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Security system for inventory

  • US 7,477,149 B2
  • Filed: 06/30/2006
  • Issued: 01/13/2009
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of enabling item purchase directly from a protected area, the method comprising:

  • monitoring, by at least one radio-frequency identification (“

    RFID”

    ) security sensor positioned to protect the area, presence of each of at least one items expected to be contained within the area, wherein each of the at least one items has a transmission mechanism coupled thereto or integrated therewithin, the transmission mechanism comprising an RFID security tag sending signals that are detectable by the at least one RFID security sensor while the item remains within proximity of at least one of the at least one RFID security sensors; and

    responsive to detecting, by at least one of the RFID security sensors, a removal of any of the at least one items from the protected area, performing a purchase verification process comprising;

    obtaining a unique identifier of the removed item by interrogating the RFID security tag coupled to or integrated within the removed item;

    identifying a person who removed the item;

    starting a first timer to monitor a first time interval during which the removed item remains outside the protected area;

    upon expiration of the first timer without receiving a notification that a purchase has been completed for the removed item during the first time interval, issuing a first warning to the person who removed the item, and starting a second timer to monitor a second time interval during which the removed item remains outside the protected area;

    upon expiration of the second timer without receiving the notification that the purchase has been completed for the removed item during the second time interval, issuing a security alert for the removed item; and

    upon receiving the notification, at the protected area, that the person removing the item completes the purchase of the removed item, recording an indication that the removed item was purchased, wherein;

    the purchase of the removed item is initiated upon a scan of the RFID tag of the removed item by the person;

    the notification is generated upon detecting a completion of the purchase of the removed item; and

    the security alert indicates that the removed item was stolen.

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