Real-time system for monitoring theft protection

• US 7,046,149 B1
• Filed: 10/09/2000
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: N.V. Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek "Nedap"
• Original Assignee: N.V. Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek "Nedap"
• Inventors: Badenhop, Wilhelm, Paijens, Petrus Wilhelmus Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US10/110,140
• Time in Patent Office: 2,045 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/5.92, 340/506, 705/16, 705/18, 705/22, 705/28, 235/375, 235/385
• US Class Current: 340/572.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• 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 13/246 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: G08B 13/2482 EAS methods, e.g. description of flow chart of the detection procedure
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements

Abstract

A system including at least one theft security system having at least one transceiver device, set up adjacent at least one passage, for detecting antitheft labels that pass the passage, characterized in that each theft security system and/or each transceiver device is preferably provided with an identification code with which each theft security system and/or each transceiver device is identifiable within the system, the system further having at least one control device, and the system further having a communication device, the communication device being adapted for real-time transmission of real-time information about detected antitheft labels from each theft security system and/or each transceiver device to the control device, the control device being adapted for real-time processing of the real-time received real-time information.

Claims

1. A system comprising

at least one theft security system including at least one transceiver device disposed adjacent at least one passage for detecting antitheft labels passing through the passage,

at least one central control device and at least one communication device,

each theft security system being provided with an identification code with which each theft security system is identifiable,

a plurality of local control devices with each local control device being connected via one of the communication devices to one of the theft security systems adjacent the local control device,

each communication device being arranged for real-time transmission of real-time information about detected antitheft labels for which an alarm is generated from the theft security systems to the adjacent local control device,

each local control device being arranged for real-time processing of the real-time received real-time information, the central control device being arranged for further processing real-time information about detected antitheft labels coming from the local control device so that theft security system real-time information is obtained about a number of detected antitheft labels,

the central control device including an information representing unit for making known real-time the information about the number of detected antitheft labels, and when the number of detected antitheft labels per unit time exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a goods registration device including at least one of a person registration system disposed adjacent at least one passage for one of identifying and counting persons who pass the passage and at least one checkout block for one of counting and identifying goods to be checked out by scanning and for deactivating or removing antitheft levels attached to the goods, and each of the communication devices being further adapted for real-time transmission of real-time information from the goods registration device, the person registration system, and each checkout block to the adjacent local control device.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the goods registration device, the person registration system, and the checkout block are provided with an identification code with which the goods registration device, the person registration system, and the checkout block and the information from the goods registration device, person registration system, and the checkout block are identifiable.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising manual input and real-time transmission of information regarding antitheft labels attached to paid-for goods.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the real-time transmission of real-time information is made about defects in one of the devices.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the central control device is provided with one of analysis and statistical processing programs.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the central control device is provided with software programs to process information.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one local control device is adapted for controlling at least one of an adjacent theft security system and an adjacent transceiver device real-time.

9. A system comprising

at least one theft security system including at least one transceiver device disposed adjacent at least one passage for detecting antitheft labels passing the passage,

at least one central control device and at least one communication device,

each theft security system being provided with an identification code with which each theft security system is identifiable,

a plurality of local control devices with each local control device being connected via one of the communication devices to one of the theft security systems adjacent the local control device,

each communication device being arranged for real-time transmission of real-time information about detected antitheft labels for which an alarm is generated from the theft security systems to the adjacent local control device,

each local control device being arranged for real-time processing of the real-time received real-time information, the central control device being arranged for further processing real-time information about detected antitheft labels coming from the local control device so that theft security system real-time information is obtained about a number of detected antitheft labels, the theft security system real-time information being transmitted to also identify a coworker.

10. A system comprising

at least one theft security system including at least one transceiver device disposed adjacent at least one passage for detecting antitheft labels passing the passage,

at least one central control device and at least one communication device,

each theft security system being provided with an identification code with which each theft security system is identifiable,

a plurality of local control devices with each local control device being connected via one of the communication devices to one of the theft security systems adjacent the local control device,

each communication device being arranged for real-time transmission of real-time information about detected antitheft labels for which an alarm is generated from the theft security systems to the adjacent local control device,

each local control device being arranged for real-time processing of the real-time received real-time information, the central control device being arranged for further processing real-time information about detected antitheft labels coming from the local control device so that theft security system real-time information is obtained about a number of detected antitheft labels,

the central control device being adapted to control each theft security system in real-time.

11. A system comprising

at least one theft security system including at least one transceiver device disposed adjacent at least one passage for detecting antitheft labels passing the passage,

at least one central control device and at least one communication device,

each theft security system being provided with an identification code with which each theft security system is identifiable,

a plurality of local control devices with each local control device being connected via one of the communication devices to one of the theft security systems adjacent the local control device,

each communication device being arranged for real-time transmission of real-time information about detected antitheft labels for which an alarm is generated from the theft security systems to the adjacent local control device,

each local control device being arranged for real-time processing of the real-time received real-time information,

the central control device being arranged for further processing real-time information about detected antitheft labels coming from the local control device so that theft security system real-time information is obtained about a number of detected antitheft labels, and a goods registration device comprising at least one person registration system disposed adjacent at least one passage for one of identifying and counting persons who pass the passage and at least one checkout block for one of counting and identifying goods to be checked out by scanning and for deactivating or removing antitheft levels attached to the goods,

each of the communication devices being further adapted for real-time transmission of real-time information from the goods registration device, the person registration system, and each checkout block to the adjacent local control device, and

at least one of each local control device and the central control device being adapted for controlling the goods registration device, the person registration system, and the at least one checkout block.

