SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROTECTING RETAIL DISPLAY MERCHANDISE FROM THEFT

• US 20180293856A1
• Filed: 06/07/2018
• Published: 10/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InVue Security Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: InVue Security Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Grant, Jeffrey A., Johnston, Michael R., Phillips, Jonathon D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,475,307 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/002 Devices for protection against sunlight or theft
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/024 with provisions for preventing unauthorised removal show cases with devices for prevention of theft A47F3/002; devices for locking portable objects against unauthorised removal E05B73/0017
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/14 by lifting or attempted removal of hand-portable articles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0225 Monitoring making use of different thresholds, e.g. for different alarm levels
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0233 System arrangements with pre-alarms, e.g. when a first distance is exceeded
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0266 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact distance between parent and child or surveyor and item
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0272 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect exact location of child or item using triangulation other than GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0277 Communication between units on a local network, e.g. Bluetooth, piconet, zigbee, Wireless Personal Area Networks [WPAN]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0286 Tampering or removal detection of the child unit from child or article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold

Abstract

Security systems and methods configured for use with an item of merchandise for retail display include a housing, at least one sensor carried by the housing and at least one output device carried by the housing. The security system further includes a controller carried by the housing and operably coupled to the sensor and to the output device. The controller is operable to determine a distance traveled by the item of merchandise from a retail display “home” position based upon a sensor input from the sensor, and to activate the output device based upon the distance traveled by the item of merchandise exceeding a threshold distance. The controller may utilize the at least one sensor in conjunction with an inertial navigation system (INS) and motion processing algorithms or techniques to determine the distance traveled by the item of merchandise from the retail display “home” position.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A security system for retail display, the security system comprising:

an item of merchandise comprising;

a memory storing computer-executable instructions;

a controller;

an output device; and

a wireless security device configured to wirelessly communicate with the item of merchandise,

wherein the computer-executable instructions are configured to cause the controller to activate an output device based on a communication failure between the item of merchandise and the wireless security device.

22. The security system of claim 21, wherein the wireless security device is configured to monitor communication with the item of merchandise.

23. The security system of claim 21, wherein the computer-executable instructions are configured to cause the controller to activate the output device based upon:

the item of merchandise being moved beyond at least one threshold distance from a location of the wireless security device, or

the item of merchandise being moved beyond a zone defined relative to the wireless security device.

24. The security system of claim 23, wherein the item of merchandise is configured to determine a location thereof in response to being moved beyond the at least one threshold distance or the at least one zone.

25. The security system of claim 24, wherein the location of the item of merchandise comprises coordinates of the geographical position of the item of merchandise.

26. The security system of claim 21, wherein the output device comprises a visual output device.

27. The security system of claim 21, wherein the computer-executable instructions are configured to cause the controller to activate the output device based upon the item of merchandise being moved beyond at least one zone defined relative to the wireless security device.

28. The security system of claim 21 wherein the computer-executable instructions are configured to cause the controller to activate the output device based upon the item of merchandise being moved beyond at least one threshold distance defined relative to the wireless security device.

29. The security system of claim 21, further comprising a plurality of items of merchandise, wherein the wireless security device is configured to wirelessly communicate with each of the items of merchandise.

30. The security system of claim 21, wherein the computer-executable instructions are configured to cause the controller to disable operation of the item of merchandise.

31. The security system of claim 30, further comprising a security module configured to be coupled to the item of merchandise, and wherein the computer-executable instructions are configured to cause the controller to disable operation of the item of merchandise in response to the security module being removed from the item of merchandise.

32. The security system of claim 21, wherein the wireless security device is configured to be wirelessly paired with the item of merchandise.

33. The security system of claim 32, wherein the wireless security device is configured to be wirelessly paired with the item of merchandise using Bluetooth or RF communication.

34. The security system of claim 21, wherein the item of merchandise comprises wireless communication circuitry for wirelessly communicating with the wireless security device.

35. A method for protecting an item of merchandise from theft, the item of merchandise comprising a controller and an output device, the method comprising:

wirelessly communicating between the item of merchandise and a wireless security device; and

activating the output device based on a communication failure between the item of merchandise and the wireless security device.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising activating the output device based upon:

the item of merchandise being moved beyond at least one threshold distance from a location of the wireless security device, or

the item of merchandise being moved beyond a zone defined relative to the wireless security device.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising providing the geographical position of the item of merchandise to a remote server or central monitoring station in response to the item of merchandise being moved beyond the at least one threshold distance or the at least one zone.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising wirelessly pairing the item of merchandise with the wireless security device.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising deactivating the output device based upon receipt of a security code at the item of merchandise.

40. The method of claim 35, further comprising disabling operation of the item of merchandise.