Antitheft system

• US 6,043,744 A
• Filed: 08/10/1998
• Issued: 03/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), Sanyo Electronic Components Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsudaira, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/131,876
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 340/571, 340/572.1, 340/531, 340/506, 340/825.36, 340/825.49, 340/568.1, 340/568.2, 340/572.4, 340/572.5, 340/572.7, 340/572.9
• US Class Current: 340/571
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2431 Tag circuit details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2482 EAS methods, e.g. description of flow chart of the detection procedure
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/183 Single detectors using dual technologies G08B13/1672, G08B13/2448, G08B13/2494 take precedence

Abstract

An antitheft system embodying the invention comprises an alarm unit 2 attached to a commodity for producing an alarm on receiving a detection signal or an alarm activating signal while stopping the alarm on receiving an alarm stopping signal, and a signal generator provided on a cashier'"'"'s counter for producing alarm activating signals and alarm stopping signals alternately. When the commodity is handed by the customer to the clerk at the cashier'"'"'s counter, with the alarm unit 2 attached to the commodity, the alarm unit 2 intermittently produces an alarm on receiving alarm activating signals and alarm stopping signals alternately, thereby enabling the clerk to reliably recognize that the alarm unit 2 is attached to the commodity. When the clerk thereafter removes the alarm unit 2 from the commodity, the production of alarm is forcibly ceased.

Claims

1. An antitheft system comprising an alarm unit to be connected to an article to be prevented from being stolen, and a signal generator for producing a notifying signal, the alarm unit comprising detector means for detecting disconnection of the unit from the article to produce a detection signal, means for receiving the notifying signal, alarm means for producing an alarm, and control means for operating the alarm means upon receiving the detection signal while operating the alarm means upon receiving the notifying signal from the receiving means and thereafter nullifying the detection signal and the notifying signal.

2. An antitheft system comprising an alarm unit to be connected to an article to be prevented from being stolen, and a signal generator for alternately producing alarm activating signals and alarm stopping signals, the alarm unit comprising detector means for detecting disconnection of the unit from the article to produce a detection signal, means for receiving the alarm activating signal and the alarm stopping signal, alarm means for producing an alarm, alarm control means for operating the alarm means upon receiving the detection signal or upon receiving the alarm activating signal from the receiving means while bringing the alarm means out of operation upon receiving the alarm stopping signal from the receiving means, and nullifying means operable upon the alarm control means receiving the detection signal and one of the alarm activating signal and the alarm stopping signal to nullify the subsequent detection signal and alarm activating signal.

3. An antitheft system according to claim 2 wherein upon receiving both the detection signal and the alarm stopping signal, the nullifying means nullifies the subsequent detection signal and alarm activating signal.

4. An antitheft system according to claim 2 wherein the on period of the alarm stopping signal is made longer than the on period of the alarm activating signal.

5. An antitheft system according to claim 2 wherein the nullifying means cancels the nullification of the detection signal and the alarm activating signal when the detection signal remains off for more than a specified period of tire after the nullification of the detection signal and the alarm activating signal.

6. An antitheft system according to claim 3 which further comprises a transmitter provided within an alarming area for transmitting the alarm activating signal to the alarm unit when the unit is being passed through the alarming area.

7. An antitheft system comprising an alarm unit to be connected to an article to be prevented from being stolen, and a signal generator for producing an intermittent sound generating signal, the alarm unit comprising detector means for detecting disconnection of the unit from the article to produce a detection signal, means for receiving the intermittent sound generating signal, alarm means for producing an alarm, alarm control means for continuously operating the alarm means upon receiving the detection signal while intermittently operating the alarm means upon receiving the intermittent sound generating signal from the receiving means, and nullifying means operable upon the alarm control means receiving both the detection signal and the intermittent sound generating signal to nullify the subsequent detection signal and intermittent sound generating signal.

8. An antitheft system according to claim 7 wherein the nullifying means cancels the nullification of the detection signal and the intermittent sound generating signal when the detection signal remains off for more than a specified period of time after the nullification of the detection signal and the intermittent sound generating signal.

9. An antitheft system according to claim 7 which further comprises a transmitter provided within an alarming area for transmitting an alarm activating signal to the alarm unit when the unit is being passed through the alarming area, the alarm control means being operable for continuously operating the alarm means upon receiving the alarm activating signal from the receiving means, the nullifying means being operable upon the alarm control means receiving both the intermittent sound generating signal and the alarm activating signal to nullify the subsequent detection signal, intermittent sound generating signal and alarm activating signal.

10. An antitheft system comprising an alarm unit to he connected to an article to be prevented from being stolen, and a signal generator for producing a short sound generating signal, the alarm unit comprising detector means for detecting disconnection of the unit from the article to produce a detection signal, means for receiving the short sound generating signal, alarm means for producing an alarm, alarm control means for operating the alarm means upon receiving the detection signal, and nullifying means for operating the alarm means only for a predetermined period of time upon receiving the short sound generating signal from the receiving means and thereafter nullifying the subsequent detection signal and short sound generating signal.

11. An antitheft system according to claim 10 wherein the nullifying means cancels the nullification of the detection signal and the short sound generating signal when the detection signal remains off for more than a specified period of time after the nullification of the detection signal and the short sound generating signal.

12. An antitheft system according to claim 10 which further comprises a transmitter provided within an alarming area for transmitting an alarm activating signal to the alarm unit when the unit is being passed through the alarming area, the alarm control means being operable for operating the alarm means upon receiving the alarm activating signal from the receiving means, the nullifying means being operable to operate the alarm means only for a predetermined period of time upon receiving the short sound generating signal from the receiving means and to thereafter nullify the subsequent detection signal, short sound generating signal and alarm activating signal.