information.

17. A system having as plurality of electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems, said system comprising:

a plurality of detectors;

a plurality of controllers each connected to at least one of the plurality of detectors and defining the plurality of EAS systems, the controller having a communications receiver; and

a communications antenna connected to the communications receiver and configured to receive wireless communication signals from other controllers.

18. A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein the controller is configured to control wireless communications to transmit a wireless communication signal during a communication phase different from a transmit phase wherein a tag excitation signal is transmitted.

19. A system in accordance with claim 18 wherein the transmission of the wireless communication signal and the transmission of the tag excitation signal are provided via an interrogation antenna separate from the communications antenna.

20. A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein the controller is configured to one of phase, amplitude and frequency modulate the wireless communication signal.