Theft protection device and method for the detection of unauthorized intrusion or entrance

• US 8,907,792 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2012
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sick AG (Sick)
• Original Assignee: Sick AG (Sick)
• Inventors: Mezger, Matthias
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US13/428,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20120274466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 340555-557, 340/539.13, 340/573.4, 340/5.2, 340/5.3, 340/5.6, 340/5.61, 340/5.64, 340/5.8, 340/5.81, 348/143, 348/152, 705/16, 705/18, 705/22, 250/221
• US Class Current: 340/557
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/183 by interruption of a radiation beam or barrier

Abstract

A theft protection device (108, 110) for the detection of unauthorized intrusion or entrance into a protected area (104) is provided, wherein the protected area (104) is surrounded by a physical barrier (102) which has at least one access area (106) and which can be overcome outside the access area (106) by reaching over or surmounting, wherein the device (108, 110) comprises a laser scanner (108) which is arranged and oriented such that its surveillance plane (114) detects reaching over and surmounting of the barrier (102) to then output a theft signal. The device (108, 110) comprises an authorization device (110) of the access area (106) which is configured to activate or deactivate the laser scanner (108) upon authorized passage through the access area (106).

Claims

1. A theft protection device (108, 110) for the detection of unauthorized intrusion or entrance into a protected area (104) surrounded by a physical barrier (102), which has at least one access area (106) and is physically surmountable from outside the access area (106) by reaching over or jumping over, wherein the device (108, 110) comprises:

a laser scanner (108) which is arranged and oriented such that a surveillance plane (114) of the laser scanner detects reaching over or jumping over the barrier (102) to then output a theft signal, wherein the laser scanner (108) is adapted to configure partial areas of the surveillance plane (114) into which intrusions are permitted or not permitted,

characterized by

an authorization device (110) for the access area (106) which is configured to activate or deactivate the laser scanner (108) based upon whether an authorized passage through the access area (106) has occurred.

2. The theft protection device (108, 110) according to claim 1, wherein the protected area is a cashier area or a sales area.

3. The theft protection device (108, 110) according to claim 1, wherein the barrier (102) is a sales counter (100) or a bar.

4. The theft protection device (108, 110) according to claim 1, wherein the surveillance plane (114) is oriented horizontally and at least partially covers the protected area (104).

5. The theft protection device (108, 110) according to claim 1, wherein the surveillance plane (114) also detects an area in front of the barrier (102).

6. The theft protection device (108, 110) according to claim 5, wherein detected intrusions into the area in front of the barrier (102) generate a presence detection signal instead of the theft signal.

7. The theft protection device (108, 110) according to claim 1, wherein an alarm device (130) is provided which upon reception of the theft signal triggers an audible warning.

8. The theft protection device (108, 110) according to claim 1, wherein a video surveillance system (120) is provided which upon reception of the theft signal generates an image recording of the vicinity of the barrier (102).

9. The theft protection device (108, 110) according to claim 1, wherein a video surveillance system (120) is provided which generates an image recording of the protected area (104) as long as persons (116) are present therein.

10. The theft protection device (108, 110) according to claim 1, wherein the authorization device (110) includes a status memory which stores information about authorized passages.

11. The theft protection device (108, 110) according to claim 1, wherein the authorization device (110) comprises an RFID reader or a code reader.

12. The theft protection device (108, 110) according to claim 1, wherein at least one additional sensor (112) is provided at the access area (106).

13. The theft protection device (108, 110) according to claim 12, wherein the additional sensor (112) is a light barrier or a light grid for the detection of passages through the access area (106).

14. The theft protection device (108, 110) according to claim 1, wherein the laser scanner (10, 108) comprises a light transmitter (12) for transmitting a light beam (14) into the surveillance plane (18, 114), a light receiver (24) for generating a reception signal from a reflected light beam (20) reflected by objects in the surveillance plane (18, 114), a movable deflection device (16) for the deflection of the light beam (14, 20) to scan the surveillance plane (18, 114) while moving, and an evaluation unit (30) for detecting the objects based on the reception signal.

15. The theft protection device (108, 110) according to claim 14, wherein the laser scanner (10, 108) is configured as a distance meter in that the evaluation unit (30) is configured to determine the light time of flight between transmission and reception of the light beam (14, 20) and from that, deduce the distance of a detected object.

16. The theft protection device (108, 110) according to claim 14, wherein the laser scanner (10, 108) comprises an angle encoder (28) configured to detect the angular position of the deflection device (16).

17. The theft protection device (108, 110) according to claim 14, wherein the laser scanner (10, 108) is configured as a distance meter in that the evaluation unit (30) is configured to determine the light time of flight between transmission and reception of the light beam (14, 20) and from that, deduce the distance of a detected object, and wherein the laser scanner (10, 108) comprises an angle encoder (28) configured to detect the angular position of the deflection device (16), which allows two-dimensional polar position coordinates for objects detected in the surveillance plane (18, 114) to be determined.

18. A method for the detection of unauthorized intrusion or entrance into a protected area (104) surrounded by a physical barrier (102), which has at least one access area (106) and is physically surmountable from outside the access area (106) by reaching over or jumping over, wherein a laser scanner (108) scans a surveillance plane (114) and a theft signal is output upon detection of a reaching over or a jumping over of the barrier (102), wherein the laser scanner (108) is adapted to configure partial areas of the surveillance plane (114) into which intrusions are permitted or not permitted,

characterized in that

the laser scanner (108) is activated or deactivated based upon whether an authorized passage through the access area (106) has occurred.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the protected area (104) is a cashier area or a sales area.