Comprehensive Theft Security System

• US 20080309491A1
• Filed: 06/05/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sima, Bogdan, Oung, Harry, Ivins, David, Shah, Nimesh, Gillard, John, Lacsamana, Nathaniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,782,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2477 Antenna or antenna activator circuit
• 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 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range

Abstract

An antitheft security system and method using networked pedestals for monitoring, and reporting data relating to, merchandise, having security tags coupled to or embedded therein, leaving or entering a business establishment and alerting business establishment personnel when a theft may be occurring. The system and method collect and communicate security tag data and associated peripheral device data to a remote server for analysis.

Claims

1. An antitheft security system for monitoring, and reporting data relating to, merchandise, having security tags coupled to or embedded therein, leaving a business establishment and alerting business establishment personnel when a theft may be occurring, said security system comprising:

a plurality of electronic article surveillance (EAS) or radio frequency identification (RFID) pedestals that automatically monitor respective pedestal zones for the presence of said security tags and for collecting data relating to the presence of said security tags and to associated product data, each of said pedestals comprising an electronics board comprising;

security tag reader or interrogation electronics which includes a receiver for receiving wireless signals from the security tags and for demodulating said signals over a wide range of frequencies using software-defined radio methodology;

communication processor and associated electronics for interfacing with communications media;

storage device for storing said collected data;

a plurality of associated devices coupled to each one of said pedestals for providing security tag presence data and said associated product data to said storage device on said electronics board in each one of said corresponding one of said pedestals;

at least one remote server for retrieving said collected data from said storage devices of said plurality of said pedestals via said communications media; and

wherein each of said pedestals includes;

a direction detector for detecting the direction in which a person is passing through said pedestal; and

a respective alarm, associated with said pedestal, for manifesting the movement of a person through said pedestals, said first alarm indicating movement through said pedestal and out of the business establishment, said second alarm indicating movement through said pedestal into the business establishment and said third alarm indicating stationary position at said pedestal.

2. The antitheft security system of claim 1 wherein said direction detector comprises a pair of beams which are interrupted in sequence to establish the direction of movement through said pedestals.

3. The antitheft security system of claim 2 wherein said direction detector is a people counter.

4. The antitheft security system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of EAS or RFID pedestals are arranged into groups of master and slave pedestals, each of said groups comprising a single master pedestal having a plurality of slave pedestals, said slave pedestals transmitting said respective security tag presence data and said associated product data to said master pedestal and wherein said master pedestal provides said respective security tag presence data and said associated product data from said slave pedestals, as well as said master slave'"'"'s own security tag presence data and said associated product data, for retrieval by said at least one remote server via said communications media.

5. The antitheft security system of claim 1 wherein one said plurality of associated devices is a metal detector.

6. The antitheft security system of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of associated devices is a deactivator.

7. The antitheft security system of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of associated devices is a detacher.

8. The antitheft security system of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of associated devices is a reason code generator.

9. The antitheft security system of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of associated devices is a deactivation log.

10. The antitheft security system of claim 1 wherein said system detects the Q of the security tag, said system comprising an algorithm that compares response signals to pre-stored tag profiles.

11. The antitheft security system of claim 10 wherein said algorithm comprises:

12. The antitheft security system of claim 1 wherein said communication media are global communications networks.

13. The antitheft security system of claim 1 wherein said communication media are telephone lines using modems.

14. The antitheft security system of claim 1 wherein said system further comprises a remote device for effecting service diagnostics for said security system.

15. A method for monitoring, and reporting data relating to, merchandise, having security tags coupled to or embedded therein, leaving a business establishment and alerting business establishment personnel when a theft may be occurring, said method comprising:

providing a plurality of electronic article surveillance (EAS) or radio frequency identification (RFID) pedestals that automatically monitor respective pedestal zones for the presence of said security tags and for collecting data relating to the presence of said security tags and to associated product data;

detecting the direction that a person is moving through said respective pedestal zones and providing respective alarms for movement away from the business establishment, movement into the business establishment or stationary position at a pedestal;

coupling a plurality of associated devices to each one of said pedestals for providing security tag presence data and said associated product data to an electronics board in each one of said corresponding one of said pedestals;

linking each of said pedestals in a network; and

retrieving, by at least one remote server, said collected data from said plurality of said pedestals via said communications media.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of providing a plurality of EAS or RFID pedestals comprises receiving wireless signals from the security tag and demodulating said signals over a wide range of frequencies using software-defined radio methodology.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of detecting the direction that a patron is moving through said pedestal zones comprises monitoring the sequence of interruption of a pair of beams associated with each of said pedestals.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of detecting the direction that a patron is moving through said pedestal zones further comprises providing a respective alarm for manifesting the movement of a person through or by a pedestal.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of linking of each of said pedestals comprises arranging said plurality of pedestals into groups of master and slave pedestals, wherein each of said groups comprises a single master pedestal having a plurality of slave pedestals, said slave pedestals transmitting said respective security tag presence data and said associated product data to said master pedestal and wherein said master pedestal provides said respective security tag presence data and said associated product data from said slave pedestals, as well as said master slave'"'"'s own security tag presence data and said associated product data, for retrieval by said at least one remote server via said communications media.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein one said plurality of associated devices is a metal detector.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein one of said plurality of associated devices is a deactivator.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein one of said plurality of associated devices is a detacher.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein one of said plurality of associated devices is a reason code generator.

24. The method of claim 15 wherein one of said plurality of associated devices is a deactivation log.

25. The method of claim 15 wherein said method further comprises the step of detecting the Q of the security tag by comparing response signals from said security tag to pre-stored tag profiles.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said step of detecting the Q comprises using a relationship:

27. The method of claim 15 wherein said communication media are global communications networks.

28. The method of claim 15 wherein said communication media are telephone lines using modems.