Programmable security system and method for protecting merchandise

• US 9,135,800 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2014
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InVue Security Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: InVue Security Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Fawcett, Christopher J., Grant, Jeffrey A., Belden, Dennis D. Jr., Marsilio, Ronald M., Scott, Ian R.
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US14/529,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20150048945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• Field of Search: 340/543, 340/568.1, 340/568.2, 340 56- 564, 340 521- 528, 340/10.51, 340/571, 340/309.16, 235/382, 235/382.5, 702/782
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00539 anti-theft
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/00 Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/12 by the breaking or disturbance of stretched cords or wires
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/14 by lifting or attempted removal of hand-portable articles
• 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 13/1463 Physical arrangements, e.g. housings devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags A45C13/18
• 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 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2465 Aspects related to the EAS system, e.g. system components other than tags
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2482 EAS methods, e.g. description of flow chart of the detection procedure
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system

Abstract

A programmable security system and method for protecting an item of merchandise includes a programming station, a programmable key and a security system. The programming station generates a security code and communicates the security code to a memory of the programmable key. The programmable key initially communicates the security code to a memory of the security device and subsequently operates the security device upon a matching of the security code in the memory of the security device with the security code in the memory of the programmable key. The programmable key may also transfer power via electrical contacts or inductive transfer from an internal battery to the security device to operate a lock mechanism. The security code may be communicated by wireless infrared (IR) systems, electrical contacts or inductive transfer. A timer inactivates the programmable key and/or the security device after a predetermine period of time. A counter inactivates the programmable key after a predetermined maximum number of activations.

Claims

1. A programmable security system for protecting items of merchandise from theft, the programmable security system comprising:

a programming station configured to randomly generate a single security code and having a memory for storing the single security code, the single security code being unique to the programming station;

a programmable key configured to communicate with the programming station to receive and store the single security code in a memory; and

a security device comprising an alarm and a memory for storing the single security code, the security device configured to be attached to an item of merchandise, the security device further configured to activate the alarm in response to the integrity of the security device being compromised,

wherein the programmable key is configured to arm or disarm the security device upon a matching of the single security code stored in the memory of the security device with the single security code stored by the programmable key.

2. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the security device further comprises an adhesive.

3. The programmable security system of claim 1, further comprising an attachment cable attached to the security device.

4. The programmable security system of claim 3, wherein the alarm is configured to be activated in response to cutting the attachment cable.

5. The programmable security system of claim 3, wherein the alarm is configured to be activated in response to detaching the attachment cable from the security device.

6. The programmable security system of claim 3, wherein the security device comprises a plurality of connection jacks, and wherein the attachment cable is configured to be connected to one of the plurality of connection jacks.

7. The programmable security system of claim 3, wherein the attachment cable extends between the security device and the item of merchandise.

8. The programmable security system of claim 3, wherein the attachment cable comprises a helical coil.

9. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the security device further comprises a visual indicator configured to indicate a status of the security device.

10. The programmable security system of claim 9, wherein the visual indicator is an LED.

11. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the programmable key comprises a visual indicator configured to indicate a status thereof.

12. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the programmable key comprises an internal battery.

13. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the programming station comprises a switch configured to be actuated for programming the single security code in the programmable key.

14. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the programming station comprises a port for receiving the programmable key therein.

15. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the security device comprises a port for receiving the programmable key therein.

16. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the programmable key is configured to wirelessly communicate with the programming station and the security device.

17. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the security device comprises a power source.

18. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the programmable key comprises a timer and wherein the programmable key is configured to be inactivated after a predetermined period of time.

19. The programmable security system of claim 18, wherein the programmable key comprises a visual indicator configured to indicate a status thereof, and wherein the indicator is configured to provide a visual signal in response to communication between an inactive programmable key and the security device.

20. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the programmable key comprises a timer, and wherein the programmable key is configured to be inactivated if the single security code stored by the programmable key is not reprogrammed or refreshed by the programming station within a predetermined period of time.

21. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the security device further comprises a switch configured to be actuated for activating the alarm in response to the integrity of the security device being compromised.

22. The programmable security system of claim 21, wherein the security device comprises a housing containing the switch.

23. The programmable security system of claim 22, wherein the switch comprises a plunger switch.

24. The programmable security system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of security devices and a plurality of programmable keys.

25. The programmable security system of claim 24, wherein each of the programmable keys is configured to arm or disarm each of the plurality of security devices.

26. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the programmable key is configured to provide the single security code to the security device for storing the single security code.

27. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the single security code is configured to be stored in the programming station for programming a plurality of programmable keys with the single security code.

28. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the single security code is configured to be permanently stored in the programming station.

29. The programmable security system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of programmable keys, wherein the programming station is configured to provide the single security code to each of the plurality of programmable keys.

30. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the programmable key is configured to be inactivated if the single security code stored in the memory of the security device does not match the single security code stored by the programmable key.

31. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the single security code stored by the programming station is unique such that a programmable key programmed by a different programming station is incapable of arming or disarming the security device.

32. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the programming station comprises a logic control circuit configured to randomly generate the single security code.

33. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the single security code is unique to a particular retail establishment.

34. The programmable security system of claim 1, wherein the single security code is unique to a particular retail store.

35. A programmable security system for protecting items of merchandise from theft, the programmable security system comprising:

a plurality of security devices each comprising an alarm and a memory for storing a single security code, the single security code being the same for each of the plurality of security devices, each of the plurality of security devices configured to be attached to an item of merchandise, each of the plurality of security devices further configured to activate the alarm in response to the integrity of the security device being compromised;

a plurality of programmable keys each configured to arm or disarm each of the plurality of security devices upon a matching of the single security code stored in the memory of the security device with a single security code stored by each of the plurality of programmable keys each of the plurality of programmable keys configured to be inactivated after a predetermined period of time; and

a programming station configured to reactivate each of the plurality of programmable keys after the predetermined period of time.

36. The programmable security system of claim 35, wherein the programming station is configured to randomly generate the single security code.

37. The programmable security system of claim 35, wherein the single security code is unique to a particular retail store.

38. The programmable security system of claim 35, wherein the single security code is unique to a particular retail establishment.

39. A method for protecting items of merchandise from theft, the method comprising:

generating a single security code in a programming station, the single security code being unique to the programming station;

communicating with the programming station to receive the single security code;

storing the single security code at a security device attached to an item of merchandise, the security device comprising an alarm configured to be activated in response to the integrity of the security device being compromised; and

arming or disarming the security device upon a matching of the single security code generated by the programming station with the single security code stored by the security device.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the communicating comprises wirelessly communicating with the programming station to receive the single security code.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the arming or disarming comprises arming or disarming the security device with a programmable key, and wherein the method further comprises inactivating the programmable key after a predetermined period of time.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the generating comprises randomly generating the single security code in the programming station.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the communicating comprises communicating the single security code to each of a plurality of programmable keys.

44. The method of claim 39, wherein the storing comprises storing the single security code at each of a plurality of security devices.

45. The method of claim 39, wherein the generating comprises generating the single security code with a logic control circuit provided in the programming station.

46. A programmable security system for protecting items of merchandise from theft, the programmable security system comprising:

a programming station comprising a logic control circuit configured to generate a single security code and having a memory for storing the single security code, the single security code being unique to the programming station;

a programmable key configured to communicate with the programming station to receive and store the single security code in a memory; and

a security device comprising an alarm and a memory for storing the single security code, the security device configured to be attached to an item of merchandise, the security device further configured to activate the alarm in response to the integrity of the security device being compromised,

wherein the programmable key is configured to arm or disarm the security device upon a matching of the single security code stored in the memory of the security device with the single security code stored by the programmable key.

47. The programmable security system of claim 46, wherein the single security code is unique to a particular retail establishment.

48. The programmable security system of claim 46, wherein the single security code is unique to a particular retail store.

49. The programmable security system of claim 46, wherein the logic control circuit is configured to randomly generate the single security code.