Method and apparatus of obtaining security tag operation using local magnetic marker

• US 6,744,366 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2002
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hoton How
• Original Assignee: Hoton How
• Inventors: How, Hoton
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US10/115,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20030189489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 340/571, 340/563.1, 340/572.1, 340/572.8, 340/531, 340/539.1, 340/686.1, 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/551
• US Class Current: 340/571
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2408 using ferromagnetic tags

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and an apparatus implying nearly 100% security with a tag system showing low cost and compact volume. Like a conventional tag, the disclosed tag system will respond properly to an interrogation signal. In addition, the disclosed tag system is able to monitor the environment local to a merchandise. Whenever the merchandise package is opened and/or impaired, alarm will be generated on the spot. It is almost impossible to disarm the tag system, unless a password is attained. The disclosed tag system shows a high sensitivity, and it does not need an electronic searching machine, or an interrogation gate, to operate. When combined with an electromagnetic transmitter, a smart tag system results, allowing merchandise to be traced on the computer screen, capable of performing discriminative tasks according to the imposed regulation rules on the merchandise IDs.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining security tag operation capable of monitoring against disturbance made to an object, comprising:

in the presence of the earth field installing one or more magnetic markers to jointly create a magnetic profile characteristic of the local environment of said object whose magnitude is measured by using one or more magnetic sensors installed at a position or positions at the enclosure or surrounding of said object,

wherein by checking against said magnetic profile measured by said one or more magnetic sensors said disturbance can be identified, indicating security violations, which are induced by a condition of unauthorized relative movement of said one or more magnetic markers with respect to said one or more magnetic sensors resulting from breakage, distortion, or interruption of said object and/or its enclosure, and separately by a condition of alteration of a sensed magnetic field resulting from an external source or sources other than said one or more magnetic markers as a result of security failure, and alerting an alarm or warning in response to either of said conditions thereby realizing said security tag operation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said external source or sources include a transmitter of a transducer device generating an interrogation signal which disturbs said magnetic profile of said local environment of said object conditionally thereby initiating said security violation condition.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said external source or sources include a piece or pieces of soft-magnetic sheet or block which screens said earth magnetic field disturbing said magnetic profile of said local environment of said object conditionally thereby initiating said security violation condition.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein depending on the nature of said security violation condition, said alarm signal in response takes various forms, being a constant buzzing sound, an intermittent buzzing sound, a weak bussing sound, or a loud bussing sound, indicating different levels in security warning.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said security tag operation can only be reset or resumed not to activate said alarm signal only through authorized procedures in confidential which are not obtainable in a rash manner incorporating limited resources, including the use of a DC magnetic field of a large magnitude, or a magnetic field with predetermined waveform complied to the content of a password.

6. A security tag device capable of providing security protection over an object, comprising:

(A) one or more magnetic markers capable of creating a profile characteristic of the magnetic background defining the undisturbed or the unaltered condition of said object,

(B) one or more magnetic sensor units installed at a predetermined position or positions at the enclosure or surrounding of said object, measuring in situ the magnitude of said profile of said magnetic background,

(C) one or more buzzer units capable of releasing alarms at predetermined warning levels,

(D) a microprocessor unit taking control over processes required by the operation of said security tag device,

(E) one or more power units, supplying power to said one or more magnetic sensor units, said one or more buzzer units, and said microprocessor unit,

wherein, via the use of said one or more magnetic sensor units said profile of said magnetic background created by said one or more magnetic markers together with the earth field is constantly monitored, to identify disturbances occurring to said magnetic background resulting from a condition of breakage, distortion, or interruption of said object and/or its enclosure, and separately from a condition of alteration of a sensed magnetic field resulting from an external source or sources other than said one or more magnetic markers, said microprocessor unit activates said one or more buzzer units accordingly in response to either of these conditions, signaling the condition of security violation thereby providing security protection over said object.

7. The security tag device of claim 6 wherein said disturbances to said profile of said magnetic background results from offensive situations that said object is relatively moved without authorization with respect to said object'"'"'s enclosure or surrounding allocated with said one or more magnetic sensor units.

8. The security tag device of claim 6 wherein said disturbance to said profile of said magnetic background results from an interrogation signal or is induced by a conditional screening effect to said earth field.

9. The security tag device of claim 6 wherein an external microphone unit is employed listening to said one or more buzzer units thereby amplifying the received sound level via loud speakers so as to attract more attention.

10. The security tag device of claim 6 wherein said one or more magnetic sensor units includes inductor probes, Hall probes, magnetoresistive probes, or fluxgate probes.

11. The security tag device of claim 6 wherein said one or more magnetic sensor units measures said profile of said magnetic background in 1D, 2D, or 3D.

12. The security tag device of claim 6 wherein said one or more power units includes a battery, a photocell, or a combination.

13. The security tag device of claim 6 wherein said microprocessor unit is able to manage and report the status of a battery contained with said one or more power units.

14. The security tag device of claim 6 wherein said microprocessor unit is able to manage and report the status of a mechanical case enclosing the assembly of said microprocessor unit, said one or more buzzer units, and/or said one or more power units.

15. The security tag device of claim 6 wherein a photodectector is used to detect a conditional dark condition if said object is concealed in a briefcase or in a container for unclear or unauthorized reasons.

16. The security tag device of claim 6 wherein a transmitter unit or units is added which is able to generate an identification signal or signals characteristic of said object thereby admitting smart-tag operation functions to take place.

17. The security tag device of claim 16 wherein said identification signal or signals include EM signals with identifiable codes or waveforms.

18. The security tag device of claim 16 wherein said smart-tag operation functions allow for automation in sale.

19. The security tag device of claim 6, wherein a local shielding plane or planes is installed near said one or more magnetic sensor units so that external magnetic flux generated from an external source or sources other than said one or more magnetic markers are partially screened resulting in local shielding of said one or more magnetic sensor units thereby reducing false alarm rates.

20. The security tag device of claim 6, wherein a mean of local condensing of magnetic flux is provided and deployed with one or more of said one or more magnetic sensor units condensing magnetic flux generated from said one or more magnetic markers and said earth field making uniform and hence stabilizing the local fields nearby so as to facilitate the operation of said security tag device.

21. A method of obtaining security tag operation capable of monitoring against disturbance made to an object, comprising:

in the presence of the earth field installing one or more magnetic markers to jointly create a magnetic profile characteristic of the local environment of said object whose magnitude is measured by using one or more magnetic sensors installed at a position or positions at the enclosure or surrounding of said object;

wherein by checking against said magnetic profile measured by said one or more magnetic sensors said disturbance can be identified, indicating security violations, which are induced by a condition of unauthorized relative movement of said one or more magnetic markers with respect to said one or more magnetic sensors resulting from breakage, distortion, rotation, or interruption of said object and/or its enclosure, and alerting an alarm or warning in response to said condition thereby realizing said security tag operation.