ELECTRONIC ARTICLE SURVEILLANCE RELAY DEVICE

• US 20140253290A1
• Filed: 03/08/2014
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Xiao Hui Yang
• Original Assignee: Xiao Hui Yang
• Inventors: Yang, Xiao Hui
• Application Number:
  US14/201,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20140253290A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0029 Tags wrapped around the protected product using cables, wires or the like, e.g. with cable retraction for tensioning
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0058 for essentially box-shaped devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10188 the repeating consisting of intelligently propagating data from record carriers via intermediate stations to the interrogation device, e.g. a distant RFID or RFID falling in a "shadow" region sending its identification data to an interrogation device using at least the help of one further RFID that is positioned in a region "visible" to the interrogation device, the further RFID therefore functioning as a relay station
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1463 Physical arrangements, e.g. housings devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags A45C13/18
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2448 Tag with at least dual detection means, e.g. combined inductive and ferromagnetic tags, dual frequencies within a single technology, tampering detection or signalling means on the tag

Abstract

An electronic article surveillance device attaches to an object having an electronic article surveillance RFID label in it. The EAS device interrogates the label for information and associates itself with the label. The device retransmits the information from the label to the broader system and over a longer range than the label can by itself. The device has a motion detector and periodically interrogates the label to insure the presence of the label, especially when motion is detected. The unexpected absence of the label is considered an alarm condition and the device will alarm in those circumstances. External devices arm and disarm the device and detach the device as well.

Claims

1. An RFID relay for attaching to an object that has an RFID label, said RFID relay comprising:

an electronics housing and a mount for said electronics housing;

said mount comprising an attaching element for attaching said mount to an object having an RFID label and a mounting element for maintaining said electronics housing on the object;

said electronics housing enclosing an electronics package, said electronics package comprising a microprocessor, radio frequency communication elements, and a power supply powering the other components of said electronics package;

said microprocessor capable of storing and executing machine readable instructions, said microprocessor storing and executing machine readable instructions for operating said radio frequency communication elements to interrogate the RFID label.

2. The RFID relay of claim 1, wherein:

said RFID relay operates said radio frequency communication elements to communicate with an electronic article surveillance system.

3. The RFID relay of claim 1, wherein:

said microprocessor stores and executes machine readable instructions to transmit to an electronic article surveillance system confirmation of the presence of the RFID label.

4. The RFID relay of claim 1, wherein:

said microprocessor stores and executes machine readable instructions to transmit information acquired from the RFID label to an electronic article surveillance system.

5. The RFID relay of claim 1, wherein:

said electronics package further comprises an optical communication port, said RFID relay using said optical communications port to communicate with an electronic article surveillance system.

6. The RFID relay of claim 1, wherein:

said electronics package further comprises an installation switch, said installation switch having its state changed when said RFID relay is installed on the object.

7. The RFID relay of claim 1, wherein:

said electronics package further comprises a sound generating element, said sound generating element generating audible cues and alarms.

8. The RFID relay of claim 1, wherein:

said attaching element of said mount comprises an adhesive element for attaching said mount to an object.

9. The RFID relay of claim 1, wherein:

said mounting element of said mount comprises a first coupling element complementary to a second coupling element on said electronics housing, said first and second coupling elements coupling to maintain said electronics housing on the object.

10. The RFID relay of claim 1, wherein:

said mounting element comprises a shell at least partially surrounding said electronics housing to maintain said electronics housing on the object.

11. The RFID relay of claim 1, wherein:

said RFID relay having been installed on the object and armed and having established the presence of the RFID label, said RFID relay monitors for the continued presence of the RFID label, said RFID relay determining an alarm condition if said RFID relay fails to detect the RFID label, said RFID relay communication an alarm when an alarm condition is determined.

12. The RFID relay of claim 1, further comprising:

a motion detector within said electronics package.

13. The RFID relay of claim 12, wherein:

said RFID relay having been installed on the object and armed and having established the presence of the RFID label,

with the exception of said microprocessor and said motion detector, the electronic components of said electronics package go dormant after a period of time of no detected motion by said motion detector,

whereupon, when said motion detector detects movement of said RFID relay, said microprocessor operates said radio frequency communication elements to interrogate the RFID label for its presence and determines an alarm condition if the RFID label is not present.

14. The RFID relay of claim 1, wherein:

said microprocessor stores and executes machine readable instructions for operating said radio frequency communication elements to interrogate multiple RFID labels in the proximity of said RFID relay.

15. An RFID relay in combination with an RFID label, wherein:

said RFID relay comprises;

an electronics housing and a mount for said electronics housing;

said mount comprising an attaching element for attaching said mount to an object and a mounting element for maintaining said electronics housing on the object;

said electronics housing enclosing an electronics package, said electronics package comprising a microprocessor, radio frequency communication elements, and a power supply powering the other components of said electronics package;

said microprocessor capable of storing and executing machine readable instructions, said microprocessor storing and executing machine readable instructions for operating said radio frequency communication elements to interrogate said RFID label,

wherein said mount attaches to the exterior of packaging containing the object and said RFID label is located in the interior of packaging containing the object.

16. The combination of an RFID relay with an RFID label of claim 15, wherein:

said RFID relay operates said radio frequency communication elements to communicate with an electronic article surveillance system.

17. The combination of an RFID relay with an RFID label of claim 15, wherein:

said microprocessor stores and executes machine readable instructions to transmit to an electronic article surveillance system confirmation information acquired from the RFID label, said information including the presence of said RFID label.

18. The combination of an RFID relay with an RFID label of claim 15, further comprising:

a motion detector within said electronics package, wherein;

said RFID relay having been installed on the object and armed and having established the presence of said RFID label,

with the exception of said microprocessor and said motion detector, the electronic components of said electronics package go dormant after a period of time of no detected motion by said motion detector,

whereupon, when said motion detector detects movement of said RFID relay, said microprocessor operates said radio frequency communication elements to interrogate said RFID label for its presence and determines an alarm condition if said RFID label is not present.

19. The combination of an RFID relay with an RFID label of claim 15, further comprising:

a plurality of additional RFID labels in proximity to said RFID relay;

wherein,

said microprocessor stores and executes machine readable instructions for operating said radio frequency communication elements to interrogate said plurality of RFID labels in proximity to said RFID relay.

20. A method of monitoring an object having an RFID label, said method comprising:

attaching an RFID relay to said object, said RFID relay comprising an electronics package, said electronics package comprising a microprocessor, radio frequency communication elements, and a power supply powering the other components of said electronics package;

said microprocessor capable of storing and executing machine readable instructions, said microprocessor storing and executing machine readable instructions for operating said radio frequency communication elements to interrogate the RFID label; and

,

monitoring said RFID relay by radio frequency communication with larger monitoring system.