Article of merchandise with concealed EAS marker and EAS warning logo

• US 5,714,935 A
• Filed: 02/03/1995
• Issued: 02/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics Corporation (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics Corporation (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Ryan, Joseph M. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US08/383,570
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568, 340/571, 340/572, 40/299, 40/625, 40/538, 283/72, 283/74, 283/81
• US Class Current: 340/572.3
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2445 Tag integrated into item to be protected, e.g. source tagging

Abstract

An inventory of goods is protected from theft by affixing to at least some of the items of the inventory an electronic article surveillance marker. An indicia which indicates the presence of the marker is also applied to the items of the inventory. In some cases, the indicia may be applied to goods to deter theft thereof even though no EAS marker is present on the goods. The indicia may be provided whether the marker is affixed in a concealed or visible location on the goods and may also provide guidance as to how to activate or deactivate the marker.

Claims

1. A method of protecting from theft an inventory of goods to be displayed in a retail establishment for purchase by customers, comprising the steps of:

(a) affixing an electronic article surveillance marker to each of some but not all items of said inventory;

(b) applying to each of said items having a marker affixed thereto an indicia for indicating to said customers the presence of said marker; and

(c) applying said indicia indicative of the presence of an electronic article surveillance marker to some items of said inventory which lack such marker.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein each said electronic article surveillance marker is concealed in the respective item of inventory.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein each said electronic article surveillance marker is embedded in the respective item of inventory.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein each said indicia is printed on a package which contains the respective item of inventory.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein each said indicia is a sticker applied to the respective item of inventory.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein each said indicia indicates a position at which the respective marker is affixed on the respective item of inventory.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of deactivating said marker after said marker is affixed to the respective item of inventory.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said deactivating step includes applying at least one of a magnetic field and an electrostatic field at a location indicated by the respective indicia on the respective item.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein said deactivating step includes applying at least one of a magnetic field and an electrostatic field in a direction indicated by the respective indicia on the respective item.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of activating said marker after said marker is affixed to the respective item of inventory.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said activating step includes applying at least one of a magnetic field and an electrostatic field at a location indicated by the respective indicia on the respective item.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein said activating step includes applying at least one of a magnetic field and an electrostatic field in a direction indicated by the respective indicia on the respective item.

13. A method according to claim 1 wherein said indicia is in the form of a distinctive logo.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein said electronic article surveillance marker is a magnetomechanical marker.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein said electronic article surveillance marker is of the type which, upon exposure to an alternating field, causes harmonic perturbations of said field.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein said electronic article surveillance marker is of the type which includes an electrical circuit that is resonant at a selected frequency in the radio frequency range.

17. An article of merchandise to be displayed in a retail establishment for purchase by customers and protected from theft, including an electronic article surveillance marker concealed within the article of merchandise and an indicia applied to the article of merchandise for indicating a location of said marker within the article of merchandise.

18. An article according to claim 17, wherein said marker is embedded in the article.

19. An article according to claim 17, wherein said indicia is printed on a package which contains the article.

20. An article according to claim 17, wherein said indicia is a sticker applied to the article.

21. An article according to claim 17, wherein said indicia includes an arrow which indicates a direction in which to apply a magnetic field or an electrostatic field for deactivating said marker.

22. An article according to claim 17, wherein said indicia includes an arrow which indicates a direction in which to apply a magnetic field or an electrostatic field for activating said marker.

23. An article according to claim 17, wherein said marker is a magnetomechanical marker.

24. An article according to claim 17, wherein said marker is of the type which, upon exposure to an alternating magnetic field, causes harmonic perturbations of said field.

25. An article according to claim 17, wherein said marker is of the type which includes an electrical circuit that is resonant at a selected frequency in the radio frequency range.

26. An article according to claim 17, wherein said indicia is in the form of a distinctive logo.

27. An electronic article surveillance system for protecting from theft an inventory of goods to be displayed in a retail establishment for purchase by customers, comprising:

(a) generating means for generating a magnetic field alternating at a selected frequency in an interrogation zone;

(b) an item of said inventory of goods, said item including an electronic article surveillance marker concealed within said item for generating a marker signal, when exposed to said alternating field, and an indicia applied to said item for indicating a location of said marker within said item; and

(c) detecting means for detecting said marker signal generated by said marker.

28. An electronic article surveillance system according to claim 27, wherein said marker is embedded in said item of inventory.

29. An electronic article surveillance system according to claim 27, wherein said indicia is printed on a package which contains said item of inventory.

30. An electronic article surveillance system according to claim 27, wherein said indicia is a sticker applied to said item of inventory.

31. An electronic article surveillance system according to claim 27, wherein said indicia includes an arrow which indicates a direction in which to apply a magnetic field for deactivating said marker.

32. An electronic article surveillance system according to claim 27, wherein said indicia includes an arrow which indicates a direction in which to apply a magnetic field for activating said marker.

