SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING THE UNLOCKING OF AN ANTI-THEFT DEVICE

• US 20150187150A1
• Filed: 05/03/2013
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exaqtworld
• Original Assignee: Exaqtworld
• Inventors: Favier, Alain, Lodi, Tamas
• Granted Patent: US 10,134,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0017 Anti-theft devices, e.g. tags or monitors, fixed to articles, e.g. clothes, and to be removed at the check-out of shops
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0047 Unlocking tools; Decouplers
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0064 of the mechanical type
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/003 Anti-theft control theft alarms G08B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2431 Tag circuit details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• 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: Y10T 24/50 Readily interlocking, two-part fastener requiring either destructive or tool disengagement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5004 For antitheft signaling device on protected article

Abstract

A system for managing the unlocking of a device for identifying a commercial item includes at least two elements capable of assuming a locked position in which they enclose the article between them, and an unlocked position. The system includes a device for unlocking the identification device, elements for preventing unlocking, which are activated, and decision elements for deciding whether to deactivate or not deactivate the elements for preventing unlocking. The decision elements are capable of deciding on the basis of the identification or lack of identification of the association of the identification device and the commercial item to which the device is attached.

Claims

1. A system for managing the unlocking of an identification device of a packaged or unpackaged commercial article, characterized in that the system comprises:

an identification device of a packaged or unpackaged commercial article, the device comprising at least two elements which are displaceable with respect to one another between two positions, a locked position, in which said at least two elements imprison between them, in a locked manner under the action of locking means, the article or its packaging, and at least one unlocked position, the identification device bearing information identifying said device and/or the commercial article to which said device is fixed,

means for identifying the association of the identification device and of the commercial article to which said device is fixed,

an unlocking device comprising an unlocking zone and unlocking means for unlocking, with respect to one another, said at least two elements of the identification device and freeing the article or its packaging of said identification device,

means for preventing the unlocking of the identification device which are able, on the one hand, to be activated so as to prevent the unlocking of the identification device and, on the other hand, to be deactivated so as to permit the unlocking of the identification device,

means for deciding deactivation or non-deactivation of the means for preventing the unlocking of the identification device as a function of the identification or of the absence of identification of the association of the identification device and of the commercial article to which said device is fixed.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the system comprises means for activating and deactivating the means for preventing unlocking.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the means for preventing unlocking are mechanical means which prevent physical access of the identification device to the unlocking zone of the unlocking device.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the mechanical means for preventing unlocking comprise one or more mobile blocking members which are able to occupy, on the one hand, a deployed position preventing physical access of the identification device to the unlocking zone of the unlocking device and, on the other hand, a retracted position permitting physical access of the identification device to the unlocking zone of the unlocking device.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the system comprises blocking means which are able to block in a blocking position, in the unlocking zone of the unlocking device, said unlocked identification device or one of said at least two unlocked elements of said identification device.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that it comprises means for activating, in a blocking position, and for deactivating as a function of a predetermined condition, in an deblocking position, the means for blocking the identification device or one of said at least two elements blocked in the unlocking zone.

7. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the system comprises blocking means which are able to block in a blocking position, in the unlocking zone of the unlocking device, said unlocked identification device or one of said at least two unlocked elements of said identification device, and, the blocking means comprise the mobile blocking member or members of the mechanical means for preventing unlocking.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising means for activating and deactivating the means for preventing unlocking, and the means for activating and deactivating the mobile blocking member or members comprise a mechanism for displacing the mobile blocking member or members.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the displacement mechanism comprises a motor cooperating with a toothed wheel for driving the latter in rotation, a component mounted so as to be integral in rotation with the toothed wheel and comprising a contact portion, the mobile member or members cooperating by contact with the contact portion of said component by way of a cam means so that the rotation of the wheel drives the displacement of the mobile blocking member or members.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the unlocking device comprises a mobile part surrounding the unlocking zone and which is able to occupy two positions, namely a high blocking position in which the mobile part is situated at a height above or equal to the height of the identification device or of one of said at least two elements disposed in said unlocking zone and a low deblocking position in which the mobile part is situated at a height below the height of the identification device or of the element disposed in said unlocking zone.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the system comprises a mechanism for displacing the mobile part which is able to be activated as a function of a predetermined condition.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the mechanism for displacing the mobile part comprises a motor cooperating with a toothed wheel for driving the latter in rotation, a component mounted so as to be integral in rotation with the toothed wheel and comprising a first cam means, the mobile part comprising a second cam means complementary to the first cam means and cooperating with said component by way of the two cam means so that the rotation of the wheel drives the vertical displacement of the mobile part from one position to the other.

