Mobile retail peripheral platform for handheld devices

• US 9,098,990 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2013
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Rasband, Paul B., Patterson, Hubert A., Easter, Ronald B., Sequeira, Melwyn
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Bhavin M
• Application Number:
  US13/903,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20140085089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/246 Check out systems combined with EAS, e.g. price information stored on EAS tag anti-theft systems in point of sale systems G07G3/003

Abstract

Systems (100) and methods (700) for operating a security tag of an Electronic Article Surveillance (“EAS”) system. The methods involve: executing on a mobile Point Of Sale (“POS”) device (104) an application operative to control operations of a peripheral device (190) attached to the mobile POS device for facilitating performance of a purchase transaction; receiving, by the mobile POS device a request to detach the security tag from an article; and communicating a message from the mobile POS device to the peripheral device via a first short range communication. The message is configured to cause the peripheral device to perform operations to facilitate a detachment of the security tag from the article. Next, a signal is communicated from the peripheral device to the security tag. The signal causes an actuation of a detachment mechanism of the security tag or a heating of an adhesive disposed on the security tag.

Claims

1. A method for operating a security tag of an Electronic Article Surveillance (“

EAS”

) system, comprising;

executing on a mobile Point Of Sale (“

POS”

) device an application controlling operations of a peripheral device mechanically attached to the mobile POS device such that the mobile POS and peripheral device are able to be collectively and easily carried or worn by a user, where the peripheral device facilitates performance of a purchase transaction;

receiving, by a mobile POS device, a request to detach the security tag from an article;

in response to the request, communicating a message from the mobile POS device to the peripheral device via a first short range communication, the message configured to cause the peripheral device to perform operations to facilitate a detachment of the security tag from the article; and

performing operations by the peripheral device to cause an actuation of a detachment mechanism of the security tag or a heating of an adhesive disposed on the security tag.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first short range communication is a Bluetooth communication.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral device wraps around at least a portion of the mobile POS device.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising obtaining access to a secure area of a retail store by communicating a second short range communication from the peripheral device.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising obtaining access to heavy equipment by communicating a second short range communication from the peripheral device.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, by the peripheral device, article information for the article via a second short range communication; and

forwarding the article information from the peripheral device to the mobile POS device via a third short range communication.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining payment information for the article using an electronic card reader or a short range communication unit of the peripheral device; and

forwarding the payment information from the peripheral device to the mobile POS device via a second short range communication.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising communicating retail item information or receipt information from the peripheral device to a mobile communication device via a second short range communication.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, by the peripheral device, a unique identifier for the security tag via a second short range communication; and

forwarding the unique identifier from the peripheral device to the mobile POS device via a third short range communication.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the second short range communication is a barcode communication or a near field communication.

11. A Electronic Article Surveillance (“

EAS”

) system, comprising;

a security tag attached to an article;

a mobile Point Of Sale (“

POS”

) device configured to;

control operations of a peripheral device for facilitating performance of a purchase transaction, and

receive a request to detach the security tag from the article; and

the peripheral device mechanically coupled to the mobile POS device such that the mobile POS device and the peripheral device are able to be collectively and easily carried or worn by a user, where the peripheral device

receives a message, from the mobile POS device via a first short range communication, that is configured to cause the peripheral device to perform operations to facilitate a detachment of the security tag from the article, and

performs operations to cause an actuation of a detachment mechanism of the security tag or a heating of an adhesive disposed on the security tag.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the first short range communication is a Bluetooth communication.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the peripheral device wraps around at least a portion of the mobile POS device.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the peripheral device is further configured to communicate a second short range communication therefrom to make a secure area of a retail store accessible to a store associate.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the peripheral device is further configured to communicate a second short range communication therefrom to make heavy equipment accessible to a store associate.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein the peripheral device is further configured to:

obtain article information for the article via a second short range communication, and

forward the article information to the mobile POS device via a third short range communication.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein the peripheral device is further configured to:

obtain payment information for the article using an electronic card reader or a short range communication unit of the peripheral device, and

forward the payment information to the mobile POS device via a second short range communication.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein the peripheral device is further configured to communicate retail item information or receipt information to a mobile communication device via a second short range communication.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein the peripheral device is further configured to:

obtain a unique identifier for the security tag via a second short range communication; and

forward the unique identifier to the mobile POS device via a third short range communication.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the second short range communication is a barcode communication or a near field communication.