Organized retail crime detection security system and method

• US 8,094,026 B1
• Filed: 05/02/2011
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert M. Green
• Original Assignee: Robert M. Green
• Inventors: Green, Robert M
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US13/099,309
• Time in Patent Office: 253 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.1, 340/5.81, 340/568.1, 3405721-5729, 235375-385, 348/150, 348/143, 705/15, 705/22, 705/28
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• 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 method for using electronic product identification devices to track the purchase or theft of any multiple merchandise items in a food store or other retail shopping store environment, to determine if a large quantity of items are in the process of being stolen, to activate an alarm condition in a surveillance camera system, alert store security, and send tag information (list of stolen contents thereof) and a video clip file or URL of a web site link to view a video file to store security using remote mobile devices, and to law enforcement if desired.

Claims

1. An organized retail theft detection security system capable of monitoring removal of general merchandise items from a store environment, where the system is configured to monitor within a store using RFID tag information, where the system is configured to be aware of the removal of each registered general merchandise item as it is taken off a shelf, that is an RFID enabled smart shelf, indicating a potential large organized retail theft is occurring when 2 or more items are removed within a programmed range of time, where the components of the organized retail crime or theft detection security system comprise of:

general merchandise items each with a passive RFID tags affixed on the inside or outside anywhere on the item or packaging;

a fixed or mobile RFID reader; and

RFID or Near Field Communication antennas enabled with wired or wireless (Wi-Fi) communications that provides registered RFID tag information to a local or hosted security software application;

a camera surveillance system that is activated by a security controller software, whereby the security controller software transmits a notification message to pre-determined security personnel, main controller software at corporate data center or hosted security company via, SMS, MMS, RSS, IM, paging, or pre-recorded voice call, or screen splash or pop up on a mobile device, and whereby the RFID tag information is sent via any electronic means to pre-determined security personnel or store management, main controller software at corporate data center or hosted security company via an electronic means, and whereby a video clip of the event, or URL with a link to a web site to view the video clip beginning at a pre-determined time prior to the RFID reading and continuing to a pre-set time after the reading, is sent to security personnel, main controller software at corporate data center or hosted security company via MMS, RSS, IM, and whereby still digital photo images are extracted from the video clip and sent to one or multiple recipients using mobile devices via MMS, RSS, IM, to one or more recipients for immediate identification of person(s) who has removed items from store aisle that is being monitored;

wherein the security software application causes the camera surveillance system to go into an alarm condition where a time stamp is set and camera speed is increased to higher resolution imaging if that feature is available; and

where any number of available cameras can be set in an alarm condition, based on parameters set by the systems administrator comprising the total number of items taken off one shelf within a predetermined time period indicative of a theft in progress.

2. The security system as in claim 1, wherein the alarm notification parameters and conditions can be set in the security software controller by authorized store personnel via a GUI (Graphical User Interface);

and whereby the parameters and conditions comprises;

the total number of items removed from a particular aisle, area, shelf, or cabinet, or the total number the same or similar items of a logical group removed from a particular aisle, area, shelf, or cabinet.

3. The security system as in claim 1, wherein the RFID smart shelf, comprises:

an RFID reader and multiple RFID antennas, is mounted or placed behind or near any shelf that contains items that the security systems administrator determines to be high theft items.

4. The security system as in claim 1, wherein one or more additional RFID readers are placed in areas or zones where store merchandise items are not allowed;

and where such RFID readers can activate the alarm system by its own unique set of parameters set in the security software controller application.

5. The security system as in claim 1, wherein the RFID reader transmits the tag information of general merchandise items via wired or wireless network to a security software application.

6. The security system as in claim 1, wherein the notification of presumed theft is sent to store security personnel via an electronic means comprising:

SMS, MMS, RSS, IM, paging, pre-recorded voice call, or screen splash or pop up on a mobile device; and

further such notification is transmitted via the internet (IP) to the main security controller software at the corporate data center or hosted by a security company, and optionally where such notification is sent to any pre-determined law enforcement office via an desired electronic means comprising SMS, MMS, RSS, IM, or pre-recorded voice call.

7. The security system as in claim 1, wherein the video clip is created by the camera surveillance system beginning a pre-programmed length of time prior to the RFID reading of the general merchandise items and continuing to a pre-programmed length of time after the RFID reading.

8. The security system as in claim 1, wherein the a video clip, or a URL to link to a web site to view the video file, is transmitted via electronic means, which include video streaming technology, to a recipient including via electronic means comprising:

MMS, RSS, IM, or to a mobile device remote access application or applet software, to store security personnel or pre-determined law enforcement offices using a portable electronic computing device using video streaming technology, security controller software run at corporate data center or hosted by security company.

9. The security system as in claim 1, wherein the security software application activates an audible signal located at the proximate area of the store shelf that is being monitored, the store exits, or over a public address system, where the duration, volume, and type of signal may be programmed in the security software controller.

10. The security system as in claim 1, wherein the security controller software application can activate an event and alarm in any existing camera surveillance system using camera, or number of available cameras, or photographic technology comprising:

still images, streaming video, CCTV; and

extracting desired data to digitally record and write a file to a disk;

or use streaming technology comprising RTSP to send such recorded digital data to a portable computing electronic device.

11. The security system as in claim 1, wherein in the security software application the alarm notification parameters and conditions can be set in the security software controller by authorized store personnel via a GUI (Graphical User Interface);

and whereby the parameters comprise of the destination electronic addresses of portable device or portable electronic computing devices, and number and location of cameras put into an alarm condition, and the number of items removed from a monitored shelf or area that activated the alarm.

12. The security system as in claim 1, wherein to deter future thefts a display monitor is placed at the proximate area of the store exit which will list unpaid for items along with live streaming video of the person leaving with the items with an optional message pre-programmed by the system administrator in the security controller software which will be displayed on the monitor.

13. The security system as in claim 1, wherein an application, or applet, is used on a portable electronic computing device, that allows the authorized user access to the controller software to view status, set alert, view an camera, change direction of camera, and run a system test to verify all pieces of the system are working properly.

14. The security system as in claim 13, wherein a user who has authorized access to the security controller via locally networked computer or a portable electronic computing device can activate a search feature in the security controller that will search the history of stored video files on the video server using unstructured data search to find and display video clips that match a selected video clip or image by the user.

15. The application, or applet, as in claim 13, which is operating on a portable electronic computing device, wherein the user of such application can activate the alarm via touch screen, and where such alarm will automatically send an alert message to all other mobile or portable devices defined in the security software controller in which said devices have the same application or applet installed.

16. The system as in claim 6, wherein alert messages and video clips are sent a destination device with pre-programmed phone numbers or network addresses to law enforcement offices.