Methods and apparatus for detecting and identifying improper antitheft device deactivation
First Claim
1. A retail checkout terminal, comprising:
- a security tag deactivation device for deactivating a security tag affixed to a product presented for entry into a transaction;
a deactivation detector for detecting a deactivation of the security tag; and
a processor for receiving a deactivation detection indication from the deactivation detector that a security tag has been deactivated and evaluating the deactivation detection indication in light of information associated with the product to determine if deactivation of a security tag is to be expected for a transaction involving the product, wherein the processor is operative to access a repository for product information, the product information including an entry for each product that may be submitted for entry into a transaction, the processor being operative to examine each entry for information indicating whether a deactivation of a security tag is to be expected for a transaction involving the product, and wherein one or more product entries may include a deactivation count indicating a number of times a deactivation has been detected in association with a transaction entry associated with the product, wherein the processor is operative to evaluate a deactivation associated with a product as expected if the deactivation count for the product meets a predefined threshold and wherein the processor is operative to evaluate the deactivation associated with the product as unexpected if the deactivation count for the product does not meet the predefined threshold.
6 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and techniques for retail product transaction processing and security tag deactivation analysis. Upon detection of a security tag deactivation associated with entry of product information into a retail transaction, product information for the product is analyzed to determine whether the security tag deactivation is legitimate or possibly illegitimate. Upon identification of a deactivation as possibly illegitimate, an alert is issued to a retailer employee to investigate the transaction. The product information may be updated according to an entry made by the retailer employee identifying the deactivation as legitimate or illegitimate. Product information for a product may include a deactivation count for a product, with a deactivation being identified as possibly illegitimate if the deactivation count does not meet a predefined threshold, the deactivation count being incremented if a deactivation identified as unexpected is determined to be legitimate.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A retail checkout terminal, comprising:
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a security tag deactivation device for deactivating a security tag affixed to a product presented for entry into a transaction; a deactivation detector for detecting a deactivation of the security tag; and a processor for receiving a deactivation detection indication from the deactivation detector that a security tag has been deactivated and evaluating the deactivation detection indication in light of information associated with the product to determine if deactivation of a security tag is to be expected for a transaction involving the product, wherein the processor is operative to access a repository for product information, the product information including an entry for each product that may be submitted for entry into a transaction, the processor being operative to examine each entry for information indicating whether a deactivation of a security tag is to be expected for a transaction involving the product, and wherein one or more product entries may include a deactivation count indicating a number of times a deactivation has been detected in association with a transaction entry associated with the product, wherein the processor is operative to evaluate a deactivation associated with a product as expected if the deactivation count for the product meets a predefined threshold and wherein the processor is operative to evaluate the deactivation associated with the product as unexpected if the deactivation count for the product does not meet the predefined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of transaction processing and security tag deactivation analysis, comprising the steps of:
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receiving an indication of a security tag deactivation in association with presentation of information for a product for entry into a transaction; analyzing product information for the product to determine whether or not the security tag deactivation is unexpected including comparing a deactivation count for detected deactivations associated with the product to determine whether the deactivation count meets a predefined threshold and identifying the deactivation as unexpected if the deactivation count does not meet the threshold; analyzing the product information for the product to determine whether an unexpected deactivation is legitimate or illegitimate; and alerting a retailer employee to investigate the transaction if the deactivation is identified as illegitimate including receiving an entry from a retailer employee indicating whether the deactivation is in fact legitimate or illegitimate and updating the deactivation count for the product if the entry indicates that the deactivation is legitimate. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification