RFID theft prevention system

• US 7,920,063 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2007
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores Texas LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Ulrich, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHANNON, MICHAEL T
• Application Number:
  US11/837,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20090045955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• Field of Search: 3405681-5729, 340/5.92, 340/825.49, 340 101- 1042, 235375-385, 700215-229, 705 22- 23, 705 28- 29, 705 17- 18, 705/41
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/00 Alarm indicators, e.g. bells
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/248 EAS system combined with another detection technology, e.g. dual EAS and video or other presence detection system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2482 EAS methods, e.g. description of flow chart of the detection procedure

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses and methods for deterring product theft and preventing the fraudulent return or exchange of products. Products are associated with a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) tag. Tag readers located at store access points can detect the presence of the RFID tag and can be used to help determine a direction of travel of the RFID tag. When a product is determined to be leaving the store, the transaction history of the product can be accessed, as well as the supply chain history of the product, to confirm the product has been validly purchased and therefore authorized for removal from the store. When a product is determined to be entering a store, the supply chain history and transaction history of the product can be consulted to determine if the product can be validly exchanged or returned.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting an interrogation signal from a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) reader;

receiving a response signal from an RFID tag;

determining if a product associated with the RFID tag is RFID secured based on the response signal;

determining a direction of movement of the RFID tag in relation to an access point of a store based on the response signal;

when the RFID tag is determined to be exiting the access point of the store, determining if the product is authorized to exit the store by;

consulting a product transaction database to determine whether the product has been validly purchased;

if the product is validly purchased, identifying the product as authorized to exit the store;

if the product is not validly purchased, consulting an inventory tracking database to determine whether the product has ever been in a supply chain of the store,

if the product has not been in a supply chain of the store, identifying the product as authorized to exit the store,

if the product has been in the supply chain of the store, identifying the product as not authorized to exit the store, and

when the product is not authorized to exit the store, providing an alarm to indicate the product is not authorized to exit the store.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the product was validly purchased further comprises:

determining a unique product identification code of the product;

searching the product transaction database using the unique product identification code; and

determining if the product transaction database includes a record indicating that the product corresponding to the unique product identification code was validly purchased.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the product associated with the RFID tag is RFID secured further comprises:

determining a product type code for the product based on the response signal;

searching a database using the product type code; and

determining if the database includes a record indicating that the product corresponding to the product type code is RFID secured.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the direction of movement of the RFID tag comprises determining the direction of movement based on signal processing techniques using temporal diversity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the direction of movement of the RFID tag comprises determining the direction of movement based on signal processing techniques using spatial diversity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the direction of movement of the RFID tag comprises determining a signal strength of the response signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the direction of movement of the RFID tag comprises receiving a signal from a motion sensor.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing an alarm comprises providing a visual alarm.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein providing an alarm comprises providing an audible alarm.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein providing an alarm comprises providing a signal to a computer application.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein providing an alarm comprises providing a signal to a mobile device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the RFID tag is determined to be entering the access point of the store, determining if the product is authorized for return;

when the product is not authorized for return, preventing a point of sale system from conducting a transaction involving the product.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining a unique product identification code of the product;

creating a record in a database comprising the unique product identification code and an indication that the product is entering the store.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining if the product is authorized for return comprises determining if the product was previously validly purchased.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining if the product is authorized for return comprises determining if the product was in a supply chain of the store.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein determination of whether the product has ever been in the supply chain of the store includes tracking inventory of one of other stores and distribution warehouses associated with the store.

17. A method, comprising:

combining a product with a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) tag;

storing a record indicating that the product is RFID secured in a first database;

conducting a transaction involving the product;

storing a record of the transaction in a second database;

determining when the product is exiting a store;

consulting the first database to determine if the product is indicated to be RFID secured;

consulting the second database to determine if the product was validly purchased;

consulting a third database to determine if the product has ever been in a supply chain of the store; and

providing an alarm signal when it is determined the product was not validly purchased and was in a supply chain of the store.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determination of whether the product has ever been in the supply chain of the store includes tracking inventory of one of other stores and distribution warehouses associated with the store.

19. A theft prevention system, comprising:

a plurality of Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) readers to transmit a plurality of RFID interrogation signals in an area covering a portion of an access point of a store and to receive one or more signals from an RFID tag associated with a product in response to the one or more transmitted RFID interrogation signals, the plurality of RFID readers being placed at both sides of the access point;

an RFID tag administration database to maintain records indicating which products offered for sale by the store are associated with RFID tags;

a product transaction status database to maintain a transaction history of products offered for sale by the store;

an inventory tracking database to maintain a supply chain history of products offered for sale by the store;

a system server to receive the one or more response signals from the one or more tag readers and to determine a direction of movement of the RFID tag in relation to the access point of the store; and

an alarm signaling system to provide an alarm when the system server determines the product is exiting the store and is not authorized to exit the store and when the product is being returned and the system server determines the product is not authorized for return,

wherein the system server determines the product is not authorized to exit the store when the RFID tag administration database indicates the product is RFID secured, the product transaction status database indicates the product was not validly purchased and the inventory tracking database indicates the product has been in a supply chain of the store.

20. The theft prevention system of claim 19, wherein the system server determines the product is not authorized for return when the RFID tag administration database indicates the product is RFID secured and one of the product transaction status database indicates the product was not validly purchased and the inventory tracking database indicates the product was not in a supply chain of the store.

21. The theft prevention system of claim 19, wherein the supply chain of the store includes inventory of one of other stores and distribution warehouses associated with the store.