Self-detaching anti-theft device with power removal station

• US 9,978,236 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2016
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Casanova, Jose, Perez, Sergio M., Clark, John J., Zirk, Randy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, An T
• Application Number:
  US15/179,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20160364969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• 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: G08B 13/242 Tag deactivation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details

Abstract

Systems and methods for operating a security tag. The methods involve: establishing an electrical connection between the security tag and an external Power Removal Station (“PRS”); performing operations by the security tag to authenticate a detach command sent from the external PRS; allowing power to be supplied from the external PRS to an electro-mechanical component of the security tag when the detach command is authenticated; and actuating the electro-mechanical component so that a pin of the security tag transitions from an engaged position to an unengaged position without any human assistance or mechanical assistance by a device external to the security tag.

Claims

1. A method for operating a security tag, comprising:

establishing a direct electrical connection between power connectors of the security tag and power connectors of an external Power Removal Station (“

PRS”

);

receiving, by the security tag, a wireless detach command from the PRS;

performing operations by the security tag to authenticate the received wireless detach command;

selectively actuating a switch disposed in the security tag to provide a closed circuit between an electro-mechanical component of the security tag and the external PRS, when the received wireless detach command is authenticated;

receiving power supplied from the external PRS at the electro-mechanical component of the security tag, subsequent to when the switch is selectively actuated; and

actuating the electro-mechanical component so that a pin of the security tag transitions from a fully engaged position to a fully unengaged position without any human assistance or mechanical assistance by a device external to the security tag, where the pin is fixedly coupled to the security tag'"'"'s housing.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless detach command is sent from the external PRS to the security tag when a verification has been made that an article to which the security tag is attached has been successfully purchased.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein an end of the pin resides within an aperture formed in a first portion of the security tag at least partially spaced apart from a second portion of the security tag by a gap when the pin is in the engaged position.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the pin is fully retracted into the second portion of the security tag when the pin is in the unengaged position.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the gap is sized and shaped to prevent a user'"'"'s access to the pin while the security tag is being coupled to the article at least partially inserted into the gap.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pin is fixedly coupled to the security tag'"'"'s housing.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electro-mechanical component is a solenoid or a motor.

8. A method for operating a security tag, comprising:

establishing a direct electrical connection between power connectors of a Power Removal Station (“

PRS”

) and power connectors of the security tag;

receiving by the PRS a signal sent from a computing device when a verification has been made that an article to which the security tag is attached has been successfully purchased;

transmitting a wireless detach command from the PRS to the security tag to cause a switch internal to the security tag to be selectively actuated so that a closed circuit is provided between the PRS and an electro-mechanical component of the security tag; and

supplying power from the PRS to the electro-mechanical component of the security tag subsequent to when the switch is selectively actuated so as to enable actuation of a mechanical component of the security tag, whereby a pin of the security tag transitions from a engaged position to a unengaged position without any human assistance or mechanical assistance by a device external to the security tag.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the mechanical component is actuated upon authentication of the wireless detach command sent from the PRS and received at the security tag.

10. A security tag, comprising:

an electro-mechanical component;

an electrical connector coupled to the electro-mechanical component and configured to establish an electrical connection between the security tag and an external Power Removal Station (“

PRS”

); and

an electrical circuit configured to

authenticate a wireless detach command sent from the external PRS,

cause an internal switch to be selectively actuated so that a closed circuit is provided between the electro-mechanical component and the external PRS, when the wireless detach command is authenticated,

allow power to be supplied from the external PRS to the electro-mechanical component, subsequent to when the internal switch is selectively actuated, and

cause actuation of the electro-mechanical component so that a pin of the security tag transitions from an engaged position to an unengaged position without any human assistance or mechanical assistance by a device external to the security tag.

11. The security tag according to claim 10, wherein the wireless detach command is sent from the external PRS to the security tag when a verification has been made that an article to which the security tag is attached has been successfully purchased.

12. The security tag according to claim 10, wherein an end of the pin resides within an aperture formed in a first portion of the security tag at least partially spaced apart from a second portion of the security tag by a gap when the pin is in the engaged position.

13. The security tag according to claim 12, wherein the pin is fully retracted into the second portion of the security tag when the pin is in the unengaged position.

14. The security tag according to claim 12, wherein the gap is sized and shaped to prevent a user'"'"'s access to the pin while the security tag is being coupled to the article at least partially inserted into the gap.

15. The security tag according to claim 10, wherein the pin is fixedly coupled to the security tag'"'"'s housing.

16. The security tag according to claim 10, wherein the electro-mechanical component is a solenoid or a motor.