12. A system comprising

at least one theft security system including at least one transceiver device disposed adjacent at least one passage for detecting antitheft labels passing the passage,

at least one central control device and at least one communication device,

each theft security system being provided with an identification code with which each theft security system is identifiable,

a plurality of local control devices with each local control device being connected via one of the communication devices to one of the theft security systems adjacent the local control device,

each communication device being arranged for real-time transmission of real-time information about detected antitheft labels for which an alarm is generated from at least one of the theft security systems to the adjacent local control device,

each local control device being arranged for real-time processing of the real-time received real-time information, the central control device being arranged for further processing real-time information about detected antitheft labels coming from the local control device so that theft security system real-time information is obtained about a number of detected antitheft labels, and

a goods registration device comprising at least one person registration system disposed adjacent at least one passage for one of identifying and counting persons who pass the passage and at least one checkout block for one of counting and identifying goods to be checked out by scanning and for deactivating or removing antitheft levels attached to the goods, and

each of the communication devices being further adapted for real-time transmission of real-time information from the goods registration device, the person registration system, and each checkout block to the adjacent local control device, and the central control device being adapted for controlling the goods registration device, the person registration system, and the at least one checkout block.

13. A system comprising

a theft security system including at least one transceiver device set up at a passage for detecting antitheft labels passing through the passage,

at least one of a person identification system and a person registration system set up at a passage for one of registering and identifying persons who pass through the passage, and

a checkout block for registering goods to be checked out by scanning and for one of deactivating and removing antitheft labels attached to the goods,

a central control device connected with a local control device for providing a communication connection between the central control device and the local control device, where the central control device is connected with the local control device for exchanging data between the local control device and the central control device and for transmitting from the local control device to the central control device at least one of (a) diagnostic information, (b) information about detected antitheft labels, (c) information about the registered goods, and (d) information about the registered or identified persons,

a plurality of registration devices, each registration device being connected with the local control device,

the central control device being adapted for statistically processing at least one of (a) diagnostic information, (b) information about the detected antitheft labels, (c) information about the registered goods, and (d) information about the registered or identified persons, and at least one of (a) the diagnostic information, (b) the information about the detected antitheft labels, (c) the information about the registered goods and (d) the information about the registered or identified persons per group being processed and information being transmitted, as a result, from the central control device to the local control device for changing at least one of settings and operation of the local control device.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein information is transmitted about a location of a group from the local control device to the central control device.

15. A system comprising

a theft security system including at least one transceiver device set up at a passage for detecting antitheft labels passing through the passage,

at least one of a person identification system and a person registration system set up at a passage for one of registering and identifying persons who pass through the passage, and

a checkout block for registering goods to be checked out by scanning and one of deactivating and removing antitheft labels attached to the goods,

a central control device connected with a local control device for providing a communication connection between the central control device and the local control device, where the central control device is connected with the local control device for exchanging data between the local control device and the central control device and for transmitting from the local control device to the central control device (a) diagnostic information, (b) information about detected antitheft labels, (c) information about the registered goods, and (d) information about the registered or identified persons,

a plurality of registration devices, each registration device being connected with the local control device,

the central control device being adapted for statistically processing at least one of (a) diagnostic information, (b) information about the detected antitheft labels, (c) information about the registered goods, and (d) information about the registered or identified persons, and (a) the diagnostic information, (b) the information about the detected antitheft labels, (c) the information about the registered goods and (d) the information about the registered or identified persons per group being processed and information being transmitted from each of the local control devices to the central control device about (a) the detected antitheft labels, (b) the diagnostic information about the operation of the at least one device, (c) information about the registered goods, and (d) information for changing one of settings and operation of the local control device.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein information is transmitted from the local control device to the central control device about one of the registered persons and the identified persons.

17. A system comprising

a theft security system including at least one transceiver device set up at a passage for detecting antitheft labels passing through the passage,

at least one of a person identification system and a person registration system set up at a passage for one of registering and identifying persons who pass through the passage, and

a checkout block for registering goods to be checked out by scanning and one of deactivating and removing antitheft labels attached to the goods,

a central control device connected with a local control device for providing a communication connection between the central control device and the local control device, where the central control device is connected with the local control device for exchanging data between the local control device and the central control device and for transmitting from the local control device to the central control device (a) diagnostic information, (b) information about detected antitheft labels, (c) information about the registered goods, and (d) information about the registered or identified persons,

a plurality of registration devices, each registration device being connected with the local control device,

the central control device being adapted for statistically processing at least one of (a) diagnostic information, (b) information about the detected antitheft labels, (c) information about the registered goods, and (d) information about the registered or identified persons, and (a) the diagnostic information, (b) the information about the detected antitheft labels, (c) the information about the registered goods and (d) the information about the registered or identified persons per group being processed and information being transmitted from each of the local control devices to the central control device about an identity of a coworker which operates the checkout block.