Techniques to reduce false alarms, invalid security deactivation, and internal theft

• US 7,591,422 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2005
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics Corporation (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Maitin, Steven R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Seung H
• Application Number:
  US11/055,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20060175402A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/385, 705/16, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2411 Tag deactivation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/248 EAS system combined with another detection technology, e.g. dual EAS and video or other presence detection system

Abstract

A system, apparatus, method and article to eliminate false alarms, invalid security deactivation, and internal theft are described. The apparatus may include a first input to receive a first identification code associated with an item, a second input to receive a second identification code associated with the item, and an output to provide a control signal to control the operation of a security label deactivation and detection device based on the first and second identification codes. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first input to receive a first identification code associated with an item;

a second input to receive a second identification code associated with said item;

a third input to receive security label information;

an output to provide a control signal to control the operation of a security label deactivation device based on said first identification code, said second identification code and said security label information;

wherein the deactivation device is in communication with said output to receive said control signal and to deactivate said security label if said first identification code correlates to said second identification code; and

a detection device in communication with said deactivation device, said detection device to monitor said security label and to activate an alarm if said security label is live and if said first identification code does not correlate to said second identification code.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a scanner to receive said first identification code, said scanner to provide said first identification code to said first input.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transceiver to receive said second identification code, said transceiver to provide said second identification code to said second input.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processor to receive said first and second identification codes associated with said item, said processor to process said first and second identification codes to provide said control signal to said output if said first identification code correlates to said second identification code.

5. A system, comprising:

an antenna;

a first input to receive a first identification code associated with an item;

a second input to receive a second identification code associated with said item;

a third input to receive security label information;

an output to provide a control signal to control the operation of a security label deactivation device based on said first identification code, said second identification code and said security label information;

wherein the deactivation device is in communication with said output to receive said control signal and to deactivate said security label if said first identification code correlates to said second identification code; and

a detection device in communication with said deactivation device, said detection device to monitor said security label and to activate an alarm if said security label is live and if said first identification code does not correlate to said second identification code.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a host computer in communication with said output, said host computer to provide said control signal to a security label detection device.

7. A method, comprising:

receiving a first identification code associated with an item;

receiving a second identification code associated with said item;

receiving security label information;

providing a control signal to control the operation of a security label deactivation device based on said first identification code, said second identification code and said security label information, wherein said security label is deactivated if said first identification code correlates to said second identification code;

monitoring said security label; and

activating an alarm if said security label is active, wherein activating said alarm comprises activating said alarm if said first identification code does not correlate to said second identification code.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

processing said first and second identification codes to determine whether said first identification code correlates to said second identification code associated with said item; and

wherein, providing said control signal to said output comprises providing said control signal to said output if said first identification code correlates to said second identification code.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving said control signal to deactivate said security label; and

deactivating said security label if said first identification code correlates to said second identification code.

10. An article comprising a machine-readable storage medium containing instructions that if executed enable a system to:

receive a first identification code associated with an item;

receive a second identification code associated with said item;

receive security label information;

provide a control signal to control the operation of a security label deactivation device based on said first identification code, said second identification code and said security label information, wherein said security label is deactivated if said first identification code correlates to said second identification code;

monitor said security label; and

activate an alarm if said security label is active, wherein activating said alarm comprises activating said alarm if said first identification code does not correlate to said second identification code.

11. The article of claim 10, further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to:

process said first and second identification codes to determine whether said first identification code correlates to said second identification codes associated with said item; and

wherein, to provide said control signal to said output, comprises provide said control signal to said output if said first identification code correlates to said second identification code.

12. The article of claim 10, further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to:

receive said control signal to deactivate said security label; and

deactivate said security label if said first identification code correlates to said second identification code.