13. The system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the system comprises means for reading identification information borne by said device, the means for deciding deactivation or non-deactivation of the means for preventing the unlocking of the identification device being also able to be deactivated or not deactivated as a function of the identification information read.

14. The system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the identification information of the identification device and/or of the commercial article comprises at least one identification code.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that said at least one identification code comprises at least one of the following identification codes:

unique identifier TID of an RFID member integrated into the identification device, identification code of the commercial article (EAN, EPC) assigned to the physical object in the guise of commercial article, optical-reading code uniquely identifying the physical object to which said device is fixed and which is distinct from the identification code of the commercial article.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that the identification information identifies the association of the identification device and of the commercial article to which said device is fixed.

17. The system as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that the identification information comprises the association of a unique identification code of the identification device and of an identification code of the commercial article (EAN) to which the device is fixed, the identification device being fixed to a physical object bearing said commercial article identification code (EAN) which is assigned to all the identical physical objects.

18. The system as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that the system comprises an association between the identification information of the identification device and/or of the commercial article to which said device is fixed and a URL address of a site or of a Web page dedicated to the commercial article.

19. The system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the identification device comprises two separable elements, said two elements being separated from one another in an unlocked position and fixed to one another in the locked position.

20. The system as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that the two elements are able to be fixed to one another, on the one hand, in the locked position for which they are arranged opposite one another according to an axial configuration and, on the other hand, in at least one unlocked position for which they are arranged according to at least one configuration shifted transversely with respect to the axial locking configuration.

21. The system as claimed in claim 20, characterized in that a first of the two elements comprises a tip intended to pass through the article or its packaging, the second element being provided, in a first zone, with an orifice so as to insert axially thereinto, according to a first insertion axis, the tip and maintain it, under the action of the locking means, in the locked axial position so as to prevent its withdrawal, the second element also being provided with at least one second zone for receiving the tip which is shifted transversely with respect to the first zone and in which the tip is able to be inserted axially according to several insertion axes parallel to the first insertion axis, so as to obtain several distinct possible unlocked positions of the two elements, each unlocked position corresponding to a transversely shifted configuration of said two elements.

22. The system as claimed in claim 20, characterized in that the system comprises detection means which are able to detect said at least one unlocked position of the two separable elements.

23. The system as claimed in claim 22, characterized in that the detection means are means of electromagnetic detection which comprise means for emitting at least one electromagnetic signal and means for receiving said at least one electromagnetic signal emitted, said emitting means and said receiving means being arranged around the unlocking zone in such a way that the transversely shifted configuration of the two separable elements affects the propagation of said at least one electromagnetic signal emitted between the emitting means and the receiving means.

24. The system as claimed in claim 23, characterized in that the transversely shifted configuration of the two separable elements affects the propagation of said at least one electromagnetic signal emitted between the emitting means and the receiving means in a different manner from the locked axial configuration.

25. The system as claimed in claim 23, characterized in that the emitting means and the receiving means comprise several pairs of emitting and receiving elements, the emitting elements of each pair being disposed opposite the receiving elements of the same pair.

26. The system as claimed in claim 25, characterized in that the emitting elements of all the pairs are arranged in such a way that the set of the mean electromagnetic signals or electromagnetic beams emitted define a triangular region delimiting the unlocking zone.

27. The system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the unlocking zone comprises a housing which is able to receive the identification device or one of said at least two elements and which has a shape and dimensions substantially complementary to those of said device or of the element.

28. The system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the identification device of a commercial article is a device for protection against the theft of this article.

29. The system as claimed in claim 28, characterized in that the device for protection against theft comprises at least one active or passive member which is able to emit toward the exterior of the device or to receive electromagnetic waves from the exterior.

30. A method for managing the unlocking of an identification device of a packaged or unpackaged commercial article, the device comprising at least two elements which, in a locked position, imprison between them the article or its packaging, characterized in that, the identification device bearing information identifying said device and/or the commercial article to which it is fixed, the method comprises:

the prevention of the unlocking, in an unlocking zone of an unlocking device, of said at least two elements of the identification device with respect to one another,

the identifying of the association of the identification device and of the commercial article to which said device is fixed,

the deciding of deactivation or non-deactivation of the prevention of the unlocking of the identification device and of freeing of the article or of its packaging as a function of the identification or of the absence of identification of the association of the identification device and of the commercial article to which said device is fixed.

