Retail product tracking system, method, and apparatus

• US 8,452,868 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2010
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shafer, Gary Mark, Mercier, Michael, Eckert, Lee H., Wyatt, James Gordon Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Winder, Patrice
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Julian
• Application Number:
  US12/887,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20110072132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 340/571, 340/572.1, 340/572.2, 709220-224
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• 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

Abstract

According to some example embodiments, systems, apparatus, methods and computer program products are provided for monitoring articles, such as in a commercial environment.

Claims

1. A system for tracking an article in a commercial environment, the system comprising:

a network entity comprising a server and a router, the router being configured to maintain a communications connection with the server;

a ping node configured to transmit a ping signal comprising ping node location data including an identifier of the ping node; and

a monitoring device configured for attachment to the article, the monitoring device configured to;

detect motion of the monitoring device as indicated by a motion sensor of the monitoring device;

responsive only to the detection of motion or an expiration of a timer, awaken to an active state;

while in the active state;

receive the ping signal from the ping node; and

transmit the ping node location data and a monitoring device identifier to the server via the router;

wherein the server of the network entity is configured to;

receive the ping node location data and the monitoring device identifier; and

store the ping node location data in association with the monitoring device identifier;

wherein the system further comprises;

a commissioning node configured to transmit a commissioning ping signal including commissioning node location data, the commissioning node location data including a commissioning node identifier; and

a decommissioning node configured to transmit a decommissioning ping signal including decommissioning node location data, the decommissioning node location data including a decommissioning node identifier;

wherein the monitoring device is further configured to;

detect an output signal from a locking mechanism sensor of the monitoring device indicating that a locking mechanism of the monitoring device has been triggered;

begin monitoring wireless signals in response to detecting the output signal from the locking mechanism sensor;

receive the commissioning ping signal; and

transmit the commissioning node location data and the monitoring device identifier to the network entity;

wherein the network entity is further configured to commission the monitoring device, wherein being configured to commission the monitoring device comprises being configured to;

receive the commissioning node location data and the monitoring device identifier from the monitoring device;

receive product information associated with the article to which the monitoring device is attached, the product information being provided by a commissioning product data input device; and

store the product information in association with the monitoring device identifier;

wherein the monitoring device is further configured to;

receive the decommissioning ping signal;

transmit the decommissioning node location data and the monitoring device identifier to the network entity; and

wherein the network entity is further configured to decommission the monitoring device, wherein being configured to decommission the monitoring device includes being configured to;

receive the decommissioning node location data and the monitoring device identifier from the monitoring device;

disassociate the product information from the monitoring device identifier;

transmit a decommission signal to the monitoring device; and

store a decommissioned state event, such that the decommissioned state event is associated with the monitoring device identifier.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device, while in the active state, is further configured to:

detect a tamper detection component indication from a tamper detection sensor of the monitoring device;

alarm locally in response to detecting the tamper detection component indication; and

transmit a tamper alarm signal with the monitoring device identifier to the network entity, in response to receiving the tamper detection component indication;

wherein the network entity is further configured to;

receive the tamper alarm signal; and

log a tamper alarm event in association with the monitoring device identifier.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device, while in the active state, is further configured to:

detect an article detachment indication from an article attachment/detachment senor of the monitoring device;

alarm locally in response to detecting the article detachment indication; and

transmit an article detachment signal with the monitoring device identifier to the network entity, in response to receiving the tamper detection component indication;

wherein the network entity is further configured to;

receive the article detachment signal; and

log an article attachment event in association with the monitoring device identifier.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device is configured to, while in the active state, transmit an alert message, the alert message being a tamper alert message, an article detachment alert message, a zone alert message, or a lost tag alert message;

wherein the network entity is further configured to transmit a message to an alert device in response to receiving the alert message, the alert device being a mobile device, a computer, or a display.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the network entity is configured to:

determine that the monitoring device has moved into a zone of interest based on the received ping node location data and a zone-based functionality profile; and

transmit an alarm instruction to the monitoring device, in response to at least determining that the monitoring device has moved into a zone of interest;

wherein the monitoring device is configured to alarm locally in response to receiving the alarm instruction.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising an event detection device configured to transmit an event signal in response to detection of an event, the event detection device being an event counter;

and

wherein the network entity is configured to receive the event signal.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an override device, wherein the override device is configured to:

receive a user input; and

in response to receiving the user input, transmit a silence alarm signal;

wherein the network entity is further configured to;

receive the silence alarm signal; and

in response to receiving the silence alarm signal, transmit a silence alarm instruction; and

wherein the monitoring device is further configured to;

receive the silence alarm signal; and

in response to receiving the silence alarm signal, stop alarming.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the network entity is further configured to:

receive a price change criterion, the price change criterion being based on a time and date, a threshold inventory quantity, or a threshold duration that the article has been located in the commercial environment;

change a price of the article stored in the network entity; and

transmit a price change message in response to changing the price of the article to the monitoring device;

wherein the monitoring device is configured to receive the price change message and, in response to receiving the price change message, provide a presentation of at least one of visual or audible information indicating the price.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of monitoring devices including the monitoring device;

wherein the network entity is further configured to, based on responses to receiving ping location data from the plurality of monitoring devices, generate a tag accounting report.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device, while in the active state, is further configured to:

detect a tamper detection component indication from a tamper detection sensor of the monitoring device;

alarm locally in response to detecting the tamper detection component indication; and

transmit a tamper alarm signal with the monitoring device identifier to the network entity, in response to receiving the tamper detection component indication;

wherein the network entity is further configured to;

receive the tamper alarm signal; and

transmit a message to an alert device in response to receiving the tamper alarm signal, the alert device being a mobile device, a computer, or a display.

