RFID-BASED ASSET SECURITY AND TRACKING SYSTEM, APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20090322537A1
• Filed: 05/22/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hollis M Tapp, Joseph C. McAlexander
• Original Assignee: Guardian Technologies LLC (Lasko Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: McAlexander, Joseph C., Tapp, Hollis M., Slemmer, William C., Olivier, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,334,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.4
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• 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 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/086 by monitoring a perimeter outside the body of the water

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for tracking an item using a RFID surveillance system. In some embodiments, a security controller is connected to a point of sale system with at least one RFID tag reader. In these embodiments, the RFID tag reader is associated with an area that is observable through a video camera. If the tag reader does not recognize information obtained from a RFID tag, the tag reader may activate the video camera. When the video camera is activated, the video camera may capture images and send them to a recording device.

Claims

1. A RFID-based surveillance system for tracking an item, the system comprising:

a security controller;

a point of sale (POS) system having a first RFID tag reader associated with a first area, the POS system communicatively coupled to the security controller and operable for reading RFID tag information of an RFID tag associated with the item and transmitting the RFIF tag information to the security controller;

a second RFID tag reader associated with a second area, the second RFID tag reader communicatively coupled to the security controller and operable for reading RFID tag information of the RFID tag associated with the item and transmitting the RFID tag information to the security controller;

a video camera communicatively coupled to the security controller operable for capturing one or more images and activated when the RFID tag information received from the second RFID tag reader does not match stored RFID tag information; and

a recording device for storing one or more images captured by the video camera.

2. A RFID-based surveillance system for capturing one or more images of an area, the system comprising:

a security controller;

an RFID tag reader associated with an area, the second RFID tag reader communicatively coupled to the security controller and operable for reading RFID tag information of an RFID tag associated with an tem and transmitting the RFID tag information to the security controller;

a video camera communicatively coupled to the security controller and operable for capturing one or more images when the RFID tag information received at the security controller does not match stored RFID tag information; and

a recording device for storing the one or more images captured by the video camera.