System and method for securing and displaying items for merchandising

• US 8,013,740 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2010
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rapp, Michael, Irmscher, Julia
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings; Travis
• Application Number:
  US12/752,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20100188221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.1
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• 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: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• 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 13/149 with electric, magnetic, capacitive switch actuation
• 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 21/0225 Monitoring making use of different thresholds, e.g. for different alarm levels
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for automatically advertising items put on display, as well as protecting those items against theft. The system and method include an event sensor associated with the item and connected to a monitoring and alarm transmitter for initiating an advertising experience on an associated and local graphic display whenever the item is manipulated or approached by a patron. Should the item be removed or taken from its display stand, a wireless alarm is automatically transmitted to a receiver of an authorized person. The system and method also perform a logging function when a patron approaches the item or removes it without taking it away. The system and method also include the ability to provide power to electronic items that are on display.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a plurality of merchandise items at a merchandise display allowing a consumer to handle the merchandise items;

playing audio video information at the merchandise display, wherein the audio video information is based on one or more of the plurality of merchandise items, wherein the audio video information is stored in a memory at the merchandise display, wherein a first audio video information associated to a first merchandise item is stored in a first portion of the memory and a second audio video information is stored in a second portion of the memory, wherein the first audio video information can be played without playing the second audio video information and wherein the second audio video information can be played without playing the first audio video information;

detecting a possible theft when one of the merchandise items is removed from the display;

generating an alarm when the possible theft is detected; and

updating the audio video information from a location remote to the merchandise display, wherein the first audio video information can be updated without updating the second audio video information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

establishing a remote communication link between the merchandise display and the location remote to the merchandise display, wherein the updating is performed over the remote communication link.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the remote communication link is established over the Internet.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

establishing a secure communication link with the merchandise display by encrypting data transmitted over the secure communication link, wherein the updating is performed over the secure communication link.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the secure communication link is established over one or more of:

a wireless network and an electronic network.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the updating the audio video information further comprises:

replacing one or more old audio visual advertisements with one or more new audio visual advertisements.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the old audio visual advertisements are removed from the memory at the merchandise display and the new audio visual advertisements are received from the location remote to the merchandise display and stored in the memory.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the updating the audio video information further comprises:

replacing audio visual information of the first merchandise item with a different updated audio visual information of the first merchandise item.

4. A method comprising:

displaying a plurality of merchandise items at a merchandise display allowing a consumer to handle the merchandise items;

providing audio video information at the merchandise display, wherein the audio video information is based on one or more of the plurality of merchandise items;

detecting a possible theft when one of the merchandise items is removed from the display;

generating an alarm when the possible theft is detected; and

updating the audio video information from a location remote to the merchandise display;

wherein the updating the audio video information further comprises;

receiving at the merchandise display update information that was entered in a web browser at the location remote to the merchandise display; and

updating the audio video information based, at least in part, on the update information.

10. A method comprising:

displaying a plurality of merchandise items at a merchandise display allowing a consumer to handle the merchandise items;

providing audio video information at the merchandise display, wherein the audio video information is based on one or more of the plurality of merchandise items;

detecting a possible theft when one of the merchandise items is removed from the display;

generating an alarm when the possible theft is detected;

updating the audio video information from a location remote to the merchandise display;

attaching each of the plurality of merchandise items to a corresponding tether to prevent the theft of a corresponding merchandise item; and

wherein the updating the audio video information further comprises;

removing a first merchandise item from a first tether;

attaching a second merchandise item to the first tether; and

replacing audio visual information of the first merchandise item with a different updated audio visual information of the second merchandise item.

11. A merchandise display comprising:

a display area for displaying a plurality of merchandise items, wherein the display area is configured to allow customer handling of the merchandise items;

detection logic configured to detect the removal of one of the merchandise items from the merchandise display;

alarm logic configured to generate an alarm responsive to the detection logic detecting the removal of one of the merchandise items from the merchandise display;

an audio visual display device;

display logic configured to retrieve initial audio data and initial image data corresponding to one or more of the merchandise items from a database of audio data and image data, wherein the display logic is configured to play the initial audio data and initial image data on the audio visual display device; and

update logic configured to receive updated audio data and updated image data from a remote location and to update the database with the updated audio data and updated image data, wherein the database contains a first set of audio data and image data associated with a first merchandise item and a second set of audio data and image data associated with a second merchandise item, wherein the update logic is configured to receive a third set of audio data and updated image data associated with the first merchandise item from the remote location, wherein the update logic is configured to update the database by replacing the first set of audio data and image data with the third set of audio data and image data without modifying the second set of audio data and image data.

12. The merchandise display of claim 11 wherein the merchandise display is configured to establish a communication link with the remote location, wherein the update logic is configured to receive the updated audio data and updated image data over the communication link.

13. The merchandise display of claim 12 wherein the communication link is a secure communication for transmitting cryptographic data.

14. The merchandise display of claim 11 further comprising:

a memory configured to store the database, wherein the display logic is configured to access the memory.

15. The merchandise display of claim 11 wherein the update logic is configured to receive the updated audio data and updated image data over an Internet communication link.

17. The merchandise display of claim 11 wherein the detection logic is configured to detect a handled merchandise item that is not being removed from the merchandise display, and wherein the display logic is configured to retrieve audio data and image data corresponding to the handled merchandise item from the database, and wherein the display logic is configured to play audio data and image data corresponding the handled merchandise item on the audio visual display device.

18. The merchandise display of claim 11 wherein the detection logic is configured to detect no merchandise item that is being handled at the merchandise display, and wherein the display logic is configured to retrieve default audio data and default image data from the database, and to play the default audio data and the default image data on the audio visual display device.

19. The merchandise display of claim 11 further comprising:

a plurality of tethers, wherein at least one of the plurality of merchandise items is connected to one of the tethers, wherein the detection logic is configured to detect the removal of one of the tethers from one of the merchandise items, and wherein the alarm logic is configured to generate an alarm responsive to the detection logic detecting the removal of one of the tethers from one of the merchandise items.

16. A merchandise display comprising:

a display area for displaying a plurality of merchandise items, wherein the display area is configured to allow customer handling of the merchandise items;

detection logic configured to detect the removal of one of the merchandise items from the merchandise display;

alarm logic configured to generate an alarm responsive to the detection logic detecting the removal of one of the merchandise items from the merchandise display;

an audio visual display device;

display logic configured to retrieve initial audio data and initial image data corresponding to one or more of the merchandise items from a database of audio data and image data, wherein the display logic is configured to play the initial audio data and initial image data on the audio visual display device; and

update logic configured to receive updated audio data and updated image data from a remote location and to update the database with the updated audio data and updated image data;

wherein the update logic is configured to receive the updated audio data and updated image data from a web browser running on a remote device at the remote location.