11. A method for tracking an article in a commercial environment, the method comprising:

detecting, at a monitoring device, motion of the monitoring device as indicated by a motion sensor of the monitoring device;

responsive only to the detection of motion or an expiration of a timer, awaken the monitoring device to an active state;

while the monitoring device is in the active state;

receiving, at the monitoring device, a ping signal from a ping node; and

transmitting, from the monitoring device, the ping node location data and a monitoring device identifier to a server via a router, the server and the router being included in a network entity;

wherein the method further comprises;

receiving, at the network entity, the ping node location data and the monitoring device identifier from the monitoring device; and

storing, at the network entity, the ping node location data in association with the monitoring device identifier to track events of the monitoring device within a commercial environment;

wherein the method further comprises;

detecting, at the monitoring device, an output signal from a locking mechanism sensor of the monitoring device indicating that a locking mechanism of the monitoring device has been triggered;

beginning to monitor wireless signals at the monitoring device in response to detecting the output signal from the locking mechanism sensor;

receiving, at the monitoring device, a commissioning ping signal, the commissioning ping signal being transmitted by a commissioning node, the commissioning ping signal including commissioning node location data, the commissioning node location data including a commissioning node identifier;

transmitting, from the monitoring device to the network entity, the commissioning node location data and the monitoring device identifier;

commissioning the monitoring device, wherein commissioning the monitoring device comprises;

receiving, from the monitoring device at the network entity, the commissioning node location data and the monitoring device identifier;

receiving, from a commissioning product data input device at the network entity, product information associated with the article to which the monitoring device is attached; and

storing, at the network entity, the product information in association with the monitoring device identifier;

wherein the method further comprises;

receiving, at the monitoring device, a decommissioning ping signal, the decommissioning ping signal being transmitted by a decommissioning node, the decommissioning ping signal including decommissioning node location data, the decommissioning node location data including a decommissioning node identifier;

transmitting, from the monitoring device to the network entity, the decommissioning node location data and the monitoring device identifier; and

decommissioning the monitoring device, wherein decommissioning the monitoring device comprises;

receiving, from the monitoring device at the network entity, the decommissioning node location data and the monitoring device identifier;

disassociating, at the network entity, the product information from the monitoring device identifier;

transmitting a decommission signal from the network entity to the monitoring device; and

storing a decommissioned state event at the network entity, such that the decommissioned state event is associated with the monitoring device identifier.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises, while the monitoring device is in the active state:

detecting, at the monitoring device, a tamper detection component indication from a tamper detection sensor of the monitoring device;

alarming, local to the monitoring device, in response to detecting the tamper detection component indication;

transmitting, from the monitoring device to the network entity, a tamper alarm signal with the monitoring device identifier, in response to receiving the tamper detection component indication;

receiving, at the network entity, the tamper alarm signal; and

logging, at the network entity, a tamper alarm event in association with the monitoring device identifier.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises, while the monitoring device is in the active state:

detecting, at the monitoring device, an article detachment indication from an article attachment/detachment senor of the monitoring device;

alarming, local to the monitoring device, in response to detecting the article detachment indication;

transmitting, from the monitoring device to the network entity, an article detachment signal with the monitoring device identifier, in response to receiving the tamper detection component indication;

receiving, at the network entity, the article detachment signal; and

logging an article attachment event in association with the monitoring device identifier.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the method further comprises, while the monitoring device is in the active state:

transmitting, from the monitoring device to the network entity, an alert message, the alert message being a tamper alert message, an article detachment alert message, a zone alert message, or a lost tag alert message; and

transmitting, from the network entity to an alert device, a message in response to receiving the alert message, the alert device being a mobile device, a computer, or a display.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining, at the network entity, that the monitoring device has moved into a zone of interest based on the received ping node location data and a zone-based functionality profile;

transmitting, from the network entity to the monitoring device, an alarm instruction in response to at least determining that the monitoring device has moved into a zone of interest; and

alarming, local to the monitoring device, in response to receiving the alarm instruction.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

transmitting an event signal from an event detection device in response to detection of an event, the event detection device being an event counter; and

receiving, at the network entity, the event signal.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving a user input at an override device;

in response to receiving the user input, transmitting a silence alarm signal from the override device to the network entity;

receiving, at the network entity, the silence alarm signal;

in response to receiving the silence alarm signal, transmitting a silence alarm instruction from the network entity to the monitoring device;

receiving, at the monitoring device, the silence alarm signal; and

in response to receiving the silence alarm signal, stopping an alarm local to the monitoring device.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving a price change criterion at the network entity, the price change criterion being based on a time and date, a threshold inventory quantity, or a threshold duration that the article has been located in the commercial environment;

changing, at the network entity, a price of the article stored in the network entity;

transmitting, from the network entity to the monitoring device, a price change message in response to changing the price of the article;

receiving, at the monitoring device, the price change message; and

in response to receiving the price change message, providing a presentation of at least one of visual or audible information indicating the price.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving, from a plurality of monitoring devices, responses to ping signals including ping location data; and

generating, at the network entity, a tag accounting report.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises, while the monitoring device is in the active state:

detecting a tamper detection component indication from a tamper detection sensor of the monitoring device;

alarming, local to the monitoring device, in response to detecting the tamper detection component indication;

transmitting, from the monitoring device to the network entity, a tamper alarm signal with the monitoring device identifier, in response to receiving the tamper detection component indication;

receiving the tamper alarm signal at the network entity; and

transmitting a message from the network entity to an alert device in response to receiving the tamper alarm signal, the alert device being a mobile device, a computer, or a display.