31. The method as claimed in claim 30, characterized in that it comprises a step of activating and deactivating the prevention of unlocking.

32. The method as claimed in claim 30, characterized in that the prevention of unlocking is a prevention of physical access of the identification device to the unlocking zone of the unlocking device.

33. The method as claimed in claim 31, characterized in that the step of activating the prevention of unlocking comprises a step of deploying one or more mobile blocking members in a deployed position preventing physical access of the identification device to the unlocking zone of the unlocking device.

34. The method as claimed in claim 30, characterized in that it comprises a step of blocking, in the unlocking zone of the unlocking device, the identification device or one of said at least two elements in such a way that, after unlocking of said at least two elements and freeing of the article or of its packaging, said device or one of said at least two elements is blocked in said unlocking zone.

35. The method as claimed in claim 34, characterized in that the blocking step comprises a step of deploying one or more mobile blocking members in a blocking position of the device or of one of said at least two elements in the unlocking zone.

36. The method as claimed in claim 34, characterized in that it comprises a step of deblocking the identification device or one of said at least two elements blocked in the unlocking zone as a function of a predetermined condition.

37. The method as claimed in claim 30, characterized in that, the unlocking device comprising a mobile part surrounding the unlocking zone, the method comprises a step of displacing the mobile part between, on the one hand, a high blocking position in which the mobile part is situated at a height above or equal to the height of the identification device or of one of said at least two elements disposed in said unlocking zone and, on the other hand, a low deblocking position in which the mobile part is situated at a height below the height of the identification device or of the element disposed in said unlocking zone.

38. The method as claimed in claim 30, characterized in that the method comprises the reading of identification information borne by the identification device, the deciding of deactivation or non-deactivation of the prevention of the unlocking of the identification device and of freeing of the article or of its packaging being also performed as a function of the information read.

39. The method as claimed in claim 30, characterized in that the identification information of the identification device and/or of the commercial article comprises at least one identification code.

40. The method as claimed in claim 39, characterized in that said at least one identification code comprises at least one of the following identification codes:

unique identifier TID of an RFID member integrated into the identification device, identification code of the commercial article (EAN, EPC) assigned to the physical object in the guise of commercial article, optical-reading code uniquely identifying the physical object to which said device is fixed and which is distinct from the identification code of the commercial article.

41. The method as claimed in claim 39, characterized in that the identification information identifies the association of the identification device and of the commercial article to which said device is fixed.

42. The method as claimed in claim 41, characterized in that the identification information comprises the association of a unique identification code of the identification device and of an identification code of the commercial article (EAN) to which the device is fixed, the identification device being fixed to a physical object bearing said commercial article identification code (EAN) which is assigned to all the identical physical objects.

43. The method as claimed in claim 40, wherein the identification information identifies the association of the identification device and of the commercial article to which said device is fixed, and comprises the association of a unique identification code of the identification device and of an identification code of the commercial article (EAN) to which the device is fixed, the identification device being fixed to a physical object bearing said commercial article identification code (EAN) which is assigned to all the identical physical objects, the method comprising a prior step of association between the identification information of the identification device and/or of the commercial article to which said device is fixed and a URL address of a site or of a Web page dedicated to the commercial article.

44. The method as claimed in claim 30, characterized in that the identification device comprises two separable elements, said two elements being separated from one another in an unlocked position and fixed to one another in the locked position.

45. The method as claimed in claim 44, characterized in that the two elements are able to be fixed to one another, on the one hand, in the locked position for which they are arranged opposite one another according to an axial configuration and, on the other hand, in at least one unlocked position for which they are arranged according to at least one configuration shifted transversely with respect to the axial locking configuration.

46. The method as claimed in claim 45, characterized in that a first of the two elements comprises a tip intended to pass through the article or its packaging, the second element being provided, in a first zone, with an orifice so as to insert axially thereinto, according to a first insertion axis, the tip and maintain it, under the action of the locking means, in the locked axial position so as to prevent its withdrawal, the second element also being provided with at least one second zone for receiving the tip which is shifted transversely with respect to the first zone and in which the tip is able to be inserted axially according to several insertion axes parallel to the first insertion axis, so as to obtain several distinct possible unlocked positions of the two elements, each unlocked position corresponding to a transversely shifted configuration of said two elements.

47. The method as claimed in claim 45, characterized in that it comprises a step of detecting said at least one unlocked position of the two separable elements.

