Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-29
2001-08-28
Hofsass, Jeffery (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S572800, C340S572100, C340S572200, C340S551000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06281796
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS N/A
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT N/A
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to security systems to reduce theft of goods from retail stores.
2. Description of the Related Art
A commercially available system for inhibiting the theft of goods from retail stores uses an active electronic article surveillance (EAS) tag associated with each article, which triggers an alarm when entering an interrogation zone at the store exit. The EAS tag reacts to signals transmitted by EAS security devices positioned at the exits of the store. Upon being interrogated by a specific signal, the EAS tag is adapted to emit a signal that is detectable by an EAS receiver, which can then activate an alarm. An EAS tag deactivator can deactivate the EAS tag associated with the article. A deactivated EAS tag will not be detectable by the EAS receiver and will not activate an alarm.
When an article is sold, the associated EAS tag is deactivated so that the article can be removed from the store without triggering an alarm at the exits of the store. To prevent the EAS tag deactivator from being used to deactivate an EAS tag when the associated article has not been sold, and to reduce power consumption and use, the deactivator can be selectively energized. Typically, at the point-of-sale (POS), the sales clerk scans indicia, such as a bar code, associated with the article with a reader. Upon being scanned, the information about the article contained on the indicia is entered into the cash register to designate a sale. The clerk knows that the indicia have been properly read because the POS reader includes some type of feedback, such as an audible or visual signal. The feedback signal is not present until the indicia are correctly read. Once the indicia are read, if a store clerk must then manually energize the EAS tag deactivator, an additional step must be performed during the checkout procedure. Further, the clerk could be in collusion with the customer and deactivate the EAS tag without reading/scanning the article for a sale.
In order to prevent the above type of theft and to selectively and automatically energize the EAS tag deactivator, the POS reader, which is commonly called a scanner, and the EAS tag deactivator have been electrically interfaced such that the EAS tag deactivator is triggered by the successful read of the indicia associated with the article being purchased. To interface the POS reader/scanner to the EAS tag deactivator, an electrical connection is made from the reader/scanner to the EAS tag deactivator. However, because of the number of different types of POS reader/scanners and EAS tag deactivators commercially available, many different types of electrical interfaces are required. In addition, implementing an electrical connection to a commercial POS reader/scanner product can void the warranty from certain equipment manufacturers. Therefore, a flexible and non-intrusive interface between a POS reader/scanner and an EAS tag deactivator is needed.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A system to non-invasively interface a POS reader/scanner to an EAS tag deactivator is provided and includes a reader for reading indicia, such as a bar code, associated with an article. The system is non-invasive because the integrity of the POS reader is not violated by the interface. The POS reader generates a signal to indicate a successful read of the indicia associated with the article. The signal generated by the POS reader can be acoustic, optical, vibration, or other signal. The acoustic signal can be, but is not limited to, a tone or beep from a speaker, piezoelectric transducer, or ultrasonic transducer. The optical signal can be, but is not limited to, an LED, lamp, or other optical device that will flash, change colors, or turn on or off as a result of a successful read of the indicia by the reader. The vibration signal can be from a scanning motor that is activated upon scanning, or other vibration such as from a piezoelectric transducer.
A sensor senses the signal produced by the POS reader and generates an output signal. The sensor can be a microphone, optical sensor, vibration, ultrasonic, or other sensor depending upon the signal generated by the POS reader.
An EAS tag deactivator is connected to the sensor and detects the output signal generated by the sensor. The sensor output signal triggers the EAS tag deactivator, which will remain energized for a preselectable period of time. The POS reader can read the indicia associated with the article, and the EAS tag deactivator will then deactivate the EAS tag associated with the article. Once the EAS tag is deactivated, the article can be removed from the store without activating an alarm when the article passes through a store exit.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a non-invasive interface between a POS reader and an EAS tag deactivator such that a successful read of indicia associated with an article will trigger the EAS tag deactivator to deactivate an EAS tag associated with the article.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a non-invasive acoustic interface between a POS reader and an EAS tag deactivator.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a non-invasive optical interface between a POS reader and an EAS tag deactivator.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a non-invasive vibration interface between a POS reader and an EAS tag deactivator.
Other objectives, advantages, and applications of the present invention will be made apparent by the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4881061 (1989-11-01), Chambers
patent: 5059951 (1991-10-01), Kaltner
patent: 5187354 (1993-02-01), Bengtsson
patent: 5257010 (1993-10-01), Rehder
patent: 5477219 (1995-12-01), Zarembo et al.
patent: 5589820 (1996-12-01), Robinson et al.
patent: 5748085 (1998-05-01), Davis et al.
patent: 5814799 (1998-09-01), Swart et al.
patent: 5979758 (1999-11-01), Swart et al.
patent: 0355355 (1990-02-01), None
patent: 2 669 756 A1 (1992-05-01), None
patent: PCT/ZA99/00114 (1999-10-01), None
patent: 98/9918 (1998-10-01), None
Canipe Larry
Paez Marco
Comoglio Rick F.
Hofsass Jeffery
Kashimba Paul T.
Nguyen Hung
Sensormatic Electronics Corporation
LandOfFree
Point-of sale reader and electronic article surveillance tag... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Point-of sale reader and electronic article surveillance tag..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Point-of sale reader and electronic article surveillance tag... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2436333