Self-detachable RFID tags

• US 9,830,791 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Trivelpiece, Steve E., Hosseini, Alister, Trivelpiece, Craig E.
• Primary Examiner(s): McNally, Kerri
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, THANG DUC
• Application Number:
  US14/974,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20160351034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5729, 340 101- 106
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0017 Anti-theft devices, e.g. tags or monitors, fixed to articles, e.g. clothes, and to be removed at the check-out of shops
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0047 Unlocking tools; Decouplers
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0064 of the mechanical type
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/003 Anti-theft control theft alarms G08B13/00
• 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 13/242 Tag deactivation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details

Abstract

Systems and methods for operating an RFID tag. The methods comprise: inducing current through a magnetic loop or solenoid disposed within the RFID tag that is caused by a inductive field, a magnetic field or an RF field being generated within a surrounding environment; using the current which is induced through the magnetic loop or solenoid to charge a capacitor disposed within the RFID tag; decreasing the amount of current induced through the magnetic loop or solenoid; receiving a detaching signal at the RFID tag; electrically connecting the capacitor to a detaching unit disposed within the RFID tag in response to the detaching signal; and activating the detaching unit by supplying current from the capacitor to the detaching unit, whereby the RFID tag can be detached from an article.

Claims

1. A method for operating a Radio Frequency Identification (“

RFID”

) tag, comprising;

selectively breaking an electrical connection between a capacitor and a detaching unit disposed within the RFID tag;

inducing current through a magnetic loop or solenoid disposed within the RFID tag that is caused by an inductive field, a magnetic field or a Radio Frequency (“

RF”

) field being generated within a surrounding environment;

using the current which is induced through the magnetic loop or solenoid to charge the capacitor disposed within the RFID tag;

receiving a detaching signal at the RFID tag that is to cause activation of the detaching unit;

selectively re-establishing the electrical connection between the capacitor and the detaching unit in response to the detaching signal; and

activating the detaching unit by supplying current from the capacitor to the detaching unit, whereby the RFID tag can be detached from an article.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the amount of current induced through the magnetic loop or solenoid is decreased by moving the RFID tag a certain distance away from a source of the inductive field, magnetic field or RF field.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detaching signal is generated by and communicated from a Point Of Sale (“

POS”

) device or an RFID reader.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detaching unit comprises (a) an arm that moves into a housing of the RFID tag when said current is supplied to the detaching unit and out of the housing when the current is not being supplied to the detaching unit and/or (b) a lock which is released when the current is supplied to the detaching unit.

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

receiving an RFID interrogation signal at the RFID tag; and

communicating a response signal from the RFID tag in response to the RFID interrogation signal, where the response signal comprises at least one of a first identifier of the RFID tag and a second identifier for the article.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the detaching signal is received subsequent to when an external device determines that:

(1) the first identifier is valid for the RFID tag;

(2) the article to which the RFID tag is attached has been accepted for a purchase transaction;

or (3) the article to which the RFID tag is attached has been successfully purchased.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the capacitor provides enough energy to detach or deactivate the RFID tag when no external magnetic flux is present or when a relatively weak magnetic flux is present.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the RFID tag comprises an Electronic Article Surveillance (“

EAS”

) tag.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic loop or solenoid is imbedded within housing walls of the RFID tag.

10. A Radio Frequency Identification (“

RFID”

) tag, comprising;

a switch;

a detaching unit;

a magnetic loop or solenoid through which a current is induced when the RFID tag is within a inductive field, a magnetic field or a Radio Frequency (“

RF”

) field being generated within a surrounding environment;

an internal capacitor that is charged by the current which is induced through the magnetic loop or solenoid;

an antenna configured to receive a detaching signal that is to cause activation of the detaching unit disposed within the RFID tag; and

an electrical connection between the internal capacitor and the detaching unit that is (a) selectively broken at a first time and (b) selectively re-established at a second subsequent time in response to the detaching signal;

wherein the detaching unit is activated when current is supplied thereto from the internal capacitor so that the RFID tag can be detached from an article.

11. The RFID tag according to claim 10, wherein an amount of current induced through the magnetic loop or solenoid is decreased by moving the RFID tag a certain distance away from a source of the inductive field, magnetic field or RF field.

12. The RFID tag according to claim 10, wherein the detaching signal is generated by and communicated from a Point Of Sale (“

POS”

) device or an RFID reader.

13. The RFID tag according to claim 10, wherein the detaching unit comprises (a) an arm that moves into a housing of the RFID tag when said current is supplied to the detaching unit and out of the housing when the current is not being supplied to the detaching unit and/or (b) a lock which is released when the current is supplied to the detaching unit.

14. The RFID tag according to claim 10, wherein the RFID tag is configured to:

receive an RFID interrogation signal; and

communicate a response signal therefrom in response to the RFID interrogation signal, where the response signal comprises at least one of a first identifier of the RFID tag and a second identifier for the article.

15. The RFID tag according to claim 14, wherein the detaching signal is received subsequent to when an external device determines that:

(1) the first identifier is valid for the RFID tag;

(2) the article to which the RFID tag is attached has been accepted for a purchase transaction;

or (3) the article to which the RFID tag is attached has been successfully purchased.

16. The RFID tag according to claim 10, wherein the internal capacitor provides enough energy to detach or deactivate the RFID tag when no external magnetic flux is present or when a relatively weak magnetic flux is present.

17. The RFID tag according to claim 10, wherein the RFID tag comprises an Electronic Article Surveillance (“

EAS”

) tag.

18. The RFID tag according to claim 10, wherein the magnetic loop or solenoid is imbedded within housing walls of the RFID tag.