48. The method as claimed in claim 47, characterized in that the detection step comprises the following sub-steps:

emission of at least one electromagnetic signal in the unlocking zone and/or around said zone,

reception of said at least one electromagnetic signal emitted,

on the basis of said at least one electromagnetic signal received, detection of said at least one unlocked position of the two separable elements as a function of the affecting of the propagation of said at least one signal emitted by the transversely shifted configuration of the two separable elements.

49. The method as claimed in claim 48, characterized in that the detection of said at least one second unlocked position of the two separable elements is also performed as a function of the affecting of the propagation of said at least one electromagnetic signal emitted by the locked axial configuration of the two separable elements.

50. The method as claimed in claim 30, characterized in that the identification device of a commercial article is a device for protection against the theft of this article.

51. The method as claimed in claim 50, characterized in that the device for protection against theft comprises at least one active or passive member which is able to emit toward the exterior of the device or to receive electromagnetic waves from the exterior.

52-54. -54. (canceled)

55. A system for managing the unlocking of an identification device of a packaged or unpackaged commercial article, characterized in that the system comprises:

an identification device of a packaged or unpackaged commercial article, the device comprising at least two elements which are displaceable with respect to one another between two positions, a locked position, in which said at least two elements imprison between them, in a locked manner under the action of locking means, the article or its packaging, and at least one unlocked position, the identification device bearing information identifying said device and/or the commercial article to which said device is fixed,

means for identifying the association of the identification device and of the commercial article to which said device is fixed,

an unlocking device comprising an unlocking zone and, in said zone;

unlocking means for unlocking, with respect to one another, said at least two elements of the identification device and freeing the article or its packaging of said identification device,

blocking means which are able to be activated so as to block at least one of the two elements after unlocking of the latter with respect to one another and freeing of the article or of its packaging, said blocking means being able to be deactivated as a function of the realization of a predetermined condition.

56. The system as claimed in claim 55, characterized in that said at least two elements of the identification device are two separable elements which are able to be fixed to one another, on the one hand, in the locked position and, on the other hand, in said at least one unlocked position.

57. The system as claimed in claim 56, characterized in that the blocking means are able to be deactivated or not as a function of the identification information borne by one of the two elements when the two separable elements are in said at least one unlocked position.

58. The system as claimed in claim 56, characterized in that the two separable elements are able to be fixed to one another, on the one hand, in the locked position in which they are arranged opposite one another according to an axial configuration and, on the other hand, in said at least one unlocked position for which they are arranged according to at least one configuration shifted transversely with respect to the axial locking configuration.

59. The system as claimed in claim 56, characterized in that a first of the two elements comprises a tip intended to pass through the article or its packaging, the second element being provided, in a first zone, with an orifice so as to insert axially thereinto, according to a first insertion axis, the tip and maintain it, under the action of the locking means, in the locked axial position so as to prevent its withdrawal, the second element also being provided with at least one second zone for receiving the tip which is shifted transversely with respect to the first zone and in which the tip is able to be inserted axially according to several insertion axes parallel to the first insertion axis, so as to obtain several distinct possible unlocked positions of the two elements, each unlocked position corresponding to a transversely shifted configuration of said two elements.

60. The system as claimed in claim 56, characterized in that the system comprises detection means which are able to detect said at least one unlocked position of the two separable elements.

61. The system as claimed in claim 60, characterized in that the detection means are means of electromagnetic detection which comprise means for emitting at least one electromagnetic signal and means for receiving said at least one electromagnetic signal emitted, said emitting means and said receiving means being arranged around the unlocking zone in such a way that the transversely shifted configuration of the two separable elements affects the propagation of said at least one electromagnetic signal emitted between the emitting means and the receiving means.

62. The system as claimed in claim 61, characterized in that the transversely shifted configuration of the two separable elements affects the propagation of said at least one electromagnetic signal emitted between the emitting means and the receiving means in a different manner from the locked axial configuration.

63. The system as claimed in claim 61, characterized in that the emitting means and the receiving means comprise several pairs of emitting and receiving elements, the emitting elements of each pair being disposed opposite the receiving elements of the same pair.

64. The system as claimed in claim 63, characterized in that the emitting elements of all the pairs are arranged in such a way that the set of the mean electromagnetic signals or electromagnetic beams emitted define a triangular region delimiting the unlocking zone.

65. The system as claimed in claim 55, characterized in that the unlocking zone comprises a housing which is able to receive the identification device or one of said at least two elements and which has a shape and dimensions substantially complementary to those of said device or of the element.