33. An electronic article surveillance system according to claim 27, wherein said marker is a magnetomechanical marker.

34. An electronic article surveillance system according to claim 27, wherein said marker, upon exposure to said alternating magnetic field, causes harmonic perturbations of said field.

35. An electronic article surveillance system according to claim 27, wherein said marker is of the type which includes an electrical circuit that is resonant at a selected frequency in the radio frequency range.

36. An electronic article surveillance system for protecting from theft an inventory of goods to be displayed in a retail establishment for purchase by customers, comprising:

(a) generating means for generating a magnetic field alternating at a selected frequency in an interrogation zone;

(b) a first plurality of items of said inventory of goods, each item of said first plurality including an electronic article surveillance marker affixed to said item for generating a marker signal, when exposed to said alternating field, and an indicia applied to said item for indicating to said customers the presence of said marker;

(c) a second plurality of items of said inventory of goods, each item of said second plurality having no electronic article surveillance marker but having an indicia applied to said item of said second plurality, said indicia applied to said items of said second plurality being the same as said indicia applied to said items of said first plurality; and

(d) detecting means for detecting said marker signal generated by said marker.

37. An electronic article surveillance system according to claim 36, wherein said second plurality is larger in number than said first plurality.

38. An electronic article surveillance system according to claim 36, wherein said marker affixed to each item of said first plurality is concealed in the respective item.

39. An electronic article surveillance system according to claim 36, wherein said indicia is printed on a package which contains the respective item of inventory.

40. An electronic article surveillance system according to claim 36, wherein said indicia is a sticker applied to the respective item of inventory.

41. An electronic article surveillance system according to claim 36, wherein said indicia is in the form of a distinctive logo.

42. A method of protecting an inventory of goods from theft, comprising the steps of:

(a) affixing an electronic article surveillance marker at a concealed location in each of at least some items of said inventory; and

(b) applying to each of said at least some items an indicia which indicates the concealed location at which the respective marker is affixed on the respective item of inventory.

43. A method according to claim 42, further comprising the step of deactivating said marker after said marker is affixed to the respective item of inventory by applying at least one of a magnetic field and an electrostatic field at a location indicated by the respective indicia on the respective item.

44. A method according to claim 42, further comprising the step of activating said marker after said marker is affixed to the respective item of inventory by applying at least one of a magnetic field and an electrostatic field at a location indicated by the respective indicia on the respective item.

45. A method of protecting an inventory of goods from theft, comprising the steps of:

(a) affixing an electronic article surveillance marker at a concealed location in each of at least some items of said inventory;

(b) applying an indicia to each of said at least some items, said indicia for indicating the concealed location at which the respective marker is affixed on the respective item of inventory;

the method further comprising at least one of the following steps;

(c) deactivating said marker after said marker is affixed to the respective item of inventory by applying at least one of a magnetic field and an electrostatic field at the location indicated by the respective indicia on the respective item; and

(d) activating said marker after said marker is affixed to the respective item of inventory by applying at least one of a magnetic field and an electrostatic field at the location indicated by the respective indicia on the respective item.

46. A method of protecting an inventory of goods from theft, comprising the steps of:

(a) affixing an electronic article surveillance marker to each of at least some items of said inventory;

(b) applying an indicia to each of said at least some items;

the method further comprising at least one of the following steps;

(c) deactivating said marker after said marker is affixed to the respective item of inventory by applying at least one of a magnetic field and an electrostatic field in a direction indicated by the respective indicia on the respective item; and

(d) activating said marker after said marker is affixed to the respective item of inventory by applying at least one of a magnetic field and an electrostatic field in a direction indicated by the respective indicia on the respective item.

47. An article of merchandise to be protected from theft, including an electronic article surveillance marker concealed within the article of merchandise and an indicia applied to the article of merchandise for indicating a position at which said marker is concealed within the article.

48. An article of merchandise to be protected from theft, including an electronic article surveillance marker affixed to the article of merchandise and an indicia applied to the article of merchandise for indicating a direction in which to apply a magnetic field or an electrostatic field for activating or deactivating said marker.

49. An electronic article surveillance system for protecting an inventory of goods from theft, comprising:

(a) generating means for generating a magnetic field alternating at a selected frequency in an interrogation zone;

(b) an item of said inventory of goods, said item including an electronic article surveillance marker concealed within said item for generating a marker signal when exposed to said alternating field, and an indicia applied to said item for indicating a position at which said marker is concealed within said item of inventory; and

(c) detecting means for detecting said marker signal generated by said marker.

50. An electronic article surveillance system for protecting an inventory of goods from theft, comprising:

(a) generating means for generating a magnetic field alternating at a selected frequency in an interrogation zone;

(b) an item of said inventory of goods, said item including an electronic article surveillance marker affixed to said item for generating a marker signal when exposed to said alternating field, and an indicia applied to said item for indicating a direction in which to apply a magnetic field for activating or deactivating said marker;

(c) detecting means for detecting said marker signal generated by said marker.