System and method for securing and displaying items for merchandising

• US 7,994,914 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2010
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rapp, Michael, Irmscher, Julia
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings; Travis
• Application Number:
  US12/752,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20100188223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.1
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/024 with provisions for preventing unauthorised removal show cases with devices for prevention of theft A47F3/002; devices for locking portable objects against unauthorised removal E05B73/0017
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1445 with detection of interference with a cable tethering an article, e.g. alarm activated by detecting detachment of article, breaking or stretching of cable furniture, e.g. shelves for displaying merchandise, incorporating tethers to prevent theft A47F7/024, A47F5/0861
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/149 with electric, magnetic, capacitive switch actuation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2402 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting mechanical aspects of the tags, e.g. related to locking E05B73/0017; RFID readers G06K7/00; RFID tags G06K19/00; access control systems G07C9/00; anti-theft control in point of sale systems G07G3/003; security seals G09F3/03
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0225 Monitoring making use of different thresholds, e.g. for different alarm levels
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0272 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect exact location of child or item using triangulation other than GPS

Abstract

A system and method for automatically advertising items put on display, as well as protecting those items against theft. The system and method include an event sensor associated with the item and connected to a monitoring and alarm transmitter for initiating an advertising experience on an associated and local graphic display whenever the item is manipulated or approached by a patron. Should the item be removed or taken from its display stand, a wireless alarm is automatically transmitted to a receiver of an authorized person. The system and method also perform a logging function when a patron approaches the item or removes it without taking it away. The system and method also include the ability to provide power to electronic items that are on display.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a plurality of merchandise items at a display so that the merchandise items can be handled by a consumer;

detecting an initial picked up item that corresponds to one of the plurality of merchandise items when the consumer is handling the initial picked up item; and

providing video information and audio information at the display corresponding to the initial picked up item responsive to detecting the initial picked up item;

logging pickup information associated with picked up merchandise items; and

providing audio video information based, at least in part, on the logged pickup information when not detecting a consumer has picked up a merchandise item at the display.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a second picked up item that corresponds to one of the plurality of merchandise items when the consumer is handling the second picked up item; and

providing video information and audio information at the display corresponding to the second picked up item responsive to detecting the second picked up item.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing default video and audio information at an audio video device at the display when not detecting the consumer has picked up a merchandise item at the display.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

logging on a merchandise item basis how often and for how long merchandise items are picked up.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing video information and audio information is presented on an audio visual device at the display.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

connecting at least one of the plurality of merchandise items to a corresponding sensor attached to one end of a corresponding tether; and

detecting a possible theft when at least one of the group of;

the tether is cut and the at least one of the merchandise items connected to a sensor is removed from the sensor; and

generating an alarm when a possible theft is detected.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing video information is provided on a touch screen display.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

providing feature choice buttons on the touch screen display, wherein the feature choice buttons correspond to features of the initial picked up item;

detecting a pressed feature choice button that was pressed by a consumer; and

providing the video information and the audio information at the display corresponding to the pressed feature choice button.

9. A merchandise item display comprising:

a display area for displaying a plurality of merchandise items and allowing for a customer to handle the merchandise items;

detection logic configured to detect an initial picked up item that corresponds to one of the plurality of merchandise items that the customer has picked up; and

display logic configured to present audio data and visual data corresponding to the initial picked up item;

statistic logic configured to generate and store statistic data associated with the customer handling of the merchandise items; and

wherein the display logic is configured to present default audio data and visual data based on the statistic data when the detection logic does not detect an initial picked up item.

10. The merchandise item display of claim 9 wherein the detection logic is configured to detect a second picked up item that corresponds to one of the plurality of merchandise items that the customer has picked up after the initial picked up item, and wherein the display logic is configured to present audio visual data corresponding to the second picked up item.

11. The merchandise item display of claim 9 wherein the detection logic is configured to determine that no merchandise item is being handled and the display logic is configured to present default audio visual information when no merchandise item is being handled.

12. The merchandise item display of claim 9 wherein the detection logic further comprises:

a plurality of sensors attached to the display area, wherein the display logic is configured to detect the initial picked up item based, at least in part, on determining the initial picked up item is removed away from a sensor associated with the initial picked up item.

13. The merchandise item display of claim 9 wherein the statistic data includes information of how many times the merchandise items are picked up and for how long the merchandise items are picked up.

14. The merchandise item display of claim 9 wherein the statistic data is associated with a moving window of time.

15. The merchandise item display of claim 9 wherein the display logic is further configured to synchronize the audio data and the video data.

16. The merchandise item display of claim 9 wherein the detection logic display is implemented in at least one of the group of:

hardware, software and a combination of hardware and software.