66. The system as claimed in claim 55, characterized in that the identification device of a commercial article is a device for protection against the theft of this article.

67. The system as claimed in claim 66, characterized in that the device for protection against theft comprises at least one active or passive member which is able to emit toward the exterior of the device or to receive electromagnetic waves from the exterior.

68. A method for managing the unlocking of an identification device of a packaged or unpackaged commercial article, the device comprising at least two elements which are displaceable with respect to one another between two positions, a locked position, in which said at least two elements imprison between them, in a locked manner under the action of locking means, the article or its packaging, and at least one unlocked position, the identification device bearing information identifying said device and/or the commercial article to which said device is fixed, characterized in that the method comprises:

the identifying of the association of the identification device and of the commercial article to which said device is fixed,

the unlocking, in an unlocking zone of an unlocking device, of said at least two elements of the identification device with respect to one another and the freeing of the article or of its packaging of said identification device,

the blocking, in the unlocking zone, of at least one of the two elements after their unlocking,

the deblocking of said at least one of the two elements as a function of the realization of a predetermined condition.

69. A system for managing the unlocking of an identification device of a packaged or unpackaged commercial article, characterized in that the system comprises:

an identification device of a packaged or unpackaged commercial article, the device comprising two separable elements which are able to be fixed to one another, on the one hand, in a locked position in which the two elements imprison between them, in a locked manner under the action of locking means, the article or its packaging and, on the other hand, at least one unlocked position,

an unlocking device comprising a housing which is able to receive the identification device, or one of its elements, in the locked and unlocked position and unlocking means for unlocking, with respect to one another, the two elements of the identification device and free the article or its packaging of said identification device,

detection means which are able to detect said at least one unlocked position of the identification device in which the two elements of said identification device are fixed to one another when said identification device or one of its elements is received in the housing in said at least one unlocked position.

70. The system as claimed in claim 69, characterized in that the detection means are able to detect said at least one unlocked position of the identification device by comparison with the detection of the locked position of said device.

71. The system as claimed in claim 69, characterized in that the detection means are means of electromagnetic detection which comprise means for emitting at least one electromagnetic signal and means for receiving said at least one electromagnetic signal emitted, said emitting means and said receiving means being arranged around the unlocking zone in such a way that the transversely shifted configuration of the two separable elements affects the propagation of said at least one electromagnetic signal emitted between the emitting means and the receiving means.

72. The system as claimed in claim 71, characterized in that the transversely shifted configuration of the two separable elements affects the propagation of said at least one electromagnetic signal emitted between the emitting means and the receiving means in a different manner from the locked axial configuration.

73. The system as claimed in claim 71, characterized in that the emitting means and the receiving means comprise several pairs of emitting and receiving elements, the emitting elements of each pair being disposed opposite the receiving elements of the same pair.

74. The system as claimed in claim 73, characterized in that the emitting elements of all the pairs are arranged in such a way that the set of the median electromagnetic signals or electromagnetic beams emitted by said elements define a triangular region delimiting the unlocking zone.

75. The system as claimed in claim 71, characterized in that the emitting and receiving means are arranged so as to leave free between them a passage for the intake of an identification device in the unlocking zone.

76. The system as claimed in claim 69, characterized in that the housing which is able to receive the identification device or one of the two elements has a shape and dimensions substantially complementary to those of said device or of the element that it receives.

77. The system as claimed in claim 69, characterized in that the identification device of a commercial article is a device for protection against the theft of this article.

78. The system as claimed in claim 77, characterized in that the device for protection against theft comprises at least one active or passive member which is able to emit toward the exterior of the device or to receive electromagnetic waves from the exterior.

79. A method for managing the unlocking of an identification device of a packaged or unpackaged commercial article, the device comprising two separable elements which are able to be fixed to one another, on the one hand, in a locked position in which the two elements imprison between them, in a locked manner under the action of locking means, the article or its packaging and, on the other hand, at least one unlocked position, characterized in that the method comprises:

the reception of the identification device, or of one of its elements, in the locked position in a housing of an unlocking device,

the unlocking, with respect to one another, of the two elements of the identification device and the withdrawal of a first element so as to allow the freeing of the article or of its packaging of said identification device, while the second element is maintained in the housing,

the putting in place of the first element fixed to the second element in said at least one unlocked position of the identification device,

the detection of said at least one unlocked position of the identification device.

80-95. -95. (canceled)