Security tag detacher activation system

• US 9,019,082 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2013
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Stewart, Justin, Turgeon, Charlie
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US13/770,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20140232531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.2, 340/572.4, 340/572.8, 340/572.9, 340/10.5, 340/10.51, 340/10.52, 235/380, 235/381, 235/383, 235/384
• US Class Current: 340/10.5
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0047 Unlocking tools; Decouplers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/003 Anti-theft control theft alarms G08B13/00

Abstract

A detacher for unlocking a security tag having a locking mechanism is provided. The detacher includes a detaching element in which the detaching element is configured to unlock the locking mechanism if the detaching element is activated. The detacher includes a reader in which the reader is configured to receive a user identifier associated with at least one user. The detacher includes a memory. The memory is configured to store at least one user rule. The detacher includes a processor in which the processor is configured to determine whether the received user identifier meets the at least one user rule. The processor is further configured activate the detaching element if the received user identifier meets the at least one user rule. The detaching element remains deactivated if the received user identifier does not meet the at least one user rule.

Claims

1. A detacher for unlocking a security tag having a locking mechanism, the detacher comprising:

a detaching element, the detaching element configured to unlock the locking mechanism if the detaching element is activated;

a reader, the reader configured to receive a user identifier associated with at least one user;

a memory, the memory configured to store detacher data associated with the received user identifier; and

a processor, the processor configured to;

track detacher usage associated with the received user identifier;

update the detacher data stored in the memory based at least in part on the tracked detacher usage;

determine whether the detacher data meets at least one suspicious usage rule, the at least one suspicious usage rule indicating detacher usage associated with the receive identifier is suspicious if met;

determine whether the received user identifier meets at least one user rule; and

activate the detaching element if the received user identifier meets the at least one user rule and the detacher data does not meet the suspicious usage rule, the detaching element remaining at least temporarily deactivated if at least one of the received user identifier does not meet the at least one user rule and the detacher data meets the suspicious usage rule.

2. The detacher of claim 1, wherein the reader is further configured to read a tag identifier associated with the tag;

and

the processor is further configured to determine whether the tag identifier meets at least one tag rule, the processor activating the detaching element if the tag identifier meets the at least one tag rule, the detaching element remaining at least temporarily deactivated if the tag identifier fails to meet the at least one tag rule.

3. The detacher of claim 2, wherein the at least one tag rule includes a rule for determining whether the received tag identifier is an identifier that has been previously verified.

4. The detacher of claim 1, wherein the reader is further configured to read a tag identifier associated with the tag;

and

the detacher further includes;

a transmitter, the transmitter configured to transmit the user identifier and tag identifier;

a receiver, the receiver is configured to receive a response message based at least in part on the transmitted user identifier and tag identifier, the response message indicating whether activation of the detaching element is authorized; and

the processor activating the detaching element if the response message indicates activation of the detaching element is authorized.

5. The detacher of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit an alert message if the detacher data meets the at least one suspicious usage rule.

6. The detacher of claim 1, wherein the at least one user rule includes a plurality of permission level rules, the plurality of permission level rules including at least a first permission level rule and second permission level rule;

the first permission level rule allowing activation of the detaching element and modification of at least one of the user rule, tag rule and suspicious usage rule; and

the second permission level rule allowing activation of the detaching element and preventing modification of the at least one user rule, tag rule and suspicious usage rule.

7. The detacher of claim 1, wherein the at least one user rule includes at least one rule for determining whether the user associated with the received identifier meets a minimum detacher usage authorization level.

8. A system for unlocking a security tag having a locking mechanism, the system comprising:

an authorization device, the authorization device including;

a first receiver, the first receiver configured to receive a user identifier;

a device memory, the device memory configured to store at least one user rule and detacher data associated with the received user identifier; and

a first processor, the first processor configured to;

determine whether the user identifier meets the at least one user rule;

track detacher usage associated with the received user identifier;

update the detacher data stored in the memory based at least in part on the tracked detacher usage;

determine whether the detacher data meets at least one suspicious usage rule, the at least one suspicious usage rule indicating detacher usage associated with the received identifier is suspicious if met; and

cause transmission of a response message, the response message indicating whether the user identifier meets the at least one user rule and whether the detacher data meets the at least one suspicious usage rule;

a detacher configured to communicate with the authorization device, the detacher comprising;

a detaching element, the detaching element configured to unlock the locking mechanism if the detaching element is activated;

a second receiver, the second receiver configured to receive the response message; and

a second processor, the second processor configured to activate the detaching element if the response message indicates the user associated with the user identifier is authorized to use the detaching element and the at least suspicious usage rule is not met; and

the detaching element remaining at least temporarily deactivated if the response message indicates at least one of the user associated with the user identifier is unauthorized to use the detaching element and the detacher data meets the at least one suspicious usage rule.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first receiver further receives a tag identifier;

the device memory further stores at least one tag rule; and

the first processor is further configured to;

determine whether the tag identifier meets the at least one tag rule, the response message indicating the user associated with the user identifier is authorized to use the detaching element if the tag identifier meets the at least one tag rule.

10. The system of claim 9, the detacher further includes:

a reader, the reader is configured to receive the tag identifier;

a detacher memory, the detacher memory is configured to store the at least one tag rule; and

the second processor is further configured to;

determine whether the received tag identifier meets the at least one tag rule; and

activate the detaching element if the received tag identifier meets the at least one tag rule.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the second receiver is further configured to receive the user identifier associated with at least one user;

the detacher memory if further configured to store the at least one user rule;

the second processor is further configured to;

determine whether the received user identifier meets the at least one user rule; and

activate the detaching element if the received user identifier meets the at least one user rule.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the second processor activates the detaching element if the second processor determines the user identifier does not meet the at least one user rule and the response message indicates the user associated with the user identifier is authorized to use the detaching element.

13. The detacher of claim 8, wherein

the transmitter further configured to transmit an alert message when the usage data meets the at least one suspicious usage rule.

14. A method for unlocking a security tag having a locking mechanism, comprising:

receiving, at a detacher, a user identifier associated with at least one user;

storing detacher data associated with the received user identifier;

tracking detacher usage associated with the received user identifier;

updating the detacher data stored in the memory based at least in part on the tracked detacher usage;

determining whether the received user identifier meets at least one user rule;

determining whether the detacher data meets at least one suspicious usage rule, the at least one suspicious usage rule indicating detacher usage associated with the received identifier is suspicious if met; and

activating a detaching element if the received user identifier meets the at least one user rule and the detacher data does not meet the suspicious usage rule, the detaching element arranged to unlock the locking mechanism.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving, at the detacher, a tag identifier associated with a tag; and

determining whether the received tag identifier meets at least one tag rule, the activation of the detaching element occurring if the received tag identifier meets the at least one tag rule.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting the user identifier and tag identifier; and

receiving a response message based at least in part on the transmitted user identifier and tag identifier, the response message indicating whether activation of the detaching element is authorized, the activation of the detaching element occurring if the response message indicates the activation is authorized.